Vacuum cleaner comprising an elastic bumper strip

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having an outer surface. A bumper strip projects outwardly from the housing and extends along the outer surface of the housing. A retaining element projects outwardly from the housing and extends along the outer surface of the housing adjacent the bumper strip. The retaining element overlaps the bumper strip. The bumper strip contacts the retaining element and is elastically deformable to slide with respect to the retaining element. The bumper strip forms a convex curved structure that bulges outwardly from the housing.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: a housing and an elastic impact bumper strip with two longitudinal sides, said strip being located on at least some sections of the periphery of the housing, the first longitudinal side being retained against the housing and the second longitudinal side projecting from the external surface of the housing under no tension, wherein the housing has a retaining element which holds the second longitudinal side of the impact bumper strip under elastic pre-tension against the housing.  
   
   
       14 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the housing is constructed in two parts having a first housing part and a second housing part, the elastic impact bumper strip being positioned on the first housing part and the second housing part having the retaining element.  
   
   
       15 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the elastic impact bumper strip is constructed on a lower part of the vacuum cleaner and the retaining element is constructed on an upper part of the vacuum cleaner.  
   
   
       16 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the elastic impact bumper strip is molded on the housing.  
   
   
       17 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the impact bumper strip has a point of weakening disposed near an intersection of the bumper strip and the housing in which the cross-sectional width of the bumper strip at the point of weakening is reduced compared with the cross-sectional width of the remaining portion of the bumper strip.  
   
   
       18 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the impact bumper strip is convexly curved outwardly in its elastically pre-stressed position.  
   
   
       19 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the impact bumper strip running around the periphery of the housing has at least one gap interruption which divides the impact bumper strip into a plurality of sections.  
   
   
       20 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the retaining element is constructed as a retaining strip which projects from the surface of the housing and is angled toward the impact bumper strip.  
   
   
       21 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the retaining element is molded on the housing.  
   
   
       22 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the retaining element and the housing define a receiving space in which the second longitudinal side of the impact bumper strip is held.  
   
   
       23 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 22 , wherein the receiving space is constructed as notch-shaped and is defined by an inner wall of the retaining element and an outer wall of the housing.  
   
   
       24 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 22 , wherein the second longitudinal side of the impact bumper strip is held in an elastic pre-stressed position where the end of the second longitudinal side is located at a distance from the receiving space.  
   
   
       25 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a housing having an outer surface;    a bumper strip projecting outwardly from the housing and extending along the outer surface of the housing; and    a retaining element projecting outwardly from the housing and extending along the outer surface of the housing adjacent the bumper strip, the retaining element overlapping the bumper strip, the bumper strip contacting the retaining element and being elastically deformable to slide with respect to the retaining element, the bumper strip forming a convex curved structure that bulges outwardly from the housing.    
   
   
       26 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 25 , wherein the bumper strip and the retaining element are formed integral with the housing.  
   
   
       27 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 25 , wherein the bumper strip is formed from a first material and the retaining element is formed from a second material, the first material being more elastic than the second material.  
   
   
       28 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 25 , wherein the housing includes a first housing part and a second housing part, the bumper strip projecting from the first housing part and the retaining element projecting from the second housing part.  
   
   
       29 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 28 , wherein the second housing part is disposed above the first housing part and the retaining element is disposed above the bumper strip.  
   
   
       30 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 28 , wherein the bumper strip is formed integral with the first housing part and the retaining element is formed integral with the second housing part.  
   
   
       31 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 30 , wherein the bumper strip is formed from a first material and the retaining element is formed from a second material, the first material being more elastic than the second material.  
   
   
       32 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 25 , wherein the bumper strip includes a plurality of sections separated from one another by gaps between the corresponding sections.  
   
   
       33 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 25 , wherein the bumper strip has a point of weakening disposed near an intersection of the bumper strip and the housing in which the cross-sectional width of the bumper strip at the point of weakening is reduced compared with the cross-sectional width of the remaining portion of the bumper strip to permit flexing of the bumper strip.  
   
   
       34 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a housing having an outer surface;    a bumper means projecting outwardly from the housing and extending along the outer surface of the housing to cushion the vacuum cleaner when contacting other objects; and    a retaining means projecting outwardly from the housing and extending along the outer surface of the housing adjacent the bumper means and retaining at least a portion of the bumper means between the retaining means and the housing, the retaining means permitting the bumper strip to slide with respect to the retaining means while remaining in contact with the retaining means.    
   
   
       35 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 34 , wherein the housing includes a first housing part and a second housing part, the bumper means being formed integral with the first housing part and the retaining means being formed integral with the second housing part, the bumper means being more flexible than the retaining means.  
   
   
       36 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 34 , wherein the bumper strip includes a plurality of sections separated from one another by gaps between the corresponding sections.