Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes: an inlet pipe; and a lock mechanism that fixes an extension pipe, which is connected to the inlet pipe. The lock mechanism includes a pipe-lock lever, which has a pipe-hook part that is hooked into a pipe-recess part provided on the extension pipe. The pipe-lock lever also has a main-body part, which is disposed on an upper portion of the inlet pipe and on which the pipe-hook part is disposed, and one or more projection parts, which project(s) laterally from a side portion or side portions of the main-body part.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 an inlet pipe; and   a lock mechanism configured to detachably fix an extension pipe connected to the inlet pipe; wherein:
 the lock mechanism comprises a pipe-lock lever, which comprises a pipe-hook part that is hooked into a pipe-recess part provided on the extension pipe; and 
 the pipe-lock lever comprises a main-body part, which is disposed on an upper portion of the inlet pipe and on which the pipe-hook part is disposed, and one or more projection parts, which project(s) laterally from a side portion or side portions of the main-body part. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the projection part(s) project(s) laterally from a rear portion or rear portions of the side portion(s) of the main-body part. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein a surface of the projection part(s) tilts downward as it extends laterally and rearward. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the projection part(s) comprise(s) a left-projection part, which projects leftward from a left portion of the main-body part, and a right-projection part, which projects rightward from a right portion of the main-body part. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the left-projection part projects leftward from a rear portion of the left portion of the main-body part; and   the right-projection part projects rightward from a rear portion of the right portion of the main-body part.   
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 a surface of the left-projection part tilts downward as it extends leftward and rearward; and   a surface of the right-projection part tilts downward as it extends rightward and rearward.   
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the main-body part has a quadrangular shaped outer contour; and   the projection part(s) has (each have) a triangular shaped outer contour.   
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the pipe-lock lever comprises one or more anti-slip ribs provided on a surface or surfaces of the projection part(s). 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pipe-lock lever is supported on the inlet pipe so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis; and   the projection part(s) is (are) disposed more rearward than the pivot axis.   
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 9 , wherein the pipe-lock lever is configured to be pivotable by moving the projection part(s) downward to remove the pipe-hook part from the pipe-recess part. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more lever guards, which protrude(s) laterally from a side portion or side portions of the inlet pipe. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 11 , wherein the lever guard(s) is (are) disposed at least partly around the projection part(s). 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 at least a portion of the lever guard(s) is disposed more downward than the projection part(s); and   at least a portion of the lever guard(s) is disposed more rearward than the projection part(s).   
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a dust-collecting assembly, which comprises the inlet pipe;   wherein the dust-collecting assembly comprises a cyclonic, dust-collecting unit.   
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coil spring biasing the pipe-hook part into the pipe-recess part, the pipe-lock lever being configured to be manually pivotable about a pivot axis against the biasing force of the coil spring by downwardly pressing the one or more projection parts.   
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the projection part(s) comprise(s) a left-projection part, which projects leftward from a left, rear portion of the main-body part, and a right-projection part, which projects rightward from a right, rear portion of the main-body part;   a surface of the left-projection part tilts downward as it extends leftward and rearward; and   a surface of the right-projection part tilts downward as it extends rightward and rearward.   
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the main-body part has a quadrangular shaped outer contour;   the projection part(s) has (each have) a triangular shaped outer contour; and   the pipe-lock lever comprises one or more anti-slip ribs provided on a surface or surfaces of the projection part(s).   
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the pipe-lock lever is supported on the inlet pipe so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis;   the projection part(s) is (are) disposed more rearward than the pivot axis; and   the pipe-lock lever is configured to be pivotable by moving the projection part(s) downward to remove the pipe-hook part from the pipe-recess part.   
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 one or more lever guards, which protrude(s) laterally from a side portion or side portions of the inlet pipe; and   a dust-collecting assembly, which comprises the inlet pipe; wherein:
 the lever guard(s) is (are) disposed at least partly around the projection part(s); 
 at least a portion of the lever guard(s) is disposed more downward than the projection part(s); 
 at least a portion of the lever guard(s) is disposed more rearward than the projection part(s); and 
 the dust-collecting assembly comprises a cyclonic, dust-collecting unit. 
   
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a coil spring biasing the pipe-hook part into the pipe-recess part, the pipe-lock lever being configured to be manually pivotable about the pivot axis against the biasing force of the coil spring by downwardly pressing the one or more projection parts.