Surface cleaning apparatus with a sideways pivoting handle

Abstract

An upright surface cleaning apparatus, such as an upright vacuum cleaner, is provided wherein the upright section is moveable sideways about a pivot axis wherein the pivot axis is angled forwardly and downwardly. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning head is provided which is moveable sideways and is biased to the centered position. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning head is moveable sideways and is provided with a detent mechanism to inhibit sideways movement when in the storage position. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning apparatus is also provided which alternately uses a cleaning head adapted to receive a cloth or a traditional surface cleaning head.

1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a) a main cleaning head having a front, a rear, two opposed sides extending between the front and the rear, a bottom and a dirty air inlet;   b) an airflow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;   c) a suction motor and an air treatment member positioned in the airflow path;   d) an upright section moveably mounted with respect to the cleaning head between a storage position and a rearward in-use position, and,   e) the upright section is also pivotally mounted for movement sideways with respect to the cleaning head between a centered position and a sideways position about a pivot axis wherein the pivot axis extends in a forward direction of motion of the cleaning head and is angled downwardly towards the front of the cleaning head.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pivot axis is angled downwardly from a horizontal plane by about 10° to about 35°. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pivot axis is angled downwardly from a horizontal plane by about 15° to about 25°. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the upright section is moveably mounted with respect to the cleaning head about a first axis of rotation, and the pivot axis is above the first axis of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the first axis of rotation is generally parallel to the front and is generally horizontally disposed when the cleaning head is positioned on a floor. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the first axis of rotation comprises a second pivot axis. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a flexible hose defining at least a portion of the airflow path that conveys dirty air past the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a biasing member biasing the upright section towards the centered position. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the biasing member comprises at least one spring. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one spring comprises a torsion spring. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one spring is a single spring. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pivot limiter delimiting the sideways pivoting of the upright section to a maximum sideways pivot angle from the centered position. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a flexible hose usable in an above floor cleaning mode and an alternate surface cleaning head comprising a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet, wherein the alternate surface cleaning head is a selectively connectable in air flow communication with the flexible hose. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the upright section is removably mounted to the main cleaning head and is connectable to the alternate surface cleaning head when removed from the main cleaning head. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the base member comprises a front portion having the dirty air inlet and a rear portion having the at least one attachment members. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the front and rear portions are connected by a housing having an air flow conduit comprising part of the air flow passage whereby parts of the rearward facing end of the front portion are spaced from the forward facing end of the rear portion. 
     
     
         17 . A surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet;   b) a support member comprising an upper support member and a lower support member, the lower support member is pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the support member having a dirty air outlet, the upper support member is pivotally mounted for movement sideways with respect to the lower support member between a centered position and a sideways position;   c) an air flow passage extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet; and,   d) a biasing member biasing the support member to the centered position.   
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 17  wherein the base member comprises a front portion having the dirty air inlet and a rear portion having the at least one attachment members. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 18  wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the front and rear portions are connected by a housing having an air flow conduit comprising part of the air flow passage whereby parts of the rearward facing end of the front portion are spaced from the forward facing end of the rear portion. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 17  wherein the base member is provided with a first detent member and the support member is provided with a second detent member and, when the support member is in the upright storage position, the first and second detent members engage and inhibit sideways movement of the support member. 
     
     
         21 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 20  wherein the first detent member comprises a recess and the second detent member comprises a flange removably receivable in the recess. 
     
     
         22 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 20  wherein the biasing member comprises at least one spring. 
     
     
         23 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 22  wherein the at least one spring comprises a compression spring. 
     
     
         24 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 22  wherein the at least one spring comprises a torsion spring. 
     
     
         25 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 22  wherein the at least one spring is a single spring. 
     
     
         26 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 24  wherein the lower support member has a first engagement member and the upper support member has a second engagement member, the torsion spring has first and second arms and the first and second engagement members are positioned between the first and second arms, the second support member is positioned to drive one of the arms in a sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted with respect to the lower support member and the first support member is positioned to inhibit movement of the other one of the arms in the sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted with respect to the lower support member. 
     
     
         27 . A surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet and a first detent member;   b) a support member pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the support member having a dirty air outlet and a second detent member, the support member is pivotally mounted for movement sideways with respect to the cleaning head between a centered position and a sideways position wherein, when the support member is in the upright storage position, the first and second detent members engage and inhibit sideways movement of the support member; and,   c) an air flow passage extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet.   
     
     
         28 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 27  wherein the first detent member comprises a recess and the second detent member comprises a flange removably receivable in the recess. 
     
     
         29 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 27  wherein the base member comprises a front portion having the dirty air inlet and a rear portion having the at least one attachment members. 
     
     
         30 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 29  wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the front and rear portions are connected by a housing having an air flow conduit comprising part of the air flow passage whereby parts of the rearward facing end of the front portion are spaced from the forward facing end of the rear portion. 
     
     
         31 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a) a main cleaning head having a dirty air inlet;   b) an alternate surface cleaning head comprising a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet;   c) an upright section moveably selectively connectable to each of the main cleaning head and the alternate surface cleaning head, the upright section being moveable between a storage position and a rearward in-use position, when mounted to each of the main cleaning head and the alternate surface cleaning head;   d) a flexible hose usable in an above floor cleaning mode and the alternate surface cleaning head is a selectively connectable in air flow communication with the flexible hose; and,   e) a suction motor and an air treatment member positioned in an airflow path extending through the surface cleaning apparatus.   
     
     
         32 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 31  wherein the base member comprises a front portion having the dirty air inlet and a rear portion having the at least one attachment members. 
     
     
         33 . The surface cleaning head of  claim 32  wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the front and rear portions are connected by a housing having an air flow conduit comprising part of the air flow passage whereby parts of the rearward facing end of the front portion are spaced from the forward facing end of the rear portion. 
     
     
         34 . A surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet;   b) a support member comprising an upper support member and a lower support member, the lower support member is pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the support member having a dirty air outlet, the upper support member is pivotally mounted for movement sideways with respect to the lower support member between a centered position and a sideways position;   c) an air flow passage extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet; and,   d) a torsion spring biasing the support member to the centered position, wherein the lower support member has a first engagement member and the upper support member has a second engagement member, the torsion spring has first and second arms and the first and second engagement members are positioned between the first and second arms, the second support member is positioned to drive one of the arms in a sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted with respect to the lower support member and the first support member is positioned to inhibit movement of the other one of the arms in the sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted with respect to the lower support member.