Patent Publication Number: US-2005140136-A1

Title: Hose lock apparatus for vacuum cleaner

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims priority to copending Korean Patent Application No. 2003-100431 filed on Dec. 30, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
     CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application is related to the copending application entitled “Hose Lock Apparatus For Vacuum Cleaner”, (Korean Patent Application No. 2003-101478 filed Dec. 31, 2003), which disclosure is commonly owned by the same assignee as the present application and is entirely incorporated herein by reference.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a hose lock apparatus for a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a hose lock apparatus for vacuum cleaners which provides easy attachment and detachment of the hose to the vacuum cleaner body.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A general vacuum cleaner creates in the well-known manner a partial vacuum by a rotating impeller in its body, drawing in and entraining air. The vacuum cleaner includes a flexible hose connected to its body to provide a passage for air and dust from specific areas. Particularly, an upright-type vacuum cleaner, which is one variant type of the vacuum cleaner, generally includes a hose of an air inlet at a rear portion of the vacuum cleaner body that is connected in fluid-communication to an auxiliary brush to conveniently clean crevices such as stairs or corners of the room.  
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an example of the upright-type vacuum cleaner with a hose for the auxiliary suction brush at the rear end of the vacuum cleaner body.  FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a hose lock apparatus for a vacuum cleaner according to the prior art.  
      The hose lock apparatus  10  for the vacuum cleaner includes a hose clamp  12 , a clamp holder  14  secured to the vacuum cleaner body  1 , and a clamp connector  16  fixing the clamp  12  to prevent separation from the clamp holder  14 . The hose clamp  12  is shaped as an angular pipe of 90 degrees and includes a hose  3  locked at an end. The other end of the hose clamp  12  is inserted in the clamp holder  14  so that the hose clamp  12  is connected in fluid-communication to the air inlet of the vacuum cleaner body. The hose clamp  12  includes a locking means at the outer side to lock the clamp connector  16 .  
      The clamp holder  14  includes an opening  15  to receive the other end of the hose clamp  12 , and is secured to the vacuum cleaner body  1  by connecting two screws  18  through two screw holes formed near the hole  15 . The clamp connector  16  locks the hose clamp  12  to prevent separation from the clamp holder  14 , and is locked at the hose clamp  12  by the locking means of the other end of the hose clamp  12 .  
      The process for attaching the hose lock apparatus  10  with the above construction to the vacuum cleaner body  1  is described herein. First, the hose  3  is assembled to one end of the clamp  12 . The clamp holder  14  is inserted into the other end of the hose clamp  12  and the clamp connector  16  is also inserted into the other end of the hose clamp  12  to lock the clamp holder to the hose clamp  12 . The clamp holder  14  is securely attached to the vacuum cleaner body  1  by securing two screws  18  through the screw holes of the clamp holder  14 , wherein the other end of the hose clamp  12  is inserted in the air inlet of the vacuum cleaner body  1 . Since the hose clamp  12  is locked at the other end of the hose  3  in an inseparable manner from the holder  14 , the hose  3  can be securely locked at the air vacuum cleaner body  1 . Air and entrained dust are drawn in through the hose  3 , which is connected in fluid-communication with the air inlet of the vacuum cleaner body through the hose clamp  12 .  
      As described above, the vacuum cleaner according to the prior art can clean through the hose  3  which is securely attached to the vacuum cleaner body  1  by the hose lock apparatus  10 . Since the hose lock apparatus  10  according to the conventional art is locked with two screws  18  at the air vacuum cleaner body  1  after locking the clamp holder  14  to the hose clamp  12 , it is inconvenient for a user to assemble the hose  3  to the air vacuum cleaner body  1 . In addition, two screws  18  have to be unscrewed to separate the hose  3  from the air cleaner body  1  when it is desired to separate the hose from the air cleaner body, for example, to remove foreign substances from a blocked hose  3 . Hence, it is difficult to remove the alien substances. In addition, production cost of the hose lock apparatus for air vacuum cleaners, according to the prior art, is high because the hose lock apparatus includes three separate parts.  
      Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a hose lock apparatus for a vacuum cleaner wherein a user can easily assemble a hose and a vacuum cleaner without requiring screws such that the user can separate the hose from the air cleaner body with convenience, and thereby improve the use and convenience of a vacuum cleaner.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a hose lock apparatus for a vacuum cleaner which requires fewer parts, and is inexpensive in production cost.  
      In order to achieve the above aspects, a hose lock apparatus is provided for a vacuum cleaner that secures a hose for drawing in dust at an air inlet of the vacuum cleaner body. The hose lock apparatus includes a hose clamp substantially in a hollow cylindrical shape receiving an end of the hose therein, and including a locking protrusion formed along the outer circumference. A clamp holder is securely attached to the air inlet and includes a connecting hole for receiving the hose clamp therein to connect the hose in fluid-communication with the air inlet. An insertion hole in the connecting hole guides insertion of the locking protrusion, and a seating groove receives the locking protrusion therein and is in fluid-communication with the insertion hole. The locking protrusion is fitted in the seating groove and thus, the hose clamp does not separate from the clamp holder while inserting the hose clamp into the connecting hole of the clamp holder and rotating the hose clamp predetermined angles.  
      The seating groove of the clamp holder may include a rotation prevention rib that prevents the locking protrusion from reversely rotating when the locking protrusion of the hose clamp is received by rotating the protrusion the predetermined angles at the seating groove. At this time, when the locking protrusion of the hose clamp is rotated an angle of 30 degrees, the rotating prevention rib prevents the locking protrusion from reversely rotating. The hose clamp may include two locking protrusions. The hose clamp may further include a cover portion that extends from the end receiving the side of the hose, and covers the clamp holder so as not to be visible from the outside.  
      The clamp holder may be configured at the rear side of the upright-type vacuum cleaner body and mounted to the air inlet which receives the hose therein, wherein the hose is in fluid-communication with an auxiliary suction brush. The clamp holder may also be securely attached by two screws.  
      As described above, a hose can be attached to a vacuum cleaner body by inserting the hose clamp into the clamp holder of the vacuum cleaner body and rotating the clamp holder the predetermined angles. Accordingly, it is very simple for a user to attach the hose to the vacuum cleaner body. In addition, when it is necessary to separate the hose from the air cleaner body, for example, to remove foreign substances from a blocked hose, the hose can be separated from the vacuum cleaner body by rotating the hose clamp the predetermined angles in an opposite direction of the attachment. Accordingly, it is convenient to separate the hose from the vacuum cleaner body, and, convenience of using a vacuum cleaner is increased. Since only two parts, the hose clamp and clamp holder, are necessary for locking the hose to the main body, product cost can be decreased.  
      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 DRAWINGS  
      The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying 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.  
       FIG. 1  is a drawing of a perspective view showing a upright-type vacuum cleaner to which a hose is securely attached by a conventional hose lock apparatus;  
       FIG. 2  is a drawing of an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the hose lock apparatus for the vacuum cleaner shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a drawing of an exploded perspective view showing a hose lock apparatus for a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a drawing of a partial perspective view showing an air inlet of the upright-type vacuum cleaner body;  
       FIG. 5  is a drawing of a perspective view showing the clamp holder of the hose lock apparatus for the vacuum cleaner shown in  FIG. 3  provided at the upright-type vacuum cleaner body shown in  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a drawing of a perspective view showing the clamp holder of the hose lock apparatus for the vacuum cleaner shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a drawing of a sectional diagram for explaining the relationship between the seating groove of the clamp holder and the locking protrusion of the hose clamp; and  
       FIG. 8  is a drawing of a perspective view showing a hose clamp of the hose lock apparatus for a vacuum cleaner shown in  FIG. 3  assembled to the clamp holder.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing the hose lock apparatus for a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hose lock apparatus  100  includes a hose clamp  110  securely attached to an end of a hose (not shown), and a clamp holder  120  provided at the vacuum cleaner body  1 . The hose clamp  110  is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inside  111  securely attaching to the end of the hose. The hose clamp  110  includes a locking protrusion  113  on the outer circumference thereof. The locking protrusion  113  holds the hose clamp  110  at a clamp holder  120  from separating from the clamp holder  120 . One locking protrusion  113  can be configured, although two are preferred. In the present embodiment, two locking protrusions  113  are configured at intervals of 180 degrees. An insertion part  114  is configured at the one side of the hose clamp  110  with a size corresponding to an air inlet of the vacuum cleaner body  1 . A cover portion  115  is preferably configured by extending the other end of the hose clamp  110 , i.e., extending the end receiving the hose, so that the cover portion covers the clamp holder  120  from exterior view. The cover portion  115  is bent and is extended towards the direction of the hose clamp  110  insertion to the vacuum cleaner body  1 , and has groove  116  formed in the outer circumference of the hose clamp  110  such that the hose clamp  110  can be conveniently attached to, and separated from, the clamp holder  120 . Various methods may be employed for locking the hose to the hose clamp  110 . For example, the hose can be secured to the inside  111  of the hose clamp  110  by adhesives or screws by configuring female screws at the inside  111  of the hose clamp  110  and male screws at the end of the hose.  
      The clamp holder  120  holds the hose clamp  110  to prevent separation from the vacuum cleaner body and is provided at the air inlet  5  of the vacuum cleaner body  1  as shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 5  shows that the clamp holder  120  is provided at the vacuum cleaner body  1 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , the clamp holder  120  includes a connecting hole  121  formed at the center in fluid-communication with the air inlet  5 . The connecting hole  121  is adjoined with axially-spaced depressions  122  and axially-spaced seating groove  123  for secure insertion of the locking protrusion  113  of the hose clamp  110 . The axially-spaced depressions  122  are extended in the clamp holder  120  in the shapes and numbers corresponding to those of the locking protrusions  113  of the hose clamp  110 . The seating grooves  123  are connected to the axially-spaced depressions  122 . The seating grooves  123  are formed in the circumferential direction of the clamp holder  120  corresponding in shape to the locking protrusion  113  for the hose clamp  110  so that the hose clamp  110  does not separate in the inserting direction. Accordingly, the locking protrusion  113  is positioned in the seating groove  123  by fitting the locking protrusions  113  to the axially-spaced depressions  122 , inserting the hose clamp  110  into the connecting hole  121  of the clamp holder  120 , and then rotating the hole clamp  110  by predetermined angles along the seating groove  123  in the lower part of the axially-spaced depressions  122 . As a result, the hose clamp  110  is securely engaged with the clamp holder  120 . A rotating prevention rib  125  is provided at one side of the seating groove  123  in contact with the locking protrusion  113  of the hose clamp  110 . The rotating prevention rib  125  is configured such that, when a user grabs and rotates the hose clamp  110 , the locking protrusion  113  can be rotated in the seating groove  123 . However, when the user grabs the hose for work such as cleaning, the locking protrusion  113  does not reversely rotate in the seating groove  123  by a force applied to the hose clamp  110 . The rotating prevention rib  125  is formed preferably at the position where the locking protrusion  113  is locked in the seating groove  123  when rotating the hose clamp  110  by angles of approximately 30 degrees. A bottom side of the seating groove  123  includes a piercing hole  127  for convenience in shaping the hose clamp  110 . Since two of the locking protrusions  113  of the hose clamp  110  are formed by angles of 180 degrees, two of each of the axially-spaced depressions  122  and the seating groove  123  of the clamp holder  120  are formed of angles of 180 degrees corresponding to the locking protrusion  113 .  FIG. 7  illustrates a state when the hose clamp  110  is inserted into the clamp holder  120  and the locking protrusion  113  is positioned in the placed groove  122 .  
      A plurality of passing holes  127  ( FIG. 6 ) are formed at the outside of the connecting hole  121  of the clamp holder  120  for locking the clamp holder  120  to the vacuum cleaner body  1  by using appropriate fasteners, such as screws. A plurality of tap holes  6  ( FIG. 4 ) are formed around the air inlet  5  of the vacuum cleaner body  1 , corresponding to the piercing holes  127  of the clamp holder  120 . Since two of each of the piercing holes  127  and tap holes  6  are formed, the clamp holder  120  is securely attached to the vacuum cleaner body  1  by two screws  130  as shown  FIG. 7 .  
      Hereinafter, operation of the hose lock apparatus for vacuum cleaners according to the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
      The clamp holder  120  is fastened to the air inlet  5  of the vacuum cleaner body  1  by the two screws  130 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a state when the clamp holder  120  is provided at the vacuum cleaner body  1 . The hose clamp  110  is securely attached to an end of the hose  3  ( FIG. 8 ). If a female screw (not shown) is formed at the inside  111  of the hose clamp  110  and a male screw (not shown) is formed at the end of the hose  3 , the hose clamp  110  is connected to the end of the hose  3  by coupling the male and female screws.  
      The locking protrusions  113  of the hose clamp  110  are aligned with the axially-spaced depressions  122  of the clamp holder  120 , and the insertion part  114  of the hose clamp  110  is urged into the connecting hole  121  of the clamp holder  120 . When the locking protrusion  113  of the hose clamp  110  contacts the lower part of the axially-spaced depressions  122 , the locking protrusion  113  of the hose clamp  110  is positioned in the seating groove  123  by rotating clock-wise the hose clamp  110  towards a predetermined direction by angles of approximately 30 degrees. The hose  3  is attached to the vacuum cleaner body  1  as shown in  FIG. 8 . When the rotating prevention rib  125  ( FIG. 6 ) is configured at the seating groove  123  of the clamp holder  120 , the rotating prevention rib  125  enables the locking protrusion  113  to firmly attach to the seating groove  123 . Therefore, even though a user grabs the hose for cleaning works, the hose clamp  110  does not rotate in reverse and separate from the clamp holder  120 . In addition, when the cover portion  115  is configured at the other end of the hose clamp  110 , the hose clamp  110  can be conveniently attached to, and separated from, the clamp holder  120  by the user. Thus, the appearance is better because the cover portion  115  of the hose clamp  110  covers the clamp holder  120 .  
      When it is desired to separate the hose  3  from the clamp holder  120  of the vacuum cleaner body  1 , the hose  3  can be easily separated by rotating the hose clamp  110  in an opposite direction of the attachment by angles of about 30 degrees, counterclockwise, and pulling the hose clamp  110  in an axial direction of the clamp holder  120 .  
      Additional advantages, objects, and features of the embodiments of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the embodiments of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.