Abstract:
An attachment for portable power and suction units, including a long control tube having a length to extend from a floor to adjacent shoulder height of a standing user and a vacuum head formed from a length of tube having a slot in one side and with the ends of the slot closed; and a flexible connection between the interior of the vacuum head and the interior of a control tube to be connected to a portable power and suction unit while allowing limited pivoting of the long control tube in the plane of the slot and normal to a bottom of the vacuum head.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable 
   REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and particularly to the hose and nozzle structures for such vacuum cleaners. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   There have been a great many portable vacuum cleaners developed in the past for use in the care and cleaning of floor materials. Many of the portable vacuum cleaners developed in the past have been intended for use in picking up dirt and debris from carpets and other floor coverings and even from wooden floors. 
   In the use of portable vacuum cleaners, particularly for commercial purposes, i.e., in public buildings, such as hotels, office buildings and other such structures, it becomes very necessary that the floor cleaning operations be made as simple as possible so that the floor cleaning can be performed in a minimum amount of time. Time is money. 
   In the past, portable vacuum cleaners have been made to stand upright, to be pulled along the floor, or to be back-packed. 
   The upright vacuum cleaner is very popular and generally includes a head carried on wheels and with a power and suction producing apparatus all made as an integral part of a wheeled head. The head has a bottom opening through which dirt and debris from a floor is pulled and the dirt and debris is moved into a bag or collection chamber for future removal and disposal. In use, a handle on the vacuum is grasped and the entire vacuum cleaner is moved back and forth on the wheels. In making such movements, the operator necessarily bends back and forth at his waist. The repeated bending and standing motion is often damaging to the back of the user. Frequently, the upright vacuum cleaners also include a flexible hose attachment with a collection nozzle or an extension tube on one end and the other end being attached to the power and suction unit. The user then generally grasps the nozzle or the extension tube to move it over areas requiring vacuum cleaning. The entire weight of the vacuum cleaner must be moved during a cleaning operation, the weight being moved contributes to injury to the back of the user. 
   Vacuums having wheels supporting power and suction systems and long hoses that are connected to the wheel system so that as a nozzle on the end of the hose is maneuvered the wheel system will follow along. These pull along type systems may use or frequently use extension tubes that will have a vacuum head on one end of the hose and the other end of the tube connected to the flexible hose and with the extension tube being generally extensible to about the length of the distance from floor to waist of the user. 
   The known back-packed type vacuum cleaners generally have a power and suction collection system mounted to be carried by straps on the back of a user. A flexible hose normally extends over a shoulder of the user and down to a telescopic wand of the same type commonly used with the upright and pull-along type vacuum cleaners. The tube used generally extends only from the floor to the waist of the user. A vacuum head is on one end of the telescoping tube and the other end is connected to the flexible hose. 
   With all of the prior art vacuum cleaners disclosed above, it is common that the telescoping tube be adjustable so that the tube can have a full length extending from floor to proximate the waist of a user or can be shortened to provide for hand use by grasping of the shortened tube to manipulate the vacuum head. 
   The vacuum head of the vacuum cleaners disclosed above, is generally quite large, generally includes wheels to facilitate movement over a floor and may include different types of floor engaging surfaces at the sides of an intake slot. With all of the prior art vacuums, the vacuuming action comprises pushing or pulling the upright or in moving the extension tube in a push-pull action that is consistent with the rolling action of the wheels of the intake head. When a telescopic tube is used and is hand grasped adjacent the vacuum head, the head may be moved in a variety of directions and becomes useful with tools that do not have wheels and that can be moved forward, backward, sideways, or virtually in any pattern the user desires. However, when using the shortened telescopic tube in the manner described, it is slow and tedious to do a large floor since a person must be on hands and knees in order to properly maneuver the vacuum head and to pull the power and suction unit along behind. Commonly, the shortened telescopic tube and vacuum head attached thereto are used primarily for cleaning furniture, drapery or other objects that are normally positioned above floor level. 
   The same type vacuum head that is used commonly attached to a shortened telescopic tube or directly to the flexible hose is also commonly used by pushing and pulling with respect to the user. The pushing and pulling pattern is necessary to assure that the opening in the vacuum head will pass over a maximum area being vacuumed and, as previously noted may cause significant injury to the back of a user. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   Principal objects of the present invention are to provide a vacuum sweeper that allows a user to remain in an upright standing position while vacuuming. The user may use the vacuum sweeper in a push-pull motion, the same as other known vacuum cleaners, or may move the head of the vacuum in a sweeping motion back and forth in front of the user&#39;s body. Whether used in a push-pull pattern, or a sweeping pattern, the light weight vacuum sweeper of the invention is less damaging to the back of a user than are the prior art vacuum systems. 
   When using the vacuum sweeper of the invention, a standing user can easily vacuum closely adjacent to furniture, cabinets and walls, and can readily vacuum between structures and even below raised furniture structures. 
   While particularly adaptable as a back-packed unit, the vacuum sweeper of the invention can be a pull-around vacuum unit. In any event, with the vacuum sweeper of the invention, a standing user can sweep an area much faster and more effectively than can be achieved with the other push-pull only type vacuum systems and without bending at the waist. 
   Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the claims. 
   FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 
   Principal features of the invention include a long tube extending from ground level to adjacent shoulder level of a standing user, a flexible tube connecting an upper end of the long tube to a power and suction unit, which may be a back-packed power and suction system or a pull-around power and suction system. The back-packed vacuum system and/or the pull-around vacuum system may be conventional and the system used will be connected through a flexible hose to the upper end of the long tube. 
   A lower end of the long tube has a vacuum head connected thereto through an articulated connection. The articulated connection allows the vacuum head to pivot with respect with a plane through the elongate axis of the long tube and the articulated connection allows the vacuum head to be positioned so that the long tube can rotate to be used in performing either a push-pull type movement or a sweeping movement. 
   Different types of floor engaging surfaces may be provided at opposite sides of a pickup slot in the vacuum head. 
   Preferably, both the long tube and the vacuum head of the invention are formed from a material that is durable and inexpensive. The vacuum head is preferably made of a material that will pass easily and smoothly over different types of floor materials, i.e., wood, linoleum, tile and carpet. The vacuum head is also preferably made to receive selected ground engaging surface members that are particularly useful in vacuuming material from different floor materials. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the Drawings 
       FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of a standing man using the vacuum sweeper of the invention; 
       FIG. 2 , a perspective view of the vacuum head of the vacuum sweeper of the invention; 
       FIG. 3 , a perspective view of the head of  FIG. 2 , shown rotated for viewing of the pick-up slot of the vacuum head; 
       FIG. 4 , a front elevation view of the vacuum head shown attached to a long tube, shown fragmentarily, and showing pivoted positions of the vacuum head during a vacuuming procedure; 
       FIG. 5 , a bottom plan view of the vacuum head as shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6 , an enlarged vertical section taken on the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7 , a view like that of  FIG. 6 , but showing a brush type surface engagement attachment on the vacuum head; 
       FIG. 8 , a view like that of  FIG. 7 , but showing a squeegee type attachment on the vacuum head; and 
       FIG. 9 , a view like that of  FIG. 7 , but showing still another type of surface engagement attachment secured to the vacuum head. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now the Drawings 
   The vacuum sweeper  10  of the invention includes a power and suction unit  12 , a long control tube  14 , having an upper end  16  to which a flexible hose  18  is connected between the long control tube  14  and the power and suction unit  12 . A lower end  22  of the long control tube  14  is connected to a vacuum head  26 . 
   Vacuum head  26  includes a elongate tubular, ground engaging member  30 , having a slot  32  formed in a bottom surface of the vacuum head. 
   End plates  35  and  37  are respectively provided at opposite ends of the vacuum head and a central hole  36  is provided through a top surface  38  of the vacuum head  26 . 
   A saddle member  40  fits over the hole  36  and is adhesively bonded, and/or is riveted with rivets  44  and  46  to the vacuum head  26 . 
   Saddle member  40  has a collar  48  adhesively bonded, or otherwise affixed thereto. Collar  48  surrounds the hole  36  and has ears  50  and  52 , respectively projecting upwardly from opposite sides of the vacuum head  26 . 
   A flexible sleeve  56  extends downwardly into the collar  48  and projects upwardly from the collar  48 . 
   The long control tube  14  has a connector member  64  with downwardly extending ears  66  and  68  at opposite sides thereof. 
   The lower end  22  of control tube  14  telescopes over an upper end  57  of flexible sleeve  56  and ears  66  and  68 , respectively, extend downwardly to align with ears  50  and  52  of collar  48 . A rivet  70  extends through ears  66  and  50  to serve as a pivot connection. Another rivet  72  extends through the ears  68  and  52  to serve as a pivot connection. As control tube  14  is pivoted ( FIG. 4 ) about the pivot connections  70  and  72  in a plane extending through the length of tube  50 , relative to the vacuum head  26 , the flexible sleeve  56  bends and maintains a flow passage between the vacuum head and the interior of long control tube  14 . Pivoting of the control tube  14  relative the vacuum head  26  is stopped by engagement of connector member  64  with collar  48 . 
   The long control tube  14 , connector member  64 , collar  48  and vacuum head  26  are substantially rigid and may be made using polyvinyl chloride tubing, for example. 
   In using the vacuum sweeper  10  shown, the power and suction unit is strapped on the back of a user and the flexible hose  18  has one end connected to the power and suction unit  12 . The other end of the flexible hose is connected to the long control tube  14  at or near the shoulder of the user. It will be apparent that the flexible hose  18  could alternatively be connected to a roller mounted, or skid mounted, power and suction unit (not shown) or to any other suitable power and suction unit. 
   The user grasps the long control tube  14  with the vacuum head on a floor surface in front of the user and the slot  32  extending across the floor surface. In cleaning large areas the user can use a side-to-side or a curved pattern of the vacuum head. When performing these motions, the user turns the long control tube  14  about its axis, as shown by arrows A, to position the vacuum head  26  for the desired cleaning pattern. Then, the user sweeps the vacuum head back and forth (arrows B) or in arcuate patterns (arrows C) as he moves forward or backward across the area to be vacuumed. Dirt and debris is moved through slot  32  and the long tube to the power and suction unit in the manner common to other vacuums. The pivot action provided by pivot connections  70  and  72  allows the vacuum head to remain flat on the floor as the sweeping action occurs. 
   The vacuum head has a low profile and by turning the long control tube about its axis as shown by arrows A, the vacuum head can be positioned to move closely against wall surfaces and furniture and to have an end move as shown by arrows D, into corners along right angle surfaces and under furniture and the like. 
   During use of the vacuum sweeper  10 , the user can stand fully upright and does not need to bend at the waist, as is common during use of commonly known vacuum cleaners. It has been found that the use in the upright position greatly reduces strain on the back of the user. The back strain is also reduced since the user only moves the long control tube and light weight vacuum head during sweeping. It has also been found that sweeping with the vacuum head  26  results in faster cleaning of large areas of floor covering than can obtained using known vacuum cleaners having push-pull heads. This is also particularly important during commercial cleaning where fast, effective vacuuming is required. 
   While the vacuum head  26 , formed from a PVC tube  30 , or the like and having the slot  32  on the ground engaging surface provides an effective vacuum head, attachments can be used with the vacuum head  26 , if desired. Also, while other means can be used to secure attachments in place, it has been found that upturned edges  86  and  88  extending the length of slot  32 , can be readily used for the purpose. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , various kinds of cleaning attachments can be secured to the vacuum head  26 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , a brush type attachment  90  has bristles  92  projecting downwardly from a flange  94  that surrounds slot  32 . Down turned edges  96  of the flange  94  slide into the upturned edges  86  and  88  to secure the brush attachment  90  in place. 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , squeegee blades  100  and  102  are attached to opposite sides of a frame  104  that is attached to the vacuum head by down turned edges  106  and  108  that are hooked into the upturned edges  86  and  88  of the vacuum head. The squeegee attachment is particularly useful when the power and suction unit of the vacuum sweeper  10  is of the wet type, capable of picking up liquids. 
   The attachment  110  of  FIG. 9  includes a soft pad surface  112  surrounding the opening through the frame  104  attached to the vacuum head. 
   It will be apparent that other types of attachments can also be used. 
   Although preferred forms of my invention have been herein disclosed, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention.