CENTRAL VACUUM SYSTEM

Technical Field of the Invention

[1] The present invention concerns a vacuum air inlet device for a Central Vacuum

System (CVS) . It is a cleaning device that allows vacuuming dirt and debris from the area where it is installed. This device is suited to be mounted into the skirting board of the kitchen cabinet. Prior Art of the Invention

[2] There are devices in the market that have the same function as the present invention, being referred to as Υacpan' and Υacsweep' '. However, these devices present operating solutions that are different from the new model.

[3] The Υacpan ¹ model presents a device which performs its opening/closure function by means of a piece that rotates according to a vertical axis through the action of a rotary lever that is pushed by the user's foot; when rotating, the same lever turns the CVS on and off by means of a contact provided by the conduction of a spring between two contacts. This opening/closure system has a drawback when the user inadvertently steps on the lever, for it is very brittle and easily broken. Another disadvantage has to do with the CVS activation mechanism by means of a spring instead of a micro-switch, being very disadvantageous when used very often for the spring gains some humidity due to the place where the CVS is mounted and no longer provides the CVS activation contact.

[4] The ' Vacusweep' model has an operating mode similar to the one of the present invention, and yet it has the same shortcoming of contact by means of the spring that oxidises and causes constant anomalies. It also has the drawback of suffering load losses when the CVS is activated and the CVS is closed, due to a defective sealing between the base - body and the cover, thereby not closing totally and loosing air through that gap. Object of the Invention

[5] The creation of this new inlet device had the purpose to solve all the anomalies of the previous models. In this way, an activation model was implemented that will be the most adequate for this central vacuum system CVS. The model consists in lifting a lever by the user's foot, wherein said lever must be sufficiently resistant in order not to break when used without the proper care. On the other hand, the CVS activation by means of a micro-switch becomes much more reliable than the way it occurs in the other models through the introduction of a spring. The rear part of the inlet device was also subject to a change, namely to improve the engagement thereof. This change makes the use of glues for attaching the device unnecessary and also prevents the device from easily disengaging, a problem that occurred several times with the previous models and turned the CVS operation impossible. Brief Description of the Figures [6] Reference numbers

1 - Base - body of the device

2 - Hinged cover of the inlet nozzle / valve

3 - Opening lever

4 - Attachment area by means of screws

5 - Trim plate

6 - Micro- switch

7 - Tension spring

8 - Sealing strip

9 - Vacuum nozzle / valve

10- Base - body engagement surfaces in the skirting board/wall

[7] Figure 1 - Assembly concerning the inlet device for the vacuum system - side view.

[8] Figure 2 - Assembly concerning the inlet device for the vacuum system - perspective view. [9] Figure 3 - Assembly concerning the inlet device for the vacuum system - perspective view. [10] Figure 4 - Assembly concerning the inlet device for the vacuum system - perspective view.

[11] Figure 5 - Base - body and vacuum nozzle - Rear view.

[12] Figure 6 - Base - body and vacuum nozzle - Front view.

[13] Figure 7 - Trim plate - front view.

[14] Figure 8 - Trim plate - rear view.

[15] Figure 9 - Hinged cover - front view.

[16] Figure 10 - Hinged cover - rear view.

[17] Figure 11 - Drive lever - front view.

[18] Figure 12 - Drive lever - rear view.

[19] Figure 13 - Micro-switch.

[20] Figure 14 - Tension spring.

[21] Figure 15 - Sealing strip.

Summary of the Invention [22] The present invention concerns an improvement on an inlet device for a Central

Vacuum System (CVS). [23] The CVS is an air inlet device provided with a valve (9) and built into the skirting board of the kitchen cabinet.

[24] The function of the inlet device is to collect dust and small debris, with the aid of a broom and its suction power, into the CVS entrance located in the skirting board by means of a CVS activation mechanism using a micro-switch (6). In this way, the present invention is useful for preventing the use of the CVS hose and also for replacing the traditional dust-pan to collect debris from the floor.

[25] The entire system is actuated by means of the respective activation of a micro-switch

(6).

[26] For this to be possible it was necessary to design a new CVS in order to make the operation thereof more reliable and without failures. This was achieved by means of two features, the first due to the shape thereof, which exhibits greater robustness, and the second due to the CVS activation system using the micro-switch (6) being more accessible in this case. On the other hand, the spring (7) that joins the cover (2) to the base body (1) confers greater pressure to the cover closing operation, which results in much less air losses. These air losses are also greatly reduced by providing the CVS cover with a sealing agent (8) and thereby affording an air-tight closure over the base - body (1).

[27] Also due to the base - body (1) configuration, the CVS becomes much more silent when it is in operating mode. Another advantage is the fact that the CVS drive lever (3) is assembled in a way that makes the cover (2) opening operation easier, and yet it is also sufficiently resistant not to break easily when used in a more careless fashion.

[28] This device is also easy to mount, being merely necessary to fasten it onto the skirting board with two screws (4) and thereafter adjusting the trim plate (5), with a fit- in movement, in order to hide the screws (4) and provide the device with a distinct aesthetics. This device is comprised by a base - body (1) that is attached to the skirting board of the kitchen cabinet, a cover (2) that engages in the base - body (1), a lever (3) on top of the cover to turn the CVS on, a sealing strip (8) that is glued to the cover (2), a micro-switch (6) and a spring (7) that engage in the base - body (1), and finally a trim plate (5) to embellish the device. Detailed Description of the Invention

[29] The inlet device is built into the skirting board of the kitchen cabinet.

[30] The CVS is turned on by means of an activation mechanism using a micro-switch (6) that is included in the inlet device / nozzle (9), being actuated by the cover (2) in connection with a tension spring (7) after the user lifts, with his foot, a lever (3) provided with a latch element located in the frontal part of the device. By then, the inlet device starts collecting dust and small debris that are gathered in the vicinity thereof with the aid of a broom and its suction power. [31] In this way, the present invention is useful for preventing the use of the CVS hose and also for replacing the traditional dust-pan to collect debris from the floor.

[32] For this to be possible it was necessary to design a new inlet device in order to make its operation more reliable and without failures.

[33] This was achieved by means of two features, the first due to the shape thereof, which exhibits greater robustness, and the second due to the CVS activation system using the micro-switch (6) being more accessible in this case. On the other hand, the spring (7) that joins the cover (2) to the base body (1) confers greater pressure to the cover (2) closing operation, which results in much less air losses. These air losses are also greatly reduced by providing the device cover with a sealing agent (8) and thereby affording an air-tight closure of the device.

[34] It is an object of the present invention to make the cleaning tasks easier for the intended user.

[35] This device allows the user to manage without accessories like the traditional dustpan for collecting the dirt swept with a broom.

[36] Due to its suction power and its features, the present invention is useful since it provides greater comfort and better application in the cleaning tasks of a given room. All this is due to the fact that, by mounting a device in the skirting board of the kitchen, the user can sweep the entire room and then collect all the debris by simply activating the Central Vacuum System (CVS) through the inlet device; once actuated, it will start vacuuming everything that is sent to its opening, thereby preventing the user from carrying the debris around, with the possibility of dirtying again the room that was just cleaned, and also avoiding the inconvenience of carrying accessories that are no longer needed when using this device.

[37] For the device to actuate the CVS, the user has merely to lift with his tiptoe the lever

(3) attached to the base - body (1) of the device so that it will withdraw the pressure it exerts upon the cover (2) of the device, making the cover to open and thereby activating, by leaning against it, the micro-switch (6) attached onto the body behind the cover (2), which in its turn sends an electric signal to the vacuum central to start the vacuuming operation. To turn the CVS off it is merely necessary to perform a descending movement with the tiptoe upon the cover (2) of the device, thereby deactivating the micro-switch (6) and stopping the transmission of the electric signal to the CVS.