Back to results
US 2025/0025005 A1Published application
Surface cleaning apparatus
AssigneeOmachron Intellectual Property Inc.
InventorWAYNE ERNEST CONRAD
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surface cleaning apparatus is operable in a surface cleaning mode and an evacuation mode. A valve assembly is operable to adjust the air flow between a surface cleaning mode air flow path and an evacuation air flow path. The surface cleaning apparatus is operable in a surface cleaning mode wherein air travels from a dirty air inlet, through a downstream port to a clean air outlet and, when the surface cleaning apparatus is docked at a docking station, the surface cleaning apparatus is also operable in an evacuation mode wherein air enters through an ambient air inlet port, travels through the docking station and subsequently enters the surface cleaning apparatus through a docking station return air inlet port.
Claims18
A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- (a) a surface cleaning mode air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a suction motor and an air treatment member provided in the air flow path, wherein the surface cleaning mode air flow path comprises a downstream portion that extends from the air treatment member to the suction motor, the downstream portion including a downstream port;
- (b) an evacuation air flow path comprising a first portion extending from an ambient air inlet port to an evacuation air outlet and a second portion extending from a docking station return air inlet port to the clean air outlet;
- and,
- (c) a valve assembly operable to concurrently open the ambient air inlet port and the docking station return air inlet port and also concurrently close the downstream port, the valve assembly comprising a first valve member that is moveable between a first valve member surface cleaning mode position in which the first valve member closes the docking station return air inlet port and the downstream port is open and a first valve member evacuation mode position in which the first valve member closes the downstream port and the docking station return air inlet port is open,
- wherein the surface cleaning apparatus is operable in a surface cleaning mode wherein air travels from the dirty air inlet, through the downstream port to the clean air outlet, and,
- wherein, when the surface cleaning apparatus is docked at a docking station, the surface cleaning apparatus is operable in an evacuation mode wherein air enters through the ambient air inlet port, travels through the docking station and subsequently enters the surface cleaning apparatus through the docking station return air inlet port.
3 more elements
A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- (a) a surface cleaning mode air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a suction motor and an air treatment member provided in the air flow path, wherein the surface cleaning mode air flow path comprises a downstream portion that extends from the air treatment member to the suction motor;
- (b) an evacuation air flow path comprising a first portion extending from an ambient air inlet port to an evacuation air outlet and a second portion extending from a docking station return air inlet port to the clean air outlet;
- and,
- (c) a valve assembly operable to concurrently open an ambient air inlet port and a docking station return air inlet port, the valve assembly comprising:
- (i) a first valve member the is moveable between a surface cleaning mode position in which the docking station return air inlet port is closed and an evacuation mode position in which the docking station return air inlet port is open;
- and,
- (ii) a second valve member that is moveable between a surface cleaning mode position in which the ambient air inlet port is closed and an evacuation mode position in which the ambient air inlet port is open,
- wherein, in operation, when the ambient air inlet port is closed and the docking station return air inlet port is closed and air is travelling through a section of the downstream portion which includes the valve assembly, air flows in a direction through the section and a plane that is transverse to the direction extends through the first valve member and the second valve member.
5 more elements
A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- (a) a surface cleaning mode air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a suction motor and an air treatment member provided in the air flow path, wherein the surface cleaning mode air flow path comprises a downstream portion that extends from the air treatment member to the suction motor;
- (b) an evacuation air flow path comprising a first portion extending from an ambient air inlet port to an evacuation air outlet and a second portion extending from a docking station return air inlet port to the clean air outlet;
- and,
- (c) a valve assembly operable to concurrently open an ambient air inlet port and a docking station return air inlet port, the valve assembly comprising:
- (i) a first valve member that is moveable between a surface cleaning mode position in which the docking station return air inlet port is closed and an evacuation mode position in which the docking station return air inlet port is open;
- and,
- (ii) a second valve member that is moveable between a surface cleaning mode position in which the ambient air inlet port is closed and an evacuation mode position in which the ambient air inlet port is open,
- wherein each of the first and second valve members is pivotally mounted to the surface cleaning apparatus, the first valve member pivots in an opening direction when the first valve member moves from the first valve member surface cleaning mode position to the first valve member evacuation mode position, and the second valve member moves in a direction common with the opening direction when the second valve member moves from the second valve member surface cleaning mode position to the second valve member evacuation mode position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.