Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a device for releasable securement to a
central
vacuum system and more specifically to a moveable device having displaceable
conduits
having an outlet adapted for releaseable securement to a central vacuum system
and an
inlet adapted for contacting a floor for receiving debris therein. The
invention also
relates to a novel method of collecting debris with a wall mounted opening in
a central
vacuum system with a moveable device having displaceable conduits.
Background of Invention
The chore of housecleaning and specifically vacuuming has been a constant
irritant
in many households. The inconvenience of having to use traditional vacuums
with
canisters to vacuum up debris especially in the kitchen or bathroom appears to
be a
constant chore. With the advent of central vacuum systems some of the
aforementioned
problems have been alleviated as in the user only has to produce the hose for
the vacuum
instead of traditional vacuum with a cannister.
Central vacuum systems are quite common now in homes and other buildings
requiring regular vacuum cleaning. Prior art cleaning vacuum systems generally
included
standard wall mounted opening to which one end of a hose can be readily
attached.
Quite commonly there is a flap with a rubber sealing means that can be used to
close the
opening and thereby air entry when the air inlet is not in use. The hose
generally as at
one end an outlet adapted to be attached to the opening of the standard wall
mounted unit
which activates a switch by joining two electrical terminals and thereby
closing an
electrical circuit that is connected to the central vacuum source which may be
located in
the garage, basement or the like in a manner well known to those persons
skilled in the
art.
Difficulties with central vacuum systems may occur if there is a small mess
since
it is generally necessary to pull a long hose and hook it up to the central
vacuum system
which is generally inconvenient. This inconvenience is more pronounced in
kitchens,
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dining rooms or bathrooms since such floors generally have a hard surface such
as wood,
tile, linoleum or the like. Accordingly in such areas an individual may prefer
to pull out
a dustpan and sweep up the mess rather than lugging a long hose.
A number of prior art devices have devised in order to attempt to alleviate
such
problems. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,279,016 relates to a suction inlet
for a central
vacuum system of a building which includes a housing mounted on the floor of a
building
and defining a slot along the floor. The slot is opened and closed and
simultaneously a
vacuum duct connected to the housing is opened and closed by a plug member.
Moreover U.S. Patent No. 5,504,967 relates to a combined inlet structure and
switching device for a central vacuum system which includes a inlet housing
having a
top, bottom and sidewalls defining a vacuum inlet chamber and a front with a
dirt
receiving opening.
Moreover another device is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,408,721 which
relates
to an automatic dustpan apparatus for a central vacuum cleaning system which
has a
hollow body member that is configured for built-in mounting under cabinetry or
in walls
adjacent a floor surface and connection to a conventional central vacuum
cleaning system.
Such prior art devices disclosed in the said patents are generally complicated
structures that need to be built-in a wall or under cabinetry and are
expensive to install.
Applicant herein has filed an improved central vacuum inlet system and method
and installation which is disclosed in Canadian patent application number
2,240,150
which has been laid open on December 20, 1999 as an improvement of the
installed
automatic dustpans.
There is a need however for a device which is removable from a central vacuum
system which is less costly to produce and easier to operate.
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For example U.S. Patent No. 1,041,634 relates to a hose or flexible conduit
which is connected to the intake nipple and provided with a suitable nozzle,
said nozzle
adapted to be moved over the carpet or other surface to be cleaned.
Moreover U.S. Patent No. 3,027,588 relates to a vacuum system having a tube
slideably extended within a sleeve supported with a housing chamber.
Furthermore U.S. Patent No. 3,357,039 illustrates a centralized vacuum system
including a motor with suitable pump and an electrical lines included in the
control
thereof. The system includes suction ducts with terminal ends extending
through the wall
or partition structures of buildings and located adjacent openings in the wall
thereof.
Implements for use in the system may comprise flexible hoses with special head
attachments as disclosed therein.
Furthermore U.S. Patent No. 2,623,234 relates to a cleaning tool forming part
of
the apparatus comprising a plurality of conduit sections telescopingly
arranged with
respect to each other where the end sections are being formed with a reverse
bend
defining a hook look nozzle adapted to be engaged from below over the side
edge of a
gutter.
Finally a permanently mounted vacuum structure is disclosed in a flyer
identified
by VACPAN IIT"'
Summary of the Invention
It is an aspect of this invention to provide a device for releasable
securement to
a central vacuum system comprising displaceable conduit means having an outlet
at one
end thereof adapted for releasable securement to said central vacuum system;
an inlet at
the other end thereof adapted for contact with a floor for receiving debris.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a moveable device for
releaseable
attachment to a wall mounted central vacuum system opening comprising
expandable
conduit means having an outlet at one end thereof adapted to releasably attach
to said
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opening and activate said central vacuum system; an inlet housing defining an
inlet
chamber and a debris receiving opening at the other end thereof adapted to
contact said
floor by moving said expandable conduit means.
It is a further aspect of this invention to provide a method of collecting
debris with
a wall mounted opening in a central vacuum system with a moveable device
having
displaceable conduit means with an outlet and an inlet comprising the steps of
inserting
said outlet of said device into said central vacuum system opening so as to
activate said
central vacuum system; adjusting said displaceable conduit means so that said
outlet of
said device contacts a floor; sweeping debris into said inlet of said moveable
device
through said displaceable conduit means and outlet and into said central
vacuum system.
Brief Description of Drawing
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention illustrating
the
displaceable conduit means.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of figure 1 with the conduit means displaced
relative
one another.
Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of figure 1.
Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of another embodiment of the invention
showing an open bottom surface.
Fig. 5 illustrates the invention in use.
Fig. Sa illustrates an opening into the central vacuum system.
Fig. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 7 is an exploded view of figure 1.
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Best Mode for Carryin~ Out the Invention
In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the
specification and the drawings with the same respective reference numerals.
The
drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may
have been
exaggerated in order to more clearly depict certain features of the invention.
Various embodiments of the invention have now been described in detail. Since
changes in and/or additions to the above-described best mode may be made
without
departing from the nature, spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is
not to be
limited to said details.
The drawings herein illustrate a device 2 for releasable securement to a
central
vacuum system 4 which is generally well known to those persons skilled in the
art. More
particularly the central vacuum system 4 comprises a standard central vacuum
wall
mounted opening 6 to which one end or outlet 8 of the device 2 is releasably
secured or
releasably attached to the opening 6. Generally speaking the central vacuum
system 4
includes a flap 10 which can be used to open and close the opening 6 thereby
preventing
air entry into the opening 6 when it is not in use. The opening 6 generally
includes two
electrical terminals 12 which may comprise of screws extending into the
opening. The
terminals 12 are attached to wires 14 which lead to the vacuum motor (not
shown) that
may be located in a garage or basement or the like. The outlet 8 of the device
2 includes
means 16 for closing or activating circuit, namely, the terminals 12 so as to
activate the
central vacuum system source in a manner well known to those persons skilled
in the art.
Once such example of the activating means 16 comprises a metal collar 16
circumferentially embracing the outlet 8 of device 2. Once the outlet 8 is
inserted into
the opening 6 the central vacuum system motor is activated so as to produce a
vacuum.
The moveable device 2 includes displaceable conduit means 18. The displaceable
conduit means are expandable conduit means which are adapted to adjust the
length of
the conduit means 2 in a manner to be more fully particularized herein.
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In particular the expandable or displaceable conduit means comprise a first
conduit
20 and a second conduit 22 wherein second conduit is telescopingly slidably
moveable
relative said the first conduit 20 so as to adjust the length of the conduit
means 2.
In particular the first conduit 20 as associated or attached at one end the
outlet 8
adapted for releasable attachment to the opening 6 and activation of the
central vacuum
system as described above. Moreover the second conduit 22 includes an inlet 24
at one
end thereof for contact with a floor 26 for receiving debris 28.
The inlet 24 further comprises an inlet housing 30 having an upper wall 32 and
sidewalls 34 defining a debris receiving opening 36 in said housing 30 for.
receiving
debris 28. The inlet housing 30 in one embodiment does not include a bottom
wall as
shown in Figure 4 and in another embodiment may include a bottom wall 40 as
shown
in Figure 3.
The bottom wall 40 may include a chamfer 42 so as to assist in sweeping debris
28 within the debris receiving opening 36.
In the embodiment where the inlet chamber 30 is defined by upper wall 32 and
sidewalk 34 the body edge 44 of the sidewalk may optionally include sealing
means 46
to contact the floor 26. However most instances it may not be necessary to
include the
sealing means 44 as good results have been experienced without utilizing same.
Accordingly the device 2 may be easily and quickly utilized to collect debris
28
within a wall mounted opening 6 of a central vacuum system 4 by inserting the
outlet 8
of device 2 into the central vacuum system opening 6 so as to activate the
central vacuum
system as described above. Thereafter the conduit means 22 may be displaced,
moved
or telescoped so that the inlet 24 of the displaceable conduit means 18
contacts the floor
as described above. Thereafter the debris 28 may be swept into the inlet 24 of
the debris
opening 36 through the first and second telescoping conduits 20 and 22
respectively into
the outlet 8 and into the opening 6 of the central vacuum system.
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Accordingly the device 2 described above illustrates a relatively short device
which may be easily inserted into the opening 6 of a central vacuum system 4
and
removed therefrom when finished. Moreover the telescoping or displaceable
feature of
the device 2 accommodates the variations in the height H of the opening from
the floor
26 so as to ensure that the outlet 24 is in contact with the floor 26
notwithstanding that
there may be slight variations in the height H of the opening 6. Furthermore
once the
minor mess has been cleaned up the device 2 may be easily removed from the
central
vacuum system 4 for storage or for that matter may be moved to another opening
6 in
another room.
Generally speaking the height H of the opening 6 of a central vacuum system
from
the floor may be placed anywhere from 12 to 24 inches, by way of example only.
The displaceable conduit means 18 include means for permitting the easy
slidable
movement of the first conduit 20 with respect to conduit 22 may include
locking tabs or
other means for preventing the conduits 22 and 24 from being separated from
each other.
For example one of the conduits 20 or 22 may include a slot which is adapted
to receive
a rivet or the like attached to the other conduit slidably retained within the
slot.
Alternatively one could use a collar (not shown) that has an internal thread
adapted to
threadably engage external threads located at the larger diamter or conduit
22; therefore
as one threads the collar onto conduit 22, the collar would compress the neck
of conduit
22 and lock the conduits together.
In another embodiment described herein the displaceable conduit means 18 or
expandable conduit means 18 may comprise a flexible tube 50 as shown in Figure
6.
Moreover the telescoping conduit 20 may include an elbow 52 which attaches to
the conduit 20 and outlet 8. More particularly the elbow 52 may be a separate
piece such
as a 90 degree elbow to attach to conduit 20 at one end and conduit 21 at the
other end.
Alternatively a one piece could be used. Furthermore the housing 30 may
include at the
upper wall 32 thereof a circular upstanding wall 54 which is adapted to engage
an end
of the second telescoping conduit 22 as best illustrated in the drawings.
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Moreover the flexible tube 50 may be utilized in place of the telescoping
conduits
20 and 22.
The activating means 16 is comprised of electrical conducting material such as
steel or the like whereas all of the other components of the device 2 may be
comprised
of plastic or the like.
Although the preferred embodiment as well as the operation and use have been
specifically described in relation to the drawings, it should be understood
that variations
in the preferred embodiment could be achieved by a person skilled in the trade
without
departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed herein.
