Upright vacuum cleaner with swivel connection between nozzle and handle assemblies

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner includes a body having a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. A suction generator and a dirt collection vessel are both carried on the body. Two wheels support the vacuum cleaner on a surface to be cleaned. Those wheels are connected to the nozzle assembly by an axle. A swivel connecting the nozzle assembly and the handle assembly is secured to the nozzle assembly by that axle.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a body including a nozzle assembly and a handle assembly;   a suction generator carried on said body;   a dirt collection vessel carried on said body;   two wheels for supporting said vacuum cleaner on a surface to be cleaned, said wheels being connected to said nozzle assembly by an axle; and   a swivel connecting said nozzle assembly to said handle assembly, said swivel being secured to said nozzle assembly by said axle whereby said swivel pivots with respect to said nozzle assembly about a first axis A 1 .   
     
     
         2 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said swivel includes a pivot boss that supports said handle assembly for pivoting movement about a second axis A 2 . 
     
     
         3 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein said second axis A 2  is perpendicular to and offset from said first axis A 1 . 
     
     
         4 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein said swivel comprises a first yoke including a first arm and a second arm, said axle being received through aligned apertures in said first and second arms. 
     
     
         5 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , further including a locking jaw pivotally connected to said nozzle assembly by said axle. 
     
     
         6 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein said locking jaw comprises a second yoke. 
     
     
         7 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein said first yoke and said second yoke at least partially nest together. 
     
     
         8 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein said locking jaw includes a first set of teeth and said handle assembly includes a second set of teeth. 
     
     
         9 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein said handle assembly is displaceable between (a) a storage position wherein said first and second set of teeth are engaged and said handle assembly is held in an upright and centered position and (b) a use position wherein said first and second set of teeth are disengaged. 
     
     
         10 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein said handle assembly includes a support and a canister housing. 
     
     
         11 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein said suction generator and said dirt collection vessel are carried by said canister housing. 
     
     
         12 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , further including a wand and a flexible suction hose carried on said canister housing. 
     
     
         13 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , further including a supplemental cleaning tool, said supplemental cleaning tool being connected to a first end of said wand and said flexible hose being connected to a second end of said wand. 
     
     
         14 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , further including a receiver carried on said canister housing, said receiver receiving and holding said supplemental cleaning tool when said wand and supplemental cleaning tool are configured for cleaning with said nozzle assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein said vacuum cleaner includes an airflow path that passes serially through said nozzle assembly, said supplemental cleaning tool, said wand, said hose and said dirt collection vessel to said suction generator. 
     
     
         16 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , further including a final filter carried on said canister housing downstream from said suction generator. 
     
     
         17 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , further including a releasable locking mechanism for securing said canister assembly to said support. 
     
     
         18 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein said support includes a sleeve received over said pivot boss whereby said support pivots on said pivot boss. 
     
     
         19 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein said nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet in communication with an agitator cavity and a rotary agitator received in said agitator cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , further including an agitator drive motor carried on said nozzle assembly, wiring to said agitator drive motor passing through one of said first and second arms, said pivot boss and said hub.