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US 5,467,501 AGranted
Vacuum cleaner with illuminated belt view
AssigneeWhite Consolidated Industries, Inc.
InventorArnold L. Sepke
Life of this patent
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AssigneeWhite Consolidated Industries, Inc.
InventorArnold L. Sepke
Estimating the term…
An illuminated belt view for a vacuum cleaner wherein light is transmitted, via a light pipe, from a remote light source to an area directly underneath a transparent belt view window. The transparent belt view window is formed in the vacuum cleaner hood to allow the operator to observe the operating condition of the belt therein, the belt being operable to transfer rotational motion from a motor output shaft to a rotary brush. Illumination of the belt in the area of the belt view window allows the belt and the operating condition thereof to be observed during low ambient light conditions. Use of light from the light source, which is primarily a headlight, removes the need for an independent light source for the belt view window without significantly decreasing the amount of light which is transmitted to the area in front of the machine. Also, use of a single light source for indicator illumination and headlight functions reduces the energy necessary to operate the vacuum cleaner, the heat produced by the vacuum cleaner, and manufacturing and maintenance costs by minimizing the number of light bulbs to be installed and replaced.
A vacuum cleaner comprising a floor engaging unit and light communication means, said floor engaging unit including a hood and a base, a light source having a length dimension and being mounted within said floor engaging unit and being adapted to illuminate an area in front of the vacuum cleaner, said light communication means comprising a light pipe located within said floor engaging unit adjacent said light source and adapted to transmit a portion of light produced by the light source to a secondary area which is remote from the light source, said light pipe collecting said portion of light from a substantial portion of the length of said light source, said light pipe having a longitudinal axis whereby the portion of light from said light source enters said light pipe in a direction generally perpendicular to said axis and is thereafter transmitted along said axis toward said secondary area, said secondary area being within the floor engaging unit and being visible to a user from an exterior thereof.
A vacuum cleaner comprising a floor engaging unit, said floor engaging unit including a hood, a base, a rotary brush mounted within the floor engaging unit and adapted to rotatably engage a surface to be cleaned, a light pipe, and a light source, wherein at least a portion of the hood is transparent and light from said light source is transmitted by said light pipe to an interior portion of the floor engaging unit which is remote from said light source, said light pipe having a longitudinal axis whereby the portion of light from said light source enters said light pipe in a direction transverse to said axis and is thereafter transmitted along said axis toward said interior portion, said interior portion having a plurality of operating conditions and being visible from an exterior of the floor engaging unit via the transparent portion of the hood, whereby illumination of the interior portion of the floor engaging unit by light transmitted through the light pipe from the light source allows an operator of the vacuum cleaner to determine the operating condition of the interior portion in low ambient light conditions.
A vacuum cleaner lighting system, comprising a light source, a vacuum cleaner accessory indicator remote and isolated from said light source, and means for transmitting a portion of light produced by the light source to the vacuum cleaner accessory indicator to allow an operating condition of an accessory to be determined during low ambient light conditions, said light transmitting means comprising a light pipe having a longitudinal axis and wherein the portion of light from said light source enters said light pipe in a direction transverse to said axis and is thereafter transmitted along said axis toward said accessory indicator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.