Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02415594 2002-12-31
TITLE OF THE INVENTION: Multifunctional terminal for
external suction tubes of vacuum-operated electrical
domestic appliances.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention re7.ates to a multifunctional
terminal for external suction tubes of vacuum-operated
electrical domestic appliances.
It is known that: the electrical domestic
appliances used for cleaning are provided with tubes
which connect the suction body to a number of
accessories that have been appropriately designed and
produced for various uses.
These accessories essentially comprise at least
one nozzle having a narrow opening and a brush provided
with a hollow central body and with a mouthpiece to be
used on fabrics and "quilted" materials.
Other, even more specialized accessories may of
course be provided, but the basic equipment is
substantially as described above.
These accessories are used alternatively, being
pressure-fitted from time to time on the free end of
the external suction tube; when they are not in use,
they are normally put away by the user in an
appropriate compartment provided in the suction body of
the electrical domestic: appliance or, in the absence of
such a compartment, are kept within the box
constituting the packaging of the electrical domestic
appliance; in other cases, they are placed on shelves
or the like normally used for storage.
In all cases described above, the accessories are
inconvenient to use because the user must, on each
occasion, find the accessory to be used, remove the one
previously used and put it away and fit the one now
selected.
In the event that the accessories are put away in
a place dedicated to the purpose, finding the accessory
or accessories to be used i~; a very easy task, but, in
the event that the accessories are put away in
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temporary and unexpected places, time is wasted on
finding them and this added to the time required for
the various removal and assembly manoeuvres.
Even in the event that the accessories are put
away in places intended for t'~~at purpose, they are not
in any event immediately avai:Lable and the user has to
discontinue the operation of the electrical domestic
appliance on each occasion until he has been able to
replace the accessory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to
eliminate the disadvantages of. the prior art complained
of above by selecting a multifunctional terminal for
external suction tubes of vacuum-operated electrical
domestic appliances which permits users to have
immediate manual access to the basic accessories
normally provided with the abovementioned vacuum-
operated electrical domestic appliances.
These objects are all achieved by the present
multifunctional terminal for external suction tubes of
vacuum-operated electrical domestic appliances, in
which it comprises a tubular body forming a nozzle-type
mouth at a distal end and a cylindrical mouth at the
opposite, proximal end capable of being coupled by
pressure-fitting to the head of the said external
suction tube, at least one pair of parallel guides
formed in diametrically opposite positions on the
external surface of the said tubular body, at least one
cleaning accessory compris:Lng an active end and,
opposite to the latter, a tubular base provided with
means for twist-and-slide coupling to the said parallel
guides for longitudinal sl;_ding therein between the
said proximal end and distal end, and vice versa, of
the said tubular body and the rotation of the said
accessory at the distal end of the said guides for the
coaxial fitting of the said base on the said distal end
of the said tubular body, and means for retaining the
said cleaning accessory in the substantially proximal
position of non-use of the said guides.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features and advantages of the present
invention will be more apparent from the detailed
description of a preferred, though not exclusive, form
of embodiment of a multifunctional terminal for
external suction tubes of vacuum-operated electrical
domestic appliances illustrated by way of indication,
but without implying any limitation, in the attached
pages of drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an overall lateral view of the
multifunctional terminal according to the invention,
provided with two accessories shown in the position of
non-use;
Figure 2 is a cross section through the
multifunctional terminal in 1=he plane marked II-II in
Figure l;
Figure 3 is a cross section of the multifunctional
terminal in a plane marked :LI:L-III in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a detail of a longitudinal section of
the multifunctional terminal in a plane marked IV-IV in
figure 3;
Figure 5 shows the multifunctional terminal with a
first brush-type accessory fitted in the position of
use;
Figure 6 shows the multifunctional terminal in
partial section at the distal end, the movement for
fitting the brush-type accessory according to Figure 5
being shown in broken lines; and
Figure 7 again shows the multifunctional terminal
in partial section at the distal end, on which is
fitted a second mouthpiece-type cleaning accessory for
quilted materials and fabrics together with, in broken
lines, the movement for the fitting thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
INVENTION
With particular reference to the said figures, 1
globally designates a multifunctional terminal for
external suction tubes 2 with which vacuum-operated
electrical domestic. appliances are normally equipped,
CA 02415594 2002-12-31
such as vacuum cleaners and electrir_al brooms, these
not being illustrated because they are known.
The terminal 1 essentially comprises a tubular
body 3 which is preferably rectilinear and forms a
nozzle-type mouth 4 at one, distal end 5 and a
cylindrical mouth 6 at the opposite, proximal end 7,
susceptible of allowing the: coupling by pressure-
fitting of the abovementioned distal end 5 to the head
of the external suction tube 2.
Along the flanks of the tubular body 3, whilst
specifically on the external surface thereof, are made
two pairs of guides 8 which are parallel and
diametrically opposite one another.
The terminal 1, in the preferred form of
embodiment, is provided with two cleaning accessories,
a brush-type accessory 9 and a mouthpiece-type
accessory 10 that can be used on "quilted" materials
and fabrics.
Each of the accessor_Les 9 and 10 comprises an
active end 11 and, opposite thereto, a base 12 which is
likewise tubular and p2-ovid.ec~ with means 13 for twist
and-slide coupling to the two pairs of parallel guides
8; the means 13 permit. the longitudinal sliding of the
accessories 9 and 10 along t:he abovementioned pairs of
parallel guides 8 between the said proximal end 7 and
distal end 5 and vice versa.
When one of the accessories 9 and 10 reaches the
distal end 5 of the pairs of guides 8, it can rotate in
order to be fitted by its base 12 onto the nozzle-type
distal end 5 of the tubular body 3.
Provided at the distal end 7 of the latter are
means 14 for securing both, or alternatively one, of
the cleaning accessories 9 and 10 when these are not in
use by the user.
The two pairs of guides 8 are formed by respective
parallel ribs 15 projecting outwards from the
perimetral surface of th~~ body 3, diametrically
opposite to one another and joined at their ends by a
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curved closure section: the said perimetral surface
forms, together with the said guides 8, blind holes.
The twist-and-side coupling means 13 of the bases
12 of the cleaning accessories 9 and 10 comprise, for
each accessory, a pair of parallel brackets 16 which
project from the bases 12, with no substantial break in
continuity, and are susceptible of encompassing the
diametrically opposed guides 8.
From the internal surfaces of the brackets 16
there project, orthogonally thereto, two respective
cylindrical buttons 17 ~~oaxia7_ly facing one another and
capable of engagement in the guides 8 or blind holes.
The brackets 1~ exhibit, in plan view,
substantially the shape of a scaling triangle with
uniform vertices 18 coinciding with the respective ends
opposite to the base 1'?; the said vertices 18 and the
cylindrical buttons are disposed eccentrically relative
to a theoretical perpendicular plan of symmetry of the
base 12, designated "P".
The retention means 14 for retaining each
accessory 9 and 10 :in the proximal position when they
are not in use comprise two pairs of pawls 20
projecting from, solidly fixed to and diametrically
opposite to the external surface of the tubular body 3,
in the position of the proximal ends of the guides 8.
The above mentioned means 14 further comprise,
correspondingly, hollow Beatings 21 for accommodating
the pawls 30, which are made in both the brackets 16 of
each accessory 9 and 10 and form entries provided with
a flare portion 22 having the function of guiding the
fitting and forming, at the point of junction with the
hollow Beatings 21, retenticn teeth 23 over which the
abovementioned pawls 20 can rAook by resilient latching.
In the preferred form of embodiment of the
multifunctional terminal 1., the cross section of the
tubular body 3 is, with t.hE: exception of the section
which defines the sa~.d proximal end 7 for pressure
fitting to the head of the external suction tube 2, of
helixoidal form with at least two rectilinear and
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mutually parallel sections opposite and perpendicular
to the minor diameter, on which the parallel guides 8
are made.
The functioning of the rrmltifunction cap 1 is as
follows: it is fitted in a conventional manner,
specifically by pressure-fitting on the end of an
external tube 2 provided for an electrical domestic
appliance, for example a v~~cuum cleaner, which is
connected to the suction body thereof.
20 When the user has to employ the nozzle-type mouth
4 alone, he withdraws the cleaning accessories 9 and 10
towards the proximal end of i~he guides 8, causing the
buttons 17 with which they are provided at the ends of
the brackets 16 to slide in the said guides until the
hollow Beatings 21 made therein engage by latching onto
the pawls 20, hooking over the retention teeth 23 with
which the abovementi.oned hollow Beatings 21 are
provided.
In this configuration, the cleaning accessories 9
and 10, although remaining at a distance from the
active zone of the nozzle-type mouth 4, are
nevertheless within reach when it is necessary to make
use thereof.
In this case, the user extracts, by exerting light
pressure on the accessory to be used, the seatings 21
from the pawls 30, causing the said accessory to slide
along the longitudinal guides 8 until the buttons 17
come into abutment aga Lnst the end closure sections of
the ribs 15 which constitute the said guides 8; in that
position, the buttons 17 act as a fulcrum for the
rotation of the preselected accessory, until the mouth
of the tubular base i2 thereof is coaxially aligned
with the said nozzle-type mouth 4.
Once the above mentioned alignment has been
completed, the accessory is again caused to move back
along the guides 8 f'or a short distance until the
tubular base 12 engages on the distal end of the
multifunction cap 1.
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The eccentricity of the buttons 17 relative to the
normal plane of symmetr~.~ "P" of the base 12 permits the
free rotation of the accessory, before its final
fitting, there being no interference between the
corners of the nozzle-type me>uth 4 and the perimetral
edges of the base 12.
The accessory fitted on the distal end 5 is
removed by following the opposite procedure: in
practice, by pulling the accessory gently outwards, in
l0 other words causing the buttons 17 to slide until they
again come into abutment against the closure sections
of the ribs 15, the tubular base 12 is first disengaged
from the nozzle-type mouth 4; the accessory is then
rotated outwards and is withdrawn along the guides 8
until the hollowing Beatings 21 of the brackets 16 once
again engage onto respective pins 20, locking the
accessory previously used in that retracted position.
By acting upon the other in the same manner as
described, it is rapidly replaced in the fitted
position of use.
It has been found in practice that the invention
described achieves the proposed objects, in other words
makes it possible to replace the accessories rapidly on
the terminal 1 and have them constantly within reach.
The invention is capable of numerous modifications
and variations, all of whi~~h fall within the scope of
protection as defined by the wording of the claims that
follow.
Moreover, any detail m~iy be replaced by another
technically equivalent detail.
In practice, the mater;als used, and the shapes
and dimensions, may be of any type dictated by
requirements, without thereb;r departing from the scope
of protection of the px-esent invention.
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