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A vacuum cleaner having a based and a handle. The handle has first and second valves to selectively receive suction airflow from a main suction inlet, a first edge cleaning inlet, and an accessory hose. The first valve is operable to connect a dirt separator to either a main floor cleaning inlet or

A vacuum cleaner having a based and a handle. The handle has first and second valves to selectively receive suction airflow from a main suction inlet, a first edge cleaning inlet, and an accessory hose. The first valve is operable to connect a dirt separator to either a main floor cleaning inlet or an auxiliary cleaning inlet. The second valve is operable to selectively connect the auxiliary cleaning inlet to the edge cleaning inlet. The accessory hose is mountable to an accessory hose mount on the handle. When mounted, the accessory hose contacts a second actuator for the second valve to hold the second valve in an edge cleaning position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a base having a lower surface configured to face a surface to be cleaned, and first and second side edges that are spaced in a lateral direction to define lateral portions of an outer perimeter of the base;a main suction inlet on the base facing the surface to be clea

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a base having a lower surface configured to face a surface to be cleaned, and first and second side edges that are spaced in a lateral direction to define lateral portions of an outer perimeter of the base;a main suction inlet on the base facing the surface to be cleaned, the main suction inlet being elongated in the lateral direction;a first edge cleaning inlet on the base facing the surface to be cleaned, the first edge cleaning inlet being located adjacent the first side edge of the base;a handle pivotally connected to the base by a pivot joint;a first valve mounted on the handle, the first valve comprising: a main floor cleaning inlet,an auxiliary cleaning inlet,a valve outlet,a first flow controller movable between a main floor cleaning position in which the valve outlet is fluidly connected to the main floor cleaning inlet, and an auxiliary cleaning position in which the valve outlet is fluidly connected to the auxiliary cleaning inlet, anda first actuator configured to move the first flow controller between the main floor cleaning position and the auxiliary cleaning position;a first suction passage fluidly connecting the main suction inlet to the main floor cleaning inlet;a second suction passage fluidly connecting the first edge cleaning inlet to the auxiliary cleaning inlet;a second valve mounted on the handle, the second valve comprising: a second flow controller movable between an edge cleaning position in which the first edge cleaning inlet is in fluid communication with the auxiliary cleaning inlet, and an accessory cleaning position in which the first edge cleaning inlet is not in fluid communication with the auxiliary cleaning inlet, anda second actuator configured to move the second flow controller between the edge cleaning position and the accessory cleaning position;an accessory hose having an open distal end and a flexible hose fluidly connecting the open distal end to the auxiliary cleaning inlet;an accessory hose mount located on the handle and configured to hold the accessory hose in a hose storage position in which the accessory hose contacts the second actuator to hold the second flow controller in the edge cleaning position;a dirt separator mounted on the handle and having a dirt separator inlet in fluid communication with the valve outlet; anda suction motor operatively associated with the handle or the base, the suction motor being configured to generate a suction airflow through the dirt separator, wherein the suction airflow may be selectively received, by operation of the first valve and the second valve, from each of the main suction inlet, the first edge cleaning inlet, and the open distal end of the accessory hose. 2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a second edge cleaning inlet on the base facing the surface to be cleaned, the second edge cleaning inlet being located adjacent the second side edge of the base and fluidly connected to the second suction passage. 3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first edge cleaning inlet is located on a protrusion that extends in the lateral direction from the first side edge. 4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first edge cleaning inlet is located between the first side edge and the main suction inlet. 5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first edge cleaning inlet is located in front of the main suction inlet. 6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first edge cleaning inlet is located adjacent a rear edge of the base. 7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a brushroll mounted in the main suction inlet. 8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first flow controller comprises a rotary valve having a gate that blocks the auxiliary cleaning inlet when the first flow controller is in the main floor cleaning position and blocks the main floor cleaning inlet when the first flow controller is in the auxiliary cleaning position. 9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises a hand-operated knob. 10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first suction passage comprises a first base passage fluidly connecting the main suction inlet to a first base outlet, a first rigid pipe mounted on the handle and fluidly connected to the main floor cleaning inlet, and a first flexible hose fluidly connecting the first base outlet to the first rigid pipe. 11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the second suction passage comprises a second base passage fluidly connecting the main suction inlet to a second base outlet, a second rigid pipe mounted on the handle and fluidly connected to the auxiliary cleaning inlet, and a second flexible hose fluidly connecting the second base outlet to the second rigid pipe. 12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first suction passage and the second suction passage comprises a flexible hose. 13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first suction passage and the second suction passage comprises respective first and second flexible hoses extending from the base to the handle. 14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first suction passage and the second suction passage passes axially through the pivot joint. 15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first suction passage and the second suction passage pass axially through the pivot joint. 16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary cleaning inlet comprises an auxiliary inlet plenum fluidly connecting the second suction passage to the accessory hose. 17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein the second flow controller comprises a flap valve located within the second suction passage and outside the auxiliary inlet plenum. 18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the second flow controller is positioned such that it does not prevent fluid communication between the accessory hose and the auxiliary cleaning inlet when the second flow controller is in the edge cleaning position. 19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the accessory hose mount comprises a receiver configured to block the open distal end of the accessory hose when the accessory hose is in the hose storage position. 20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the accessory hose further comprises a rigid wand extending from the open distal end of the accessory hose. 21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein the wand contacts the second actuator to hold the second flow controller in the edge cleaning position when the accessory hose is in the hose storage position. 22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 21, wherein the accessory hose mount further comprises a receiver to hold the open distal end of the wand, and a clip to hold a proximal portion of the wand, and wherein the second actuator is located between the receiver and the clip. 23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the second actuator comprises a spring to bias the second flow controller into the accessory cleaning position. 24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the second suction passage comprises a second base passage fluidly connecting the main suction inlet to a second base outlet, a second rigid pipe mounted on the handle and fluidly connected to the auxiliary cleaning inlet, and a second flexible hose fluidly connecting the second base outlet to the second rigid pipe.