US 4,225,999 A · Multi-motor suction cleaner construction

Abstract

A multi-motor suction cleaner of the upright type having a power-driven rotary brush operated in the usual manner with a low-suction, high-volume airflow produced by a typical first motor-fan unit in the cleaner suction nozzle housing to carry out a usual floor, rug or carpet cleaning operation. The cleaner is converted to efficient off-the-floor cleaning merely by selectively uncovering an opening in a closed suction chamber carried by the cleaner containing a second motor-fan unit producing high-suction, low-volume airflow. A converter member mounted on one end of a typical flexible attachment hose is inserted in the uncovered opening. This automatically energizes the second motor-fan unit. The selective and alternate operation of the two motor-fan units provides a single cleaner that can carry out most efficiently every cleaning operation heretofore requiring both a canister and an upright cleaner to perform. In addition, the cleaner is convertible to blower operation by connecting the converter member to a blower receptacle also provided for the closed compartment.

Claims32

Dependent claims

Multi-motor suction cleaner construction including

(a) a suction nozzle housing,
(b) a first motor-fan unit in the housing in communication with the suction nozzle,
(c) an operating handle for the cleaner connected to the housing,
(d) a closed suction compartment carried by the handle,
(e) dust bag means removably mounted in the compartment,
(f) airflow passage means connecting said first motor-fan unit with the dust bag means,
(g) said passage means including a converter receptacle mounted in the compartment,
(h) a second motor-fan unit mounted in the compartment having a suction inlet in communication with the suction compartment,
(i) converter means including a flexible hose having a connector end,
(j) the converter means connector end being removably connected with the converter receptacle and when so connected simultaneously blocking communication through said passage means between said first motor-fan unit and the dust bag means and establishing communication between the flexible hose and the dust bag means,
(k) and means including said connector end and first and second switch means for selectively, alternatively, operating the first or second motor-fan unit;
(l) whereby the second motor-fan unit is operated and the first motor-fan unit is disabled when the hose connector end is connected with the converter receptacle.

9 more elements

A converter device for an upright suction cleaner of the type having a suction nozzle housing provided with a first motor-fan unit in the housing;

the device including,
(A) walls forming a suction compartment adapted to be mounted on a cleaner housing;
(b) a second motor-fan unit mounted in the compartment having a suction inlet in communication with the suction compartment;
(c) airflow passage means extending through a compartment wall having one end in the compartment and a second end outside the compartment;
(d) the passage means also including a converter receptacle in the compartment intermediate the passage means ends;
(e) dust bag means in the compartment removably mounted on said one passage means end;
(f) the other passage means end being adapted to be connected to a cleaner suction nozzle housing;
(g) converter means including a flexible hose;
(h) the converter means being removably connected with said converter receptacle, and when so connected simultaneously blocking communication through said passage means between the first and second passage means ends and establishing communication between said flexible hose through said dust bag means with said compartment;
(i) and means including second normally open switch means actuated upon connecting the converter means with the converter receptacle to enable energizing said second motor-fan unit.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-motor suction cleaner construction

Life of this patent

Multi-motor suction cleaner construction

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32