Telescopic vacuum-cleaner wand

Abstract

A vacuum-cleaner wand has an inner tube extending along an axis, having a substantially cylindrical outer surface, and formed with an axially extending row of radially outwardly open latch pockets forming radially inwardly projecting bumps. A middle tube extending along the axis surrounds the inner tube, has a substantially cylindrical inner surface riding on the inner-tube outer surface, and is formed with an axially extending row of radially outwardly projecting latch bumps. The inner and middle tubes are generally devoid of structure projecting from their outer and inner surfaces along most of their length. A latch body axially fixed on the middle tube is radially displaceable into and out of the outwardly open inner-tube pockets. A latch on the middle tube shifts the middle-tube latch body radially into the inner-tube pockets to lock the inner and outer tubes relative to each other.

1 . A vacuum-cleaner wand comprising: 
 an inner tube extending along an axis, having a substantially cylindrical outer surface, and formed with an axially extending row of radially outwardly open latch pockets forming radially inwardly projecting bumps;    a middle tube extending along the axis, surrounding the inner tube, having a substantially cylindrical inner surface s riding on the inner-tube outer surface, and formed with an axially extending row of radially outwardly projecting latch bumps;    a latch body axially fixed on the middle tube and radially displaceable into and out of the outwardly open inner-tube pockets;    latch means on the middle tube for shifting the middle-tube latch body radially into the inner-tube pockets to lock the inner and middle tubes together and out of the inner-tube pockets for relative telescoping of the inner and middle tubes;    an outer tube extending along the axis and surrounding the middle tube;    a latch body axially fixed on the outer tube and radially displaceable into and out of engagement with the outwardly projecting middle-tube bumps; and    latch means on the outer tube for shifting the outer-tube latch body radially into engagement with the middle-tube pockets to lock the middle and outer tubes together and out of the middle-tube pockets for relative telescoping of the middle and outer tubes.    
   
   
       2 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  wherein the middle tube is of uniform radial wall thickness between the respective pockets and at the inner faces of the respective pockets.  
   
   
       3 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  wherein the rows of the middle-tube pockets and of the outer-tube pockets are radially aligned with each other.  
   
   
       4 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  wherein the rows of the middle-tube pockets and of the outer-tube pockets are radially aligned with each other in when the latch bodies are engaged in the respective pockets.  
   
   
       5 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  the inner tube has a front end inside the middle tube and the inner tube and its pockets are dimensioned relative to the middle tube that when the middle-tube latch body is engaged in one of the inner-tube pockets the inner-tube front end sits between pockets of the middle tube.  
   
   
       6 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  wherein the inner-tube pockets are spaced axially differently from the middle-tube bumps.  
   
   
       7 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 6  wherein the inner-tube pockets are more closely spaced axially than the middle-tube bumps.  
   
   
       8 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  wherein the middle tube has only two pockets, one adjacent each end of the middle tube.  
   
   
       9 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  wherein the middle tube is formed between the bumps with inwardly open pockets.  
   
   
       10 . The vacuum-cleaner wand defined in  claim 1  wherein the inner tube is generally devoid of structure projecting from its outer surface along most of its length, and the middle tube is generally devoid of structure projecting from its inner surface along most of its length.