Patent Publication Number: US-8978207-B2

Title: Vacuum cleaner edge cleaning system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and, more specifically, to devices for performing cleaning operations along the edges of the vacuum cleaner&#39;s cleaning path. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Upright vacuum cleaners are characterized by a base adapted to move along a floor, and a handle pivotally attached to the base (in some rare instances, the handle may be at a fixed angle to the base). The base and handle form one or more enclosures that contain a suction motor (a combined electric motor and impeller fan), a dirt collection system (e.g., a bag chamber or a cyclonic or inertial separation system), and one or more airflow passages to convey dirt-laden air through the dirt collection system. The suction motor and dirt collection system may be located in the base or the handle, and the airflow passages may comprise a series of rigid pipes, chambers, flexible hoses, and the like, as known in the art. 
     In a typical upright vacuum cleaner, the airflow passage system has a main inlet for cleaning large areas of the floor. The vacuum cleaner also may include an auxiliary inlet located on a flexible hose to permit cleaning in tight spaces and above the floor. The main inlet is located at the bottom of the base, and usually is elongated in the lateral direction (that is, the direction perpendicular to the fore-aft direction of movement) so as to vacuum a wide path as the cleaner is moved back and forth on the floor. 
     The main inlet often is effective at removing dirt from a cleaning path located directly below the main inlet, but is less effective at removing dirt located at or beyond the main inlet&#39;s lateral edges. This may be due to reduced airflow velocity at the lateral edges of the main inlet, occluded airflow at the lateral edge regions, or other factors. Reduced edge cleaning efficiency is not a problem for cleaning open areas, as the main inlet can be moved back and forth along laterally overlapping paths to fully clean the area. Edge cleaning effectiveness can, however, become a problem along walls, furniture, and other obstacles that prevent the user from passing the main inlet directly over the floor. This problem is magnified on carpeted floors, due to the carpet interfering with the free movement of air to entrain dirt embedded in the carpet fibers. Effective edge cleaning also may become more problematic with increased distances between the lateral side of the base and the lateral edge of the main inlet. For example, some upright vacuum cleaners have wheels or brush drive assemblies located between the edge of the main inlet and the outer edge of the base, thus increasing the distance that the dirt must travel to be sucked into the main inlet. 
     Prior vacuum cleaning systems have attempted to enhance edge cleaning performance by providing airflow passages that concentrate the suction along one or both edges of the base. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,216 shows a vacuum cleaning head having a small side inlet at each lateral end of the main inlet, and a valve to selectively direct the airflow to either side inlet for edge cleaning. This manually-operated device requires the user to bend down and turn the valve whenever edge cleaning is desired. Another edge cleaning device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,817, which shows edge cleaning openings located near the edges of the main inlet, and a variety of different configurations to selectively direct the airflow to the edge inlets. Other examples of edge cleaning systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,205,528; 7,124,467 and 7,134,164 and U.K. Application No. GB4378643A. The foregoing are all incorporated by reference herein. 
     Despite earlier efforts to provide effective edge cleaning systems, there still exists a need to provide a simple, reliable and effective edge cleaning system that can be incorporated into upright vacuum cleaners or other cleaning systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a vacuum cleaner having a base and a handle pivotally connected to the base by a pivot. The base has a lower surface configured to face a surface to be cleaned, and first and second side edges that are spaced in a lateral direction to define lateral portions of an outer perimeter of the base. There is a main suction inlet on the base. The main suction faces the surface to be cleaned, and is elongated in the lateral direction. There also is a first edge cleaning inlet on the base facing the surface to be cleaned. The first edge cleaning inlet is located adjacent the first side edge of the base. Mounted on the handle is a first valve having a main floor cleaning inlet, an auxiliary cleaning inlet, a valve outlet, a first flow controller movable between a main floor cleaning position in which the valve outlet is fluidly connected to the main floor cleaning inlet, and an auxiliary cleaning position in which the valve outlet is fluidly connected to the auxiliary cleaning inlet, and a first actuator configured to move the first flow controller between the main floor cleaning position and the auxiliary cleaning position. A first suction passage fluidly connects the main suction inlet to the main floor cleaning inlet, and a second suction passage fluidly connects the first edge cleaning inlet to the auxiliary cleaning inlet. Also mounted on the handle is a second valve having a second flow controller movable between an edge cleaning position in which the first edge cleaning inlet is in fluid communication with the auxiliary cleaning inlet, and an accessory cleaning position in which the first edge cleaning inlet is not in fluid communication with the auxiliary cleaning inlet, and a second actuator configured to move the second flow controller between the edge cleaning position and the accessory cleaning position. An accessory hose is provided with an open distal end and a flexible hose fluidly connecting the open distal end to the auxiliary cleaning inlet. The handle has an accessory hose mount that is configured to hold the accessory hose in a hose storage position in which the accessory hose contacts the second actuator to hold the second flow controller in the edge cleaning position. A dirt separator is mounted on the handle and has a dirt separator inlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet. A suction motor is operatively associated with the handle or the base, and is configured to generate a suction airflow through the dirt separator. The suction airflow may be selectively received, by operation of the first valve and the second valve, from each of the main suction inlet, the first edge cleaning inlet, and the open distal end of the accessory hose. 
     The recitation of this summary of the invention is not intended to limit the claims of this or any related or unrelated application. Other aspects, embodiments, modifications to and features of the claimed invention will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in view of the disclosures herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the exemplary embodiments may be understood by reference to the attached drawings, in which like reference numbers designate like parts. The drawings are exemplary and not intended to limit the claims in any way. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary upright vacuum cleaner having an embodiment of an edge cleaning system. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3A-3D  are schematic views of an exemplary flow path switching arrangement, showing four different operating positions. 
         FIG. 4A  is an isometric view of an exemplary valve assembly that may be used in an upright vacuum cleaner handle, shown with an associated wand removed from the vacuum cleaner handle. 
         FIG. 4B  is an isometric view of the valve assembly of  FIG. 4A  with the associated wand mounted to the vacuum cleaner handle. 
         FIG. 4C  is a cutaway view of the valve assembly of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5  is a cutaway view of another exemplary valve assembly that may be used in an upright vacuum cleaner handle. 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an exemplary vacuum cleaner base having a removable edge cleaning plenum, shown disassembled. 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of an exemplary vacuum cleaner base housing having an integral edge cleaning plenum. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a vacuum cleaner showing various air inlet configurations. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an example of an upright vacuum cleaner  100  that may incorporate edge cleaning features for directing a focused suction airflow to the lateral edges of a main suction inlet on a vacuum cleaner base  102 . Typical features of upright vacuum cleaners are described in more detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,553,611; 6,910,245; 7,662,200; 8,122,566; and 8,234,750 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2008/0307597 and 2009/000054. The foregoing patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     The exemplary vacuum cleaner  100  includes a base  102  that is adapted to move on a horizontal surface, such as a carpeted or bare floor. Such floor movement capability may be provided by mounting wheels  104 , skids, rollers, or other devices on the bottom surface of the base  102 , as known in the art. The base includes a main suction inlet  106  that faces downward from the bottom of the base  102 . A rotatable brushroll (not shown) or other agitator may be provided in or near the main suction inlet  106 , as known in the art. The main suction inlet  106  typically is located at the front of the base  102 , and extends along a lateral direction  108  that is perpendicular to the typical fore-aft direction  110  of the typical cleaning stroke. The fore-aft direction  110  may be dictated by the rolling axis of the wheels  104  (if they have fixed axles), by the ergonomic shape of the vacuum cleaner  100  being adapted to allow the user to most easily move the vacuum cleaner  100  in a particular direction, by a suggestion in an operation manual, or by other means, as understood in the art. The fore-aft direction  110  and lateral direction  108  lie in the plane of the surface being cleaned, and are perpendicular to an up-down direction  112  that is orthogonal to the surface. As a matter of expedience, the surface being cleaned is described herein as being horizontal (i.e., perpendicular to the vertical axis of gravitational pull), but the vacuum cleaner  100  could easily be operated on inclined, undulating, or curved surfaces. 
     A handle  114  is connected to the base  102  by a pivot that permits the handle  114  to rotate relative to the base  102  about a pivot axis  116 . Such pivots are known in the art and need not be described herein. The handle  114  may move from an upright position, as shown, to an inclined position in which the handle  114  is leaned back (away from the front of the base  102 ) at a predetermined angle or range of angles. For example, the handle  114  may pivot from an upright position in which it is generally aligned with the up-down direction  112 , to a reclined position that is nearly parallel with the fore-aft direction  110 . As the vacuum cleaner  100  is operated, the handle  114  may be continuously raised and lowered during the forward and backward strokes. A handle lock (not shown) may be provided to lock the handle  114  in the upright position to prevent the vacuum cleaner  100  from falling over during periods of non-use or while cleaning with an accessory hose  118 . A grip  120  is located at the top of the handle for use in operating and moving the vacuum cleaner  100 . 
     The vacuum cleaner  100  includes a cleaning system for removing and capturing dirt and debris from the surface being cleaned. In the example of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cleaning system comprises a dirt separator  122  provided in the form of a single- or multi-stage cyclone separator, but this cyclone system may be readily interchanged with other kinds of inertial separators or a bag filter system. A suction motor  124  is provided upstream or, more preferably, downstream of the dirt separator  122 . The suction motor  124  generates a vacuum that generates a working airflow through the dirt separator  122 . A series of conduits (not shown) are provided in the vacuum cleaner  100  to direct the working airflow through the vacuum cleaner  100  to form one or more suction flow paths. The suction motor  124  may be located in the handle  114 , such as shown, or in the base  102 , as known in the art. One or more additional filtering devices, such as planar or pleated filters, may be provided up- or down-stream of the suction motor  124  to provide additional air filtration. 
     The dirt separator  122  is located downstream of dirty air inlets through which dirt-laden air enters the vacuum cleaner  100 . The vacuum cleaner  100  includes a main suction inlet  106  and an accessory hose  118  that form two separate dirty air inlets into the vacuum cleaner  100 . In addition, the vacuum cleaner  100  has one or more edge cleaning inlets  126  that may be located on the base  102  near the lateral edges of the main suction inlet  106 . The edge cleaning inlets  126  provide a third (or more) dirty air inlet into the vacuum cleaner  100   
     The vacuum cleaner  100  includes one or more mechanisms to selectively direct the working airflow through the main suction inlet  106 , the accessory hose  118 , and the edge cleaning inlets  126 . In the shown embodiment, the vacuum cleaner  100  includes a valve assembly  128  to which the three inlets are fluidly connected. 
     The main suction inlet  106  may be connected to the valve assembly  128  by a first flexible hose  130 , and the edge cleaning inlets  126  may be connected to the valve assembly  128  by a second flexible hose  132 . The first and second flexible hoses  130 ,  132  provide a fluid connection while allowing the base  102  and handle  114  to pivot relative to one another. The base  102  includes rigid internal passages (shown schematically in subsequent Figures) that connect the main suction inlet  106  and edge cleaning inlets  126  to the first and second flexible hoses  130 ,  132 , respectively. The first and second flexible hoses  130 ,  132  may join the valve assembly  128  by respective first and second rigid pipes  134 ,  136 , respectively, but they alternatively may extend all the way to the valve assembly  128 . The accessory hose  118  may connect to the valve assembly  128  at an auxiliary inlet plenum  138 . As explained below, the second rigid pipe  136  also may join at the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 . 
     The valve assembly  128  is also connected to the dirt separator  122 . In the shown embodiment, a valve outlet passage  140  fluidly connects the valve assembly  128  directly to an air inlet volute  142  that leads into the cyclonic dirt separator  122 . 
     The flexible hoses  130 ,  132 , rigid pipes  134 ,  136 , auxiliary inlet plenum  138 , and valve outlet passage  140  are illustrated as being external to the housing that forms the main body of the handle  114 . This arrangement facilitates reconfiguration to an alternative arrangement that excludes an accessory hose  118  or edge cleaning inlets  126 , which may improve the ability to provide a variety of different products based on the same basic handle platform. However, this arrangement is not required in all embodiments, and one or more of the passages that form or connect to the valve assembly  128  may be internal to the handle  114 . 
     Referring now also to  FIGS. 3A-3D , the valve assembly  128  also includes one or more valves or manipulatable connections to reconfigure the airflow passages to selectively connect the dirt separator  122  to one or more of the main suction inlet  106 , accessory hose  118  or edge cleaning inlets  126 . The example shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  includes a first actuator  144  that is connected to a first valve  300  (shown as a rotary valve) located inside the valve assembly  128 . The exemplary first actuator  144  may be shaped as a dial-shaped knob that the user can manually move to reposition the first valve  300 . 
     The valve assembly  128  also may include a second actuator  146  that is connected to second valve  302  (shown as a flapper valve) inside the valve assembly  128 . The exemplary second actuator  146  is shaped as a lever that is moved by placing the accessory hose  118  into an idle position. More specifically, the accessory hose  118  preferably includes a rigid wand  148  (which may be separable from the flexible portion of the accessory hose  118 ) that operates the second actuator  146  when the wand  148  is stowed on the handle  114 . In the shown embodiment, the wand  148  is stowed by placing the distal end  150  of the wand into a receiver  152  located on the handle  114 , and snapping a proximal portion of the wand  148  into a clip  154  located above the receiver  152 . With the wand  148  so mounted, a medial portion of the wand  148  contacts and moves the second actuator  146  to operate the second valve  302 . The auxiliary inlet plenum  138  may include a recess  156  to accommodate the wand  148  when it is mounted, and the clip  154  may be integrated into this recess  156 . 
     The operating states of the valve assembly  128  are illustrated schematically in  FIGS. 3A-3D .  FIGS. 3A and 3D  show the first valve  300  in a main floor cleaning position, in which it provides an open flow path between the main suction inlet  106  and the dirt separator  122 , and blocks fluid communication between the auxiliary inlet plenum  138  and the dirt separator  122 . This configuration is used for cleaning large areas of the underlying surface by sucking dirt and debris into the main suction inlet  106 . When the first valve  300  is in the floor cleaning position, suction is not applied to the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 , and therefore floor cleaning can continue regardless of whether the accessory hose wand  148  is mounted to the housing ( FIG. 3A ) or dismounted from the housing ( FIG. 3D ). 
       FIGS. 3B and 3C  show the first valve  300  in an auxiliary cleaning position, in which is provides an open flow path between the auxiliary inlet plenum  138  and the dirt separator  122 , and blocks fluid communication between the main suction inlet  106  and the dirt separator  122 . In this embodiment, the auxiliary inlet plenum  138  provides a common connection to both the accessory hose  118  and the edge cleaning inlets  126 . (Note that the edge cleaning inlets  126  are depicted schematically as a single inlet, but in physical embodiments there may be one or any number of such inlets into the base  102 .) As such, this configuration of the first valve  300  is used for edge cleaning through the one or more edge cleaning inlets  126 , or accessory cleaning through the accessory hose  118 . 
     The selection between edge cleaning and accessory cleaning is determined by the position of the second valve  302 .  FIG. 3B  shows an edge cleaning configuration, in which the second valve  302  is open to permit fluid communication between the edge cleaning inlets  126  and the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 , and the open distal end  150  of the wand  148  is mounted in and blocked off by the receiver  152 . Thus, airflow generated by the suction motor  124  is directed to the edge cleaning inlets  126  to provide concentrated cleaning at the locations of the edge cleaning inlets  126 . The receiver  152  and open distal end  150  may interact in any suitable way to block airflow. For example, the receiver  152  may comprise a cup that seals around the outside of the wand  148 , a plug that seals inside the open distal end  150  of the wand  148 , a flat surface against which the open distal end  150  seals, or a combination of sealing structures. O-rings, lip seals, face seals or other types of seal made of any composition of matter may be used. 
       FIG. 3C  shows an accessory cleaning configuration, in which the second valve  302  is closed to block fluid communication between the edge cleaning inlets  126  and the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 , and the wand  148  is dismounted from the handle to provide an open airflow path into the open distal end  150  of the wand  148 . In this configuration, the suction airflow is directed to the accessory hose  118  and wand  148  for cleaning above the floor or in locations that cannot be readily accessed by the main suction inlet  106  or edge cleaning inlets  126 . The accessory hose  118  also may be used to provide a highly-concentrated airflow on a floor surface to clean deeply-embedded particles that are not removed by the main suction inlet  106  or edge cleaning inlets  126 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the second valve  302  opened ( FIG. 3B ) by the wand  148 , such as described above in reference to  FIG. 2 . The second valve  302  may also be closed ( FIG. 3B ) by interaction a with the wand  148 . For example, the wand  148  may include a catch that pulls up on the second actuator  146  as the wand  148  is pulled upwards out of the receiver  152 . In the shown embodiment, a spring  304  or other resilient mechanism is required with the second actuator  146  to move the second valve  302  to the closed position when the wand  148  is removed. Such a spring  304  may comprise any suitable shape (e.g., a coil spring, a leaf spring, or a resilient block) or material (e.g., metal, plastic, elastomeric, etc.). The exemplary spring  304  comprises a coil spring that is connected at one end to the second actuator  146  and at the other end to part of the handle  114 . 
     The foregoing arrangement is expected to provide significant benefits. An ongoing concern with vacuum cleaners is the need provide simple and intuitive controls. With the embodiment described above, the user is only required to select between main floor cleaning and auxiliary cleaning. In the auxiliary cleaning position, the airflow is automatically switched to accessory cleaning whenever the user removes the wand  148 . Thus, the user can begin accessory cleaning without taking any additional steps to reconfigure the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner is switched back to the edge cleaning configuration when the wand  148  is replaced on the handle  114 , without requiring further user intervention, and without risk that the user will inadvertently leave the controls in the incorrect position when edge cleaning is desired. This arrangement also allows the operator to switch to the accessory cleaning configuration while the handle  114  is reclined, which is not possible in an arrangement that would activate the second valve  302  automatically by placing the handle  114  in the upright position. 
     A further advantage of the foregoing embodiment is that the airflow path for the edge cleaning inlets  126  is relatively short, and does not pass through the accessory hose  118 . This should provide measurably stronger suction at the edge cleaning inlets  126 , for a given suction motor  124 , than configurations that pass the edge cleaning airflow through an accessory hose. This is due to flow resistance caused by factors such as the longer air passage through the accessory hose  118 , corrugations inside the hose, excess convolutions and turns in the hose, and the typically smaller cross-sectional area of the hose as compared to a fixed passage. 
     The foregoing embodiment also provides an advantage by locating both valves  300 ,  302  on the handle, rather than placing one or the other on the base, despite the added complexity of requiring a second airflow path through the articulating handle pivot joint. In this configuration, the user can control both valves  300 ,  302  without having to reach all the way to the base  102  (a significant advantage for some consumers), and selection between the two auxiliary cleaning modes can be tied directly to operating the accessory hose  118 . 
     Other advantages are expected to be found by practice of the foregoing embodiment, and other embodiments described herein. It will be appreciated, however, that the claims are not intended to be limited to the foregoing embodiment or to necessarily exclude features described as being less desirable than others. 
       FIGS. 4A-4C  show an exemplary construction of the valve assembly  128  in more detail. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the valve assembly includes first and second pipes  134 ,  136  that lead to the main suction inlet  106  and edge cleaning inlets  126 , respectively. The pipes  134 ,  136  may be rigid, as shown, or flexible. In this embodiment, at least the first pipe  134  is rigid, and it may form part of the handle&#39;s structure. The first valve  300  is contained in a generally cylindrical valve housing  400 , and the first actuator  144  is located outside the valve housing  400  or access by the user. The valve housing  400  includes a first inlet  402 , a second inlet  404 , and an outlet  406 . The first inlet  402  is fluidly connected to the first pipe  134 , which mates to the bottom of the valve housing  400 . The second inlet  404  is fluidly connected to the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 , which mates to a side of the valve housing  400 . The outlet  406  is fluidly connected to the outlet passage  140 . 
     The exemplary first valve  300  includes a rotating plate  408  to which the first actuator  144  is connected, and a flow controller, such as a gate  410 , mounted to the rotating plate  408 . Rotating the first actuator  144  rotates the plate  408 , which repositions the gate  410  in front of either the first inlet  402  or the second inlet  404 . If desired, the gate  410  also may be movable to a third position in which airflow through both inlets  402 ,  404  is permitted, which may be desirable to obtain a blend of main floor cleaning and edge cleaning. The rotating plate  408  may be rotatably mounted to the valve housing  400  on pins that fit in corresponding bosses or by similar rotating mounts, and bearings or bushings may be provided at the rotating mounts, if desired, to provide smooth operation. One or more seals (not shown) may be provided around the perimeter of the gate  410  or the inlets  402 ,  404 , if desired, to enhance the air-blocking operation of the gate  410 . 
     The auxiliary inlet plenum  138  is fluidly connected to the second pipe  136  and a hose connector  412 . A proximal end of the accessory hose  118  is fluidly connected to the hose connector  412 , and may be removable to replace the hose if it is damaged or to clear out blockage. In this embodiment, the second pipe  136  and hose connector  412  connect to the bottom of the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 , but other orientations may be used in other embodiments. As noted above, the auxiliary inlet plenum  138  also may include a recess  156  to receive the wand  148  when the wand  148  is mounted to the handle  114 . 
     The second valve  302  of the exemplary embodiment comprises a flap  414  that extends radially from a shaft  416 . The flap  414  and shaft  416  are mounted inside the second pipe  136  adjacent the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 , such as shown in  FIG. 4C . the shaft  416  is rotatably mounted to allow the flap  414  to selectively block the second pipe  136 . Such mounting may be provided by extending ends of the shaft through corresponding holes on each side of the second pipe  136 . Bearings or bushings may be provided to provide smoother operation, and air seals may be provided to inhibit air leaks into the second pipe  136  and prevent the accumulation of dirt at the rotation mount. 
     The second valve  302  is operatively connected to the second actuator  146 . In this example, the second actuator  146  may be connected directly to an end of the shaft  416  that protrudes outside the second pipe  136 . The second actuator  146  may be located adjacent the recess  156  (if one is provided), so that the wand  148  moves the second actuator  146  when it is mounted to the handle  114 . This operation is illustrated by comparing  FIG. 4A , which shows the wand  148  dismounted from the handle  114 , and  FIG. 4B , which shows the wand  148  mounted to the handle  114 . The second actuator  146  may be exposed, such as shown, to allow a user to manually move it, or it may be concealed inside a housing or passage to inhibit or prevent direct user operation. 
     The second actuator  146  may have any useful shape. In the present example, it is shaped as a cam-shaped curved arm that extends from a central boss that is connected to the shaft  416 . Portions of the curved arm face upward and laterally so that the arm may be operated by pressing on it vertically, horizontally, or at angles in between. This allows the user to move the wand  148  into the recess  156  from a wide variety of directions to move the second actuator  146  to the edge cleaning configuration. For example, a user preferably may operate the second actuator  146  by first holding the wand  148  at an angle from vertical (e.g., 45 degrees from vertical), second, inserting the open distal end  150  of the wand  148  into the receiver  152 , and third, pivoting the wand  148  about the receiver  152  until it rests in the recess  156  and presses against the second actuator  146  to operate the second valve  302 . 
     It will be appreciated that the second valve  302  may be moved to alternative locations—for example, the flap  414  and shaft  416  may be located within the auxiliary inlet plenum  138 . The flap  414  also may be positioned to block the second pipe  136  during accessory cleaning (as described above), and also block the hose connector  412  when the device is in the edge cleaning configuration, in which case it may not be necessary to obstruct airflow into the end of the wand  148  as described above. In alternative embodiments, the second valve  302  may comprise any other flow controller, such as a rotary valve (which may be within the auxiliary inlet plenum), a flexible hose that is moved between two connectors, a sliding gate, and so on. 
     One or more of the valve assembly parts (e.g., the valve housing  400 , first pipe  134 , auxiliary inlet plenum  138  and second pipe  136 ) may be integrally formed or separately made and connected to one another. These parts also may be formed with different shapes or intermediate sections (e.g., flexible hoses) to reposition the parts at different locations on the handle  114 . Openable cleanout ports or transparent inspection windows may be provided to check for and remove clogs within the valve assembly  128 . 
     It will be appreciated that the first and second actuators  144 ,  146  and their associated valves  300 ,  302  may be replaced by suitable alternative devices and operated in alternative manners. For example, the rotating first actuator  144  may be replaced with a lever or a slide, or it may be replaced by a solenoid instead of a manually-operated mechanism. As another example, the second actuator  146  may be operated by a flexible portion of the accessory hose  118  instead of the wand  148 , and other embodiments may omit the wand  148  or reduce it to the size of a hose connection cuff. The second actuator  146  also may be operated other than by contact with the accessory hose  118 ; for example, it may comprise a knob or lever that is configured to be operated solely by the user&#39;s hand, be replaced by a solenoid, or be operated by other mechanisms, such as a pushrod that operates the second actuator  146  when the handle  114  is placed in the upright position. The actuators  144 ,  146  also may be located remotely from the valves  300 ,  302 , and operatively connected by rods, cables or the like. Where solenoids or other electrically-powered actuators are used, electrical controls may be provided on the grip  120 , wand  148 , or at other locations, and connected via wires or wireless communication devices. Also, the receiver  152  and clip  154  may be replaced by alternative structures, moved, or reoriented. 
     Varieties of alternative valves and flow-switching mechanisms, such as alternative devices for operating a valve upon stowing a wand in a vacuum cleaner handle, valve structures, and linkages to drive a valve, are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,879,797; 5,355,549; 5,477,586; 6,442,791; 6,920,665; 7,356,874; 7,555,810; 7,996,954 and 8,234,750, and U.S. Publication No. 2008/0209668. Each of the foregoing is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Features shown in these and other devices may be used in other embodiments of the invention, as will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. The foregoing variations are not intended to be a limiting list, and other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     The vacuum cleaner  100  may include suitable markings or instructions to direct the user in selecting the various cleaning configurations. For example, the first actuator  144  may have an arrow (or an arrow-like shape) that points towards a first legend indicating “floor cleaning” when the first valve  300  is in the main floor cleaning position, and points towards a second legend indicating “edge/wand cleaning” when it is in the auxiliary cleaning position. The handle  114  also may include a legend directing the user to “install wand for edge cleaning.” Symbols or alternative text legends may be used in other embodiments. 
       FIG. 5  shows another example of a valve assembly  500  that may be used to selectively connect a vacuum cleaner dirt separator to a main suction inlet, edge cleaning inlet(s), or an accessory hose. The valve assembly  500  includes a first inlet passage  502  that may be connected to a main suction inlet, a second inlet passage  504  that may be connected to one or more edge cleaning inlets, and a third inlet passage  506  that may be connected to an accessory hose. An inlet plenum  508  fluidly joins the second and third inlet passages  504 ,  506 , and an outlet passage  510  leads out of the valve assembly  500  and may be connected to any variety of dirt separating system. A first valve  512  is located, in a fluid sense, at the junction of the first inlet passage  502 , the inlet plenum  508 , and the outlet passage  510 . The first valve  512  may be rotated to selectively block airflow to either the first inlet passage  502  or the inlet plenum  508 . A second valve  514  is provided to selectively block airflow through the second inlet passage  504 . In this example, the third inlet passage  506  comprises a hose connector that faces laterally sideways. This arrangement provides for relatively simple servicing of the inlet plenum  508  and first valve  512  after removing the hose (not shown) from the third inlet passage  506 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , embodiments of an edge cleaning system may include a removable or openable edge cleaning plenum  600  that provides air communication between the edge cleaning inlets  126  and a hose connection  602 . The hose connection  602  preferably comprises a passageway through the base  102  that joins with the second flexible hose  132  by a removable connector (not shown). The plenum  600  comprises a downward-facing channel having branches  604  leading to each edge cleaning inlet  126 , and an outlet region  606  that overlies the hose connection  602 . When the plenum  600  installed, the branches  604  fit into the edge cleaning inlets  126 , and the outlet region  606  covers the hose connection  602 . Snaps, screws, tabs, or other fastening structures are provided to secure the plenum  600  in place on the base  102 . Examples of devices that may be used to secure a removable plenum  600 , including sliding locks and seals, are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,814,612, which is incorporated herein by reference. The base  102  also may include a corresponding channel  608  into which the plenum  600  fits, or a raised wall that fits inside the plenum, that provides a means to guide and more firmly secure the plenum  600  to the base  102 . One or more seals (not shown) may be provided to seal the edges of the plenum  600  to the base  102  to prevent any unwanted ingress of air. The plenum  600  may be opaque, but more preferably it is partially or entirely transparent, to readily show when it is dirty and needs to be removed for cleaning. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the base  102  alternatively may have a permanently attached plenum  700 . In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the plenum  700  is molded as part of an upper housing shell  702  that forms the top of the base  102 . Other embodiments may locate the plenum elsewhere, such as in a lower housing shell (not shown), or the plenum  700  may be provided as a separate molded part that is secured inside or otherwise attached (e.g., by adhesive bonding) to the base  102 . In  FIG. 7 , the plenum also includes a separate branch for each edge cleaning inlet  126 . Portions of the plenum  700  may be formed of transparent material. For example, an upper surface of the plenum  700  may comprise a molded polycarbonate part that is molded in place with the rest of the housing shell  702 ). The plenum  700  may include cleanout ports or removable sections to facilitate cleaning. 
       FIG. 7  depicts the housing shell  702  as viewed in the horizontal plane, and thus as it would appear if it was installed on a vacuum cleaner with the vacuum cleaner&#39;s base flat on a surface being cleaned. This view illustrates the edge cleaning inlets  126  being inclined upwards, relative to the horizontal plane, towards the front of the base. Thus, the front edge of each edge cleaning inlet  126  is higher than the rear edge thereof. This is expected to provide improved edge cleaning in front of the vacuum cleaner, and to allow a greater inrush of air to entrain debris located in corners and crevices, while still providing a generally downward-facing configuration to focus airflow directly below the edge cleaning inlet  126 . The raised front edge of the edge cleaning inlets  126  in this configuration also permits the ingress of relatively large objects, such as popcorn and the like, that may accumulate in edges were a carpet joins a wall. The angle of inclination may range from about 2° to about 45° from horizontal, and more preferably is in the range of about 5° to 35° from horizontal. In other embodiments, one or both edge cleaning inlets  126  may lie in the horizontal plane to face directly down, or may lie in a vertical plane to face sideways. Other angles also may be used. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates additional variations and alternative embodiments.  FIG. 8  schematically illustrates an upright vacuum cleaner having a base  102  that is pivotally mounted to a handle  114  by first and second pivots  800 ,  802 . The base  102  includes a main suction inlet  106  and a pair of edge cleaning inlets  126 . The edge cleaning inlets  126  are located at the front corners of the base  102 , in front of the opposite lateral ends of the main suction inlet  106 . In this embodiment, the main suction inlet  106  is fluidly connected to a first base passage  804  that connects to a first handle passage  806  through the first pivot  800 . Similarly, the edge cleaning inlets  126  are fluidly connected to a second base passage  808  that connects to a second handle passage  810  through the second pivot  802 . In an alternative embodiment, the first and second base passages  804 ,  808  may be concentric and pass only through one pivot  800 ,  802  to mate with concentric handle passages  806 ,  810 . This more readily allows a brushroll  812  located in the main suction inlet  106  to be driven by a shaft from a suction motor located in the handle. Using the foregoing constructions, it is not necessary for any of the passages  804 ,  806 ,  808 ,  810  to be a flexible hose, because the air passages extend axially through the pivots  800 ,  802  so that the base  102  can articulate relative to the handle about the pivots  800 ,  802 . Nevertheless, it still many be desirable to used flexible hoses to pass through the pivots  800 ,  802 , and an alternative embodiment may use two adjacent or concentric flexible hoses to pass through one or both pivots  800 ,  802 . 
       FIG. 8  also shows a variety of alternative additional inlet locations that may be used in other embodiments. For example, a first alternative edge cleaning inlet  814  may be located on a protrusion that extends further in the lateral direction from the remaining portions of the base sidewall. Such a protruding inlet  814  may be adjacent the main suction inlet  106 , or forward or behind it. A second alternative edge cleaning inlet  816  may be provided behind the main suction inlet  106 , and as far back as the back edge of the base  102 . Other edge cleaning inlets, single inlets, or combinations of multiple inlets may be used in other embodiments. 
     It also will be appreciated that other embodiments may incorporate valve mechanisms that redirect airflow to alternative inlets on the base  102  that are not intended for edge cleaning. A third alternative inlet  818  may be provided along the front edge of the main suction inlet  106 , and a fourth alternative inlet  820  may be provided behind the back edge of the main suction inlet  106 . Such alternative inlets  818 ,  820  may extend partially or entirely across the width of the base  102 , and may be intended for cleaning hard floors when the brushroll  812  is not operating, or to provide periodic concentrated airflow along bare or carpeted floors. Other configurations and locations of alternative inlets that may be used for a variety of purposes also may be used, as will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     The foregoing description explains how suction and airflow can be redirected in a variety of ways. It will be appreciated that some inconsequential flow may exist even when passages are closed. For example, there may be some air leakage around worn seals or at passage junctions. Also leakage may be deliberately provided to assure continuous cooling airflow to the suction motor  124  in the event the passage intended to be used is obstructed. For example, a gap may be provided between the open distal end  150  of the wand  148  and the receiver  152  to allow a predetermined amount of air to bleed into the system if the edge cleaning inlets  126  become obstructed (this feature may be particularly desirable because the edge cleaning inlets  126  may be more easily obstructed by relatively small objects without gaining the attention of the user). The disclosure and recited claims are not intended to imply that perfect seals are possible, necessary, or even desired in all circumstances. Rather, a passage that is described as being blocked or otherwise rendered inoperative is one that is not conveying sufficient suction airflow to realistically perform cleaning operations, as will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     The present disclosure describes a number of new, useful and nonobvious features and/or combinations of features that may be used alone or together. The embodiments described herein are all exemplary, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate and understand that the inventions described herein can be modified and adapted in various and equivalent ways, and such modifications and adaptations are intended to be included in the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims.