GB2223934A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

In a vacuum cleaner comprising a suction hose 4 and a handle 4 connectable to a suction pipe 3, the handle is provided with a connector 2, which, after disconnection of the suction pipe, is capable of being deformed by manual or foot pressure to form a crevice nozzle for the cleaning of floors, upholstery, and radiators. The connector may be telescopic or may have a central bellows portion to render it bendable. <IMAGE>

Description

VACUUM CLEANER The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a suction hose with a handle connectible to a suction pipe.

For vacuum-cleaning crevices and narrow gaps it is known to fit the vacuum cleaner with a crevice nozzle as an accessory. In present-day vacuum cleaners, these nozzles are stored in the vacuum cleaner housing, which does away with the troublesome business of hunting for the crevice nozzle. Nevertheless, there has not hitherto been an optimum solution to the handling of this equipment. Without changing the position of the vacuum cleaner it is generally necessary to carry out several different operations, e.g., vacuum cleaning of the floor as well as upholstery and radiators. This means that the tools required have to be changed constantly. The crevice nozzle has to be taken from its place of storage again and again, the suction hose removed and the crevice nozzle attached to the handle.

Because of the need to change nozzles constantly, the user is inclined to carry out this change of nozzle as seldom as possible and refrain from carrying out a complete vacuum cleaning operation, particularly as known crevice nozzles are very rigid in shape and consequently their use is greatly restricted.

According to the invention there is provided a vacuum cleaner having a suction hose with a handle connectible to a suction pipe, wherein a connector for the suction pipe is provided on the handle, the free end of the connector being deformable into a crevice nozzle.

As a result of these features, once the suction pipe has been removed from the handle, the connector can be transformed into a crevice nozzle at any time as required. The user is not obliged to obtain a separate crevice nozzle from a storage area or remove it from a nozzle store integrated in the vacuum cleaner.

For the purposes of use, e.g., vacuum-cleaning areas which are difficult to get at, the user removes the suction pipe from the connector nozzle and converts the latter into a crevice nozzle. This conversion can be carried out for example simply by pressing the free end of the connector by manual or foot power. As a result, the opening of the connector assumes the shape of a crevice nozzle. After the vacuum cleaning operation using the crevice nozzle is complete, this nozzle can be changed back into the shape of a connector by manual or foot pressure and the connector is then in a condition to be attached to the suction pipe. Thus it is easier to use the crevice nozzle and its range of applications is expanded.

Advantageously, the connector can be telescopically lengthened or shortened, so that more remote areas can be cleaned in comfort. Alternatively, or additionally to being adjustable in length, the connector may be bendable at an angle, e.g. a right angie,to its axis, to assist 1n-vacuum#c1eaning areas which are extremely inaccessible.

Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a suction hose with a handle having a connector according to the invention; Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a handle 1 of a suction hose 4 and a connector 2 for the suction pipe 3 which is shown by broken lines. As necessary, the free end of the connector 2 can be re-shaped or deformed into a crevice nozzle and, after use, pressed back into its original shape. Advantageously, the connector 2 is telescopically adjustable in length, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 shows another advantageous embodiment in which the connector 2 is provided with a flexible portion 5 so that the connector 2 can be bent around at right angles to its longitudinal axis.

It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application based thereon.

Furthermore the manner in which any of such features of the specification or claims are described or defined may be amended, broadened or otherwise modified in any manner which falls within the knowledge of a person skilled in the relevant art, for example so as to encompass, either implicitly or explicitly, equivalents or generalisations thereof.

Claims (4)

1. A vacuum cleaner having a suction hose with a handle connectible to a suction pipe, wherein a connector for the suction pipe is provided on the handle, the free end of the connector being deformable into a crevice nozzle.

2. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector is telescopically variable in length.

3. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the connector can be bent around at right angles to its axis.

4. A vacuum cleaner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.