CN106998972B - Surface cleaning device with a handle that pivots sideways - Google Patents

Abstract

An upright surface cleaning apparatus, such as an upright vacuum cleaner, is provided in which the upright section is laterally movable about a pivot axis, which is angled forwardly and downwardly. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning head is provided that is movable sideways and biased to a centered position. In other embodiments, the surface cleaning head is laterally movable and is provided with a detent mechanism to resist lateral movement when in the storage position. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning apparatus is also provided that instead uses a cleaning head adapted to receive a fabric surface cleaning head or a conventional surface cleaning head.

Description

Surface cleaning device with a handle that pivots sideways

Related applications

This application is a continuation-in-part of US Patent Application 13/713,728, filed December 13, 2012, which is still pending and claims from US Ser. No. 61/570,573, filed December 14, 2011 The benefit of and priority to the provisional applications, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

technical field

The present application relates to a surface cleaning apparatus, such as a vacuum cleaner having a handle or upright section pivoting sideways and rearward. In certain embodiments, the upright section is movable sideways about a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis is angled forward and downward. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning head is provided that is movable sideways and biased to a central position. In other embodiments, the surface cleaning head is movable sideways and is provided with a detent mechanism to prevent sideways movement when in the storage position. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning apparatus is also provided that alternatively uses a cleaning head adapted to receive a fabric surface cleaning head or a conventional surface cleaning head.

Background technique

Upright vacuum cleaners are known. An upright cleaner has a surface cleaning head and an upright section movably mounted to the surface cleaning head. The upright section can be moved between an upright or storage position and a rearward or in-use position.

To assist in guiding the cleaning head, it is known to allow the upright section to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus, which may be an upright vacuum cleaner or aspirator, wherein the upright section is laterally or laterally movable and the upright section The segments are angled downwards (eg, a vertical segment may be pivotally mounted about a pivot axis extending in the direction of travel and angled downwards). An advantage of this design is that the handle of the upright section can be used to guide the surface cleaning head (even when the upright section is tilted to a generally horizontal position).

According to this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning device comprising:

(a) a primary cleaning head having a front, a rear, two opposing sides extending between the front and rear, a bottom, and a dirty air inlet;

(b) the airflow path extending from the dirty air inlet to the clean air outlet;

(c) suction motors and air handling components placed in the airflow path;

(d) an upright section movably mounted relative to the cleaning head between a storage position and a rearward use position, and,

(e) The upright section is also pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the cleaning head between a central position and a lateral position about a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis extends in the direction of forward movement of the cleaning head and downwards Angled towards the front of the cleaning head.

In certain embodiments, the pivot axis may be angled downward from a horizontal plane at about 10° to about 35°, preferably at about 15° to about 25°.

In certain embodiments, the upright section is movably mounted relative to the cleaning head about a first axis of rotation, and the pivot axis is above the first axis of rotation.

In certain embodiments, the first axis of rotation may be substantially parallel to the front and the first axis of rotation may be positioned substantially horizontally when the cleaning head is placed on the floor.

In certain embodiments, the first axis of rotation may include the second pivot axis.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus may further include a flexible hose defining at least a portion of an airflow path that conveys dirty air through the second axis of rotation.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus may further include a biasing member that biases the upright section toward the central position.

In certain embodiments, the biasing member may include at least one spring. At least one spring may comprise a torsion spring and/or a compression spring. The at least one spring may be a single spring, two springs, or more than two springs.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus may further include a pivot limit that defines a maximum lateral pivot angle to which the upright section pivots laterally from the neutral position.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus may further include a flexible hose usable in an above floor cleaning mode and an alternative surface cleaning head including a base member having a lower surface, a dirty surface An air inlet and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet, wherein an alternate surface cleaning head is selectively connectable in airflow communication with the flexible hose.

In certain embodiments, the upright section may be removably mountable to the main cleaning head and the upright section may be connected to an alternate surface cleaning head when removed from the main cleaning head.

In certain embodiments, the base member may include a front portion having a dirty air inlet and a rear portion having at least one attachment member.

In certain embodiments, the front portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and The front section and the rear section may be connected by a housing having an air flow duct including a portion of the air flow channel, the components of the rear facing end of the front section and the forward facing end of the rear section. The ends are spaced apart by the gas flow conduit.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus, which may be an upright vacuum cleaner or extractor, wherein the upright section is movable, eg, can be moved sideways or sideways Moves pivotally in the direction of , and the upright section can be pushed or biased to a centered or intermediate position. The advantage of this design is that the handle attached to the upright section can be used to guide the surface cleaning head by pivoting the upright section to the left or right. When the user removes the force pushing the upright section sideways, the biasing member may move the upright section or assist in moving the upright section to the centered position.

According to this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head comprising:

(a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning blade;

(b) a support member comprising an upper support member and a lower support member, the lower support member being pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the support member having a dirty an air outlet, the upper support member being pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the lower support member between a central position and a lateral position;

(c) airflow passages extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet; and,

(d) A biasing member to bias the support member to a central position.

In certain embodiments, the base member may include a front portion having a dirty air inlet and a rear portion having at least one attachment member.

In certain embodiments, the front portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and The front section and the rear section may be connected by a housing having an air flow duct including a portion of the air flow channel, the components of the rear facing end of the front section and the forward facing end of the rear section. The ends are spaced apart by the gas flow conduit.

In certain embodiments, the base member may be provided with a first pawl member and the support member may be provided with a second pawl member, the first pawl member and the second pawl member when the support member is in the upright storage position The member engages and resists lateral movement of the support member.

In certain embodiments, the first pawl member can include a recess and the second pawl member can include a flange that can be removably received in the recess.

In certain embodiments, the biasing member may include at least one spring. At least one spring may comprise a torsion spring and/or a compression spring. The at least one spring may be a single spring, two springs, or more than two springs.

In certain embodiments, the lower support member may have a first engagement member, the upper support member may have a second engagement member, and the torsion spring may have a first arm and a second arm, the first engagement member and the second engagement member may be Interposed between the first arm and the second arm, the second support member may be arranged to drive one of the arms in a sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted relative to the lower support member, and the first support member may be arranged to The other of the arms is prevented from moving in a sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted relative to the lower support member.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus, which may be an upright vacuum cleaner or extractor, wherein the upright section is movable, eg, can be moved sideways or sideways The vertical section is pivotally moved in the direction of , and a limiter is provided to prevent or prevent the vertical section from moving sideways past certain positions. The advantage of this design is that the restraint prevents excessive lateral movement of the surface cleaning head that could cause some or all of the dirt inlet to be lifted off the floor and thereby reduce the cleaning of the surface cleaning device efficiency.

According to this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head comprising:

(a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, at least one attachment member to removably receive a cleaning blade, and a first detent member;

(b) a support member pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the support member having a dirty air outlet and a second pawl member, the support member being pivoted mounted for lateral movement relative to the cleaning head between a central position and a lateral position, wherein the first and second pawl members engage and prevent the support member from moving toward the side when the support member is in the upright storage position. side movement; and,

(c) Air flow passages extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet.

In certain embodiments, the first pawl member may include a recess and the second pawl member may include a flange that can be removably received in the recess.

In certain embodiments, the base member may include a front portion having a dirty air inlet and a rear portion having at least one attachment member.

In certain embodiments, the front portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and The front section and the rear section may be connected by a housing having an air flow duct including a portion of the air flow channel, the components of the rear facing end of the front section and the forward facing end of the rear section. The ends are spaced apart by the gas flow conduit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus, which may be an upright vacuum cleaner or extractor, wherein an alternative cleaning head is provided. The surface cleaning apparatus may removably receive a main cleaning head, which may be suitable for cleaning carpets and/or bare floors. The primary cleaning head can be removed and replaced with an alternate cleaning head that removably receives a cleaning blade. Accordingly, rather than providing a single cleaning head suitable for all uses, alternative cleaning heads may be provided that are designed for specific uses.

According to this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning device comprising:

(a) Primary cleaning head with dirty air inlet;

(b) an alternate surface cleaning head comprising a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning blade;

(c) a vertical section that is removably and selectively connectable to each of the main cleaning head and the alternate surface cleaning head, when mounted to the main cleaning head and the alternate surface cleaning head At each time, the vertical section can be moved between a storage position and a rearward use position;

(d) a flexible hose capable of being used in an above-floor cleaning mode, with an alternative surface cleaning head optionally connectable in airflow communication with the flexible hose; and,

(e) A suction motor and air handling member positioned in an airflow path extending through the surface cleaning apparatus.

In certain embodiments, the base member may include a front portion having a dirty air inlet and a rear portion having at least one attachment member.

In certain embodiments, the front portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion can have a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and The front section and the rear section may be connected by a housing having an air flow duct including a portion of the air flow channel, the components of the rear facing end of the front section and the forward facing end of the rear section. The ends are spaced apart by the gas flow conduit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a surface cleaning head for a surface cleaning apparatus, which may be an upright vacuum cleaner or aspirator, wherein the cleaning head is movable or pivoted sideways And a torsion spring is used to provide the force that pushes or drives the vertical section to the centered position. An advantage of this design is that the weight felt by the user's hand moving the upright section to the centered position may be reduced or eliminated, thereby improving the guiding ability of the surface cleaning head.

According to this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head comprising:

(a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning blade;

(b) a support member comprising an upper support member and a lower support member pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the support member having a dirty air outlet , the upper support member is pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the lower support member between a central position and a lateral position;

(c) airflow passages extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet; and,

(d) a torsion spring biasing the support member to a neutral position, wherein the lower support member includes a first engagement member, the upper support member has a second engagement member, the torsion spring has a first arm and a second arm, the first engagement member and a second engagement member is interposed between the first arm and the second arm, the second support member is arranged to drive one of the arms in a sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted relative to the lower support member, and the first The support member is arranged to prevent the other of the arms from moving in a sideways direction when the upper support member is pivoted relative to the lower support member.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a surface cleaning apparatus may embody any one or more of the aspects or features contained herein and that the features may be used in any particular combination or subcombination.

Description of drawings

The figures included herein are intended to illustrate various examples of the articles, methods and apparatus taught by this specification and are not intended to limit the scope of the teachings in any way.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner in a storage position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 1 in a centered position and a rearward use position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 1 in a sideways pivoted position and a rearward use position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the vacuum cleaner of Fig. 1 in a centered position along line 4-4 of Fig. 1, wherein the biasing member is a compression spring;

Figure 4a is a schematic view of the alternative embodiment of Figure 4 in a centered position, wherein the biasing member is a torsion spring;

Figure 5a is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of Figure 4a in a sideways pivoted position;

Figure 6 is a cross-section of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 1 in a centered position showing the flexible hose, along line 4-4 in Figure 1;

Fig. 7 is a partial exploded view of area A of Fig. 1;

8A-8D are each a cross-section along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 in a centered position and select components in different positions;

Figure 9 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in a storage position;

10 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in a use position with the upright section extending horizontally;

11 is a front perspective view of an alternative floor cleaning implement including a suction inlet and a hard floor cleaning cloth;

Figure 12 is a bottom plan view of the alternative floor cleaning tool of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a front perspective view of the alternative floor cleaning tool shown with the hard floor cleaning fabric removed;

Figure 14 is a bottom perspective view of the alternative floor cleaning tool of Figure 11 with the hard floor cleaning fabric removed;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of a cleaning surface of a hard floor cleaning fabric;

Figure 16 is a front perspective view of the alternative floor cleaning implement of Figure 11 with the support member pivoted sideways;

Figure 17 is a rear perspective view of the alternative floor cleaning tool of Figure 11 with the support member pivoted sideways;

18 is a front perspective view of the top of an additional alternative surface cleaning head having a pawl mechanism that resists sideways movement, wherein the alternative surface cleaning head is in the upright storage position and the pawl mechanism is engaging; and,

Figure 19 is a front perspective view of the alternative surface cleaning head of Figure 18 in a use position with the pawl mechanism disengaged.

Detailed ways

In this application, numerous embodiments have been described and presented for illustrative purposes only. The illustrated embodiments are not intended to be limiting in any sense. The embodiments described below do not limit any claimed apparatus or method, and any claimed apparatus or method may encompass methods or apparatuses other than those described herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize that any embodiment may be practiced with modification and substitutions without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Although specific features of the invention may be described with reference to one or more specific embodiments or drawings, it is to be understood that such features are not limited to the specific embodiment or embodiments with which the features are described or to which they are described. used in the attached drawings. Any embodiments described below that are not claimed in this document may be the subject of another protected device, eg, a continuation patent application, and the applicant, inventor or owner does not intend Disclaimer, disclaimer, or contribution to the public of any such invention is hereby made.

The terms "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "embodiments," "this embodiment," "these embodiments," "one or more embodiments," "some An embodiment" and "this one embodiment" mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments of the invention."

The terms "comprising", "including" and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to" unless expressly stated otherwise. Unless expressly stated otherwise, a list of items does not imply that any or all items are mutually exclusive. The terms "a," "an," and "the" mean "one or more" unless expressly stated otherwise.

Figures 1-3 illustrate vertical surface cleaning equipment. In this example, the upright surface cleaning apparatus is an upright vacuum cleaner 100 that includes an upright section 110 that is usable in a storage position and backwards relative to the main cleaning head 120 Install by moving between locations.

The upright section 110 may be connected to the cleaning head 120 by the coupling portion 130 . In alternative embodiments, the upright surface cleaning device may be a shower carpet cleaner, steam cleaner, or other device that typically includes an upright section movably connected to a cleaning head by a coupling portion.

The term coupling portion is generally used to describe an element of the vacuum cleaner 100 associated with the area where the upright section 110 is joined to the cleaning head 120 and is not limited to any particular embodiment or assembly of components. Coupling portion 130 may include various structural components or portions of one or both of stand section 110 and cleaning head 120 as well as additional elements described in greater detail below.

As illustrated, the main cleaning head 120 includes a dirty air inlet 140 to draw air and entrained dirt from the surface being cleaned. The cleaning head 120 has a front portion 160 , a rear portion 170 , two opposing side portions 180 , 190 extending between the front portion 16 and the rear portion 170 , and a bottom portion 195 . In the example shown, the cleaning head 120 has a generally cuboid shape with parallel opposing sides 180 , 190 and parallel opposing front and rear ends 160 , 170 . It should be appreciated that the cleaning head may take any suitable regular or irregular form, such as a wedge shape or an extruded triangular shape, which may allow the cleaning head 120 to clean hard-to-reach places. Dirty air inlet 140 may be provided in bottom 195 adjacent front 160 .

In the example shown, the vacuum cleaner 100 includes a pair of rear wheels 150 to rollably engage the surface being cleaned (eg, the floor 102). In some examples, the vacuum cleaner 100 may include additional support wheels (eg, a pair of front wheels). In other examples, the vacuum cleaner 100 may include sliding pads in place of or in addition to the wheels. In certain embodiments, the wheel may be removably attached, which may allow entangled fibers and hair to be cleaned from the wheel's shaft.

The airflow path extends from the dirty air inlet 140 to the clean air outlet 145 . The cleaning air outlet may be located in the upright section 110, in the cleaning head 120, or elsewhere on the vacuum cleaner 100 as is known in the art. Preferably, the clean air outlet is provided in the vertical section 110 .

11-15 illustrate an alternative surface cleaning head 1600 and a cleaning fabric that can be removably attached to the alternative surface cleaning head 1600. This alternative cleaning head can be used to clean hard or bare floors (ie, floors or surfaces that are not covered with carpet or rugs). An alternate surface cleaning head 1600 may be used to replace the main cleaning head 120. For example, the upright section 1209 may be removably mountable to the main cleaning head 120 . Accordingly, the upright section 119 can be removed from the primary cleaning head 120 and connected to a replacement cleaning head 1600 . In this way, the upright section 110 is selectively connectable to the primary cleaning head 120 and the alternate cleaning head 1600 . Alternatively or additionally, the vacuum cleaner 100 may have an above floor cleaning mode (eg, as illustrated in Figure 9, the vacuum cleaner may be provided with a flexible hose 112 and a rigid tube 114). The rigid tube 114 may have a lower or inlet end that is secured to and removable from a support member, for example. When removed, the inlet end may have a cleaning tool disposed thereon. Accordingly, an alternate cleaning head 1600 may be selectively connectable to a tube and/or hose (eg, the inlet end of the tube 114) for use in the above-floor cleaning mode.

In the example shown, the surface cleaning head 1600 includes a base member 1602 and a support member 1606 pivotally mounted to the base member 1602 . Base member 1602 has a lower surface 1605 and a dirty air inlet 116 in airflow communication with upper flow conduit 1608 . As shown, the base member 1602 can include a front portion 1608 and a rear portion 1612. Front portion 1608 may be provided with dirty air inlet 116 . The cleaning member, which may be a separate cleaning blade 1614 , is preferably mountable (preferably removably mountable) behind the dirty air inlet 116 , such as on the rear portion 1612 . Support member 1606 may be any support member known in the art, such as lower support member 270 .

As illustrated in Figure 13, the front portion 1604 may have a forward facing end 1604a and a rearward facing end 1604b. Similarly, the rear portion 1612 can have a forward facing end 1612a and a rearward facing end 1612b. The front and rear portions 1604, 1612 are connected by a housing 1610 having an air flow conduit including a portion of an air flow passage from the dirty air inlet of the replacement cleaning head 1600 to the dirty air inlet of the replacement cleaning head 1600. Air outlet 1626. Accordingly, the components of the rearwardly facing end of the front portion are spaced apart from the forwardly facing end of the rearward portion.

The cleaning sheet 1614 may be any cleaning sheet known in the art, such as an electrostatic cleaning sheet, and may be disposable or reusable (eg, washable). The cleaning sheet can be usable by itself or can be used with a liquid that is applied to the floor.

The cleaning blade 1614 may be secured to the cleaning head 1600 by any means known in the art, such as mechanical engagement members (eg, hook and loop fasteners), adhesives, and the like. As illustrated, the sheet 1614 and cleaning head 1600 may be provided with engaging members such as hook and loop fasteners (eg, sheet 1614 may be provided with hook fasteners 1620, the The upper surface may be provided with loop fasteners 1622 engageable with hook fasteners 1624. Alternatively or additionally, sheet 1614 may be provided with tabs 1616 and 1618, which may be provided, for example, by mechanical engagement means (eg, such as are secured to each other by hook and loop fasteners. For example, tabs 1616 may be provided with hook fasteners and tabs 1618 may be provided with loop fasteners engageable with the hook fasteners of tabs 1616 Tabs 1616 and 1618 may be wrapped around blade mounting portion 1624 and secured together to secure cleaning blade 1614 to cleaning head 1600 or to assist in securing cleaning blade 1614 to cleaning head 1600.

The vacuum cleaner 100 of FIGS. 1-3 includes a suction motor (not shown) and an air handling member (not shown) positioned between the dirty air inlet 140 and the clean air outlet 145 in the airflow path. The suction motor and air handling components may be located in one or both of the upright section 110 , the cleaning head 120 , or elsewhere on the vacuum cleaner 100 . For example, the suction motor can be located in the cleaning head 120, which can reduce the weight of the vertical section 110, or the suction motor can be located in the vertical section 110, which can reduce the volume of the cleaning head 120.

In alternative embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 may use an external suction source. In this alternative, the vacuum cleaner 100 may not include one or more of a suction motor and air handling components. This can advantageously reduce the weight and bulk of the vacuum cleaner 100 . For example, the vacuum cleaner 100 may be configured to connect to a central vacuum system that provides a source of suction and air handling. In this example, the upright section 110 may generally include a handle 198 and a shaft 199 connected to the cleaning head 120 by the coupling portion 130 .

The air handling components may be any suitable air handling components. For example, the air treatment components may be HEPA filters, carbon filters, one or more cyclone stages (each of which may include one or more cyclones), foam filters, bag filters, or combinations thereof . The air handling member may comprise a single unit at one location along the airflow path, or the air handling member may comprise different components at different locations along the airflow path. For example, the air handling components may include a cyclone in the vertical section 110 and a filter at the clean air outlet 145 .

The vertical section 110 may be of any design known in the art and preferably accommodates air handling components and suction motors. As illustrated, the vertical section extends linearly and has a longitudinal axis 155 (see Figure 2).

The upright section 110 is movably connected to the cleaning head 120 so that the upright section 110 can be used in an upright storage position (as exemplified in FIG. move between exemplified in Figure 2). The upright section 110 may be rotatably mounted to the cleaning head 120 about the first axis of rotation 200 by any means known in the art. Preferably, the upright section 110 is pivotally mounted to the cleaning head 120, in which case the first axis of rotation 200 is, for example, a pivot axis defined by one or more pivot axes.

In certain embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 may include a lock that prevents the upright section 110 from tilting rearwardly when the upright section 110 is in the storage position. In the example shown, the cleaning head 120 includes a lock release control 204 that can be depressed to disengage the lock and allow the upright section 110 to be tilted rearwardly to the use position. Alternatively or additionally, the lock may automatically disengage when the upright section 110 is pulled with sufficient force towards the use position. For example, the coupling portion 130 may include a pawl plate that the support member engages when moved to the storage position. A threshold amount of force may be required to disengage the pawl plate to allow free rearward tilt of the upright section 110 .

The upright section 110 is also pivotally mounted for orientation relative to the cleaning head 120 between a central position (as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and a side position (as illustrated in FIG. 3 ). Move sideways. Preferably, the upright section 110 pivots laterally relative to the cleaning head 120 about a second axis of rotation 210, also referred to as the pivot axis. Preferably, the second axis of rotation 210 is generally perpendicular to the first axis of rotation 200 . In certain embodiments as illustrated in Figure 9, the pivot axis 210 extends in the direction of forward movement of the cleaning head (see arrow A in Figure 9) and is angled downwardly towards the front of the cleaning head. The pivot axis 210 may be angled downwardly from a horizontal plane at an angle 212 of from about 10° to about 35°, preferably from about 15° to about 25°, more preferably from about 18° to about 22° And most preferably about 20°. An advantage of this design is that the user can still have the upright section about the pivot axis 210 when the upright section 110 is in a use position, such as being tilted to extend approximately horizontally behind the cleaning head 120 (see eg, FIG. 10 ). Pivot to the side to guide the cleaning head 120 . As illustrated, the pivot axis 210 is located above the first axis of rotation 200 .

As illustrated, the centered position is where the upright section 110 extends straight up from the cleaning head 120 . For example, if the upright section 110 is mounted to the cleaning head along the centerline of the cleaning head 120 (ie, the line extending between the front 160 and rear 170 midway between the sides 180, 190), The upright section 110 then preferably extends upwards so that the upright section 110 is centered above this line. For example, the axis 155 of the upright section 110 preferably lies in the plane defined by the horizontal axis and the vertical axis in the lateral position, the upright section is moved laterally such that the axis 155 is no longer located in the plane defined by the horizontal axis and the vertical axis In a plane defined by a straight axis, for example, the axis is at an angle other than 90 degrees from axis 210 .

In the example shown, the first axis of rotation 200 is spaced apart from the second axis of rotation 210 . Preferably, the second axis of rotation 210 is above the first axis of rotation 200 . In alternative embodiments, the first axis of rotation 200 may substantially intersect the second axis of rotation 210 . For example, the coupling portion 130 may comprise a gimbal or ball joint configured to allow the vertical section 110 to pivot about a center point along only two axes. In another alternative embodiment, the first axis of rotation 200 may be above the second axis of rotation 210 .

Preferably, the upright sections 110 can be tilted rearwardly and independently pivoted sideways. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the upright section 110 can pivot sideways without changing the rearward inclination angle 220, without twisting the upright section 110 and without turning or otherwise moving the cleaning head 120.

Alternatively, the rearward inclination and sideways pivoting of the upright section 110 may be interrelated. For example, the upright section 110 may be prevented from pivoting sideways when the upright section 110 is in the storage position (as illustrated in FIG. 1 ), and is not prevented from pivoting to the side when the upright section 110 is in the use position. Side pivot. In the example shown, the lock release control 204 may be configured to unlock the rearward tilt and sideways pivoting of the counter section 110 . Alternatively or additionally, rearward tilting of the upright section 110 may be prevented when the upright section 110 is in the side position, and not prevented when the upright section 110 is in the center position.

The axis of rotation 200 may be movable relative to the cleaning head 120 . In the example shown, the first axis of rotation 200 is fixed relative to the cleaning head 120 and is preferably generally parallel to the front 160 . Conversely, when the upright section 110 is tilted back, the illustrated second axis of rotation 210 moves rearward relative to the cleaning head 120, and the rearward tilt angle 220 (which is the angle between the horizontal plane and the axis 155) Change.

The axis of rotation 210 may be movable relative to the cleaning head 120 . For example, in FIG. 1 , the vacuum cleaner 100 is in the storage position and the second axis of rotation 210 is generally horizontal or parallel to the forward movement direction 230 . In contrast, in Figure 3, the vacuum cleaner 100 is in the use position and the second axis of rotation 210 is inclined upwards.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the coupling portion 130 . In the illustrated example, the coupling portion 130 includes a first pivot shaft 240 , a second pivot shaft 250 , an upper support member 260 and a lower support member 270 . Portions of coupling portion 130 may or may not form part of stand section 110 , cleaning head 120 . For example, the lower support member 270 may form part of the cleaning head 120 and the upper support member 260 may form part of the upright section 110 . Preferably, the upper support member 260 is connected to at least the upright section 110 for movement with the upright section, and the lower support member 270 is connected to at least the cleaning head 120 for movement therewith.

In the example shown, the first pivot 240 of the coupling portion 130 allows the upright section 110 to rotate about the second axis of rotation 210 (to pivot the upright section 110 sideways), and the second pivot 250 allows the upright section 110 to pivot sideways. The stand section 110 rotates about the first axis of rotation 200 (to tilt the stand section 110 rearwardly).

Lower support member 270 may be pivotally connected to cleaning head 120 by any suitable means. In the example shown, the lower support member 270 includes a second pivot 250 that includes a recess 280 (eg, having a circular cross-section) configured to receive a mating shaft from the cleaning head 120 Protrusions (not shown). In an alternative example, the lower support member 270 may instead include protrusions that mate with recesses in the cleaning head 120 . In certain embodiments, the second pivot 250 may include a shaft (not shown) extending through the recess 280 and the rear wheel 150 . The shaft may assist in the rotation of the vertical section 110 and the wheel 150 .

In the example shown, upper support member 260 is pivotally connected to lower support member 270 at first pivot 240 . It should be understood that the first pivot 240 may be configured in any suitable manner. For example, the first pivot 240 may include one or more protrusions from the upper support member 260 that mate with corresponding recesses in the lower support member 270 . Alternatively, the first pivot 240 may comprise a protrusion from the lower support member 270 or a rod connecting the support members 260 , 270 together, the protrusion mates with a corresponding recess in the upper support member 260 .

The vacuum cleaner 100 may include a biasing member for biasing the sideward inclination of the upright section 110 towards the neutral position. As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the upright section 110 of the coupling portion 130 includes a sleeve 290 with a compression spring 300 . When the upright section 110 is pivoted sideways in one direction, the sleeve 290 rotates about the upper end 310 of the support member 270 . This rotation drives the sleeve 290 into the support member 260 , thereby compressing the spring 300 . The compression spring 300 generates an axial force that pushes the sleeve 290 against the upper edge 310 of the support member 270 . This pushes the vertical section towards the centered position. It should be understood that by adjusting the strength of the spring 300, more or less axial force can be generated. This axial force also counteracts some or all of the hand weight dissociated in the lateral direction.

Alternatively or additionally, the biasing member may include a torsion spring at the first pivot 240 . The torsion spring will provide a torsional reaction force that resists pivoting of the upper support member 260 (together with the upright section 110 ) sideways. In effect, the torsion spring will bias the upright section 110 to a centered position where the torque produced by the torsion spring is zero.

For example, as shown schematically in Figures 4a and 5a, a torsion spring 300a is provided. The torsion spring is provided with a pair of arms 302,304. The upper support member 260 is provided with one or more members, such as one or more ribs 306 , that engage with and are positioned between the arms 302 , 304 . Similarly, the lower support member 270 is provided with one or more members, such as one or more ribs 308 , that engage with and are positioned between the arms 302 , 304 . As illustrated in Figure 4a, one of the ribs 306 and 308 may be placed over the other in an aligned manner. Further, the torsion springs may be designed to exert an inward force on each of the arms 302, 304 when the arms 302, 304 extend generally upward as illustrated in Figure 4a. In such an embodiment, the arms 302 , 304 can be pushed against the ribs 306 , 308 when the upright section 110 is in the centered position, so that the upright section 110 is pushed when no external force is applied to the upright section 110 . Stay centered. It will be appreciated that if the arms 302, 304 are slightly spaced from the ribs 306, 308 when the stand section 110 is in the centered position, the arms 302, 304 can still provide a force to drive or push the stand section 110 to the center Location. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the arms 302, 304 need not engage the ribs 306, 308 when the upright section 110 is in the centered position.

As illustrated in Figure 5a, when the upright section 110 is pivoted or moved sideways, the ribs 304 on the upper section 260 engage the arms 302 and drive the arms downward. At the same time, the ribs 308 on the lower section 270 remain in place. Therefore, the ribs 308 prevent the arm 304 from moving with the arm 302 . Accordingly, the torsional force in the spring 300a increases as the upright section 110 pivots sideways. When the lateral force is removed, the torsional force in spring 300a may be sufficient to move upright section 110 to the neutral position illustrated in Figure 4a. It should be appreciated that the torsional force in spring 300a may not be sufficient to move upright section 110 to the centered position. In this case, the torsional force in the spring 300a will assist the user in moving the upright section to the centered position.

It should be understood that the biasing member, such as compression spring 300 or torsion spring 300a, may be a single spring, two springs, or any number of springs.

If the air handling component is in the vertical section 110, dirty air must be conveyed up to the air handling component. The airflow path may be inside or outside the coupling portion 130 . For example, conduits such as flexible hoses may extend from the cleaning head 120 to treatment members external to the support members 260, 270. Alternatively, the airflow path may extend through one or both of the support members 260 , 270 . In one embodiment, the support members 260, 270 may define a portion of the airflow path. Accordingly, pivot 240 should provide a hermetic seal. In another embodiment, the divider members may extend through the support members 260, 270 and define a portion of the airflow path. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the flexible hose 320 defines at least a portion of an airflow path that conveys dirty air from the dirty air inlet through the second axis of rotation 210 toward the air handling member.

Accordingly, one or both of the upper and lower support members 260, 270 may be substantially hollow. The support member may be of any hollow design, provided the support member has sufficient load strength to support the vertical section 110 . Preferably, the support member comprises a tubular conduit through which a flexible hose 320 can pass. In the example shown, both the upper and lower support members 260 and 270 are hollow, and the flexible hose 320 passes through the interior of both support members 260 , 270 via the second axis of rotation 210 .

In alternative embodiments, the flexible hose 320 may extend around the exterior of one or more of the upper and lower support members 260, 270. In another alternative, the upper and lower support members 260, 270 may be hollow but only partially closed. That is, at least a portion of the interior of the support member may be exposed to the outside through the opening in the side wall of the support member. In this alternative, the flexible hose 320 may pass through the interior of the support members 260, 270, with a portion of the flexible hose 320 being exposed to the outside.

Alternatively, the portion of the airflow path extending through the second axis of rotation 210 may not include a flexible hose. For example, the upper and lower support members 260, 270 may themselves form a substantially air-tight conduit for conveying dirty air from the dirty air inlet towards the air handling member.

In a further alternative, the portion of the airflow path from the dirty air inlet towards the air handling member may not be via the second axis of rotation 210 . For example, where the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected to a central vacuum system, a hose may extend from the cleaning head 120 along the floor towards the connection to the central vacuum system.

The vacuum cleaner 100 may include a pivot limit 330 that defines a maximum lateral pivot angle to which the upright section pivots laterally from the neutral position. Accordingly, the user may pivot the upright section 110 sideways when the vacuum cleaner 100 is in use. However, the angles to which the vertical sections can be moved are preferably limited. Alternatively, the pivot limiter may be configured to provide a plurality of different maximum lateral pivot angles.

It should be appreciated that pivot limiter 330 may take any suitable form. In general, any portion that is configured to abut against the maximum pivot angle, preventing further lateral pivoting, can function as a pivot limiter. For example, as the upright section 110 pivots sideways, the side walls 350 of the upper support member 260 approach the side walls 360 of the lower support member 270 (the pivot limiters in this example) until the side of the upper support member The wall and the side wall of the lower support member abut as far as the maximum pivot angle 340, preventing further lateral pivoting in that direction. Accordingly, any tow interaction member may be utilized.

In certain embodiments, the pivot limiter 330 may be adjustable and include a selection member 370 for setting a maximum pivot angle. For example, the pivot limiter 330 may include a plurality of first interacting members, and one of the support members 260, 270 may include a second interacting member, when the upright section 110 is arranged at a variable set of maximum lateral pivots When the angle is turned, one of the first interaction members abuts against the second interaction member. In such an embodiment a selection member 370 may be provided that is adjustable to select one of a plurality of maximum lateral pivot angles. The selection member 370 may be part of the pivot limiter. For example, the pivot limit itself may be movable, eg, rotatable, to enable a user to selectively align a different first interaction member with a second interaction member. Alternatively, the selection member may comprise a second interaction member, and the selection member is movable to selectively align the second interaction member with a different first interaction member.

FIGS. 7 and 8A-8D illustrate partially exploded and cross-sectional views of a portion of an exemplary coupling portion 130 that includes a selection member 370 and a pivot limiter 330 for selecting a maximum pivot angle 340 . The pivot limiter 330 includes a plurality of different recesses, slots or first interaction members 390 . The selection member 370 includes a stop, an inward projection, or a second interaction member 380 .

4 and 6 , when the upright section 110 is in the centered position, the sliding sleeve 290 rests on top of the support member 270 and the stop 380 is spaced from the aligned recess 390 . When the upright section 110 is pivoted sideways, because the sleeve 290 cams over the top of the support member 270, the sleeve 290 rises inside the upper support member 260 to a position where the sleeve The barrel 190 abuts the stop 380 at the maximum pivot angle 340, thereby preventing further lateral pivoting in this direction.

In this configuration, when the upright section 110 is pivoted sideways, the sliding sleeve 290 is free to slide upward until the interaction member 380 abuts the interaction member 390 with which it is aligned. It will be appreciated that when the stop 380 engages the recess 390, the sideward movement of the upright section 110 will cease, thereby defining the maximum side pivot angle.

One or both of the selection member 370 and the pivot limiter 330 (preferably the selection member) are movable to selectively align the interaction member 380 with one of the plurality of interaction members 390 . It should be understood that one of the selection member 370 and the pivot limiter 330 may be disposed on one of the support members 260 and 270 and the other of the selection member 370 and the pivot limiter 330 may be disposed on the other on the support members 260 , 270 . As illustrated, preferably, the selection member 370 is rotatably mounted to the upper support member 260 and the pivot limiter is provided on the lower support member 270 .

It should be appreciated that the selection member 370 and the interaction members 380, 390 may be provided at any suitable location in the vacuum cleaner 100. In the example shown, the interaction member 390 is provided in the sliding sleeve 290 below the selection member 370 . However, in an alternative example, the selection member 370 may be integral with the sliding sleeve 290 and the upper support member 260 above the sliding sleeve 290 may instead include the interaction member 390 .

In some cases, preferably, a portion of the selection member 370 should be accessible directly or indirectly from the exterior of the vacuum cleaner 100 such that the user can move the selection member to select the maximum pivot angle 340 .

8A-8D illustrate the use of selection member 330 to set different maximum side pivot angles. In Figure 8A, the largest of the selectable maximum pivot angles 340 is selected. That is, the interaction member 380 is aligned with the most distant interaction member 390 so that the sliding sleeve 290 has the greatest range of movement before the interaction member 380 abuts the interaction member 390 .

FIG. 8D shows selection member 370 configured as a pivot lock. The selection member 370 is arranged such that the interaction member 380 abuts the interaction member 390 when the upright section 110 is in the centered position. Accordingly, the vertical section 110 is prevented from pivoting sideways, since any pivoting sideways would require the sliding sleeve 290 to rise and the sliding sleeve 290 is blocked by the abutment of the interacting members 380, 390 from proceeding move.

It should be appreciated that pivot limiter 330 and selection member 370 may take any suitable form. For example, the selection member 370 can be configured with a plurality of recesses that can be moved to align with a single protrusion placed on the sliding sleeve 290 . Alternatively, the selection member 370 may be configured with multiple protrusions that can be moved to align with a single recess in the sliding sleeve 290 . In another alternative, the selection member 370 may be configured with a plurality of protrusions that can be moved to align with the protrusions on the sliding sleeve 290 . In yet another alternative, the selection member 370 may be configured with a single protrusion configured to align over a wide continuously sloping recess (instead of the step of the interaction member 390 as shown). type configuration), the recess provides an almost infinite choice of maximum pivot angles 340 within a range.

It should be understood that, as illustrated in Figures 16 and 17, alternative cleaning heads 1600 may also pivot sideways. Alternative cleaning heads may utilize any of the features described with respect to the main cleaning head 120 . Alternatively or additionally, an alternative cleaning head 1600 may be provided with first and second pawl members that engage and resist sideways movement of the support member. It should be understood that this feature can be used with the main cleaning head 120 .

As illustrated in Figures 18 and 19, the base member 1602 has a support member 1606 that is movably mounted to the base member (such as by pivot 240). Support member 1606 may be any support member known in the art, such as lower support member 270 . The support member 1606 is provided with a first pawl member 1630 and the base member 1602 is provided with a second pawl member 1632 . The pawl members 1630, 1632 may be any shape that will abut or engage when the upright section 110 is in the upright storage position and a sideways force is applied to the upright section. Such abutment or engagement will prevent, and preferably prevent, sideways movement of the upright section 110 relative to the base member 1602 .

When the upright section 110 is in the storage position as illustrated in FIG. 18, the first and second pawl members 1630, 1632 engage and prevent the support members from moving sideways. For example, the first pawl member 1630 may be a flange, protrusion or the like having first and second laterally spaced apart sides 1634, 1636. The second pawl member 1632 may be a recess having first and second laterally spaced apart sides 1638 , 1640 . When side 1636 is engaged with side 1640, sideward movement of the upright section is prevented. Similarly, when side 1634 is engaged with side 1638, movement of the vertical section to the side in the opposite lateral direction is also prevented.

The first pawl member 1630 disengages from the second pawl member 1632 when the upright section 110 is moved rearwardly (see FIG. 19). Once this has happened, the vertical section can be moved sideways and used to guide the surface cleaning head.

It should be appreciated that the upright section may be configured to guide the surface cleaning head 1600 in a manner other than pivoting. For example, the surface cleaning head may be rotatably mounted about an axis extending along the length of the upright section or by any other means known in the art. In any such embodiment, the detent mechanism disclosed herein may be used.

While the foregoing description provides examples of embodiments, it should be appreciated that certain features and/or functions of the described embodiments may be susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit and principles of operation of the described embodiments. Accordingly, what has been described above is intended to illustrate the invention and not to be limiting, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other variations and modifications may be made without departing from the appended claims of the invention The scope of the invention is defined in . The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments and examples, but should be accorded the broadest interpretation consistent with the specification as a whole.

Claims (30)

1. A surface cleaning device comprising: a) a primary cleaning head having a front, a rear, two opposing sides extending between the front and the rear, a bottom, and a dirty air inlet; b) an airflow path extending from the dirty air inlet to the clean air outlet; c) suction motors and air handling components placed in the airflow path; d) a vertical section that is movably mounted relative to the primary cleaning head between a storage position and a rearward use position, e) The upright section is also pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the main cleaning head between a central position and a side position about a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis is along the main cleaning head extends in a forward movement direction and is angled downward toward the front of the primary cleaning head; and f) A first flexible hose and an alternative surface cleaning head usable in an above floor cleaning mode, the alternative surface cleaning head comprising a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet and at least one an attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet, wherein the alternate surface cleaning head is selectively connectable in airflow communication with the first flexible hose, Wherein the upright section is removably mountable to the main cleaning head and the upright section is connectable to the replacement surface cleaning head when removed from the main cleaning head. 2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is angled downward from a horizontal plane by 10° to 35°. 3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is angled 15° to 25° downward from a horizontal plane. 4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upright section is movably mounted relative to the main cleaning head about a first axis of rotation and the pivot axis is at the first axis of rotation above. 5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first axis of rotation is parallel to the front and is positioned horizontally when the main cleaning head is placed on the floor . 6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first axis of rotation includes a second pivot axis. 7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second flexible hose defining at least a portion of an airflow path that conveys dirty air through the second axis of rotation . 8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that biases the upright section toward the neutral position. 9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the biasing member comprises at least one spring. 10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one spring comprises a torsion spring. 11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one spring is a single spring. 12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pivot limiter defining a pivotal point to which the upright section pivots sideways from the neutral position Maximum side pivot angle. 13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base member includes a front portion having the dirty air inlet and a rear portion having the at least one attachment member. 14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion having a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the front and rear portions are connected by a housing having an airflow duct including a portion of an airflow channel, the front portion facing rearwardly The end member is spaced from the forward facing end of the rear portion by the airflow conduit. 15. A surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head comprising: a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, at least one attachment member removably receiving a cleaning sheet, a front portion having the dirty air inlet, and having the at least one attachment a rear portion of the connecting member, wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the rear portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end Ends; b) a support member comprising an upper support member and a lower support member pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the a support member having a dirty air outlet, the upper support member being pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the lower support member between a central position and a lateral position; c) an airflow channel extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet; and, d) a biasing member to bias the support member to the neutral position; wherein the front and rear sections are connected by a housing having an air flow duct comprising a portion of the air flow channel, the rear facing end of the front section having a component with Forward facing ends of the rear portion are spaced apart by the airflow conduits. 16. A surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head comprising: a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet; b) a support member comprising an upper support member and a lower support member pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the a support member having a dirty air outlet, the upper support member being pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the lower support member between a central position and a lateral position; c) an airflow channel extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet; and, d) a biasing member to bias the support member to the neutral position; Wherein, the base member is provided with a first pawl member, the support member is provided with a second pawl member, when the support member is in the vertical storage position, the first pawl member and the second pawl member The pawl member engages and prevents the support member from moving sideways. 17. The surface cleaning head of claim 16, wherein the first pawl member includes a recess and the second pawl member includes a flange removably received in the recess. 18. The surface cleaning head of claim 16, wherein the biasing member comprises at least one spring. 19. The surface cleaning head of claim 18, wherein the at least one spring comprises a compression spring. 20. The surface cleaning head of claim 18, wherein the at least one spring comprises a torsion spring. 21. The surface cleaning head of claim 18, wherein the at least one spring is a single spring. 22. The surface cleaning head of claim 20, wherein the lower support member has a first engagement member, the upper support member has a second engagement member, and the torsion spring has a first arm and a second arm, The first and second engagement members are interposed between the first and second arms, and the upper support member is arranged to be pivoted relative to the lower support member One of the first and second arms is driven in a lateral direction, and the lower support member is arranged to prevent the first arm and the lower support member when the upper support member pivots relative to the lower support member The other of the second arms moves in the direction of the side. 23. A surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head comprising: a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, at least one attachment member to removably receive a cleaning blade, and a first detent member; b) a support member pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the support member having a dirty air outlet and a second pawl member, so the support member is pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the surface cleaning head between a central position and a side position, wherein the first support member is in the upright storage position the pawl member and the second pawl member engage and prevent the support member from moving sideways; and, c) an airflow channel extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet. 24. The surface cleaning head of claim 23, wherein the first pawl member includes a recess and the second pawl member includes a flange removably received in the recess. 25. The surface cleaning head of claim 23, wherein the base member includes a front portion having the dirty air inlet and a rear portion having the at least one attachment member. 26. The surface cleaning head of claim 25, wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion having a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the front and rear portions are connected by a housing having an airflow duct including a portion of the airflow channel, the rearward portion of the front portion The facing end member is spaced from the forward facing end of the rear portion by the airflow conduit. 27. A surface cleaning device comprising: a) main cleaning head with dirty air inlet; b) an alternative surface cleaning head comprising a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning blade; c) a vertical section movably and selectively connectable to each of the main cleaning head and the alternate surface cleaning head, when mounted to the main cleaning head and all each of the alternative surface cleaning heads, the upright section is movable between a storage position and a rearward use position; d) a first flexible hose usable in an above-floor cleaning mode, the alternative surface cleaning head being selectively connectable in airflow communication with the first flexible hose; and, e) A suction motor and air handling member placed in an air flow path extending through the surface cleaning apparatus. 28. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 27, wherein the base member includes a front portion having the dirty air inlet and a rear portion having the at least one attachment member. 29. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 28, wherein the front portion has a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, the rear portion having a forward facing end and a rearward facing end, and the front and rear portions are connected by a housing having an airflow duct including a portion of an airflow channel, the front portion facing rearwardly The end member is spaced from the forward facing end of the rear portion by the airflow conduit. 30. A surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head comprising: a) a base member having a lower surface, a dirty air inlet, and at least one attachment member that removably receives a cleaning sheet; b) a support member comprising an upper support member and a lower support member pivotally mounted to the base member between an upright storage position and an inclined floor cleaning position, the a support member having a dirty air outlet, the upper support member being pivotally mounted for lateral movement relative to the lower support member between a central position and a lateral position; c) an airflow channel extending from the dirty air inlet to the dirty air outlet; and, d) a torsion spring biasing the support member to the neutral position, wherein the lower support member has a first engagement member, the upper support member has a second engagement member, and the torsion spring has a first arm and a second arm, the first engagement member and the second engagement member are interposed between the first arm and the second arm, the upper support member is arranged so that when the upper support member is relative to the lower One of the first and second arms is driven in a lateral direction when the support member is pivoted, and the lower support member is arranged to prevent the upper support member from being pivoted relative to the lower support member. The other of the first arm and the second arm moves in the direction of the side.

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