Patent ID: 8091174

Claim:
An upright vacuum cleaner ( 10 ) having an elongate body ( 12 ) and comprising: a floorhead ( 14 ) on which said elongate body is mounted, having a first inlet ( 140 ) for dirty air; a wand having a second inlet for dirty air; a changeover valve ( 22 ) for selecting between a flow of dirty air from a respective one of said first or second inlets; a dust collection chamber ( 18 ) having a dirty air inlet ( 180 ); a duct ( 28 ) for conveying said flow of dirty air from the changeover valve ( 22 ) to the dust collection chamber ( 18 ); and a source of suction power for drawing said flow of dirty air from the first or second inlet, through said changeover valve ( 22 ) and said duct ( 28 ) to the dust collection chamber ( 18 ); the changeover valve ( 22 ) having a linear conduit ( 24 ) positionable in fluid flow between the first inlet ( 140 ) and said duct ( 28 ); the duct ( 28 ) being shaped as a sigmoid curve ( 30 ) as it enters the dust collection chamber inlet ( 180 ); and when said conduit ( 24 ) is positioned in fluid flow between said first inlet ( 140 ) and said duct ( 28 ), the flow of dirty air from said first inlet ( 140 ) through said changeover valve ( 22 ) and said duct ( 28 ) to the dust collection chamber inlet ( 180 ) all lies in the same plane.