Vacuum cleaner adapter set

Abstract

This invention relates to a set of related new and useful vacuum cleaner adapters and accessories, designed for vacuum cleaning areas that are high clearance, low clearance, narrow clearance, or surfaces with special cleaning needs. The various embodiments disclosed may be fit onto the terminal end of a standard hose fitting of a vacuum cleaner, and used to clean heretofore inaccessible areas. There is also an associated flashlight assembly disclosed herein that may be affixed to the other adapters disclosed, or may be affixed to a vacuum cleaner hose or a portion of the hose fitting. The flashlight assembly may be used to provide illumination to the otherwise non-illuminated area being cleaned with an adapter, and may also be useful for vacuum cleaners that do not have lights incorporated therein such as the canister variety of vacuum cleaners. There are a number of embodiments, shapes, and configurations for these related adapters disclosed, including an article retrieval screen, and with a variety of specialized new and useful cleaning applications disclosed.

Description

[0001] This invention, entitled "Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set", was devised and invented by Jamie Diaz and Robert N. Schlesinger, and relates to a set of new and useful set of adapters, accessories and attachments for use with a vacuum cleaner, such as those used in homes and by commercial cleaning companies, including car washes and used by those responsible for cleaning and maintaining various types of cleanrooms.[0002] The term "vacuum cleaner adapter" will be used throughout this specification and its appended claims, and is intended to refer to one or more of the invention embodiments in the Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set, disclosed herein. The term "vacuum cleaner attachment" as used throughout this specification and its appended claims is intended to refer to vacuum cleaner attachments that are not specifically included in the Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set.[0003] The term "vacuum cleaner" will be used throughout this specification and its appended claims, and is intended to also refer...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] 3. The Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set invention includes an Angled Low Clearance Adapter that may fit onto the tapered hose fitting (2). The Angled Low Clearance Adapter is useful for easily and effectively cleaning under slightly elevated furniture, desks, bookshelves, and the like, which have a low clearance, such as one inch from the floor, and may be used while the user is in the standing position holding an extension fitting (3) with said Adapter attached to its terminal end. A preferred embodiment for the Angled Low Clearance Adapter has a cylindrical hose fitting port (6) on the cylindrical portion of a generally flattened adapter body (9) with a low clearance adapter angle (14) or internal angle of approximately 120 degrees, and a suction intake orifice (8) located near the terminal end of the adapter, as shown in FIGS. 47-58. This low clearance adapter angle (14) may vary, depending upon the needs and ergonomics of the application. This low clearance adapter angle (14) allows the user to most easily clean low clearance areas while in the standing position, and without bending or leaning over. The low clearance adapter angle (14) on the flattened adapter body (9) is typically located near the hose fitting port (6), and the bend on the low clearance adapter angle (14) may be a cylindrical bend, a flattened bend, or an elliptical bend, as shown in FIGS. 47-58. A preferred embodiment of the Angled Low Clearance Adapter would have a flattened bend, to optimize the low clearance penetration of the Adapter, thereby allowing deeper cleaning of the desired surface, as shown in FIGS. 50-52. In some modified embodiments, the Angled Low Clearance Adapter may further have a plurality of adapter body nipples (13) or a set of runners, located on each of the two sides of the suction intake orifice (8), and which function to slightly elevate the suction intake orifice (8), and also to make the cleaning movements of the Adapter easier, particularly when used for very low clearance objects.

[0016] 4. The Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set invention includes an Angled High Clearance Adapter that may fit onto the terminal end of a tapered vacuum cleaner hose fitting (2). The Angled High Clearance Adapter is useful for easily and effectively cleaning the top of furnishings, bookshelves, refrigerators, and the like, which have a high clearance, such as one inch from the ceiling, and while the user is in the standing position holding an extension fitting (3) with said Adapter attached to its terminal end. A preferred embodiment for the Angled High Clearance Adapter has a cylindrical hose fitting port (6), on the cylindrical portion of a generally flattened adapter body (9) with a high clearance adapter angle (15) or internal angle of approximately 100-degrees, and a suction intake orifice (8) located near the terminal end of the Adapter, as shown in FIGS. 32-43. This high clearance adapter angle (15) may vary, according to the needs and ergonomics of the application. The high clearance adapter angle (15) allows the user to most easily clean high clearance areas while the user is in the standing position holding an extension fitting (3), and without stretching or using chairs, stools, and the like. This bend on the high clearance adapter angle (15) may be a cylindrical bend, a flattened bend, or an elliptical bend, as shown in FIGS. 32-43. A preferred embodiment would have a flattened bend, to optimize the high clearance penetration of the adapter, thereby allowing deeper cleaning of the desired surface, as shown in FIGS. 35-37. In some modified embodiments, the Angled High Clearance Adapter may further have a plurality of adapter body nipples (13) or a set of runners, located on the bottom surface of the flattened adapter body (9). The preferred location for said nipples (13) is with one on each of the two sides of the suction intake orifice (8), and which function to slightly elevate the suction intake orifice (8), and also to make the cleaning movements of the adapter easier, particularly when used for very high clearance objects. This Angled High Clearance Adapter is particularly useful because the user may use it in the standing position, and without the use of a chair or ladder, when one or more extension fittings (3) are attached between the tapered hose fitting (2) and the Angled High Clearance Adapter.

[0018] 6. The Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set invention includes a Right Angle Fitting with a tapered hose fitting (2) end and a non-tapered hose fitting port (6) on the opposite end, that may be fit onto the tapered hose fitting (2) or an extension fitting (3), and thereby emulates some properties of the Right Angle Adapter. This Right Angle Fitting may have an angular cut on its tapered output end (6), somewhat similar to the Right Angle Adapter described above, and with similar utility. This Right Angle Fitting may be used to simplify and broaden the applications of the embodiments of the Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set disclosed herein. Another advantage of the Right Angle Fitting is to simplify the tooling and molding of the pieces, thereby making the parts less expensive to manufacture. The Right Angle Fitting is shaped like a bent cylinder, and one end may be utilized as a hose fitting port (6), and the other end may be used as the suction intake orifice (8) or as a tapered hose fitting (2) for attaching another adapter or vacuum cleaner attachment. The Right Angle Fitting is typically bent at a bend angle (4) of approximately 90-degrees, as shown in FIGS. 63-64, but said angle may vary by 15-degrees. A preferred embodiment of the Right Angle Fitting is shown in FIGS. 63-64.

[0019] 7. The Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set invention includes a corrugated or Flexible Angle Fitting that may be fit onto the tapered hose fitting (2). The Flexible Angle Fitting is useful in that it may be used to bend and thereby set said fitting at a desired angle, with each use. This Flexible Angle Fitting simplifies and broadens the applications of the adapters in the Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set disclosed herein, and will broaden the utility of available vacuum cleaner attachments. Another advantage of the Flexible Angle Fitting is to simplify the tooling and molding of the pieces, by making the angled adapters or angled elements thereof, available as the present Flexible Angle Fitting, which may be affixed to other adapters and attachments with a generally linear design. This reduces the cost of tooling and manufacturing the vacuum cleaner adapters and attachments. The Flexible Angle Fitting is typically shaped like a cylinder, but the terminal region of said adapter may optionally have a slightly flattened cylindrical shape in some embodiments. The Flexible Angle Fitting may be used in a straight, 180-degree configuration, or may be bent and used at another desired angle, such as 90-degrees or 45-degrees, thereby affording optimal applications of this new and usefull vacuum cleaner fitting.

Problems solved by technology

1. The Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set invention includes a Bristled Wheel Adapter that may be fit onto the tapered hose fitting (2). The Bristled Wheel Adapter is useful in that it may be used to more effectively pick-up hair and animal fur, and similar debris from furniture, rugs and carpets. Preferred embodiments of the bristles (19) may be straight or frusto-conical with the narrower conic at the terminal outer end of the bristle (19), and the bristles (19) would not have flattened or hooked terminal ends, as such flattened or hooked terminal ends would cause hair or fur to become affixed to the bristles (19), thereby requiring significantly greater vacuum cleaner suction to remove them from the bristles (19) during the vacuum cleaning process. The bristles (19) of the Bristled Wheel Adapter effectively picks up the hairs and fur from the furniture, rug or carpet surface, and as the Adapter's cylindrical wheel (18) rolls or turns, the exposure of the soiled bristles to the vacuum circuit removes the hair and fur from the bristles (19). The Bristled Wheel Adapter may be used to clean, e.g., a carpet, rug, or certain upholstered furnishings. A preferred embodiment of the bristled wheel adapter is shown in FIGS. 13-18.

2. The Vacuum Cleaner Adapter Set invention includes a limited clearance adapter that may fit onto the tapered hose fitting (2). The Limited Clearance Adapter is useful in that it may be used to effectively clean under furnishings, slightly elevated bookshelves, and the like, which have a low clearance, such as one inch clearance, and that would not otherwise be easily cleaned. In some modified embodiments, the Limited Clearance Adapter may also have a plurality of adapter body nipples (13) or one or more runners, located on each side of the suction intake orifice (8) on the bottom surface of the flattened adapter body (9). These nipples (13) or runners make it significantly easier to slide the Limited Clearance Adapter along the surface to be cleaned. The adapter body nipples (13) or runners also function to slightly elevate the suction intake orifice (8), and prevent attachment from the vacuum circuit's negative pressure, of said Adapter to the surface to be cleaned. The Limited Clearance Adapter may be used for low clearance, as well as high clearance applications, such as cleaning under low clearance furniture and beds, and the top of high clearance bookshelves and refrigerators, which are very close to the ceiling, and not easily accessible. Various embodiments of the Limited Clearance Adapters are shown in FIGS. 25-58. The set of embodiments of the limited clearance adapters may be divided into two subsets, comprised of the set of low clearance adapters and the set of high clearance adapters. Some embodiments of the set of limited clearance adapters may be effectively used as a low clearance adapter, as well as a high clearance adapter, thereby being elements or embodiments in both of said subsets.

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