Vacuum cleaner hose assemblies

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner hose assembly ( 3; 3′; 3″, 3 ′″) has a flexible hose ( 5 ) that can be retracted by suction applied by the vacuum cleaner ( 1 ). The forward end of the hose ( 5 ) extends within a rigid cleaning wand ( 6, 6′, 6″, 6 ′″) and is attached to it close to its forward end so that a part of the hose can be stowed within the wand. The wand has two sections ( 64 and 65, 64 ′ and 65 ′), ( 64 ″ and 65″, 64 ′″ and 65 ′″) telescopically slidable one within the other so that the wand can have an extended length or a shorter retracted length. Both sections of the wand have an open wall structure with one or two longitudinal struts ( 66 and 67, 72 ) and ( 73, 66′, 73′, 66″, 73 ″) and one or two open windows ( 70, 76, 70″, 76 ″) in order to reduce the weight of the wand.

1 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly including a flexible hose and a rigid cleaning wand attached at a forward end of the hose, wherein the wand extends rearwardly along a part of a length of the hose, and wherein the wand has a section with an open wall structure by which the weight of the wand is reduced.  
   
   
       2 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the wand has two sections that can slide telescopically with one another such that the wand can have an extended length or a shorter retracted length.  
   
   
       3 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said two sections of the wand has one or two longitudinal struts between which one or two windows are located.  
   
   
       4 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the hose is retractable in length.  
   
   
       5 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein a major part of the length of the hose is stowable within the wand when not in use.  
   
   
       6 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the hose is retractable in length by suction applied by a vacuum cleaner unit.  
   
   
       7 . A vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner unit and a hose assembly according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       8 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the hose is retractable in length.  
   
   
       9 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the hose is retractable in length.  
   
   
       10 . A vacuum cleaner hose assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the hose is retractable in length by suction applied by a vacuum cleaner unit.  
   
   
       11 . A vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner unit and a hose assembly according to  claim 2 .  
   
   
       12 . A vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner unit and a hose assembly according to  claim 3 .  
   
   
       13 . A vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner unit and a hose assembly according to  claim 4 .  
   
   
       14 . A vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner unit and a hose assembly according to  claim 5 .  
   
   
       15 . A vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner unit and a hose assembly according to  claim 6.