Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VACUUM SYSTEM ATTACHMENT FOR CLEANING HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application .
No. 60/585,197, filed July 2, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby
expressly
incorporated by reference, and priority from the filing date of which is
hereby claimed.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to the cleaning of lint filters used in clothes
dryers,
and more particularly, to an attachment for built-in home vacuum cleaner
system
designed to clean the lint filter of clothes dryers. This attachment can also
be used to
remove dirt and debris from furnace filters, dust pans, window screens, mops,
brooms,
shoe soles, ash trays, and other household items.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A clothes dryer produces lint during the drying process, and the lint
generally
accumulates in the dryer lint filter. To prevent build up and to maintain
dryer efficiency,
the lint must be periodically removed from the filter. In order to remove the
lint,
typically an owner will manually scrape the lint from the lint filter and then
discard it.
This process can be messy and incomplete. When the lint is scraped from the
filter,
particles of lint may escape the compacted accumulation of lint, leaving a
mess beneath
the filter. Moreover, by merely scraping the lint with one's fingers or some
other device,
not all the lint particles may be successfully removed from the filter. Thus,
there is a
need for a device that may be used to successfully clean lint filters without
creating a
mess. Such a device is also needed for cleaning other hard-to-clean household
items,
such as furnace filters, dust pans, window screens, mops, brooms, shoe soles,
and ash
trays. However, such a device must be convenient to use and inexpensive, such
that the
benefits of using such a device are not outweighed by cost or inconvenience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of a vacuum system attachment for cleaning lint filters and
other
household items formed in accordance with the present invention includes a
hollow
insertion member having an insertion opening. An elongated, hollow nozzle
member,
which defines a tip end and~a tip opening, adjoins the hollow insertion member
to
cooperatively form a vacuum system attachment. Then, the insertion member is
inserted
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into a vacuum system outlet, and a lint filter or other household item is
passed over the tip
end to draw the lint or dirt into the nozzle and then into the vacuum system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention
will
become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by
reference to
the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is perspective view of a vacuum system attachment secured to a wall
outlet for a built-in home vacuum system;
FIGURE 2 is a side perspective view of a fully assembled vacuum system
attachment as shown in FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a vacuum system attachment as
shown in FIGURE 1; and
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGURE 1, the present invention relates to a vacuum system
attachment 8 for cleaning clothes dryer lint filters or other households items
9, such as
furnace filters, dust pans, window screens, mops, brooms, shoe soles, and ash
trays. The
attachment 8 may be used in conjunction with a built-in home vacuum system 5,
which
includes a central vacuum unit 6 and a network of vacuum lines 7 extending
from the
central unit to outlets 13 mounted in the wall throughout the home. Thus, the
attachment 8 may be inserted into a wall outlet 13 near a clothes dryer 15
such that it may
be conveniently used to remove lint, dirt, or other items from the lint filter
9 or other
household item. After inserting the attachment 8 into the wall outlet 13, the
clothes dryer
filter 9, for example, may be removed from the clothes dryer 15 and passed
over the tip
end 14 of the attachment 8. As the filter 9 passes over the tip end 14, the
lint from the
filter 9 is drawn into the attachment 8 and then into the vacuum system
central unit 6.
Referring now to FIGURE 2, the attachment 8 includes a hollow, round insertion
member 10. The round insertion member 10 may include a round insertion opening
11.
The insertion member 10 may be inserted into a vacuum system wall outlet 13 to
activate
the vacuum system attachment 8. Therefore, it is preferable that the shape of
the
insertion member 10 generally conforms to the shape of the wall outlet 13.
Assuming
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that most outlets 13 are round in shape, the insertion member 10 is preferably
round.
However, other shapes and forms may also be appreciated.
The attachment 8 may also comprise an elongated, flattened nozzle member 12.
The flattened nozzle member 12 may be hollow to allow air, lint, dirt, or
other debris to
pass through the flattened nozzle member 12. The inside surface of the
flattened nozzle
member 12 may generally conform to the shape of the exterior surface of the
flattened
nozzle member 12. The flattened nozzle member 12 may be joined with the round
insertion member 10 to form a complete attachment 8. Moreover, a metal ring 32
may be
disposed between the round insertion member 10 and the flattened nozzle member
12.
The metal ring 32 may be used to activate the built-in home vacuum system 5
when the
attachment 8 is mounted into the wall outlet 13.
Refernng now to FIGURE 3, the round insertion member 10 may further include
an insertion portion 18, an attachment portion 20, and an intermediate portion
22
therebetween. The insertion portion 18 may be greater in diameter than the
intermediate
portion 22, and the intermediate portion 22 may be greater in diameter than
the
attachment portion 20. The round attachment portion 20 may additionally
include a
raised circumferential rim 24 that can be used to secure an attachment device
to the round
insertion member 10.
The elongated flattened nozzle member 12 may include a flat nozzle end
portion 26 and a round nozzle attachment end portion 28. The flat nozzle end
portion 26
may transition smoothly from the round nozzle attachment end 28 to
cooperatively form
the elongated flattened nozzle member 12. The flattened nozzle member 12 may
include
a tip end 14 defining a tip end opening 16. The tip end 14 may be at an angle
relative to
the length of the attachment 8, or the tip end 14 may be perpendicular to the
length of the
attachment 8. The tip end opening 16 may generally conform to the shape of the
tip
end 14.
The elongated flattened nozzle member 12 may be joined with the round
insertion
member 10 to form a complete attachment 8. In one embodiment, the round nozzle
attachment end 28 portion may contain a circumferential groove 30 on the
inside surface
of the round nozzle attachment end 28. The groove 30 may generally conform to
the size
and shape of the raised circumferential rim 24. The round insertion member 10
may then
be mated with the flattened nozzle member 12 such that the outside surface of
the round
attachment portion 20 engages the inside surface of the round nozzle
attachment end
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portion 28. When the round attachment portion 20 engages the round nozzle
attachment
end portion 28, the rim portion 20 may engage the groove 30 to create a snap
fit.
Alternatively, the round nozzle attachment end portion 28 may be formed
without
a groove 30. Without a groove 30, the round attachment portion 20 may engage
the
round nozzle attachment end 28 to form a friction fit.
A metal ring 32 may encircle the round intermediate portion 22 of the round
insertion member 10. Thus, the ring 32 may be disposed between the round
insertion
member 10 and the flattened nozzle member 12 when they are joined together.
The
ring 32 activates the central vacuum system when the attachment 8 is plugged
into the
wall outlet. It is to be understood that in some uses the metal ring 32 is not
necessary.
The attachment 8 may be composed of plastic, metal, or other material.
Moreover, the present invention also contemplates not having a flattened
portion 12, but
having the entire length of the attachment 8 round in cross-section so as to
be in the shape
of a round tube. Also, the relative lengths of the round insertion member 10
and the
flattened nozzle member 12 may vary in length such that the attachment 8 is a
preferred
distance from the wall 34 when secured in the wall outlet 13. It is
contemplated that the
attachment 8 be at least six or eight inches long (or longer) so that the tip
end 14 is far
enough away from the wall 34 at which the vacuum outlet 13 is mounted that the
filter 9
to be cleaned can be conveniently passed over the tip end 14 of the attachment
8 without
hitting or otherwise interfering with the wall.
Rather than being created separately from the round insertion member 10, the
flattened nozzle member 12 may be created in unity with the round insertion
member 10
from one piece of material. In other words, the flattened nozzle member 12 may
simply
extend away from the round insertion member 10 to form one complete vacuum
system attachment 8. Moreover, the inside surface of the flattened nozzle
member 12
may extend smoothly from the inside surface of the insertion member 10 such
that air,
lint, dirt, or other debris may pass without obstruction between the flattened
nozzle
member 12 and the round insertion member 10.
Alternatively, the vacuum system attachment 8 may comprise more than two
components. For example, the round insertion member 10 may include a separate
insertion portion 18, an attachment portion 20, and an intermediate portion 22
that are
engageable with one another to cooperatively form a round insertion member 10.
Likewise, the elongated flattened nozzle member 12 may include at least two
components
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that are connectable to form a complete elongated flattened nozzle member 12.
The
vacuum system attachment 8 may be further divided into even more subcomponents
without detracting from the benefits of the invention.
FIGURE 4 illustrates a further embodiment a the present invention incorporated
into a length of flexible hose. In this regard, the components of the present
invention
shown in FIGURE 4 that are the same or similar to the components of the
embodiment of
the present invention shown in FIGURES 1-3 are designated by corresponding
part
numbers of the 100 series. For example, the attachment is designated as 108,
as opposed
to 8.
The attachment 108 includes a hollow insertion member 110 having a circular
interior opening 111. The insertion member 110 may be inserted into a vacuum
system
wall outlet, for example, wall outlet 13 shown in FIGURE 1, to activate the
vacuum
system attachment 108. Therefore, preferably, the shape of the insertion
member 110
generally conforms to the shape of the wall outlet 13.
The insertion member is connected to one end of an elongate flexible hose 100.
The hose can be of various constructions, but ideally is flexible as well as
durable for
extended use. Those hose 110 can be of various lengths, as desired.
As in attachment 8, the attachment 108 includes a metal ring 132 disposed
between the end of the insertion member and the adjacent end of the hose 110.
The metal
ring may be used to activate the vacuum system 5 when the attachment 108 is
inserted
into the wall outlet 13.
In addition, the attachment 108 may include an elongate, flattened nozzle
member 112 similar to nozzle member 12 discussed above. The flattened nozzle
member 12 is built into the adjacent end of hose 100, so as to fixably attach
thereto. As
in the flattened nozzle 12 discussed above, a nozzle 112 is hollow to allow
air, lint, dirt,
and other debris to pass through the nozzle member. The inside surface of the
flattened
nozzle member 112 transitions smoothly from a circular cross section to a
flattened cross
section such that air, lint, dirt, or other debris may pass without
obstruction to the
flattened nozzle member 112 and into the hose 100.
As a further alternative, the attachment 118 of FIGURE 4 may be constructed
similarly to the insertion member 10 shown in FIGURE 3. To avoid repetition,
such
description will not be repeated here.
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While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and
described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein
without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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