Upright vacuum cleaner equipped with electrified stretch hose and wand

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly having an intake opening. A handle assembly is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. The vacuum cleaner also includes a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel. In addition, the vacuum cleaner includes a flexible, electrified stretch hose.

1 . An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a nozzle assembly including an intake opening;    a handle assembly connected to said nozzle assembly;    a suction generator carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said handle assembly;    a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said handle assembly; and    a flexible, electrified stretch hose carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said handle assembly.    
     
     
         2 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further including an electrified cleaning wand wherein said electrified cleaning wand and said cooperating electrified stretch hose both include at least two insulated electrical conductors.  
     
     
         3 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein said stretch hose includes a reinforcing wire and a collapsible wall.  
     
     
         4 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said electrified stretch hose includes three insulated electrical conductors.  
     
     
         5 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , further including a cleaning attachment and a first connector securing said cleaning attachment to said wand.  
     
     
         6 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein said cleaning attachment includes an electrical motor that receives electrical power through said two insulated electrical conductors in said wand and said stretch hose.  
     
     
         7 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein said cleaning attachment includes a rotary agitator, said rotary agitator being driven by said electrical motor.  
     
     
         8 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein said cleaning attachment includes a light source that receives electrical power through said two insulated electrical conductors in said wand and said stretch hose.  
     
     
         9 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein said cleaning attachment includes a booster fan, said booster fan being driven by said electrical motor.  
     
     
         10 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein said cleaning attachment includes a light source that receives electrical power through said two insulated electrical conductors in said wand and said stretch hose.  
     
     
         11 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , further including a second connector securing said wand to said stretch hose.  
     
     
         12 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein said wand includes multiple sections.  
     
     
         13 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein said multiple sections of said wand are telescoping.  
     
     
         14 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further including at least one rotary agitator carried on said nozzle assembly in said intake opening.  
     
     
         15 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt filter bag.  
     
     
         16 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.  
     
     
         17 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein said dirt cup is substantially cylindrical in shape and includes a tangentially directed inlet opening.  
     
     
         18 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , further including a control switch for selectively activating and deactivating said electrical motor on said cleaning attachment.  
     
     
         19 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein said switch is carried on one of said wand, said stretch hose and said cleaning attachment.  
     
     
         20 . A method of increasing the cleaning versatility and performance of an upright vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 equipping an upright vacuum cleaner with a flexible stretch hose and a powered cleaning attachment tool that may be selectively secured to said flexible stretch hose and used for certain cleaning applications.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further including equipping said upright vacuum cleaner with a wand where both said flexible stretch hose and said wand include electrical conductors for powering said powered cleaning attachment.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further including equipping said powered cleaning attachment with a rotary agitator and cooperating rotary agitator drive motor.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further including equipping said powered cleaning attachment with a light source.  
     
     
         24 . An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a housing;    a suction generator carried on said housing;    a dirt collector carried on said housing; and    a flexible, electrified hose carried on said housing.    
     
     
         25 . The upright vacuum cleaner of  claim 24  further including a cleaning attachment having an electrical component powered through said flexible, electrified hose.