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US 5,093,956 AGranted
Snap-together housing
AssigneeRoyal Appliance Mfg. Co.
InventorsCraig M. Saunders, James J. Kopco, Robert O. Wraight, Paul D. Stephens, Michael F. Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snap-together vacuum cleaner housing comprises at least three discrete pieces which can be assembled and disassembled without the use of adhesive, fasteners, or tools. A lock ring comprises two semicircles of different radii. The lock ring encircles discrete portions of the housing and joins them together.
Claims26
A vacuum cleaner housing comprising:
- at least three discrete pieces, the pieces selectively assemblable to form the housing;
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing pieces, the assembly means comprising integrally formed parts of the housing pieces;
- and
- a collar, the collar encircling two discrete pieces of the housing, the collar received by a third discrete piece of the housing, the collar acting as a bushing to allow movement by the two discrete pieces of the housing relative to the third discrete piece of the housing.
1 more element
A vacuum cleaner housing comprising:
- at least three discrete pieces, the pieces selectively assemblable to form the housing;
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing pieces, the assembly means comprising integrally formed parts of the housing pieces;
- and,
- a lock ring having a bore therethrough, the lock ring being operative to selectively join together at least three discrete pieces of the housing, the bore comprising a first semicircle of a first radius and a second semicircle of a second radius, the first radius being less than the second radius, at least a portion of one of the discrete pieces of the housing being encircled by the lock ring, that portion having a wall thickness and being in the form of an arc of a circle, the wall thickness being substantially equal to the difference between the first radius and the second radius, the first semicircle and the portion of the discrete piece of the housing that is received within the bore of the lock ring cooperating to selectively receive a collar.
1 more element
A vacuum cleaner housing, the housing comprising:
- first, second, and third housing members, each housing member able to be selectively and repeatedly assembled and disassembled from the other housing members without damage by manually elastically deforming a portion of one of the housing members so that the housing members snap together, wherein said three housing members when assembled cooperate to enclose an associated dirt bag;
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing members, said assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing members, the assembly means comprising:
- a first type element, the first type element being an elongated extension having first and second ends, the first end of the first type element being generally pointed and having a ledge, the second end being fixedly attached to the first housing member;
- and,
- a second type element, the second type element being mounted on the second housing member and having a lip which extends outwardly from the second type element and selectively engages the ledge of the first type element, thereby securing the first housing member to the second housing member.
2 more elements
A vacuum cleaner housing, the housing comprising:
- first, second, and third housing members, each housing member able to be selectively and repeatedly assembled and disassembled from the other housing members without damage by manually elastically deforming a portion of one of the housing members so that the housing members snap together, wherein said three housing members when assembled cooperate to enclose an associated dirt bag;
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing members, said assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing members, the assembly means comprising:
- a first tab at a first end of the first housing member;
- a second tab at a second end of the first housing member;
- a first slot in a first end of the second housing member;
- and,
- a second slot in a second end of the second housing member, the first tab selectively receivable in the first slot and the second tab selectively receivable in the second slot upon manual deflection of the first housing member.
4 more elements
A vacuum cleaner housing, the housing comprising:
- first, second, and third housing members, each housing member able to be selectively and repeatedly assembled and disassembled from the other housing members without damage by manually elastically deforming a portion of one of the housing members so that the housing members snap together, wherein said three housing members when assembled cooperated to enclose an associated dirt bag;
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing members, said assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing members, the assembly means comprising:
- a shelf extending inwardly toward the interior of a first housing member, the shelf fixed to an interior wall of the first housing, the shelf having ramped sides which slope upwardly and inwardly toward a center of the first housing member;
- a recess in the exterior wall of a second housing member, the recess selectively receiving the shelf of the first housing member.
1 more element
A vacuum cleaner housing, the housing comprising:
- first, second, and third housing members, each housing member able to be selectively and repeatedly assembled and disassembled from the other housing members without damage by manually elastically deforming a portion of one of the housing members so that the housing members snap together, wherein said three housing members when assembled cooperate to enclose an associated dirt bag;
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing members, said assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing members, and,
- a collar, the collar encircling two discrete pieces of the housing, the collar received by a third discrete piece of the housing, the collar acting as a bushing to allow movement by the two discrete pieces of the housing relative to the third discrete piece of the housing.
A vacuum cleaner housing, the housing comprising:
- first, second, third housing members, each housing member able to be selectively and repeatedly assembled and disassembled from the other housing member without damage by manually elastically deforming a portion of one of the housing members so that the housing members snap together, wherein said three housing members when assembled cooperate to enclose an associated dirt bag;
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing members, said assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing members, the vacuum cleaner being an upright vacuum cleaner and further comprising:
- a handle secured to one of said three housing members, said handle enabling the vacuum cleaner to be pushed back and forth over floors.
A vacuum cleaner housing, the housing comprising:
- a front panel member, a back housing member, and a front motor shell half housing member, the back housing including a back motor shell half which cooperates with the front motor shell half to receive and secure an associated motor, each housing member able to be selectively and repeatedly assembled and disassembled from the other housing members without damage by manually elastically deforming a portion of one of the housing members so that the housing members snap together;
- and,
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the housing members, the assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing members.
A vacuum cleaner housing comprising:
- a primary housing member,
- a panel, the panel being selectively repeatedly manually elastically deformable without damage, the panel cooperating with the primary housing member to form a chamber suitable for selectively receiving an associated disposable dirt receptacle;
- and,
- assembly means for allowing assembly of the panel to the primary housing member, the assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing member and the panel.
1 more element
A vacuum cleaner housing, the housing members comprising:
- a nozzle base;
- a nozzle guard;
- a nozzle cover;
- a lock ring having a bore therethrough, the lock ring selectively receiving a portion of the nozzle base therethrough;
- and,
- assembly means for allowing assembly and disassembly thereof, the assembly means comprising integrally-formed parts of the housing members, the nozzle cover and nozzle guard being selectively affixed to the nozzle base via said assembly means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.