Latch mechanism for vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A latch mechanism a vacuum cleaner having a locking recess. The latch mechanism can include a latch member having a portion that is selectively received in the locking recess and a latch actuator comprising a button. When the latch mechanism is actuated, the latch member is moved from a latched position in which the portion of the latch member is received within the locking recess to an unlatched position in which the portion of the latch member is removed from the locking recess.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 an upright handle assembly pivotally mounted to a foot assembly, the upright handle assembly including a main body having a locking recess;   a cup assembly removably mounted to the upright handle assembly and having a cup with an outwardly-facing side wall; and   a latch mechanism provided with the cup assembly for selectively fastening the cup assembly to the main body, the latch mechanism comprising:
 a vertically-extending guide track provided on a portion of the cup assembly; and 
 a latch member having a body with structure provided thereon for engaging with the vertically-extending guide track for sliding movement within the vertically-extending guide track, the latch member further including a locking projection that is selectively received by the locking recess and wherein the latch member is restricted to vertical translational movement by the vertically-extending guide track, the latch member further including a portion that is adapted to be pressed by a user, and wherein when the portion is pressed the vertical translational movement of the latch member is initiated and the latch member is moved from a latched position in which the locking projection is received within the locking recess to an unlatched. position in which the locking projection is removed from the locking recess, thereby allowing the cup assembly to be removed from the surface cleaning apparatus. 
   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cup assembly further comprises a cover assembly operably coupled to the cup. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the vertically-extending guide track is formed on an interior surface of the cover assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the cover assembly further comprises a button aperture formed therein. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the cover assembly further comprises locking projection. aperture formed in an upper wall thereof and wherein the locking, projection is receivable therein. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a biasing mechanism coupled between the latch member and a lower wall of the cover assembly, the biasing mechanism configured to bias the latch mechanism to the latched position. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the biasing mechanism is a coil spring. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the cover assembly further comprises a catch adapted to receive a first end of the coil spring. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a hand grip on the outwardly-facing side wall of the cup. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 9  wherein a user can grip the hand grip and actuate the latch mechanism to lift the cup assembly away from main body using a single hand. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a conduit extends from a bottom wall of the cup. 
     
     
         12 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 an upright handle assembly pivotally mounted to a foot assembly, the upright handle assembly including a main body having a locking recess; and   an assembly removably mounted to the upright handle assembly, the assembly comprising:
 a container including at least a bottom wall and a side wall defining a chamber; 
 a cover assembly operably coupled to the container; and 
 a latch mechanism provided with the assembly for selectively fastening the assembly to the main body, the latch mechanism comprising:
 a vertically-extending guide track; and 
 a latch member having a body with structure provided thereon for engaging with the vertically-extending guide track for sliding movement within the vertically-extending guide track, the latch member further including a locking projection that is selectively received by the locking recess and wherein the latch member is restricted to vertical translational movement by the vertically-extending guide track, the latch member further including a portion that is adapted to be pressed by a user, and wherein when the portion is pressed the vertical translational movement of the latch member is initiated and the latch member is moved from a latched position in which the locking projection is received within the locking recess to an unlatched position in which the locking projection is removed from the locking recess, thereby allowing the assembly to be removed from the surface cleaning apparatus. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of d aim  12  wherein the cover assembly further comprises a locking projection aperture formed in an upper wall thereof and wherein the locking projection is receivable therein. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the vertically-extending guide track is formed on an interior surface of the cover assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the cover assembly further comprises a button aperture formed therein. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a biasing mechanism coupled between the latch member and a lower wall of the cover assembly, the biasing mechanism configured to bias the latch mechanism to the latched position. 
     
     
         17 . The surface Cleaning apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the biasing mechanism is a coil spring. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of d aim  17  wherein the cover assembly further comprises a catch adapted to receive a first end of the coil spring. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a hand grip on a outwardly-facing side of the assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 19  wherein a user can grip the hand grip and actuate the latch mechanism to lift dirt cup away from main body using a single hand.