Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTI-USE MOBILE VACUUM CART
RELATED APPLICATION
This application claim priority pursuant to 35 USC 119(e) from US Provisional
Patent Application Serial No. 61/083,408 filed July 24, 2008.
BACKGROT,TND
The present invention relates to mobile carts or workstations, and more
specifically, such stations having internal vacuum systeins.
Mobile workstations are used in a variety of work environnnents, where users
require a mobile site for providing a work surface, storage of utensils,
electrical outlets and the
like. One exemplary use of such mobile workstations is the hair care industry,
where stylists or
barbers place and/or store clippers, combs, brushers, scissors, dryers,
straightening irons, styling
gels, hairspray, conditioners, among other things during the styling
operation. Some such
workstations or carts are provided with intenial vacuum systems for cleaning
up cut hair.
SUMMARY
The present mobile vacuum cart includes several features for use in the hair
care
industry, including a removable dust trap or dust box selectively locked in
place with a
reciprocating vacuum inlet tube. In a relatively lower position, the tube
engages the dust trap
and holds it in place in the housing. In a raised position, the tube is
disengaged from the dust
trap, allowing removal of the dust trap for periodic cleaning. The dust trap
is preferably
provided with a handle for facilitating removal frorn the housing. A movable
dust pan vacuum
intake is also associated with the housing, having an operational position in
fluid communication
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with the dust trap, and at least one disengaged position enabling removal of
the dust trap from
. ~
the housing. A user-actuated mechanism manipulates the dust pan intake between
the positions.
In addition, the dust trap has a user-operated control valve movable between a
vacuum connection between the dust trap and the intake conduit, and between
the dust pan and
the dust trap. A T-or Y-fitting is optionally provided to the intake conduit
for the connection of
auxiliary hoses and/or vacuum-equipped hair clippers. Also, a variable speed
vacuum controller
is provided on the housing.
More specifically, a mobile vacuum cart includes a housing, a vacuum source in
the housing, a dust box releasably engaged in the housing and in fluid
communication with the
vacuum source, an intake conduit in fluid communication with the dust box,
wherein the housing
accommodates reciprocal sliding action of the conduit between an engaged
position in which the
conduit locks the dust box in position and a release position in which
disengagement of the
conduit from the dust box enables removal of the dust box from the housing.
In another embodiment, a mobile vacuum cart includes a housing, a source of
vacuum associated with the housing, and a dustpan vacuum intake associated
with the housing
and movable between an operational position in fluid cornmunication with the
vacuum source
and a storage position wherein the intake is disengaged from the vacuum
source.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. I is a front perspective view of the present mobile vacuum cart;
FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the present mobile vacuum cart shown
partially exploded;
FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the mobile cart in FIG. 2 shown
assembled;
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FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the present mobile vacuum
cart,
with portions omitted for clarity;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side perspective view of the present mobile vacuum
cart
with the dustpan vacuum intake shown in a storage position;
FIG. 6 is a fragnzentary side perspective view of the present mobile vacuum
cart
with the dustpan vacuum intake shown in an operational position;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side perspective view of the present mobile vacuum
cart
with the dustpan vacuum intake shown in the release or disengaged position;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary front perspective of the present mobile vacuum cart
with
the dust box shown being removed;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the dust box and the dustpan
vacuum intake showing a diverter valve in a first, "hose" position;
FIG. 9A is a fragmentary top perspective view of the dust box and dustpan
vacuum intake showing the diverter valve in a second, "dust pan" position;
FIG. 10 is an interior view of the dust box with the diverter valve removed;
FIG. I 1 is a front perspective of the present mobile vacuum cart with the
intake
conduit in fluid communication with the vacuum source;
FIG. 12 is a front perspective of an alternate embodiment of the present
mobile
vacuum cart;
FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of the present dust box;
FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of the present vacuum cart with an access
door
closed; and
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FIG. 15 is a rear perspective view of the cart of FIG. 14 with the access door
open.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIGs. 1-4, the present mobile vacuum cart is generally
designated 10, and includes a housing 12 having a front wall 14, an opposite
rear wall 16, a first
side wall 18, an opposite second side wall 20, a top surface 22, and an
opposite bottom surface
24. The walls 14-20 are preferably made of vacuum formed plastic; however
other suitable light
weight and reasonably priced materials and manufacturing techniques are
conteniplated. As is
known in the art, the cart 10 is provided with a plurality and preferably four
casters or wheels 26
preferably pivotably secured to the bottom surface 24.
A vacuum source 28 (FIG. 4), such as an electric vacuum motor, is associated
with the housing 12, and is preferably mounted within an internal chainber 30
defined by the
housing. As is known in the art, a power cord (FIG. 11) supplies power to the
vacuum source 28
via a wall outlet or the like. A plurality of exhaust openings 32 is provided
on at least one and
preferably both sidewalls 18, 20. While several horizontally arranged rows of
such openings 32
are provided at various heights in the present cart 10, the location, size and
number of exhaust
openings 32 may vary to suit the application.
The front wall 14 partially defines a partially enclosed track 34 disposed
vertically
for accommodation of vertical reciprocal movement of an elongate inlet tube or
intake conduit
36. While other shapes are contemplated, the intake conduit 36 is cylindrical
and tubular, and
may be flexible or rigid; however rigid is preferred. A radially-projecting
locking pin 37 is
preferably provided to the conduit 36 to hold it in position as will be
described below. The track
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34 is further defined in part by at least one clamp or bracket portion 40
secured to the front wall
14 to accommodate the vertical reciprocating sliding motion of the conduit 36
and to slidingly
secure the conduit to the housing 12. In the prefen:ed embodiment, there are
two clamps, 40a
and 40b. Upper clamp 40a is provided with a groove 41 for slidingly
accommodating the
locking pin 37 when the conduit is in a locked position. In a relatively
raised and rotated release
position, the locking pin 37 rests on an upper edge of the clamp 40a (FIG. 2).
Referring now to FIGs, 2-4, 9 and 13, below a lower end 42 of the intake
conduit
36 is a dust box aperture 44 that is dimensioned to accommodate a dust box or
dust trap 46.
Included in the dust box 46 is a dust storage portioii 48, a pull handle 50
for facilitating removal
of the dust box 46 from the housing 12, a diverter or control valve generally
designated 52 (FIG.
9) and an actuator 54. In the preferred embodiment:, the dust box 46 has
indicators 55 (Best seen
in FIG. 13) for each of two selected valve positions, indicated as "hose" and
"dustpan" described
in greater detail below. A rear cowl 56 (FIG. 4) is provided at an open end 58
of the dust storage
portion 48 that is sealingly placed in fluid communication with the vacuum
source 28 within the
internal chamber 30 to prevent the escape of air and collected debris.
An inlet port 60 projects from an upper wall 62 of the dust storage portion 48
and
is in fluid communication with the dust storage portion. An important feature
of the present cart
10 is that the inlet port 60 matingly engages the elongate intake conduit 36,
and preferably the
conduit passes inside the port. In this manner, the conduit 36 acts as a
locking mechanism for
retaining the dust box 46 within the housing 12 in fluid communication with
the vacuum source
28. Thus, when the elongate intake conduit 36 is in an upper or raised release
position in the
track 34 (FIG. 2), the conduit is disengaged from the inlet port 60 and the
dust box 46 is
removable from the housing 12 for emptying of collected dust, hair and debris
(FIGs. 2, 4 and 8).
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To retain the conduit 36 in the raised position, the conduit is axially
rotated within the track 34
so that the locking pin 37 projects radially outward from the conduit and
rests on an upper edge
of the upper clamp portion 40a.
Conversely, when the conduit 36 is lowered to be in engagement with the inlet
port 60, a bolt lock arrangement is formed so that the dust box 46 is locked
in place in a manner
that sealingly compresses or clamps the cowl 56 tightly against the vacuum
source 28. To lower
the conduit 36, it is rotated to free the locking pin 37, then pushed toward
the bottom surface 24.
The user manipulates the conduit 36 so that once the locking pin 37 is engaged
in the groove 41,
there is engagement between the conduit and the inlet port 60 (FIG. 1). The
conduit 36 is then
in an operational position in which there is fluid communication between the
vacuum source 28
and the conduit. A feature of the present cart 10 is that the conduit 36 is
the only locking
mechanism for retaining the dust box 46 in place in the operational position.
As seen in FIG. 8, the housing 12 and the dust box 46 have complementary track-
like guide formations 61, 63 for guiding the movement of the dust box as it
releasably engages
the housing. The guide formations 63 on the housing 12 are preferably inclined
toward the
vacuum source 28 to facilitate movement of the dust box 46 to that position.
Referring now to FIGs. 1 and 4-8, also provided on the front wall 14 is a
dustpan vacuum intake 64 associated with the housing 12 and movable between a
storage
position (FIG. 5) and an operational position (FIGs. 1 and 6) in which an
outlet 66 is in fluid
communication with the source of vacuum 28. The dustpan vacuum intake 64 is
constructed and
arranged to provide an elongate aperture 68 constructed and arranged to be
close to the substrate
such as a floor when the intake 64 is placed in the operational position.
Movement between the
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two positions is accomplished by rotation about a transverse pivot axis
defined by pivot pins 70
on each side of the intake which are engaged in a bracket 72 mounted to the
housing 12.
As seen in FIGs. I and 6, when iri the operational position, the outlet 66 is
conilected to a dustpan port 74 in the dust box 46, preferably with a mating
connection. As seen
in FIGs. 5-7, the dustpan vacuum intake 64 is retainable in the storage
position by virtue of a
lever or link 76 preferably pivotably secured at one end 77 to the dustpan
vacuum intake 64 and
at the opposite, handle end 78 to the housing 12 at a multi-notched bracket
79. To release the
intake 64 from the storage position, the user grasps the handle end 78 of the
lever 76 and moves
the handle end to a designated notch on the bracket 79. (FIG. 7) In the
preferred embodiment,
there are three notch positions on the bracket 79, respectively relating to
the operational position
in which the dustpan intake 64 is lowered to the substrate (FIGs. 1, 3 and 6),
an interim
disengaged or raised position in which the intake 64 is raised slightly and
fluid communication is
disengaged between the intake and the dust box 46 to permit removal of the
dust box (FIGs. 2
and 7) and a storage position, where the dustpan vacuum intake is raised to be
generally parallel
to the intake conduit 36 (FIGs. 5 and 11).
Referring now to FIGs. 8-10, the control or diverter valve 52 includes a
generally
h.ourglass-shaped, open box-shaped valve member 80 including a main wall 82
parallel to a front
face of the dust box 46 and connected to the actuator 54, and a pair of
transversely projecting
peripheral skirts 84. Since the skirts 84 slidingly engage corresponding upper
and lower inner
surfaces of the dust box 46, they are preferably provided with edge-type dust
seals 84a. The
main wall 82 is provided with upper and lower portions 82a and 82b which
together define an
angle such that the skirts 84 are not axially aligned,. Since the inlet port
60 and the dustpan port
74 are in axial alignment, the valve member 80 is configured so that when the
actuator 54 is
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positioned so that the "dustpan" indicator is designated (FIG. 9A), the inlet
port 60 is blocked
and the dustpan port 74 is open, creating fluid communication between the
dustpan vacuum
intake 64 and the dust box 46, preferably through an aperture 85 in the skirt
84. In the preferred
embodiment, only the skirt 84 on the lower portion 82b is provided with the
aperture 85.
Conversely, when the "hose" indicator is designated (FIG. 9), the inlet port
60 is open, creating
fluid communication between the intake conduit 36 and the dust box 46, and the
dustpan port 74
is blocked.
It will be noted that wlien the dust box 46 is to be removed, the actuator 54
is
positioned in the "hose" position. The dust box 46 is preferably provided with
a flap-like check
valve 86 (shown fragmentarily in FIG. 9A) associated with the 85 and the
dustpan port 74 to
prevent the escape of collected debris through the port 74 when the actuator
54 is in the
"dustpan" position. The check valve 86 opens when vacuum suction draws air
through the
dustpan port 74, and closes when the vacuum is turned aperture off to prevent
the escape of
collected debris.
Referring now to FIG. 10, to restrain the valve member 80 in the selected
position, an interior 90 of the dust box 46 is provided with at least one
arcuate stop formation 92,
which is constructed and arranged to frictionally engage the corresponding
skirt 84 and provide a
stop restricting further rotation and thus hold the valve member 80 in place
as determined by the
user manipulating the actuator 54.
Referring now to FIGs. 1 and 11, the mobile vacuum cart 10 further includes an
auxiliary intake hose 94 having a flexible portion 96 and a rigid angled
portion 98 configured for
insertion into the inlet port 60 through the bracket 40b as an optional
replacement for the intake
conduit 36, which then may be placed in mating engagement with the flexible
portion 96. A
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conventional vacuum nozzle 97 is secured to the hose 94 as is known in the
art. Since the rigid
angled portion 98 is engageable in the bracket 40bõ it locks the dust box 46
in place in similar
fashion to the inlet tube or intake conduit 36. A wire rack 100 (FIG. 1) is
optionally provided to
the housing 12 to store the auxiliary intake hose 94 when not in use. Also
included on the
housing 12, and preferably near the top surface 22 is a vacuum source
controller 102 connected
to the vacuum source 28. Preferably a conventional infinitely variable
controller such as an SCR
controller, the controller 102 provides the user with on/off and speed
controls for the vacuum
source 28 at an easily accessible location. An outlet strip 104 is optionally
provided for
powering tools, such as but not limited to hair care appliances including
clippers, trimmers,
dryers, straighteners, curling irons and the like. A cord wrap 106 is also
preferably provided for
a power cord 108.
Referring now to FIG. 12, an alternate embodiment to the present cart is
generally
designated 110. Shared components with the cart 10 are indicated with
identical reference
numbers. A main difference between the cart 10 and the cart 110 is that tlie
latter lacks the
dustpan vacuum intake 64. As such, the dust box 112 lacks the control valve 52
and the actuator
54, but otherwise works the same. A feature shown on the cart 110 but also
available on the cart
10 is that an upper end 114 of the intake conduit 36/116 is provided with a
multi-outlet fitting
118 such as a "T" or "Y"-fitting or the like with a diverter control 119 to
allow.selective fluid
communication between the vacuum source 28 and an appliance 120, shown here as
a hair
clipper with a vacuum attachment 122, and anotlier vacuum appliance such as a
supplemental
hose (not shown). Specifically, the clipper 120 has a flexible hose 124 that
is connected to the
fitting 118. Thus, hair clippings collected by the clipper 120 are passed
through the hose 124 to
the dust box 112 under suction provided by the vacuum source 28.
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Referring now to FIGs. 14 and 15, at the rear wall 16 it will be seen that the
present mobile vacuum cart 10 is provided with a plurality of storage
locations for the user.
Since the vacuum source 28 is located near the bottom surface 24, a
substantial amount of the
volume of the intemal chamber 30 is available for storage purposes. More
specifically, less than
half of the internal chamber 30 is taken up by the vacuum source 28. In the
preferred
embodiment, a locking storage door 130 is hinged to the housing 12 along a
lower edge 132, and
opens to provide access to several storage trays or drawers 134 which are
reciprocally slidable
upon tracks 136 associated with the housing 12 to permit selective user access
to stored contents.
Alternative hinge arrangements are contemplated for the storage door 130. In
addition to the
storage capacity of the internal chamber 30, supplemental storage is provided
on at least one and
preferably both of the side walls 18, 20 in the form of shelves 138 having
partitions 140, and/or
towel racks 142.
While particular embodiments of the present multi-use mobile vacuum cart has
been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art
that changes and
modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its
broader aspects
and as set forth in the following claims.
