A CLEANING APPLIANCE COMPRISING A HOSE AND WAND ASSEMBLY,
A TELESCOPIC WAND AND RETAINING MEANS THEREFOR
This invention relates to a cleaning appliance comprising a hose and wand
assembly, a telescopic wand and retaining means therefor.
Cleaning appliances such as vacuum cleaners are well known. The majority of vacuum
cleaners are either of the 'upright' type or of the 'cylinder' type. An example of a
cylinder vacuum cleaner manufactured by Dyson Limited under the name DC05 ("DC05"
is a trade mark of Dyson Limited) is shown in Figure 1.
Cylinder vacuum cleaners (called "canister" or "barrel" cleaners in some countries)
generally comprise a main body 10 which contains separating apparatus 11 for separating
dirt and dust from an incoming dirty airflow and for collecting the separated material.
The separating apparatus is usually a filter bag or a cyclonic separator. The dirty airflow
is introduced to the main body 10 via a hose and wand assembly 15, 16 which is
connected to the main body 10. The main body 10 of the cleaner is dragged along by the
hose 15 as a user moves around a room. A cleaning tool 20 is attached to the remote
end of the wand 16. The wand 16 usually comprises a set of two, or sometimes more,
telescopic tubes which can be adjusted to a length which is matched to the physical
requirements of a user between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position.
It is known to provide a socket 18 on the main body of the vacuum cleaner and a hook
17 on the wand so that a user can 'park' the wand in the socket 18. When the wand is
parked, it is positioned substantially vertically so that it can be readily grasped by a user.
In this manner, a user does not need to bend down to retrieve the wand from the floor.
A user may also choose to park the wand in this manner when the vacuum cleaner is
stored. The wand can be parked in its fully retracted position for storage. Although this
feature is useful, the vacuum cleaner and wand are still quite cumbersome to carry from
one place to another and the cleaner is not particularly easy to store in places of limited
space.
The present invention seeks to provide a cleaning appliance machine which is more
convenient to store and/or to carry.
Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a cleaning appliance of the
cylinder type comprising a main body and a hose and wand assembly, the hose and wand
assembly comprising a telescopic wand movable between retracted and extended
positions and a flexible hose having a first end connected to the main body and a second
end connected to the wand, wherein the wand and the main body incorporate retaining
means for releasably attaching the wand to the main body when the wand is in the
retracted state and the hose passes around the main body.
This allows the machine to be more easily stored since the wand is neatly and securely
stored on the main body of the machine whilst the hose is wrapped around the main
body.
Preferably, the main body comprises a cyclonic separator having a collecting bin for
collecting dirt and debris and the wand is releasably attachable to the collecting bin.
A second aspect of the invention provides a cleaning appliance of the cylinder type
comprising a main body and a hose and wand assembly, the hose and wand assembly
comprising a telescopic wand movable between retracted and extended positions and a
flexible hose having a first end connected to the main body and a second end connected
to the wand, wherein the wand and the main body incorporate retaining means for
releasably attaching the wand to an upper surface of the main body when the wand is in
the retracted state.
Preferably the main body comprises a channel for receiving the wand and retaining means
are located in the channel. Where the main body comprises two generally cylindrical
containers lying next to one another, the channel for receiving the wand can comprise the
space between the cylindrical containers. More preferably, the channel has a sufficient
depth to allow the wand to lie substantially flush with the upper surface of the main body
when the wand is received in the channel.
Preferably the wand has a handle by means of which a user may lift the main body when
the wand is attached thereto. More preferably, the said handle may also be used by user
to manipulate the hose and wand assembly during normal use. It is convenient for the
handle to extend in a direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of
the wand so as to provide a plurality of longitudinally offset positions for lifting the main
body and for manipulating the wand.
It is preferred that the wand may be attached to the main body when the main body is
oriented for normal use. More preferably, the main body has wheels or rollers arranged
so as to allow the main body to move across a surface to be cleaned and the said wheels
or rollers remain in contact with the surface when the wand is attached to the main body.
Preferably a release member for releasing the wand from the main body is also arranged
to operate a locking means which locks the wand in the fully retracted position for
storage. This avoids the need for a user to operate two separate controls.
Although the invention is described in detail with reference to a vacuum cleaner, it will
be appreciated that it can also be applied to other forms of cleaning appliance. The term
"cleaning appliance" is intended to have a broad meaning, and includes a wide range of
machines having a main body and a wand for carrying fluid to or from a floor surface. It
includes, inter alia, machines which only apply suction to the surface, such as vacuum
cleaners (dry, wet and wet/dry variants), so as to draw material from the surface, as well
as machines which apply material to the surface, such as polishing/waxing machines,
pressure washing machines and shampooing machines.
The invention provides for a cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprising a main
body and a hose and wand assembly, said hose and wand assembly having a flexible hose
with a first end connected to the main body and a second end connected to the wand, and
the wand and the main body incorporating retaining means for releasably attaching the
wand to the main body, characterized in that said hose and wand assembly comprises a
telescopic wand moveable between retracted and extended positions, and said retaining
means releasably attach the wand to the main body when the wand is in the retracted
state, and the hose passes at least once around the main body.
The invention also provides for a cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprising a
main body and a hose and wand assembly, the hose and wand assembly including a
telescopic wand movable between retracted and extended positions and a flexible hose
having a first end connected to the main body and a second end connected to the wand,
wherein the wand and the main body incorporate retaining means for releasably attaching
the wand to an upper surface of the main body when the wand is in the retracted state and
the upper surface of the main body includes a channel for receiving the wand.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a conventional vacuum cleaner of the cylinder type;
Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of a vacuum cleaner according to the invention;
Figures 3 A and 3B respectively show a side view and a rear view of the vacuum cleaner
of Figure 2 with the hose omitted for clarity;
Figure 4 shows the wand of the vacuum cleaner of Figures 2, 3A and 3B in an extended
position;
Figure 5 shows the wand of Figure 4 in a retracted position for storage;
Figure 6 is a cross-section through the wand while stored on the vacuum cleaner of
Figure 2;
Figure 7 is a detailed view of the catch on the wand;
Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of the vacuum cleaner showing the storage of the hose;
Figures 9 to 11 show alternative forms of the handle of the wand;
Figure 12 shows an alternative form of the main body of the vacuum cleaner;
and Figures 13A to 13D respectively show perspective, side, front, and rear views of a
second embodiment of the invention in a storage position.
Figure 2 shows a cleaning appliance in the form of a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum
cleaner has a main body 100 which supports the main components of the vacuum
cleaner. In a traditional manner, the main body 100 has a chassis 110 which supports
separating and collecting apparatus 120 and a motor-driven fan (not shown) for
generating a suction which can draw dirt laden air into the separating apparatus 120.
The main body 100 also has two main wheels 112, one on each side of the rear portion
of the chassis 110, and a castor wheel 113 beneath the front portion of the chassis 110
which allow the main body 100 to be dragged along a surface. It will be understood that
the wheels 112, 113 could be supplemented, or replaced, by other means for allowing the
main body 100 to be dragged across a surface, such as skids. The form of the separating
apparatus 120 is not important to the invention. While we prefer to use cyclonic
separators which spin dirt, dust and debris from the airflow, other forms of separator can
be used and examples of suitable separator technology include a centrifugal separator, a
filter bag, a porous container, an electrostatic separator or a liquid-based separator.
In Figure 2, the separating apparatus comprises two generally cylindrical chambers 121,
122 which lie alongside one another. The chambers 121, 122 are connected to one
another by a central spine 123. The separating apparatus 120 is removably mounted on
the chassis for emptying and for access to components beneath the separating apparatus.
A flexible hose 150 and a wand assembly 160 connect to an inlet port 151 on the main
body 100. The main body 100 of the cleaner is pulled along by the hose 150 as a user
moves around a room. The hose 150 has a construction which is robust enough to
withstand this pulling action, and any normal abrasion which may be encountered as the
hose rubs against obstacles in a room.
In this embodiment, the air inlet port 151 is centrally mounted on the main body 100 at
the forward, lower part of the machine. In alternative embodiments of the machine
where the air inlet is not centrally positioned, such as the machine shown in Figure 1
where the inlet is near the upper part of the separating apparatus 11, it is preferable to
7
anchor the hose 150 to the machine at a central position (as with anchor point 25 in the
machine shown in Figure 1) so that when a user pulls the hose 150, the main body 100
follows the user.
Ducting on the chassis 110 connects the air inlet port 151 to an inlet to the separating
apparatus 120. For a cyclonic separating apparatus 120, the inlet to the separating
apparatus is arranged to guide incoming airflow through the wall of the chamber of the
cyclonic separator in a tangential manner.
The second end of the hose 150 connects to the wand 160. A suitable wand assembly 160
is described in our co-pending International Patent Application WO 02/071913 (Indian
Patent Application No. 1305/DELNP/2003) . As shown in Figure 4, the wand comprises
a set of three tubes 161, 162, 163 of progressively decreasing diameter. The tubes 161,
162, 163 can telescope inside one another and are retractably housed inside a storage tube
165. The three tubes 161, 162, 163 are slideable inside one another and can be moved
between a stored position (as best shown in Figure 6) and an extended position (as shown
in Figure 4) in which one tube is extended from another such that only the ends of the
tubes overlap one another. Securing mechanisms 400 secure the tubes in an extended
position. The precise arrangement of the securing mechanisms does not form part of the
present invention and so will not be described in any further detail here. Tubes 161, 162,
163 are progressively longer in length. The length of each tube is chosen so that it fully
occupies the available space within the storage tube 165 when the securing mechanisms
400 are lying alongside one another.
The distal end of tube 163 has a connector 280 which is adapted to receive a floor tool,
such as the floor tool shown 20 in Figure 1, in any known manner. For example, the floor
tool can be connected to the tube 163 by means of an interference fit, interconnecting
bayonet fittings, snap-fit connections, a screw threaded collar and sleeve, or by any other
suitable means. Accessory tools may also be fitted to the tube 163 in place of the floor
tool. A handle 200 is located on the storage tube 165 to allow a user
to manipulate the wand 160. A flexible hose 150 extends from one end of the storage
tube 165 and is connected to the storage tube 165 by an outlet connector 168 which is
rotatable about axis X-X', as shown in Figure 5. This part of the wand is described more
fully in our International Patent Application WO 01/50940 (Indian Patent Application
No. 1525/DELNP/2003).
For ease of storage, and ease of carrying, the wand assembly 160 can be releasably
attached to the main body 100 of the vacuum cleaner, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
As is best seen in Figure 3 A, the length of the storage tube 165 is substantially equal to
the length of the part of the main body 100 against which the wand is stored. In this
manner, the wand 160 does not protrude substantially beyond the main body 100 when it
is fully retracted and stored on the main body 100.
As is best seen in Figure 6, the wand 160 is stored alongside the uppermost surface of the
main body 100. Figure 6 shows a cross-section through the wand 160 and the upper part
of the separating apparatus 120 taken along the longitudinal axis of the vacuum cleaner.
In this embodiment the upper surface of the separating apparatus 120, which itself is
releasable from the remainder of the chassis 110 for emptying, is the part of the main
body against which the wand 160 is secured. Fittings on the storage tube 165 of the wand
assembly cooperate with complementary fittings on the upper surface of the separating
apparatus 120 to retain the storage tube 165. The lower end of the storage tube 165 has a
hooked projection 220 which extends outwardly from the tube 165. The hook 220 can
locate beneath a hook 130 on the separating apparatus 120. This pair of hooks 220, 130
provides some mechanical support for the wand 160 during carrying, and also helps
properly to locate the wand 160. The majority of the mechanical support is provided by a
locking catch at the other end of the storage tube 165. The locking catch comprises a
movable catch ring 222 with a catch face 225 and is shown in more detail in Figure 7.
The catch face 225 locates beneath another hook 135 on the upper face of the separating
apparatus 120. The locking catch mechanism comprises a catch ring 222 which is
pivotably mounted about the outside of the storage tube 165 about pivot point
223. The lower part of the catch ring 222 carries a catch face 225 for engaging with the
main body. The catch ring is biased, by spring 241, into the locked position shown in
Figures 5 and 6. An actuator member 235 is pivotably mounted to the storage tube 165
about pivot point 236. The actuator member 235 has a part which serves as a button
230 which can be operated by a user. The actuator member is biased by a spring 242
into the position in which it lies alongside the tube, as shown in Figures 2, 3A, 5 and 6.
Actuator member 235 has an arm 237 on each of its sides, the end of the arm 237
locating within a notch 238 on the catch ring 222, In use, movement of the actuator
member 235, by a user pressing button 230 in clockwise direction 239, causes arm 237
to urge catch ring 222 in an anti-clockwise direction about pivot point 223 to release
catch 225. Actuator member 235 also has two further locking functions which are
simultaneously actuated when button 230 is pressed. Firstly, the furthest end of the
actuator member has a hook 231 which can engage with the connector 280 on the end of
the tube 163. When ail of the tubes 161, 162, 163 have been retracted into the storage
tube 165, connector 280 lies alongside the end of storage tube 165 and hook 231 can
hook onto connector 280. All of the tubes 161, 162, 163 are held securely within
storage tube 165 until the actuator member 235 is operated to release the hook 231. The
leading edge of hook 231 has an inclined face which can be displaced by the leading edge
of connector 280 as the tubes are retracted inside the storage tube 165. This allows the
hook 231 automatically to ride onto, and thus retain, the cap 2SO as the tubes are moved
towards a stored position. Connector 280 has a cap which, in the stored position (best
shown in Figure 6) accommodates all of the securing mechanisms 400 of the tubes and
thus serves to protect them from damage during storage.
Another feature of the locking mechanism is that projection 232 on the actuator member
235 can seat itself in a depression in the wall of tube 161 to lock the position of tube
161. Operating the actuator member 235 raises the projection 232 from its seated
position and thus allows tube 161 to be moved. Tube 161 has a series of similar
depressions 233 along its length. Projection 232 also serves to secure the tube 161 in a
desired extended position with respect to the storage tube 165.
It will be appreciated that operation of the single button 230 simultaneously releases the
wand 160 from the main body 100 of the vacuum cleaner, releases the end connector 280
which in turn allows the tubes 161, 162, 163 to be withdrawn from the storage tube 165,
and locks tube 161 in a selected extended position.
The method of storing the vacuum cleaner will now be described. To store the wand a
user brings the storage tube 165 of the wand assembly, in its fully retracted state,
alongside the uppermost face of the main body 100 and engages the hooked projection
220 behind hook 130 on the main body. The user then pivots the storage tube 165
towards the main body so that the catch face 225 engages with the hook 135 on the main
body. The inclined shape of the catch face 225 causes the catch ring to move away from
the hook 135, against the bias of the spring, as the storage tube is pushed against the
main body, and to reseat itself beneath the hook 135. At this point the wand 160 is now
fully locked in position on the main body 100 and a user can then use the handle 200 on
the storage tube 165 of the wand assembly to carry the vacuum cleaner.
A floor tool can be left in place on the end of the wand 160 or it can be removed and
stored elsewhere on the main body 100.
To release the wand 160 from the storage position, a user operates the button 230 to
move catch ring 222 and catch face 225. This releases the catch face 225 from the hook
135. The user can then pull the wand 160 away from the main body and slide the wand
upwards, to remove the hooked projection 220 from the main body 100.
The position in which a user will naturally feel comfortable grasping the handle 200 to lift
arid carry the vacuum cleaner may well be different from the position in which the user
will wish to grasp the handle 200 to operate the wand for cleaning. In this embodiment,
the handle 200 extends for some distance along the length of, and parallel to, the
longitudinal axis of the storage tube 165 so as to provide the user with a plurality of
comfortable, longitudinally offset, positions for both carrying the vacuum cleaner and
operating the wand for cleaning. Portion 205 of the handle, adjacent the end of the
storage tube 165, is intended to be used to manipulate the wand during normal cleaning.
Portion 205 lies at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the storage tube. This angled
position, together with the position adjacent the end of the storage tube, has been found
to be a comfortable position for manipulating the wand. Portion 208 of the handle is
intended to be used to carry the cleaner. Control buttons for operating the vacuum
cleaner can be provided in region 207. These controls can include an on/off switch, a
suction power control etc. as is well known in the art. A bleed valve 209 is also located
near to the part of the handle 205 which is used during cleaning. The bleed valve admits
air when the trigger 209 is pulled, so as to reduce the suction force at the remote end of
the wand.
The hooked projection 220 on the storage tube 165 and hook 130 on the main body both
extend for some distance perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis Y — Y' of the storage
tube 165. This helps to minimise any rotational movement, or wobble, of the wand
about its longitudinal axis. While the hooked projection 220 and catch ring 222
adequately secure the wand to the main body 100, it is preferred to add some further
features to the wand 160 and the main body for additional security. Ribs 250 extend
radially outwardly from each side of the storage tube 165. Ribs 251 also extend
outwardly from the upper face of the separating apparatus 120 at positions adjacent to
where the storage tube 165 will lie when it is secured to the main body. The ribs serve to
minimise any rotation of the storage tube 165 about its longitudinal axis Y-Y' when the"
tube is secured to the main body. In short, they minimise 'wobble'. A second rib 255
projects outwardly from the storage tube 165, perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis YY'
of the storage tube 165. This locates against a similar rib 125 on the main body 100
and serves to minimise movement of the storage tube 165 in the direction of the
longitudinal axis of the. tube 165.
In this embodiment, the separating apparatus 120 comprises two cylindrical chambers
which lie alongside one another on the main body 100. The hooks 130, 135 are formed
on the inlet duct structure which lies between the chambers. This allows the wand 160
to fit more snugly against the main body and helps to reduce the amount by which the
wand 160 protrudes beyond the envelope of the main body.
The hose 150 is stored around the main body 100 of the vacuum cleaner. The hose 150
has a length which is sufficient such that, in use, the main body 100 can sit on a floor
surface and the user can manipulate the wand 160 at a convenient height, without any
excessive drag. In our embodiment the hose 150 has a length of around 1.5m and a
length in the range 1.3 - 1.8m is typical. Conveniently, the hose 150 also has a length
which is sufficient to lie once around the perimeter of the main body 100. The hose inlet
151 to the main body 100, as well as being centrally located for ease of pulling, lies
below the position where the hose end 168 of the wand 160 will lie when the wand 160
is stored on the main body 100. This allows the hose 150 to form one complete
perimeter of the main body 100. Hose retaining features 310 on the main body allow the
hose 150 to remain attached to the main body 100 during carrying and during storage.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 a single continuous hose receiving channel
300 is provided along the sides and back of the periphery of the chassis 110. Figure 2
shows the hose 150 in place in the channel 300 and Figures 3A and 3B show the hose
removed from the channel 300. The precise means by which the hose 150 is stored on
the main body 100 does not form part of the present invention and alternative hose
storage means will be readily apparent to a skilled reader.
It will be clear from the foregoing description that, when the wand 160 is attached to the
main body 100, the main body remains supported by its wheels 112, 113 and able to
move across the floor surface to be cleaned. This is in contrast to other prior art
machines which must be maneouvred into a position in which their supporting wheels or
rollers are lifted away from the floor surface and the main body is commonly supported
on a rear surface before the wand can be parked on the main body.
In the previously described embodiment, a single handle 200 is provided which serves for
both normal cleaning and carrying. In an alternative embodiment, as shown in Figure 9,
a first handle 600 is provided for use during cleaning and a second, separate, handle 605
is provided for carrying the vacuum cleaner.
Another alternative is shown in Figure 10 where a single handle is movable between a
first position, for use in carrying the machine, and a second position for use during
normal cleaning operations. The handle is pivotable between the two positions and is
positively retained in each of the positions. This retention of the handle can be by a
locking mechanism which is automatically operated as the handle is moved into the new
position, and which is manually released, such as by a user operating a trigger, to release
the handle from that position.
In another alternative shown in Figure 11 there is no handle as such for manipulating the
wand. Instead, an angled conduit 610 is rigidly (non-rotatably) fixed to the end of tube
165 and this angled conduit 610 serves as a part by which the user can manipulate the
wand. The angled conduit 610 can be shaped to provide a comfortable gripping surface,
or it can be overlaid by a material which makes the conduit more comfortable to hold. In
a still further embodiment, not illustrated, the carrying handle can be omitted altogether.
In this case, the main body can be provided with an alternative carrying handle.
In the main embodiment the wand 160 is secured to the main body 100 such that a fairly
large proportion of the storage tube 165 of the wand sits above the remainder of the
main body 100. It is possible to increase the size of the retaining channel 660 for
receiving the wand, as shown in Figure 12. In this alternative embodiment the receiving
channel 660 has a sufficient depth 661 to fully receive the storage tube 165 of the wand,
with only the carry handle 200 protruding above the upper surface of the main body 100.
A second embodiment, of the invention is shown in Figures 13 A to 13D. The vacuum
cleaner 500 shown in Figure 13A to 13D has a main body 510 which includes supporting
wheels 512, a front castor wheel 514 and separating apparatus 516. The separating
apparatus 516 shown here operates using cyclonic principles but alternative separating
apparatus can be used. Attached to the main body 510 via a connector 518 is a flexible
hose 520 to which, in turn, is attached a telescopic wand 522 having a handle 524 and
carrying a plurality of tools 526. The wand 522 is similar to that described above and is
here shown in a fully retracted position and attached to the main body 510 for storage.
The cyclonic separating apparatus 516 includes a collecting bin 528 for collecting dirt
and debris from an airflow passing through the cleaner 500. Mounted on the exterior
surface of the collecting bin 528 is a slot (not shown) into which a hooked projection
(not shown) mounted on the wand can be located. The slot and the hooked projection
form retaining means for retaining the wand 522 on the collecting bin 528.
As can clearly be seen from Figures 13C and 13D, the wand 522 is located on an upper
surface of the main body 510 but to one side thereof. The upstream end of the wand 522
is located at the rear of the main body 510 on the same side thereof. The hose 520 is
connected to the main body 510 beneath a central area of the stored wand 522 and
passes forwardly of the main body 510 away from the upstream end of the wand 522.
The hose 520 then passes around the main body 510 through approximately one and
three quarters of a turn between the connection 518 and the upstream end of the wand
522.
Unlike the embodiment described above, the hose 520 does not follow a fixed path as it
is wrapped around the main body 510. Instead, hose seats (not shown) are provided at
the fonvard end of the collecting bin 528 and on the cyclonic separating apparatus 516
behind the handle 530 located thereon. Thus, the hose 520 is held in a fixed position
with respect to the main body 510 at a plurality of points along its length.
As can clearly be seen from Figures 13 A to 13D, the hose 520 can be wrapped around
the main body 510 whilst the wheels 512 and castor wheel 514 remain in contact with
the surface to be cleaned. It is not necessary to re-orientate the vacuum cleaner 500 into
a position in which the wheels and/or the castor wheel are lifted away from the floor. By
adopting the position shown in Figures 13 A to 13D, the vacuum cleaner 500 is able to be
stored compactly and neatly into a small storage area. When the vacuum cleaner 500 is
to be used, the hooked projection on the wand 522 is removed from the slot on the
collecting bin and the wand 522 is then removed from the main body 510. As the wand
522 is moved away from the main body, the hose 520 is unwrapped from around the
main body until it is completely free therefrom. The wand 522 is then extended to a
length suitable for cleaning the floor surface on which the vacuum cleaner 500 is
positioned.
It will be understood that modifications and variations will be apparent to a skilled
reader. For example, the wand may be stored on the main body in any direction and the
hose may be arranged to wrap around the main body more or less than one and three
quarter times.

We claim:
1. A cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprising a main body and a hose and
wand assembly, the hose and wand assembly comprising a telescopic wand movable
between retracted and extended positions and a flexible hose having a first end connected
to the main body and a second end connected to the wand, wherein the wand and the
main body incorporate retaining means for releasably attaching the wand to an upper
surface of the main body when the wand is in the retracted state and the upper surface of
the main body comprises a channel for receiving the wand.
2. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining means are
located in the channel.
3. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the main body comprises two
generally cylindrical containers lying next to one another and wherein the channel lies
between the cylindrical containers.
4. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the channel
has a sufficient depth to allow the wand to lie substantially flush with the upper surface of
the main body when the wand is received in the channel.
5. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the
wand has a handle by means of which a user may lift the main body when the wand is
attached thereto.
6. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein the said handle may also be
used by the user to manipulate the hose and wand assembly during normal use.
7. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claims 5 or 6, wherein the handle extends in a
direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wand so as to
provide a plurality of longitudinally offset positions for lifting the main body and for
manipulating the hose and wand assembly.
8. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the
wand may be attached to the main body when the main body is oriented for normal use.
9. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 8, wherein the main body has wheels or
rollers arranged so as to allow the main body to move across a surface to be cleaned and
the said wheels or rollers remain in contact with the surface when the wand is attached to
the main body.
10. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a
substantial part of the length of the wand, in the retracted position, lies alongside the
main body when the wand is attached thereto.
11. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein substantially all of the
wand, in the retracted position, lies alongside the main body when the wand is attached
thereto.
12. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further
comprising rotation prevention means for preventing rotation of the wand when it is
attached to the main body.
13. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rotation prevention
means comprises a first part, mounted on the main body, and a second part mounted on
the wand, each part having a face which extends radially with respect to the longitudinal
axis of the wand.
14. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the
hose and wand assembly carries a release member for releasing the wand from the main
body.
15. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 14, wherein the wand comprises locking
means for locking the wand in the retracted position and actuation of the release member
also releases the said locking means.
16. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the
first and second ends of the hose are located adjacent one another when the wand is
attached to the main body.
17. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the first
and second ends of the hose are circumferentially spaced apart from one another when
the wand is attached to the main body.
18. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the
cleaning appliance take the form of a vacuum cleaner.
19. A cleaning appliance substantially as described herein with reference to the
accompanying drawings.