Patent Publication Number: US-6991262-B1

Title: Pivotal body for multi-function nozzles

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This utility application claims priority from U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/431,681, titled “Pivot Nozzle Body” filed on Dec. 7, 2002, and U.S. Disclosure Document No. 483532, filed on Dec. 7, 2000. 

   BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The field of this invention relates to cleaning nozzles for use with vacuum cleaner hoses, and more specifically to the nozzle body that holds the nozzle tools for use. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Ever since the vacuum cleaner hose was invented, vacuum nozzle attachments have been around. Various types of vacuum tools of were invented to do specific cleaning functions. Soon it became apparent that for floor cleaning tools, and other vacuum tools, a pivot joint on the vacuum nozzle attachment made it more versatile. With a pivot joint one could rotated the nozzle to a specific angle for cleaning. For floor tools this allowed the vacuum tool to more easily follow the floor surface. This allowed the user to angle the hose wand to the floor to get under a low lying furniture while keeping the cleaning tool flush against the floor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,104,148 to Spencer, and others like it, show a vacuum tool with a pivot joint to change the apparent angle between an inserted hose wand and the cleaning portion of the vacuum nozzle tool. No prior art was found which incorporated vacuum tool attachment points on both ends of the pivot joint. All prior art shows only one end of the pivot joint body being designed for attachment of vacuum nozzle tools. The presented invention provides vacuum nozzle attachment on both ends of the pivot joint. All prior art vacuum cleaner pivot adaptors provide one end for attachment of a vacuum cleaner hose wand, and the other end for attachment to a vacuum tool. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,974 to Ragner, and others like it, show a vacuum adaptor (or pivot body) with a pivot joint between its two ends: 1) a vacuum tool end, and 2) a vacuum hose wand end. No prior art was found that showed a vacuum pivot body with both ends being designed to accept both a vacuum tool and a vacuum hose wand at the same time and/or alternately. The ability to attach the hose wand to both ends of the pivot body is critical to the disclosed inventions application, as is, the ability to attach vacuum nozzles to both ends. Multi-function vacuum nozzles do exist, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,311 to House, and others like it, that are designed to provide both ends of the nozzle body with a hose wand port and a vacuum tool port. Also, additional ports have been demonstrated by the three port design shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,870 to Ragner, where the nozzle body has two ports that accept a vacuum hose and two ports that have cleaning tools on them, with only one port that has both hose wand and vacuum tool attachment capabilities. None of these prior arts, however, suggest or show a pivot joint that would be beneficial for the operation of their device. The addition of a pivot joint on a two-ended multi-function vacuum tool, provides the desirable benefit of a pivot joint for both ends of the vacuum tool while only requiring a single pivot joint. 
   SUMMERY 
   When a vacuum nozzle is used for vacuuming a floor, the proper angle must be maintained with the contact surfaces to provide good cleaning contact with the floor. However, until now, multi-function nozzles with cleaning tools on both ends of the nozzle would have to maintain this contact angle by keeping the hose wand at a specific angle, usually about forty-five degrees with the floor. This severely restricts cleaning under low furniture where the fixed angle of the vacuum nozzle causes the nozzle&#39;s cleaning surface to lift off the floor when the attached hose wand is lowered to get under the furniture. Pivot joints are commonly placed on floor tools for this vary reason, however, multi-function tools that place tools on both ends have designed for use on floors, thus the use of a pivot joint to provide angle adjustment of the hose wand was not needed. It is only after the multi-function vacuum tool is designed for use on a floor, that one realizes the pivot joint is needed. The design of the pivot joint itself requires some additional thought to insure that both ends of the nozzle can function properly with the pivoting action between them. It turns out, in most cases that the pivot axis should be closer than 45 degrees from the x-axis as defined in  FIGS. 1 through 7  by coordinate system  90 . The multi-function nozzle can be made even more stable by keeping the pivot axis closer than 30 degrees from the x-axis. Where the x-axis is defined in a right-handed Cartesian coordinate system, with the longitudinal direction of the upholstery tool aligned with the y-axis, and the z-axis perpendicular to the floor surface being cleaned. 
   OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
   Nozzle Body
         a) To provide a pivotal nozzle body with an attachment means on both ends for connecting a vacuum cleaning tool(s).   b) To provide a pivotal nozzle body with an attachment means on both ends for connecting a vacuum cleaner hose wand.   c) To provide a pivotal nozzle body with an attachment means on both ends for alternately connecting a vacuum cleaning tool and vacuum cleaner hose wand.   d) To provide a pivotal nozzle body with an attachment means one end for connecting a vacuum cleaning tool and a vacuum cleaner hose wand at the same time.   e) To provide a pivotal nozzle body with two ends each designed for attachment of a vacuum cleaning tool and a vacuum cleaner hose wand at the same time.       

   Vacuum Nozzle
         f) To provide a pivot nozzle comprising a pivotal nozzle body with a replaceable cleaning tool(s) on two ends of the nozzle&#39;s pivotal nozzle body.   g) To provide a pivot nozzle comprising a pivotal nozzle body with an integrated cleaning tool on one end of the nozzle&#39;s pivotal nozzle body and an attachment means on a second end of the nozzle&#39;s pivotal nozzle body for removably connecting a vacuum cleaning tool(s).   h) To provide a pivot nozzle comprising a pivotal nozzle body with an integrated cleaning tool(s) on two ends of the nozzle&#39;s pivotal nozzle body.   i) To provide a pivot nozzle comprising a pivotal nozzle body with a replaceable cleaning tool(s) and a hose wand port on each of the two ends of the pivotal nozzle body.   j) To provide a pivot nozzle comprising a pivotal nozzle body with a replaceable cleaning tool(s) and a hose wand port on one end of the pivotal nozzle body, and an integrated cleaning tool(s) and a hose wand port on the other end of the pivotal nozzle body.   k) To provide a pivot nozzle comprising a pivotal nozzle body with an integrated cleaning tool(s), and a hose wand port on each of the two ends of the pivotal nozzle body.       

   Pivot Joint
         l) To provide a stable pivot joint for a two-ended multi-function vacuum tool when cleaning in different cleaning modes.   m) To provide a pivot joint with a built in friction that is sufficient for dusting mode, but small enough to allow easy pivoting when using in floor cleaning mode.   n) To provide a pivot joint with a pivot axis less than 30 degrees from the x-axis as defined in this patent.   o) To provide a pivot joint with a pivot axis less than 30 degrees from the x-axis as defined in this patent, and with the pivot axis having both y-axis, and z-axis components.       

   
     DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  Pivotal nozzle body with pivotal arms on one end and a dust brush on the other. 
       FIG. 2  Pivot Nozzle in  FIG. 1  with upper housing rotated 180 degrees from its position in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  Section view of Pivotal Nozzle Body in  FIG. 1  (hose wand away from x-axis) 
       FIG. 4  Section view of Pivotal Nozzle Body in  FIG. 1  (hose wand near x-axis) 
       FIG. 5  Section view of an alternative Pivotal Nozzle Body (lower housing  130  and upper housing  150 ) with pivot axis angles θ 5  and θ 6  being different than θ 1  and θ 2 . 
       FIG. 6  Perspective view of pivot nozzle in  FIG. 5  pivoted at approx. 90 degrees from the position shown in  FIG. 5  with hose wand connected to brush end. 
       FIG. 7  Perspective view of pivot nozzle in  FIG. 5  pivoted at approx. 90 degrees from the angle shown in  FIG. 5  with hose wand connected to pivot arm end. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The disclosed pivotal nozzle body can be manufactured using any of a number of durable materials. For example, organic polymers, such as, ABS, Polypropylene, etc. are its preferred construction materials, but can also be constructed of other materials, such as, stamped or machined metals or composites. The tolerances for the disclosed pivotal nozzle body is well within the accuracy range for injection molded plastic parts, with components designed to snap together during the manufacturing process. 
     FIGS. 1 through 4  show one example of a multi-function vacuum nozzle using a pivotal nozzle body comprising an upper housing  50  and a lower housing  30 . Upper housing  50  comprises a brush shroud  52 , a first tool end  55  on the brush shroud for connecting a dust brush  70 , a hose wand port  54  with air channel  56  therethrough, and a first pivot end  57  with air channel  59  (formed by pivot rings  37  and  57 ) therethrough, for connecting to lower housing  30 . Lower housing  30  comprises a lower body section  32  with air channel  36  therethrough, a second tool end  34  for connecting arms  60 , and a second pivot end  37  for connecting to upper housing  50 . Air channels  36  and  56  also act as friction fit hose wand port connectors. Within the pivotal nozzle body, air channels  36 ,  59  and  56  form a continuous air channel for communicating suction air from one hose wand port to the opposite tool end. This continuous air channel allows a suction hose wand  20 , when inserted into air channel  56  (see  FIGS. 1 through 6 ), to provide suction air to second tool end  34  and arms  60 . This continuous air channel also allows suction hose wand  20 , when inserted in air channel  36  (see  FIG. 7 ), to provide suction air to first tool end  55  and dust brush  70 . 
   Upper housing  50  defines an air passageway  56  which is designed to accept hose wand  20  as shown. Air channel  56  may be formed by a cylindrical tube  54  that is molded into upper housing  50 . Also on upper housing  50  is a upper tool support (or shroud)  52  with a dust brush connector (first tool end)  55  for supporting a dust brush  70 . For this design dust brush  70  has a metal U-channel support  72  which holds the bristles of the brush together. U-channel  72  fits snugly into outer lip of connector end (first tool end)  55  on brush shroud  52  to attach it to upper housing  50 . Tool end  55  can be a circular shaped, a tear drop shaped, a triangular shaped or nearly any shape to hold a dust brush or other tool of that shape. Other types of cleaning tools can be attached on tool connector  55 , if they have a matching connector style. Alternatively, tool connector end  55  can be modified to other connector styles if desired. In this way, the tool holder portion of housing  50  (shroud  52  and tool holder  55 ) can be designed to accept other vacuum cleaning tools with a different connector style(s). 
   Lower housing  30  can be adapted to connect a variety of different vacuum tools at second tool end  34 . Arms  60  snap fit into two pairs of holes in connector  34  to provide a pivot axis in the x-axis direction to allow arms  60  to pivot between an in-line position (see  FIG. 6 ) and a closed position (see  FIG. 7  for almost closed arms). This type of arm connector style is only one example of the nearly unlimited design possibilities for connector  34 . Air channel  36  within body section  32  and the arm connector (second tool end)  34  is designed so that vacuum hose  20  fits snugly into it (see  FIG. 7  for example on similar nozzle), when the arms are slightly spread apart. In  FIGS. 1 through 4 , two arms  60  (other arm directly behind the one shown—view is looking at arm on end—see  FIG. 7  for example on similar position for nozzle arms  160 ) are shown mounted on second tool end  34 . Second tool end  34  can be designed to provide pivotal attachment for arms  60  so they may pivot between a crevice tool position and an upholstery tool position. In upholstery position (and floor tool  FIGS. 1 through 6 ) the arms extend along the y-axis with edges  62  for making contact with a surface to be cleaned  68 . In the crevice tool mode (see partial example in  FIG. 7 ), arms  60  would rotate together so that U-channels  64  coming together to form an single elongated channel. Tool end  34  in  FIGS. 1 through 4  comprise two flanges on each side of arms  60 , which can be molded directly into lower housing  30 . Lower housing  30  has a body section  32  with interior channel  36  which is designed to accept hose wand  20 , and communicate suction air through channel  36  and the rest of the pivotal nozzle body. 
   Lower housing  30  is attached to upper housing  50  at a pivot joint near the middle of the pivotal nozzle body (housings  30  and  50 ). The pivot joint comprises a female ring shaped port  37  (second pivot end) with a locking lip  38  on lower housing  30 , and a male ring shaped tube  57  (first pivot end) with a locking groove  58  on upper housing  50 . A tube  57  has a groove  58  that interacts with groove  38  on ring  37  to hold housing  30  and  50  together. Ring  37  and tube  57  are designed to rotate about the pivotal nozzle body&#39;s pivot axis  40  and provide 360 degree pivotal action for the pivotal nozzle body (housings  30  and  50 ). The direction of pivot axis  40  may be oriented in a number of possible directions and does not need to lie in the x-z plane as it does in  FIGS. 1 through 7  (discussed further in these specifications). In general, the pivot axis should be within 45 degrees of the x-axis, however for specific purposes a greater angles can be better (i.e. for vacuum tools where a side-to-side motion is used). For use with upholstery tools or floor tools, using 45 degrees or less from the x-axis provides a reasonably stable tool, but 30 degrees or less is better. Angles from the x-axis of more than 45 degrees starts to make a floor tool or an upholstery tool unstable, and they tend to flop around on the end of the hose wand during use. Note that the terminology “within 45 degrees of the x-axis” refers to set of directions the pivot axis may lie on within a cone centered along the x-axis. This means the direction of the pivot axis  40  may be angled above or below the horizontal, and to the left and right (a directional component along the y-axis). 
   In  FIG. 3  we see that the pivot joint formed by ring  37  and tube  57 , has a length L 1 . This length L 1  is rather short for this type of pivot axis, however, if hard plastics are used, this type of pivot joint can work smoothly. Most often pivot joints of this nature have a length of about one inch or more (see  FIG. 5  for example of a longer pivot joint). This helps keep the joint from binding against is own surfaces as additional forces try to twist it. Some friction is desirable for the pivot joint and may be provided by the surface contact between tube  57  of upper housing  50  and ring  37  of lower housing  30 . While very little friction is needed when the nozzle is being used as a floor tool, friction is needed for other functions of the nozzle, such as, when the dust brush  70  is being used or the arms are used as a crevice tool. This friction may also be created by one or more snap lock positions where the upper and lower housings click into a high friction position. These locking positions may be provided by a notch on one housing and a matching tab on the other housing. The tab (or tabs) would snap into the notch (or notches) as the upper and lower housings are rotated with respect to each other. These notches and tabs are not shown in the figures to keep the drawing more readable, but may be placed on any of the contacting surfaces between housings  30  and  50  to create the snap lock positions. These snap lock positions are designed to automatically release by applying more rotational force to the pivot joint to cause the tabs to slide pass the notches. Sufficient locking friction is provided to allow normal use of the tools on the nozzle, but still easily released with additional force to change its orientation. 
   For purposes of clarity, the disclosed pivot nozzles have their lower housings (i.e. housing  30  in  FIGS. 1–4  and housing  130  in  FIGS. 5–7 ) oriented similarly with respect to a coordinate axis system  90  in all figures. Each drawing sheet includes an axis map  90 , which shows the direction of the x, y and z-axis for discussion drawings on that sheet to provide a right-hand coordinate system. The arrows marked x, y, z on axis system  90  each denote the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis, respectfully. In  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the y-axis points directly into the page with the x-axis and z-axis in the plane of the paper. In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , both the x-axis and y-axis are angled into the page with the z-axis in the plane of the paper. This coordinate system, with respect to  FIGS. 1 through 7 , may be also used in the claims to define the pivot axis of the pivotal nozzle body (housings  30  and  50  in  FIGS. 1–4  and housings  130  and  150  in  FIGS. 5–7 ). The lower housings (housings  30  and  130 ) are oriented so that the cleaning edges  62  and brush strips  162  for the upholstery tool (see  FIGS. 1–6 ) align with the x-y plane and the pivot axis for the arms is substantially aligned with the x-axis. This position also allows arms  60  and  160 , to pivot downward to align in the negative z-axis direction for use as a crevice tool (see  FIG. 7  for partial example). This defines the x-axis as pointing in the direction of the upper housing (i.e. upper housing  50  in  FIGS. 1–4  and housing  150  in  FIGS. 5–7 ) and parallel to the surfaces to be cleaned  68  and  168 , respectfully. 
   Axis angles θ 1  and θ 2  are defined by the structure of nozzle housings  30  and  50 , respectfully. Lower housing  30  defines angle θ 1  as generally the minimum angle between the rotational axis of second pivot end  37  and the plane defined by cleaning edges  62  (x-y plane, measured from the positive x-axis in drawings). Angle θ 1  can also be thought of as the angle between pivot axis  40  and the longitudinal axis of hose wand port  36  (negative z-axis) minus ninety degrees. Upper body housing  50  defines angle θ 2  as the angle between the axis of first pivot end  57  and the longitudinal axis of hose wand port  54  (the angle between the pivot axis  40  and longitudinal axis  45  of hose wand port  54 —see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Notice that the longitudinal axis  45  of the hose wand port  54  is the same as the longitudinal axis of hose wand  20 , which is inserted within air channel  56  of port  54 . Rotation of housing  50  with respect to housing  30  provides a ring of orientations  44 , which longitudinal axis  45  may be pivoted to. Ring  44  shows the many directions axis  45  can be directed to, with ring  44  extending into and out-of the page, except for directions  45  and  46 . Only axis positions  45  and  46  in  FIG. 1  lay within the plane of the page, the remaining directions all have a y-axis component to their direction. The nozzle&#39;s longitudinal axis  45  is near the x-axis in position  46 , seen in  FIG. 1 , is shown oriented this way in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ). When hose wand port  54  is in position  45 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , hose wand  20  is at a maximum angle θ 3  with the surface to be cleaned  68  (x-y plane). At this maximum angle position (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ), maximum angle θ 3  is equal to angle θ 1  plus angle θ 2 . At hose wand port axis alternate position  46 , as seen in  FIG. 1  (see axis  45  in  FIG. 2 ), upper housing  50  has been rotated around pivot axis  40  approximately 180 degrees from the position seen in  FIG. 1 . When hose wand port  54  is in position  45  in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , hose wand  20  is at an minimum angle θ 4  with the surface to be cleaned (x-y plane). At this minimum angle position (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ), minimum angle θ 4  is equal to angle θ 1  minus angle θ 2 . Note that choosing different angles for θ 1  and θ 2  (see  FIGS. 5 through 7 ) can result in a different final maximum angle θ 3  and minimum angle θ 4  for hose wand  20 . 
   For orientations between the positions seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hose wand port  54  changes between these two values. Notice that hose wand  20  does not stay in the x-z plane during this transition except at the two positions shown. At all other positions the hose wand will have a component in the “y” direction (y-axis), that is, coming in or out of the paper in  FIGS. 1 through 4  (see position ring  44  in  FIG. 1 ). Many different ranges of angles for the the hose wand angle changes may be designed into the pivotal nozzle body by changing the values of θ 1  and θ 2  (see  FIG. 5 ). Also, if the pivot axis  40  is given a y-axis component (that is, its axis no longer lies on the page in  FIGS. 1 through 4 ), then more complicated changes in the direction of hose wand port  56  may be achieved. The variation is nearly endless, and can provide the specific angle changes desired for specific cleaning needs as the user pivots upper housing  50  with respect to lower housing  30 . 
   In  FIGS. 5 through 7 , we see an alternative pivot nozzle with upper housing  150  and lower housing  130 . This pivotal nozzle body (housings  130  and  150 ) can be designed for attachment of similar tools seen on pivot nozzle seen in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . Lower housing  130  comprises a angled tube shaped body section  132  with a air channel  136  passing through it. At the tool end of body  132  are attached a pair of arms  160  with brush strips  162  along its contact surface. On the pivot end of body section  132  is molded a pivot ring  137  which engages pivot tube  157  on housing  150 . Ring  137  and tube  157  define a pivot joint with a pivot axis  140 . As with pivot axis  40  in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , pivot axis  140  lays within the x-z plane, but can easily be designed to have a y-axis component if desired. Upper housing  150  comprises a pivot port defined by tube  157  at one end and a hose wand port  154  at the other end, with an air passageway  156  formed between tube  157  and port  154 . A brush skirt  152  is included here as a brush cleaning tool holder with a forward end  175  and a rearward end  174 . Dust brush  170  with molded plastic support  172  is attached to upper housing  150  by brush skirt  152 . Port  154  is designed for removable attachment of vacuum hose  20  to provide suction air to cleaning arms  160 . Air passageway port  136  is designed for removable attachment of vacuum hose  20  to provide suction air to cleaning brush  170 . While the hose wand needs to be able to be removably attachable to both ends of the disclosed pivotal nozzle body, the tools can be molded into the nozzle housings permanently. The pivotal nozzle body, however, can be designed to allow removable attachment of different vacuum tools on one or both ends of the pivotal nozzle body. Removal can be to replace worn cleaning tools (i.e. dust brush bristles, bristle strips on arms, etc.) or to provide additional functions with different attachments. For example, for the pivot nozzle in  FIGS. 5 through 7 , dust brush  170  can be snapped out of tool skirt  152  and another tool can be snapped into place (i.e. wider dust brush, special crevice tool, special floor tool, etc.). Similarly, arms  160  can be designed to easily be removed so that other arms or other tools can be snapped into place. 
   In  FIGS. 5 through 7 , axis angles θ 5  and θ 6  are defined (like axis angles θ 1  and θ 2 ) by the structure of nozzle housings  130  and  150 , respectfully. Lower housing  130  defines angle θ 5  as generally the minimum angle between the rotational axis of second pivot end  137  and the plane defined by cleaning brush strips  162  (x-y plane, measured from the positive x-axis in drawings). Angle θ 5  can also be thought of as the angle between pivot axis  140  and the longitudinal axis of hose wand port  136  (negative z-axis) minus ninety degrees. Upper body housing  150  defines angle θ 6  as the angle between the axis of first pivot end  157  and the longitudinal axis  145  of hose wand port  154  (the angle between the pivot axis  140  and longitudinal axis  145  of hose wand port  54 —see  FIG. 5 ). 
   In  FIG. 5 , upper housing  150  can be rotated with respect to lower housing  130  to provide its minimum angle between the two housings (dust brush tip  175  pointing in the direction of surface  168 ). This minimum orientation of the pivot nozzle body is shown by phantom position  20   c  of hose wand  20  in  FIG. 6 , and phantom position  152   c  of tool skirt  152  in  FIG. 7 . The angle The θ 5  angle is ten degrees, such that pivot axis  140  is ten degrees above the x-y plane, which defines the orientation of pivot axis  140  on lower housing  130 , and means pivot axis  140  is nearly parallel with the surface being cleaned  168 . The θ 6  angle is thirty-five degrees, which defines the angle difference between pivot axis  140  of pivot port  157  and longitudinal axis  145  of hose wand port  154  (same longitudinal axis as hose wand  20 ). The result is a pivot nozzle body with a range of motion for hose wand  20  between positive forty-five degrees above the x-y plane (see phantom lines  20   a  and  152   a , in  FIGS. 6 and 7  respectfully), and twenty-five degrees below the x-y plane (see phantom lines  20   c  and  152   c , in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , respectfully). The pivot joint composed of ring  137  and tube  157  hold housings  130  and  150  together by the interaction of ring-shaped ridge  158  on tube  157  with the edge of pivot ring  137 . Both ring  137  and tube  157  are circular in cross section so that ring  137  can easily rotate around tube  157 . Additional bearing rings can be placed between the contacting surfaces of ring  137  and tube  157 , to control friction, wear, and/or other factors, as is common in present day vacuum nozzles. 
   In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , we see perspective views of the pivotal nozzle body in  FIG. 5 , with the upper housing  150  pivoted about ninety degrees from its orientation shown in  FIG. 5 . Both show upper housing  150  rotated approximately half way between its maximum angle θ 7  and its minimum angle θ 8 . In  FIG. 6 , upper housing  150  is shown at 90 degrees from its maximum angle position (midway between maximum and minimum angles). Notice that at 90 degrees rotation hose wand  20  is slightly above being parallel to the x-y plane (approximately positive 10 degrees for the numbers chosen, θ 5 =10 degrees, θ 6 =35 degrees). If housing  150  is rotated slightly further as shown in  FIG. 7 , hose wand  20  can be parallel to the x-y plane as shown by shadow position  20   b  in  FIG. 7 . Further rotation of hose wand  20  moves housing  150  to minimum position  152   c  and  175   c  (see  FIGS. 5 and 7 ), and hose wand  20  at position  20   c  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). Alternative orientations for upper housing  150  are shown by shadow lines. The orientation at maximum angle value θ 7  for the pivot nozzle body in  FIGS. 5 through 7 , is shown by hose wand  20  in position  20   a  with longitudinal axis  145   a  (in  FIG. 6 ), and upper housing position  152   a  of tool skirt  152  (in  FIG. 7 ). The orientation at minimum angle value θ 8  for the pivot nozzle in  FIGS. 5 through 7 , is shown by hose wand  20  in position  20   c  with longitudinal axis  145   c  (in  FIG. 6 ), and upper housing position  152   c  of tool skirt  152  (in  FIG. 7 ). The thirty-five degree angle in housing  150  (θ 6 =35 degrees) means that, in the positions shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the hose wand&#39;s longitudinal axis is pointing about thirty-five degrees away from the x-y plane. In  FIG. 6 , this causes the arm marked  160  to angle forward with respect to hose wand  20 . This can be used as an advantage, because the end of the forward leaning arm  160  can be used to suck up dirt and material along an edge running perpendicular to hose wand  20  (using the open end of arm  160  against a surface to function like a crevice tool. The nozzle in  FIG. 6  can be used as a full crevice tool by simply pivoting both arms  160  together so that their brush strips  162  touch (see  FIG. 7  with arms partially closed). The nozzle in  FIG. 7  can be used as a crevice tool by simply inserting hose wand  20  into upper housing  150  a position  20   b  and closing arms  160  so that brush strips  162  seal against each other. Different orientations of the pivotal nozzle body can be used for the crevice tool mode to reach differently angled surfaces, with pivot joint friction maintaining the desired orientation for cleaning. 
   Some of the differences between housings  130  and  150 , and housings  30  and  50 , comprises changes to the pivot joint and the axis angles θ 1  and θ 2 . The pivot joint in  FIGS. 5 through 7 , comprises ring shaped lip  137  (first pivot end) on the lower housing  130 , and ring shaped tube  157  (second pivot end) on upper housing  150 , which are connected so that upper housing  150  can swivel with respect to lower housing  130 . Ring  137  and tube  157  in  FIGS. 5  through  7  are longer than ring  37  and tube  57  in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . This can give the pivotal nozzle body greater stability from binding when forces needed to swivel the pivot joint are applied. The pivot joint is also at a different angle than in the design in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . The values of angles θ 5  and θ 6  have been modified compared to axis angles θ 1  and θ 2 , respectfully, to allow hose wand  20  to pivot below the x-y plane in its minimum angle position (angle θ 8  negative). For lower housing  30  in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , θ 1  on housing  30  was approximately 25 degrees, and θ 2  on housing  50  was approximately 20 degrees. In  FIGS. 5 through 7 , lower housing  130  has a θ 5  of approximately 10 degrees, and upper housing  150  has a θ 6  of approximately 35 degrees. This results in both pivot nozzle bodies to have the same maximum angle (θ 3  equal to θ 7 ) of approximately 45 degrees, but different minimum angles θ 4  and θ 8 . The pivotal nozzle body in  FIGS. 1 through 4  has a θ 4  of approximately positive 5 degrees, while the pivotal nozzle body in  FIGS. 5 through 7 , has a θ 8  of approximately negative 25 degrees (a thirty degree difference). This negative angle can be used to allow cleaning of high surfaces, such as, the tops of cabinets and book shelves. This angle arrangement also allows the user to lower the hose wand parallel to the floor without having to rotate hose wand  20  around its longitudinal axis a full 180 degrees. Instead, the hose wand can be brought parallel to the floor (x-y plane), in upholstery mode by rotating hose wand  20  about 100 degrees from its maximum angle position (phantom positions  20   a ,  152   a  and  175   a ). 
   Operational Description— FIGS. 1 Through 4   
   During use, hose wand  20  is inserted in port  56  or port  36  to provide suction air to the pivotal nozzle body disclosed in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . Both channel port  56  and air channel port  36  provide a snug fit for hose wand  20  so that friction keeps the hose wand attached. Other methods can be used to hold a hose wand on the nozzle, including positive locking systems, such as, twist and lock connectors (bolt action like engagement), spring loaded buttons (button on hose or nozzle engaging a hole in the nozzle or hose respectfully), etc. 
   With hose wand  20  inserted into port  56  (see  FIGS. 1 through 4 ), suction air is provided to cleaning arms  60  for cleaning. For floor cleaning, cleaning edges  62  are placed flat against a surface to be cleaned  68  (floor, upholstery, etc.—see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Air is pulled in through channel  64  formed by arms  60  being in contact with surface  68 , through port  36 , through pivot channel  59 , through port  56  and finally into hose wand channel  22 , which leads to a vacuum cleaner. Arms  60  on second tool end  34  can be pivoted to provide added functions, such as, allowing the folding together of the arms to create a crevice tool or separated slightly to create a gap for cleaning blinds, or the arms may also be pivoted apart to form a floor tool or an upholstery tool, or other angles for the arms. Other specialty tools may be used in place of arms  60 . Also, while arms  60  are designed to be removable from lower housing  30 , they are not designed to be easily removable by the user. In an alternative design, tool end  34  may be designed to allow the user to easily add and remove different tools from end  34  to provide multiple function. Tool end  34  can easily be modified in shape and size to meet the needed functional needs for the vacuum tools that will be attached to it. Similarly, tool end  55  may also be designed to allow multiple user attachable and removable tools. Also notice that the tools do not have to be centered around hose wand ports  36  and/or  56 . Also notice that the end of port  36  and/or port  56  may be formed into a cleaning tool by itself. 
   With hose wand  20  inserted into port  36 , the dust brush  70  may be used for cleaning, with suction air from hose wand  20 , pulling air from around dust brush  70  through air channel  56 , through pivot joint air channel  59 , through air channel  36 , and finally into hose wand  20 . Upper housing  50  and dust brush  70  may be rotated about pivot joint axis  40  to provide different cleaning angles for the dust brush as desired. 
   When the user operates the vacuum tool as a floor tool or an upholstery tool (as seen in  FIGS. 1 through 4 ), hose wand  20  is inserted into port  56 . Hose wand  20  fits tightly into port  56  so that rotation of hose wand  20  by the user put a rotational torque on upper housing  50 . With arms  60  extending along the y-axis (in-and-out of the page in  FIGS. 1 through 4 ), the arms resist this torque that is transmitted through the pivot joint and allows the user to rotate upper housing  50  with respect to lower housing  30 . Thus, the user may be cleaning a surface  68  with the pivotal nozzle, with contact edges  62  against the surface (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ), while the user holds onto the far end of the hose wand (not seen off the page). To clean under low furniture or other low objects, the user simply twists the upper part of hose wand  20  in their hand, which turns upper housing  50  with respect to lower housing  30 . Friction between the contact surfaces at the pivot joint (contact between ring  37  and tube  57 ) transmits this rotational force to lower housing  30  which resists rotating about hose wand  20  because of the extended arms  60 , which push against surface  68 . The separated nature of arms  60  resist allowing lower housing  30  also pivoting. Thus, while front end  75  of brush connector  55  begins to move away from its upward facing orientation and rotate toward the floor while rear end  74  of brush connector  55  begins to move way from its downward facing position, cleaning edges  62  remain substantially in contact with the surface being cleaned  68 . As upper housing  50  rotates with respect to housing  30 , hose wand  20  must change its angle with respect to cleaning arms  60  to keep cleaning edges  62  in contact with surface  68 . When housing  50  has been rotated about ninety degrees from its position in  FIG. 1  hose wand  20  is angled about twenty-five degrees above the floor. At the same time, because θ 2 =20 degrees, this rotated position places hose wand  20  at an angle of about twenty degrees toward the y-axis (into or out-of the page—see  FIG. 6  for example). 
   As hose wand  20  is rotated further toward the position seen in  FIG. 2 , the hose wand can be moved closer and closer to being parallel with the floor (see  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) while keeping cleaning surfaces  62  in contact with surface to be cleaned  68 . Front end  75  of brush connector  55  is now pointing toward surface  68  and brush connector rear end  74  is pointing upward away from surface  68 . In this position, with hose wand  20  nearly level with the floor (approximately five degrees above the floor), the user can now get the pivotal vacuum nozzle under the low furniture for cleaning. Similarly, when the user is done cleaning under the low furniture, they can twist the hose wand back to its original position (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) to restore the hose wand to its upright cleaning position. 
   The operation of the pivotal nozzle body in  FIG. 5  is essentially the same as in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . Only the angle range of the hose wand is changed by the selection of θ 5  and θ 6 . The maximum upright angle θ 7  (obtuse angle between hose wand ports  154  and  136  is greater than ninety degrees) is the same as maximum upright angle θ 3  in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , but the minimum angle θ 8  (acute angle between hose wand ports  154  and  136  is less than ninety degrees) can be much lower than the minimum angle θ 4  in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . Because angle θ 8  is a negative angle (hose wand axis extending below x-y plane), the hose wand does not need to be twisted 180 degrees to be parallel to the floor. In fact, for the choices of θ 5 =10 degrees and θ 6 =35 degrees, hose  20  would only need to be twisted about 100 degrees from its  152   a  position (see  FIG. 7 ) to reach parallel to the floor (x-y plane). Further rotation moves hose wand  20  below cleaning surface  68  (x-y plane) as seen in  FIG. 5  to form an acute angle between longitudinal axis  145  of hose wand port  154  and the longitudinal axis of hose wand port  136  (negative z-axis). 
   In  FIG. 7 , we see the pivot nozzle being used as a dust brush with hose wand  20  inserted into air passageway (hose wand port)  136 . Arms  160  are angles approximately as shown to allow easy insertion of hose wand  20 . The angle between tool ends is about 90 degrees (angle between hose wand  20  shown in  FIG. 7  and phantom hose wand position  20   b . This allows the cleaning portion of dust brush  70  to be parallel to the hose wand axis. Further angling of upper housing  150  to position  152   c  results in an acute angle between the hose wand ports that allows cleaning high surfaces as shown in  FIG. 5  with either the upholstery tool as shown or the dust brush (see  FIG. 7 ). 
   Stability During Operation 
   The issue of stability of the nozzle during use occurs because of the ability of the disclosed pivot nozzle to pivot around a pivot axis. If the angle of the pivot axis is not chosen correctly or if the pivot joint has too little friction for stable use, the tool end of the nozzle can simply flop around on the end of the nozzle uncontrollably. For different uses, and functions, different parameters are needed. For example, for a floor or upholstery tool the pivot axis works best if it is closer than 45 degrees from the x-axis as defined in the drawings. While larger angles work fine for other cleaning purposes (i.e. dust brush use) placing the pivot axis near the y-axis and or the z-axis makes the nozzle unstable for floor and upholstery cleaning (see  FIG. 6  for example of floor and upholstery mode). This instability results from two factors. When the pivot axis is too close to the z-axis, any differential x-axis force on the ends of the arms can tend to spin the lower housing about the pivot axis. Similarly, if the pivot axis is too close to the y-axis, x-axis force on either arm can tend to rotate the lower housing about the pivot axis. It turns out that for floor and upholstery cleaning, the best stability and range of angle orientations is achieved with a pivot axis no more than 30 degrees from the x-axis. Unfortunately, this range is not necessarily very good for some other tools, namely the dust brush and arms in crevice mode, which experience y-axis forces during normal use. This y-axis force tends to rotate the tool around the pivot axis (see pivot axises  40  and  140 ). This tool rotation problem, however, is easily solved by simply providing some internal friction to the pivot joint, so that during normal dusting or crevice tool use, the y-axis forces are not great enough to overcome the friction within the pivot joint. This friction, however, cannot be so great that it interferes with the use of the tool in floor cleaning mode. The nozzle body should be easily pivotable by the user, when twisting on the hose wand attached to it. Luckily, the twisting force a user can place on the hose wand, and the leverage the extended arms can provide, is considerably greater than the friction needed for stable dusting or crevice tool use. Thus, the user can easily rotate the hose wand about the pivot axis and lower the hose wand to the floor to get under furniture and the like even, when sufficient friction is present to allow normal dusting and crevice tool operation. The pivot joint friction may come in a number of forms, from a continuous friction force between the upper and lower housing, a notch and tab arrangement to provide specific orientations where greater friction force is located, etc. or a combination of different friction methods. 
   Ramifications, and Scope 
   The disclosed design for a multi-function pivotal nozzle body with a built in pivot joint allows for a very compact vacuum nozzle to be designed that provides many functions, including a floor tool that can pivot with respect to an attached hose wand. In floor mode this pivot joint allows the nozzle&#39;s cleaning surfaces to remain flush against the floor, while the hose wand can be lowered to the floor to get under low furniture. The pivot joint is also useful for cleaning high surfaces (see  FIGS. 5 through 7 ) because it can allow the tool ends to be pivoted to an acute angle with respect to the hose wand. This allows the tool to make contact with a high surface while the hose wand angles downward from the nozzle, thus eliminating the need for the user to get on a chair or ladder to reach the surface. 
   Although the above description of the invention contains many specifications, these should not be viewed as limiting the scope of the invention. Instead, the above description should be considered illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, many angle combinations are possible, including ones where the pivot axis does not align with the x-z plane as it does in  FIGS. 1 through 7 . 
   If we consider θ 1 , and θ 2  variables then the pivotal nozzle body in  FIGS. 1 through 4  can be modified by simply changing the values of θ 1  and θ 2  For example, pivot axis that aligns with the x-axis would have a θ 1  equal to zero degrees on housing  30 , while housing  50  may have a θ 2  equal to forty-five degrees so that hose wand  20  can have the same maximum angle θ 3  equal to forty-five degrees. Notice though that with this angles (θ 1 =0 degrees, and θ 2 =45 degrees) the hose wand can be rotated to negative forty-five degree angle below the x-y plane. Notice that angle θ 1  itself can be negative (pivot axis pointing below the x-y plane), which would provide extreme angle changes when hose wand  20  is rotated. However, a negative θ 1  would create a somewhat “S” shaped suction passageway through the pivot nozzle, which could restrict air flow. The combinations are nearly endless. Also, many ways exist to construct a pivot joint between the upper and lower housings. Many suction conduit pivot or swivel joints exist in prior art and most can be used in this application. Thus, the pivot joints shown are certainly not the extent of possible and known ways to construct a pivot joints for the disclosed pivotal nozzle body. The addition of other bearing rings or structures in the pivot joint are commonly used in the vacuum industry to control deformation of the softer nozzle housing materials, and/or to control friction within the joint. Finally, the basic pivotal nozzle body can be used as a general purpose pivot adaptor for connecting different sized tools and different sized hose wands on each end of the pivot nozzle body. The interior/exterior hose wand port design shown in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,974 can also be used with this pivot nozzle body to provide cross platform functionality. 
   Thus, the scope of this invention should not be limited to the above examples but should be determined from the following claims.