This invention relates to fittings of the kind for a vacuum cleaner hose assembly.

Vacuum cleaner hose assemblies are exposed to wear and damage during use and it is often necessary to replace damaged hoses. It can also be desirable to replace one form of hose with a different hose, such as one that is lighter or more compact. Different vacuum cleaners have different fittings by which the hose is connected to the inlet of the cleaner unit. This can make it difficult for the vacuum cleaner owner to replace the hose. EP970653 describes a hose connector for a vacuum cleaner where a seal is compressed inwardly about the outside of the hose. DE20215182U describes an adaptor with an interior, conical profile for fitting with hoses of different sizes. GB 2406264 describes a fitting that can be compressed by tightening a strap so that it clamps onto a cut-off portion of a hose fitted with the vacuum cleaner. There is still a need for a fitting to enable hoses to be connected to a variety of different vacuum cleaners. There is also variety in the connections between the forward end of the hose where it connects with cleaning tools.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative vacuum cleaner, hose assembly and fitting.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fitting of the above- specified kind, characterised in that the second end of the fitting is expansible in width from a first size to a second larger size.

The fitting preferably has an expansion member movable relative to an expansible member in order to expand the second end of the fitting in width from the first size to the second size. The expansible member may be of an expansible material and have a tapered portion, the expansion member having a tapered portion towards the second end, and the expansion member being movable longitudinally within the expansible member to engage the tapered portion of the expansible member in order to expand its diameter. The expansion member is preferably

rotatable relative to the expansible member. The fitting may include a rigid ring fitted to the expansible member, the expansion member and the rigid ring having cooperating screw threads so that the expansion member can be moved longitudinally relative to the expansible member by rotating the expansion member relative to the ring. The expansion member preferably has a plurality of annular grooves extending externally around a tapered portion. An internal surface of the expansible member preferably has a plurality of longitudinally-extending ribs. The external surface of the expansible member may have a gripping tooth. The second end of the fitting may be configured to fit within the suction inlet of a vacuum cleaner unit. The fitting may include an internal screw thread adapted to engage the external surface of a hose inserted in the first end of the fitting. The fitting may be adapted to retain one end of an internal hose and one end of an external sleeve extending along and around a part at least of the length of the hose.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a vacuum cleaner hose assembly including a hose and a fitting according to the above one aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a vacuum cleaner, having a suction inlet and a hose assembly according to the above second aspect of the present invention fitted in the inlet.

A vacuum cleaner, a retractable hose assembly and fitting according to the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner with the hose assembly fitted;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one end of the hose assembly including the fitting;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the fitting with the hose removed;

Figure 4 is a side elevation view showing the components of the fitting separated; and

Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation view of the fitting with the components separated.

As shown in Figure 1, the vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner unit 1 of the cylinder type with a suction inlet 2 provided by a circular opening in one face 4 of the unit. A hose assembly 5 is secured in the inlet 2. The hose assembly 5 is of the kind that can be retracted in length by vacuum pressure applied by the cleaner unit 1, such as described in WO03/024294. The hose assembly 5 has a flexible, corrugated retractable hose 6 attached at its rear end to a fitting 7, which is adapted to be secured in the cleaner suction inlet 2. Its other end is attached to a coupling 8 adapted to receive a cleaning tool (not shown). A shorter, wider storage sleeve 9 extends along the rear end of the hose 6 and is also attached to the fitting 7. The sleeve 9 can be attached to the coupling 8 to hold the hose 6 in a retracted state for storage. Alternatively, the hose assembly could be of the conventional type, or of the stretch type having a natural retracted length, which can be lengthened by applying a pulling force to one end. The fitting 7 is adjustable to fit a variety of different vacuum cleaners, in the manner described below.

With reference now also to Figures 2 to 5, the fitting 7 comprises four components 11 to 14. The right-hand component 11 is a sleeve moulded from a soft, resilient, expansible plastics material such as a thermoplastic rubber. Externally, the sleeve 11 has a cylindrical portion 15 at its forward end with an external diameter of about 35mm. This joins at its rear end with an intermediate frusto-conical portion 16, which tapers rearwardly to a larger diameter of about 53mm. Two rearwardly- sloped annular gripping teeth 17 extend around the juncture between the forward portion 15 and the intermediate portion 16 on the external surface. The rear end portion 18 of the sleeve 11 is in the form of a radially-enlarged cylindrical ring. Internally, the forward portion 15 is smooth whereas the intermediate, frusto-conical portion 16 is formed with longitudinally-extending ribs 19 (Fig 5). The rear-end ring 18 has an inwardly-projecting lip 20

around its rear end and a concentric locking collar 21 attached at its forward end to define an annular recess 22 between the outside of the collar and the inside of the ring.

The second component 12 is an internally-threaded ring moulded from a rigid plastics material, such as a polypropylene or nylon. The ring 12 is circular in section, is relatively short and comprises a forward portion 31 separated from a slightly larger rear portion 32 by an external annular recess 33. Internally, the ring 12 has a collar 34 moulded within the forward portion 31 and spaced from the forward portion by an annular locking recess 35. The internal surface of the collar 34 is moulded or cut with a screw thread 36 having a relatively short pitch. The forward end of the threaded ring 12 is snap fitted into the rear end of the sleeve 11 so that the lip 20 on the sleeve engages in the recess 33 on the ring. The ring 12 is prevented from rotating relative to the sleeve 11 by engagement of the locking collar 21 on the sleeve in the locking recess 35 on the ring.

The third component 13 or expansion member is rigid and cylindrical with a tapered portion 40 at its forward end. The tapered portion 40 has three annular grooves 41 spaced from one another towards its rear, larger end to divide the external surface into narrow annular ribs 42. The intermediate portion 43 is cylindrical and is formed with an external screw thread 44 arranged to engage the thread 36 on the inside of the ring 12. The rear portion 45 of the component 13 is also cylindrical with a larger diameter and is moulded with knurls 46 to improve gripping by the hand. Internally, the forward and rear portions 40 and 45 are smooth; the intermediate portion 43 has a screw-thread rib 47 with a large pitch. The step 48 between the intermediate portion 43 and the rear portion 45 has several locking apertures 49 spaced around its circumference.

The fourth component 14 is an internally-threaded liner dimensioned to fit closely, entirely within the rear portion 45 of the third component 13. The forward end of the liner 14 is shaped with several radially-projecting locking teeth 50 arranged to snap into engagement in the locking apertures 49 in the third component 13. When the liner 14 is inserted within the third component 13, the engagement of the teeth 50 in the apertures 49 prevents the liner being

subsequently withdrawn and allows relative rotation between the liner and the third component so that the inner hose 6 can swivel. On its inside surface, the liner 14 is formed with a screw- thread rib 51 similar to the rib 47 on the third component 13 but larger in diameter.

The threaded rib 47 on the intermediate component 13 is adapted to receive the rear end of the hose 6 so that it can be screwed into the intermediate portion 43, axially compressing the corrugations of the hose to form a secure, gas-tight join. Similarly, the rear end of the storage sleeve 9 is screwed into the liner 14. It will be appreciated that, when the fitting is for use in a hose assembly without a storage sleeve, only one of the screw threaded ribs will be needed.

The sleeve 11 at the right-hand end of the fitting 7 has an external diameter that can be altered from a minimum of about 35mm to a maximum of about 53mm so that it can fit within the suction inlet of different vacuum cleaner units. This is achieved by gripping the knurled rear portion 45 of the third component 13 and the cylindrical portion provided by the rear end ring 18 of the sleeve 11 and the rear portion 32 of the threaded ring 12, and twisting these parts relative to one another. Twisting the third component 13 clockwise causes it to be screwed forwardly, to the right, thereby advancing the tapered portion 40 further into the sleeve 11. Engagement of the tapered portion 40 on the third component 13 and the tapered portion 16 in the sleeve 11 causes the sleeve to expand radially outwardly. This continues as the third component 13 advances into the cylindrical portion 15 of the sleeve 11. The ribs 19 on the inside of the sleeve 11 reduce the area contacted by the tapered portion 40 and hence reduce friction between the tapered surfaces. Friction is further reduced by the annular ribs 42 formed around the tapered portion 40 on the third component 13.

The hose assembly 5 is, therefore, secured to the cleaner unit 1 in the following way. The fitting 7 is first set so that its forward end 15, 16 has a small diameter, which can be easily pushed into the suction inlet 2. The fitting 7 is then twisted in the manner described above such as to expand its forward end 15, 16 within the suction inlet 2 until the outside of the fitting 7 provides a secure grip with the inside of the suction inlet, which is usually of an engineering

plastics, such as nylon or polypropylene. The gripping teeth 17 on the outside of the sleeve 11 further improve retention of the fitting 7 in the suction inlet 2.

The fitting can provide a secure, compact connection of the hose assembly with a wide variety of different vacuum cleaner units. This avoids the need to manufacture and stock a range of different hose assemblies for different vacuum cleaner units.

A similar fitting could be provided at the opposite end of a hose assembly to make connection with a variety of different cleaning tools.