Patent Publication Number: US-8108967-B2

Title: Handle assembly for a cleaning appliance

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority of United Kingdom Application No. 0715564.1, filed Aug. 9, 2007, the contents which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a handle assembly for a cleaning appliance. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a handle assembly for a vacuum cleaner. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Upright vacuum cleaners are well known. Further, upright vacuum cleaners that can be converted from a floor cleaning mode into an “above-the-floor” cleaning mode are also well known. In order to carry out both of these cleaning modes, it is common for an upright vacuum cleaner to incorporate a handle assembly having a wand and hose arrangement which can be used when required for above-the-floor cleaning. In some prior art arrangements, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,113, the wand and hose assembly attach to the cleaner head such that they form part of the airflow path within the vacuum cleaner when the machine is used in the floor cleaning mode. The wand is then releasable from the cleaner head when above-the-floor cleaning is required. Whilst this is a relatively simple arrangement, the incoming air has to travel through the wand and hose when the machine is used in the floor cleaning mode. Therefore, this arrangement unnecessarily increases losses within the vacuum cleaner. 
     An alternative arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,457. In this arrangement, a wand which forms part of a handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner shown therein is removable from the remainder of the vacuum cleaner. The wand can be reattached to a hose located at the front of the vacuum cleaner for above-the-floor cleaning purposes. 
     Another known type of handle assembly forming part of a vacuum cleaner is shown in EP 1 265 519. In this arrangement, a handle portion and the wand are releasably attached to a main body of the vacuum cleaner by a catch. The handle portion and wand can be released from the upper end of the hose, turned around and reconnected. In this way, when the handle assembly is to be used for above-the-floor cleaning, the hose is attached to the handle portion with the wand then projecting away from the hose. This arrangement includes a changeover valve which selectively directs incoming air either through the cleaner head or through the hose. Therefore, when the vacuum cleaner is used for above-the-floor cleaning, no air is drawn through the cleaner head. 
     A further variation of handle assembly is shown in WO 2006/008444. In this arrangement, the illustrated vacuum cleaner has a handle assembly comprising a tubular wand which is slideable between a stowed and an extended position. A single locking mechanism is provided which is able to secure the handle assembly to the remainder of the vacuum cleaner, to lock the tubular wand in the extended position and to release the tubular wand from the extended position. However, this particular locking mechanism requires space on either side of the tubular wand in order to operate. Therefore, this arrangement is not as well suited to small products where space is at a premium. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an improved handle assembly for a vacuum cleaner which improves upon the prior art arrangements. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved handle assembly for a vacuum cleaner which is more compact than prior art arrangements. 
     According to the invention, there is provided a handle assembly for a cleaning appliance, comprising, a slideably extendible wand and a connecting portion, connecting portion comprising a first locking arrangement for releasably securing the handle assembly to a main body of the cleaning appliance, a second locking arrangement for releasably locking the wand in a pre-determined position with respect to the connecting portion and an actuator, the actuator being adapted and arranged to move the first and second locking arrangements between locked and unlocked positions, wherein the first locking arrangement is also movable independently of the actuator. 
     By providing such an arrangement, a single actuator can be operated by a user to unlock both first and second locking arrangements simultaneously. This is convenient for a user because only a single button is required; for example, to release the handle arrangement from the main body or to unlock the wand from a fixed position. However, because the first locking arrangement can move independently of the second locking arrangement, it is possible to secure the handle assembly to the main body of the cleaning appliance whilst keeping the wand in a locked position. This is beneficial when the user wishes to return the cleaning appliance to a floor cleaning mode without collapsing the wand. 
     Preferably, the first locking arrangement is movable independently of the actuator by engagement with the main body of the cleaning appliance. By providing such an arrangement, when the handle assembly is reattached to the main body of the cleaning appliance, the first locking arrangement is able to be displaced into the unlocked position by a part of the main body of the cleaning appliance so that it can then move back into the locked position to secure the handle assembly to the main body of the cleaning appliance. There is no need for the actuator to have additional travel to provide two locking states, nor are two separate catches with two separate actuators required. Therefore, this arrangement enables the locking arrangements to be more compact than conventional arrangements. 
     Preferably, the wand is slideable between retracted and extended positions with respect to the connecting portion. More preferably, the pre-determined position is the extended position. By locking the wand in the extended position, the wand can be used for above-the-floor cleaning with no risk of the wand collapsing unexpectedly. 
     Preferably, the handle is attached to one end of the tubular wand and is movable with respect to the connecting portion. This arrangement allows the wand to be used for above-the-floor cleaning and also as an extendible handle for when the cleaning appliance is used in the floor cleaning mode. By providing an extendible wand incorporating a handle, the wand and handle can be collapsed for storage, reducing the size of the machine for storage or transportation purposes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an upright vacuum cleaner incorporating a handle assembly according to the invention and showing the handle assembly in a stored configuration; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the handle assembly according to the invention showing the handle assembly in the stored configuration and attached to a part of the upright vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side section of the handle assembly of  FIG. 2  showing the handle assembly in the stored configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the handle assembly of  FIG. 2  showing the handle assembly in an extended configuration; 
         FIG. 5  is a side section of the handle assembly of  FIG. 2  showing the handle assembly in the extended configuration; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged side section of a part of the handle assembly of  FIG. 2  showing the locking mechanism in a first configuration; 
         FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  showing the locking mechanism in a second configuration; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  showing the locking mechanism in a third configuration; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of the vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1  showing the handle assembly released from the vacuum cleaner and configured for above-the-floor cleaning. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A vacuum cleaner incorporating a handle assembly according to the invention is shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  shows an upright vacuum cleaner  10  having a main body  12  which includes a motor and fan unit (not shown) and a pair of wheels  14 . A cleaner head  16  is pivotably mounted on the lower end of the main body  12  and a dirty air inlet  18  is provided in the underside of the cleaner head  16  facing the floor surface. The main body  12  further includes a spine  20  which extends upwards and includes ducting  22  for carrying an airflow. 
     Separating apparatus  24  is releasably held on the main body  12  adjacent the spine  20 . In the embodiment shown, the separating apparatus  24  comprises a cyclonic separator but this could be replaced by a filter, a bag or a combination of different known separation devices. The nature of the separating apparatus  24  is not material to the present invention. 
     The interior of the separating apparatus  24  is in communication with the dirty air inlet  18  through the ducting  22  in the spine  20 . Further, the separating apparatus  24  can be removed from the main body  12  for emptying purposes. The main body  12  also includes a plurality of outlet ports  26  for exhausting air from the vacuum cleaner  10 . The outlet ports  26  are located below the separating apparatus  24 . These features are not material to the present invention and will not be discussed further. 
     The vacuum cleaner  10  includes a hose  50  and a handle assembly  100 . When attached to the vacuum cleaner  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 , a part of the handle assembly  100  extends inside the hose  50 . The handle assembly  100  can be detached from the vacuum cleaner  10  and arranged so as to enable above-the-floor cleaning. These features will be discussed further later. The handle assembly  100  is shown in a stored configuration in  FIG. 1 . When the handle assembly  100  is in the stored configuration, the vacuum cleaner  10  is compact and easy to store. 
     The handle assembly  100  is shown in more detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . For clarity,  FIG. 2  shows only the upper end of the handle assembly  100  and a part of the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10 .  FIG. 3  shows the complete handle assembly  100  and hose  50  removed from the remainder of the vacuum cleaner  10 . The handle assembly  100  is shown in the stored configuration in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     The handle assembly  100  comprises a handle  102 , a tubular wand  104 , a connecting portion  106  and a fixed tube  108 . The connecting portion  106  is adapted to connect to the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10 . The fixed tube  108  is attached to the connecting portion  106  and extends downwards from the connecting portion  106 . The fixed tube  108  is hollow inside and has an opening  109  at the lower end. 
     The tubular wand  104  is able to slide with respect to the connecting portion  106  between a retracted position (as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) and an extended position (as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The tubular wand  104  has a diameter which is smaller than that of the fixed tube  108  so that, when the tubular wand  104  is in the retracted position, a significant portion of the tubular wand  104  can be stored within the fixed tube  108 . This is shown in  FIG. 3 . The tubular wand  104  and the fixed tube  108  lie coaxially with respect to one another, such that the tubular wand  104  is able to slide within the fixed tube  108 . 
     The tubular wand  104  is open at its upper end  110 . The open upper end  110  forms a connector  112  which is adapted to receive an end of the hose  50  when above-the-floor cleaning is required. A cover (not shown) may be provided over the upper end  110  to prevent ingress of dirt and dust into the tubular wand  104  and also to improve the appearance of the handle assembly  100 . 
     The handle  102  is attached to the upper end  110  of the tubular wand  104  and moves with respect to the connecting portion  106  when the tubular wand  104  is slid between the retracted and extended positions. The handle  102  has a gripping portion  114  and a support member  116 . The gripping portion  114  is arranged to be gripped by a user when manoeuvring the vacuum cleaner  10  across a floor surface or during above-the-floor cleaning. The support member  116  provides mechanical support for the gripping portion  114 . 
     The hose  50  is secured to the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner by a first connector  52  located at a first end of the hose  50 . The first connector  52  is releasable so that the hose  50  can be removed for cleaning or replacement. However, other arrangements could be used; for example, a permanent connection to the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner  10 . The hose  50  also has a second connector  54  located at a second end of the hose  50 . The second connector  54  is arranged to connect to the connector  112  when above-the-floor cleaning takes place. 
     Further, when the handle assembly  100  is stored on the vacuum cleaner  10 , substantial portions of the tubular wand  104  and the fixed tube  108  lie inside the hose  50 . This is shown in  FIG. 3 . The hose  50  sits around the outside of the fixed tube  108  but does not seal against it. By storing the tubular wand  104 , the fixed tube  108  and the hose  50  coaxially with respect to one another, the handle assembly  100  is compact and easy to store. 
     In the configuration shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , no airflow is carried by the hose  50 . This is because the vacuum cleaner  10  has a change-over valve (not shown) which selectively draws air in through the dirty air inlet  18  on the cleaner head  16  or through the hose  50 . The change-over valve is operated by the lower end of the fixed tube  108 . When the handle assembly  100  is stored on the vacuum cleaner  10  in the configuration shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fixed tube  108  engages with a part of the change-over valve in order to move the change-over valve into a position in which air is drawn in through the dirty air inlet  18 . 
     When the tubular wand  104  is in the retracted position (as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), the handle  102  lies directly above the connecting portion  106  and the tubular wand  104  is stored within the fixed tube  108 . In this configuration, the vacuum cleaner  10  is compact and easy to store. However, in order for the user to use comfortably the vacuum cleaner  10  to clean a floor surface, the handle assembly  100  needs to be moved to an extended configuration. 
     The handle assembly  100  is shown in the extended configuration in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 4  shows only the upper end of the handle assembly  100  and a part of the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10 .  FIG. 5  shows the complete handle assembly  100  and hose  50  removed from the remainder of the vacuum cleaner  10  for clarity. In the extended configuration, the tubular wand  104  extends upwardly away from the connecting portion  106 . In this configuration, the handle  102  is at a convenient height to be gripped by a standing user. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner  10  can be manoeuvred easily across a floor surface using the handle  102 . 
     In order to facilitate the extension and retraction of the tubular wand  104  between the positions shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the tubular wand  104  has a longitudinal groove  118  (this is best shown in  FIG. 4 ) which cooperates with a complementary lug (not shown) located on the connecting portion  106 . The longitudinal groove  118  and lug guide the tubular wand  104  along a linear path between the retracted and extended positions with respect to the connecting portion  106 . Further, the longitudinal groove  118  and lug prevent the tubular wand  104  from rotating about the axis of movement with respect to the connecting portion  106 . 
     The connecting portion  106  further includes a locking mechanism  120 . The locking mechanism  120  is arranged to secure the handle assembly  100  to the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 . The locking mechanism  120  is also arranged to lock the tubular wand  104  in the extended position (as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
     The locking mechanism  120  includes an actuator  122  which is pivotably mounted on the connecting portion  106 . The actuator  122  is arranged to be pressed by a user to release the handle assembly  100  from the spine  20  and to unlock the tubular wand  104 . The actuator  122  is located on a part of the connecting portion  106  which faces forwardly away from the user when the handle assembly  100  is connected to the vacuum cleaner  10 . The makes the actuator  122  easily graspable by a user. The upper end of the actuator  122  has a plurality of parallel ribs  124  which define a user-operable button. 
     The locking mechanism  120  is shown in more detail in  FIGS. 6 to 8 .  FIG. 6  shows the locking mechanism  120  in a first configuration. In the first configuration, the handle assembly  100  is attached to the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10  and the tubular wand  104  is locked in the extended position. The locking mechanism  120  comprises the actuator  122 , a wand catch  126  and a main body catch  128 . 
     The actuator  122  is located on the connecting portion  106  and is pivotably attached to the connecting portion  106  about a pivot point  129 . The actuator  122  is able to pivot about the pivot point  129  when pressed by a user in order to engage with the wand catch  126  and main body catch  128 . 
     The wand catch  126  is pivotably connected to the connecting portion  106  about a pivot point  130 . In  FIG. 6 , the wand catch  126  is shown in a first position in which the wand catch  126  engages a cooperating lug  132  located on the tubular wand  104 . The wand catch  126  has a spring (not shown) which biases the wand catch  126  into the first position. When pressed, the actuator  122  engages with a lever  134  which is carried by the wand catch  126 . This engagement pivots the wand catch  126  out of the first position to release the wand catch  126  from its engagement with the lug  132 . 
     The tubular wand  104  is also prevented from moving upwardly by a shoulder  127  located towards the upper end of the connecting portion  106 . When the wand catch  126  is in the first position, the tubular wand  104  is prevented from sliding with respect to the connecting portion  106  due to the interaction between the lug  132 , the wand catch  126  and the shoulder  127 . The engagement between these parts locks the tubular wand  104  in the extended position as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The main body catch  128  cooperates with a recess  136  located at the upper end of the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10 . The main body catch  128  is pivoted about a pivot point  138  and is movable independently of the actuator  122 . A part of the main body catch  128  extends through an aperture formed in the actuator  122 . This part of the main body catch  128  is received in the recess  136 . In  FIG. 6 , the main body catch  128  is shown in a first position in which it is engaged with the recess  136 . In the first position, the main body catch  128  secures the handle assembly  100  to the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10 . A spring  140  biases the main body catch  128  into the recess  136  as shown in  FIG. 6 . This prevents removal of the handle assembly  100  from the spine  20 . 
     The main body catch  128  has a flange  142  which is larger than the aperture provided in the actuator  122 . The flange  142  prevents the whole of the main body catch  128  from moving through the aperture under the bias of the spring  140 . Therefore, the spring  140  pushes the main body catch  128  against the actuator  122 . Consequently, when the actuator  122  is pressed inwardly, the main body catch  128  moves inwardly with the actuator  122 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the locking mechanism  120  in a second configuration. In the second configuration, the actuator  122  has been pivoted into an inward position about the pivot point  144 . In traveling to this position from the position shown in  FIG. 6 , the actuator  122  engages with the lever  134  of the wand catch  126 . This moves the wand catch  126  about the pivot point  130  and into a second position in which the wand catch  126  is spaced from the cooperating lug  132  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Due to the engagement between the flange  142  and the actuator  122 , the main body catch  128  is also moved inwardly with the actuator  122  into a second position in which the main body catch  128  is spaced from the recess  136 . Therefore, in the second configuration of the locking mechanism  120 , the wand catch  126  and the main body catch  128  are both in second, or unlocked, positions. Consequently, the handle assembly  100  can be removed from the vacuum cleaner  10  for above-the-floor cleaning if desired. Further, the tubular wand  104  is unlocked from the extended position and is free to move within the connecting portion  106 . 
       FIG. 8  shows the locking mechanism  120  in a third configuration. The third configuration arises when a user changes the mode of operation of the vacuum cleaner  10  from above-the floor cleaning to floor cleaning. In this configuration, the actuator  122  is in the outward position (as in the first configuration) and the wand catch  126  is in the first position because it is biased thereto by the spring. Therefore, the tubular wand  104  will remain locked in the extended position. 
     However, as the handle assembly  100  is reattached to the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner, the main body catch  128  engages with a projection  146  located at the upper end of the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10  above the recess  136 . Since the main body catch  128  is movable independently of the actuator  122 , the main body catch  128  is able to move inwardly against the bias of the spring  142  without displacing the actuator  122 . This is shown in  FIG. 8 . When the main body catch  128  becomes aligned with the recess  136 , the main body catch  128  is able to move back into the first position under the bias of the spring  142 . Therefore, the handle assembly  100  can be releasably secured to the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner  10  without unlocking the wand catch  126  and thus without unlocking the tubular wand  104  from the extended position. 
     The above-described arrangement is particularly suited to a small vacuum cleaner where the available space is limited. The advantage of the above arrangement is that it enables both the wand catch and the main body catch to be located close to one another. This allows the locking mechanism to be more compact. 
     The arrangement described above is particularly suited to a small upright vacuum cleaner, commonly known as a stick-vacuum. Stick-vacuums are generally much smaller in size than conventional upright vacuum cleaners. Therefore, they tend to be less powerful and comprise fewer features. However, the above arrangement allows the wand and main body catches to be small yet to have excellent functionality. By providing a main body catch which is separately movable with respect to the actuator, there is no need for two actuators to be provided, or for a single actuator to have two separate stages of travel. Consequently, the above arrangement reduces the size of the actuator and locking mechanism, which in turn allows the size of the vacuum cleaner to be reduced. 
     In use, the user starts with the vacuum cleaner  10  in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 . In this configuration, the handle assembly  100  is in the stored configuration; the handle assembly  100  is secured to the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner  10  and the tubular wand  104  is in the retracted position. In order to configure the vacuum cleaner  10  for cleaning a floor surface, the user extends the tubular wand  104  by pulling upwardly on the handle  102  until the tubular wand  104  is locked in the extended position shown in  FIG. 4 . The locking mechanism  120  is now in the first configuration as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The user then switches the vacuum cleaner  10  on so that the motor and fan unit draws dirty air into the vacuum cleaner  10  via the dirty air inlet  18 . The user manipulates the handle  102  to manoeuvre the vacuum cleaner  10  across the floor surface in order to carry out a cleaning operation. The dirty air, carrying dirt and dust from the floor surface, is drawn into the separating apparatus  24  via the ducting  22  in the spine  20 . Dirt and dust is separated from the airflow by the separating apparatus  24  and retained therein. The cleaned air then passes from the separating apparatus  24 , through a pre-motor filter (not shown), across the motor for cooling and through a post-motor filter (not shown) before being ejected from the vacuum cleaner  10  via the outlet ports  26 . 
     The user may also wish to clean surfaces above the floor. In order to do this the user depresses the actuator  122 . This moves the locking mechanism  120  into the second position as shown in  FIG. 7 . The handle assembly  100  can then be removed from the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner  10  because the main body catch  128  vacates the recess  136 . As the user removes the handle assembly  100  from the main body  12 , the fixed tube  108  will slide out of the hose  50 . When the fixed tube  108  is removed from the stored position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the change-over valve switches the airflow path to draw air in through the hose  50  instead of the dirty air inlet  18 . 
     Once the handle assembly  100  is released from the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner  10  and the hose  50 , the user turns the handle assembly  100  around and attaches the second connector  54  of the hose  50  to the connector  116  adjacent the handle  102 . The second connector  54  attaches to the connector  116  by way of a catch (not shown) although other arrangements, such as a friction fit or a snap fit, may alternatively be used. The vacuum cleaner  10  is now configured for above-the-floor cleaning. This configuration is shown in  FIG. 9 . The user then grips the gripping portion  114  of the handle  102  and manipulates the handle assembly  100  to clean, for example, walls, doors or ceilings. Optionally, an accessory tool such as a stair tool or a crevice tool may be attached to the distal end of the fixed pipe  108 . 
     When the user has finished the above-the-floor cleaning operation, the user may wish to return the vacuum cleaner  10  to the floor cleaning mode. In order to do this, the user disconnects the second connector  54  from the connector  116 , turns the handle assembly  100  around and reinserts the fixed tube  108  back into the end of the hose  50 . The user also aligns the connecting portion  106  with the spine  20  of the vacuum cleaner  10  in order to reattach the handle assembly  100  to the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner  10  without depressing the actuator  122 . 
     When the connecting portion  106  is re-connected to the spine  20 , the main body catch  128  abuts the projection  146  above the recess  136 . The main body catch  128  therefore moves inwardly against the bias of the spring  142  into the second position. However, the actuator  122  is not displaced by the projection  146  and so the wand catch  126  remains in the first position. The locking mechanism  120  is now in the third configuration as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     When the main body catch  128  enters the recess  136 , the main body catch  128  moves back into the first position under the bias of the spring  142 . The handle assembly  100  is now releasably secured to the main body  12  of the vacuum cleaner  10  whilst the tubular wand  104  remains locked in the extended position. The replacement of the handle assembly  100  on the vacuum cleaner  10  operates the change-over valve which switches the airflow path back to draw air in through the dirty air inlet  18 . The vacuum cleaner  10  is now reconfigured for floor cleaning without the user having to be concerned about returning the tubular wand  104  to the extended position. The tubular wand  104  is also prevented from collapsing unexpectedly which may cause injury or be frustrating. 
     When the user has finished the cleaning operation, the vacuum cleaner  10  is switched off. In order to return the vacuum cleaner  10  to a storage configuration as shown in  FIG. 1 , the user depresses the actuator  122 . This action unlocks the tubular wand  104  and allows the tubular wand  104  to be collapsed from the extended position into the retracted position for storage. This action also disengages the main body catch  128  from the recess  136  but the geometry of the connecting portion  106  ensures that the handle assembly  100  will not fall away from the vacuum cleaner  10  unless the user desires to remove the handle assembly  100 . The vacuum cleaner  10  is now back in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The invention is not limited to the detailed description given above. Variations will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. For example, other forms and arrangements of the wand catch and main body catch may be used; for instance, electronic or magnetic catches. 
     If mechanical catches are used, arrangements other than pivotable catches may be used; for example, sliding catches or deformable catches. 
     Alternative forms of actuator may be used. The actuator need not be pivotable nor need it comprise a user operable button. The actuator may be electronically operated or may comprise sliding or deformable components. What is important is that an actuator is able to operate both the wand catch and the main body catch, but the main body catch is operable independently of the actuator. In other words, the main body catch is moveable separately from the actuator. 
     The handle need not be attached to one end of the tubular wand. Whilst this is preferred, the handle may be attached to the connecting portion of the handle arrangement and not movable with the tubular wand. There also need not be a fixed tube. Instead, a tubular wand may move with respect to a handle portion located on the connecting portion between extended and retracted positions. 
     Additionally, the tubular wand may have more positions than merely retracted and extended. Notches may be provided in the longitudinal groove to allow the wand to be locked in a number of different positions of extension. What is important is that the tubular wand is slideably extendible and has a stored position and at least one extended position in which the tubular wand can be locked. 
     The cleaning appliance need not be an upright vacuum cleaner. The invention is applicable to other types of vacuum cleaner, for example, stick-vacuums. Further, the present invention is applicable to other types of cleaning appliances, for example, a wet and dry machine or a carpet shampooer.