# US 5,704,090 A · Bleed for a vacuum cleaner

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- Number: US 5,704,090 A
- Document ID: US5704090A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/525,414
- Filed: 1995-09-08
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1995-09-08
- Assignees: Shop Vac Corporation
- Inventors: Robert C. Berfield
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704090A

## CPC

- A47L 9/0072: {Mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action}
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)

## Abstract

A vacuum cleaner attachment for use in a suction line comprises a bleed section having an aperture extending into an interior portion of the attachment and a collar disposed in the bleed section. The collar is positionable in only a finite number of stable orientations wherein the collar covers the aperture in a first orientation and exposes the aperture in a second orientation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vacuum cleaner attachment for use in a suction line, comprising:
a bleed section having a first aperture and a second aperture wherein the first aperture and the second aperture extend into an interior portion of the attachment; and
a collar disposed in the bleed section and positionable in only a finite number of stable orientations wherein the collar covers the first aperture in a first orientation, exposes the first aperture in a second orientation, and exposes the second aperture in a third orientation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 1, wherein the first and second apertures differ in size.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 1, wherein the collar may be disposed in a fourth stable orientation covering the first and second apertures.

### Claim 4

A vacuum cleaner attachment having a longitudinal central axis and adapted for use in a suction line, comprising:
a bleed section having an outer surface of non-circular cross section including a plurality of sides each separated from adjacent sides by corner portions and wherein an aperture is disposed in one side and extending into an interior portion of the attachment; and
a resilient collar disposed in the bleed section having an inner surface closely conforming to the outer surface of the bleed section, wherein the collar is deformable to permit rotation thereof about the longitudinal central axis of the attachment between a first orientation exposing the aperture and a second orientation covering the aperture.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 4, wherein the bleed section has at least four sides and at least four corner portions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vacuum cleaner wand of claim 5, wherein the outer surface of the bleed section further includes a second aperture disposed in another side and extending into an interior portion of the attachment wherein the collar can assume a third orientation exposing the second aperture.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 6, wherein the first and second apertures differ in size.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 7, wherein the collar can assume a fourth orientation covering the first and second apertures.

### Claim 9

A vacuum cleaner attachment having a longitudinal central axis and adapted for use in a suction line, comprising:
a bleed section including a base wall which is symmetric in cross section about the longitudinal central axis and comprising first through fourth sides separated from one another by first through fourth corner portions, wherein the bleed section further includes first and second axially spaced side walls disposed on first and second ends of the base wall;
an aperture disposed on one of the first through fourth sides and extending into an interior portion of the attachment; and
a C-shaped collar disposed about and embracing the base wall between the axially spaced side walls and having three legs each of which substantially conforms to each of the first through fourth sides wherein the collar is rotatable to first through fourth stable orientations and wherein the collar exposes the aperture in the first stable orientation and covers the aperture in the second through fourth stable orientations.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 9, wherein the C-shaped collar further includes first and second partial leg portions substantially conforming to the first through fourth corner portions.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 9, wherein the bleed section further includes a second aperture disposed on a second side and extending into the interior portion of the attachment and wherein the collar may be disposed in a third stable orientation exposing the second aperture.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vacuum cleaner attachment of claim 11, wherein the first and second apertures differ in size.