IP Library Granted Patent US 11,896,183
Granted Patent B2
US 11,896,183 · App. 17/115,917 · Granted Feb 13, 2024

Surface cleaning apparatus with different cleaning configuration

Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad (Hampton, CA)
Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
A47L5/225A47L5/24A47L5/28A47L5/36A47L9/0018A47L9/0027A47L9/0045A47L9/16A47L9/242A47L9/248A47L9/325A47L11/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,896,183
App. No.
17/115,917
Granted
Feb 13, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A reconfigurable surface cleaning apparatus has a surface cleaning head, a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position and a portable cleaning unit removably mountable to the support structure. The support structure has a pair of laterally extending portions and the portable cleaning unit has a first mounting member comprising mating grooves which slideably receive the laterally extending portions when the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure.

Claims (30)

1. A reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising, when configured in an upright operating mode:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position;

(c) a portable cleaning unit removably mountable to the support structure, the portable cleaning unit comprising an air treatment member and a suction motor; and,

(d) an upright mode air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to the air treatment member to a clean air outlet provided on the portable cleaning unit, the upright mode air flow path comprising the support structure, a wand and a flexible air flow conduit,

wherein the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is reconfigurable into a first portable mode in which the wand is removed from air flow communication with the surface cleaning head while the portable cleaning unit remains mounted to the support structure and a portable mode air flow path extends from an inlet of the wand to the clean air outlet provided on the portable cleaning unit and the portable mode air flow path comprises the wand and the flexible air flow conduit, and

wherein the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is reconfigurable into a second portable mode in which the wand is removed from air flow communication with the surface cleaning head and the portable cleaning unit is removed from the support structure, and

wherein the support structure has a pair of laterally extending portions and the portable cleaning unit has a first mounting member comprising mating grooves which slideably receive the laterally extending portions when the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure.

2. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laterally extending portions are planar.

3. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable cleaning unit has a second mounting member that is spaced from the first mounting member.

4. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the storage position and the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure, the portable cleaning unit has vertically spaced apart upper and lower ends, the portable cleaning unit has a second mounting member that is vertically spaced from the first mounting member.

5. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first mounting member is provided at one of the upper and lower ends of the portable cleaning unit.

6. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the storage position and the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure, the portable cleaning unit has vertically oriented, and the first mounting member is provided at a vertical end of the portable cleaning unit.

7. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inlet of the wand is at an inlet end of the wand and the inlet end of the wand is slideably receivable in the support structure.

8. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein when the upright surface cleaning apparatus is reconfigured into a second portable mode, the wand is removed from air flow communication with the surface cleaning head concurrently with the portable cleaning unit being removed from the support structure.

9. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the storage position and the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure, a top surface of the portable cleaning unit has a carry handle.

10. A reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus comprising, when configured in an upright operating mode:

(a) a surface cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;

(b) a support structure moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a storage position and a floor cleaning position;

(c) a portable cleaning unit removably mountable to the support structure, the portable cleaning unit comprising an air treatment member and a suction motor; and,

(d) an upright mode air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to the air treatment member to a clean air outlet provided on the portable cleaning unit, the upright mode air flow path comprising the support structure, a wand and a flexible air flow conduit,

wherein the support structure has a pair of laterally extending portions and the portable cleaning unit has a first mounting member comprising mating grooves which slideably receive the laterally extending portions when the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure.

11. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the laterally extending portions are planar.

12. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the portable cleaning unit has a second mounting member that is spaced from the first mounting member.

13. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein, when the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the storage position and the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure, the portable cleaning unit has vertically spaced apart upper and lower ends, the portable cleaning unit has a second mounting member that is vertically spaced from the first mounting member.

14. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first mounting member is provided at one of the upper and lower ends of the portable cleaning unit.

15. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein, when the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the storage position and the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure, the portable cleaning unit has vertically oriented, and the first mounting member is provided at a vertical end of the portable cleaning unit.

16. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the inlet of the wand is at an inlet end of the wand and the inlet end of the wand is slideably receivable in the support structure.

17. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein, when the reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus is in the storage position and the portable cleaning unit is mounted to the support structure, a top surface of the portable cleaning unit has a carry handle.

18. The reconfigurable upright surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein when the upright surface cleaning apparatus is reconfigurable into a portable mode wherein the wand is removed from air flow communication with the surface cleaning head concurrently with the portable cleaning unit being removed from the support structure.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2020
From: CONRAD, WAYNE ERNEST
To: G.B.D. CORP.
Reel/Frame 054588/0746 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2020
From: G.B.D. CORP.
To: CONRAD IN TRUST, WAYNE
Reel/Frame 054588/0888 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2020
From: CONRAD IN TRUST, WAYNE
To: OMACHRON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INC.
Reel/Frame 054588/0966 →
Priority Claims (2)
CA CA 2658381 · Mar 13, 2009 · national
CA CA 2674761 · Jul 30, 2009 · national
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16672874 · Nov 4, 2019
Continuation 15660003 · Jul 26, 2017
Continuation 14307335 · Jun 17, 2014
Continuation 13255889
Related Publication 20210085138A1 · Mar 25, 2021