Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
015410000 | Handle features, e.g., limit stops or storage locks | 32 |
20080244860 | Handle Assembly for a Cleaning Appliance - A handle assembly for a cleaning appliance such as a vacuum cleaner includes a flexible hose having a first end that is connectable to a main body of the cleaning appliance and a second end, a handle portion for maneuvering the handle assembly during use and a tubular wand. The second end of the flexible hose is connected to handle portion, and the tubular wand is slidably mounted in the handle portion so as to be movable between a first position in which the tubular wand extends beyond the handle portion inside the flexible hose and a second position in which the tubular wand extends beyond the handle portion away from the flexible hose. | 10-09-2008 |
20080250602 | Handle Assembly for a Cleaning Appliance - A handle assembly for a cleaning appliance includes a handle portion and a tubular wand having an open end configured to receive tools or other accessories when the cleaning appliance is in use. The handle assembly also includes a wand cap which is movable between a first position in which the wand cap covers the open end of the tubular wand and a second position in which the open end of the tubular wand is not covered by the wand cap. The wand cap is releasably connected to the handle portion or the tubular wand in a snap-fit manner. This provides an advantageous construction which reduces the risk of damage and the cost of repair | 10-16-2008 |
20080282499 | Vacuum Cleaner - A vacuum cleaner includes a floor-engaging portion provided with a first air inlet, an upright portion pivotally connected at its lower end to the floor-engaging portion, a handle upstanding from the upper end of the upright portion, a first or lower end of the handle being detachably engaged with an socket on the upright portion of the cleaner, a rigid tubular duct extending along the handle from a second air inlet at the lower end of the handle to an outlet disposed remote from that end of the handle, and a flexible hose connected to the outlet on the handle. The rigid tubular duct has, at the first end of the handle, an elongate portion which has either a transverse dimension or a cross-sectional area which is substantially uniform over its length. | 11-20-2008 |
20080301903 | Cleaner Handle and Cleaner Handle Housing Sections - Handle has status indicators viewable by operator while viewing location being cleaned and using handle in ordinary cleaning position, and light illuminating location being cleaned. Indicators are LED lamps. Light is an LED lamp. Microphone senses particles and illuminates an indicator. Indicators and light are provided in a housing section that forms part of a housing for handle. Housing section may be integrated with the remainder of the housing, or may be unit that fits into remainder of housing. Light has central axis generally parallel, within approximately five degrees from parallel, with cleaning axis of handle. Indicators each have a central axis generally parallel, within approximately 5 degrees from parallel, with cleaning axis of handle. The indicators have limited beam angle. Indicator viewable over grasping section of handle from towards distal end of handle. The cleaner may be a vacuum cleaner, which may be a central vacuum cleaner. | 12-11-2008 |
20090031526 | Handle arrangement on a vacuum cleaner hose - A handle arrangement on a vacuum cleaner hose has an inner bushing non-rotatably attached to one end of the hose and is inserted in a handle tube and axially fixed therein such that it can rotate. Electrical leads are guided outwards from the hose and the inner bushing in a radial direction through a wall opening of the handle tube and into the cavity of a handle part. The handle part is firmly connected at both ends to the handle tube. The electrical leads are fixed so as to form a length reserve loop in the cavity. A receiving space is provided on the inner bushing, into which electrical leads from the length reserve loop are shifted when relative rotations take place between the hose and the handle tube. The possible rotation angle is delimited by stops according to the lead length available in the length reserve loop. | 02-05-2009 |
20090038111 | CLEANING APPLIANCE - A cleaning appliance includes a main body, a handle assembly and a hose. The handle assembly includes a tube and a gripping portion fixedly attached thereto. The hose has one end attached to the main body. The tube is movable relative to the main body between a stored position in which at least a part of the tube lies within the hose and an extended position in which the gripping portion can be used to manipulate the cleaning appliance in use. By providing such an arrangement, the handle assembly and the hose can be stored compactly. When the user wishes to store the cleaning appliance, the tube can be retracted inside the hose for storage. When the tube is extended, the gripping portion is at a convenient height to be manipulated by a user. | 02-12-2009 |
20090038112 | HANDLE ASSEMBLY FOR A CLEANING APPLIANCE - A handle assembly for a cleaning appliance includes a slidably extendible wand and a connecting portion that includes a first locking arrangement releasably securing the handle assembly to the main body of the cleaning appliance, a second locking arrangement releasably locking the wand in a pre-determined position with respect to the connecting portion and an actuator. The actuator is adapted and arranged to move the first and second locking arrangements between locked and unlocked positions. The first locking arrangement is movable independently of the actuator. This arrangement allows a single actuator to be operated by a user to unlock both the first and second locking arrangements simultaneously. However, because the first locking arrangement can move independently of the second locking arrangement, it is possible to secure the handle assembly to the main body of the cleaning appliance while keeping the wand in a locked position. | 02-12-2009 |
20090094787 | Vacuum Having Assist Handles - A vacuum including a tank, a suction device in fluid communication with the tank, and at least one assist handle disposed on the tank. A lid may be removably mounted to the tank, and the at least one assist handle is adapted to facilitate lifting the tank to empty waste matter deposited in the tank via the suction device. | 04-16-2009 |
20090158550 | Handle assembly rotatable in all directions and cleaner having the same - A cleaner having a handle assembly rotatable in all directions is disclosed, the handle assembly including a housing; a handle which is capable of being gripped by a user; a connection unit which connects the handle with the housing to rotate in all directions; and an elastic unit which elastically biases the handle to a neutral position. As the handle is capable of rotating in all directions, a user can clean a surface without feeling strain in his or her joints. | 06-25-2009 |
20090205163 | Handle arrangement on a suction hose - A handle arrangement on a suction hose equipped for spray extraction has a bushing non-rotatably attached to one end of the hose, and is inserted in a handle tube and axially fixed therein such that it can rotate in the tube. An elastic liquid line is guided outwards from the hose and the inner bushing in a radial direction through a wall opening of the handle tube and into the cavity of a handle part. The handle part is firmly connected at both ends to the handle tube. The liquid line is fixed so as to form a length reserve loop in the cavity. A receiving space is provided on the inner bushing, into which the liquid line from the length reserve loop is shifted when relative rotations take place between the hose and the handle tube. | 08-20-2009 |
20090282643 | Vacuum Cleaner with Removable Handle - A cleaning apparatus includes a base. A bracket is attached to the base. Wheels are rotatably attached to the base for wheeling the base across a floor. A cleaning attachment is configured to be attached to the base and moved against the floor to clean the floor as the base is wheeled across the floor. The base is manually pushed by a handle to wheel the base across the floor. The handle is configured to be removably attached to the base by being hooked onto the bracket and then pivoted relative to the bracket into an installed position. | 11-19-2009 |
20090313784 | Sweeping the nation - On an “upright” vacuum cleaner, instead of a single handle, two handles. When in use, the handles are positioned horizontally level with one another, either side of a line running from front to rear of the vacuum cleaner. | 12-24-2009 |
20100000044 | HANDLE ASSEMBLY FOR A CLEANING APPLIANCE - A handle assembly for a cleaning appliance includes a handle portion for maneuvering the handle assembly during use, a flexible hose having a first end connectable to a main body of the cleaning appliance and a second end connectable to the handle portion, and a tubular wand. The tubular wand is slidably mounted in the handle portion so as to be moveable between a first position in which the tubular wand extends along the handle portion inside the flexible hose and a second position in which the tubular wand extends beyond the handle portion away from the flexible hose. The handle is releasably attachable to the main body by a catch mechanism arranged so as to release the handle portion from the main body when the tubular wand is moved from the first position to the second position. | 01-07-2010 |
20100037424 | Ergonomic handle system for work tool - An ergonomically maneuverable vacuum cleaner has: a vacuum cleaner head moveable across a floor and a motor to create a vacuum on the vacuum cleaner head. There is a relatively upright single stem handle for gripping and moving of the vacuum cleaner with a single hand of a user. Releasably attached to the upright single stem handle is a dual grip handle positioned relatively perpendicular to the upright stem handle. The dual grip handle has a central handle bar that lies relatively horizontal to the floor when the vacuum cleaner is in use, and the handle bar having two cushion grips, one each on ends of the handle bar. There is a connecting element between the central handle bar and the upright single stem handle. | 02-18-2010 |
20100218340 | Vacuum Cleaner Handle Lock and Valve Control - A vacuum cleaner having a base with a first air inlet, a rear housing, a removable handle and a socket on the housing to receive the handle. The handle has a grip, a second air inlet, and a hose connected to the second air inlet. The vacuum has a valve with a first inlet connected to the first air inlet, a second inlet connected to the flexible hose, a valve outlet connected to a vacuum fan, and a valve member that moves to connect the valve outlet to either inlet. The vacuum has a handle latch having one position in which it engages the removable handle to hold it in the socket and places the valve in one position, and a second position in which it releases the handle and places the valve member the other position. | 09-02-2010 |
20110047747 | HANDGRIP ASSEMBLY FOR A SUCTION ATTACHMENT - The invention relates to a suction attachment, a handgrip assembly ( | 03-03-2011 |
20110088210 | SURFACE TREATING APPLIANCE - A surface treating appliance includes a surface treating head rotatably connected to a yoke, and a main body pivotably moveable relative to the yoke about a pivot axis between an upright position and a reclined position. A retaining mechanism is provided for inhibiting rotation of the head relative to the yoke when the main body is in the upright position. The retaining mechanism includes a locking member which is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position for inhibiting rotation of the head relative to the yoke, and an actuator for urging the locking member towards its deployed position. To provide a compact appliance, the actuator moves with the main body about the pivot axis to urge the locking member towards its deployed position as the main body is moved to the upright position. | 04-21-2011 |
20110088211 | SURFACE TREATING APPLIANCE - An upright surface treating appliance includes a main body having a user operable handle, and a support assembly for allowing the appliance to be rolled along a surface using the handle. The support assembly includes a yoke pivotably connected to the main body, and a pair of domed-shaped wheels rotatably connected to the yoke. A surface treating head is connected to the yoke. The yoke is shaped so that a section of the yoke is located between the rims of the wheels. To afford a compact appearance to the appliance, the outer surfaces of the wheels and the section of the yoke together at least partially delimit a substantially spherical volume. | 04-21-2011 |
20110088212 | SURFACE TREATING APPLIANCE - An upright surface treating appliance includes a main body having a user operable handle, and a support assembly for allowing the appliance to be rolled along a surface using the handle. The support assembly includes a pair of dome-shaped wheels rotatably connected to a yoke, and a stand pivotable relative to the main body. The appliance also includes a surface treating head having at least one support member. A stand retaining mechanism is provided for releasably retaining the stand in a supporting position relative to the main body in which the wheels are raised above the surface and the main body is supported by the stand and the support member of the surface treating head. The stand is moveable relative to the main body from the supporting position to a retracted position in which the main body is supported by at least the wheels to allow the appliance to be maneuvered over the surface during treatment thereof. | 04-21-2011 |
20110088213 | UPRIGHT CLEANING APPLIANCE - An upright cleaning appliance having a handle for maneuvering the appliance across a floor. The handle is secured on a reclining upright body of the appliance for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the upright body. The handle includes a forward-extending handgrip portion which terminates in an abutment flange for preventing the handgrip portion from slipping out through the bottom of a user's grip. | 04-21-2011 |
20110219580 | TORQUE BALANCER FOR A SURFACE CLEANING HEAD - An upright surface cleaning apparatus has a front end, a rear end and opposed lateral sides and a surface cleaning head having a dirt inlet and rear wheels. The rear wheels have an axis of rotation and a radius. The surface cleaning apparatus also includes an upper section and an upper section mount. The upper section mount movably mounts the upper section to the surface cleaning head at a position forward of the axis of rotation of the rear wheels. The surface cleaning head is movable between an floor cleaning position and a storage position. The surface cleaning apparatus includes an air flow path extending from the dirt inlet to a clean air outlet with a suction motor and a treatment member provided in the air flow path. The air flow path comprises a hose extending between the surface cleaning head and the upper section. | 09-15-2011 |
20110219581 | Vacuum Cleaner with Rotating Handle - A vacuum cleaner having a base to move on a surface, an intermediate member having a first and second passages, and a first joint connecting the base to the intermediate member to permit relative rotation between the base and the intermediate member about a first axis that is generally parallel to the surface and perpendicular to a direction of movement. An air passage connects a base inlet to the first intermediate member passage. A second joint connects a handle to the intermediate member and permits rotation between the intermediate member and the handle about a second axis that is parallel to a nominal direction of movement of the vacuum. The handle has a grip a dirt collector to receive and separate dirt from air. First and second passages connect the intermediate member passages to the dirt collector inlet and outlet. A vacuum fan draws air into the base air inlet, through the intermediate member, through the dirt collector, through the second handle air passage, and back into the intermediate member. At least one of the first and second passages jointing the intermediate member to the dirt collector is a flexible hose that is offset from the second axis and is adapted to flex to permit the handle to rotate relative to the intermediate member. | 09-15-2011 |
20120279012 | HANDLE ASSEMBLY FOR A CLEANING APPLIANCE - A handle assembly for a cleaning appliance such as a vacuum cleaner includes a flexible hose having a first end that is connectable to a main body of the cleaning appliance and a second end, a handle portion for maneuvering the handle assembly during use and a tubular wand. The second end of the flexible hose is connected to the handle portion, and the tubular wand is slidably mounted in the handle portion so as to be movable between a first position in which the tubular wand extends beyond the handle portion inside the flexible hose and a second position in which the tubular wand extends beyond the handle portion away from the flexible hose. | 11-08-2012 |
20130031745 | HANDLE FOR A WAND OF A VACUUM CLEANING APPLIANCE - A handle for a wand of a vacuum cleaning appliance includes a handgrip portion and a conduit for receiving an air flow. The handle includes an aperture for admitting ambient air into the conduit. A first valve occludes a first portion of the aperture, and a second valve occludes a second portion of the aperture. A control mechanism moves the first and second valves away from the aperture to admit ambient air into the conduit. To reduce the force required to move the valves away from the aperture, the control mechanism is configured to move the second valve away from the second portion of the aperture before moving the first valve away from the first portion of the aperture. | 02-07-2013 |
20130081225 | UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER - An upright vacuum cleaner having a slide retractable handle which is used in a floor-cleaning mode to manoeuvre the cleaner across the floor, and a telescopic suction wand which is fluidly connected to separating apparatus on the cleaner via a hose and which is used, as required, to clean above the level of the floor. An upper telescopic section of the wand is releasably connected with a sliding handle assembly incorporating the handle, and a lower telescopic section of the wand is releasably connected to some other part of the cleaner so that sliding extension and retraction of the handle assembly relative to that other part of the cleaner effects telescopic extension and retraction of the wand sections. | 04-04-2013 |
20130152337 | SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS WITH A SIDEWAYS PIVOTING HANDLE - A surface cleaning apparatus comprises:
| 06-20-2013 |
20150374189 | PIVOTING HANDLE FOR A SURFACE CLEANING DEVICE - A surface cleaning device generally includes a nozzle, a cleaner housing connected to the nozzle, and a handle coupled to the cleaner housing at a pivot joint. The cleaner housing defines a longitudinal axis. The pivot joint is configured to rotatably store the handle at a position offset from the longitudinal axis. | 12-31-2015 |
015411000 | Angular or lateral adjustment of cleaner by axial rotation of handle | 5 |
20090089969 | Upright vacuum cleaner having steering unit - An upright vacuum cleaner having a steering unit is provided. The upright vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body having a suction motor and a dust separating and collecting unit, a suction port assembly rotatably connected to a lower portion of the cleaner body, a handle mounted to the cleaner body, and a steering unit to elastically support the cleaner body so that the center of gravity of the cleaner body shifts to the direction where the cleaner body is rotated, according to the rotation of the cleaner body to the left or right. | 04-09-2009 |
20090165242 | Upright vacuum cleaner having steering unit - An upright vacuum cleaner is disclosed, the upright vacuum cleaner including a cleaner body that houses a suction motor and a dust separating unit, and includes a manipulation handle at the top thereof, a suction port assembly that is connected to a lower portion of the cleaner body; and a steering unit that is disposed between the cleaner body and the suction port assembly, and elastically supports the cleaner body to shift the center of gravity of the cleaner body to the left or right, so that the direction of the cleaner body is changed. | 07-02-2009 |
20110107553 | ROTATABLE COUPLING FOR STEERING VACUUM CLEANER - A steerable vacuum cleaner and a method to steer the vacuum is described. The vacuum cleaner include: a base; a handle having a longitudinal axis and including a conduit; and a rotatable coupling pivotally attached between the base and the handle, with the coupling defining an air channel for providing a flow of air from the base to the conduit in the handle. The base of the vacuum rotates about the longitudinal axis while pushing the vacuum by twisting the handle. The rotatable coupling of the vacuum cleaner includes: an inner conduit having an outer surface; a compressible strip disposed on the outer surface of the inner conduit, wherein the strip is disposed the outer surface of the inner conduit; an outer conduit adapted to snugly fit over the strip and the first conduit; and a non-reactive high-viscosity lubricant disposed on the outer surface of the inner conduit adjacent the strip. The outer conduit of the coupling is rotatable about the inner conduit and an interference fit is formed between the inner conduit and the outer conduit. | 05-12-2011 |
20120060322 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING PIVOT MOTION OF A HANDLE IN A FLOOR TREATMENT DEVICE - A method and apparatus for influencing movement of a handle of a floor treatment device, such as a vacuum. The floor treatment device may include a handle portion that is attached to a base, which includes a floor treatment portion. The handle portion may be pivotally movable about a rotation axis relative to the base between at least first and second positions, where the rotation axis lies in a vertical plane that includes a longitudinal axis of the handle when the handle portion is in the first position and the longitudinal axis is a non-vertical position. A pivot assist device may apply a bias to the handle portion that urges the handle portion to move from the second position to the first position, e.g., to help support the weight of the handle when a user steers the floor treatment device across a floor. | 03-15-2012 |
20120304417 | CLEANING APPLIANCE - There is provided a portable cleaning appliance ( | 12-06-2012 |