Abstract:
An illumination accessory assembly for vacuum cleaner includes a transparent extension having a first end capable of releasable connection to a vacuum cleaner hose and having a distal vacuum cavity intake end. A LED is positioned so the LED illumination transverses the transparent extension medium and exits the distal end and walls of the transparent extension. The invention provides the operator an illuminated clear line of sight around and through the transparent extension of the area to be cleaned and illuminates the contents in the initial vacuum cavity of the transparent extension for improved operator cleaning efficiency.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The operation of cleaning of dust, loose dirt, etc. in dimly lit or confined areas is often difficult to perform using a vacuum cleaner with conventional attachments. Various vacuum cleaner hose attachments with illumination means have been proposed to improve the function of the operation of cleaning in the areas described. Although effective in illuminating the surface area intended to be cleaned, existing devices exhibit obstructed operator lines of sight that impact the effectiveness of the operator to clean the illuminated surface.  
         [0002]     Therefore, it is desirable to have an illumination accessory for a vacuum cleaner hose that can illuminate the surface to be cleaned that exhibits a clear operator line of sight around and through the attachment device. It is also desirable to have this device illuminate the interior of the initial vacuum cavity of the attachment to provide the operator an illuminated line of sight of the contents being vacuumed.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is the object of the present invention to provide an initial vacuum intake accessory for a vacuum cleaner hose that utilizes a transparent extension that is a vacuum passage device that is also a lighting device for illuminating a surface to be cleaned, whereby an operator can find dust and loose dirt in a dimly lit or confined location with a clear line of sight around and through the transparent extension of the area to be cleaned. It is also the object of this present invention to provide illumination of the initial vacuum cavity inside the transparent attachment, whereby an operator has an illuminated clear line of sight of the contents being vacuumed.  
         [0004]     In order to obtain the aforementioned objective, it is also the object of the present invention that the light means, such as a Light Emitting Diode (LED), be positioned in line with the transparent extension medium wherein the transparent extension medium is the path for the light means illumination to transverse to the distal end and out the distal end to provide utility lighting. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  depicts the overall arrangement of an example vacuum cleaner with an example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory attached;  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective of the present invention example illumination accessory attached to an example vacuum cleaner nozzle;  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  depicts the overall arrangement of an example vacuum cleaner with an example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly attached;  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective of the example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly with transparent extension and with body cover detached from the example vacuum cleaner nozzle;  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is an exploded enlarged perspective of the example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly depicted removed from the example vacuum cleaner nozzle and with body cover removed to depict the body, light means, alternative power means, and alternative switch means;  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly with body cover in place;  
         [0011]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly with the body cover removed;  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is a section view of the example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly with the body cover removed;  
         [0013]      FIG. 9  is a section view of the example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly with the body cover in place and the assembly installed on the end of the example vacuum cleaner nozzle;  
         [0014]      FIG. 10  is a section view of the example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory assembly with the transparent extension removed and the body assembly with cover removed from the example vacuum cleaner nozzle;  
         [0015]      FIG. 11  depicts the overall arrangement of an example vacuum cleaner with an example embodiment of the present invention illumination accessory as a permanent nozzle attached to the example vacuum cleaner hose; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged perspective of the present invention example illumination accessory as a permanent nozzle attached to an example vacuum cleaner hose. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     The present invention will be described as a vacuum cleaner accessory. It is understood that the present invention is not limited in use by the term vacuum cleaner and can be used on other vacuum utility devices such as a shop vac or canister vacuum. It is also understood that the present invention is not limited in use by the term accessory and can be a permanent component of a vacuum cleaner.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  depict an example embodiment of an illumination accessory for a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 1  the example vacuum cleaner  10  with connected example vacuum cleaner hose  12  and connected example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14  are depicted with the disclosed illumination accessory  17  attached to example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts the illumination accessory  17  as comprised of the transparent extension  20  with first end  36  and light means  21  embedded between the outer wall  27  and inner wall  28  of transparent extension  20 . Depicted is light means power source wiring  23  that connects light means  21  to the power source means not depicted in example vacuum cleaner  10  in  FIG. 1 . The light means power source wiring  23  is depicted attached to example vacuum cleaner hose  12  and example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14 .  
         [0020]     The utility light features of the present invention illumination accessory  17  results from the light means illumination  25  entry into attachment extension  20 . The light means illumination  25  transverses through the attachment extension  20  medium  13  and emanates through distal end  35  of attachment extension  20  as directional illumination  22 . The light means illumination  25  transverses through the attachment extension  20  medium  13  and emanates through the outer wall  27  of attachment extension  20  as peripheral illumination  24 . The light means illumination  25  transverses through attachment extension  20  medium  13  and emanates through the inner wall  28  of attachment extension  20  as internal vacuum cavity illumination  26 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  depicts the illumination accessory  17  attached to example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14  wherein the example vacuum nozzle  14  vacuum cavity  18  is extended by illumination accessory  17  as vacuum cavity  15 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  through  FIG. 10  depict an example embodiment of an illumination accessory assembly  30  for a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.  
         [0023]     As illustrated in  FIG. 3  the example vacuum cleaner  10  with connected example vacuum cleaner hose  12  and connected example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14  are depicted with the disclosed illumination accessory assembly  30  attached to example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  depict the illumination accessory assembly  30  as comprised of the body assembly  32 , the transparent extension  34 , and the body cover  90 . The body assembly  32  is comprised of the body  40 , the light means  41 , power source means  45 , and the switch means  46 .  
         [0025]     Body  40  has a first end  50  that is to be connected to an example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14 . Body  40  is configured so the distal end  48  is to be connected to the transparent extension  34 . Body  40  is also comprised of body vacuum cavity  54  and body outer surface  52  as depicted in  FIG. 8  through  FIG. 10 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  depicts top cover  91  as a housing comprised of power source access opening  94 , switch means access opening  96 , reflective means  81 , and top cover end wall  89 . Panel  98  is depicted as a removable component of the top cover  91  that connects to the power source access opening  94 , with the purpose of providing access to the power source means  45 . Top cover  91  connects to body  40  along connection line  93 . Panel  98  connects to power source access opening  94  along connection line  97 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  depicts the bottom cover  92  as a housing comprised of reflective means  81 , and bottom cover end wall  87 . Bottom cover  92  connects to body  40  along connection line  95 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  depicts the light means  41  example as a LED  29  that is comprised of the LED illumination emitter  42 , the LED wiring  43 , and the LED circuit panel  44 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  depicts transparent extension  34  as tubular housing  60  with medium  59  which is thick enough at the first end  70  to receive the light source means illumination  80  from the LED illumination emitter  42 . Tubular housing  60  is depicted with light means notch  62 . Light means notch  62  is sized larger than the LED illumination emitter  42  and is intended for the reception of LED illumination emitter  42 . Light means notch  62  surface  63  is a polished surface to receive light means illumination  80  entry into transparent tube  60  medium  59 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  through  FIG. 10  depict alignment notch  61  in tubular housing  60  for the reception of alignment stud  56  which is attached to body  40 . Alignment stud  56  guides the proper installation of tubular housing  60  to protect LED illumination emitter  42 .  FIG. 10  depicts reflective means  83  on first end  70 .  
         [0031]     The utility light features of the present invention illumination accessory assembly  30  that result from the light means illumination  80  entry into tubular housing  60  medium  59 . The light means illumination  80  transverses through the tubular housing  60  medium  59  and emanates through distal end  64  as directional illumination  82 . The light means illumination  80  transverses through the tubular housing  60  medium  59  and travels through the outer wall  66  of tubular housing  60  as peripheral illumination  84 . The light means illumination  80  transverses through the tubular housing  60  medium  59  and travels through the inner wall  68  of tubular housing  60  as internal vacuum cavity illumination  86 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  depicts the illumination accessory assembly  30  detached from example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14 . Depicted also is the vacuum cavity  18  of example vacuum cleaner nozzle  14 . It is through the connection of illumination accessory assembly  30  to example vacuum nozzle  14  that vacuum cavity  18  is extended by the illumination accessory assembly  30  as vacuum cavity  54  and vacuum cavity  72 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12  depict an example embodiment of an illumination accessory for a vacuum cleaner as a permanent component of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 11  the example vacuum cleaner  10  with connected example vacuum cleaner hose  12  are depicted with the disclosed illumination accessory  117  connected to example vacuum cleaner hose  12 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 12  depicts the illumination accessory  117  as comprised of the transparent extension  120  with first end  136  and light means  121  embedded between the outer wall  127  and inner wall  128  of transparent extension  120 . Depicted is light means power source wiring  123  that connects light means  121  to the power source means not depicted in example vacuum cleaner  10  in  FIG. 11 . Wiring  123  is depicted attached to example vacuum cleaner hose  12 .  
         [0035]     The utility light features of the present invention illumination accessory  117  results from the light means illumination  125  entry into attachment extension  120 . The light means illumination  125  transverses through the attachment extension  120  medium  113  and emanates through distal end  135  of attachment extension  120  as directional illumination  122 . The light means illumination  125  transverses through the attachment extension  120  medium  113  and emanates through the outer wall  127  of attachment extension  120  as peripheral illumination  124 . The light means illumination  125  transverses through attachment extension  120  medium  113  and emanates through the inner wall  128  of attachment extension  120  as internal vacuum cavity illumination  126 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 12  depicts the illumination accessory  117  attached to example vacuum cleaner hose  12  wherein the example vacuum hose  12  vacuum cavity  11  is extended by illumination accessory  117  as vacuum cavity  115 .