Patent Publication Number: US-11019971-B2

Title: Conductive telescopic tube, and hand-held vacuum cleaner

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a 371 application of an international PCT application serial no. PCT/CN2016/099665, filed on Sep. 22, 2016, which claims priority to and the benefit of China Patent Application No. 201610063853.9, filed on Jan. 29, 2016. The entirety of each of the abovementioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to a hand-held vacuum cleaner, and a conductive telescopic tube of a vacuum cleaner. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As is well known, a hand-held vacuum cleaner basically comprises a main vacuum cleaner body, a dust suction head (floor brush), and a dust suction tube connecting the dust suction head and the main vacuum cleaner body, wherein the dust suction tube is further provided with a conductive component therein, and under the control of the main vacuum cleaner body, the electric power is directed to the dust suction head through the conductive component, so that the dust suction head starts to work. 
     However, the current dust suction tube is a single tube, and the size and the length of the tube is larger than the lengths or widths of the main vacuum cleaner body and the dust suction head, so it is very inconvenient from the perspective of carrying, and so it is difficult to be favored by consumers; at the same time, it brings great inconvenience to the package for sale. 
     At the same time, in order to overcome the above-mentioned defects, some manufacturers have replaced the dust suction tube with a extending-retracting type, however, it brings a great defect in the process of extending and retracting, that is, the arrangement of the conductive component must enable the conductive component to relatively unfold and collapse following the extending and retracting of the dust suction tube, so the design or structure of the conductive component is very complicated, and further, once a use accident occurs, the maintenance of the conductive component (the built-in of the conductive component) is not convenient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, and to provide an improved conductive telescopic tube. 
     And meanwhile, the present disclosure further provides an improved hand-held vacuum cleaner. 
     To solve the above problems, the present disclosure employs the following technical solution: 
     A conductive telescopic tube, includes a plurality of sleevings capable of extending-retracting with respect to each other, and conductive assemblies disposed on each of the sleevings and capable of being connected with each other, the conductive assemblies comprise mounting seats disposed on one side of the sleevings along a length direction of each of the sleevings, contact strips disposed along length directions of the mounting seats, and a conductive joint conductively connecting every two adjacent contact strips of the contact strips respectively, wherein every two adjacent mounting seats of the mounting seats are telescopically disposed, two end portions of the conductive joint are respectively located within the two adjacent mounting seats, and capable of always conductively connecting the two adjacent contact strips along with a telescopic movement of the two adjacent mounting seats. 
     Preferably, mounting grooves are disposed on two sides of each of the mounting seats along the length directions of the mounting seats, the contact strip comprises two conductive sheets disposed within the mounting grooves, respectively, and the two end portions of the conductive joint are connected with the two conductive sheets of the two adjacent contact strips, respectively. 
     Further, the two conductive sheets are disposed in parallel, and are a positive conductive sheet and a negative conductive sheet, respectively, and the end portions of the conductive joint are located between the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet to connect the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet. 
     According to a specific embodiment and a preferred aspect of the present disclosure, two adjacent mounting seats are a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat, respectively, two adjacent contact strips are a first contact strip and a second contact strip, respectively, one end portion of the conductive joint is disposed within the second mounting seat and conductively connected with the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the second contact strip, and the other end portion of the conductive joint is inserted into the first mounting seat and conductively connected with the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the first contact strip, the other end portion of the conductive joint and the first contact strip move with respect to each other and keep in contact with each other when the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat are relatively extended-retracted. 
     Preferably, the conductive assemblies further comprises an elastic sheet disposed on the other end portion of the conductive joint and tending to outstretch, two sides of the elastic sheet press against between the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the first contact strip respectively, and conductively connect the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the first contact strip. 
     According to another specific embodiment and another preferred aspect of the present disclosure, the conductive telescopic tube further comprises a locking mechanism for locking the two sleevings after being adjusted. 
     Preferably, the two adjacent sleevings are a first tube body and a second tube body, respectively, and the locking mechanism comprises a locking element disposed on the first tube body, a locked portion disposed on the second tube body and an unlocking element, wherein the locking element is locked with the locked portion when the locking mechanism is locked; the locking element is separated from the locked portion when the locking mechanism is unlocked. 
     Further, the locked portion comprises a recess formed inwardly from a surface of the second tube body and a locking bar disposed within the recess, wherein the recess and the locking bar both extend along a length direction of the second tube body, and the locking bar is provided with a plurality of locking grooves spaced apart along a length direction of the locking bar. 
     More further, the locking member comprises a locking seat fixed at an end of the first tube body and a locking pin movably disposed in the locking seat, and the unlocking member comprises an unlocking button rotationally disposed in the locking seat by a middle portion and a restoring member disposed between the unlocking button and the locking seat to restore the unlocking button, wherein the locking pin and the restoring member are respectively located at two ends of the unlocking button, and the restoring member is compressed and deformed and the locking pin moves outside the locking seat and disengaged from the locking grooves to achieve unlocking when the unlocking button is pressed; the restoring member recovers from deformation and the locking pin moves towards inside of the locking seat and is inserted into the locking groove to achieve locking when the unlocking button is released. 
     Another technical solution employed by the present disclosure is as follows: 
     A hand-held vacuum cleaner, includes a vacuum cleaner body, a dust suction head and a dust suction tube, wherein the dust suction tube is the above-mentioned conductive telescopic tube, the hand-held vacuum cleaner further includes connectors disposed at two end portions of the conductive and telescopic tube respectively and being connected with the vacuum cleaner body and the dust suction head by way of clamping respectively, and conductive plug connectors disposed within the connector respectively, wherein the conductive plug connectors are connected with circuits of the vacuum cleaner body and the dust suction head respectively when the conductive telescopic tube is connected with the vacuum cleaner body and the dust suction head by way of clamping. 
     Due to the implementation of the above technical solutions, the present disclosure has the following advantages over the prior art: 
     The invention uses a telescopic type dust suction tube, thereby is convenient to carry, and also reduces the volume of the package for sale, leaves a good impression to the consumer; on the other hand, due to the external arrangement of the conductive component, and the adjacent two contact strips are always electrically connected even when the conductive telescopic tube is being adjusted, the structure is simple, the design is ingenious, and the maintenance and replacement are convenient. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following, the present disclosure is further explained in detail combining with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structure diagram of a hand-held vacuum cleaner according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic front view of a conductive and telescopic tube according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic right view of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic sectional view of Line A-A in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged schematic view of Portion B in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic cross sectional view of a conductive and telescopic tube according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic left view of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic sectional view of a conductive component according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged schematic view of Portion B in  FIG. 8 ; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 9 , a hand-held vacuum cleaner provided by the present embodiment includes s a vacuum cleaner body  1 , a dust suction head  2  and a dust suction tube, wherein the dust suction tube is a conductive telescopic tube  3 , and two end portions thereof are connected with the vacuum cleaner body  1  and the dust suction head  2  respectively. 
     In particular, the above-mentioned hand-held vacuum cleaner further includes connectors  4  disposed at the two end portions of the conductive telescopic tube  3  respectively and being connected with the vacuum cleaner body  1  and the dust suction head  2  by way of clamping respectively, and conductive plug connectors  5  disposed within the connector  4  respectively, wherein the conductive plug connectors  5  are linked with circuits of the vacuum cleaner body  1  and the dust suction head  2  respectively when the conductive telescopic tube  3  is connected with the vacuum cleaner body  1  and the dust suction head  2  in a clamping manner respectively. 
     Further, the conductive and telescopic tube  3  includes a plurality of sleevings  30  capable of telescoping in a relative manner, and conductive assemblies  31  disposed on each sleeving  30  and capable of being connected with each other, and the conductive assemblies  31  include a mounting seat  310  disposed on one side of a sleeving  30  along a length direction of each sleeving  30 , a contact strip  311  disposed along a length direction of the mounting seat  310 , and a conductive joint  312  conductively connecting each of two adjacent contact strips  311  respectively, wherein each of two adjacent mounting seats  310  is telescopically disposed, two end portions of the conductive joint  312  are respectively located within two adjacent mounting seats  310 , and capable of always conductively connecting two adjacent contact strips  311  along with a telescopic movement of the two adjacent mounting seats  310 . 
     In the example, mounting grooves a are disposed on two sides of each mounting seat  310  along its own length direction, the contact strip  311  includes two conductive sheets  311   a  disposed within the mounting grooves, respectively, and the two end portions of the conductive joint  312  are connected with two conductive sheets  311   a  of adjacent two contact strips  311 , respectively. 
     Further, two conductive sheets  311   a  are disposed in parallel, and are a positive conductive sheet and a negative conductive sheet, respectively, and end portions of the conductive joint  312  are located between the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet to connect the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet. 
     Two adjacent mounting seats  310  are a first mounting seat  310   a  and a second mounting seat  310   b , respectively, two adjacent contact strips  311  are a first contact strip  311   b  and a second contact strip  311   c , respectively, one end portion of the conductive joint  312  is disposed within the second mounting seat  310   a  and conductively connected with the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the second contact strip  311   c , and the other end portion thereof is inserted into the first mounting seat  310   b  and conductively connected with the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the first contact strip  311   b , the other end portion of the conductive joint  312  and the first contact strip  311   b  move with respect to each other and keep in contact with each other when the first mounting seat  310   a  and the second mounting seat  310   b  are relatively telescopic. 
     In particular, the conductive assemblies  31  further includes an elastic sheet  313  disposed on the other end portion of the conductive joint  312  and tending to outstretch, two sides of the elastic sheet  313  press against the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the first contact strip  311   b  respectively, and conductively connect the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet of the first contact strip  311   b.    
     Meanwhile, the conductive and telescopic tube  3  further includes a locking mechanism  32  for locking two sleevings  30  after being adjusted to telescope in a relative manner. 
     Two adjacent sleevings  30  are a first tube body  30   a  and a second tube body  30   b , and the locking mechanism  32  includes a locking element  320  disposed on the first tube body  30   a , a locked portion  321  disposed on the second tube body  30   b  and an unlocking element  322 , wherein the locking element  320  is locked with the locked portion  321  when the locking mechanism  32  is locked; the locking element  320  is separated from the locked portion  321  when the locking mechanism  32  is unlocked. 
     Further, the locked portion  321  includes a recess  321   a  formed inwardly from a surface of the second tube body  30   b  and a locking bar  321   b  disposed within the recess  321   a , wherein the recess  321   a  and the locking bar  321   b  both extend along a length direction of the second tube body  30   b , and the locking bar  321   b  is provided with a plurality of locking grooves b spaced apart along a length direction of the locking bar  321   b.    
     More further, the locking member  320  includes a locking seat  320   a  fixed at an end of the first tube body  30   a  and a locking pin  320   b  movably disposed in the locking seat  320   a , and the unlocking member  322  includes an unlocking button  322   a  rotationally disposed in the locking seat  320   a  by a middle portion and a restoring member  322   b  disposed between the unlocking button  322   a  and the locking seat  320   a  to restore the unlocking button  322   a , wherein the locking pin  320   b  and the restoring member are respectively located at two ends of the unlocking button  322   a , and the restoring member  322   b  is compressed and deformed and the locking pin  320   b  moves outside the locking seat  320   a  and disengaged from the locking grooves b to achieve unlocking when the unlocking button  322   a  is pressed; the restoring member  322   b  recovers from deformation and the locking pin  320   b  moves towards inside the locking seat  320   a  and is inserted into the locking groove b to achieve locking when the unlocking button  322   a  is released. 
     In the present embodiment, the material of the elastic sheets  313 , the positive conductive sheets and the negative conductive sheets is copper. 
     Above all, the present embodiment has the following advantages: 
     1) The whole dust suction tube is turned into a telescopic type, thereby is convenient to carry, and also reduces the volume of the package for sale, leaves a good impression to the consumer. 
     2) A unique locking mechanism is employed to lock two telescopic first and second tube bodies with respect to each other, the restoring member is compressed and deformed and the locking pin moves outside the locking seat and disengaged from the locking grooves to achieve unlocking when the unlocking button is pressed; the restoring member recovers from deformation and the locking pin moves towards inside the locking seat and is inserted into the locking groove to achieve automatic locking when the unlocking button is released. The entire process is easy to operate, convenient to implement, and has a low cost. 
     3) Due to the external arrangement of the conductive component as well as the ability of telescopic movement along with the conductive and telescopic tube, the adjacent two contact strips are always electrically connected, the structure is simple, the design is ingenious, and the maintenance and replacement are convenient. 
     4) The elastic sheets stretching out with respect to each other are employed, so as to connect the positive conductive sheet and the negative conductive sheet constantly, and poor contact or disconnection is less likely to occur, to ensure the safety use of the vacuum cleaner. 
     The above detailed describes the present disclosure, and is intended to make those skilled in the art being able to understand the present disclosure and thereby implement it, and should not be concluded to limit the protective scope of this disclosure. Any equivalent variations or modifications according to the spirit of the present disclosure should be covered by the protective scope of the present disclosure.