The present application concerns the field of vacuum cleaners, both commercial and domestic. The invention concerns a vacuum cleaner having improved ease of use and functionality by the provision of a retractable handle and/or a support structure for carrying cleaning tools.

Vacuum cleaners typically come in two basic forms. Upright vacuum cleaners have a floor- facing workhead typically equipped with a roller brush for lifting dirt and a vacuum suction vent for entraining the dirt from a floor or carpet surface. A generally upright elongate handle portion is connected to a rear end region of the workhead via an articulated joint which allows the machine to be pushed and pulled over a floor surface, while allowing the workhead to remain parallel to the floor surface. A waste receptacle is suspended from, or incorporated into, the handle portion. Typically the waste receptacle is a removable filter bag, or a bin portion of a cyclonic separator. As used herein "vacuum cleaner" includes dry operation machines and wet operation machines, including carpet cleaners, in which air suction is used to draw liquid into the machine.

Canister (or bin and wand) cleaners have a body portion which is typically carried on wheels and/or castors. A wand is attached to the body portion by a flexible air conduit and is used both to draw the cleaner over a floor surface and to collect dirt from the surface by manipulation of a work head at a distal end of the wand. The workhead may come in various forms and may be a simple as a tube and nozzle or may include a brush bar and vacuum slot for lifting and entraining dirt. One advantage of the wand arrangement is that complex, uneven or vertical surfaces such as stairs, curtains furniture may be easily cleaned, rather than just flat carpet or floor surfaces. The flexible conduit vents into a receptacle in the body portion. The receptacle may be a simple container, or may include a collection bag, such as a filter bag. An upper portion of the body typically includes a vacuum motor (with a protective dust filter) which is used to draw air through the wand and conduit and discharge into the receptacle. A well known domestic and commercial canister type cleaner is available from Numatic International and marketed under the trade name "Henry".

One problem with canister type vacuum cleaners is that they can be rather unwieldy to pack away and store between uses because of the presence of the flexible air conduit and wand. In addition, towing of the vacuum cleaner using the conduit is not always appropriate as it is not always easy to direct the travel or mount steps or other obstacles. In this case the cleaner is typically carried using a fold-away handle in an upper surface of the body portion. Thus there is a need for a canister-type vacuum cleaner which is more easily transportable.

Another problem which relates to convenience of use is the provision of ancillary cleaning tools such as dusters, cleaning products, cloths etc. Often these must be carried by the user along with the vacuum cleaner. US 5,303,447 discloses an upright vacuum cleaner which is also provided with a wand-type cleaning hose. The upright portion is provided with a hose and tool rack to which may be clipped the hose and wand and various cleaning head tools.

US 6,052,864 discloses an upright cleaner which is provided with an upright portion which has a telescoping (retractable) handle. US 6,154,921 discloses a canister-type cleaner in which includes a folding U-form handle portion which allows the body portion to be picked-up and rotated for end-on storage.

EP-A-0 928 595 discloses a steam cleaning machine which is provided with two spaced apart upright tubular telescopic members provided at an upper end region thereof with a generally transverse handle. A cross-member which straddles the tubular members provides hooks on a front side thereof from which a tool tray may be cantilevered. On a back side of the cross-member a slot is provided from which a steam cleaning wand may be suspended. The cross member raises with the tubular members as they are telescoped to one of a plurality of detented heights.

EP-A-1 021 981 discloses a canister vacuum cleaner which is provided with a handle which is a crossbar between upper ends of two spaced apart parallel upright telescoping members. An upper region of each telescoping member is formed with a doglegged portion by which the handle is inclined towards a front side of the machine so that the handle lies in directly above an axis of rotation of tow rear wheels of the machine. WO 2005/094657 and US 2005/0055794 also disclose telescoping handles formed between two upright members. The present invention seeks in certain aspects to address the problems of ease of transportation and storage, and convenience of use in general.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a canister-type vacuum cleaner comprising a body portion which accommodates a suction drive and a waste receptacle in which air-entrained detritus may be collected and which is provided with wheel means which facilitate travel of the vacuum cleaner over a floor surface, wherein a manually directable wand is disposed at one end of a flexible air conduit with the other end of the conduit extending to the body portion and configured to feed into the waste receptacle, wherein the body portion further comprises a generally upright structure which comprises a graspable handle which is adapted to be capable of retracting from a deployed position having a first height to a retracted position in which the handle is retracted to a height lower than the first height, characterised in that the upright structure further comprises a generally upright fixed base frame from which support means for the handle are adapted to extend so as to deploy the handle, wherein an upper end region of the frame structure comprises a generally transversely extending fixed cross-member.

The fixed cross-member is preferably disposed at a height which is above a top extent of the canister body portion. The fixed cross-member is preferably disposed as a height which is below the retracted position of the handle.

The base frame may comprise two transversely spaced apart generally upright struts and the cross-member extends between respective upper regions of the struts.

The support means for the handle may comprise two transversely spaced apart support members and the handle extends as a crossbar between respective upper regions of the support members. The two support members are preferably capable of retracting, in particular into the base frame so as to permit retraction of the handle from the deployed position.

In a preferred arrangement the base frame comprises two elongate guides or sleeves in which respective lower regions of the support members are accommodated after retraction. The projecting structure is preferably provided generally upstanding from a rear base region of the vacuum cleaner. One or more rear transit wheels or rollers may be provided at the rear region of the vacuum cleaner body portion so that the deployed handle may be used to lever the vacuum cleaner from a normal orientation in which the body portion sits upon the floor surface to a transit orientation in which the body portion is rotated about the rear wheels or rollers so that a front region of the body portion tips-up from the floor surface for ease of transit. Thus the machine may be tipped about its rear wheels and supported thereon for transit between cleaning or storage locations. The rear transit wheel or wheels are typically of greater diameter than front or side wheels which are lifted on tipping. Large wheels are better suited for transit over carpets or other surfaces as they provided less rolling resistance. In one embodiment there are two rear transit wheels, each have a typical diameter between 100mm and 400mm.

In a preferred arrangement there are two rear transit wheels which have a transverse track separation which is greater than a width of a housing which contains the waste receptacle. The rear wheels may have a transverse track separation which is at least 250mm, optionally up to 600mm.

The deployed height of the handle is preferably at least 750mm, more preferably at least 900mm, measured above a notional floor surface level. The retracted handle height is preferably less than 70% of the deployed height measured above a notional floor surface level and typically the retracted handle height is less than 600mm measured from a notional floor surface level.

In another aspect of the invention the base frame can serve as a support for carrying one or more wand portion, ancillary tool or containers. Thus in this aspect of the invention there is provided a canister-type vacuum cleaner comprising a body portion which accommodates a suction drive and a waste receptacle in which air-entrained detritus may be collected and which is provided with wheel means which facilitate travel of the vacuum cleaner over a floor surface, wherein a manually directable wand is disposed at one end of a flexible air conduit with the other end of the conduit extending to the body portion and configured to feed into the waste receptacle, characterised in the that the body portion further comprises a generally upright support structure which projects above the canister body portion, the support structure comprising a fixed base frame which serves as a support for carrying one or more wand portion, ancillary tool or containers. The base frame preferably extends vertically to a level above the canister body portion, so as to facilitate access to the wand portion, tool or containers. The base frame preferably comprises a cross-member which may be disposed at a height which is above a top extent of the canister body portion.

The base frame may be provided with one or more mountings for the wand portion, tool or container.

For example, one mounting may comprises a clasp or hook for releaseably holding a wand portion of a vacuum cleaner workhead. In addition a workhead rest may be provided at a lower region of the base frame, and the clasp or hook is provided at an upper region of the base frame, the arrangement being such that the wand portion may be supported in a generally vertical orientation with the workhead on the rest and the wand portion engaged with the clasp or hook. The supported container may be a bucket, which bucket is supported by a mounting provided at an upper region of the base frame. By "bucket" the applicant means not just an open container for liquid, but any receptacle such as a tray for carrying objects or a colander for draining wet objects. In one arrangement the bucket mounting comprises a first engagement which involves engagement of respective male and female portions of the mounting and bucket and which, when engaged, permits swivelling of the bucket about a vertical axis centred on the first engagement.

The bucket mounting preferably further comprises a second engagement provided at an upper region of the base frame, which second engagement is laterally spaced apart from the first engagement. This serves as a bucket swivel stop and provides a releasable

engagement with a portion of the bucket correspondingly spaced apart from the bucket portion associated with the first engagement. The arrangement is such that the bucket may be swung between a position in which both engagements are used, to a free position in which the second engagement is released and the bucket can swivel on the first

engagement away from the second engagement.

The first bucket engagement is typically provided at one transverse side region of the base frame and the second bucket engagement is provided at the other transverse side region of the base frame. Preferably the said transverse side regions correspond to the locale of the cross-member, which provides structural bracing.

The first engagement may be a mating between a generally vertically aligned spigot accommodated in a corresponding collar. In one embodiment a spigot is provided depending from a side region of the bucket and the collar is provided on the base frame.

Bucket mountings may be provided on a front side region of the base frame or on a rear side region of the base frame, or on both sides so a bucket may be carried on either side, or both sides, of the base frame.

The support for carrying one or more wand portion, ancillary tool or container may comprise a fixed transverse cross-member disposed at an upper end region of the base frame.

In yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a bucket for use supported by the vacuum cleaners as hereinbefore described. In this case a mounting provided on the base frame of the vacuum cleaner comprises a collar and the bucket is provided with at least one generally vertically oriented spigot which is configured to be capable of sitting in the collar so as to permit swivelling of the bucket about the spigot. Of course the spigot could be upstanding on the base frame and the collar could be provided on the bucket. Preferably however the spigot extends downwardly from an upper shoulder region of the bucket. In a preferred embodiment the bucket has two spaced apart depending spigots which each extend downwards from respective rear corner regions of the bucket.

In this specification the term "generally" as used in relation to uprights and verticals etc, includes the specific case in which the features are absolutely upright or vertical, as well as the general in which the features may deviate slightly from the vertical.

Following is a description by way of example only of modes for putting the invention into effect, with reference to the following drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a series of perspective views of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a series of perspective views of the vacuum cleaner equipped with a

demountable bucket. Figure 3 is a series of perspective views of the vacuum cleaner of figure 2 in which a handle has been retracted.

Figure 4 is a rear three quarter view of the vacuum cleaner shown in figure 1. Figure 5 is a partially cut-away version of figure 4.

Figure 6A is a rear three quarter view of the vacuum cleaner of figure 1 in which a cleaning wand portion is carried.

Figure 6B is a front three quarter view of the vacuum cleaner of figure 6A.

Figure 6C is a rear view of a lower region of the vacuum cleaner.

Figure 6D is a perspective view from the front and above of an upper region of the vacuum cleaner showing a deployed handle portion. Figure 7 is a side three quarter view of a mid region of the vacuum cleaner showing a demountable bucket.

Figure 8 is a series of rear three-quarter views showing how a wand is mounted and demounted. In figure 1 a canister vacuum cleaner is shown generally as 10. The vacuum cleaner comprises a generally dome-shaped head portion 11 and a generally cylindrical bin portion 12. The head portion 11 encloses a internal suction motor (not shown) disposed behind a protective dust filter (not shown). An upper surface 13 of the head portion is provided with a recessed semi-circular folding carry handle 14 and a mains cable reel 15 which is provided with a spooling stub 16. A front region of the head portion is formed with a horizontal shelf portion 17 in which are seated two rocker switches 18,19 which are used to activate the machine and change vacuum power mode settings.

The bin portion 12 is provided at a front central region thereof with a screw threaded port collar 20 which feeds into an internal generally cylindrical chamber which serves as waste receptacle (not shown). A tubular flexible air conduit 21 (not shown in figure 1 but shown in figure 6B) is attached at its base end 22 to the collar 20. A distal end of the flexible conduit is attached to a tubular steel wand portion 23. An upper end region 24 of the wand (best seen in figure 6A) is formed with an elbow portion 25 which serves as a handle. A lower end region of the wand (shown in figure 6C) is engaged with a cylindrical upstanding sleeve 26 of a vacuum workhead 27. The workhead comprises a generally planar transverse member 28 which is formed at an underside region thereof with an elongate slot (not visible) through which air is drawn in use.

A rear side region 29 of the bin portion is provided with two spaced apart transit wheels 30,31. The transit wheels have a common transverse axis of rotation. The wheels have a track spacing of about 360mm and are each about 200mm in diameter. As clearly visible in figure 1 a front under side of the bin portion is formed with two spaced apart castor wheels 32,33 which each have a diameter of about 50mm.

Rear side regions of the bin extend rearwardly as respective cheeks 35,36. The cheeks have lower regions which serve as an axle mount for the transit wheels. An upper region 37,38 of each cheek serves as a base portion for respective upright members 39,40. Adjacent an inward side of each upright member is a sleeve portion 41 ,42. An upper region of each upright member is attached to a transverse cross member 45. The sleeve portions extend through the cross member at respective bores 46,47. In each sleeve there is provided a lower end region (not visible) of a telescoping upstanding steel tube 48,49, which is a sliding fit in the sleeve. An upper region of each tube is connected to respective outer collars 50,51 of an H-form plastics moulding 52. A transverse handle 53 is provided by the cross-bar of the moulding 52. The cross member 45 is shown in greater detail in figure 4. A central region of the rear surface 54 of the cross member is provided with a C-section spring clip 55 for the tubular wand portion 23 (not shown in figure 4). A central region of the upper surface 56 of the cross member is formed with a lozenge shaped release button 57 which is used for unlocking of the telescoping tubes 48,49 for deployment or retraction. The internal arrangement of the cross-member is shown in figure 5.

Two opposing lateral beams 60,61 are biased outwards. Outer ends of the beams carry spigots (not visible) for engaging with corresponding recesses (not visible) provided at inward facing regions of the tubes. Each recess is aligned with the corresponding biased spigot at a tube deployed position shown in figure 1 in which the handle 53 is at its full upper extension. Depressing of the lozenge button 57 causes a lower region of the button to travel downwards and cause the beams 60,61 to be withdrawn, thus causing the spigots to retract from the recesses to allow retraction of the tubes 48,49 into their sleeves as shown in figure 3. Outer regions 62,63 of the cross-member are provided with crown features 64,65. The crown features are provided on opposite sides thereof with an upstanding annular collar 66 and a C-section spring clip 67. In figure 4 the spring clip 67 of the right hand crown 64 faces to the rear side of the bin portion, whereas the upstanding collar faces towards the front of the bin portion. On the left hand side crown 65 the orientation is reversed so that the collar faces to the rear side and the clip faces to the front.

The collars 66 each serve as a female portion of a swivel mount for a demountable bucket 70 shown in figure 7. The bucket is transversely elongate and provided at rear side regions 71 ,72 thereof with depending cylindrical spigots 73,74. In the arrangement shown in figure 7 the bucket is on a front side of the uprights so that the right hand spigot sits in the front side collar. The left hand spigot is not clearly visible but is engages with the spring clip. The bucket may be rotated about the swivel mount by unclipping of the left hand spigot so that the bucket swivels about a vertical axis defined by the right hand collar. The bucket may in an alternative arrangement be mounted on the rear side of the upright members, as shown in figure 2. In figure 1 and figure 8 a rearward facing turned-up cantilever feature 80 is shown protruding from a central lower back region of the bin portion. This cantilever feature serves as a mounting upon which a wand workhead may rest, as shown in figure 2 and figure 6C.

Directly above the cantilever feature is the spring clip 55 which is sized to accept the tubular portion of the wand so that the wand is held vertical (see figure 6A). The tubular conduit snakes down and around to the front of the vacuum cleaner bin portion.

In the present embodiment the upstanding tube and handle form a retractable handle portion which, in a retracted state, allows the cleaner to be made compact for storage. When the handle portion is deployed so as to extend vertically, as shown in figure 6D, the handle may be grasped by a user 81 and rocked backwards so as to lift the front castors 32,33 from the floor and allows the vacuum cleaner to be supported on the transit wheels alone while being pushed or pulled between rooms or cleaning locations.

The upright members and cross member provide a rigid support structure both for the handle portion and for an ancillary bucket in which may be stored cloths, dusters, cleaning fluids, and other cleaning tools or supplies. The support structure also serves to provide a support for the wand portion which retains the wand and workhead while keeping the flexible conduit off the floor surface. This allows easy transit of the vacuum cleaner without also having to carry the conduit and wand. In the specific embodiment, the top surface 56 of the cross-member is about 530mm above a notional floor surface (i.e. the bottom of the wheels). Top edges of the sleeves 50,51 of the retractable handle is about 650mm above the floor surface when the handle portion is retracted. When the handle is fully extended (deployed) the top edges are about 1000mm above the floor surface. The canister height is less than the lowest handle height. In one embodiment the canister has a height above the floor surface of about 470mm.