Patent Publication Number: US-2011047745-A1

Title: Vacuum accessory tool

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to vacuum cleaner accessory tools. 
     Vacuum cleaners are often supplied with multiple accessory tools. For example, in one type of vacuum, an upright vacuum, the vacuum includes a foot or main nozzle that is in fluid communication with a dirt cup and the dirt cup is in fluid communication with a fan that is operable to generate a suction air flow through the foot and the dirt cup. The main nozzle often includes a brush roll or agitator and the user moves the main nozzle along a surface to be cleaned, typically carpet or other types of flooring. The main nozzle and the dirt cup can be fluidly coupled by a suction hose that is in fluid communication with the fan. An end of the suction hose is often removably coupled to the main nozzle. The user can uncouple this end of the hose from the main nozzle and attach an accessory tool for cleaning furniture, stairs, or other areas where it is not convenient to use the main nozzle. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner accessory tool configured for use with a vacuum cleaner. The accessory tool includes a nozzle body that defines a chamber and an outlet conduit that extends from the nozzle body and in fluid communication with the chamber. The outlet conduit is configured to couple the accessory tool to the vacuum cleaner and to provide fluid communication from the chamber to the vacuum cleaner. The accessory tool further includes a first resilient flexible blade that extends from the nozzle body, a second resilient flexible blade that extend from the nozzle body, and a third resilient flexible blade that extends from the nozzle body. A first elongated inlet aperture extends through the nozzle body directly between the first blade and the second blade, and the first inlet aperture allows air to pass therethrough and into the chamber. A second elongated inlet aperture extends through the nozzle body directly between the second blade and the third blade, and the second inlet aperture allows air to pass therethrough and into the chamber. 
     In another embodiment the invention provides a vacuum cleaner accessory tool configured for use with a vacuum cleaner. The accessory tool includes a nozzle body that defines a chamber, and the nozzle body includes an upper end and a lower end. An outlet conduit extends from the upper end of the nozzle body and the outlet conduit is configured to couple the accessory tool to the vacuum cleaner and to provide fluid communication from the chamber to the vacuum cleaner. A nozzle plate is coupled the lower end of the nozzle body. The accessory tool further includes a first discrete resilient flexible blade that extends from the nozzle plate away from the lower end of the nozzle body and the first blade defines a longitudinal axis and a length measured along the longitudinal axis. A second discrete resilient flexible blade that extends from the nozzle plate away from the lower end of the nozzle body and the second blade defines a longitudinal axis and a length measured along the longitudinal axis. A third discrete resilient flexible blade extends from the nozzle plate away from the lower end of the nozzle body, and the third blade defines a longitudinal axis and a length measured along the longitudinal axis. A first discrete elongated inlet aperture extends through the nozzle plate directly between the first blade and the second blade, and the first inlet aperture allows air to pass therethrough and into the chamber. A second discrete elongated inlet aperture that extends through the nozzle plate directly between the second blade and the third blade, and the second inlet aperture allows air to pass therethrough and into the chamber. 
     Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner accessory tool according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an alternative perspective view of the accessory tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the accessory tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the accessory tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the accessory tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the accessory tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the accessory tool of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a vacuum cleaner accessory tool  10  that can be coupled to a suction hose of a vacuum cleaner for use with the vacuum cleaner to clean or remove debris from a surface, such as upholstery, furniture, carpeting, other flooring, and the like. As best seen in  FIG. 7 , the accessory tool includes a nozzle body  14  and a nozzle plate  16  coupled to the nozzle body  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the nozzle body  14  is generally hollow and defines an interior chamber  20 . The nozzle body  14  includes a lower end  24  and an upper end  26 . As best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the nozzle body  14  defines a width  30  and a length  32  that both generally decrease from the lower end  24  toward the upper end  26  such that the nozzle body  14  and the chamber  20  are tapered from the lower end  24  toward the upper end  26 . An outlet conduit  36  extends from the upper end  26  of the nozzle body  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, the outlet conduit  36  is integrally formed with the nozzle body  14  as a single component. In one embodiment, the outlet conduit  36  and the nozzle body  14  are integrally molded from plastic. Also, the illustrated outlet conduit  36  is generally fixed with respect to the nozzle body  14 . In other embodiments, the outlet conduit  36  can be made to pivot with respect to the nozzle body  14 . The outlet conduit  36  is used to removably couple the accessory tool  10  to a suction hose of a vacuum cleaner. Typically, the outlet conduit  36  is received within the suction hose and the outlet conduit  36  provides fluid communication between the chamber  20  and the suction hose. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 7 , a suction inlet aperture  40  is located at the lower end  24  of the nozzle body  14 . The suction inlet aperture  40  has a length  44  and a width  46 , and the illustrated suction inlet aperture  40  is elongated such that the length  44  is greater than the width  46 . A wall  50  extends from the lower end  24  of the nozzle body  14  and surrounds the periphery of the suction inlet aperture  40 . 
     The nozzle plate  16  includes a plate portion  54  and a wall  56  that extends from the plate portion  54  around the periphery of the plate portion  54 . The nozzle plate  16  has a length  60  ( FIG. 4 ) and a width  62  ( FIG. 5 ) that are sized so that the wall  50  of the nozzle body  14  fits within the wall  56  of the nozzle plate  16 . An adhesive can be placed between the walls  50  and  56  to couple the nozzle body  14  and the nozzle plate  16 . 
     The nozzle plate  16  further includes inlet apertures  66  and  68  that extend through the plate portion  54  of the nozzle plate  16  to provide fluid communication through the suction inlet aperture  40  of the nozzle body  14  and into the chamber  20 . The illustrated inlet apertures  66  and  68  both have a length  72  and a width  74  ( FIG. 3 ). In the illustrated embodiment, the lengths  72  and the widths  74  of the inlet apertures  66  and  68  are approximately equal and extend substantially along the entire length  44  of the suction inlet aperture  40 . In other embodiments the lengths and widths of the inlet apertures  66  and  68  of the nozzle plate  16  may differ. In yet other embodiments, the inlet apertures  66  and  68  can be divided into multiple smaller apertures In the illustrated embodiment, the length  72  of the inlet apertures  66  and  68  is greater than the width  74  so that the inlet apertures  66  and  68  are elongated. Also, the inlet apertures  66  and  68  are discrete apertures. In other words, the apertures  66  and  68  are separate apertures that are finite or have clearly identifiable boundaries. The illustrated embodiment includes only two inlet apertures  66  and  68 , and other embodiments can include more or less than two inlet apertures. Also, the illustrated nozzle plate  16  covers the entire suction inlet aperture  40  of the nozzle body  14  except for the inlet apertures  66  and  68 , and therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, air and debris only flows into the chamber  20  through the apertures  66  and  68 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the nozzle plate  16  further includes a first, a second, and a third blade aperture  80 ,  82 ,  84 , respectively, that extend through the plate portion  54  of the nozzle plate  16 . The second blade aperture  82  is elongated extending along the length  60  of the nozzle plate  16  directly between and adjacent the first inlet aperture  66  and the second inlet aperture  68 . The first blade aperture  80  is elongated extending along the length  60  of the nozzle plate  16  directly adjacent the first inlet aperture  66  on the opposite side of the first inlet aperture  66  from the second blade aperture  82 . The third blade aperture  84  is elongated extending along the length  60  of the nozzle plate  16  directly adjacent the second inlet aperture  68  on the opposite side of the second inlet aperture  68  from the second blade aperture  82 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the nozzle plate  16  further includes a first blade  90 , a second blade  92 , and a third blade  94  that extend from the plate portion  54  of the nozzle plate  16 . The blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  have a length  96  and a longitudinal axis  98 ,  100 , and  102 , respectively, that extends along the lengths  96  of the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94 . In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal axes  98 ,  100 , and  102  of the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94 , respectively, are slightly curved, but in other embodiments, the longitudinal axes  98 ,  100 , and  102  of the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94 , respectively, can be straight, and in yet other embodiments the accessory tool  10  can include a combination of curved and straight blades. Also, in the illustrated embodiment, the lengths  96  of the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  are about equal, with the second blade  92  being only slightly longer than the first blade  90  and the third blade  94 . The illustrated embodiment includes only three blades, which are discrete. In other words, the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  are separate blades that are finite or have clearly identifiable boundaries. In other embodiments, the accessory tool  10  can include more or less than three blades. Also, although each of the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  are continuous along their respective longitudinal axes  98 ,  100 , and  102 , in other embodiments, each of the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  can be divided into shorter multiple blade segments. 
     The blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  each include an end surface  110  that is configured to move along a surface that is cleaned by the accessory tool  10  when used with a vacuum cleaner. The end surfaces  110  generally face away from the nozzle body  14  and the plate portion  54  of the nozzle plate  16 . The illustrated end surfaces  110  are generally flat and are co-planer (plane  114  of  FIG. 5 ). In other embodiments, the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  can have different heights  118  ( FIG. 5 ) so that the end surfaces  110  are not co-planer or the end surfaces may be at an angle so that the ends surfaces  110  are not co-planer. 
     In one embodiment, the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  are both flexible and resilient. In such an embodiment the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  can be formed from thermoplastic polyurethane rubber, other types of rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  are formed by over-molding the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  through the blade apertures  80 ,  82 , and  84 , respectively. Accordingly, the second blade  92  is directly adjacent and directly between the first inlet aperture  66  and the second inlet aperture  68  extending along the length  72  of the apertures  66  and  68 . The first blade  90  is directly adjacent the first inlet aperture  66  extending along the length  72  of the aperture  66  on the side of the aperture  66  opposite the second blade  92 . The third blade  94  is directly adjacent the second inlet aperture  68  extending along the length  72  of the aperture  68  on the side of the aperture  68  opposite the second blade  92 . 
     In operation, a user couples the accessory tool  10  to a hose of a vacuum cleaner, typically by inserting the outlet conduit  36  into the hose of the vacuum. With the vacuum ‘on’ or generating a suction, air and debris is drawn through the inlet apertures  66  and  68 , through the suction inlet aperture  40  and into the chamber  24 , and then through the outlet conduit  36  and into the vacuum cleaner. The user moves the inlet apertures  66  and  68  and the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  along a surface to remove dirt, dust, and other debris from the surface. Meanwhile, the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  agitate the surface to facilitate removal of the debris from the surface. As the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  are moved along the surface, the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  flex, but yet are resilient so that the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  return to their original shape, which is the shape illustrated. The resilient flexible blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  are particularly well suited for removing hair, such as pet hair, from the cleaning surface. The end surfaces  110  of the three blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  provide multiple points to contact hair to pull or remove the hair from the surface. Also, in some embodiments, the blades  90 ,  92 , and  94  can be somewhat tacky to facility removal of the hair from the surface. 
     Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.