Attachment for a cleaning appliance

Abstract

An attachment for a cleaning appliance includes a head including a suction opening and a neck including an intermediate portion and an end portion for connection to the mouth of a wand or hose having a longitudinal axis. The attachment also includes a first rotatable connection located between the end portion and the intermediate portion having a first axis of rotation and a second rotatable connection located between the head and the intermediate portion having a second axis of rotation. Each rotatable connection allows relative movement of the end portion with respect to the head. The first axis of rotation is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the end portion. By providing such an attachment for a cleaning appliance, the head of the attachment can be moved into a variety of useful positions to allow easier cleaning of walls and high-level horizontal surfaces.

1 . An attachment for a cleaning appliance comprising a head and a neck, the head including a suction opening that lies in a suction plane, the neck including an intermediate portion and an end portion for connection to the mouth of a wand or hose, the end portion having a longitudinal axis, the attachment further comprising a first rotatable connection located between the end portion and the intermediate portion having a first axis of rotation, and a second rotatable connection located between the head and the intermediate portion having a second axis of rotation, each rotatable connection allowing relative movement of the end portion with respect to the head, wherein the first axis of rotation is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the end portion, and the second axis of rotation is inclined with respect to the suction plane. 
   
   
       2 . An attachment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first axis of rotation is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the end portion at an angle in the range of 20° to 60°. 
   
   
       3 . An attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the second axis of rotation is inclined to the suction plane at an angle in the range of 20° to 70°. 
   
   
       4 . An attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the first axis of rotation is at an angle to the second axis of rotation. 
   
   
       5 . An attachment according to  claim 4 , wherein the first axis of rotation is at an angle to the second axis of rotation in the range of 80° to 130°. 
   
   
       6 . An attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the first and second axes of rotation lie in a common plane. 
   
   
       7 . An attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the sum of the angle between the first axis of rotation and the longitudinal axis and the angle between the second axis of rotation and the suction plane is in the range of 40° to 130°. 
   
   
       8 . An attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the intermediate portion is curved. 
   
   
       9 . An attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the first rotatable connection comprises a first engaging device for holding the first rotatable connection in at least one discrete angular orientation. 
   
   
       10 . An attachment according to  claim 9 , wherein the first engaging device is adapted to hold the first rotatable connection in one of four discrete angular orientations. 
   
   
       11 . An attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the second rotatable connection comprises a second engaging device for holding the rotatable connections in at least one discrete angular orientation. 
   
   
       12 . An attachment according to  claim 11 , wherein the second engaging means are adapted to hold the second rotatable connection in one of four discrete angular orientations. 
   
   
       13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . A vacuum cleaner comprising the attachment according to  claim 1  or  2 .