Canister vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A canister type vacuum cleaning appliance with a collapsible handle, attached to the housing, that is adjustable to the height of the user and positioned such that the user can use the handle to move and guide the housing unit with one hand while moving about a room, or between rooms, while manipulating the hose assembly with the other hand.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising: a horizontally oriented housing unit with front and back end portions, said housing unit containing the electric motor, an air impeller, and a dirt collecting reservoir; a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasably attached to said front end portion of said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasably engage various cleaning attachments; front and back transport wheels attached to said housing unit to allow said housing unit to be easily moved; a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said housing unit adjacent said front end portion of said housing unit; and a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle.  
     
     
         2 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 1  wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position.  
     
     
         3 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 1  wherein said collapsible handle has a generally vertical extended use position and a collapsed storage position.  
     
     
         4 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 2  wherein said collapsible handle extends outwardly from said front end portion of the housing in the direction of the main axis of the housing unit.  
     
     
         5 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein the collapsible handle extends at least about 12 inches beyond the front edge of the front portion of said housing unit when said handle is in the extended position.  
     
     
         6 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein the collapsible handle extends at least about 18 inches beyond the front edge of the front portion of said housing unit when said handle is in the extended position.  
     
     
         7 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein the extended position of said collapsible handle positions said hand grip at a height convenient for a user to hold to guide the housing unit while the front end portion of said housing unit is lifted, and the weight of the housing unit is carried on said back wheels.  
     
     
         8 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein the extended position of said collapsible handle positions said hand grip at a height of about 20 to 36 inches when said front end portion of the housing unit is lifted such that the weight of the housing unit is on the back wheels and the angle of the main axis of the housing unit and the supporting surface is between about 30 and 80 degrees.  
     
     
         9 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein said distal end of said collapsible handle is attached in a hinged manner to the housing unit adjacent the front end portion of the housing unit such that in the extended position of the handle it extends generally in the direction of the main axis of the housing unit and such that in the collapsed position the handle lies adjacent the surface of the housing unit.  
     
     
         10 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle.  
     
     
         11 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle and wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is attached to the exterior surface of the housing unit.  
     
     
         12 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle and wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is contained within the housing unit.  
     
     
         13 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 4  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle wherein there are two telescoping shafts.  
     
     
         14 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 2  wherein said collapsible handle extends outwardly from said front end portion of the housing at an upward angle of between about 35 and 75 degrees relative to the main axis of said housing unit.  
     
     
         15 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 14  wherein the extended position of said collapsible handle positions said hand grip at a height of about 20 to 36 inches such that movement of said housing unit can be achieved using the handgrip of said handle without lifting the front end portion of said housing unit.  
     
     
         16 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 14  wherein said distal end of said collapsible handle is attached in a hinged manner to the housing unit adjacent the front end portion of the housing unit such that in the collapsed position the handle lies adjacent the surface of the housing unit.  
     
     
         17 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 14  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle.  
     
     
         18 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 14  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle and wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is attached to the exterior surface of the housing unit.  
     
     
         19 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 14  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle and wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is contained within the housing unit.  
     
     
         20 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 14  wherein said handle is a telescoping type handle wherein there are two telescoping shafts.  
     
     
         21 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 16  wherein said hinged handle has two shafts.  
     
     
         22 . A vacuum cleaning appliance operated by an electric motor, comprising: a vertically oriented housing unit with top and bottom portions, said top portion of the housing unit containing the electric motor and an air impeller; a flexible hose assembly with distal and proximal ends, said distal end of the hose assembly adapted to be releasable attached to said housing unit, said proximal end of said flexible hose adapted to releasable engage various cleaning attachments; transport wheels attached to said bottom portion of said housing to allow said housing to be easily moved; a collapsible handle with distal and proximal ends, said distal end being attached to said housing unit; and a hand grip attached to said proximal end of said collapsible handle.  
     
     
         23 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 22  wherein said collapsible handle has an extended use position and a collapsed storage position.  
     
     
         24 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 22  wherein said collapsible handle has a generally vertical extended use position and a collapsed storage position.  
     
     
         25 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 22  wherein said proximal end of said flexible hose assembly attaches to said bottom portion of said housing unit and wherein said distal end of said handle is attached to said bottom portion of said housing unit adjacent the attachment of said hose to said bottom portion of the housing unit.  
     
     
         26 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 22  wherein said proximal end of said flexible hose assembly attaches to said top portion of said housing unit.  
     
     
         27 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 26  wherein said housing unit is generally cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         28 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 27  wherein said flexible hose assembly attaches to said top portion of said housing unit, at a distance no more than half the diameter of the generally cylindrical housing unit when viewed from above, from where said handle attaches to said bottom portion of said housing unit.  
     
     
         29 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 26  wherein said handle is of the telescoping type.  
     
     
         30 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 29  wherein said handle has two shafts.  
     
     
         31 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 29  wherein said handle attaches to the outer surface of said bottom portion of said housing unit.  
     
     
         32 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 22  wherein said hose assembly attaches to said top portion of said housing unit, and wherein said handle is of the telescoping type, and wherein at least one handle guiding and storage channel is attached to the exterior surface of said bottom portion of said housing unit.  
     
     
         33 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 22  wherein said hose assembly attaches to said top portion of said housing unit and said handgrip is at a height of between about 20 to about 36 inches when said handle is in an extended position, and when said vertically oriented housing unit tilted at an angle of about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees relative to the support surface.  
     
     
         34 . A vacuum cleaning appliance of  claim 9  wherein said collapsible handle assembly has an extended generally vertical use position and a collapsed storage position and wherein said hinge assembly is adapted to hold said collapsible handle assembly in a generally vertical position when said collapsible handle assembly is placed in said use position and wherein said collapsible handle assembly further comprises a telescoping member.