Floor care apparatus equipped with electroluminescent light source

Abstract

A floor care apparatus includes a housing carrying a suction generator, a dirt collection vessel and an electroluminescent light source.

1 .) A floor care apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   a suction generator carried on said housing;   a dirt collection vessel carried on said housing; and   an electroluminescent light source carried on said housing and directed so as to illuminate a work area adjacent said floor care apparatus.   
   
   
       2 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said electroluminescent light source is a flexible strip. 
   
   
       3 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said flexible strip is held in a channel on said vacuum cleaner. 
   
   
       4 .) A floor care apparatus, comprising:
 a housing including a nozzle assembly;   a suction generator carried on said housing;   a dirt collection vessel carried on said housing;   an electroluminescent light source carried on said nozzle assembly and directed so as to illuminate a work area adjacent said floor care apparatus.   
   
   
       5 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 4  further including a bumper carried on said nozzle assembly. 
   
   
       6 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said electroluminescent light source is mounted to said bumper. 
   
   
       7 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said bumper includes a channel and said electroluminescent light source is received in said channel. 
   
   
       8 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said bumper is resilient. 
   
   
       9 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said electroluminescent light source is a flexible strip. 
   
   
       10 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup. 
   
   
       11 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said dirt cup includes a cylindrical sidewall, a tangentially directed inlet and an outlet. 
   
   
       12 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a filter bag. 
   
   
       13 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet and a rotary agitator is carried on said nozzle assembly adjacent said suction inlet. 
   
   
       14 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said housing further includes a canister assembly. 
   
   
       15 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is carried on said canister assembly. 
   
   
       16 .) The floor care apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said canister assembly is pivotally connected to said nozzle assembly. 
   
   
       17 .) A method of illuminating a work area on a floor in front of a floor care apparatus, comprising:
 equipping said floor care apparatus with an electroluminescent light source.   
   
   
       18 .) The method of  claim 17  further including positioning said electroluminescent light source on a nozzle assembly of said floor care apparatus. 
   
   
       19 .) The method of  claim 18 , further including mounting said electroluminescent light source on a bumper secured to said nozzle assembly of said floor care apparatus.