Vacuum cleaner suction tool
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorRobert Edward Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner suction tool including a nozzle provided with improved structure for selectively applying high suction to an edge portion of the nozzle such as for improved cleaning of corner and edge areas. The suction control includes a valve adjacent the suction outlet of the nozzle and an operator for selectively positioning the valve to provide selective control of the suction action in the nozzle.
Claims13
In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle defining a suction passage having an inlet and an outlet, and means for sucking dirt laden air through said inlet to said outlet, said inlet of the nozzle defining a mid-portion and an edge portion, an improved means for controlling the suction of the dirt laden air through said inlet portions comprising:
- duct means extending from said edge portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet;
- valve means at said outlet selectively movable between a first position and a second position, said valve means in said first position restricting air flow through said duct to said outlet while permitting unrestricted air flow from said mid-portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet;
- means cooperating with said valve means for causing said valve means in said second position to permit unrestricted air flow through said duct while concurrently providing a preselected reduced air flow from said mid-portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet and preventing full shutoff of said air flow from said mid-portion of the nozzle inlet to said outlet, said reduced air flow being substantially less than said unrestricted air flow through said duct;
- and means for selectively moving said valve means to said first and second positions.
In a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle defining a suction passage having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatably driven surface agitating brush positioned in said suction inlet, and means for sucking dirt laden air through said outlet, said inlet of the nozzle defining a mid-portion and an edge portion, and said outlet of the nozzle defining spaced, adjacent openings, an improved means for controlling the suction of the dirt laden air from said inlet portion through said outlet openings comprising:
- duct means extending from said edge portion of the nozzle inlet to one of said outlet openings;
- means for conducting air from said inlet mid-portion to the other of said outlet openings;
- valve means for controlling said outlet openings for selectively (a) restricting air flow through said one outlet opening while concurrently permitting substantially unrestricted air flow through said other outlet opening from said inlet mid-portion, and (b) permitting unrestricted air flow through said duct;
- means associated with said valve means for effectively positively preventing full shutoff of said air flow from said inlet mid-portion when said valve means is selectively arranged to permit unrestricted air flow through said duct thereby to assure at least a limited air flow from said inlet mid-portion at all times during the operation of the vacuum cleaner, said limited air flow being substantially less than said unrestricted air flow through said duct;
- and valve operator means for selectively positioning said valve means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.