Vacuum Cleaner Conduit Equipped With a Hinge Device

Abstract

The vacuum cleaner conduit includes first and second rigid conduit parts; a hinge device configured to allow a pivoting of the first and second rigid conduit parts between unfolded and folded configurations; a locking member configured to lock the first and second rigid conduit parts in the unfolded configuration, the locking member being movably mounted between locking and release positions; and an unlocking button slidably mounted between a rest position and an unlocking position, and configured to displace the locking member into the release position. The unlocking button and the hinge device are located on the same side of the vacuum cleaner conduit which is substantially diametrically opposite to the side of the vacuum cleaner conduit where the locking member is located.

1 . A vacuum cleaner conduit defining an air flow passage and comprising:
 a first rigid conduit part and a second rigid conduit part,   a hinge device connecting the first and second rigid conduit parts to each other, the hinge device including a hinge axis and configured to allow a pivoting of the first rigid conduit part relative to the second rigid conduit part about the hinge axis and between an unfolded configuration in which the first and second rigid conduit parts are substantially aligned with each other and a folded configuration in which the first and second rigid conduit parts define between them an angle less than 180°,   a locking member configured to lock the first and second rigid conduit parts in the unfolded configuration, the locking member and the hinge device substantially diametrically opposed relative to a central longitudinal axis of the vacuum cleaner conduit in the unfolded configuration of the first and second rigid conduit parts, the locking member movably mounted on one of the first and second rigid conduit parts between a locking position in which the locking member is configured to cooperate with the other of the first and second rigid conduit parts so as to lock the first and second rigid conduit parts in the unfolded configuration, and a release position in which the locking member is configured to release the other of the first and second conduit parts rigid so as to allow a pivoting of the first and second rigid conduit parts in the folded configuration, and   an unlocking button movably mounted between a rest position and an unlocking position, the vacuum cleaner conduit configured such that a displacement of the unlocking button from the rest position to the unlocking position causes a displacement of the locking member from the locking position to the release position,   wherein the unlocking button is slidably mounted in a sliding direction and between the rest position and the unlocking position, and wherein the unlocking button and the release member locking are substantially diametrically opposed relative to the central longitudinal axis of the vacuum cleaner conduit in the unfolded configuration of the first and second rigid conduit parts.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , wherein the sliding direction extends substantially perpendicular to the hinge axis. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , wherein the sliding direction extends substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the vacuum conduit in the unfolded configuration of the first and second rigid conduit parts. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , wherein the unlocking button is located near the hinge axis. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , wherein the hinge device is configured to be located above a portion of the air flow passage extending near the hinge device, when the vacuum cleaner conduit is in normal conditions of use. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking member is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis which is substantially parallel to the hinge axis. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a transmission member configured to transmit a movement of the unlocking button to the locking member, the transmission member configured such that a movement of the unlocking button from the rest position to the unlocking position causes a displacement of the locking member from the locking position to the release position. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 7 , wherein the transmission member is mechanically connected to the unlocking button. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 7 , wherein the transmission member is housed in one of the first and second rigid conduit parts. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , wherein the first rigid conduit part is configured to be fluidically connected to a vacuum cleaner body equipped with a suction unit, and the second rigid conduit part is configured to be fluidically connected to a nozzle configured to be in contact with a floor to be cleaned. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible conduit connecting the first and second rigid conduit parts and at least partially defining the air flow passage. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 11 , further comprising a transmission member configured to transmit a movement of the unlocking button to the locking member, the transmission member configured such that a movement of the unlocking button from the rest position to the unlocking position causes a displacement of the locking member from the locking position to the release position,
 wherein the transmission member extends at least partly about the flexible conduit.   
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 11 , wherein the flexible conduit includes a first end ring fixed to the first rigid conduit part, and a second end ring fixed to the second rigid conduit part. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 11 , further comprising first and second electric wires, each of the first and second electric wires including a first wire part, a second wire part and an intermediate part located between the respective first and second wire parts, the intermediate parts of the first and second electric wires extending in at least one wire guide passage delimited by the flexible conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first suction tube fluidically and mechanically connected to the first rigid conduit part, and a second tube suction fluidically and mechanically connected to the second rigid conduit part. 
     
     
         16 . An upright vacuum cleaner including:
 a vacuum cleaner body equipped with a suction unit and a handling interface,   a nozzle configured to be in contact with a floor to be cleaned, and   a vacuum cleaner conduit according to  claim 1 , the vacuum cleaner conduit mechanically and fluidically connecting the vacuum cleaner body to the nozzle.