Cleaning appliance

Abstract

A cleaning appliance of the canister type, including separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, a support for supporting the separating apparatus on the appliance, a duct having a fluid inlet for receiving the fluid flow from a fluid outlet of the separating apparatus, and a mechanism for urging together the fluid inlet of the duct and the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus.

1 . A cleaning appliance of the canister type, comprising separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, a support for supporting the separating apparatus on the appliance, a duct having a fluid inlet for receiving the fluid flow from a fluid outlet of the separating apparatus, and a mechanism for urging together the fluid inlet of the duct and the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus. 
     
     
         2 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism for urging together the fluid inlet of the duct and the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus is arranged to urge the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus towards the fluid inlet of the duct. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism for urging together the fluid inlet of the duct and the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus is arranged to urge the separating apparatus towards the duct. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism for urging together the fluid inlet of the duct and the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus is arranged to urge the support towards the duct. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the duct is arranged to urge the separating apparatus against the support. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet of the duct has a curved outer surface for engaging a conformingly curved surface of the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet of the duct has a convex outer surface for engaging a concave outer surface of the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the duct is detachable from the separating apparatus to allow the separating apparatus to be removed from the support. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid outlet of the separating apparatus is located in an upper surface thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the separating apparatus comprises a handle located beneath the duct. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the duct comprises a handle. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , comprising a floor engaging rolling assembly housing a device for drawing the fluid flow through the separating apparatus, and wherein the duct is pivotably connected to the rolling assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the rolling assembly comprises a main body and a plurality of floor engaging rolling elements rotatably mounted on the main body, and wherein the duct is pivotably connected to the main body of the rolling assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the main body and the rolling elements together define a substantially spherical rolling assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , comprising a mechanism for moving the support relative to the duct. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the mechanism for moving the support relative to the duct is arranged to pivot the support relative to the duct. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the mechanism for moving the support relative to the duct comprises an inlet duct for conveying the fluid flow to the separating apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the support is connected to the inlet duct. 
     
     
         19 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the inlet duct comprises a relatively flexible inlet section and a relatively rigid outlet section which is pivotable relative to the duct. 
     
     
         20 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the support is connected to the outlet section of the inlet duct. 
     
     
         21 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the inlet section comprises a flexible hose. 
     
     
         22 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a curved support surface for supporting the outer wall of the separating apparatus. 
     
     
         23 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a spigot locatable within a recess located on the base of the separating apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . The cleaning appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the separating apparatus comprises cyclonic separating apparatus.