Abstract:
An extension pipe with a joint for a vacuum cleaner which forms a sealed channel between a cleaner body and a suction brush and includes a part bendable by a user&#39;s selection. The extension pipe includes a first extension pipe, a second extension pipe pivotably connected to the first extension pipe, at least one separation preventing cap penetrating through the first and the second pipes from the outside of the first extension pipe, and a locking unit hingedly connected to the first extension pipe. The locking unit hooks the second extension pipe and selectively locks the pivotal movements of the first and the second extension pipes. Further, the locking unit releases the locking of the second extension pipe so that the first and the second extension pipes can be bent.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to copending Korean Patent Application No. 2003-91263 filed on Dec. 15, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0002]     This application is related to the copending applications entitled, “Bendable Nozzle For Vacuum Cleaner,” (Korean Application 10-2003-72873, filed Oct. 20, 2003), and “Bendable Extension Pipe Having Joint For Vacuum Cleaner,” (Korean Application 2003-72874), filed Oct. 20, 2003, which disclosures are commonly owned by the same assignee as the present application and are entirely incorporated herein by reference.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to an extension pipe for a vacuum cleaner which has a bendable connection part to enable cleaning on the spaces under furniture such as a bed and a sofa with convenience.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Generally, a vacuum cleaner suctions in dirt and dust from a cleaning surface together with ambient air using a vacuum suction force generated by a vacuum suction motor provided in a cleaner body. The vacuum cleaner has a channel connected between the cleaner body and a suction brush in a sealed state. The channel may take various formations according to the kind of the vacuum cleaner, and in general, a canister type vacuum cleaner includes a flexible hose for connecting the cleaner body with a handle and an extension pipe for connecting the handle and the suction brush. The extension pipe is expandable, contractable, and adjustable in length. A plurality of extension pipes are provided to be assembled and disassembled for operation with the vacuum cleaner.  
         [0005]     However, the suction brush connected to the conventional extension pipe has a disadvantage in that, in order to clean spaces under furniture such as a bed and a sofa, a user has to adopt a low posture to bring the suction brush into close contact with the cleaning surface because the angle between the extension pipe and the suction brush is usually unadjustable. Also, even if the angle between the extension pipe and the suction brush is adjustable, the user still has to bend his/her back to push the suction brush further into the spaces under the furniture.  
         [0006]     Thus, a need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention was developed in order to solve the problems mentioned above. An object of the present invention is to provide an extension pipe with a joint for a vacuum cleaner which enables bending of the extension pipe through simple button manipulation and without requiring a user to bend his/her back, and also provides a convenient cleaning performance.  
         [0008]     The above aspect of the present invention is achieved by providing an extension pipe with a joint for a vacuum cleaner which forms a sealed channel between a cleaner body and a suction brush and has a part bendable by a user&#39;s selection. The extension pipe includes a first extension pipe, a second extension pipe pivotably connected to the first extension pipe, at least one separation preventing cap penetrating through the first and the second pipes from the outside of the first extension pipe, and a locking unit hingedly connected to the first extension pipe for hooking the second extension pipe and selectively locking the pivotal movements of the first and the second extension pipes. The locking unit releases the locking of the second extension pipe so that the first and the second extension pipes can be bent.  
         [0009]     The first extension pipe may include a tubular body and a cylindrical joint with an open part, the second extension pipe pivotably connected to the open part, and a locker receiver in which the locking unit is received.  
         [0010]     The cylindrical joint may include a first and a second insertion holes through which the separation preventing caps penetrate for the connection with the cylindrical joint. The first insertion hole may include a plurality of slots defined in positions corresponding to first insertion protrusions protruding from the separation preventing cap. A connecting line from the plurality of slots substantially forms a circular line. The second insertion hole may include a penetrating hole formed in positions corresponding to second insertion protrusions protruding from the separation preventing caps. The first and the second insertion holes may be formed in receiving recesses formed in opposite sides of the cylindrical joint with a predetermined depth corresponding to the thickness of the separation preventing cap.  
         [0011]     The locking unit may comprise a locking lever hinged on the first extension pipe and at least one hook protruding from an end of the locking lever. The second extension pipe may include a locking recess formed in a position corresponding to the hook, and a locking projection for preventing reverse pivotal movement of the second extension pipe.  
         [0012]     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0013]     Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an extension pipe with a joint, for a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of  FIG. 1  across line III-III in which the first and the second extension pipes according to the embodiment of the present invention are locked and held in a straight line.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross section view of  FIG. 1  across line III-III in which the first and the second extension pipes according to the embodiment of the present invention are released from locked state and held in a bent condition.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a cross section view of  FIG. 2  across line V-V. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are a perspective view and an exploded perspective view, respectively, for showing an extension pipe with a joint for a vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The extension pipe includes a first extension pipe  110  connected to a cleaner body (not shown), and a second extension pipe  120  bendably connected to the first extension pipe  110  and also connected to a suction brush (not shown) through which dirt is drawn in from a cleaning surface. The first and the second extension pipes  110  and  120  are pivotably connected to each other through a separation preventing cap  130 . The pivotal movement of the second extension pipe  120  with respect to the first extension pipe  110  is adjusted by a locking unit  140  hingedly connected to the first extension pipe  110 .  
         [0021]     The first extension pipe  110  includes a first extension pipe body  111 , a cylindrical joint  112  connected to the second extension pipe  120 , and a locking lever receiver  113  in which the locking unit  140  is received. The first extension pipe body  111  has one side connected to the cleaner body (not shown) and the other side connected to the cylindrical joint  112 . The first extension pipe body  111  has a substantially tubular shape.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cylindrical joint  112  has one side open to house therein a joint part  122  formed at the second extension pipe  120 . The cylindrical joint  112  includes receiving recesses  112   c  formed in opposite sides thereof. The separation preventing caps  130  are engaged with the receiving recesses  112   c  so that the separation prevention caps  130  can penetrate through the first and the second extension pipes  110 ,  120 . Each receiving recess  112   c  includes first insertion holes  112   a  and a second insertion hole  112   b  defined therein, for allowing the separation preventing cap  130  to penetrate through the first and the second extension pipes  110  and  120 .  
         [0023]     The second extension pipe  120  has one side connected to the suction brush (not shown), through which dirt is suctioned in, and the other side of the second extension pipe  120  is disposed to the joint part  122  to be connected to the cylindrical joint  112 . The joint part  122  is shaped in a cylinder with a size corresponding to an inner circumference of the cylindrical joint  112 , and pivotably connected to the cylindrical joint  112  through the separation preventing caps  130 .  
         [0024]     A locking projection  123  is formed on an outer circumference of the joint part  122 . The locking projection  123  is supported by the cylindrical joint  112  when the first and the second extension pipes  110  and  120  are held in a straight line. A locking recess  124  is formed in an outer circumference of the joint part  122  opposite to the locking projection  123 , into which the locking unit  140  is hooked.  
         [0025]     The separation preventing caps  130  are engaged with the opposite sides of the cylindrical joint  112  to allow the first and the second extension pipes  110 ,  120  to pivotably connect to each other. For engagement with the cylindrical joint  112 , the separation preventing cap  130  includes first and second insertion protrusions  131 ,  132  formed on a surface thereof connected to the cylindrical joint  112  as shown in  FIG. 2 . When engaged, the first insertion protrusions  131  are positioned inwardly apart from the most outer line of the separation separating cap  130  by a predetermined distance. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first insertion protrusions  131  are each symmetrical to its opposing insertion protrusion. A connecting line of the plurality of first insertion protrusions  131  forms a imaginary circular line to facilitate the pivotal movement of the second extension pipe  120  with respect to the first extension pipe  110 . Preferably, a distance between the opposite first insertion protrusions  131  corresponds to the diameter of the joint part  122  for smooth pivoting of the second extension pipes  120 .  
         [0026]     The second insertion protrusions  132  protrude from the separation preventing cap  130  and are positioned inwardly apart from the first insertion protrusions  131  by a predetermined distance. Like the first insertion protrusions  131 , the second insertion protrusions  132  are each symmetrical to its opposing second insertion protrusion. One difference of the second insertion protrusions  132  is that they are positioned corresponding to the spaces between the respective first insertion protrusions  132 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first insertion protrusions  131  and the second insertion protrusions  132  are formed in an staggered pattern.  
         [0027]     The locking unit  140  includes a locking lever  141 , a resilient member  144 , and a hinge pin  143 . The locking lever  141  is hinged on the locking lever receiver  113 , which is integrally formed with the first extension pipe body  111 , by the hinge pin  143  with the resilient member  144  interposed therebetween. A hook  142  is formed at an end of the locking lever  141 . The hook  142  is hooked into the locking recess  124  so that the second extension pipe  120  can be held in a straight line with respect to the first extension pipe  110 . More than one hook  142  may be provided at the end of the locking lever  141 . In this embodiment, two hooks  142  are formed at the end of the locking lever  141  opposite to each other.  
         [0028]     Hereinbelow, the operation of the extension pipe having the joint for a vacuum cleaner will be described in detail.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are partial cross-sectional views illustrating the extension pipe with the joint for a vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]     In conventional operational cleaning of a plane surface such as floor, the first and the second extensions pipes  110  and  120  are held in the straight line as shown in  FIG. 3 . More specifically, the hooks  142  protruding from the end of the locking lever  141  are hooked into the locking recesses  124  defined in portions of the second extension pipe  120  corresponding to the hooks  142  so that the first and the second extension pipes  110 ,  120  are held in the straight line. At an opposite side of the locking recesses  124  the locking projection  123  is formed for preventing the second extension pipe  120  from bending to an undesired direction. The locking projection  123  is supported on a surface of the open part  112   d  of the cylindrical joint  112  (see  FIGS. 2-4 ). Accordingly, even when the locking lever  141  moves out of the locking recesses  124  and is released from the locked state, the second extension pipe body  121  is allowed to pivot only in the arrowed direction of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0031]     In cleaning the spaces under furniture such as a bed, the user presses the locking lever  141  in the ‘arrowed’ direction of  FIG. 4 . Accordingly, the hooks  142  move out of the locking recesses  124 , thus enabling bending of the second extension pipes  121 .  
         [0032]     In order to recover the second extension pipe body  121  connected to the suction brush (not shown) to the straightened state with respect to the first extension pipe body  111 , the user grips and lifts the first extension pipe body  111 . By the weight of the suction brush connected to the second extension pipe body  121  and to the second extension pipe body  121 , the second extension pipe body  121  reversely pivots to the bending direction until the hooks  142  are received in the locking recesses  124 . Because the locking lever  141  is connected to the locking lever receiver  113  with the intervention of the resilient member  144  therebetween, the hooks  142 , integrally formed with the locking lever  141 , are automatically hooked into the locking recesses  124  by the resilient recovering force of the resilient member  144 . Accordingly, it is possible for the user to recover the first and the second extension pipes  110 ,  120  to the straightened condition by simply lifting the first extension pipe body  111  without a separate button manipulation.  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the joint part  122  is received in the cylindrical joint  112  and includes an open part to maintain a flow path in a sealed state when the first and the second extension pipes  110  and  120  are held in the bent condition. Also, since the separation preventing caps  130  are closely engaged with the first and the second insertion holes  112   a ,  112   b  provided in the receiving recesses  112   c  formed in the opposite sides of the cylindrical joint  112  with a predetermined depth, the separation preventing caps  130  are partially released from engagement with the joint  112 .  
         [0034]     As described above, since the first and the second extension pipe  110 ,  120  can be bent by simply pulling out an operation handle and a release handle, the user easily cleans the spaces under the bed or sofa without bending his/her back or adopting a low posture, and therefore, the user&#39;s convenience is improved.  
         [0035]     The foregoing embodiment and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. Also, the description of the embodiments of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims, and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.