Vacuum hose storage system

Abstract

A vacuum hose storage system includes a housing which is mounted in a storage area of a dwelling or vehicle and connected to a vacuum source. A length of flexible, expandable cleaning hose is mounted in a looped fashion about a plurality of spaced rollers rotatably mounted within the housing. A handle is attached to one end of the hose and is seated in a cradle formed in the housing when the hose is in a fully retracted position within the housing. The cradle is mounted in the housing and receives the open end of the hose when not in use and enables other vacuum tubes in the structure to be operational without shutting off the vacuum to the stored hose. An ON/OFF switch is located in the cradle for controlling the vacuum source and is actuated when the handle is placed in or removed from the cradle. The hose has an internal helical spring which biases the hose toward a retracted position about the spaced rollers within the housing. In an alternate embodiment, the hose is slidably extendable from within a rigid serpentine tubing mounting within the housing.

1 . A vacuum hose storage system comprising:
 a housing forming an internal storage compartment;   a length of tubing fixedly mounted within the storage compartment and arranged in a serpentine fashion with a first end adapted to be connected to a vacuum source and an open second end;   a length of hose located within the tubing and movable within said tubing from a retracted collapsed stored position to an extended expanded position from said tubing and the storage compartment, said hose having a first seal adjacent a first end of the hose and movable with said hose in sealing engagement with the tubing, and an open second end for collecting dirt from an area to be cleaned, wherein said hose moves in a serpentine fashion throughout the tubing between the retracted stored position and the extended position;   a handle on the second end of the hose;   a cradle on the housing for holding the handle when the hose is in the retracted position; and   a switch for turning the vacuum source ON and OFF.   
   
   
       2 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  including a biasing device connected to the hose for exerting a contracting force on the hose when in an expanded position. 
   
   
       3 . The storage system defined in  claim 2  wherein the biasing device is a helical spring mounted within the hose. 
   
   
       4 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the cabinet includes at least a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls. 
   
   
       5 . The storage system defined in  claim 4  wherein an opening is formed in one of the end walls adjacent the second end of the tubing through which the hose extends from the tubing and storage compartment; and wherein the cradle is formed in the said one end wall. 
   
   
       6 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the vacuum source is a vacuum producing motor mounted in a second housing adjacent the hose storage housing. 
   
   
       7 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the vacuum source is a vacuum unit of a central vacuum cleaning system located remote from the housing. 
   
   
       8 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  including a second seal which is in contact with the open end of the handle when said handle is placed in the cradle. 
   
   
       9 . The storage system defined in  claim 8  wherein the second seal is spring biased toward the open second end of the hose. 
   
   
       10 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the hose has a 5 to 1 elongation factor between expanded and contracted positions. 
   
   
       11 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing has a parallelepiped configuration with a front wall and a spaced rear wall; in which the cradle is accessible through a first opening formed in an upper portion of the front wall; and in which the hose extends through a second opening formed in a lower portion of said front wall. 
   
   
       12 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the switch is mounted in the handle. 
   
   
       13 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein electrical conductors are in the hose for connections to a high voltage source. 
   
   
       14 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the length of hose is a neutrally biased hose. 
   
   
       15 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the length of hose is an expansion biased hose. 
   
   
       16 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the tubing has an outer diameter of 2 inches and an internal diameter of 1⅞ inches. 
   
   
       17 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the first seal is an annular sleeve formed of a low friction sliding material and has an outer diameter complementary to an internal diameter of the tubing. 
   
   
       18 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the tubing has five straight sections connected by four U-shaped bends. 
   
   
       19 . The storage system defined in  claim 1  wherein the cradle is pivotally mounted with respect to the housing and has a tubular section which slidably receives an open end of the handle therein. 
   
   
       20 . The storage system defined in  claim 19  wherein the switch is mounted within the housing separate from the handle and activated to turn the vacuum source ON and OFF by pivotal movement of the tubular section of the cradle.