US Patent 11019967 Central vacuum system and inlet valves therefor

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. 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.