BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to upright vacuum cleaners.

[0002] Upright vacuum cleaners are typically used to clean floor surfaces, such as carpeting, by generating suction to draw air and dirt through a suction nozzle. The dirt is separated from the air inside the vacuum cleaner and clean air is discharged from the vacuum cleaner.

SUMMARY

[0003] In one aspect, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner that includes a base having a suction nozzle and a handle assembly pivotally coupled to the base. The vacuum cleaner also has a height adjust assembly that adjusts the relative height of the suction nozzle with respect to a surface to be cleaned. The height adjust assembly includes a lever arm which pivots about a first axis and a cam member operably coupled to the lever arm which pivots about a second axis which is different from the first axis.

[0004] Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention having a ratcheting height adjust mechanism.

[0006] Fig. 2 is a rear view of the vacuum cleaner of Fig. 1.

[0007] Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the vacuum cleaner of Fig. 1 illustrating the ratcheting height adjust mechanism used.

[0008] Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the ratcheting height adjust mechanism of Fig. 3. [0009] Fig. 5 is a side cross-section view of the ratcheting height adjust mechanism of Fig. 3 [0010] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the ratcheting height adjust mechanism of Fig. 3 illustrating the indicator wheel partially cut away.

[0011] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the ratcheting mechanism of Fig. 3 while it engages an axle assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

[0013] Figs. 1-2 illustrate an exemplary vacuum cleaner 10 including a ratcheting height adjust mechanism 102. The illustrated vacuum cleaner is an upright vacuum cleaner including a handle assembly 14 and a base 18. The base 18 is movable along a surface to be leaned, such as a carpeted or hard-surface floor. The handle assembly 14 extends from the base 18 and allows a user to move and manipulate the base 18 along the surface. The handle assembly 14 is also movable relative to the base 18 between an upright storage position (Fig. 1) and an inclined operating position (not shown).

[0014] The vacuum cleaner 10 also includes a canister assembly 16 supported by the handle assembly 14. The canister assembly 16 includes a dirt separator 20, a dirt cup formed with the dirt separator 20, and a canister handle 22. The dirt separator 20 removes dirt or other particles from an airflow drawn into the vacuum cleaner 10 which is then collected by the dirt cup. In the illustrated embodiment, the dirt separator is a dual-stage cyclonic separator with a plurality of second stage cyclones and a single first stage cyclone. In other embodiments, other separators can be used, such as single-stage cyclonic separators, filter bags, etc. The handle assembly 14 includes a motor (not shown), such as a suction motor, contained in a motor housing 24. The motor selectively receives power from a power source (e.g., a cord for plugging into a source of utility power, a battery, etc.) to generate the suction force in the vacuum cleaner 10. The handle assembly 14 includes a switch 26 for selectively activating the motor.

[0015] The base includes a suction nozzle or floor nozzle 30 providing an inlet adjacent a forward end of the base 18 for receiving an airflow into the vacuum cleaner 10 and a brushroll (not shown) disposed proximate the floor nozzle 30 for agitating dirt on the surface to be cleaned. The floor nozzle 30 is in fluid communication with the canister 16. The airflow flows from the inlet into the base 18, through an inlet tube 28, and then into the canister 16. After the canister 16 filters or otherwise cleans the airflow, the cleaned airflow is directed out of the canister 16 flowing through an outlet tube 32 and into the motor housing 24. The cleaned airflow passes through the motor housing and then is exhausted back into the environment.

[0016] The base 18 includes a pair of rear wheels 34 coupled to the base 18 adjacent a rearward end of the base 18. The base 10 also has a pair of forward wheels 38 (Fig. 7) located at a position forward the rear wheels 34 and adjacent the floor nozzle 30. The wheels 34, 38 facilitate movement of the base 18 along the surface to be cleaned. The base 18 also includes an axle assembly 36 (Fig. 7) having a generally horizontal axle portion 40 and a vertically extending axle portion 44. The forward wheels 38 are located at the ends of the horizontal portion 40 of the axle assembly 36. The front wheels 38 assist in positioning the inlet of the floor nozzle 30 at a desired height above the surface to be cleaned, as to be described in detail below. The wheels 34, 38 may be idle wheels or driven wheels. The base 18 also includes a viewing window 48 to be described in further detail below.

[0017] The handle assembly 14 includes a maneuvering handle 42 having a grip 46 for a user to grasp and maneuver the vacuum cleaner 10. The handle assembly 14 optionally includes a wand 50 and a spine 54 (Fig. 2) extending from the base 18 towards the maneuvering handle 42. The spine 54 includes an elongated tubular receptacle 58 for receiving the wand 50. The wand 50 is coupled to the maneuvering handle 42, and the maneuvering handle 42 and the wand 50 are removable from the receptacle 58 together as a unit. A hose connector 62 is located at an end of the wand 50 proximate the maneuvering handle 42 for receiving one end of a hose 66. The other end of the hose 66 connects to the inlet tube 28 for fluidly connecting the wand 50 to the canister assembly 16. The wand 50 may be used to clean above-floor surfaces (e.g., stairs, drapes, comers, furniture, etc.). An accessory tool (e.g., a crevice tool, an upholstery tool, a pet tool, etc.) may be detachably coupled to the handle assembly 12 for storage and may be selectively coupled to the wand 50 for specialized cleaning of non-floor surfaces.

[0018] The canister 16 is removably coupled to the handle assembly 14 such that the canister 16 is moveable between a connected positioned (Fig. 1) in which the dirt separator 20 is in fluid communication with the floor nozzle 30 for collecting the dirt particles and a disconnected position (not shown) for emptying the dirt particles from the dirt cup in which the dirt separator 20 is not in fluid communication with the floor nozzle 30. The canister 16 includes a door 74 and a latch 78 for opening the door 74. The door 74 is disposed on the bottom of the dirt cup generally opposite the canister handle 22. The door 74 is pivotably coupled to the dirt cup and moveable between a closed position in which the dirt is collected in the dirt cup and an open position in which the dirt is released from the dirt cup. While the canister is in the disconnected position, the latch 78 may be depressed to allow the door 74 to move to the open position thereby removing dirt and dust particles held within the dirt cup.

[0019] The base 18 of the vacuum cleaner 10 includes the ratcheting height adjust assembly 102, as illustrated in Figs. 3-7. The height adjust assembly includes a foot pedal 106, a lever arm 1 10, and a stop member 134. The foot pedal 106 is coupled to an angled first end portion 1 14 to affect motion of the lever arm 1 10 and is at least partially disposed outside of the base 18 (Fig. 1) to allow a user to push down the foot pedal 106 using their foot. The lever arm 1 10 (Fig. 5) is pivotably coupled to the stop member 134 so that the lever arm 1 10 is free to pivot about a first pivot axis A as defined by the longitudinal axis of a pivoting shaft 130. The lever arm also includes a curved intermediate portion 1 18 and a straight second end portion 122. A spring 124 is coupled to the lever arm 1 10 to force the first end portion 1 14 upwards. The second end portion 122 includes an aperture 126 that receives the pivoting shaft 130 located on the stop member 134. The lever arm 1 10 also includes a slot 138 that receives an engagement portion or peg 142 of a lock plate 146.

[0020] The height adjust assembly 102 also includes an indicator wheel 148, a generally curved spring retainer 150, and a cam member 176. The indicator wheel has a plurality of visible segments 152 including indicia (not shown), the purpose of which will be described in detail below. The indicator wheel 148 also includes a shaft 170 which generally receives the lock plate 146, the spring retainer 150, and the cam member 176 thereon. The longitudinal axis of the shaft 170 defines a second pivot axis B about which the indicator wheel 148, the lock plate 146, the spring retainer 150, and the cam member 176 rotate. The indicator wheel 148 and the cam member 176 are coupled to each other via a locking portion of the shaft 178 so that indicator wheel 148 and the cam member 176 rotate together as a single unit. The indicator wheel 148 and the cam member 176 are also fixed in the axial direction such that the indicator wheel 148 and the cam member 176 always define a fixed space therebetween. The spring retainer 150 and the lock plate 146 are positioned inside the fixed space and are forced away from each other by a spring 144. The spring 144 generally pushes the lock plate 146 into engagement with the indicator wheel 148.

[0021] The spring retainer 150 includes a first aperture 158 and a second aperture 166. The peg 142 passes through the first aperture 158 orienting the spring retainer 150 with the lock plate 146, and the shaft 170 of the indicator wheel 148 passes through the second aperture 162. The spring retainer 150 provides an engagement surface for the spring pushing against the indicator wheel 170 so that the spring does not interfere with other components of the height adjust mechanism 102.

[0022] The lock plate 146 includes the peg 142 and a plurality of teeth 186 generally facing toward the indicator wheel 148. The indicator wheel 148 includes a plurality of radially spaced ribs 190 generally facing the lock plate 146. The teeth 186 each include an engagement surface that contacts a corresponding one of the ribs 190 (Fig. 6). Rotation of the lock plate 146 in a first direction causes the indicator wheel 148 to rotate therewith, while rotation of the lock plate 146 in a second direction does not cause rotation of the indicator wheel 148.

[0023] The cam member 176 of the height adjust assembly 102 includes a cam structure 202 having a plurality of steps 226 that engage the vertically extending portion 44 of the axle assembly 36. The cam member 176 rotates about the shaft 170 to provide a plurality of cam positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the cam structure 202 provides a repeating pattern of two identical sets of five height settings. Each set corresponds to 180 degrees of rotation of the cam structure 202 such that manually depressing and releasing the foot pedal 106 five times causes the cam structure 202 to cycle through the five height settings and brings the cam structure 202 from the first set of height positions into the second set of height positions by rotating the cam member 176 180 degrees. Each of the two sets are in engagement with the axle assembly 36 for 180 degrees of rotation of the cam member 176 and out of engagement with the axle 36 assembly for the other 180 degrees of rotation of the cam member 176. In other embodiments, the cam structure 202 may have a different shape which provides a different number of height settings.

[0024] The axle assembly 36 moves vertically with respect to the floor nozzle 30 of the base 18 as the cam member 176 rotates between the plurality of cam positions. The height adjust assembly 102 also includes a spring 230 attached to the base 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring 230 is attached to the bottom end of stop member 134. The spring 230 is configured to push the vertically extending portion 44 of the axle assembly 36 into engagement with the cam structure 202 to securely position the vertically extending portion 44 against the steps 226. The stop member 134 also includes a cam stop 234 which engages one of a plurality of radially disposed indents 238 on the outer periphery of the cam member 176. The cam stop 234 helps to position the cam member 176 in the correct orientation for the cam structure 202 to engage with the vertically extending portion 44 of the axle assembly 36. Stated another way, the cam stop 234 inhibits rotation of the cam member 176 in a reverse direction. When the vertically extending portion 44 of the axle assembly 36 abuts different steps 226 of the cam structure 202, the relative height of the floor nozzle 30 above the surface to be cleaned changes. The position of the cam member 176, and the relative height of the floor nozzle 30 to the floor surface, is indicated to the user via the corresponding indicia on the visible segment 152 of the indicator wheel 148 through the viewing window 48.

[0025] In operation of the ratcheting height adjust assembly 102, a user depresses the foot pedal 106 in order to change the relative height of the floor nozzle 30 to the surface to be cleaned. When the user depresses the foot pedal 106 to overcome the force of the spring 124, the lever arm 1 10 is thereby pivoted around the first pivot axis A (Fig. 5) in a first direction. The pivoting motion of the lever arm 1 10 pushes down the peg 142 to affect rotation of the lock plate 146 in the first direction about the second pivot axis B as the peg 142 moves within the slot 138. The rotation of the lock plate 146 in the first direction causes the teeth 186 to engage with the ribs 190 of the indicator wheel 148 (Fig. 6) causing it to rotate therewith. Since the indicator wheel 148 and the cam member 176 are coupled to each other, the cam member 176 also rotates. As the cam member 176 rotates, the cam structure 202 is also rotated to move engagement of the vertically extending axle portion 44 from one of the steps 226 to another one of the steps 226, thereby changing the relative height of the floor nozzle 30 with respect to the floor surface. As the cam structure 202 rotates, the spring 230 pushes against the vertically extending axle portion 44 to help hold it in the correct position relative to the cam structure 202. Additionally, the cam stop 234 of the stop member 134 engages with one of the indents 238 to help hold the cam member 176 in the desired or correct position.

[0026] After the height of the floor nozzle 30 has been changed, as indicated by the indicia located on the visible segment 152 of the indicator wheel 148, the user lifts their foot off the foot pedal 106. After their foot is lifted, the spring 124 exerts an upward force on the lever arm 1 10 thereby pivoting the lever arm 1 10 about the first pivot axis A in a second direction. The pivoting motion of the lever arm 1 10 pushes the peg 142 up to affect rotation of the lock plate 146 in the second direction about the second pivot axis B. Rotation of the lock plate 146 in the second direction causes the teeth 186 to glide over the ribs 190 so that the indicator wheel 148 does not rotate. As the teeth 186 glide over the ribs 190 the slanted face of the teeth 186 push the lock plate 146 toward the spring retainer 150. After the teeth 186 finish gliding over the corresponding ribs 190, the spring 144 located between the spring retainer 150 and the lock plate 146 forces the lock plate 146 back into a locking engagement with the indicator wheel 148 allowing the ratcheting height adjust mechanism 102 to be used again. During operation of the height adjust mechanism 102, the lever arm 1 10 pivots substantially around the first pivot axis A while the cam member 176 pivots substantially around the second pivot axis B.

[0027] Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.