Floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance

Abstract

A floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance comprising a support member for supporting a cleaning element and at least one suction nozzle in communication with a conduit, wherein the conduit includes one or more plug elements that are engageable with respective sockets provided in the conduits, the plugs being removable from the sockets to provide access to the interior of the conduit. The invention therefore provides a floor tool combining suction and wipe cleaning facilities with improved maintainability for the user.

1 . A floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance comprising a support member for supporting a cleaning element and at least one suction nozzle in communication with a conduit, wherein the conduit includes one or more plug elements that are engageable with respective sockets provided in the conduits, the plug elements being removable from the sockets to provide access to the interior of the conduit. 
     
     
         2 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the support member has a leading edge and a trailing edge and wherein the suction nozzle is located along one of the leading or trailing edges. 
     
     
         3 . The floor tool of  claim 2 , including a further suction nozzle located along the other of the leading or trailing edges. 
     
     
         4 . The floor tool of  claim 2 , wherein the or each suction nozzles are separate from the support member. 
     
     
         5 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises a manifold from which extends at least one arm fluidly connecting the at least one suction nozzle to the manifold. 
     
     
         6 . The floor tool of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more plug elements are provided in the manifold. 
     
     
         7 . The floor tool of  claim 5 , wherein the manifold extends through a neck of the floor tool. 
     
     
         8 . The floor tool of  claim 7 , wherein the neck is pivotable with respect to the manifold. 
     
     
         9 . The floor tool of  claim 8 , wherein the manifold is substantially linear and extends through a cylindrical lower portion of the neck. 
     
     
         10 . The floor tool of  claim 5 , wherein the plug elements are provided at remote ends of the manifold. 
     
     
         11 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the plug elements are hinged relative to the conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the plug elements define a push fit or a screw fit onto their respective socket. 
     
     
         13 . The floor tool of  claim 12 , wherein the plug elements are tethered to their respective socket. 
     
     
         14 . A vacuum cleaning appliance comprising the floor tool of  claim 1 .