Abstract:
A conversion valve arrangement for converting a vacuum cleaner from floor use to off-the-floor use. A valve door located in the suction duct leading from the nozzle body shuts off the suction airstream to the nozzle body when the vacuum cleaner is moved into the upright stored position. A projection on the motor housing located beneath the handle engages a resilient member cooperating with a crank arm on the valve door to close the valve door when the handle is moved to the upright position. The resilient member is comprised of a front valve arm and a rear valve arm pivotally linked together. The motion of the rear valve arm is transmitted to the front valve arm in one direction by a stop. The motion of the rear valve arm is transmitted to the front valve arm in the opposite direction by the stiffness of a spring disposed between them. The resiliency of the spring will allow the rear valve arm to rotate relative to the front valve arm should the valve door become stuck in the open position when the handle is moved to the upright position to prevent damage to the projection on the motor housing, the rear valve arm, front valve arm, torsional coil spring, and valve door.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Generally, the invention relates to vacuum cleaners. Particularly, the invention relates to an improved conversion valve assembly design for a floor care appliance such as a vacuum cleaner.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The use of conversion valve arrangements in upright vacuum cleaners is old and well known in the art. Automatic cleaner conversion is also known to be occasioned by movement of the cleaner handle to an upright stored position, with this movement driving the conversion valve to a converted hose operating position. An example of such an arrangement can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,361 issued to Buchtel and owned by a common assignee. However, no provision is made in such a conversion valve arrangement for the contingency of an object getting stuck in the suction duct and preventing the valve door from closing. In such a case, the large torque produced by pushing the elongated vacuum cleaner handle into the upright position can break and/or damage the linkages of the conversion valve assembly which are generally driven by the movement of the upright housing and cleaner handle.  
           [0003]    Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an upright cleaner having an improved conversion valve assembly operated by the movement of the cleaner handle.  
           [0004]    A further object of the invention is to provide an improved conversion valve assembly wherein the linkages driving the conversion valve will not be damaged or broken by moving the cleaner handle into the upright position when the conversion valve door is stuck in the open position.  
           [0005]    These and other objectives will be readily apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In carrying out the invention in one aspect thereof, these objectives and advantages are obtained by providing an upright vacuum cleaner having a conversion valve for converting the cleaner from floor use to off-the-floor use. A conversion valve assembly is provided which automatically closes a conversion valve to shut off the suction provided to the agitator chamber when the cleaner handle and upright housing are moved to the upright position. A projection on the front of the upright housing cooperates with a rear valve arm to drive and hold the conversion valve in the shut position when the cleaner handle and upright housing are moved into the upright stored position. The suction from a suction motor is shut off to the agitator chamber and all suction is directed to the off-the-floor accessory hose. The conversion valve remains in the closed position until the cleaner handle and upright housing are released from the upright position. The projection on the front of the upright housing releases the rear valve arm freeing the valve arm to rotate freely about a pivot. The suction from the suction motor or a spring member causes the conversion valve to move into the open position. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a spring member causes the conversion valve to move into the open position.  
           [0007]    The conversion valve has a crank arm connected to a front valve arm for moving the conversion valve to the closed position when the cleaner handle and upright housing are moved to the upright stored position. The front valve arm cooperates with the rear valve arm when the projection on the front of the housing engages the rear valve arm when the cleaner handle and upright housing are moved into the upright stored position. The front valve arm and rear valve arm are pivotally connected and cooperate with each other via a torsion spring. The torsion spring transmits the mechanical movement created by the projection on the front of the upright housing when the upright housing and cleaner handle are moved into the upright position to the front valve arm, and the crank arm of the conversion valve to move the conversion valve into the closed position. However, should a stuck object prevent the conversion valve from closing, damage to the conversion valve, crank arm, front valve arm, rear valve arm, and front projection is prevented because the resiliency of the torsion spring allows the rear crank arm and the front crank arm to pivot relative to each other when the projection depresses the rear crank arm when the upright housing and cleaner housing are moved into the upright stored position.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    Embodiments of the invention, illustrative of several modes in which applicants have contemplated applying the principles are set forth by way of example in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner which includes the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with a partial cutaway portion showing the conversion valve assembly;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a exploded view of the cutaway portion of vacuum cleaner of FIG. 2 showing the conversion valve assembly;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 taken along line II-II of FIG. 2; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 taken along line II-II of FIG. 12. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    A vacuum cleaner incorporating the present is shown in FIG. 1 and is indicated generally at  100 . Vacuum cleaner  100  includes a vacuum cleaner foot  110  and a vacuum cleaner housing  120  connected to the vacuum cleaner foot  110 . The foot  110  is formed with a bottom nozzle opening (not shown) which opens towards a floor surface. In the preferred embodiment, the vacuum cleaner is similar to the indirect air bagless vacuum cleaner disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/519,106 owned by a common assignee which is incorporated by reference fully herein. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the vacuum cleaner may be a direct air vacuum cleaner or any other type of floor care appliance utilizing suction and being capable of being converted from floor use to off-the-floor use. The vacuum cleaner  100  is of the type having an agitator  114  (FIGS. 4 and 5) positioned within an agitator chamber  112  (FIGS. 4 and 5) formed in an agitator housing  210  (FIG. 2) which is part of foot  110 . Agitator chamber  112  communicates with the nozzle opening (not shown) and agitator  114  rotates about a horizontal axis inside agitator chamber  112  for loosening dirt from the floor surface. The loosened dirt is drawn into a conversion valve duct  211  located behind and fluidly connected to agitator chamber  112  by a suction airstream generated by a motor-fan assembly  116  (FIGS. 4 and 5).  
         [0015]    Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, conversion valve duct  211  is fluidly connected to motor-fan assembly  116  (FIGS. 4 and 5) by a suction hose (not shown) or other means. In the preferred embodiment, conversion valve duct  211  has a first portion of a suction hose connector  212  extending rearwardly for receiving the suction hose (not shown). A plurality of annular ribs  212   b  are formed on the inner surface of the first portion of suction hose connector  212  for gripping the complementary ribs on the lower portion of one end of a suction hose (not shown). The connection of the suction hose (not shown) to conversion valve duct  211  will be described further hereinbelow.  
         [0016]    Located inside conversion valve duct  211  is a conversion valve  213  for selectively fluidly disconnecting the suction airstream from the agitator chamber  112 . There are instances where it is desirable to fluidly disconnect the suction airstream from the agitator chamber  112 . For example, many vacuum cleaners are equipped with an accessory suction hose (not shown) fluidly connected to the motor-fan assembly (FIGS. 4 and 5) at some other point for off-the-floor cleaning of upholstery, drapes, and the like. In this case, it is desirable to have the maximum amount of suction from the motor-fan assembly  116  available to the suction inlet of the accessory hose (not shown). This requires diverting the suction airstream directed to the agitator chamber  112  to the accessory hose (not shown). Some cleaners actually have the suction airstream directed to both the agitator chamber  112  and the accessory hose (not shown) at all times but the suction outlet (not shown) off the accessory hose (not shown) is sealed by placing the suction inlet onto a projection on the accessory hose holder (not shown) while in the storage position. Thus, the suction inlet (not shown) is sealed and the maximum amount of suction from the motor-fan assembly  116  (FIGS. 4 and 5) is directed to the agitator chamber  112 . Conversely, when the accessory hose (not shown) is removed from the accessory hose holder (not shown), the suction inlet (not shown) of the accessory hose (not shown) is unrestricted but only a portion of the total suction produced by the motor-fan assembly  116  is available since a portion of the suction is still directed to the agitator chamber  112 . It is desirable then to fluidly disconnect the agitator chamber  112  from the motor-fan assembly  116  so the maximum amount of suction is directed to the suction inlet (not shown) of the accessory hose (not shown). This is accomplished by a conversion valve  213  which selectively shuts of the suction airstream to the agitator chamber  112  by blocking the conversion valve duct  211 .  
         [0017]    Conversion valve  213  selectively shuts of the suction airstream to the agitator chamber  112  by being moved from an open position (FIG. 4) to a closed position (FIG. 5) by the movement of the housing  120  (FIG. 1) into an upright stored position. It is desirable to move housing  120  (FIG. 1) into an upright stored position when it is desired to use the accessory hose (not shown) for off-the-floor cleaning. A special projection  114  located on the front of motor housing  113  depresses a rear valve arm  220  when housing  120  (FIG. 1) is moved to the upright stored position. The rear valve  220  cooperates with a front valve arm  218  via a torsional spring  219  which transmits the motion of rear valve arm  220  to front valve arm  218 . Front valve arm  218  cooperates with the crank arm  213   a  of conversion valve  213  move conversion valve into the closed position.  
         [0018]    Referring now specifically to FIG. 3, a conversion valve  213  is installed in conversion valve duct  211  by being inserted into a conversion valve cavity  211  a located therein and is rotatably held therein by a conversion valve duct cover  214 . Conversion valve  213  has a valve door portion  213   c , a spindle portion  213   b , and a crank arm  213   a  extending sidewardly from the spindle portion  213   b . The spindle portion  213   b  of conversion valve  213  on opposing lateral sides of valve door  213   c  is received by a pair of opposing recesses  211   a  formed in the opposing sidewalls of conversion valve duct  211 . A semi-circular shaped channel  214   a  is formed in the upper surface of conversion valve duct cover  214  for receiving the spindle portion  213   b  of conversion valve  213  when conversion valve duct cover  214  is installed on top of conversion valve duct  211 . Thus, the spindle portion  213   b  of conversion valve  213  is free to rotate as well as conversion valve door  213  connected thereto inside conversion valve duct cavity  211   b.    
         [0019]    Conversion valve duct cover  214  also includes a recessed portion  214   c  for receiving conversion valve door  213  when in the open position. A lip  211  (also seen in FIGS. 4 and 5) is formed in the inner surface of conversion valve suction duct  211  separating conversion valve suction duct  211  into the aforesaid conversion valve cavity  211   a  and a conversion valve suction duct forward portion  211   d . Lip  211  acts as a stop for conversion valve  213  as it is rotated into the closed position and acts as a seat for conversion valve  213  preventing conversion valve  213  from being rotated into conversion valve suction duct forward portion  211   d . Conversion valve duct cover  214  is installed on top of conversion valve duct  211  using screws, adhesives or other fastening means. Conversion valve duct cover  214  also has a conversion valve duct cover hose connector portion  214   b  extending rearwardly therefrom with ribs located on the inner surface thereon (not shown) for gripping the upper portion of the end of the suction hose (not shown) when conversion valve suction duct cover  214  is in the installed position.  
         [0020]    Turning back to the detail of the cooperation of rear valve arm  220  and front valve arm  218  with conversion valve  213 , and referring now to FIGS.  3 - 5 , front valve arm  218  is installed on a pivot  217  extending from the inner sidewall of conversion valve suction duct  211 . Front valve arm  218  has a cylindrical portion  218   c  with a hollow interior  218   d  which fits over pivot  217  and a lever portion  218   a  extending from cylindrical portion  218   c  in a cantilever fashion. A slotted aperture  218   b  is formed in lever portion  218   a  which slidingly receives crank arm  213   a . Rear valve arm  220  is generally cylindrical in shape having a cylindrical portion  220   a  with a hollow interior  220   b , a sidewardly extending projection  220   d  with a flat upper surface, and a notch  220   c  formed between projection  220   d  and cylindrical portion  220   a . A torsional coil spring  219  with a hollow center and a first free end  219   a  and a second free end  219   b  fits over cylindrical portion  220   a  with notch  220  receiving and holding fast first free end  219   a  of torsional coil spring  219 . The hollow interior  220   b  of the cylindrical portion  220   a  of rear valve arm  220  fits over the outer periphery of the perimeter of the cylindrical portion  218   c  of front valve arm  218 . The second free end of torsional coil spring  219   b  is received underneath the lever portion  218   a  of front valve arm  218 . Thus, rear valve arm  220  is capable of rotating relative to front arm  218  in the clockwise direction but being prevented from doing so by the stiffness of torsional coil spring  219 . A rear valve arm stop  220   e  extends sidewardly from cylindrical portion  220   a  of rear valve arm  220  which engages the lever portion  218   a  of front valve arm  218  to prevent rear valve arm  220  from rotating counter-clockwise relative to front valve arm  218 . The purpose for rear valve arm  220  being capable of rotating relative to front valve arm  218  in one direction, but prevented from doing so by torsional spring  219 , but incapable in the opposite direction, is explained in the following paragraphs.  
         [0021]    Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4 and 5, the operation of conversion valve  213  from the open position (FIG. 4) to the closed position (FIG. 5) is demonstrated. As housing  120  (FIG. 1) and motor housing  113  located on the bottom thereof are rotated in the direction of arrow  99  to the floor use position, projection  114  on the front of motor housing  113  is lifted from the flat upper surface of projection  220   d  of rear valve arm  220 . Rear valve arm  220  and front valve arm  218  are now free to rotate relative to pivot  217  being prevented from rotating relative to each other by torsional coil spring  219  in the clockwise direction and by rear valve arm stop  220   e  in the counter-clockwise direction. The suction airstream formerly prevented from entering agitator chamber  112  by conversion valve  213  being in the closed position causes conversion valve  213  to rotate in the direction of arrow  99  until valve gate  213   c  is rotated into recessed portion  214   c  of conversion valve suction duct cover  214 . In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a spring member (not shown) causes conversion valve  213  to rotate in the direction of arrow  99  until valve gate  213   c  is rotated into recessed portion  214   c  of conversion valve suction duct cover  214 . The suction airstream is now free again to flow from agitator chamber  112  through conversion valve suction duct forward portion  211   d  and conversion valve cavity  211   a  to the connecting hose (not shown) from motor-fan assembly  116 . When housing  120  (FIG. 1) and motor housing  113  are returned to the upright stored position by being rotated in the direction of arrow  95 , typically when it is desired to use the accessory hose (not shown) for off-the-floor cleaning, projection  114  on the front of motor housing  114  depresses the flat upper surface of projection  220   d  of rear valve arm  220 . Rear valve arm  220  now rotates in the direction of arrow  94  and the motion of rear valve arm  220  is transmitted to front valve arm  218  by torsional coil spring  219 . This causes front valve arm  218  to rotate about pivot  217  also in the direction of arrow  94 . The rotation of front valve arm in the direction of arrow  94  causes crank arm  213   a  slidingly fitted into aperture  218   b  of front valve arm  218  to translate towards the rear of the cleaner and valve door  213   c  to rotate in the direction of arrow  94  until valve door  213   c  is seated against lip  211   c.    
         [0022]    Moreover, if valve door  213   c  is prevented from rotating in the direction of arrow  94 , i.e, an object becomes stuck between valve door  213   c  and the upper surface of conversion valve suction duct  211 , the large torque created by moving housing  120  (FIG. 1) and motor housing  113  into the upright stored position can put enough force on rear valve arm  220  to overcome the resiliency of torsional coil spring  219  to allow rear valve arm  220  to rotate relative to front valve arm  218 . Normally the movement of housing  120  (FIG. 1) and motor housing  113  into the upright stored position would cause projection  114  on the front of motor housing to engage the upper flat surface of projection  220   d  of rear valve arm  220  causing front valve arm  218  and crank arm  213   a  to translate to rotate valve door  213   c  closed. Since valve door  213   c  is stuck, crank arm  213   a  cannot translate in either direction and front valve arm  218  is prevented from rotating. The force of housing  120  (FIG. 1) and motor housing  113  when rotated in the direction of arrow  95  through projection  114  to rear valve arm  220  could damage or break one or more components of the conversion valve assembly, including projection  114 , rear valve arm  220 , front valve arm  220 , pivot  117 , crank arm  213   a , spindle  213   b  or valve door  213   c . The resiliency of torsional coil spring  219  allows rear valve arm  220  to rotate in the direction of arrow  94  relative to front valve arm  218  when housing  120  and motor housing  113  are moved to the upright stored position even though front valve arm  218  is prevented from rotating because valve door  213   c  is stuck in the open position.  
         [0023]    Accordingly, the improved valve conversion assembly for a vacuum cleaner is simplified, provides an effective, inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all of the enumerated objectives. While there has been shown and described herein a single embodiment of the present invention, it should be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art that numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.