TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a vacuum inlet valve assembly for a central vacuum cleaning system. The vacuum inlet valve assembly includes a closure flap that pivots between an open position and a closed position after a hose has been disconnected from the vacuum inlet valve assembly for subsequent connection with a secondary vacuum inlet valve.

BACKGROUND

Background Information

Central vacuum cleaning systems for home and commercial use have been used for many years, examples of which are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,943,698, 3,520,725, 3,173,164, and 7,010,829. These systems generally are comprised of a main vacuum source, which is usually mounted in the basement or other location in the structure or closely adjacent thereto. The vacuum source is connected to various dedicated inlet valves in the structure by rigid conduits or tubing. These valves are usually mounted in a wall and secured to the adjacent structure by mounting flanges such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,336,427, 6,459,056, and 7,624,472.

Many of these vacuum systems use lengths of flexible hose that are slidably contained within the vacuum conduit connected to a particular valve and slidably moveable therein so that the hose is pulled from the conduit through the inlet valve for cleaning an area adjacent the inlet valve and then retracted back into the conduit for storage after use. Some examples of such systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,953,806, 7,010,829, and 8,001,650.

In other vacuum cleaning systems, a single length of hose is stored in a closet or other storage area and then moved by the user between the various inlet valves after which it is then returned to the closet or other storage area. These prior system hoses have a relative length, for example 25 feet, and require considerable storage space and inconvenience for the user to retrieve it and then subsequently replace it in the storage area after a cleaning operation. Many homeowners will buy a second or third hose for storage in a closet or other storage area adjacent each of the inlet valves thereby increasing the cost of the system.

SUMMARY

Thus, it is desirable to provide a vacuum cleaning system and method in which a single hose can be used for the system and which can be conveniently stored in the conduit which connects to a primary valve and then selectively connected to the other secondary valves located throughout the structure increasing the convenience of the system and at a lower cost to the home owner. However, when the hose is removed from the primary valve needs to be adequately sealed to provide vacuum suction at the secondary valve. Thus, a need continues to exist for an improve mechanism or method for sealing a primary valve in a central vacuum system. The present disclosure addresses these and other issues by providing a novel closure flap.

In one aspect, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a vacuum valve assembly comprising: a housing connected with a conduit defining an open end; a closure flap pivotably connected with the housing configure to move from an open first position to a closed second position to cover and seal the open end; a first surface on the flap that is offset generally parallel to a rear wall of the housing when the closure flap is in the open first position; a second surface on the flap spaced from the first surface; a tapered annular sidewall extending from the second surface to the first surface; a cantilevered pull tab having a first end connected to the second surface of the closure flap; a boss extending from the tapered annular sidewall defining a transversely aligned aperture through which a pivot pin extends and defines a pivot axis for the closure flap to pivot about; a projection extending from the boss that is compressible during movement of the flap between the open first position and the closed second position adapted to selectively and releasably lock the closure flap in the open first position and the closed second position; wherein the closure flap is formed as a unitary unibody monolithic member.

This exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment may further include wherein the boss includes a convexly curved outer surface that is shaped complementarily to a concavely curved surface of a receiving area within a portion of the inlet. This exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment may further include a concave recess defined in the concave surface having a smaller radius of curvature than that of concave surface, wherein when the closure flap is in the closed second position, the protrusion fits within the concave recess. This exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment may further include wherein the pull tab extends outward from the second surface and includes a first end connected with the second surface and a terminal free end, and the first end is connected with the second surface adjacent a radial outermost or circumferential edge of the second surface. This exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment may further include wherein the pull tab is oriented in a manner such that a connected first end is positioned more radially outward from a center of the closure flap than a terminal free end. This exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment may further include wherein the terminal free end is spaced slightly above or apart from the second surface; and when the closure flap is in the open first position, the pull tab is positioned closely adjacent a rear wall of the valve assembly. This exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment may further include wherein the open position of the closure flap is associated with being generally upright and vertical and parallel to a back wall of the assembly when the closure flap is opened.

In one aspect, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a closure flap comprising: a first major surface and an opposing second major surface, wherein the first major surface is larger than the second major surface; a tapered edge extending between the first major surface and the second major surface at an angle relative to a first axis that perpendicularly intersects the first major surface and the second major surface, and the tapered edge defining a minor surface that extends substantially circumferential around the first major surface and the second major surface; a boss extending outward from the tapered edge having two parallel sidewalls that are orthogonal to the first major surface and the second major surface, and the boss defining an aperture extending between the two parallel sidewalls orthogonal to the first axis; a second axis extending centrally through the aperture, wherein the second axis is offset orthogonal to the first axis, wherein the first major surface and the second major surface are pivot about the second axis between an open position and a closed position; a convex surface on the boss extending between the two parallel sidewalls; a protrusion on the boss, and the protrusion extending radially outward from the convex surface on the boss relative to the second axis, wherein the protrusion is convexly curved and has a radius of curvature less than that of the convex surface on the boss; and a cantilevered pull tab having a first end and a free second end, wherein the first end is connected to first major surface adjacent an outer circumferential edge thereof and wherein the free second end is closer to the first axis than the first end and the free second end is spaced apart from the first major surface.

In yet another aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure may provide a method for a closure flap on a vacuum inlet valve housing comprising: removing a vacuum hose from a vacuum inlet valve housing, wherein the housing has central longitudinal axis; pivoting a closure flap about a pivot axis between an open first position and a closed second position; and wherein the closure flap is offset from the central longitudinal axis in the open first position and the closure flap intersect the central longitudinal axis in the closed second position. This exemplary method or another exemplary method may further provide compressing a protrusion on the closure flap when the closure flap is pivoting between the open first position and the closed second position; and expanding the protrusion to fit within a recess formed in the vacuum inlet valve housing when the closure flap is in the closed second position to releaseably lock the closure flap in the closed second position. This exemplary method or another exemplary method may further provide wherein the protrusion is formed from a resilient material that permits expansion and compression thereof, and wherein the closure flap's weight is insufficient to overcome a rigidity of the resilient material when nested within the recess, further comprising: imparting a force through physical manipulation to the closure flap that overcomes the rigidity of the resilient material to compress the protrusion while moving between the open first position and the closed second position. This exemplary method or another exemplary method may further provide wherein imparting a force is accomplished by pulling on a pull tab coupled in a cantilevered manner to a major surface on the closure flap. This exemplary method or another exemplary method may further provide positioning, when the closure flap is in the open first position, the protrusion lower than a concave frontal surface on the vacuum inlet valve housing. This exemplary method or another exemplary method may further provide sealing an open end defined by a lower end of a conduit of the vacuum inlet valve housing with a tapered wall on the closure flap.

