Abstract:
A multiple-function cleaning accessory for a vacuum cleaner including a nozzle and a cleaning element incorporating a squeegee and a brush. The cleaning element may be oriented and removably secured to the nozzle such that either a brush member or a squeegee member extends form an opening in the nozzle for contacting a working surface. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    With the advent of the wet/dry vacuum, consumers are able to clean a multitude of areas of their home or business, and multiple types of both wet and dry debris by using only one device. This technology thus allowed consumers to clean both wet and dry areas, without having to purchase separate machines.  
           [0002]    The requirements for cleaning elements used in cleaning hard surfaces, such as linoleum tile or hard wood floors, differ significantly from the requirements for cleaning elements used on soft surfaces, such as carpet or upholstery. Similarly, different cleaning elements are needed for dry suction cleaning operations than for wet cleaning operations. Thus, wet/dry vacuum cleaners employ various types of nozzle-mounted cleaning elements for cleaning various types of working surfaces.  
           [0003]    Several methods have been developed to enable changeover between different cleaning elements for use on different types of working surfaces. One method of enabling changing of the cleaning elements involves mounting the cleaning elements on a rotatable nozzle as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,867,835, 4,864,681 and 5,060,342. The nozzle may then be rotatably indexed until the desired cleaning element is oriented to engage the working surface. A drawback of these rotatable indexing mechanisms is that they are relatively bulky, expensive and complicated.  
           [0004]    Other vacuum cleaner nozzles have been configured for the mounting of different types of cleaning elements thereto, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,198. However, the different cleaning elements are frequently incorporated into separate parts, thereby increasing the number of components that must be produced and stored for use. Also, a separate piece, or “adapter”, may be required to enable mounting of one or more of the cleaning elements to the nozzle.  
           [0005]    In view of the above, there is a need for a simple multi-function vacuum cleaner accessory which is easily adaptable for cleaning a variety of working surfaces such as bare floors or carpets, and also for picking up liquids from a working surface. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    In the drawings illustrating embodiments of the present invention:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of the vacuum cleaner accessory of the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the vacuum cleaner accessory of FIG. 1, showing the cleaning element detached from the nozzle;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the vacuum cleaner accessory along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 1 showing the cleaning element removably secured to the nozzle;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3 showing the cleaning element removably secured to the nozzle and oriented such that the brush member is engageable with a working surface;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3 showing the cleaning element removably secured to the nozzle and oriented such that the squeegee member is engageable with a working surface;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a rear view of the vacuum cleaner accessory of FIG. 1 without the cleaning element;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the vacuum cleaner accessory of FIG. 1; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the cleaning element which is shown detached from the nozzle in FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Before proceeding, it should be understood that such terms as “left”, “right”, “top”, “bottom”, etc., have been used herein and in the claims to facilitate a concise description and to better understand the invention. Such terms are not intended in any way to be limiting, because the vacuum cleaner accessory described below may be oriented as required to operate on working surface having a variety of orientations.  
         [0016]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , multiple-function vacuum cleaner accessory  20  comprises a nozzle  22  and a cleaning element  100 . Nozzle  22  is configured for movement along a working surface (not shown), for example a bare floor or a carpeted floor, for cleaning the surface when in contact with the working surface. Nozzle  22  is generally rectangular and includes a front outer wall  24 , a rear outer wall  26  and a pair of opposed side outer walls  28  joined at their respective ends and terminating in a bottom edge  30  to define an opening  32  leading into a suction chamber  34  at a first end  36  of the nozzle  22 . Nozzle  22  tapers down from opening  32  at first end  36  toward a second end  38  of the nozzle  22  having a reduced cross-sectional area and terminating in an orifice  40  configured for attachment to a vacuum cleaner assembly. An elbow member  42  may be attached to a second end  38  of the nozzle  22  to enable connection of the  20  nozzle  22  to the vacuum cleaner assembly. Alternatively, nozzle second end  38  may be directly connected to a wand or other portion of the vacuum cleaner assembly.  
         [0017]    A series of wall portions  44  are formed in a lower portion of opening  32  along front outer wall  24  to define a series of airflow passages  46  (see FIG. 7) extending between the exterior of the nozzle  22  and suction chamber  34 . Lower surfaces  48  of wall portions  44  form portions of bottom edge  30 . A plurality of positioning ribs  60  project from an interior surface of the front outer wall  24  into suction chamber  34 . One or more surfaces of cleaning element  100  abut ribs  60  when the cleaning element  100  is removably secured to nozzle  22 .  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 6, rear outer wall  26  includes a pair of slots  54  into which a pair of cantilevered detent members  52  extend for complementary engagement with latch members  102  (see FIG. 8) formed on cleaning element  100  to removably secure cleaning element  100  to nozzle  22 . As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, free ends  56  of cantilevered detent members  52  have rounded portions (see FIG. 4) for abutting a web portion  58  of latch member  102  to help secure cleaning element  100  to nozzle  22 . Free ends  56  of detent members  52  may be recessed from nozzle bottom edge  30  to engage complementary latch members  102  on cleaning element  100  when the cleaning element  100  is inserted through nozzle opening  32  into suction chamber  34 . Each detent member  52  is designed so as to provide a slight clearance between latch web portion  58  and the rounded portion of detent member free end  56  when latch arms  116  of latch members  102  abut positioning shoulders  50 .  
         [0019]    Referring to FIG. 6, a positioning shoulder  50  is formed proximate a base end  62  of each of detent members  52  against which a portion of a corresponding latch member  102  abuts when the cleaning element is removably secured to nozzle  22 . Positioning ribs  60  and positioning shoulders  50  of nozzle  22  are formed spaced apart from bottom edge  30  so as to enable cleaning element  100  to be recessed with respect to bottom edge  30  when the cleaning element is removably secured to nozzle  22 .  
         [0020]    Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and  8 , cleaning element  100  includes a brush member  106  and a squeegee member  108  affixed to a mounting member  110 . Mounting member  110  is configured to permit airflow from outside nozzle  22  into and through suction chamber  34  when removably secured to nozzle  22 . Mounting member  110  has a pair of grooves  112  and  114  formed therein for receiving and securing therein brush member  106  and squeegee member  108 , respectively.  
         [0021]    A plurality of latch members  102  extend from mounting member  110  for complementary engagement with detent members  52  on nozzle  22 . Latch members  102  include a pair of substantially parallel arm portions  116  projecting from mounting member  110 , each arm portion having a base end  118  and a free end  120 , and a web portion  122  connecting the free ends  120  of arms  116 . Web portions  122  of latch members  102  engage free ends  56  of detent members  52  during attachment of cleaning element  100  to nozzle  22 . Portions of latch member arms  116  also define a plurality of first bearing surfaces abutting some of positioning ribs  60  and positioning shoulders  50 , respectively, when the cleaning element  100  is removably secured to nozzle  22 . A plurality of cantilevered bearing members  134  also extend from mounting member  110  for abutting others of positioning ribs  60  on nozzle  22  when cleaning member  100  is removably secured to the nozzle  22 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 shows brush member  106  which is comprised of a brush head  126  and a plurality of bristles  128 . Brush head  126  of brush member  106  is typically secured within brush groove  112  using an interference fit. Bristles  128  of brush member  106  project from an open side of groove  112 . Alternative types of brushes, such as fabric brushes, may also be used provided they are capable of being formed on or affixed to mounting member  110 . Squeegee member  108  includes a working edge  130  and a mounting head  132 . Mounting head  132  is typically secured within squeegee groove  114  using an interference fit. Working edge  130  of squeegee member  108  projects from an open side of squeegee groove  114  in a direction generally parallel but opposite to the direction in which bristles  128  project from mounting member  110 .  
         [0023]    Removable attachment of cleaning element  100  to nozzle  22  will now be discussed. Whether cleaning member  100  is attached to nozzle  22 , and the orientation of the cleaning member  100  if attached to the nozzle  22 , generally depend on the type of cleaning surface to be cleaned. For instance, to remove dust or particulate matter from a smooth, dry, non-carpeted surface, it may be desirable to detach cleaning member  100  from nozzle  22  and to engage the working surface with the nozzle  22  alone. When a carpeted working surface is to be cleaned, cleaning element  100  may be removably secured to nozzle  22  such that bristles  128  of brush member  106  engage the working surface during use. When water or other liquids are to be removed from the working surface, cleaning element  100  may be secured to nozzle  22  such that squeegee working edge  130  engages the working surface during use. Thus, it may be seen that the design of nozzle  22  and cleaning element  100  enable accessory  20  to be easily re-configured to clean a wide variety of working surfaces.  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 2, to removably secure cleaning element  100  to nozzle  22  such that bristles  128  of brush member  106  will engage the working surface during use, the cleaning element  100  is positioned inside nozzle  22  proximate bottom edge  30  and oriented with respect to nozzle  22  such that bristles  128  project from brush groove  112  toward and out of opening  32 , latch members  102  are aligned with corresponding detent members  52  extending from nozzle rear outer wall  26 , and bearing members  134  are aligned with corresponding ones of positioning ribs  60 .  
         [0025]    Cleaning element  100  is then moved toward nozzle opening  32  and into suction chamber  34 , whereby rounded free end portions  56  of detent members  52  are engaged by web portions  58  of latch members  52 . Engagement between web portions  58  and rounded free end portions  56  cause free ends  56  of detent members  52  to resiliently deflect in the direction represented by arrow “A” as shown in FIG. 4, allowing web portions  58  to slide to over rounded free end portions  56 . As movement of cleaning element  100  continues in the same direction and web portions  58  slide past rounded end portions  56  of detent members  52 , detent members  52  snap back to a substantially undeflected state. Bearing members  134  now rest on positioning ribs  60 , bearing surfaces  122  rest on positioning shoulders  50 , and web portions  122  are secured between rounded free end portions  56  and positioning shoulders  50 , thereby removably securing cleaning element  100  to nozzle  22 . Rounded free ends  56  of detent members  52  help prevent latch member webs  122  from sliding with respect to, and disengaging from, detent members  52  without application of a pulling force by a user. Also, due to the location of positioning shoulders  50  and positioning ribs  60 , and due to the configuration of the cleaning member  100 , cleaning member  100  resides within suction chamber  34  and is spaced apart from bottom edge  30  such that either the brush member  106  or the squeegee member  108  extends toward and out of nozzle opening  32  from a position spaced apart from the nozzle opening  32 .  
         [0026]    It will be understood that cleaning member  100  may be removably secured to nozzle  22  using any one of numerous equivalent alternatives to the latching system described above. For example, ends of the cleaning member  100  may be press fit into complementary grooves formed along interior portions of side outer walls  28 .  
         [0027]    Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and  5 , to change the orientation of cleaning element  100  from that of FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 5 such that squeegee working edge  130  will engage the working surface during use of the accessory  20 , force is applied on cleaning element  100  by a user to direct the cleaning element toward nozzle opening  32 , causing web portions  122  of latch members  102  to engage the rounded free end portions of respective detent members  52 . Further application of force in this direction causes detent members to deflect in the directions represented by arrow “A” in FIG. 4, allowing web portions  122  to slide over rounded free end portions  56  and allowing cleaning element  100  to detach from nozzle  22 . The cleaning element is then rotated 180 degrees about an axis “B” extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of cleaning element  100 , as shown in FIG. 2. This rotation of cleaning element  100  results in the cleaning element being oriented with respect to nozzle  22  such that squeegee working edge  130  projects from squeegee groove  114  toward and out of opening  32 , latch members  102  are once again aligned with corresponding detent members  52  extending from nozzle rear outer wall  26 , and bearing members  134  are once again aligned with corresponding positioning ribs  60 . cleaning element  100  is then moved into suction chamber  34  such that latch members  102  engage detent members  52  as described above.  
         [0028]    It should be understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description of one embodiment of this invention and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiment can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.