Manually adjustable housing portions for actuating an electrical appliance switch

Abstract

An improved switch assembly for an electrical appliance is provided which is easily manipulated when the appliance assumes a variety of operating modes. The switch assembly includes a slidably mounted control unit for opening and closing a switch, the latter being concealed within a housing for the appliance and disposed within an electric circuit for the appliance. The control unit is provided with a plurality of exposed, finger-engageable surfaces to effect selective movement of the unit.

We claim: 
     
       1. An electrical appliance operable in various modes, comprising: a housing having first and second exterior surface portions;   switch means disposed within the housing for opening and closing an electrical circuit for the appliance; and   manually adjustable control means operatively connected to said switch means for selective manual adjustment between first and second positions to effect opening and closing said electrical circuit; said control means having a unitary control member with first and second exposed surfaces in angularly disposed relation, said first surface overlying said first exterior portion of said housing and being oriented for selective manual adjustment between said first and second positions when said appliance is in a first operating mode and said second surface overlying said second exterior portion of said housing and being oriented for selective manual adjustment between said first and second positions when said appliance is in a second operating mode.   
     
     
       2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the first and second surfaces are in substantially perpendicular relation. 
     
     
       3. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the switch means includes an adjustable projection disposed within the housing interior and the control means includes a segment disposed the housing interior and engaging said projection and effecting adjustment thereof in response to the manual adjustment of said control means. 
     
     
       4. The appliance of claim 1 wherein said control means is provided with a plurality of circuit controlling positions, each of the latter positions regulating the electrical energy flow through the switch means. 
     
     
       5. An electrical appliance operable in various modes, comprising: switch means for opening and closing an electrical circuit for the appliance;   a housing having a pair of interfitting sections, one section being provided with an interior means for accommodating a first exterior portion of the switch means, and the other housing section being provided with an interior means for engaging a second exterior portion of the switch means, the interior means cooperating with one another when the housing sections are in interfitting relation to fixedly retain the switch means in a predetermined location within the housing interior, said pair of interfitting sections defining first and second exterior surface portions of said housing; and   manually adjustable control means operatively connected to said switch means for selective adjustment between first and second positions to effect opening and closing said electrical circuit; said control means having a unitary control member with first and second exposed surfaces in angularly disposed relation, said first surface overlying said first exterior portion of said housing and being oriented for selective manual adjustment between said first and second portions when said appliance is in a first operating mode and said second surface overlying said second exterior portion of said housing and being oriented for selective manual adjustment between said first and second positions when said appliance is in a second operating mode.   
     
     
       6. In an electrical appliance operable in various operating modes, and being provided with a housing having intermitting sections providing first and second exterior peripheral segments disposed in substantially orthogonal planes, the improvement comprising a switch assembly mountable on the appliance housing, said assembly including: a switch means disposed within the housing for selectively moving between first and second positions to control an electrical circuit to the appliance; and manually adjustable control means mountable on the housing and operatively connected to said switch means, said control means being selectively adjustable between said first and second positions, said switch means being responsive to the movement of said control means between said first and second positions; said control means including a center portion having exposed finger engagable first and second surfaces, said first surface overlying the first peripheral segment of the housing exterior and being readily accessible to effect movement of said control means between said first and second positions when the appliance is in a first operating mode and said second surface overlying the second peripheral segment of the housing exterior and being readily accessible to effect movement of said control means between said first and second positions when the appliance is in a second operating mode.   
     
     
       7. The switch assembly of claim 6 wherein the first and the second exposed surfaces are in angularly disposed relation and are adapted to be in close proximity to a handle formed on the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       8. The switch assembly of claim 7 wherein the control means includes an extension disposed at one end of the center portion; said extension being positionable within the housing interior and engagable with an adjustable protruding actuator element of the switch means, adjustment of said actuator element being in response to the movement of the control means. 
     
     
       9. The appliance of claim 6 wherein the switch means is provided with a plurality of circuit closing positions and the control means is selectively adjustable to a corresponding number of on positions. .Iadd. 
     
     
       10.  An electrical appliance comprising: a motor;   a switch for controlling an electrical circuit supplying current to the motor, the switch including an actuator having at least two operative positions;   a housing containing the motor and the switch, the housing having a pair of interfitting sections, one section being provided with an inwardly facing pocket sized to accommodate a first exterior portion of the switch, and the other housing section being provided with an inwardly projecting stud disposed opposite the inwardly facing pocket, the inwardly projecting stud engaging a second exterior portion of the switch, the first exterior portion of the switch being opposite the second exterior portion of the switch, the inwardly facing pocket and the inwardly projecting stud cooperating when the housing sections are in interfitting relation to fixedly retain said switch in a predetermined location within the housing; and,   a manually engageable control projection coupled to the actuator of the switch and being manually engageable from outside the housing to permit a user to move the actuator between the at least two operative positions. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. An electrical appliance as defined in claim 10 wherein the housing includes a handle for transporting the appliance, the switch being disposed in the handle. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. An electrical appliance as defined in claim 10 wherein the switch is contained completely within the housing, and the manually engageable control projection includes a manually engageable surface accessible from outside the housing and an extension which couples the manually engageable surface to the actuator   
     
     
        within the housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.13.  An appliance capable of being used in a first mode and a second mode, the appliance being adapted for being horizontally secured in overlying removable relation on the upper end of a collection container for use as a vacuum cleaner in the first mode, and further being adapted to be detached from the collection container and hand held as a blower in a second mode, the appliance comprising: a motor;   a switch for controlling an electrical circuit supplying current to the motor, the switch including an actuator having at least two operative positions;   a housing containing the motor and the switch, the housing having a pair of interfitting sections, one section being provided with an inwardly facing pocket sized to accommodate a first exterior portion of the switch, and the other housing section being provided with an inwardly projecting stud disposed opposite the inwardly facing pocket, the inwardly projecting stud engaging a second exterior portion of the switch, the first exterior portion of the switch being opposite the second exterior portion of the switch, the inwardly facing pocket and the inwardly projecting stud cooperating when the housing sections are in interfitting relation to fixedly retain said switch in a predetermined location within the housing; and,   a manually engageable control projection coupled to the actuator of the switch and being manually engageable from outside the housing to permit a user to move the actuator between the at least two operative positions. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. An appliance as defined in claim 13 wherein the housing includes a handle for transporting the appliance when used in the second   
     
     
        mode, the switch being disposed in the handle. .Iaddend..Iadd.15.  An appliance as defined in claim 13 wherein the switch is contained completely within the housing, and the manually engageable control projection includes a manually engageable surface accessible from outside the housing and an extension which couples the manually engageable surface to the actuator within the housing. .Iaddend.