A vacuum cleaner including a motor, a suction opening, an exhaust opening, and an air passageway in fluid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening. The motor receives power from a power cord that enters the lower portion of the main body through a power cord opening. The main body also includes a drain opening, configured to allow egress of any liquid in the main body. The power cord opening is higher than the drain opening. The vacuum also includes a protective tubular frame that surrounds the battery. The tubular frame is energy-absorbing, and is removable and replaceable.

A floor cleaning machine having a base, a suction foot, a dirty water tank in fluid communication with the suction foot, a suction turbine, and a separation container. The suction turbine is attached to the base and generates a suction air flow from the suction foot into the dirty water tank. The suction turbine has a housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening through which air flows. The separation container adjoins the suction turbine housing and has an interior, which that communicates with the inlet opening and a bottom wall section that faces the interior. The bottom wall section is disposed vertically lower than the inlet opening. A drainage opening leads out of the bottom wall section into the environment and is provided with a valve that is closed during operation of the suction turbine is in operation and open when the suction turbine is not operated.

A wand includes a hinge configured to pivotally connect first and second wand segments in an extended configuration and a storage configuration. A first locking mechanism locks the wand in extended configuration. A second locking mechanism includes a rod, a sliding lever, a plunger, and a plunger cavity. The plunger is configured to be received in the plunger cavity to lock the wand in the storage configuration. When in the extended configuration, depressing a single actuator pivots the locking arm, causes the hook/pawl to be removed from the locking cavity, and unlocks the wand. When in the storage configuration, depressing the single actuator causes the rod to move in a first direction, causes the sliding rod to move a second direction, and urges the plunger out of the plunger cavity.

A surface cleaning apparatus such as a vacuum cleaner includes a suction source, a recovery container, and a base assembly with at least one agitator within an agitator chamber. The recovery container can be coupled to a separator assembly configured to remove dirt and debris from working fluid through the vacuum cleaner. In addition, a brake assembly can be provided on the base assembly and be configured to contact at least one wheel of the base assembly.

A robotic cleaner may include a body, an optical receiver, the optical receiver being configured to detect an optical signal generated by an external device, and an optical pattern generator configured to emit light according to an optical pattern that extends at least partially around the body, wherein, when the optical pattern intersects an obstacle, at least a portion of the light incident on the obstacle is reflected towards the optical receiver, the optical receiver being configured to detect the reflected light.

A vacuum nozzle system has a vacuum nozzle with an inlet opening for engaging a surface to be vacuumed and an outlet opening for connection to a vacuum supply hose. The inlet opening is delimited by a circumferential end face. The nozzle defining a vacuum flow direction from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. A holder bracket has a holder for holding the nozzle. The holder is disposed downstream of the end face in a vacuum flow in the vacuum flow direction when the nozzle is in a retained position on the holder bracket.

A cleaning apparatus including a vacuum cleaner and a docking station is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting chamber in which foreign substances are collected, and a docking station configured to be connected to the dust collecting chamber to remove the foreign substances collected in the dust collecting chamber. The dust collecting chamber is configured to collect foreign substances through centrifugation, and configured to be docked to the docking station, and the docking station includes a suction device configured to suction the foreign substances and air in the dust collecting chamber docked to the docking station.

A central vacuum cleaning system includes an inlet valve mounted at various locations in a structure or RV and connected to the inlet end of a vacuum conduit. A section of hose is slidably mounted within the conduit and extends from the inlet valve for cleaning an adjacent area. A pair of seals within the inlet valve retains a nozzle handle mounted on the end of the hose in a stored position when the hose is in a retracted position and provides an air seal between the handle and vacuum supply conduit. A locking mechanism mounted on one embodiment of the inlet valves automatically locks the hose in a selected extended position when manually pulled from the inlet valve by a locking finger engaging an adjacent section of the hose. An electric switch on the inlet valve enables a user to actuate the vacuum supply source. A mounting bracket enables the inlet valve to be mounted at various locations in the structure and a pair of seals enables the inlet valve to be open to the ambient atmosphere.

A central vacuum cleaning system includes a locking collar mounted at various locations in a structure or RV and connected to the inlet end of a vacuum conduit. A section of hose is slidably mounted within the conduit and extends therefrom for cleaning an adjacent area. A pair of O-rings within the collar frictionally retains a handle mounted on the end of the hose in a stored position when the hose is in a retracted position and provides an air seal between the handle and vacuum supply conduit. A locking mechanism mounted on the collar automatically locks the hose in a selected extended position when manually pulled from the collar by a locking finger engaging an adjacent section of the hose. An electric switch on the collar enables a user to actuate the vacuum supply source. A mounting bracket enables the collar to be mounted at various locations in the structure and a ring formed on the collar enables the collar to be rotated to a desired position on the mounting bracket.

A tool for a surface cleaning apparatus, including a floor head including a floor facing surface which defines an inlet for receiving dirt-laden air, which inlet is generally positioned in a first plane P; a passage for carrying dirt-laden air from the floor head to the apparatus; a connecting member for connecting the tool to a surface cleaning apparatus, wherein the floor head and connecting member are pivotally connected about an axis A; and a blocking device for inhibiting pivotal movement of the connecting member about axis A. The blocking device is moveable to a blocking condition in which pivotal movement of the connecting member downwardly outside of a pre-determined use condition is inhibited.