JP2018008055A - Tool for vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner tool that enables the use in narrower crevices.SOLUTION: There is provided a vacuum cleaner flexible duct. The flexible duct comprises a helical frame and a helical strip. The helical strip is formed of a pliable material and is provided between loops of the helical frame to seal the frame. Each loop of the frame includes a central band with at least one wing. The helical strip is secured to the at least one wing such that the exterior surface of the helical strip is flush with the exterior surface of the central band.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a flexible duct for a vacuum cleaner. More specifically, the present invention relates to a flexible duct for a vacuum cleaner tool.

  FIGS. 1 and 2 are example flexible gap tools 100, 200, which can be used in a vacuum cleaner. The tools 100, 200 are intended to be cleaned by plunging into a gap to be cleaned or a gap. Both the tools shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 include a flexible duct 300 formed from a flexible housing material 400, which is reinforced by a rigid frame 500. The flexible housing material 400 is bent by the steering force applied to the tools 100 and 200 when the tool is in the gap. The rigid frame 500 is used to improve tool control and steering and to prevent the flexible duct 300 from folding or twisting. Folding and twisting can restrict the flow of fluid drawn through the tools 100, 200, and can also cause damage to the flexible duct 300, so that bending and twisting of the duct should be prevented. It is.

  The tool 100, 200 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a rigid frame 500 with a flexible housing material 400 fitted tightly to the top surface to seal the duct. A relatively thick housing material 400 is required to form the elastic duct 300. For this reason, the housing material 400 is positioned using a frame. Thus, the flexible housing 400 arranged to cover the frame 500 can increase the overall contour of the tool. Although a more flexible tool may be formed by using the frame 500 and the housing 400, the additional thickness due to the flexible housing material 400 may prevent the tool from being used in a narrower gap.

  In a first aspect, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner tool comprising a flexible duct, the flexible duct being formed of a hard material and having a plurality of loops spaced about a helical axis. And a helical strip formed of a flexible material and provided between the loops of the helical frame to seal the frame, each loop having a central band having at least one wing body. The spiral strip is secured to at least one wing body such that the outer surface of the spiral strip is flush with the outer surface of the central band.

  The flexible sheath used in the prior art example is placed over the tool and hides the frame. In contrast to these sheaths, the duct according to the present invention requires a helical strip to seal the space between the rigid frame loops. The spiral strip may be in the form of a single ribbon or a series of bands that together form a sealed duct. That is, the spiral strip is used to connect the loops of the spiral frame. The spiral strip can be overmolded or glued to the spiral frame. And by providing a spiral strip only between the loops of the spiral frame, compared to a complete sheath covering both the loop and the space between the loops, a sealed duct can be formed using less material . In addition, the spiral strip between the loops of the spiral frame can be replaced with a sheath to cover the frame to increase the tool profile so that the spiral strip is flush with the loop profile, Can be formed. Thus, the tool profile can be reduced, so that the tool can fit into narrower gaps and gaps. While at least a portion of the helical frame (ie, the central band) can remain uncoated for the user, the helical strip can be used to cover a portion of the loop. For example, at least one wing in a loop can be covered or hidden by a helical strip, while the central band of the loop is uncovered, ie exposed.

  The at least one wing body may extend throughout the central band in a direction parallel to the spiral axis, and the height of the at least one wing body may be less than the height of the central band in one direction perpendicular to the spiral axis. possible. Increasing the contact area with the spiral strip can be achieved by having a wing body having the same shape as the edge of the central band and extending away from this edge. Furthermore, the strength of at least one wing body is increased when the wing body extends around the central band of each loop. For at least these two reasons, it can be said to improve the structural stability of the duct so that damage to the duct or tool can be prevented. The cross section of each loop has a raised section that is a central band and a descending section that is at least one wing body. For this reason, it can be said that the height of at least one wing body may be less than the height of the central band in one direction perpendicular to the helical axis. The central band may be provided with wings on each side so that the overall contour of each loop has a raised central section (ie central band) with two descending sections (ie wings) on the side. You can say that. Both the inner and outer surfaces of the spiral strip are provided so that they are flush with the central band once the strip is secured to the frame.

  The at least one wing body may have at least one securing portion for securing the helical strip to the frame. The at least one fixation point can be a hole or key mechanism that engages the helical strip to allow a more robust tool. The spiral strip is only provided in the space between the loops of the frame. Thus, the fixation point allows the tool to withstand bending without the helical strip leaving or unraveling the frame. This is avoided because the spiral strip provides a means for sealing the duct.

  The cross-section of the flexible duct can be substantially rectangular and comprises two long sides connected by a short top surface and a short bottom surface. The generally rectangular shape of the flexible duct allows a narrow profile gap tool to fit in most gaps and gaps. The requirement of a substantially rectangular shape does not exclude curving or shaping the sides of the rectangular duct for aesthetic or ergonomic purposes.

  The spiral strip may have a recess provided in the surface of the flexible duct. The indentation allows to improve the duct's flexibility, and similarly forms a ridge in the duct to bend when the flexible duct bends. The recess can be provided on the side of the flexible duct. This makes it possible to improve bending of the duct in a desired side-to-side (ie, left-right) direction instead of bending in the up-down direction.

  The tool according to the present invention is a telescopic tool comprising a first and a second conduit, the first conduit having a narrower profile than the second conduit, the second conduit surrounding the first conduit and thereby The first conduit slides into and out of the second conduit to allow extension of the tool and the flexible duct forms part of the first conduit. The use of flexible ducts with telescopic tools allows longer tools that can be placed in gaps or gaps to be cleaned. Furthermore, providing a rigid conduit together with a conduit having a flexible duct improves the handleability and operability of the tool since the user can hold the rigid conduit and steer the tool.

  In a second aspect, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner duct, the vacuum cleaner duct being formed of a hard material and having a helical frame comprising a plurality of loops spaced about a helical axis; A spiral strip formed between the loops of the spiral frame and sealing the frame, each loop comprising a central band having at least one wing, the spiral strip being The outer surface of the spiral strip is fixed to at least one wing body so that it is flush with the outer surface of the central band.

  In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

It is a figure which shows the tool formation component of a prior art. It is a figure which shows another tool formation component of a prior art. It is a perspective view which shows a tool provided with the flexible duct concerning this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the flexible duct concerning this invention. It is an enlarged view which shows the flexible duct concerning this invention, Comprising: It is an enlarged view in which an insert shows the detail of a flame | frame. FIG. 4 is a top view showing the tool of FIG. 3. It is a top view which shows the tool of FIG.

  FIG. 3 shows a tool 1 comprising a first conduit 2, a second conduit 3, a first connector 4 and a second connector 5. The first conduit 2 has a narrower profile than the second conduit 3, the second conduit 3 surrounds the first conduit 2, so that the first conduit 2 extends into the second conduit 3 and the second conduit 3. 2 Slide out of the conduit and allow the tool 1 to extend. When the tool 1 is extended, the first conduit 2 emerges from the second conduit 3. Such a tool 1 may be referred to as stretchability.

  The first conduit 2 is connected to the second conduit 3 at one end, and is connected to the first connector 4 at the opposite end. The second conduit 3 is connected to the second connector 5. The second connector 5 is located at the end opposite to the location where the first conduit 2 is connected to the second conduit 3. The first connector 4 can be used to connect a nozzle or cleaner head to the end of the tool 1. Alternatively, the first connector 4 can function as an inlet for the tool without the need for attachment of a nozzle or cleaner head. The second connector 5 is used to connect the tool 1 to a wand or hose that is further connected to a vacuum cleaner.

  Tool 1 retracts first conduit 2 for locking conduits 2 and 3 of tool 1 at maximum extension (as shown in FIG. 3) and also when the first conduit is located within second conduit 3 It further comprises locking means 6 for locking in position.

  The first conduit 2 comprises a flexible part or duct 7 and a hard part 8 at either end of the flexible duct 7. The flexible duct 7 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 to 7 and comprises a helical frame 9 and a helical strip 10. The flexible duct 7 has a substantially rectangular cross section and has two long sides 11, 12 (best shown in FIG. 6) and two short top and bottom surfaces 13 and 14 (best shown in FIG. 7). And have. The flexible duct 7 can be bent in a direction perpendicular to the spiral axis 15. For example, the flexible duct 7 can be freely bent in the left-right direction and similarly in the up-down direction, as shown separately in FIGS. The dashed line is used to indicate the overall degree of motion in the direction perpendicular to the helical axis 15.

  The spiral frame 9 is formed of a single piece made of a hard material, and includes a plurality of loops 16 arranged around the spiral axis 15. The loops 16 are spaced at regular intervals along the spiral axis 15 with spaces between the loops. The contour of each loop 16 is shown in more detail in FIG. Each of the loops 16 includes a central band 17, and the central band is provided with wing bodies 18 and 19 on each side of the band 17, and the band 17 is thicker than the wing bodies 18 and 19. That is, the height of the wing bodies 18 and 19 is less than the height of the central band 17 in one direction perpendicular to the spiral axis 15. Each of the wing bodies 18 and 19 extends to the central band 17 in a direction parallel to the spiral axis 15, and the wing body is provided with a fixing portion 20 used as a key mechanism during the manufacturing process of the tool 1. It has been. One wing body 19 is provided with two protrusions 21, and these protrusions extend toward the adjacent loop 16. The protrusion 21 extends in a direction parallel to the spiral axis 15. The protrusions 21 are located at the top and bottom of the wing body 19 (best shown in FIG. 5). The protrusion 21 functions to restrict the movement of the flexible portion 7 in the vertical direction with respect to the movement of the flexible portion 7 in the left-right direction.

  The spiral strip 10 is formed of a single piece of flexible material in the form of a tape, band or ribbon. The spiral strip 10 extends along the spiral axis 15 and around a part of the spiral frame 9. Specifically, the spiral strip 10 is overmolded or glued to the spiral frame 9 so that the strip 10 fills the space between each of the loops 16 and the frame loops. Provides continuous connection between 16 The spiral strip 10 seals the space of the spiral frame 9 and forms a duct for the drawn fluid. Furthermore, the spiral strip 10 is provided between the loops 16 only in the wing bodies 18, 19, so that the outside of the spiral strip 10 is flush with the outside of the central band 17. As shown in FIG. 4, the central band 17 of each loop 16 is exposed along the length of the duct 7. Since the spiral strip 10 is provided in the space between the loops 16 and is flush with the loops 16, the outer contour of the flexible duct 7 is reduced.

  The spiral strip 10 can bend and stretch, allowing the flexible portion 7 to bend and twist from a linear position and return to its original shape. The spiral strip 10 has a recess 22 formed in the side surfaces 11, 12 of the duct 7. The recess 22 improves the flexibility of the duct 7 in two ways. First, the recess 22 reduces the rigidity of the spiral strip 10 on the side surfaces 11, 12 that are extended during the bending motion (ie, the side surfaces 11, 12 that are outside the bending of the flexible duct portion 7). Secondly, the recess 22 is more rapid in the material of the spiral strip 10 at the sides 11, 12 that contract during the bending movement (ie at the sides 11, 12 inside the bending of the flexible duct portion 7). It is possible to make a crease or bend.

  The fixing portions 20 provided on the wing bodies 18 and 19 of the loops 16 of the frame 9 function as a key mechanism when the strip 10 is overmolded on the frame 9. During manufacturing, the flexible material flows over or onto the wing bodies 18, 19 into or onto the fixed portion 20. The fixing portions 20 are holes that are shaped to fix the helical strip 10 to the frame 9 once the flexible material is cured. The flexible material is only provided on the wings 18, 19 so that once cured, the outer surface of the spiral strip 10 is flush with the outer side of the central band 17. Furthermore, the molding insert can be arranged inside the flexible part 7 of the first conduit 2 and in contact with the inner surface of the loop 16 so that the soft material flows and hardens against the molding insert. . Thereafter, the molded insert is removed after curing, leaving the smooth inner surface of the duct 7 as the helical strip 10 is cured flush with the outer contour of the loop 16.

  In use, the tool 1 is stretched, thereby exposing the first conduit 2 as the first conduit slides out of the second conduit 3. When the tool 1 is in the extended position (as shown in FIG. 3), the movement of the first conduit 2 is locked. The contour of the tool 1 is such that at least the first conduit 2 can be placed in the gap or gap. The user may operate the tool 1 by holding the second conduit 3 or by holding an extension wand or handle connected via the second connector 5.

  When the tool 1 is operated into the gap, the flexible duct 7 of the first conduit 2 can be bent or bent in contact with the wall or floor of the gap. The user naturally applies force to the tool 1 against the surface / floor of the gap to be cleaned. As the force is applied, the flexible duct 7 bends vertically and / or horizontally. When the duct 7 bends or bends in the vertical direction, the protrusion 21 limits the movement range of the spiral frame 9. This improves the control of the tool 1 and gives the user the ability to maneuver the tool 1 in the gap without bending the duct 7 in an undesired direction (ie up and down). Furthermore, the duct 7 is prevented from bending beyond the point where damage or twisting occurs. For this reason, even if the maximum range of motion in the vertical direction decreases, the duct 7 is protected against bending and twisting, and is similarly reinforced to prevent damage to the tool 1.

  The movement of the flexible duct 7 in the left-right direction is improved by a recess 22 provided on the side of the spiral strip 10. In use, the recesses 22 provide improved flexibility, i.e., they can extend more easily than the rest of the spiral strip 10 because less material is present. Further, when the duct 7 is bent, the recess 22 forms a crease or crease in the spiral strip 10 to bend. For this reason, the operation of the tool 1 in the left-right direction is easier than the operation in the up-down direction.

  Although a flexible duct 7 is shown as part of the vacuum cleaner tool 1, it should be clear that a suitable alternative to a hose or tube or vacuum cleaner conduit connection piece such as a vacuum cleaner. It is possible to use such ducts in other parts.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum cleaner tool, 2 1st conduit, 3 2nd conduit, 7 Flexible duct part, 9 Spiral frame, 10 Spiral strip, 11, 12 Side surface, 13 Top surface, 14 Bottom surface, 15 Helical shaft, 16 loops, 17 center band, 18, 19 wings, 21 protrusions, 22 recesses

Claims (13)

A vacuum cleaner tool with a flexible duct,
The flexible duct comprises:
A helical frame formed of a hard material and having a plurality of loops spaced about a helical axis;
A spiral strip formed of a flexible material and provided between the loops of the spiral frame to seal the frame;
With
Each of the loops comprises a central band having at least one wing;
A vacuum cleaner tool, wherein the spiral strip is secured to at least one of the wings such that the outer surface of the spiral strip is flush with the outer surface of the central band. At least one of the wing bodies extends all over the central band in a direction parallel to the helical axis;
The vacuum cleaner tool according to claim 1, wherein the height of at least one of the wing bodies is less than the height of the central band in one direction perpendicular to the spiral axis.   The vacuum cleaner tool according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the wing bodies has at least one fixing portion for fixing the spiral strip to the frame.   The vacuum cleaning according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a cross-section of the flexible duct is substantially rectangular and has long side surfaces connected by a short top surface and a short bottom surface. Machine tool.   The vacuum cleaner tool according to claim 4, wherein the spiral strip has a recess provided on a surface of the flexible duct.   The vacuum cleaner tool according to claim 5, wherein the recess is provided on the side surface of the flexible duct. The tool is a telescopic tool comprising first and second conduits;
The first conduit has a narrower profile than the second conduit;
The second conduit surrounds the first conduit, whereby the first conduit slides into and out of the second conduit to allow extension of the tool;
The vacuum cleaner tool according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the flexible duct forms part of the first conduit. A vacuum cleaner duct,
A helical frame formed of a hard material and having a plurality of loops spaced about a helical axis;
A spiral strip formed of a flexible material and provided between the loops of the spiral frame to seal the frame;
With
Each of the loops comprises a central band having at least one wing;
A vacuum cleaner duct, wherein the spiral strip is fixed to at least one of the wing bodies such that an outer surface of the spiral strip is flush with an outer surface of the central band. At least one of the wing bodies extends all over the central band in a direction parallel to the helical axis;
9. The vacuum cleaner duct according to claim 8, wherein the height of at least one of the wing bodies is less than the height of the central band in one direction perpendicular to the spiral axis.   The vacuum cleaner duct according to claim 8 or 9, wherein at least one of the wing bodies has at least one fixing portion for fixing the spiral strip to the frame.   The vacuum cleaning according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the flexible duct has a substantially rectangular cross-section and includes a long side surface connected by a short top surface and a short bottom surface. Machine duct.   The vacuum cleaner duct according to claim 11, wherein the spiral strip has a recess provided on a surface of the duct.   The vacuum cleaner duct according to claim 12, wherein the recess is provided on a side surface of the duct.

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