Nozzle for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A nozzle, comprising a joint part and a housing unit for attachment to a hose of a vacuum cleaner, and an elongated unit for contacting a suction area such as a floor. The housing and the elongated unit are flexibly joined, so that the operation of the nozzle is easy. The elongated unit forms a thin, flat and narrow shape that is partially enclosed and has a certain air volume capacity. The elongated unit is made to become narrower from the joint part and the housing unit towards the end, and has a flat floor surface and a panel with a suction opening facing the suction area. The air suction openings have different diameters and sizes based on the distance from the air suction source, optimizing the suction effect and enabling suction from all directions.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] 〔Technical Field〕 The present invention relates to embodiments of a suction hose attachment and nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner. The present invention discloses a nozzle designed particularly for hard surfaces and for accessing narrow spaces. 〔Background Art〕

[0002] Solutions exist related to vacuum cleaners and hose attachments, i.e., so-called nozzles. The main use of a vacuum cleaner is to remove dust from carpets and floors. A common design for a nozzle for use on a floor is that the body of the nozzle is in the shape of an elongated box perpendicular to the direction of the hose and moves during use. This is to cover as many areas on the floor as possible. By way of example, reference is made to U.S. Patent No. 2,214,725 - Ross, U.S. Patent No. 2,933,753 - Woodhull and U.S. Patent No. 3,069,716 - Smith. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0085140 - Santrizos has a general design for this subject. Regarding efforts to access narrow spaces, U.S. Patent No. 4,638,527 - Fleischhauer discloses a V-shaped vacuum cleaner attachment and nozzle. U.S. Patent No. 5,440,782 - Yamashita discloses an embodiment of a nozzle that is not vertical but allows for narrow spaces.

[0003] The disadvantage of the prior art is that the design of the nozzle is rather bulky and diffuses the suction air over a wide area within the "large" and "box-shaped" nozzle. This makes the suction effect sub-optimal and thus requires a large power consumption motor. Many prior art designs also allow the suction air to "escape", i.e., do not efficiently capture the desired amount of dust. 〔Summary of the Invention〕

[0004] It is also an object of the present invention to overcome the limitations of the prior art by a nozzle design that is flexible and made for accessing narrow spaces, with high suction efficiency. The nozzle of the present invention consists of a joint and a housing unit for attachment to the hose of a vacuum cleaner, and includes an elongated unit for contacting a suction area such as a floor. The housing and the elongated unit are flexibly joined, so that the operation of the nozzle is easy. The elongated unit forms a thin, flat and narrow shape that is partially enclosed and has a certain air volume capacity. The elongated unit is made to narrow towards the end from the joint and the housing unit, and has a flat floor surface and a panel with only the suction opening facing the suction area. The air suction openings have different diameters and sizes based on the distance from the air suction source, optimizing the suction effect and enabling suction from all directions. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0005] Many of the foregoing aspects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily appreciated and better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0006] [Figure 1] [Figures 1a and 1b] show perspective views of the present invention.

[0007] [Figure 2] shows an exploded view of the present invention for detailed disclosure.

[0008] [Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d] show embodiments of floor panels with different designs for the suction openings. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0009] Figures 1a and 1b show a complete overview of the present invention. Figure 1a shows the nozzle in its natural position with the upper side of the elongated unit 2 shown. The joint and the housing unit 1 are connected and have a tubular end for connection to a vacuum cleaner. Figure 1b shows the lower side of the nozzle and the surface area, and its panel 4 faces the suction area such as the floor.

[0010] Figure 2 shows an exploded view that discloses the vacuum cleaner nozzle of the present invention in more detail. The articulated part of the nozzle and the housing unit 1 are designed to be attached to the vacuum cleaner hose, while the elongated unit 2 is designed to contact the suction area such as the floor. The housing 1 and the elongated unit 2 are rotatably joined at T and 2', and the rotary connection is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the hose 20 and the suction air direction. The number 21 indicates a joint and / or a hose adapter tube unit.

[0011] The elongated unit 2 is connected to two channels 6 and 7 and has an air flow passing through the two channels 6 and 7 from both sides of the housing unit 1. Inside the elongated unit 2, which is partially enclosed and has a certain specific air volume capacity, the two channels 6 and 7 meet and form a thin and flat space 8. The elongated unit 2 and the floor panel 4 narrow towards the end from the articulated part and the housing unit 1. The numbers 22 and 24 are shown for the seal and cover for the joint between the housing 1 and the elongated unit 2.

[0012] The recommended size for the nozzle design is that the width at the end of the elongated unit is 40 mm, the length is 600 mm, and the height is 12 mm. Towards the articulated part of the nozzle and the housing unit 1, the width increases to 55 mm. This makes it possible to increase the suction force from the end to the housing 1 and through the housing 1. The articulated part and the housing unit 1 have a height of only 52 mm perpendicular to the floor, providing access under low furniture when cleaning individual rooms or public rooms and spaces indoors. The flat design of the elongated unit 2 with only 12 mm allows for even better access under very low equipment.

[0013] The joints T and 2’ allow the elongated unit 2 to rotate up to 200° relative to the housing 1. Also, a slide button 16 for locking the rotational movement is present, for example, in a vertical position and a parallel position, as well as at 45° and 90°, with respect to the tube 20 of the housing 1. The button 16 has an edge 16’, and since the edge 16’ is engaged with a groove on the linkage part 3 on the housing 1, the rotational movement is stepless.

[0014] The elongated unit 2 has a flat floor panel 4 with suction openings 10, 11, 12, 13 that face only the suction area. The air suction openings 10, 11, 12, 13 of the floor panel 4 have different diameters and sizes based on the distance from the air suction source. A preferred pattern is two rows of holes, as seen in FIGS. 1b and 2, and the dimensions of the holes closest to the ends of the panel 4 are such that hole 10 is the largest, i.e., 8 mm, holes 11 and 12 are 7 mm, and hole 13 closest to the suction force is 6 mm. The distance from the end of the floor unit 2 to the first set of holes is 10 mm, and the distance between the holes is preferably 65 mm.

[0015] However, the recommended dimensions of the holes and openings and the distances between them are set by the dimensions of the nozzle, such as the thickness, width, length, and the degree of constriction of the elongated unit, giving the total volume within the nozzle suction area and ultimately the suction force from the vacuum cleaner motor. More specifically, it is recommended that the area and suction openings must be dimensioned according to the total volume and suction force within the nozzle as a whole. The overall important factor is that the opening furthest from the suction force is the largest. Also, there is a limit to how small and narrow the openings can be made to capture dust and fibers. The sizes of the suction holes and openings recommended in this application do not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

[0016] The dimensions according to the present invention produce a greater suction airflow than the sum of the eight holes shown as a preferred embodiment of the floor panel 4 and also greater than through the articulation and the housing 1, and the suction airflow to the hose 20 follows the same, being greater than through the articulation joint and the housing.

[0017] The floor panel 4 of the elongated unit 2 has protruding knobs 14 on the floor panel 4 in order to enable the distance between the suction area and the floor. A distance of 1 mm is preferred. This is particularly important when the suction area is hard and smooth as made of wood, laminate, or stone, preventing the panel from sticking to the surface by the suction force.

[0018] An important aspect of the present invention is that the elongated unit 2 of the nozzle has removable and replaceable floor panels 4 to 4''''.

[0019] The housing 1 and the elongated unit 2 are made of a plastic (polymer) having harder properties than the floor panel 4 having softer properties, enabling the insertion and snap fitting of the panel 4 into the elongated unit 2.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d, the replaceable floor panel 4 is designed with various air suction openings having different shapes and sizes to handle various light dirt and dust such as small particles, thin fibers, short hairs, and long hairs and fibers. This is made possible by the design of air suction openings in different forms and shapes, such as rows of circular holes, circular holes woven into a diagonal square, longitudinally woven slits, vertically woven slits, and diagonally woven slits. FIG. 3a shows the design of the floor panel 4' having three groups of holes arranged diagonally as a square 30 or diamond shape. FIG. 3b shows the design of the floor panel 4'' having diagonal slits or longitudinal openings 31. FIG. 3c shows the design of the floor panel 4''' having two slits or longitudinal openings 32 parallel to the length of the panel. FIG. 3d shows the design of the floor panel 4''' having two slits or longitudinal openings 33 arranged parallel to the length of the panel. In all the figures, the protruding knobs 14 are of equal size.

[0021] The present invention described herein can be the subject of modifications and variations without departing from the scope of the concepts of the invention disclosed with reference to the drawings and further described in the claims. As long as certain functional elements can be replaced by other elements to enable the same functions to be performed by the various disclosed embodiments, such technical equivalents are included within the scope of the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Fig. 1a

Fig. 1b

Fig. 2

Fig. 3a

Fig. 3b

Fig. 3c

Fig. 3d

Claims

1. A nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner, comprising: - a housing unit (1) for attachment to a joint and a hose; - an elongated unit (2) for contacting a suction area such as a floor, the housing and the elongated unit being rotatably joined; - the rotational connection being perpendicular to the length direction of the hose; - the elongated unit being connected to two channels (6, 7) and having an air flow passing through the two channels (6, 7) from both side portions of the housing unit (1); - within the elongated unit (2) which is partially enclosed and has a certain air volume capacity, the two channels (6, 7) meet and form a thin and flat space (8); - the elongated unit (2) being made to narrow towards the end portion from the joint and the housing unit (1), characterized in that it is a nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner.

2. The nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the elongated unit (2) has a constant thickness along most of its length.

3. The nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the elongated unit (2) has a flat floor panel (4 - 4'''') with only air suction openings facing the suction area.

4. The nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner according to claims 1 and 3, wherein the air suction openings in the floor panel (10, 11, 12, 13) have different diameters and sizes based on the distance from the air suction source.

5. The nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner according to claims 1 and 3, wherein the elongated unit (2) has options of removable and replaceable floor panels (4 - 4'''').

6. The nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the openings of the floor panel have a larger diameter or size towards the end of the elongated unit than closer to the joint and the housing unit (1).

7. The nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the space and volume (8) within the elongated unit (2) have a curved shape between different flat surfaces.

8. The nozzle for use with a vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the elongated unit (2) can rotate 200° relative to the housing (1).

9. A nozzle for use with the vacuum cleaner according to claims 1 and 8, wherein the elongated unit (2) has means for locking perpendicular and parallel to the tube and hose (20), and at several positions such as 90° and 45°.

10. A nozzle for use with the vacuum cleaner according to claims 1 and 3, wherein the elongated unit (2) has options of removable and replaceable floor panels (4 to 4'''').

11. The replaceable floor panel (4 to 4'''') is as follows, namely, - Particles - Fibers - Short hair A nozzle for use with the vacuum cleaner according to claims 1 and 10, having air suction openings of different shapes and sizes for handling various light dirt and dust such as long hair.

12. The replaceable floor panel (4 to 4'''') is as follows, namely, - A row of circular holes, - Circular holes woven into a diagonal square - Longitudinally woven slits - Vertically woven slits - Diagonally woven slits, and has air suction openings that create forms and shapes including them. A nozzle for use with the vacuum cleaner according to claims 1 and 10.

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