A cleaning machine, such as a vacuum cleaner comprising a housing, and a hingeable element being detachably attachable thereto

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning machine ( 1 ) comprising a housing ( 10 ) and at least one hingeable element ( 20 ), as well as to the hingeable element ( 20 ) itself. The hingeable element ( 20 ) is detachably attachable to said housing via a hinge structure comprising at least two pairs of magnetizable or magnetic member surfaces (H 1 , E 1 ; H 2 , E 2 ). At least one surface in each pair exhibits a magnetic force for engagement with the other surface in said pair. A first member surface (E 1 ; E 2 ) in each of said pairs is supported by said hingeable element ( 20 ) and a second member surface (H 1 ; H 2 ) in each of said pairs is supported by said housing ( 10 ). When said hingeable element ( 20 ) is attached to said housing ( 10 ), said magnetic force is extending in a direction substantially in parallel with a magnetic centre axis (A m ) extending between each first member surface (E 1 ; E 2 ). This provides a sufficient attachment force in the hinge structure both to allow the hingeable element ( 20 ) to stay attached to the housing during use, as well as to allow the hingeable element ( 20 ) to become detached easily from the housing ( 10 ), thus to function as a “break away”.

1 . A cleaning machine comprising a housing and at least one hingeable element, which element is detachably attachable to said housing via a hinge structure comprising at least two pairs of magnetizable or magnetic member surfaces, where at least one surface in each pair exhibits a magnetic force for engagement with the other surface in said pair, and where a first member surface in each of said pairs is supported by said hingeable element and a second member surface in each of said pairs is supported by said housing, and wherein, when said hingeable element is attached to said housing, said magnetic force is extending in a direction substantially in parallel with a magnetic centre axis (A m ) extending between each of the magnetic centre axes of said first member surfaces. 
     
     
         2 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , where said at least one hingeable element is pivotable around a pivot axis (A p ) between at least one open and a closed position relative to the housing, and wherein preferably said pivot axis (A p ) substantially coincides with said magnetic centre axis (A m ), preferably at least when not in said closed position. 
     
     
         3 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 2 , where said at least one hingeable element further can be positioned in at least one given angle (θ) in said at least one open position, such as in a multitude of angles (θ 1 , θ 2 , θ 3 , θ 4  . . . ) in different non-closed positions, such as a freely selectable angle, said angle being any between 0° and 360°, preferably between 0° and 270°, more preferably between 0° and 180°, where said angle (θ) is measured between a plane of said at least one hingeable element relative to a plane extending over edges in the housing. 
     
     
         4 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , where said at least one hingeable element and/or the housing is provided with at least one detach protrusion thereon in such a way that when the hingeable element is pivoted around said pivot axis (A p ) to a certain angle (θ break ) the at least one detach protrusion is interacting through the movement relative to the housing and/or hingeable element as a lever point. 
     
     
         5 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a shape of at least one, preferably all of said member surfaces perpendicular to said magnetic centre axis (A m ) are circular or oval. 
     
     
         6 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said magnetic or magnetizable member surfaces is provided with a recess or through-going hole arranged around a magnetic center of said member surface. 
     
     
         7 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said magnet or magnetizable members in a pair comprises a pivot protrusion suitable for engagement with such recess or through-going hole in the opposing member, optionally said pivot protrusion is made from an elastic material, such as a polymer composition, such as an elastomeric composition, preferably the size of the diameter of said pivot protrusion is at least around 0.9 times, such as 0.7 times the size of the diameter of the opposite recess. 
     
     
         8 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said magnetic or magnetizable member surfaces is provided with an outermost non-magnetic or non-magnetizable protection layer, e.g. made of a polymer composition. 
     
     
         9 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the hinge structure is a pinless hinge structure. 
     
     
         10 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning machine is any one from the selection of a vacuum cleaner, such as a dry or a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, a pressure washer, and a floor cleaning machine, such as a carpet steam cleaner, a sweeper, or a scrubber. 
     
     
         11 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 10 , the at least one hingeable element being a hingeable cover and said housing comprising at least one aperture which is coverable by said hingeable cover. 
     
     
         12 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 11  being a vacuum cleaner, and the housing comprising at least one vacuum chamber forming said aperture in said housing. 
     
     
         13 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 12 , wherein a housing axis (A h ), which extends between the magnetic centres of each of the second member surfaces being supported by said housing, is
 not coinciding with said magnetic centre axis (A m ) when the hingeable cover is in a closed position relative to said housing and the vacuum cleaner is being used, or   is coinciding with said magnetic centre axis (A m ), when the hingeable cover is not in the closed position relative to said housing.   
     
     
         14 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 12 , wherein said hingeable cover is movable in a direction perpendicular to said pivot axis, preferably in a direction perpendicular to a plane extending over edges in the housing forming said aperture, for a maximum movement distance being at least 3%, such as at least 5%, such as at least 10%, such as at least 20% of the diameter of one of the magnetic or magnetizable member surfaces. 
     
     
         15 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 14 , wherein, when said vacuum cleaner is operative for creating a vacuum state in said vacuum chamber, said hingeable cover is movable towards said housing providing an airtight fit with said housing, preferable in contact with a peripheral flange on an edge of the housing. 
     
     
         16 . A cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , where said hingeable element is a detachable accessory of said cleaning machine, such as a plate, an additional cover, a filter holder, a suction head accessory. 
     
     
         17 . A hingeable element being detachably attachable to a cleaning machine housing via a hinge structure comprising at least two magnetizable or magnetic member surface pairs, at least two first magnetizable or magnetic members of said surface pairs being supported by said hingeable element and being adapted for engagement by magnetic force with at least two second magnetizable or magnetic members of said surface pairs being supported said cleaning machine housing, and where said hingeable element is adapted to, when magnetically attached to said cleaning machine housing, allow said magnetic force to extend substantially in a direction in parallel with each surface of the first members being supported by said hingeable element. 
     
     
         18 . A hingeable element according to  claim 17 , which is a hingeable cover suitable to cover a vacuum chamber in a vacuum cleaner.