Vacuum Cleaner Apparatus

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner has a hose assembly ( 10, 10′ ) attached at one end to the base ( 1, 1′ ) of the cleaner. The hose assembly is stowed alongside the handle ( 6, 6′ ) and is retained by the free end ( 19 ) of the assembly engaging a fixture ( 21 ) on the handle. The hose assembly ( 10, 10′ ) comprises a rigid wand ( 12, 12′ ) and a flexible hose ( 11, 11′ ) with a natural extended length. The hose can be retracted to a shorter length using the power of the vacuum cleaner by closing a valve ( 20, 20′ ) on the wand ( 12, 12′ ) to prevent air flow along the hose assembly and produce a reduced pressure. The wand ( 12, 12′ ) is stowed by sliding inside or outside the hose ( 11, 11′ ) and has a flange ( 18, 18′ ) at one end that engages and seals with a flange ( 15, 15′ ) at the free end of the hose when the wand is extended.

1 . A vacuum cleaner having a base including floor-cleaning arrangement, a housing mounted above the base for collecting material cleaned from the floor and a handle by which a user can maneuver the cleaner, the cleaner including a hose assembly having a first end attached with the cleaner towards a lower end of the cleaner and a second, free end, wherein the hose assembly includes a hose having a natural extended length and being retractable to a shorter length by occluding passage of air through the hose assembly toward the free end, wherein the assembly includes a tubular wand slidable coaxially relatively to the hose such that the hose and wand can be stowed on the cleaner, and wherein the cleaner includes an arrangement for receiving the hose assembly stowed in a generally vertical orientation. 
   
   
       2 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the wand is slidable inside the hose. 
   
   
       3 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the wand is slidable outside the hose. 
   
   
       4 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the wand includes a manually-operable valve by which passage of air along the hose assembly can be occluded. 
   
   
       5 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the wand is substantially the same as that of the hose when the hose is retracted to the shorter length. 
   
   
       6 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement for receiving the hose assembly includes a fitting on the cleaner adapted to engage the free end. 
   
   
       7 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein the fitting is on the handle of the cleaner. 
   
   
       8 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the wand has a first flange at one end thereof, said first flange being adapted to engage and seal with a second flange towards the free end when the wand is in a fully extended position. 
   
   
       9 . A hose assembly for a vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 .