Vacuum cleaners and hoses

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner hose ( 2 ) has an inner flexible section ( 25 ) slidable within an outer flexible section ( 20 ). A rear end fitting ( 28 ) on the inner section prevents it being pulled from the outer section and seals with a coupling ( 24 ) at the forward end of the outer section ( 20 ) when fully extended. The inner section ( 25 ) has a natural extended length and is retracted for storage by closing a valve at the forward end of the hose ( 2 ) so that suction from the cleaner ( 1 ) causes a reduced pressure within the hose sufficient to retract the inner section. The inner section ( 25 ) is retained within the outer section ( 20 ) by engaging a coupling ( 33 ) at the forward end of the inner section with the coupling ( 24 ) at the forward end of the outer section.

1 . A vacuum cleaner including a suction unit and a flexible hose assembly ( 2 ) connected therewith, wherein the hose assembly includes at least two flexible sections one of which has a smaller external diameter than the other and is slidable within the other, and wherein the at least two flexible sections are arranged to seal with one another at least when the at least two flexible sections are extended relative to one another.  
   
   
       2 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two flexible sections are corrugated.  
   
   
       3 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the one of said at least two flexible sections having the smaller external diameter is stretchable from a natural short length to a longer length by applying an axial force.  
   
   
       4 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , the one of said at least two flexible sections having the smaller external diameter is retractable from a natural extended length to a shorter length.  
   
   
       5 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 4 , wherein the one of said at least two flexible sections having the smaller external diameter is retractable by suction applied by the suction unit when the end of the hose assembly ( 2 ) is occluded.  
   
   
       6 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , the shorter length is substantially equal to a length of the other of said at least two flexible sections.  
   
   
       7 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , the at least two flexible sections are provided with cooperating couplings that can be engaged with one another to retain the at least two flexible sections in a compact configuration, one within the other, for storage.  
   
   
       8 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the other of said at least two flexible sections is stretchable from a natural short length to a longer length by applying an axial force.  
   
   
       9 . A hose assembly ( 2 ) for a vacuum cleaner, the hose assembly comprising inner and outer corrugated, flexible sections, wherein: 
 the inner section has a first end slidably retained within the outer section;    the hose assembly has a short configuration in which a major part of the length of the inner section extends within the outer sections, the first end of the inner section extends within the outer section and the first end of the inner section is located adjacent to a first end of the outer section; and    the hose assembly has a longer configuration in which the inner section is extended beyond a second end of the outer section, the first end of the inner section is located adjacent to the second end of the outer section and a seal is provided between the inner and outer sections.    
   
   
       10 . A hose assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the inner section is extendable from a shorter length substantially equal to a length of the outer section to a longer length greater than the length of the outer section.