Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner of the stick-vac type, the cleaner including a handheld vacuum cleaner which is attached to an elongate, rigid wand and which is fluidly connected to a cleaner head provided at the end of the wand. The cleaner head is connected to the wand via a mechanical steering couple for directionally steering the cleaner head in plane parallel contact with the floor as the wand is rotated about its axis.

1 . A stick-vac cleaner comprising a handheld vacuum cleaner which is attached to an elongate, rigid wand and which is fluidly connected to a cleaner head provided at the end of the wand, wherein the cleaner head is connected to the wand via a mechanical steering couple for directionally steering the cleaner head in plane parallel contact with the floor as the wand is rotated about its axis. 
     
     
         2 . A stick-vac cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein, in use, the mechanical steering couple constrains the wand and the cleaner head for co-rotation about the wand axis while permitting relative rotation of the wand and cleaner head about an axis which is non-parallel to the wand axis. 
     
     
         3 . A stick-vac cleaner according to  claim 2 , in which the cleaner head and wand are coupled for relative rotation along a scarf joint or via an elbow joint. 
     
     
         4 . A stick-vac cleaner according to  claim 1 , in which the wand is hingedly connected to the cleaner head for varying the lie angle between the wand and the cleaner head. 
     
     
         5 . A stick vac cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaner head and wand are coupled by a hinged elbow joint for varying the lie angle between the cleaner head and the wand. 
     
     
         6 . A stick-vac cleaner according to any one of  claims 1 - 5 , wherein the handheld vacuum cleaner comprises a pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         7 . A stick-vac cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein the pistol grip handle is substantially straight. 
     
     
         8 . A stick-vac cleaner according to  claim 7 , wherein the pistol grip handle extends substantially perpendicular to the wand. 
     
     
         9 . A stick-vac cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein the handheld vacuum cleaner comprises a motor which is positioned at or near the upper end of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
         10 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the handheld vacuum cleaning unit incorporates a cyclonic separation system. 
     
     
         11 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 10 , wherein the wand is axially aligned with a tangential inlet to the cyclonic separation system. 
     
     
         12 . A stick-vac cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the wand fluidly connects the handheld vacuum cleaner to the cleaner head.