Vacuum cleaning device with foldable wand to provide storage configuration

Abstract

Vacuum cleaning devices include foldable wands to provide a storage configuration and/or facilitate use. A vacuum cleaning device includes a wand having a first end coupled to a vacuum unit and a second end coupled to a vacuum head or surface cleaning head. The wand defines an air passage allowing air to pass from the surface cleaning head to the vacuum unit and includes a flexible air passage along at least a portion of the wand. The wand also includes a plurality of segments pivotably connected together such that the wand is foldable about 180° in a forward direction until the vacuum unit is positioned proximate a top of the surface cleaning head, thereby providing a storage configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaning device comprising:
 a vacuum unit including at least a suction motor;   a surface cleaning head including a suction conduit;   a wand having a first end coupled to the vacuum unit and a second end coupled to the surface cleaning head, the wand defining an air passage extending from the first end to the second end and including a flexible air passage along at least a portion of the wand, wherein the wand includes a plurality of segments pivotably connected together such that the wand is foldable about 180° in a forward direction until the vacuum unit is positioned proximate a top of the surface cleaning head in a storage configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein the wand includes first and second rigid segments and a hinge between the first and second rigid segments. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 2  further comprising a flexible tube between the first and second rigid segments providing the flexible air passage. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 3  further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the first and second rigid segments in at least an extended, unfolded position. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 2  further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the first and second rigid segments in at least an extended, unfolded position. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 5  wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking arm coupled to one of the segments for engaging a structure coupled to another of the segments. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein the wand includes first, second and third segments, a first hinge between the first and second segments and a second hinge between the second and third segments. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 7  further comprising a flexible tube between the first and third rigid segments providing the flexible air passage. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 1  further comprising a first locking mechanism for locking the segments in an extended position and a second locking mechanism for locking the segments in a folded position. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaning device of  claim 1  further comprising an additional handle configured to be coupled between at least two of the segments in the storage configuration. 
     
     
         11 . A vacuum cleaning device, comprising:
 a vacuum unit operable to generate vacuum-cleaning suction;   a vacuum head;   a wand disposed between the vacuum head and the vacuum unit, wherein the wand comprises a plurality of pivotably connected segments; and   a flexible air passage defining an airway from the vacuum unit to the vacuum head, wherein the vacuum unit is operable to provide vacuum suction to the vacuum head.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the plurality of pivotably connected segments of the wand comprise a first segment, second segment, and a third segment, wherein the second segment is disposed between the first and third segments;   a first hinge located between the first and second segments, wherein the first segment is operable to rotate about a first axis passing through the first hinge;   a second hinge located between the second and third segments, wherein the second segment is operable to rotate about a second axis passing through the second hinge; and   a locking mechanism configured to releasably lock the first and second segments into a plurality fixed positions.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the vacuum unit is removably attachable to the wand and operable, when detached, to be used as a handheld vacuum. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the wand has a first position, in which the first, second and third segments are fixed along a longitudinal axis by the locking mechanism, and a second position, in which the first segment is displaced from the longitudinal axis by a first angle of rotation and the second segment is displaced from the longitudinal axis by a second angle of rotation. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first angle of rotation and the second angle of rotation have the same rotational direction. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the first angle of rotation and the second angle of rotation have the opposite rotational direction. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible air passage comprises a hose. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the hose comprises a first end removably attachable to the vacuum head, and a second end removably attachable to the vacuum unit, wherein the vacuum unit is operable to provide vacuum-cleaning suction to the first end when the first end is detached from the vacuum head.