A Support Device

The invention relates to a support device for a handheld cleaning appliance. Particularly, but not exclusively, the invention, relates to a support device for a handheld vacuum cleaner.

Handheld vacuum cleaners are well known and have been manufactured and sold for several years. Typically, a handheld vacuum cleaner comprises a body which houses a motor and a fan unit for generating an airflow. The airflow enters the vacuum cleaner via an inlet. A separator such as a filter, bag or cyclonic separator is located downstream of the inlet to separate dirt and dust from the airflow. Further, it is common for a handheld vacuum cleaner to be battery powered. In many cases, a rechargable battery is provided. An example of this type of vacuum cleaner is shown in GB 1 207 278.

Handheld vacuum cleaners are often of a relatively small size when compared to upright or cylinder vacuum cleaners. Further, they are often required to be easily accessible for spot cleaning or other such cleaning tasks. Therefore, it-is useful and practical to store a handheld vacuum cleaner on a support surface such as an internal wall where it can easily be reached. It is known to provide a support device for a handheld vacuum cleaner in order to achieve this. Further, it is known to provide a charger for a rechargeable battery within the support device. An example of such a support device is shown in US 4,225,814. The support device is used for storage and recharging of the handheld vacuum cleaner. The support device has a plurality of screw holes so that the support device can be secured to a support surface such as a wall.

However, a disadvantage of the type of support device disclosed in US 4,225,814 is that only one wall of the support device can be secured to a support surface. This is due in part to the shape of the support device which is elongate and flat, and in part to the provision of screw holes in only one wall of the support device. Therefore, this arrangement provides a limited number of orientations in which the support device can

be secured to a support surface and may not allow the handheld vacuum cleaner to be stored in the most convenient orientation in a home.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a support device for a handheld vacuum cleaner which allows the support device to be mounted on a support surface in at least two different orientations. It is a further object of the invention to provide a support surface having at least two walls which are capable of connection to a support surface so that the support device can be retained in at least two different orientations with respect to the support surface. This gives a user improved flexibility regarding storage of the handheld vacuum cleaner on a support surface.

The invention provides a support device for a handheld cleaning appliance comprising a body having a plurality of walls, a portion of the body defining a receiving portion for receiving at least a part of the handheld cleaning appliance, wherein at least two of the walls are capable of connection to a support surface so that the support device can be retained in at least two different orientations with respect to the support surface. By providing such an arrangement, a user can choose from at least two orientations of the support device (and therefore the handheld cleaning appliance when it is located in the support device) with respect to a support surface. This allows a user to select an orientation which fits most conveniently into a room or space.

The invention further provides a connector capable of being fixedly secured to the support surface. Preferably, the connector is arranged removably to receive one of the at least two walls in order to retain the support device on the support surface. By providing such an arrangement, a connector can be fixed to a support surface and the remainder of the support device can be attached thereto. This allows different orientations of the support device to be selected without the need to remove securing components such as screws or nails from the support surface.

Preferably, the connector is arranged slidably to receive one of the at least two walls. By providing a slidable engagement between the connector and the remainder of the

support device, the remainder of the support device can easily and quickly be removed from the connector without undue burden.

Preferably, the receiving portion is arranged such that, when the support device is retained on the support surface and a handheld cleaning appliance is located in the receiving portion, the handheld cleaning appliance lies alongside the support surface. By providing such an arrangement, the largest dimensions of a handheld cleaning appliance can be held parallel to the support surface. This minimises the intrusion of the handheld cleaning appliance into a room or area in which the support surface is located.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view showing a handheld vacuum cleaner;

Figure 2 is an isometric view showing a body forming part of a support device according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a side view showing the body of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an isometric view showing a connector forming part of the support device according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a front view showing the connector of Figure 4 attached to the body of Figure 2 in a first configuration;

Figure 6 is a front view showing the connector of Figure 4 attached to the body of Figure 2 in a second configuration;

Figure 7 is a front view showing the body of Figure 2 during attachment to the connector of Figure 4 in the second configuration; and

Figure 8 is a side view showing a support device according to the invention when supporting the handheld vacuum cleaner of Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a handheld vacuum cleaner 10. The hand-held vacuum cleaner 10 has a main body 12 which houses a motor and fan unit (not shown). The main body 12 also includes a battery pack 14. A handle 16 is provided on the main body 12 for manipulating the hand-held vacuum cleaner 10 in use. At the base of the handle 16 is located a mounting portion 18. The mounting portion 18 is arranged to connect the battery pack 14 to the remainder of the handheld cleaning appliance 10. Cyclonic separating apparatus 20 is attached to the main body 12. An inlet pipe 22 extends from a portion of the cyclonic separating apparatus 20 remote from the main body 12. A dirty air inlet 24 is formed at the distal end of the inlet pipe 22. A brush tool 26 is slidably mounted on the distal end of the inlet pipe 22. A set of exhaust vents 28 are provided on the main body 12 for exhausting air from the hand-held vacuum cleaner 10.

In use, the motor and fan unit draws a flow of dirt- and dust-laden air into the dirty air inlet 24, through the inlet pipe 22 and into the cyclonic separating apparatus 20. The cyclonic separating apparatus 20 separates dirt and dust from the airflow. The cleaned airflow then passes through the motor and fan unit and out of the exhaust vents 28.

Figures 2 and 3 show a part of the support device 100 according to the invention. The support device 100 is suitable for use with the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 of Figure 1. The support device 100 comprises a body 102 having a rear wall 104, two side walls 106, 108, a front wall 110 and a base wall 112. A pair of holes 114 is formed in the rear wall 104. The holes 114 are arranged to include metallic contacts (not shown) arranged to supply power to the battery pack 14 when the handheld cleaning appliance 10 is located in the support device 100.

A part of the body 102 defines a receiving portion 116. The receiving portion 116 takes the form of a cavity defined by the front, rear, side and base walls 104, 106, 108, 110,

112. The receiving portion 116 is dimensioned to receive the battery pack 14 and mounting portion 18 of the handheld vacuum cleaner 10. The front wall 110 is shaped to abut the mounting portion 18 of the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 when the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 is inserted into the receiving portion 116.

Two channels 118 are formed on the side wall 106. One channel 118 is formed adjacent the rear wall 104 and the other channel 118 is formed adjacent the front wall 110. Two further channels 120 are formed on the opposing side wall 108. One channel 120 is formed adjacent the rear wall 104 and the other channel 120 is formed adjacent the front wall 110. Only one of the channels 120 can be seen in Figure 2. Each channel 118, 120 extends parallel to the respective side wall 106, 108. Additionally, the lower ends of each side wall 106, 108 include a notch 121. The purpose of the channels 118, 120 and the notches 121 will be described later.

It is desirable to connect the body 102 of the support device 10 shown in Figures 2 and 3 to a support surface such as a wall or cabinet. In order to connect the support device 10 to a support surface, the support device 10 further comprises a connector 122. The connector 122 is shown in Figure 4. The connector 122 includes two through-holes 124. The through-holes 124 are dimensioned to receive attachment devices such as screws or nails (not shown) so that the connector 122 can be retained on a support surface (not shown) such as a wall. The connector 122 also includes a catch 126. The catch 126 is arranged to engage with the notch 121 formed on each of the side walls 106, 108 of the support device 100.

The connector 122 further includes four lugs 128. The lugs 128 are dimensioned and arranged slidably to engage with either the two channels 116 located on the side wall 106 or the two channels 118 located on the opposing side wall 108. This is in order to attach the connector 122 to the body 102 of the support device 100 in one of two possible positions. The connector 122 is held in position on the body 102 of the support device 100 by engagement of the catch 126 with one of the notches 121.

The two possible locations of the connector 122 on the body 102 of the support device 100 are shown in Figures 5 and 6. In Figure 5, the connector 122 is shown attached to the side wall 106 in a first configuration of the support device 100. hi Figure 6, the connector 122 is shown attached to the opposing side wall 108 in a second configuration of the support device 100.

In use, a user attaches the connector 122 to the support surface 150 using suitable attachment means such as screws or nails. The screws or nails are inserted through the through-holes 124 formed in the connector 122. The connector 122 is shown attached to a support surface 150 in Figure 7.

A user can choose from two configurations of the body 102 with respect to the connector 122. The choice of the configuration will determine the orientation of the support device 100 with respect to the support surface 150. Figure 7 shows the process necessary to select the second configuration of the support device 100. In use, the user slides the lugs 128 into the channels 120. The lugs 128 cooperatively engage with the channels 120 so that the body 102 of the support device 100 can be pushed down onto the connector 122 until the connector 122 and body 102 are in the relationship shown in Figure 6. At this point, the catch 126 engages with the notch 121 and the body 102 and connector 122 of the support device 100 are held in a fixed relationship. The support device 100 is now in the second configuration.

hi this configuration, the support device 100 extends away from the support surface 150 into a room or area (not shown) in which the support surface 150 is located. The support device 100 is now securely attached to the support surface 150 and is ready to receive the handheld vacuum cleaner 10.

Figure 8 shows the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 of Figure 1 located in the support device 100 and being supported thereby, hi order to locate the handheld vacuum cleaner

10 in the support device 100, the user holds the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 so that the

dirty air inlet 22 is pointing upwards. The user then inserts the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 into the receiving portion 116 so that the battery pack 14 is partly surrounded by the walls 104, 106, 108, 110, 112 of the body 102 of the support device 100. When correctly located, the battery pack 14 abuts the base wall 112 of the body 102 and the mounting portion 18 abuts the front wall 110 of the body 102.

When located in the support device 100, the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 lies alongside the support surface 150 (not shown in Figure 8). This is because the body 102 of the support device 100 extends perpendicularly away from the support surface 150 (Figure 7). This arrangement allows the handheld vacuum cleaner 10 to be supported by the support device 100 with minimal intrusion into the room or area in which the support surface 150 is located. Additionally, the battery pack 14 may be charged by a power source 200 which is connected to the support device 100. Arrangements for charging a battery pack are known in the art and will not be described further here.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of the embodiment described above. For example, the support device need not include a connector. Through-holes for the introduction of screws, nails or other attachment devices may be provided in at least two of the walls of the body of the support device. This allows the support device to be directly connected to the support surface.

Additionally, more than two alternative configurations of the support device may be possible. Any number of configurations may be used, for example, the rear wall of the body of the support device could be capable of connection to the support surface.

Alternatively, more than one connector may be provided. This may be necessary if, for example, the handheld vacuum cleaner is very heavy or the weight of the handheld vacuum cleaner needs to be spread out over a greater area. This may occur when attempting to fix the support device to an internal partition wall or other relatively weak structure.

The invention is applicable to all types of handheld cleaning appliance, for example, floor polishers, floor sweepers and wet/dry machines. What is important is that the support device has at least two walls which are capable of connection to a support surface so that the support device can be retained in at least two different orientations with respect to the support surface.