Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SURFACE CLEANING HEAD INCLUDING OPENABLE AGITATOR CHAMBER
AND REMOVABLE AGITATORS FOR USE THEREIN
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more
particularly, to a
vacuum cleaner surface cleaning head including an openable agitator chamber
and removable
agitators for use therein.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] The following is not an admission that anything discussed below is part
of the prior
art or part of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art.
[0003] A surface cleaning apparatus, more commonly known as a vacuum cleaner,
may be
used to clean a variety of surfaces using at least suction. Various types of
vacuum cleaners
are known including, without limitation, upright vacuum cleaners, canister
vacuum cleaners,
stick vacuum cleaners and central vacuum systems. A surface cleaning apparatus
typically
includes a surface cleaning head with an inlet. Some vacuum cleaners include
some or all of
the operating components (e.g., the suction motor and the air treatment
members) at a
location other than the surface cleaning head to enable the surface cleaning
head to be lighter
or smaller. An upright vacuum cleaner, for example, may include an upright
section
containing at least an air treatment member that is mounted to a surface
cleaning head. A
canister vacuum cleaner may include a canister body containing at least an air
treatment
member and a suction motor that is connected to a surface cleaning head by a
flexible hose
and a handle. Another type of vacuum cleaner includes the suction motor and
the air
treatment members (e.g., one or more cyclones) positioned in the surface
cleaning head.
[0004] A surface cleaning apparatus, such as any of the vacuum cleaners
mentioned
above, may also include one or more mechanical agitators, such as a rotating
brush roll, in the
surface cleaning head to facilitate cleaning a surface. One problem with
mechanical
agitators, particularly rotating brush rolls, is the difficulty removing
debris (e.g., hair) that
becomes entangled. The surface cleaning head often must be turned upside down
to
determine if the agitator is entangled or clogged and to remove the debris.
Removing the
debris from the mechanical agitator located inside the surface cleaning head
may also be
difficult, especially through the limited opening in the bottom of the surface
cleaning head.
An inability to remove the debris adequately may result in a decrease in
performance and
even damage to the mechanical agitator and/or vacuum cleaner.
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[0005] In some conventional vacuum cleaners, the agitator also may not be
suitable for
all surfaces and/or conditions. A rotating brush roll, for example, may be
desirable to provide
agitation on a carpet but not on a hard wood floor. This may further limit the
performance as
well as the versatility of the vacuum cleaner.
SUMMARY
[0006] Consistent with an embodiment, a surface cleaning head is provided for
a vacuum. The
surface cleaning head includes a cleaning head housing having a front end
portion, a rear end
portion, laterally disposed sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion. An
agitator chamber is
located in the front end portion of the cleaning head housing. The agitator
chamber has a top
opening through the upper portion of the cleaning head housing and a bottom
opening through
the bottom portion of the cleaning head housing. An external cover is
pivotably mounted to the
cleaning head housing for covering the top opening of the agitator chamber.
The external cover
is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, and the agitator
chamber is covered
when the external cover is in the closed position and accessible through the
top opening when
the external cover is in the open position. A rotatable driven agitator is
removably mounted
within the agitator chamber such that the agitator is configured to contact a
surface through the
bottom opening and configured to be removed through the top opening. The
rotatable driven
agitator includes a driven end and a non-driven end. The external cover
engages the non-driven
end of the agitator in the closed position to hold the agitator in the
agitator chamber and the
external cover disengages from the non-driven end of the agitator when moved
to the open
position. The agitator is accessible and removable through the top opening
when the external
cover is in the open position.
[0007] Consistent with another embodiment, a surface cleaning head is provided
for a vacuum.
The surface cleaning head includes a cleaning head housing including a front
end portion, a rear
end portion, laterally disposed sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion.
An agitator
chamber is located in the front end portion of the cleaning head housing. The
agitator chamber
has a top opening through the upper portion of the cleaning head housing and a
bottom opening
through the bottom portion of the cleaning head housing. An external cover is
pivotably
mounted to the cleaning head housing for covering the top opening of the
agitator chamber and
is movable between a closed position and an open position. The agitator
chamber is covered
when the external cover is in the closed position and accessible through the
top opening when
the external cover is in the open position. A sealing member is located around
a perimeter of at
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least one of an inside portion of the external cover and the cleaning head
housing around the
agitator chamber for sealing an interface between the cleaning head housing
and the external
cover around the agitator chamber. A latching mechanism is configured to
provide multiple
points of engagement around the perimeter between the external cover and the
cleaning head
housing for holding the external cover in the closed position. A rotatable
driven agitator is
mounted within the agitator chamber such that the agitator is configured to
contact a surface
through the bottom opening. The rotatable driven agitator includes a driven
end and a non-
driven end and is accessible through the top opening when the external cover
is in the open
position
[0008] Consistent with an embodiment, a surface cleaning head is provided for
a vacuum. The
surface cleaning head includes a cleaning head housing having a front end
portion, a rear end
portion, laterally disposed sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion. An
agitator chamber is
located in the front end portion of the cleaning head housing and has a top
opening through the
upper portion of the cleaning head housing and a bottom opening through the
bottom portion of
the cleaning head housing. The agitator chamber includes a non-driven side and
a driven side.
The surface cleaning head also includes an agitator drive mechanism including
a drive member
at the driven side of the agitator chamber and an agitator drive motor
drivingly coupled to the
drive member. An external cover is mounted to the cleaning head housing for
covering the top
opening of the agitator chamber and is movable between a closed position and
an open position
such that the agitator chamber is covered when the external cover is in the
closed position and
accessible through the top opening when the external cover is in the open
position. A rotatable
driven agitator is removably mounted within the agitator chamber such that the
agitator is
configured to contact a surface through the bottom opening and is accessible
and removable
through the top opening when the external cover is in the open position. The
rotatable driven
agitator includes a non-driven end mounted at the non-driven side of the
agitator chamber such
that the agitator spins freely at the non-driven end and a driven end
including a driven member.
The driven member mates axially and engages with the drive member of the drive
mechanism
such that the drive member transmits torque and rotation to the driven member
and the rotatable
driven agitator.
[0009] Consistent with another embodiment, a surface cleaning head is provided
for a vacuum.
The surface cleaning head includes a cleaning head housing having a front end
portion, a rear
end portion, laterally disposed sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion.
An agitator
chamber is located in the front end portion of the cleaning head housing and
has a top opening
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through the upper portion of the cleaning head housing and a bottom opening
through the
bottom portion of the cleaning head housing. An external cover is mounted to
the cleaning head
housing for covering the top opening of the agitator chamber. The external
cover is movable
between a closed position and an open position such that the agitator chamber
is covered when
the external cover is in the closed position and accessible through the top
opening when the
external cover is in the open position. At least first and second rotatable
driven agitators are
configured to be removably mounted within the agitator chamber and removable
through the top
opening when the external cover is in the open position such that the
rotatable driven agitators
are interchangeable. The first rotatable driven agitator has different
agitating characteristics than
the second rotatable driven agitator.
[0010] Consistent with a further embodiment, a surface cleaning head is
provided for a vacuum.
The surface cleaning head includes a cleaning head housing having a front end
portion, a rear
end portion, laterally disposed sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion.
An agitator
chamber is located in the front end portion of the cleaning head housing and
has a top opening
through the upper portion of the cleaning head housing and a bottom opening
through the
bottom portion of the cleaning head housing. The agitator chamber is
configured to receive a
rotatable driven agitator such that the agitator contacts a surface through
the bottom opening and
is removable through the top opening. The agitator chamber includes a non-
driven side for
receiving a non-driven end of the rotatable driven agitator and a driven side
for receiving a
driven end of the rotatable driven agitator. The surface cleaning head also
includes an agitator
drive mechanism including a drive member at a driven side of the agitator
chamber and an
agitator drive motor drivingly coupled to the drive member. The drive member
is configured to
mate axially and engage with the driven member on the rotatable driven
agitator such that the
drive member transmits torque and rotation to the driven member and the
rotatable driven
agitator. An external cover is mounted to the cleaning head housing for
covering the top
opening of the agitator chamber. The external cover is movable between a
closed position and
an open position such that the agitator chamber is covered when the external
cover is in the
closed position and accessible through the top opening when the external cover
is in the open
position.
[0011] Consistent with an embodiment, a removable rotatable agitator assembly
is provided for
use in a surface cleaning head of a vacuum. The removable rotatable agitator
assembly includes
an agitator body having a driven end and a non-driven end and at least one
agitating element
located on at least a portion of the agitator body between the driven end and
the non-driven end.
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The removable rotatable agitator assembly further includes a driven member
located at the
driven end of the agitator body. The driven member is configured to mate
axially and engage
with a drive member on a drive mechanism in the surface cleaning head. The
removable
rotatable agitator assembly further includes an axle extending from the non-
driven end of the
agitator body, a bushing rotatably mounted on the axle, and an end cap mounted
on the bushing
and configured to be mounted without rotation in an agitator chamber of the
surface cleaning
head.
[0012] Consistent with another embodiment, a removable rotatable agitator
assembly includes
an agitator body having a driven end and a non-driven end, at least one
agitating element located
on at least a portion of the agitator body between the driven end and the non-
driven end, and a
splined driven member located at the driven end of the agitator body. The
splined driven
member is configured to mate axially and engage with a splined drive member on
a drive
mechanism in the surface cleaning head.
[0013] Consistent with an embodiment, a surface cleaning head is provided for
a vacuum. The
surface cleaning head includes a cleaning head housing having a front end
portion, a rear end
portion, laterally disposed sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion. An
agitator chamber is
located in the front end portion of the cleaning head housing. The agitator
chamber has a top
opening through the upper portion of the cleaning head housing and a bottom
opening through
the bottom portion of the cleaning head housing and includes at least one
driven side. The
surface cleaning head also includes an agitator drive mechanism including a
drive member at the
driven side of the agitator chamber and an agitator drive motor drivingly
coupled to the drive
member. The drive member is configured to engage and drive a rotatable driven
agitator when
received in the agitator chamber. An external cover is mounted to the cleaning
head housing for
covering the top opening of the agitator chamber. The external cover is
movable between a
closed position and an open position. The agitator chamber is covered when the
external cover
is in the closed position and accessible through the top opening when the
external cover is in the
open position. The surface cleaning head further includes a non-driven
agitator removably
mounted within the agitator chamber without engaging the drive member such
that the non-
driven agitator is configured to contact a surface through the bottom opening.
The non-driven
agitator is accessible and removable through the top opening when the external
cover is in the
open position.
[0014] Consistent with another embodiment, a surface cleaning head is provided
for a vacuum.
The surface cleaning head includes a cleaning head housing having a front end
portion, a rear
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end portion, laterally disposed sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion.
An agitator
chamber is located in the front end portion of the cleaning head housing. The
agitator chamber
has a top opening through the upper portion of the cleaning head housing and a
bottom opening
through the bottom portion of the cleaning head housing and includes at least
one driven side.
The surface cleaning head also includes an agitator drive mechanism including
a drive member
at the driven side of the agitator chamber and an agitator drive motor
drivingly coupled to the
drive member. At least one rotatable driven agitator is configured to be
removably mounted
within the agitator chamber and configured to engage the drive member of the
agitator drive
mechanism such that the drive member causes the rotatable driven agitator to
rotate. At least
one non-driven agitator is configured to be removably mounted within the
agitator chamber
without engaging the drive member and such that the non-driven agitator is
configured to
contact a surface through the bottom opening.
[0015] Consistent with a further embodiment, a removable non-driven agitator
is provided for
use in an agitator chamber of a surface cleaning head. The removable non-
driven agitator
includes an agitator body defining first and second elongated air inlets, an
air outlet, and an air
path between the at least one air inlet and the air outlet. The elongated air
inlets are located
along at least a portion of a bottom portion of the agitator body, and the air
outlet is located on
the agitator body at a position to provide engagement with a dirty air inlet
in the agitator
chamber of the surface cleaning head. The bottom portion of the agitator body
has a width
corresponding to a width of a bottom opening of the agitator chamber. First
and second ends of
the agitator body are configured to engage the agitator chamber without
engaging a drive
member in the agitator chamber. The removable non-driven agitator also
includes at least one
cleaning pad supported on a pad support member on at least one side of the
bottom portion of
the agitator body and a seal around the air outlet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] These and other features and advantages will be better understood by
reading the
following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning head including an
openable
agitator chamber covered by an external cover with a transparent region,
consistent with an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. IA is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning head shown
in FIG. 1 taken
along line IA-1A.
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[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner with the surface
cleaning head
shown in FIG. I connected to a wand and handle.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning head shown in
FIG. 1 with an
external cover removed to show a top opening into the agitator chamber.
[0021] FIG. 3A is a bottom view of the surface cleaning head shown in FIG.
1 showing a
bottom opening into the agitator chamber.
[0022] FIGS. 4A and 4B are different perspective views of an embodiment of
a brush roll
agitator for use in the surface cleaning head shown in FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of the brush roll agitator shown
in FIG. 4B taken
along line 4C-4C.
[0024] FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective and side views, respectively, of
another
embodiment of a brush roll agitator for use in the surface cleaning head shown
in FIG. 1.
[0025] FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the brush roll agitator shown
in FIG. 5B taken
along line 5C-5C.
[0026] FIG. 5D is a side view of a further embodiment of a rotatable
agitator for use in the
surface cleaning head shown in FIG. 1.
[0027] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a non-driven
agitator for use in a
surface cleaning head, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 6B is an end view of the non-driven agitator shown in FIG. 6A.
[0029] FIG. 6C is a top view of the non-driven agitator shown in FIG. 6A.
[0030] FIG. 6D is bottom view of the non-driven agitator shown in FIG. 6A.
[0031] FIGS. 7A and 7B are different side perspective views of a surface
cleaning head with
an external cover in an open position and with an agitator removed from the
agitator chamber,
consistent with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0032] FIG. 8 is a top view of agitator chamber and external cover of the
surface cleaning
head shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.
[0033] FIG. 9 is a side view of the surface cleaning head shown in FIGS. 7A
and 7B.
[0034] FIG. 10 is a top view of the surface cleaning head shown in FIGS. 7A
and 7B
including a rotatable agitator and a drive mechanism, consistent with an
embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 11 is a top view of the surface cleaning head including a non-
driven agitator
received in the agitator chamber, consistent with another embodiment of the
present
disclosure.
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[0036] FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the surface cleaning head including the
non-driven
agitator shown in FIG. 11.
[0037] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a drive
mechanism for use
in the surface cleaning head shown in FIG. 10.
[0038] FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the drive mechanism shown in FIG. 13.
[0039] FIG. 15 is a close-up perspective view of a splined drive member and
a splined
driven member of the drive mechanism shown in FIG. 13.
[0040] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a spline coupling between the
splined drive
member and the splined driven member taken along line 16-16 in FIG. 13.
[0041] FIG. 17 is a side cross-section view of the splined driven member
taken along line
17-17 in FIG. 15.
[0042] FIG. 18 is an exploded view of a non-driven end of an embodiment of
a rotatable
agitator for use in the surface cleaning head shown in FIG. 10.
[0043] FIGS. 19 and 20 are different side perspective views of an
embodiment of an end
cap for use on the rotatable agitator shown in FIG. 18.
[0044] FIG. 21 is a top perspective view of a non-driven side of the
agitator chamber in
the surface cleaning head of FIG. 10 without the rotatable agitator.
[0045] FIG. 22 is a top perspective view of the non-driven side of the
agitator chamber in
the surface cleaning head of FIG. 10 with the non-driven end of the rotatable
agitator
received therein.
[0046] FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the end cap of the agitator
seated in the
agitator chamber in the surface cleaning head of FIG. 10 with the cover
closed.
[0047] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a stick vacuum cleaner including a
cleaning head
with an openable agitator chamber, consistent with a further embodiment of the
present
disclosure.
[0048] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner including
a cleaning
head with an openable agitator chamber, consistent with yet another embodiment
of the
present disclosure.
[0049] FIG. 26 is a side view of a surface cleaning head including an
external cover that
pivots rearwardly, consistent with another embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0050] FIG. 27 is a side view of a surface cleaning head including a
multiple piece external
cover, consistent with a further embodiment of the present disclosure.
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[0051] FIG. 28 is a top view of a surface cleaning head including an
external cover that
slides rearwardly or forwardly to open the agitator chamber, consistent with
another
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0052] FIG. 29 is a top view of a surface cleaning head including an
external cover that
slides to a side to open the agitator chamber, consistent with another
embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0053] The drawings included herewith are for illustrating various examples
of articles,
methods, and apparatuses of the teaching of the present specification and are
not intended to
limit the scope of what is taught in any way.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0054] A surface cleaning head, consistent with embodiments of the present
disclosure, may
be configured to receive a removable rotatable driven agitator, such as a
brush roll, or a non-
driven agitator. Either of these agitators may be located in an openable
agitator chamber for
purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable
agitator chamber
may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position
and a closed
position. A sealing member may be located between the external cover and a
surface
cleaning head housing and around a perimeter of the agitator chamber. A
surface cleaning
head, consistent with other embodiments of the present disclosure, includes a
removable
rotatable agitator, such as a brush roll, which is driven by a drive mechanism
that axially
engages the driven end. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator
chamber by
the external cover. The surface cleaning head may also include one or more
transparent
regions (e.g., a window on the external cover) to allow visual inspection of
the agitator during
use.
[0055] The non-driven agitator may include an agitator body including a bottom
portion
supporting one or more cleaning pads. The non-driven agitator body may also
define one or
more air inlets, an air outlet and an air passageway extending therebetween to
facilitate air
passage through the surface cleaning head. Different removable agitators with
different
characteristics may be used interchangeably in the surface cleaning head.
[0056] In the illustrated embodiments, the openable agitator chamber, external
cover,
removable rotatable agitator and other features described herein are used in
an "all in the
head" type vacuum cleaner in which the functional or operational components
for the
transport and treatment of fluid (e.g., air) are substantially all contained
within the surface
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cleaning head. The openable agitator chamber, external cover, removable
rotatable agitator
and other features described herein may also be implemented, within the scope
of the present
disclosure, in a surface cleaning head for any type of surface cleaning
apparatus or vacuum
including, without limitation, upright vacuum cleaners, canister vacuum
cleaners, stick
vacuum cleaners, robotic vacuum cleaners and central vacuum systems.
[0057] As used herein, a "surface cleaning head" refers to a device
configured to contact
a surface for cleaning the surface by use of suction air flow, agitation, or a
combination
thereof. A surface cleaning head may be pivotably or steeringly coupled by a
swivel
connection to a wand for controlling the surface cleaning head and may include
motorized
attachments as well as fixed surface cleaning heads. A surface cleaning head
may also be
operable without a wand or handle. As used herein, "agitator" refers to any
element, member
or structure capable of agitating a surface to facilitate movement of debris
into a suction air
flow in a surface cleaning head. As used herein, "transparent" means capable
of allowing
enough light to pass through so that objects on the other side can be seen.
[0058] Referring to FIGS. 1-3A, an embodiment of a surface cleaning head
100 is shown
and described in greater detail. As shown in greater detail in FIG. 2, a wand
102 is steeringly
coupled by a swivel connection to the surface cleaning head 100 and includes a
handle 104 at
one end to allow the user to control the surface cleaning head 100 during use.
The wand 102
may have a telescoping configuration to provide length adjustment. The handle
104 may
include controls 106 (e.g., a switch and/or speed control) for controlling
operation of the
surface cleaning head 100. In other embodiments, a surface cleaning head 100
may be
provided without a wand and handle (e.g., in a robotic vacuum surface cleaning
head or in a
motorized attachment surface cleaning head).
[0059] The surface cleaning head 100 includes a cleaning head housing 110,
an agitator
chamber 120 located in the housing 110, and a rotatable agitator 130 located
in the agitator
chamber 120. The rotatable agitator 130 rotates about a rotation axis 2 (FIGS.
lA and 3) that
may be generally orthogonal to the direction of travel 4 of the surface
cleaning head 100. In
the illustrated embodiment, the agitator chamber 120 is openable to provide
access to the
agitator 130. Providing access to the agitator 130 within the agitator chamber
120 may allow
a user to inspect and/or clean the agitator 130 without having to remove the
agitator and
without having to touch a dirty agitator. The rotatable agitator 130 may also
be removable
from the agitator chamber 120 for inspection, cleaning and/or replacement. In
other
embodiments, the openable agitator chamber 120 may include a fixed agitator
that is not
removable, a non-rotatable or non-driven agitator or any type of cleaning
member.
[0060] The cleaning head housing 110 may generally include one or more
pieces that
enclose or encompass components of the surface cleaning head 100. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the surface cleaning head 100 is used in an "all in the head" type
vacuum
cleaner. As such, the cleaning head housing 110 encloses or encompasses an air
transportation and treatment system 140 (shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and
3). The air
transportation and treatment system 140 includes, for example, a suction motor
142, a
cyclone including a cyclone chamber 144 and a dirt collection chamber 146
external to the
cyclone chamber 144, and one or more filters 148. An air flow path 141 extends
from a dirty
air inlet 143 located in the agitator chamber 120 to a clean air outlet 145.
The suction motor
142 causes air to be drawn into the dirty air inlet 143, through the cyclone
chamber 144, and
out the clean air outlet 145. As the dirt passes through the cyclone chamber
144, dirt is
collected in the dirt collection chamber 146. Smaller particles may also be
collected in the
filter(s) 148. The air transportation and treatment system 140 may be similar
to those used in
existing or known "all in the head" type vacuum cleaners, for example, as
disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 7,329,294.
[0061] The cleaning head housing 110 includes a front end portion 112, a
rear end
portion 114, laterally disposed sides 113, 115, an upper portion 116, and a
bottom portion
118. In the illustrated embodiment, the wand 102 is steeringly coupled to the
rear end portion
114, and the agitator chamber 120 is located in the front end portion 112 and
extends between
a top opening 117 in the upper portion 116 and a bottom opening 119 in the
bottom portion
118. The rotatable agitator 130 is located in the agitator chamber 120 and is
configured to
contact a surface to be cleaned through the bottom opening 119. The top
opening 117 and the
bottom opening 119 allow the rotatable agitator 130 to be accessed from either
the top or
bottom or the top and bottom simultaneously, which may help facilitate
inspection or
servicing of the agitator. For example, a user may clean the agitator 130 via
the top opening
117 while allowing debris separated from the agitator 130 to fall out of the
chamber via the
bottom opening 119. The rotatable agitator 130 may also be removable from the
agitator
chamber 120, for example, through the top opening 117, as will be described in
greater detail
below.
[0062] In the illustrated embodiment, the top opening 117 of the agitator
chamber 120
has a width that is greater than a width of the agitator 130 to help provide
access to the entire
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agitator 130 and/or to allow the rotatable agitator 130 to be removed. In
other embodiments,
the width of the top opening 117 of the agitator chamber 120 may be shorter.
The bottom
portion 118 includes one or more bottom guards or bars 111a, 111b extending
across the
bottom opening 119 (FIG. 3A).
[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, an external cover 122 is mounted to
the upper
portion 116 of the cleaning head housing 110 for covering the top opening 117
of the agitator
chamber 120 (FIG. 1). The agitator chamber 120 may thus be opened while the
surface
cleaning head 100 is resting on the floor, thereby eliminating the need to
pick up or reposition
the surface cleaning head in order to access the agitator chamber 120. The
external cover 122
is movable between a closed position (e.g., FIG. 1) and an open position
(e.g., FIG. 3). In the
closed position, the external cover 122 forms the top portion of the agitator
chamber 120.
The agitator chamber 120 and the agitator 130 may thus be easily accessed
(e.g., without
having to remove other walls or covers) simply by moving the external cover
122 to the open
position. In the illustrated embodiment, the external cover 122 extends
substantially the
entire width of the surface cleaning head 100 but may also be shorter in other
embodiments.
[0064] In the illustrated embodiment, the surface cleaning head 100
includes one or more
transparent regions 124 that allow visual inspection of the agitator chamber
120. The
transparent region 124 may be made out of a polycarbonate material. In this
embodiment, the
transparent region 124 is in the form of a window located on the external
cover 122.
Additionally or alternatively, one or more transparent regions may be located
in other
locations on the cleaning head housing 110 that allow visual inspection of the
agitator 130 in
the agitator chamber 120, for example, on the sides 113, 115. The transparent
region 124
together with the movable external cover 122 thus facilitate a determination
of debris in the
agitator chamber 120 and/or agitator 130 and then removal of that debris.
[0065] The external cover 122 may be locked in the closed position using
any suitable
mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the external cover 122 includes one
or more latch
releases 126a, 126b for releasing respective latching mechanisms (not shown)
that hold the
external cover 122 into engagement with the cleaning head housing 110, as will
be described
in greater detail below. In the illustrated embodiment, the latch releases
126a, 126b are
located proximate the respective sides 113, 115. Additionally or
alternatively, one or more
releasable latches may be provided in other locations on the external cover
122 and/or on the
cleaning head housing 110. The external cover 122 may be pivotably or movably
coupled to
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the cleaning head housing 110, as will be described in greater detail below,
or may be
completely removable from the cleaning head housing 110 (FIG. 3).
[0066] The surface cleaning head 100 may also include one or more lights,
such as LEDs
129 on the external cover 122. In this embodiment, wiring (not shown) extends
from the
housing 110 to the external cover 122 and passes through the inside of the
cover 122 to the
LEDs 129. The lights may also be mounted on other locations on the cleaning
head housing
110.
[0067] In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1A, the rotatable
agitator 130 is
engaged with an agitator drive mechanism 150 at a driven end 132 and rotates
freely at a non-
driven end 134 of the rotatable agitator 130. The agitator drive mechanism 150
thus drives
the driven end 132 to cause the rotatable agitator 130 to rotate around the
rotation axis 2
during use. The drive mechanism 150 may axially engage the driven end 132 of
the rotatable
agitator 130 without engaging the rotatable agitator 130 with a belt and in a
manner that
allows the agitator 130 to be easily removed and inserted, as will be
described in greater
detail below.
[0068] As shown in FIG. 2, an agitator caddy 160 may be mounted on the wand
102 for
holding one or more spare agitators, such as a rotatable driven agitator or a
non-driven
agitator. The agitator caddy 160 may be removably mounted or fixed to the wand
102. In
other embodiments, the agitator caddy 160 may be mounted in other locations on
the surface
cleaning head 100 or wand 102. The illustrated embodiment of the agitator
caddy 160
includes a container 162 sized and configured to receive at least one agitator
and a cover 164
pivotably coupled to the container 162 at a hinge 165. In other embodiments,
the agitator
caddy 160 may include a container without a cover or may include other
structures
configured to receive and hold an agitator.
[0069] The illustrated embodiment of the agitator caddy 160 further
includes one or more
mounting arms 166 extending from container 162. The mounting arms engage the
wand 102
to mount the caddy 160 to the wand 102. The mounting arms 166 may be shaped
similar to
the contours of the wand 102 and may be dimensioned such that the arms 166
flex and apply
pressure against the wand 102 to hold the agitator caddy 160 in place and
prevent the caddy
160 from sliding. In other embodiments, the agitator caddy 160 may include
other structures
for engaging and mounting on the wand 102 and/or surface cleaning head 100.
[0070] In this embodiment, as shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4A-4C, the
rotatable
agitator 130 is a rotatable brush roll including brush agitator elements 136.
The brush
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agitator elements 136 may include brush bristles, such as nylon bristles,
extending
substantially radially from an agitator body 131. In this embodiment, the
brush agitator
elements 136 are arranged in one or more helical patterns 135a, 135b around
the agitator
body 131. The helical patterns 135a, 135b include, for example, opposite
helical patterns
135a, 135b that meet at a location 137 on the agitator body 131, forming a
chevron shaped
pattern. The location 137 where the helical patterns of agitator elements 136
meet (i.e., the
point of the chevron) may correspond to the location of the dirty air inlet
143 in the agitator
chamber 120 when the agitator is inserted in the chamber. As shown in FIG. 4C,
the agitator
elements 136 may be angled relative to radial lines extending radially from an
axis of rotation
of the agitator 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the agitator elements 136
are angled
toward a direction of rotation.
[0071] This embodiment of the rotatable agitator 130 also includes one or
more cutting
grooves 138 extending substantially axially along at least a portion of the
agitator body 131.
The cutting groove(s) 138 are recessed below a surface of the agitator body
131 and have a
depth sufficient to accommodate a cutting tool (e.g., scissors or knife). The
cutting tool may
thus be inserted beneath strands of hair, string or other types of debris that
can get wound
around the rotatable agitator 130 during use. The cutting tool may then be
translated along
the length of the cutting groove 138 to cut hair or other debris entangled
around the agitator
130. The rotatable agitator 130 may be manually rotated to allow the cutting
groove 138 to
be accessed through the top opening 117 or through the bottom opening 119 of
the chamber
120. If the rotatable agitator 130 is removable, the agitator 130 may be
removed for cutting
away the hair and other entangled debris. This embodiment of the rotatable
agitator 130
further includes spaces 139a, 139b to accommodate the bottom guards or bars
111a, 111b
such that the rotatable agitator 130 extends partially through the bottom
opening 119 (see
FIG. 1A).
[0072] The agitator body 131 may be solid, hollow or partially
solid/hollow. The agitator
body 131 may also include wheel weights to balance the rotatable agitator 130
when driven.
One example of the wheel weights (not shown) may include screws threaded into
the body
131. A hollow agitator body may not need to be weighted.
[0073] A rotatable agitator or brush roll may also include other types of
agitator patterns
and/or agitator elements including, without limitation, fabric material (e.g.,
cloth, felt or
polyester), a rubber material, and bristles of different thicknesses and/or
materials. Rotatable
agitators with different agitator patterns and/or agitator elements may be
used for different
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surfaces, functions and/or applications. A rotatable agitator with stiffer
bristles may be used,
for example, for carpets and/or deep cleaning. A rotatable agitator with
softer bristles or
fabric may be used, for example, for hardwood floors and/or delicate quick
cleaning. Thus,
different brush rolls having different agitating characteristics may be easily
interchangeable
in a surface cleaning head with an openable agitator chamber, consistent with
embodiments
described herein, to increase the functionality and improve the performance of
the vacuum
cleaner.
[0074] As shown in FIGS. 5A-5C, another embodiment of a rotatable agitator
530
includes agitator elements 536 arranged in helical patterns 535 extending from
one end to the
other end of the agitator body 531. In this embodiment, the agitator elements
536 include
bristles extending in a substantially continuous row with two breaks or spaces
539a, 539b to
accommodate the bottom guards or bars 111a, 111b such that the rotatable
agitator 530
extends partially through the bottom opening 119 when positioned in the
agitator chamber
120 shown in HG. 1A.
[0075] In this embodiment, the agitator elements 536 may also be different,
for example,
bristles of a different material, thickness and/or height as compared to the
agitator elements
136 in the agitator 130. In one example, the agitator 130 shown in FIGS. 4A-4C
may include
stiffer nylon bristles for carpet surfaces or deep cleaning applications and
the agitator 530
shown in FIGS. 5A-5C may include softer nylon bristles for hard surfaces or
delicate
applications. The stiffer nylon bristles of the brush roll agitator 130 for
the carpet may be
thicker (e.g., a diameter of 0.23 0.02 mm) and shorter (e.g., a height from
the brush roll
agitator body 131 of 8.0 0.6 mm). The softer nylon bristles of the brush
roll agitator 530 for
the hard surfaces may be thinner (e.g., a diameter of 0.04 0.02 mm) and
longer (e.g., a
height from the brush roll agitator body 531 of 13 0.2 mm). When the brush
roll agitator
530 has longer bristles, the diameter of the brush roll agitator body 531 may
be smaller such
that the overall outer diameter can fit in the agitator chamber. In the
example embodiment,
the brush roll agitator 130 with the thicker and shorter bristles has an
overall outer diameter
of about 54 0.3 mm and the brush roll agitator 530 with the thinner and
longer bristles has
an overall outer diameter of about 55 0.4 mm.
[0076] According to a further embodiment, a rotatable agitator 530', shown
in FIG. 5D,
may include fabric material 536' wrapped around at least a portion of an
agitator body 531'.
The fabric material 536' may include, for example, a felt material. This
embodiment of the
rotatable agitator may also be suited for hard surfaces and/or delicate
applications. A
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rotatable agitator may include any combination of agitator elements such as,
for example, a
soft agitator element (e.g., a fabric material or soft bristles/brush) and a
relatively stiff
agitator element (e.g., a rubber blade or stiff bristles/brush).
[0077] In further embodiments, a surface cleaning head 100 with an openable
agitator
chamber 120 may be configured to receive non-rotatable, non-driven agitators
in addition to
rotatable driven agitators. A non-driven agitator is configured to engage each
side of the
agitator chamber 120 without engaging the drive mechanism 150 on the driven
side of the
chamber, as will be described in greater detail below. The non-driven agitator
is also
configured to engage the dirty air inlet 143 to allow air flow through the non-
driven agitator
into the air transportation and treatment system 140. A non-driven agitator
may be suited for
flat, hard surfaces such as hardwood floors or other surfaces or conditions
where a rotating
agitator may be undesirable.
[0078] One embodiment of a non-driven agitator 630 is shown in greater
detail in FIGS.
6A-6D. In this embodiment, the non-driven agitator 630 includes an agitator
body 631
including a bottom portion with a pad support member 633 that supports one or
more
cleaning pads 635a-635c. The agitator body 631 may be a single molded piece or
may be
assembled from two or more molded pieces that are attached together, such as
by screws or
other attachment methods. As shown, the cleaning pad(s) 635a-635c generally
extend the
length of the non-driven agitator 630 with breaks or spaces 639a, 639b to
accommodate the
bottom guards or bars across the bottom opening of the agitator chamber in the
surface
cleaning head. Although the illustrated embodiment shows three cleaning pads
635a-635c,
other numbers of cleaning pads may be used.
[0079] The cleaning pads 635a-635c may include textile or fabric pads, such
as felt pads,
or other sheets or pads having a nap or pile suitable for cleaning a surface.
The cleaning pads
635a-635c may also include brush pads having bristles extending therefrom.
Similar to the
brush rolls described above, different non-driven agitators may have different
types of
cleaning pads for different cleaning applications, such as brush pads with
stiff bristles and
brush pads with soft bristles. In one example, a brush pad with soft bristles
may have thinner
nylon bristles (e.g., a diameter of 0.04 0.02 mm).
[0080] The cleaning pad(s) 635a-635c may also be removably attached to the
bottom
support member 633, for example, using hook and loop fasteners such as VELCRO
or other
attachment methods. Other attachment mechanisms may be used such as clips.
Thus,
different cleaning pads with different textures may be attached to the non-
driven agitator 630
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for use in different applications. Removable cleaning sheets or pads may also
be attached to
other locations of the agitator body 631, for example, the sheets or pads may
be wrapped
around the pad support member 633 and attached on a top portion of the
agitator body 631.
Combinations of different types of cleaning pads may also be used at the same
time or
different times to provide different cleaning characteristics. The cleaning
pads may also be
reusable or disposable. In other embodiments, the non-driven agitator 630 may
include
permanent cleaning or abrasive material attached thereto to provide cleaning
or scrubbing in
addition to or instead of the removable cleaning sheets or pads.
[0081] In this embodiment of the non-driven agitator 630, the agitator body
631 also
defines one or more air inlets 636a, 636b, an air outlet 638 and an air path
therebetween such
that the inlet(s) 636a, 636b are in fluid communication with the outlet 638.
The air inlets
636a, 636b are elongated and extend along at least a portion of the pad
support member 633
adjacent to the cleaning pad(s) 635a-635c. Although the illustrated embodiment
shows the
cleaning pad(s) 635a-635c on one side of the air inlets 636a, 636b, cleaning
pads 635a-635c
may be located on both sides of the air inlets 636a, 636b. The air is directed
from the air
inlets 636a, 636b along the air path (as indicated by the arrows) to the air
outlet 638. When
the non-driven agitator 630 is positioned in the agitator chamber 120 (FIG.
3), the air outlet
638 is engaged in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet 143 and the air
inlets 636a,
636b are located at the bottom opening of the agitator chamber 120 such that
the air
transportation and treatment system 140 causes the air to be drawn through the
air inlets
636a, 636b and the air outlet 638. The non-driven agitator 630 thus
facilitates air flow
through the surface cleaning head while also providing a non-rotating cleaning
pad.
[0082] The air outlet 638 may include a seal 639 around a perimeter thereof
to provide
sealing between the air outlet 638 and the dirty air inlet. The seal 639 may
be made of an
elastomeric material or other suitable sealing material and may have any known
configuration, such as a lip seal or a face seal, capable of forming a seal
against a flat face.
Alternatively, the air outlet 638 may be configured to engage a seal around
the dirty air inlet
in the agitator chamber.
[0083] The illustrated embodiment of the non-driven agitator 630 also
includes one or
more projections 637 on the bottom portion of the agitator body 631. The
projections 637 are
configured to be received in associated slots in the agitator chamber, as will
be described in
greater detail below. These projections 637 are generally spaced along the
bottom portion of
the body 631 on the other side of the air inlets 636a, 636b. The non-driven
agitator 630 may
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also include at least one wing 631a extending from at least one end of the
agitator body 631
(FIG. 6A). The wing 631a is configured to be positioned beneath a drive member
in the
agitator chamber, as will be described in greater detail below.
[0084] Referring to HGS. 7-9, an embodiment of a surface cleaning head 700
with a
pivotable external cover 722 is described in greater detail. In this
embodiment, the surface
cleaning head 700 includes a cleaning head housing 710 including an agitator
chamber 720
and the pivotable external cover 722 coupled with a hinge 723 to a front
portion 712 of the
cleaning head housing 710. The pivotable external cover 722 pivots at the
hinge 723 between
a closed position (not shown) and an open position (shown). If the pivotable
external cover
722 includes lights, the wiring (not shown) for the lights may pass across the
hinge 723. In
this embodiment, the pivotable external cover 722 pivots forwardly relative to
the housing
710 to open the agitator chamber 720 (FIG. 9). In the open position, the
agitator chamber
720 is accessible and the agitator may be removed from the agitator chamber
720 as shown.
This embodiment of the surface cleaning head 700 may also be used with a
rotatable agitator
that is not removable such that the pivotable external cover 722 is opened
merely to remove
the debris that has collected on the rotatable agitator. The pivotable
external cover 722 may
also include a transparent window 724 extending across a central region of
(FIG. 8) for
viewing the agitator chamber 720 when the cover is in the closed position.
[0085] A sealing member 725 may also be located between the pivotable
external cover
722 and the cleaning head housing 710 and around the perimeter of the agitator
chamber 720.
A removable agitator (not shown) may thus be mounted in the agitator chamber
720 inside of
the sealing member 725. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivotable external
cover 722
includes the sealing member 725 extending around an inside perimeter of the
cover 722. In
the closed position, the sealing member 725 seals against the cleaning head
housing 710
around the perimeter of the agitator chamber 720. The sealing member 725 is
capable of
forming a substantially air tight seal at the interface between the cover 722
and the cleaning
head housing 710 with substantially equal pressure around the perimeter of the
chamber 720
to prevent air and/or debris from passing through.
[0086] The sealing member 725 may be made of an elastomeric material or
other suitable
sealing material and may have any known configuration capable of forming a
seal against a
fiat face or rib. A lip seal or face seal, for example, may be used on the
pivotable external
cover 722 to facilitate alignment and sealing when the cover pivots to the
closed position. In
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other embodiments, the sealing member 725 may be provided on the cleaning head
housing
710.
[0087] The surface cleaning head 700 may also include a latch mechanism to
secure the
pivotable external cover 720 in the closed position. The latch mechanism may
provide
multiple points of engagement around the perimeter between the external cover
720 and the
cleaning head housing 710 such that the sealing member 725 is engaged with
substantially
equal pressure around the perimeter of the chamber 720.
[0088] In the illustrated embodiment, the pivotable external cover 722
includes latch
mechanisms 770a, 770b on an opposite side from the hinge 723. The latch
mechanisms 770a,
770b may include slidable actuators 772a, 772b with hooks 774a, 774b that
releasably engage
slots 776a, 776b on the cleaning head housing 710. Each of the latch
mechanisms 770a, 770b
include two hooks 774a, 774b to provide four spaced apart points of engagement
between the
cover 720 and the housing 710.
[0089] The slidable actuators 772a, 772b translate in a transverse
direction between a
latched position and an unlatched position. The slidable actuators 772a, 772b
may be biased
into the latched position, for example, by springs (not shown). The slidable
actuators 772a,
772b are operably coupled to latch releases 726a, 726b for moving the slidable
actuators
772a, 772b against the spring bias, thereby releasing the hooks 774a, 774b
from the slots
776a, 776b (as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 8). In other embodiments, the
latch
mechanisms 770a, 770b may be located on the cleaning head housing 110 and the
slots 776a,
776b may be located on the external cover 722. Although two latch mechanisms
and four
hooks are shown, other numbers of latch mechanisms and hooks may also be used.
[0090] Referring to HG. 10, this embodiment of the surface cleaning head
700 may
receive a removable rotatable agitator 730 that is driven by a drive mechanism
750. In this
embodiment, the drive mechanism 750 axially engages a driven end 732 of the
rotatable
agitator 730 at a driven side of an agitator chamber 720 and a non-driven end
734 of the
rotatable agitator 730 is mounted to rotate freely at a non-driven side of the
agitator chamber
720. Both the driven end 732 and the non-driven end 734 of the removable
rotatable agitator
730 are mounted in the agitator chamber 720 in a manner that allows the
agitator 730 to be
removed when the external cover 722 is in an open position.
[0091] In this embodiment, the external cover 722 is configured to secure
the removable
rotatable agitator 730 in the agitator chamber 720. The external cover 722
includes, for
example, an engaging structure 728 that engages the non-driven end 734 of the
removable
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rotatable agitator 730. In other embodiments, an agitator engaging member 739
may be
movably mounted to the surface cleaning head housing 710 for movement into
engagement
with the non-driven end 734 of the removable rotatable agitator 730. The
agitator engaging
member 739 is shown schematically but may be in the form of a clip, slide or
latch and may
slide and/or pivot in to and out of engagement with the agitator 130.
[0092] Although this ernbodiment shows a pivotable external cover 722
similar to that
shown and described above, the removable rotatable agitator 730 in this
embodiment may
also be used with other types of openable external covers.
[0093] The surface cleaning head 700 may also include a kill switch that
stops power to
the drive mechanism 750 when the pivotable external cover 722 is in the open
position. A
kill switch actuator 721 is located at a point along the perimeter of the
agitator chamber 720
to activate the kill switch when the pivotable external cover 722 is opened.
In the example
embodiment, the kill switch actuator 721 is biased to an open position that
opens the kill
switch. When the pivotable external cover 722 is in the closed position, the
cover 722
engages the kill switch actuator 721 to close the kill switch, allowing power
to the drive
mechanism 750. When the pivotable external cover 722 moves to the open
position, the
actuator 721 moves to the biased open position to open the kill switch,
stopping power to the
drive mechanism 750. In one embodiment, the kill switch actuator 721 may be
recessed to
prevent being actuated by a user and may be actuated by a protrusion (e.g., a
small rod)
extending from the cover 722. The actuator 721 may also be in other locations
and may be
actuated in other ways.
[0094] According to this embodiment of the surface cleaning head 700, the
agitator
chamber 720 is also configured to receive non-driven agitators, for example,
as described
above. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the non-driven agitator 630 described
above may be
positioned within the agitator chamber 720 without engaging the drive
mechanism 750. In
this embodiment, the wing 631a at the end 632 of the agitator body 631 slides
beneath a drive
member 770 of the drive mechanism 750 and provides sufficient clearance for
the drive
member 770 to rotate without contacting the agitator 630. The bottom portion
of the agitator
body 631 has a width corresponding to a width of a bottom opening of the
agitator chamber
720 (see FIG. 11).
[0095] When the non-driven agitator 630 is positioned within the agitator
chamber 720,
the air outlet 638 engages with a dirty air inlet 743 in the surface cleaning
head 700 (see
FIGS. 7A, 8 and 11) and the projections 637 on the bottom portion of the
agitator body 631
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are received in slots 713 along one side of the agitator chamber 720 (see
FIGS. 8 and 12).
Because of the resilience of the seal 639 around the air outlet 638, the
projections 637 may fit
tightly within the slots 713 such that the non-driven agitator 630 snaps into
place within the
agitator chamber 720. A force being applied by the resilient seal 639 thus
holds the non-
driven agitator 630 in place. When properly seated within the agitator chamber
720, the slots
713 receive the projections 637 with a friction fit, the spaces 639a, 639b on
the bottom of the
agitator body 631 receive the bottom guards or bars 711a, 711b extending
across the bottom
opening of the agitator chamber 720 and the cleaning pad(s) 635a-635c extend
through the
bottom opening of the agitator chamber 720 (see FIG. 12).
[0096] As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 13 and 14, the drive mechanism
750 includes
a motor 752, a rotation transfer mechanism 754, and a splined drive member
770. In this
embodiment, the rotation transfer mechanism 754 includes a belt 755
frictionally engaging a
drive wheel 753 coupled to the output of the motor 752 and frictionally
engaging a driven
wheel 755 coupled to the splined drive member 770. The drive mechanism 750 may
be
capable of rotating the agitator 730 at low speeds of 700 100 RPM and high
speeds of 3500
500 RPM. In other embodiments, other rotation transfer mechanisms may be used
including, without limitation, a gear train or a direct drive coupling between
the motor and
the splined drive member. In other embodiments, a motor may be located
internally within
the rotatable agitator. In further embodiments, the drive mechanism may
include other
mechanisms capable of imparting rotation to the rotatable agitator including,
without
limitation, an air driven turbine.
[0097] As shown in greater detail in FIG. 15, the driven end 732 of the
removable
rotatable agitator 730 includes a splined driven member 780 configured to mate
axially with
the splined drive member 770. The splined drive member 770 and the splined
driven member
780 thus form a spline coupling or joint that transmits rotation and torque
without using a
belt. The splined drive member 770 and the splined driven member 780 have
spline teeth
772, 782 oriented radially relative to an axis of rotation of the agitator.
The spline teeth 772,
782 have corresponding shapes and spaces 778, 788 between the spline teeth
772, 782 such
that the spline teeth 772, 782 mesh when the members 770, 780 are axially
engaged, as
shown in FIG. 16.
[0098] The illustrated embodiment shows the splined drive member 770 with
external
splines and the splined driven member 780 with internal splines. In other
embodiments, the
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splined drive member 770 may include the internal splines and the splined
driven member
780 may include the external splines.
[0099] In the illustrated embodiment, the spline teeth 772, 782 on the
splined drive
member 770 and the splined driven member 780 are both generally wedge shaped
with a
radially outer portion 771, 781 being wider than a radially inner portion 773,
783 (see FIG.
16). The spline teeth 772, 782 also have tapered side walls 774, 775, 784, 785
that taper
outwardly from radial faces 776, 786 of the spline teeth 772, 782. As shown in
FIG. 17, the
spline teeth 782 on the splined driven member 780 also have a tapered or
chamfered radial
face 786 that tapers inwardly (i.e., toward the non-driven end of the
agitator) and forms an
acute angle relative to a radial line 708 in a range of about 30 to 60 . The
spline teeth 772 on
the splined drive member 770 may have a tapered or chamfered axial face 777
that tapers
inwardly toward the axis of rotation.
[00100] The shape and configuration of the spline teeth 772, 782 in the
illustrated
embodiment provide self-alignment and facilitate engagement of the splined
driven member
780 with the splined drive member 770. The splined drive member 770 and the
splined
driven member 780 may be engaged in a number of different angular positions
and thus do
not require a precise angular alignment for engagement. The shape and
configuration of the
spline teeth 772, 782 in the illustrated embodiment may also reduce or
eliminate backlash
when the splined drive member 770 drives the splined driven member 780.
[00101] One or both of the splined driven member 780 and splined drive member
770 may
also be made of an el astomeric material such as a thermoplastic rubber having
a higher
durometer (e.g., 90 or greater). The elastomeric material may facilitate
engagement of the
spline teeth 772, 782 and may provide vibration reduction or isolation when
the splined drive
member 770 drives the splined driven member 780. Thus, the drive mechanism 750
may
rotate the agitator 730 at higher RPMs with reduced vibrations.
[00102] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the splined drive member 770
and the
splined driven member 780 have six (6) spline teeth 772, 782 arranged in a
star configuration
around an axis of rotation. The six spline teeth are capable of withstanding
the desired drive
forces and torques while also facilitating alignment and preventing backlash;
however, other
numbers of spline teeth may be possible. Other shapes and configurations of
the spline teeth
on the splined drive member 770 and splined driven member 780 may also be
possible.
Furthermore, other couplings or mechanisms for axially coupling rotating
shafts to transmit
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torque and rotation may also be used including, without limitation, a dog
clutch, a non-slip
clutch, a Hirth joint and a curvic coupling.
[00103] As shown in greater detail in FIG. 18, the non-driven end 734 of this
embodiment
of the removable rotatable agitator 730 includes an end cap 790 secured to a
bushing 792 that
is rotatably mounted on an axle 791. The axle 791 is fixed within and
extending from the
agitator body 731. The end cap 790 is configured to be supported within the
agitator
chamber 720 and to secure the bushing 792 such that the axle 791 rotates
within the bushing
792 and the rotatable agitator 730 spins about its axis of rotation. In this
embodiment, the
end cap 790 is removably secured to the bushing 792 with a friction fit but
the end cap 790
may also fixed to the bushing 792. In other embodiments, the bushing 792 may
be
configured to be mounted directly within the agitator chamber 720 without an
end cap.
Various other configurations may also be used to rotatably support the non-
driven end 734 of
the rotatable agitator 730 within the agitator chamber 720.
[00104] As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 19 and 20, the end cap 790
includes a tab 796
that is shaped to be easily gripped for removing the non-driven end 734 of the
agitator 730
from the agitator chamber 720. The end cap 790 also includes one or more
stabilizing
structures 793, 795, 797 that engage mating structures within the agitator
chamber to prevent
the end cap 790 from rotating such that the bushing 792 is held stationary,
thereby allowing
the axle 791 to rotate freely within the bushing 792 when the rotatable
agitator is driven at the
driven end 732. This embodiment of the end cap 790 also includes an
elastomeric pad 799
that engages the engaging structure 728 on the external cover 722 when the
cover is closed to
secure the agitator 730 in the agitator chamber 720. The end cap 790 further
includes an
elastomeric ring 798 to frictionally engage the bushing 792. The elastomeric
pad 799 and the
elastomeric ring 798 may advantageously prevent or isolate vibrations when the
agitator 730
is rotating in the agitator chamber 720 and may both be molded together from
the same
rubber material. The end cap 790 may further include a washer 794 (e.g., a
felt washer) that
contacts an end surface 736 of the agitator body 731 to keep dirt away from
the bearing 792.
[00105] Referring to FIGS. 21-23, the engagement of the end cap 790 with the
agitator
chamber 720 is described in greater detail. At the non-driven side, the
chamber 720 includes
mounting rails 727a, 727b defining a recessed region 729 that receives an end
portion of the
end cap 790. The end portion of the end cap 790 may thus slide between the
mounting rails
727a, 727b as shown in FIG. 22. As shown in FIG. 23, the stabilizing
structures 793, 795,
797 engage corresponding structures on the mounting rails 727a, 727b and the
engaging
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structure 728 inside of the cover 722 engages the elastomeric pad 799. Thus,
the end cap 790
and the bushing 792 remain stationary when the agitator 730 is rotated.
Additionally or
alternatively, the cover 722 may engage other portions of the end cap 790
(e.g., the tab 796)
to hold the end cap 790 in the chamber 720. In this embodiment, the
stabilizing structures
793, 795, 797 have a particular configuration designed or keyed to mate with
the mounting
rails 727a, 727b (see FIG.23) in a particular orientation such that the end
cap 790 is properly
positioned to be engaged by the cover 722.
[00106] To mount the rotatable agitator 730 within the agitator chamber 720,
the driven
end 732 is angled into the chamber 720 to engage the splined drive member 770
with the
splined driven member 780 (see FIG. 16). The end cap 790 may then be used to
lower the
non-driven end 734 of the agitator 730 into the chamber 720 until the end cap
790 is fit
between the mounting rails 727a, 727b (see FIG. 22). When the agitator 730 is
properly
seated within the chamber 720, the external cover 722 may then be closed to
cover the
chamber 720 and to secure the rotatable agitator 730 within the chamber 720.
To remove the
rotatable agitator 730, the user may grasp the tab 796 to slide the end cap
790 out from
between the mounting rails 727a, 727b and thus lift the non-driven end 734 out
of the
chamber 720. The user may then continue to lift the agitator 730 until the
splined drive
member 770 and the splined driven member 780 are disengaged. The user may then
clean
the agitator 730 and/or insert another type of agitator.
[00107] Referring to FIG. 24, a surface cleaning head 2400 of a stick vacuum
cleaner may
include an openable agitator chamber covered by an external cover 2422 and
containing a
removable agitator. The external cover 2422 and the openable chamber and
removable
agitator located in the surface cleaning head 2400 may be implemented
according to any of
the embodiments described herein.
[00108] Referring to FIG. 25, a surface cleaning head 2500 of an upright
vacuum cleaner
may include an openable agitator chamber covered by an external cover 2522 and
containing
a removable agitator. The external cover 2522 and the openable chamber and
removable
agitator located in the surface cleaning head 2500 may be implemented
according to any of
the embodiments described herein.
[00109] A movable external cover may also have other configurations, for
example, as
shown in FIGS. 26-29. FIG. 26 shows another embodiment of a surface cleaning
head 2600
with a pivotable external cover 2622 that pivots rearwardly relative to the
cleaning head
housing 2610 to the open position. FIG. 27 shows a further embodiment of a
surface
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cleaning head 2700 with multiple-piece pivotable external cover including one
cover portion
2722a that pivots forwardly and another cover portion 2722b that pivots
rearwardly relative
to the cleaning head housing 2710. FIG. 28 shows yet another embodiment of a
surface
cleaning head 2800 with a slidable external cover 2822 that slides or rolls in
a longitudinal
direction relative to the cleaning head housing 2810, for example, similar to
a garage door.
FIG. 29 shows a further embodiment of a surface cleaning head 2900 with a
slidable external
cover 2922 that slides laterally relative to the cleaning head housing 2910.
[00110] In any of these embodiments, the external cover may be latched, for
example,
using a latching mechanism as described above or any other latching mechanism.
In any of
these embodiments, the external cover may be sealed, for example, using a
sealing member
as described above or any other sealing member. In each of these embodiments,
the external
cover may be moved between open and closed positions while remaining engaged
with the
surface cleaning head housing. In other embodiments, the external cover may be
completely
removed from the surface cleaning head housing. Other variations and locations
for the
external cover are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
[00111] Accordingly, a surface cleaning head, consistent with embodiments of
the present
disclosure, includes an openable agitator chamber to facilitate inspection,
cleaning, servicing,
and/or replacement of an agitator in the surface cleaning head. The removable
agitator may
include a rotatable driven agitator that engages a drive mechanism in the
agitator chamber or
a non-rotatable, non-driven agitator that is received within the agitator
without engaging the
drive mechanism.
[00112] While the principles of the invention have been described herein, it
is to be
understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by
way of example and
not as a limitation as to the scope of the invention. Other embodiments are
contemplated within
the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments
shown and
described herein. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that a
surface cleaning
apparatus may embody any one or more of the features contained herein and that
the features
may be used in any particular combination or sub-combination. Modifications
and substitutions
by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of
the present invention,
which is not to be limited except by the following claims.
