Trebor
Joined: Jan 16, 2009
Points: 321
|
|
Re: Help us design a better handheld vacuum
Reply #12 Feb 28, 2010 12:10 am |
|
For the purposes of this discussion, I am considering only corded units.
Handheld vacuums basically come in two types, mini canister, and mini upright. The mini canister would be like the Oreck 'Buster B' as it used to be called. The mini-upright would be like the old Royal Dirt devil.
Dirt Devil makes a pretty nifty bagless revolving brush hand vac. They used to make a bagless two motor design, with a detachable power nozzle and built in hose, don't know if they still do.
Have you looked at the L'il Sucker, by Buckeye?
Hamilton Beach made a great one in the 60's. It was a hefyt hand held vac with attachments (no hose, oddly enough) included a floor tool and a detachable handle.
Panasonic made one called the A.R.M. (all reach module, I think is what it stood for)
The Sebo Felix is pushing the envelope for weight, but it is basically a hand vac on steroids, with a power head.
Is your design to be an all purpose vac for a small apartment with little to no carpet?
Is it to complement a full size upright or canister vacuum?
I think a vacuum to deep clean stair carpet, upholstery, and vehicles would be the nuts, and call it, the S.U.V. Two motor system, with a power head usable either directly on the unit, or on a short hose, a long handle which collapses into the body of the unit. When extended, it could allow the unit to be pushed around as a stick vac. Unless you are going for a beefier unit, avoid carpet vacuuming, except for stairs and vehicles., not even straight suction. and for bare floors, the nozzle should be no wider than 9 inches. A small unit cannot provide enough power to make a wider brush effective.
Have you talked to Tom Gasko? He is the museum curator at Tacony's manufacturing facility in St. James, MO. If you don't know what has been done before, you don't know what has already been tried, and so what works, and what doesn't .
|