Central vacuum system and inlet valves therefor

Abstract

A central vacuum system includes a primary valve box or inlet and a secondary inlet. The central vacuum system includes a hose with a hose cuff at the end thereof. The hose is stored in the primary valve box and may be extracted and attached to the secondary inlet. The secondary inlet includes features that enable the hose cuff to connect with the secondary inlet. The secondary inlet includes at least one moveable member that is configured to connect, in a releasable manner, with a channel formed in the hose cuff. The moveable member on the secondary inlet includes a section or portion thereof that moves radially relative to a longitudinal axis of the secondary inlet. The portion that moves radially may include a curved profile. This enables the moveable member to wrap around a circumferential portion of the hose cuff.

1 . An inlet valve for a central vacuum system comprising:
 a port defined by a plate adapted to receive an end of a hose therein along a first axis;   a moveable member having a concavely curved surface, wherein the concavely curved surface is radially moveable relative to the first axis;   the moveable member coupled, at least indirectly, to the plate; wherein the concavely curved surface is adapted to move radially away from the first axis as the hose passes the concavely curved surface; and   the concavely curved surface is adapted to move radially towards the first axis to fit within a channel defined adjacent the end of the hose.   
     
     
         2 . The inlet valve of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable member is a pin that is, at least partially, moveable radially relative to the first axis and linearly along a bore axis;
 wherein the pin is coupled behind the plate, wherein the pin moves linearly along the bore axis and radially away from the first axis as the hose passes the pin; and   the pin moves linearly along the bore axis and radially towards the first axis to fit the concavely curved surface within a channel defined adjacent the end of the hose.   
     
     
         3 . The inlet valve of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first end of the pin defining the concavely curved surface;   a second end of the pin coupled with a spring disposed behind the plate; and   an aperture in the plate, wherein the concavely curved surface extends through the aperture.   
     
     
         4 . The inlet valve of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 wherein the port is 360 degrees in cross section; and   an angle of an arc defined by the concavely curved surface on the pin that is in a range from 15 degrees to 45 degrees relative to the port.   
     
     
         5 . The inlet valve of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second pin that is shaped similarly to the pin;   an angle of arc defined by another concavely curved surface on the second pin that is in a range from 15 degrees to 45 degrees relative to the port.   
     
     
         6 . The inlet valve of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a vertical axis orthogonal to the axis of the port;   wherein the pin and the second pin are aligned relative to the axis of the port;   wherein the pin and the second pin are offset from the vertical axis by an angle in a range from about 20 degrees to about 70 degrees.   
     
     
         7 . The inlet valve of  claim 2 , wherein the pin comprises a linear section that is positioned parallel to a tangent plane of the port. 
     
     
         8 . The inlet valve of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a cutout section defined by the plate; and   a portion of the pin extending through the cutout section when the pin is moved radially towards the first axis to fit within the channel defined adjacent the end of the hose.   
     
     
         9 . The inlet valve of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the pin is radially outward from the cutout section when the pin is moved radially away from the first axis as the hose passes the first flex member. 
     
     
         10 . The inlet valve of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a one o'clock positional orientation of the port; and   wherein the concavely curved surface is positioned at the one o'clock positional orientation of the port.   
     
     
         11 . The inlet valve of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a bore defined behind the plate centered along the bore axis wherein the pin is disposed within the bore with a spring adapted to effectuate a linear slide action of a first end of the pin when the pin moves radially away from the first axis.   
     
     
         12 . The inlet valve of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a frame connected to the plate; and   wherein the moveable member is disposed between the frame and the plate and is lengthwise oriented orthogonal to the first axis.   
     
     
         13 . The inlet valve of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a curved chamfer coupled with the concavely curved surface, and the curved chamfer adapted to effectuate the movement of the concavely curved surface as a cam on the hose passes the curved chamfer.   
     
     
         14 . The inlet valve of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cover connected to the plate moveable between a closed first position and an open second position; and   wherein the hose cuff can only move the concavely curved surface when the cover is moved from the closed first position.   
     
     
         15 . The inlet valve of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a pivot axis positioned above the port such that the cover pivots about the pivot axis when the cover is pulled upwardly from the closed first position to the open second position.   
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 inserting a hose cuff coupled with a vacuum hose into a secondary valve of a central vacuum system;   moving a concavely curved surface of a moveable member radially relative to an axis of the secondary valve; and   connecting, in a releasable manner, the hose cuff to the moveable member to position the first concavely curved surface of the moveable member in an annular channel defined by the hose cuff.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein moving the first concavely curved surface of the moveable member is accomplished by sliding the moveable member linearly radially along a slide axis, wherein the slide axis is offset at an angle in a range from about 20 degrees to about 70 degrees from a vertical axis of the secondary valve. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 positioning the first concavely curved surface of the moveable member adjacent a cylindrical wall of the hose cuff.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 extracting the hose cuff and an entire hose from a primary valve box prior to inserting the hose cuff into the secondary valve.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 moving the curved surface on the moveable member radially away from the axis to release the connection of the hose cuff and the moveable member.