Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02576132 2007-02-13
61935-205D
PIVOTING HANDLE AND CONTROL ARRANGEMENT
FOR A FLOOR CARE APPLIANCE
This is a divisional application of Canadian Patent Application
No. 2,469,580 filed June 1, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Generally, the invention relates to controls. Particularly, the invention
relates to a
pivoting handle and control arrangement for a floor care appliance such as a
vacuum
cleaner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of pivoting handles in floor care appliances such as upright vacuum
cleaners is old and well known in the art. An exampie of such an arrangement
can be
found in Japanese Publication No. 06245889. However, no provision is made in
such a
pivoting handle arrangement for remotely triggering a switch or other device
located in the
lower part of the housing. Such a switch could be utilized for controlling a
feature of the
floor care appliance such as a surge control for a vacuum cleaner's suction
motor. The
instant invention is a trigger or button positioned on the handle operatively
connected to
an actuator rod traversing the interior of the handle. The distal end of the
actuator rod is
normally in operative engagement with a-switch in the lower housing when the
handle is in
the upright position. When the trigger is depressed, the actuator rod
depresses the switch
causing itto close thereby energizing an associated feature. When the handle
is moved
to the folded position, the actuator rod is folded with the handle and moved
away from the
switch. These and other objectives will be readily apparentfrom the following
description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying outthe invention in one aspect thereof, these objectives and
advantages
are obtained by providing a machine including a floor care appliance having a
pivoting
handle and control arrangement. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, an
actuator rod in the handle is utilized for remotely triggering a switch
located in the lower
part of the housing. The switch could be utilized for controlling a feature of
the floor care
appliance such as a surge control for a vacuum cleaner's suction motor. A
button ortrigger
positioned on the handle is operatively connected to an actuator rod
traversing the interior
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61935-205D
of the handle. The distal end of the actuator rod is in
operative engagement with the switch when the handle is in
the upright position. When the button or trigger is
depressed, the actuator rod depresses the switch causing it
to close. The feature controlled is thereby energized. When
released, the switch is opened. When the handle is moved to
the folded position, the actuator rod is folded with the
handle and moved away from the switch.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided a pivoting handle and control
arrangement for a machine, comprising: a pivoting handle
connected to a housing; an actuator rod passing through the
pivoting handle; and a control device located in the housing
for controlling one or more features of the machine; wherein
said actuator rod is in operative engagement with said
control device when said handle is in an upright position
and said actuator rod is disengaged from said control device
when said handle is in a folded position.
In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided a pivoting handle and control
arrangement for a floor care appliance, comprising: a
pivoting handle having an upper section and a lower section;
an actuator rod passing through the upper section; and a
control device located in the lower section for controlling
one or more features of the machine; wherein said actuator
rod is in operative engagement with said control device when
said pivoting handle is in an upright position and said
actuator rod is disengaged from said control device when
said pivoting handle is in a folded position.
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In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, there is provided a pivoting handle and control
arrangement for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a pivoting
handle having an upper section and a lower section; an
actuator rod passing through the upper section having a
button at one end; and a switch located in the lower section
which is pushed by said actuator rod when said button is
pressed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention, illustrative of
several modes in which applicants have contemplated applying
the principles are set forth by way of example in the
following description and are shown in the drawings and are
particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the
appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner
which includes the present invention;
FIG. 2 is the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with a
partial cutaway portion of the housing and a partial cutaway
view of the handle in the upright position;
FIG. 3 is the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with a
partial cutaway portion of the housing and a partial cutaway
view of the handle in the folded position; and
FIG. 4 is an electrical schematic of the multi-
speed power and control circuit for the suction motor for a
vacuum cleaner incorporating a switch for surging the
suction motor, according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
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61935-205D
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A vacuum cleaner incorporating the present is
shown in Fig. 1 and is indicated generally at 10, according
to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Vacuum cleaner 10 includes a vacuum cleaner foot 100 and a
vacuum cleaner housing 200 connected to the vacuum cleaner
foot 100. The foot 100 is formed with a bottom nozzle
opening (not shown) which opens towards a floor surface. A
handle 250 is pivotally connected to a housing 200 by a
hinge assembly 210. In the preferred embodiment, the vacuum
cleaner is similar to the indirect air bagless vacuum
cleaner disclosed in Canadian Patent Application
No. 2,464,549 owned by a common assignee. In an alternate
embodiment of the invention, the vacuum cleaner may be a
direct air vacuum cleaner or any other type of floor care
appliance utilizing suction. The vacuum cleaner 100 is of
the type having an agitator (not
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shown) and positioned within an agitator chamber (not shown) formed in an
agitator
housing which is part offoot 100. The agitator chamber (not shown)
communicates with
the nozzle opening (not shown) and the agitator (not shown) rotates about a
horizontal axis
inside the agitator chamber (not shown) for loosening dirt from the floor
surface. The
loosened dirt is drawn into a suction duct located behind and fluidly
connected to agitator
chamber (not shown) by a suction airstream generated by a motor-fan assembly
(not
shown). The suction duct (not shown) directs the loosened dirtto a dirt
particle filtration
and collecting system positioned in housing 200.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a button or trigger 255 is
located at
the upper end of a handle portion 250. Trigger 255 is connected to an actuator
rod 256
traversing the interiorof handle 250. When handle 250 is in the upright
position, as shown
in FIG. 1, the lower end 259 (FIG. 2) is proximate to the plunger on a control
device 270
located in housing 200. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, control
device 270
is an electrical switch used to control a surge feature of a suction motor
(not shown).
Referring nowto FIG. 2, more detail of the actuator rod 256 traversing the
interior
252 of handle 250 is shown. Atthe upperend of handle 250 is a handgrip 251 and
trigger
255. Trigger 255 is directly connected to actuator rod 256. Located on the
lower portion
of actuator rod 256 is a stop 253 for biasing actuator rod 256 upward against
a lip or ridge
257 formed in the interior of handle 250. A spring 258 is located therebetween
which
biases actuator rod 256 in the upward direction. When handle 250 is in the
upright
position, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower end 259 of actuator rod 256 is in the
proximate area
of control device 270 but not engaging plunger 271 of control device 270. When
trigger
255 is depressed, as when it is desired to activate a feature such as a surge
of the suction
motor (not shown), the lower end 259 of actuator rod 256 forces plunger 271 of
control
device 270 downward and the feature is activated. In the preferred embodiment
of the
invention, control device 270 is an electrical switch which is closed when
trigger 255 is
depressed. When trigger 255 is released, actuator rod is forced upward by
spring 258
and the lower end 259 of actuator rod 256 releases plunger271 of control
device 270 and
the feature is deactivated. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the
lower end 259
of actuator rod 256 protrudes through the outer ring of the trunnion
connecting the handle
250 to the lower housing 200. The control device 270 is also embedded in the
outer ring
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of the trunnion but in the lower half such that when the handle is in the
upright position the
lower end of the actuator rod is in the proximal area of the plunger of the
control device.
This allows actuator rod 256 to engage plunger271 when trigger255 is
depressed. This
allows all components of the arrangement to be enclosed within the handle 250
and the
trunnion. The arrangement also allows the handle 250 to be folded into the
folded position
while removing the lower end 259 of the actuator rod 256 from the proximal
area of the
plunger 271 of the control device 270.
Referring nowto FIG. 3, handle 250 is shown in the folded position. It is
desirable
to fold handle 255 in certain instances such as fortransport and storage. When
handle
255 is in the folded position, the lower end 259 of actuator rod 256 is
removed from the
proximate area of control device 270 such that plunger 271 cannot be
depressed.
Referring nowto FIG. 4, shown is an electrical schematic of the multi-speed
power
and control circuit 400 for the suction motor M1 for a vacuum cleaner
incorporating a
switch for surging the suction motor M1. The circuit 400 is connected to a
conventional
120 vac 60 Hz power source wherein the positive side P2 of the current source
P is
connected to a terminal C1 of a DPDT switch SW 1 and the neutral side P1 is
connected
to a terminal T5 on the neutral side of the suction motor M 1. The DPDT switch
SW 1 has
a center off position, a low speed position, and a high speed position. The
control circuit
400 controls the speed of the suction motor M 1 by controlling the average
voltage applied
to the suction motor Ml based upon the switch setting. The average voltage
applied to the
suction motor M1 is controlled by turning on the current to the suction motor
Ml for a
discrete amount of time during both the positive and negative portions of the
ac cycle. The
discrete amount of time the current is turned on during the positive and
negative portions
of the ac cycle is determined by the position of the switch SW 1, a resistor
R4 and an R-C
network described more fully hereinbelow.
In the high speed position, switch SW 1 connects P2 to T10 through T3 to turn
the
current on to the suction motor M 1. T10 is connected to a resistor R1 which
is connected
to a capacitor C1 and a diac D1. During the positive portion of the ac cycle,
current will
not flow through diac D1 until the voltage applied to it exceeds 30 volts. The
time
necessary to charge C 1 creates a time delay from the time switch SW 1 is
moved from the
off position to the high speed position before current begins to flow through
diac D1. The
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output side of diac D 1 is connected to the trigger side of a triac TR1 which
controls the flow
of current from the current source to the suction motor MI. Resistor R1
reduces the
voltage applied to C1 and diac D1 otherwise capacitor Cl would charge too
quickly and
there would only be a negligible time delay before diac Dl opens and triac TR1
turns the
current on to suction motor M1. The current flows from P2 via C1 to C2 via a
jumper J1
which makes contact with T4. T4 is connected to T9 on one side of triac TR1.
Once
closed, triac TR1 allows current to flow to T8 which is connected to T6 on
suction motor
M1. A resistor R3 and capacitor C2 are placed in parallel with triac TRI to
smooth any
fluctuations in the operation of triac TR1. The capacitor C1 follows the sine
wave once the
voltage across it reaches 30 volts and 30 volts are applied to diac D1 causing
it to
conduct. The built in delay in the currentflowing through diac Dl because of
resistor R1
and capacitor C1 causes triac TR1 to turn the current on to the suction motor
M 1 for only
a portion of the ac cycle thereby reducing the average voltage applied to
suction motor M1.
The current to the suction motor M 1 remains on until the voltage applied to
the trigger side
of triac TR1 again reaches 0 volts. This occurs when positive portion of the
ac cycle hits
the zero voltage threshold. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,
R1=18 k ohm, R2
= 10 ohrims, R3 = 3.3 k ohms, R4 = 12 k ohms, Cl = 0.33 micro farads, C2 = 0.1
microfarads, Dl is a HT-32A diac, and TR1 is a BTA16-600BW triac.
During the negative portion of the ac cycle, current will not flowthrough diac
D1 until
the voltage applied to it falls below -30 volts. Due to the direction of the
current being
reversed, the poles of capacitor C1 are charged oppositely than during the
positive portion
of the ac cycle. Like during the positive portion of the ac cycle, the time
necessary to
charge C1 creates a time delay from the time switch SW 1 is moved from the off
position
to the high speed position before current begins to flow through diac Dl. Once
the voltage
across capacitor Cl reaches -30 volts, current is free to flow through diac Dl
and a -30
volts is applied to the trigger side of triac TR1. Upon the application of the
-30 volts to its
trigger side, TR1 will turn the current on to the suction motor fVl1 and the
trigger side follows
the original sine wave. The current will remain on until the trigger side
again reaches 0
volts. The built in delay in the currentflowing through diac D1 because of
resistor R1 and
capacitor Cl causes triac TR1 to turn the current on to the suction motor Ml
for only a
portion of the ac cycle thereby reducing the average voltage applied to
suction motor Ml.
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The currentflows from P2 via C1 to C2 via a jumperJ1 which makes contactwith
T4. T4
is connected to T9 on one side of triac TR1. Once closed, triac TR1 allows
current to flow
to T8 which is connected to T6 on suction motor Ml. The current to the suction
motor M 1
remains on until the voltage applied to the trigger side of triac TR1 reaches
0 volts. This
occurs when negative portion of the ac cycle hits the zero voltage threshold.
When switch SW 1 is in the low speed position, the circuit works similarly
except that
P2 is connected via Cl to T1. TI is connected to T3 via a resistor R4 which
creates a
voltage drop before P2 is connected to T10. This increases the amount of time
Cl
requires to charge and creates a largertime delay before the voltage applied
to diac Dl
exceeds 30 volts during the positive portion of the ac cycle, and a largertime
delay before
the voltage applied to diac Dl reaches below -30 volts during the negative
portion of the
ac cycle. Of course, diac Dl will not conduct current until the voltage
applied thereto is at
or exceeds 30 volts or is at orfalls below -30 volts and cause triac TR1 to
turn the current
on to the suction motor M1. Since TR1 turns the current on for shorter periods
of time
during each of the postive and negative portions of the ac cycle, the average
voltage
applied to the suction motor M1 is reduced resulting in a slower speed. The
currentflows
from P2 via C1 to C2 via a jumper J 1 which makes contact with T2. T2 is
connected to T4
which is connected to T9 on one side of triac TR1. Once closed, triac TR1
allows current
to flow to T8 which is connected to T6 on suction motor Ml.
Additionally, the control circuit is equipped with a surge switch SW2 which
essentially bypasses the entire R-C network and applies the full 120 vac
current to suction
motor M 1. Switch SW2 turns the current on to the suction motor M 1 when
closed only when
switch SW 1 is in the high speed or low speed positions. When SW 1 is in the
high speed
position, P2 is connected to Cl and C1 is connected to C2 via a jumper JI. C2
is
connected to T4 which is connected to T2. T2 is connected to T11. T11 is
connected to
T12 when SW2 is closed. T12 is then connected to T8 which is connected to T6
on suction
motor Ml. Since energy follows the path of least resistance, and there is very
little
resistance from P2 to T8 when SW2 is closed, the current flows directly to the
suction
motor M 1 bypassing flowing from T2 orT4 to T9. Similarly, when SW1 is in the
low speed
position, P2 is connected to Cl and C1 is connected to C2 via a jumper J1. C2
is
connected to T2 which is connected to T11. T11 is connected to T12 when SW2 is
closed.
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T12 is then connected to T8 which is connected to T6 on suction motor M1.
Accordingly, the pivoting handle and control arrangement for a vacuum cleaner
is
simplified, provides an effective, inexpensive, and efficient device which
achieves all of the
enumerated objectives. While there has been shown and described herein a
single
embodiment of the present invention, it should be readily apparent to persons
skilled in the
art that numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the
true spirit
and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims
to cover
all modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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