Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CLEANING APPARATUS WITH COMBING UNIT
FOR REMOVING DEBRIS FROM CLEANING ROLLER
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to cleaners with cleaning rollers and
more particularly,
to a cleaning apparatus, such as a surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner,
with a combing
unit for removing debris from a cleaning roller such as a leading roller.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] Vacuum cleaners generally include a suction conduit with an opening
on the
underside of a surface cleaning head for drawing air (and debris) into and
through the surface
cleaning head. One of the challenges with vacuum cleaner design is to control
engagement of
the suction conduit with a surface being cleaned to provide the desired amount
of suction. If the
suction conduit is spaced too far from a surface, the suction may be less
because the air is
flowing into the suction conduit through a greater surface area. If the
suction conduit is directly
engaged with the surface and thus sealed on all sides, air will stop flowing
into the suction
conduit and the suction motor may be damaged as a result.
[0003] Vacuum cleaners also generally use agitation to loosen debris and
facilitate capturing
the debris in the flow of air into the suction conduit. Agitators are often
used in the suction
conduit of a surface cleaning head proximate a dirty air inlet to cause the
agitated debris to flow
into the dirty air inlet. If the agitator in the suction conduit is unable to
loosen the debris or if the
debris is too small, the suction conduit may pass over the debris without
removing the debris
from the surface. In other cases, the surface cleaning head may push larger
debris forward
without ever allowing the debris to be captured in the flow into the suction
conduit (sometimes
referred to as snowplowing).
[0004] One example of an agitator is a cleaning roller such as a brush
roll. A cleaning roller
may be located within a suction conduit and/or may be located at a leading
side of a suction
conduit (e.g., a leading roller). One challenge with a leading roller in
particular is the debris (e.g.,
hair) that becomes entangled around the roller. Projections may be used to
engage the roller to
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facilitate removal of debris, but existing structures are often not effective
and/or interfere with
the operation of the surface cleaning head.
SUMMARY
[0005] Consistent with an embodiment, a cleaning apparatus includes a housing
defining an
opening on an underside of the housing for receiving debris, a cleaning roller
mounted in the
housing for directing debris into the opening, and a combing unit extending a
substantial length
of a cleaning surface of the cleaning roller and in contact with the cleaning
roller. The combing
unit includes a series of spaced combing protrusions extending partially into
the cleaning roller
and having angled leading edges that are not aligned with a center of rotation
of the cleaning
roller. The angled leading edges are directed into a direction of rotation of
the cleaning roller.
[0006] Consistent with another embodiment, a surface cleaning head includes a
housing having a
front side and back side. The housing defines a suction conduit with an
opening on an underside
of the housing between the front side and the back side. A brush roll is
rotatably mounted to the
housing within the suction conduit and at least a portion of the brush roll is
proximate the
opening of the suction conduit. A leading roller is mounted to the housing in
front of the brush
roll and adjacent the opening of the suction conduit. A front portion of the
leading roller is at
least partially exposed at the front side of the housing. The surface cleaning
head also includes a
combing unit extending a substantial length of a cleaning surface of the
leading roller and in
contact with the leading roller. The combing unit includes a series of spaced
combing
protrusions extending partially into the leading roller and having angled
leading edges that are
not aligned with a center of rotation of the leading roller. The angled
leading edges are directed
toward a direction of rotation of the leading roller.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features and advantages will be better understood by
reading the
following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning head including
dual agitators and
combing protrusions, consistent with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning head
shown in FIG. 1
showing a flow path through a suction conduit.
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[0010] FIG. 3 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view illustrating the
leading roller and brush
roll of the surface cleaning head shown in FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view illustrating a
leading roller and combing
protrusions in the surface cleaning head shown in FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the front region of the
surface cleaning head of
FIG. 1 without the leading roller and illustrating the combing protrusions.
[0013] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one embodiment of a
plurality of combing
protrusions.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a front bottom view of the front region of the surface
cleaning head of FIG.
1 without the leading roller.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a front view the surface cleaning head of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a bottom view the surface cleaning head of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 10 is a perspective cross sectional view of combing protrusions
engaging a
cleaning roller, consistent with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of the combing protrusions
engaging the
cleaning roller.
[0019] FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of the combing protrusions shown
in FIG. 10.
[0020] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a section of the combing
protrusions shown in
FIG. 10.
[0021] FIGS. 14A-14D are top, front, bottom and side views of the section
of combing
protrusions shown in FIG. 13.
[0022] FIG. 15A is a side cross-sectional view of the combing protrusions
engaging a
cleaning roller above an axis of rotation, consistent with another embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 15B is a side cross-sectional view of a combing protrusion
having a curved
leading edge engaging a cleaning roller, consistent with a further embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner including
a surface
cleaning head with dual rotating agitators and combing protrusions, consistent
with embodiments
of the present disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a stick type vacuum cleaner
including a surface
cleaning head with dual rotating agitators and combing protrusions, consistent
with embodiments
of the present disclosure.
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
[0026] FIG. 18 is a bottom perspective view of a robotic vacuum cleaner
including a
cleaning roller and combing protrusions, consistent with yet another
embodiment of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] A cleaning apparatus, consistent with embodiments of the present
disclosure, includes a
combing unit (also referred to as a debriding unit or rib) including a series
of spaced protrusions
or teeth extending into a cleaning roller for preventing build up and removing
debris (such as
hair, string, and the like). The protrusions extend along a substantial
portion of the cleaning roller
and extend partially into the cleaning roller to intercept the debris as it
passes around the roller.
The protrusions have angled leading edges that are not aligned with a rotation
center of the
cleaning roller and are directed into or against a direction of rotation of
the cleaning roller. The
combing unit and protrusions have a shape and configuration designed to
facilitate debris
removal from the cleaning roller with minimal impact on the operation of the
cleaning apparatus.
The cleaning apparatus may include a surface cleaning head of an upright
vacuum cleaner or
sweeper or a robotic vacuum cleaner.
[0028] An embodiment of a surface cleaning head may include dual rotating
agitators (e.g., a
leading roller and a brush roll) and may be used to facilitate capturing of
debris in the air flow
into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. In this
embodiment, the
leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the
opening of the suction
conduit such that the leading roller engages debris and moves the debris
toward the opening. At
least a top half of the leading roller may be substantially outside of the
flow path to the suction
conduit and a bottom portion of the leading roller may be exposed to the flow
path to the suction
conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with
the leading roller
located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller
air passageway
between lower portions of the leading roller and the brush roll. In some
embodiments, combing
protrusions may contact the leading roller above the inter-roller air
passageway to facilitate
debris removal into the flow path. The surface cleaning head may also include
a leading bumper
that extends in front of the leading roller to protect a front portion of the
leading roller and
facilitate front edge cleaning.
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
[0029] Although specific embodiments of a surface cleaning head with a
leading roller are
shown, other embodiments of a cleaning apparatus with a combing unit are
within the scope of
the present disclosure. The cleaning apparatus with the combing unit may be
used in different
types of vacuum cleaners including, without limitation, an "all in the head"
type vacuum, upright
vacuum cleaners, canister vacuum cleaners, stick vacuum cleaners, robotic
vacuum cleaners and
central vacuum systems, and may be used in sweepers (e.g., low or no suction).
The surface
cleaning head with a leading roller may also include removable agitators
(e.g., brush rolls) in
openable agitator chambers, such as the type described in greater detail in
U.S. Patent No.
9,456,723 and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2016/0220082, which are
commonly-owned.
The leading roller may be similarly removable.
[0030] 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, "seal" or "sealing" refers to preventing a substantial amount
of air from passing
through to the suction conduit but does not require an air tight seal. 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,
"soft" and "softer"
refer to the characteristics of a cleaning element being more compliant or
pliable than another
cleaning element. As used herein, the term "flow path" refers to the path
taken by air as it flows
into a suction conduit when drawn in by suction. As used herein, the terms
"above" and "below"
are used relative to an orientation of the surface cleaning head on a surface
to be cleaned and the
terms "front" and "back" are used relative to a direction that a user pushes
the surface cleaning
head on a surface being cleaned (i.e., back to front). As used herein, the
term "leading" refers to
a position in front of at least another component but does not necessarily
mean in front of all
other components.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 1-9, an embodiment of a surface cleaning head 100
with dual
agitators and a combing unit is shown and described. The surface cleaning head
100 includes a
housing 110 with a front side 112, and a back side 114, left and right sides
116a, 116b, an upper
side 118, and a lower or under side 120. The housing 110 defines a suction
conduit 128 having
Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
an opening 127 on the underside 120 of the housing (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3).
The suction
conduit 128 is fluidly coupled to a dirty air inlet 129, which leads to a
suction motor (not shown)
either in the surface cleaning head 100 or another location in the vacuum. The
suction conduit
128 is the interior space defined by interior walls in the housing 110, which
receives and directs
air drawn in by suction, and the opening 127 is where the suction conduit 128
meets the
underside 120 of the housing 110.
[0032] The surface cleaning head 100 includes dual rotating agitators 122,
124, for example, a
brush roll 122 and a leading roller 124. The brush roll 122 and leading roller
124 may be
configured to rotate about first and second rotating axes (RA1, RA2). The
rotating brush roll
122 is at least partially disposed within the suction conduit 128 (shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3). The
leading roller 124 is positioned in front of and spaced from the brush roll
122 and at least
substantially outside the suction conduit 128. In some embodiments, at least
an inside upper
portion (e.g., upper half) of the leading roller 124 is not exposed to the
primary air flow path
(e.g., arrow 40) into the opening 127 of the suction conduit 128 while at
least an inside of the
bottom portion of the leading roller 124 is exposed to the primary flow path
into the opening 127
of the suction conduit 128.
[0033] Other variations are possible where different portions of the leading
roller 124 may be
exposed or not exposed to the flow path into the suction conduit 128. In other
embodiments, for
example, a flow path may allow air to flow over the upper portion of the
leading roller 124. The
leading roller 124 may rotate about the second rotation axis RA2 located
within a leading roller
chamber 126. The leading roller chamber 126 may have a size and shape slightly
larger than the
cylindrical projection of the leading roller 124 when the leading roller 124
is rotating therein, for
example, to form the flow path over the upper portion.
[0034]
The surface cleaning head 100 may include one or more wheels 130 for
supporting
the housing on the surface 10 to be cleaned. The brush roll 122 may be
disposed in front of one
or more wheels 130, 132 (see FIGS. 1 and 9) for supporting the housing 110 on
the surface 10 to
be cleaned. For example, one or more larger wheels 130 may be disposed along
the back side
114 and/or one or more smaller middle wheels 132 may be provided at a middle
section on the
underside 116 of the housing 110 and/or along the left and right sides 116a,
116b. Other wheel
configurations may also be used. The wheels 130, 132 facilitate moving the
surface cleaning
head 100 along the surface 10 to be cleaned, and may also allow the user to
easily tilt or pivot the
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
surface cleaning head 100 (e.g., brush roll 122 and/or the leading roller 124)
off of the surface 10
to be cleaned. The rear wheel(s) 130 and the middle wheel(s) 132 may provide
the primary
contact with the surface being cleaned and thus primarily support the surface
cleaning head 100.
When the surface cleaning head 100 is positioned on the surface 10 being
cleaned, the leading
roller 124 may also rest on the surface 10 being cleaned. In other
embodiments, the leading
roller 124 may be positioned such that the leading roller 124 sits just above
the surface being
cleaned.
[0035] The rotating brush roll 122 may have bristles, fabric, or other
cleaning elements, or
any combination thereof around the outside of the brush roll 122. Examples of
brush rolls and
other agitators are shown and described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No.
9,456,723 and U.S.
Patent Application Pub. No. 2016/0220082.
[0036] The leading roller 124 may include a relatively soft material (e.g.,
soft bristles, fabric,
felt, nap or pile) arranged in a pattern (e.g., a spiral pattern) to
facilitate capturing debris, as will
be described in greater detail below. The leading roller 124 may be selected
to be substantially
softer than that of the brush roll 122. The softness, length, diameter,
arrangement, and resiliency
of the bristles and/or pile of the leading roller 124 may be selected to form
a seal with a hard
surface (e.g., but not limited to, a hard wood floor, tile floor, laminate
floor, or the like), whereas
the bristles of the brush roll 122 may selected to agitate carpet fibers or
the like. For example,
the leading roller 124 may be at least 25% softer than the brush roll 122,
alternatively the leading
roller 124 may be at least 30% softer than the brush roll 122, alternatively
the leading roller 124
may be at least 35% softer than the brush roll 122, alternatively the leading
roller 124 may be at
least 40% softer than the brush roll 122, alternatively the leading roller 124
may be at least 50%
softer than the brush roll 122, alternatively the leading roller 124 may be at
least 60% softer than
the brush roll 122. Softness may be determined, for example, based on the
pliability of the
bristles or pile being used.
[0037] The size and shape of the bristles and/or pile may be selected based
on the intended
application. For example, the leading roller 124 may include bristles and/or
pile having a length
of between 5 to 15 mm (e.g., 7 to 12 mm) and may have a diameter of 0.01 to
0.04 mm (e.g.,
0.01-0.03 mm). According to one embodiment, the bristles and/or pile may have
a length of 9
mm and a diameter of 0.02 mm. The bristles and/or pile may have any shape. For
example, the
bristles and/or pile may be linear, arcuate, and/or may have a compound shape.
According to
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
one embodiment, the bristles and/or pile may have a generally U and/or Y
shape. The U and/or
Y shaped bristles and/or pile may increase the number of points contacting the
floor surface 10,
thereby enhancing sweeping function of leading roller 124. The bristles and/or
pile may be made
on any material such as, but not limited to, Nylon 6 or Nylon 6/6.
[0038] Optionally, the bristles and/or pile of leading roller 124 may be
heat treated, for
example, using a post weave heat treatment. The heat treatment may increase
the lifespan of the
bristles and/or pile of the leading roller 124. For example, after weaving the
fibers and cutting
the velvet into rolls, the velvet may be rolled up and then run through a
steam rich autoclave
making the fibers/bristles more resilient fibers.
[0039] The leading roller 124 may have an outside diameter Dlr that is
smaller than the
outside diameter Dbr of the brush roll 122. For example, the diameter Dlr may
be greater than
zero and less than or equal to 0.8Dbr, greater than zero and less than or
equal to 0.7Dbr, or
greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.6Dbr. According to example
embodiments, the
diameter Dlr may be in the range of 0.3Dbr to 0.8Dbr, in the range of 0.4Dbr
to 0.8Dbr, in the
range of 0.3Dbr to 0.7Dbr, or in the range of 0.4Dbr to 0.7Dbr. As an
illustrative example, the
brush roll 122 may have an outside diameter of 48 mm and the leading roller
124 may have an
outside diameter of 30 mm. While the leading roller 124 may have an outside
diameter Dlr that
is smaller than the outside diameter Dbr of the brush roll 122, the brush roll
122 may have
bristles that are longer than the bristle and/or pile of the leading roller
122.
[0040] Positioning a leading roller 124 (having a diameter Dlr that is
smaller than the
diameter Dbr of the brush roll 122) in front of the brush roll 122 provides
numerous benefits.
For example, this arrangement decreases the height of the front side 112 of
the surface cleaning
head 100 (e.g., the housing 110) from the surface 10 to be cleaned. The
decreased height of the
front of the surface cleaning head 100 provides a lower profile that allows
the surface cleaning
head 100 to fit under objects (e.g., furniture and/or cabinets). Moreover, the
lower height allows
for the addition of one or more light sources 111 (such as, but not limited
to, LEDs), while still
allowing the surface cleaning head 100 to fit under objects.
[0041] Additionally, the smaller diameter Dlr of the leading roller 124
allows the rotating
axis of the leading roller 124 to be placed closer to the front side 112 of
the surface cleaning
head 100. When rotating, the leading roller 124 forms a generally cylindrical
projection having a
radius that is based on the overall diameter of the leading roller 124. As the
diameter of the
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
leading roller 124 decreases, the bottom contact surface 140 (FIG. 3) of the
leading roller 124
moves forward towards the front side 112 of the surface cleaning head 100. In
addition, when
the surface cleaning head 100 contacts a vertical surface 12 (e.g., but not
limited to, a wall, trim,
and/or cabinet), the bottom contact surface 140 of the leading roller 124 is
also closer to the
vertical surface 12, thereby enhancing the front edge cleaning of the surface
cleaning head 100
compared to a larger diameter leading roller. Moreover, the smaller diameter
Dlr of the leading
roller 124 also reduces the load/drag on the motor driving the leading roller
124, thereby
enhancing the lifespan of the motor and/or allowing a smaller motor to be used
to rotate both the
brush roll 122 and leading roller 124.
[0042] The rotating brush roll 122 may be coupled to an electrical motor
(either AC or DC)
to cause the rotating brush roll 122 to rotate about the first rotating axis.
The rotating brush roll
may be coupled to the electrical motor by way of a gears and/or drive belts.
The leading roller
124 may be driven from the same drive mechanism used to drive the rotating
brush roll 122 or a
separate drive mechanism. An example of the drive mechanism is described in
U.S. Patent
Application Serial No. 15/331,045, filed Oct. 21, 2016. Other drive mechanisms
are possible
and within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0043] In at least one embodiment, the brush roll 122 and the leading
roller 124 rotate in the
same direction directing debris toward the suction conduit 128, for example,
counter clockwise
as shown in FIG. 3. This arrangement may reduce the number of parts (e.g., no
clutch or
additional gear train may be necessary), thereby making the surface cleaning
head 100 lighter,
reducing drivetrain loss (thereby allowing for smaller/less expensive motors),
and less expensive
to manufacture. Optionally, the brush roll 122 and the leading roller 124 may
rotate at same
speed, thereby reducing the number of parts (e.g., no additional gear train
necessary) and
reducing drivetrain loss (thus, smaller/less expensive motor) and making the
surface cleaning
head 100 lighter and less expensive to manufacture.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, the leading roller 124 may be positioned within
the housing 110
such that the bottom contact surface 140 is disposed closer to the surface 10
to be cleaned
compared to the bottom contact surface 144 of the brush roll 122. This
arrangement allows the
leading roller 124 to contact a surface 10 (e.g., a hard surface) without the
brush roll 122
contacting the hard surface 10. As may be appreciated, the leading roller 124
is intended to pick
up debris from a hard surface 10 while the brush roll 122 is intended to
primarily contact a carpet
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
surface. This arrangement is therefore beneficial since it allows the leading
roller 124 to form a
seal between the front 112 of the surface cleaning head 100 with the hard
surface 10, thereby
enhancing airflow and suction with the hard surface 10. Additionally, this
arrangement reduces
the drag/torque on the drive motor(s) since the brush roll 122 (in some
embodiments) does not
have to contact the hard surface 10. The reduced drag/torque may allow for a
smaller, less
expensive motor and/or may increase the lifespan of the motor.
[0045] According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the leading
roller 124 is spaced
apart a distance Li (which is greater than 0 mm) from the brush roll 122 such
that the leading
roller 124 does not contact the brush roll 122. The distance L1 allows for an
inter-roller vacuum
passageway 146 between lower portions of the brush roll 122 and the leading
roller 124, which
provides at least a portion of the flow path into the opening 127 of the
suction conduit 128. The
inter-roller vacuum passageway 146 allows for debris that is either picked up
by (and/or removed
from) the leading roller 124 to be entrained in the vacuum flow generated by
the surface cleaning
head 100 and/or to be picked up by the brush roll 122, thereby enhancing the
cleaning efficiency
of the surface cleaning head 100. Additionally, the distance L1 reduces the
load/drag on the
motor(s), thereby enhancing the lifespan of the motor(s) and/or allowing
smaller motors to be
used to rotate both the brush roll 122 and the leading roller 124.
[0046] One or both of the leading roller 124 and the brush roll 122 may be
removable. The
leading roller 124 may be removably coupled to the housing 110 of the surface
cleaning head
100. For example, a portion of the housing 110 (such as, but not limited to, a
portion of the left
and/or right side 116a, 116b) may be removably/hingedly coupled thereto. To
remove the
leading roller 124, the removable portion may be unsecured/uncoupled from the
rest of the
housing 110, thereby allowing the leading roller 124 to disengage from a drive
wheel and
allowing the leading roller 124 to be removed from the leading roller chamber
126. Other ways
of removably coupling the leading roller 124 within the housing 110 are also
possible and within
the scope of the present disclosure.
[0047] In some embodiments, the housing 110 of the surface cleaning head
100 may include
a removable and/or hinged panel that allows the brush roll 122 to be removed.
A shown in
FIGS. 1 and 8, for example, the surface cleaning head 100 includes a panel 119
that may be
removably and/or hingedly coupled to the housing 110. To remove the brush roll
122, the panel
119 may be disengaged from the housing 110 (e.g., removed) to allow the user
to have access to
Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
a brush roll chamber 121. Examples of removable panels or covers and removable
brush rolls
are described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 9,456,723 and U.S. patent
application Pub. No.
2016/0220082. Alternatively or additionally, the leading roller 124 may be
removable in the
same way. Another example of a removable leading roller is described in U.S.
Patent
Application Serial No. 15/331,045, filed Oct. 21, 2016.
[0048] The ability to remove the brush roll 122 and/or the leading roller
124 from the surface
cleaning head 100 allows the brush roll 122 and/or the leading roller 124 to
be cleaned more
easily and may allow the user to change the size of the brush roll 122 and/or
the leading roller
124, change type of bristles on the brush roll 122 and/or the leading roller
124, and/or remove
the brush roll 122 and/or the leading roller 124 entirely depending on the
intended application.
[0049] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning head 100 may also include
a series of
combing protrusions 150 (also referred to as debriding protrusions) in contact
with the leading
roller 124, as shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4-7. The combing protrusions
150 may be
configured to remove debris (such as, but not limited to, hair, string, and
the like) that may be
wrapped around and/or entrapped/entrained in/on the leading roller 124 as the
surface cleaning
head 100 is being used (e.g., without the user having to manually remove the
debris from the
leading roller 124). According to one embodiment, the combing protrusions 150
may contact
only the leading roller 124 (e.g., the combing protrusions 150 may not contact
the brush roll
122). Some of the benefits of the combing protrusions 150 only contacting the
leading roller 124
include increasing the lifespan of the leading roller 124. Additionally, the
combing protrusions
150 that only contact the leading roller 124 may reduce the load/drag on the
motor, thereby
allowing a smaller/less expensive motor to be used and making the surface
cleaning head 100
lighter and less expensive to manufacture.
[0050] In this embodiment, the combing protrusions 150 may include a
plurality of spaced
ribs 152 with angled edges 153 extending into contact with a surface of the
leading roller 124.
The spaced ribs 152 extend from a back support 151 with base portions 154
located
therebetween to reinforce the spaced ribs 152. The back support 151 may be
mounted within the
leading roller chamber 126. The angled edges 153 of the spaced ribs 152 may be
arranged at an
angle A (see FIGS. 4 and 6) that is in the range of 15-20 degrees, for
example, 20-25 degrees,
such as 23.5 degrees. This example structure of the combing protrusions 150
may allow for
increased strength and reduced frictional loses since less points may contact
the leading roller
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
124. Other shapes and configurations for the combing protrusions are also
within the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0051] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the combing protrusions 150 may be
disposed at a height
H above the bottom contacting surface 140 of the leading roller 124 and on a
side or lower half
of the leading roller 124. The placement of the combing protrusions 150 may
help to prevent the
combing protrusions 150 from contacting a carpet, thereby reducing drag on the
surface cleaning
head 100 and reducing the likelihood of the combing protrusions 150 damaging
the carpet. This
arrangement also allows the combing protrusions 150 to be exposed to the inter-
roller vacuum
passageway 146, thereby enhancing the removal of debris from the leading
roller 124 by the
combing protrusions 150. The combing protrusion 150 may also substantially
prevent air from
flowing through the combing protrusions 150 to the inside upper portion (e.g.,
upper half) of the
leading roller 124. In other embodiments, a space may be formed between the
outer surface of
the leading roller 124 and the back support 151 such that air flows downward
through the
combing protrusions 150 to force debris into the air flow through the inter-
roller vacuum
passageway 146.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 7, an embodiment of the surface cleaning head 100
optionally
includes an electrostatic discharge element (ESD) 156. The ESD 156 may reduce
and/or prevent
the buildup of electrostatic charge on the surface cleaning head 100. The ESD
156 may include
any known device for discharging electrostatic charge. According to one
embodiment, the ESD
156 may include Barnet fibers woven between the openings in the back of the
leading roller
chamber 126. The Barnet fibers may be arranged in close proximity to the
combing protrusions
150 and/or leading roller 124 for discharging. For example, the ESD 156 may be
connected to a
printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) that dumps charge out to the neutral AC
line.
[0053] In some embodiments, the housing 110 may further include a bumper
160 forming a
top part of the front side 112 of the housing 110, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5,
and 8. The bumper
160 may reduce potential damage to either the surface cleaning head 100 and/or
other objects in
the environment. A front portion of the leading roller 124 is exposed at the
front side 112 of the
housing 110, and the bumper 160 may extend around at least a top of the
leading roller 124. In
the example embodiment, the bumper 160 includes a lateral portion 162
extending laterally along
the front side 112 of the housing 110 and side portions 164, 168 extending
downwardly along
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
left and right sides of the front side 112 of the housing 110. The side
portions 164, 168 may
extend to a point at or below the second rotation axis RA2 of the leading
roller 124.
[0054] The bumper 160 may optionally define one or more front edge vacuum
passageways
168, 169 providing at least a portion of the air flow path. As shown in FIG.
4, the bumper 160
may therefore generally form a seal with a vertical surface 12 (e.g., wall or
the like) to improve
front edge cleaning. The front edge vacuum passageways 168, 169 may allow for
increased
airspeed of the air being sucked into the surface cleaning head 100, thereby
enhancing front edge
cleaning. The bumper 160 may also include one or more lateral air passageways
disposed in the
lateral portion 162, which also allow for increased airflow along the front
side 112.
[0055] The bumper 160 may also include one or more compression elements
161, 163 (e.g.,
ribs) disposed on the lateral edge/section 162. The compression elements 161,
163 allow for
increased resiliency and cushioning of the bumper 160. When the bumper 160 is
pushed against
the vertical surface 12 (FIG. 4), the compression elements 161, 163 contact
the surface 12 first
and push the bumper 160 locally farther back than the rest of the bumper 160,
thereby forming a
gap on either side of the compression elements 161, 163. The gaps on either
side of the
compression elements 161, 163 form air paths allowing air to be drawn down in
front of the
leading roller 124, which may disturb dust and debris so that it can be
directed into the air flow
path toward the suction conduit.
[0056] The bumper 160 may be formed as one piece with the housing 110 or
may be formed
as a separate piece secured within a groove and/or notch 165 formed between
two or more pieces
(e.g., an upper and lower portion 110a, 110b) of the housing 110, as shown in
FIG. 3. The
groove and/or notch 165 may facilitate assembly of the housing 110 and the
bumper 160 (e.g.,
between a headlight portion 110a and main portion 110b of the housing 110).
[0057] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning head 100 may further
include one or more
floor sealing strips 170, 172 and side edge vacuum passageways 174 on an
underside of the
housing 110, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. The floor sealing strip(s) 170, 172
may include one or
more sections extending outwardly from the housing 110 and having a length
sufficient to at
least partially contact the surface 10 to be cleaned. The floor seals strip(s)
170, 172 may include
soft bristles, fabric material, rubber material, or other material capable of
contacting the surface
being cleaned to substantially prevent air flow into the opening 127 of the
suction conduit 128
from the rear side. The sealing strips 170, 172 may also include a combination
of elements or
13
Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
materials, such as bristles with a rubber strip extending along the strip
between the bristles (e.g.,
with the bristles being longer than the rubber strip).
[0058] In the example embodiment, a lateral floor sealing strip 170 extends
along a rear
lateral portion (e.g., behind the opening 127 of the suction conduit 128) and
side sealing strips
172 extend partially along the left and right sides 116a, 116b. The side
sealing strips 172 extend,
for example, along a substantial portion of the opening 127 of the suction
conduit 128 and are
spaced from the leading roller 124 to define one or more side edge vacuum
passageways 174
extending back towards the opening 127 of the suction conduit 128. Because the
leading roller
124 itself forms a seal with the surface 10 being cleaned, additional sealing
strips are
unnecessary along the front side 112. Although separate strips 170, 172 are
shown, one
continuous sealing strip may be used. The floor sealing strips 170, 172 may
enhance sealing
between the surface cleaning head 100 and the floor 10, thereby enhancing the
vacuum
efficiency.
[0059] The side edge vacuum passageways 174 may enhance the side edge
cleaning
efficiency of the surface cleaning head 100. Side edge vacuum passageways 174
draw in air
from the front 112 and the corner/sides 116a, 116b towards the suction conduit
128, thereby
enhancing edge cleaning as well as front cleaning. At least one of the side
edge vacuum
passageways 474 may also direct air into the inter-roller air passageway 146
between the leading
roller 124 and the brush roll 122 to facilitate removal of debris from the
leading roller 124. As
such, the side edge vacuum passageways 174 and the inter-roller air passageway
146 together
provide at least a portion of the primary air flow path (e.g., as indicated by
arrows 40) into the
suction conduit 128.
[0060] The side edge vacuum passageways 174 may be arranged at an
approximately 45
degree angle with respect the longitudinal axis of the housing 110. In other
embodiments, the
angle of the side edge vacuum passageways 174 may be within 30 to 60 degrees
with respect the
longitudinal axis of the housing 110. Although the side edge passageways are
shown as angled
straight passageways, other shapes and configurations (e.g., S shaped or
curved) are also possible
and within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0061] Referring to FIGS. 10-14D, a combing unit 1050 used for cleaning a
cleaning roller 1024
in a cleaning apparatus is described in greater detail. The cleaning roller
1024 may be rotatably
mounted in a housing, such as the surface cleaning head housing described
above, with the
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
combing unit 1050 engaging the cleaning roller 1024. The combing unit 1050
includes a series of
spaced combing protrusions or teeth 1052 extending from a back support 1051
and extending
partially into the cleaning roller 1024. Although the illustrated embodiment
shows the combing
unit 1050 with teeth 1052 extending from a single back support 1051, the
combing unit 1050
may also include teeth extending from multiple back supports.
[0062] The combing unit 1050 may extend along a substantial portion of a
length of the cleaning
roller 1024 (i.e., more than half) such that the combing teeth 1052 remove
debris from a
substantial portion of the cleaning surface of the cleaning roller 1024. In an
embodiment, the
combing teeth 1052 may engage the cleaning surface of the cleaning roller 1024
along, for
example, greater than 90% of a length of the cleaning surface of the cleaning
roller 1024. The
combing unit 1050 works particularly well with cleaning rollers that are
designed to move hair
and other similar debris away from a center of the roller 1024.
[0063] The combing teeth 1052 have angled leading edges 1053 that are not
aligned with a
rotation center 1023 of the cleaning roller 1024. The angled leading edges
1053 are the edges
that an incoming portion of the rotating cleaning roller 1024 hits first and
are directed toward or
into a direction of rotation (i.e., into arrow 1002) of the cleaning roller
1020. More specifically,
the leading edge 1053 of a combing tooth 1052 forms an acute angle a relative
to a line 1004
extending from an intersection point 1025 where the leading edge 1053
intersects with an outer
surface of the cleaning roller 1024 to the rotation center 1023. In some
embodiments, the angle
a is in a range of 50 to 50 and more specifically in a range of 20 to 30
and even more
specifically about 024 to 25 .
[0064] In some embodiments, the combing teeth 1052 are positioned as close
as possible to
the bottom contact point 1040 of the cleaning roller 1024 but high enough to
prevent being
caught on a surface being cleaned (e.g., a carpet). The combing teeth 1052,
for example, may be
positioned just above the lowest structure on the housing of a cleaning
apparatus. Positioning the
combing teeth 1052 closer to the bottom contact point 1040 of the cleaning
roller 1024 allows
debris to be intercepted and removed as soon as possible, thereby improving
debris removal.
[0065] In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 15A, the combing unit 1050 may
have other
orientations and positions relative to the cleaning roller 1024 (e.g., above
the rotation center
1023). In a robotic vacuum cleaner, for example, the combing unit 1050 may be
positioned
Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
higher to prevent the combing teeth 1052 from interfering with the debris
being deposited into a
dust bin 1060.
[0066] The combing teeth 1052 may extend into the cleaning roller 1024 to a
depth in a
range of 0% to 50% of the cleaning roller radius for a soft roller and 0% to
30% of the cleaning
roller radius for a tufted brush roll. In one embodiment, the cleaning roller
1024 is a soft roller
(e.g., nylon bristles with a diameter less than or equal to 0.15 mm and a
length greater than 3
mm) and the combing teeth 1052 extend into the soft cleaning roller 1024 in a
range of 15% to
35%. The combing protrusions 1052 may be positioned to provide a root gap or
spacing
between the back support 1051 and the outer surface of the cleaning roller
1024 such that air
may flow between the cleaning roller 1024 and the back support 1051 and
through the roots of
the combing teeth 1052. The air flow through the roots of the combing teeth
1052 may help to
dislodge debris that has been removed from the cleaning roller 1024 and to
direct the debris into
an air flow passageway toward a suction conduit of a cleaning apparatus. The
root gap may
have a width RG in a range of 1 to 3 mm and more specifically a range of 2 to
3 mm. The root
gap RG may extend across an entire length of the combing unit 1050, or a root
gap RG may be
formed only in one or more sections along the length of the combing unit 1050
to form air
channels only at those sections. In other embodiments, the back support 1051
of the combing
unit 1050 may contact the outer surface of the cleaning roller 1024 to provide
sealing and force
air to flow under the cleaning roller 1024.
[0067] In the illustrated embodiment (FIGS. 11 and 14D), the combing teeth
1052 have a
triangular-shaped "tooth" profile with a wider base or root 1054 having a root
width Wr and a tip
1056 having a diameter Dr. In general, the base or root 1054 may be wide
enough to prevent the
tooth 1052 from bending upward when contacted by the rotating cleaning roller
1024 and the tip
1056 may be sharp enough to catch the debris. In some embodiments, the tip
1056 may be
rounded with a diameter in the range of less than 3 mm and more specifically
in the range of 1 to
2 mm and even more specifically about 1.6 mm. The root width Wr may be in a
range of 5 to 6
mm.
[0068] In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 15B, combing teeth 1052' have a
curved
profile with curved leading edges 1053' forming a concave curve. In this
embodiment, a line
1006 extending from the curved leading edge 1053' at the tip 1056 forms an
angle a with the line
1004 extending from the intersection point 1025 to the rotation center 1023.
The combing teeth
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
1052' with curved edges may be positioned and spaced similar to the teeth 1052
with straight
leading edges 1053 as described and shown herein.
[0069] In some embodiments, the combing unit 1050 includes combing teeth
1052 spaced 4
to 16 teeth per inch and more specifically 7 to 9 teeth per inch. The combing
teeth 1052 may be
made of plastic or metal and may have a thickness that provides a desired
rigidity to prevent
bending when engaged with the rotating cleaning roller 1024. In some
embodiments, the
combing teeth 1052 may have a thickness in a range of .5 to 2 mm depending
upon the material.
In one example, the combing teeth 1052 are made of plastic and have a
thickness of 0.8 mm, a
spacing S of about 2.4 mm, and a center-to-center spacing Sc of about 3.3 mm.
[0070] Although the combing unit 1050 is shown with combing teeth 1052
having an equal
spacing, a combing unit 1050 may also include teeth 1052 with different
spacings including, for
example, groups of equally spaced teeth. The combing unit 1050 may include a
section at the
center of the cleaning roller 1024 with no teeth and groups of combing teeth
1052 proximate
ends of the cleaning roller 1024 where the hair and similar debris migrates
during rotation.
Although the combing unit 1050 is shown with teeth 1052 having the same shape
or tooth profile
and dimensions, the combing unit 1050 may include teeth of different shapes,
profiles
dimensions and configurations at different locations along the combing unit
1050.
[0071] FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate examples of two different types of vacuum
cleaners 1600,
1700 that may include a surface cleaning head 1602, 1702 with dual agitators
including a leading
roller 1624, 1724 and a combing unit (not shown), consistent with the
embodiments described
herein. The surface cleaning head 1602 with the leading roller 1624 may be
used on an upright
vacuum cleaner 1600 with a removable canister 1601 coupled to a wand 1604,
such as the type
described in U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2015/0351596. The surface
cleaning head 1702
with the leading roller 1724 may be used on a stick type vacuum cleaner 1700
with a removable
handheld vacuum 1701 coupled at one end of a wand 1704, such as the type
described in U.S.
Patent Application Pub. No. 2015/0135474.
[0072] FIG. 18 illustrates a robotic vacuum cleaner 1800 that includes a
housing 1810 and a
cleaning roller 1824 with a combing unit (not shown) as disclosed herein. The
robotic vacuum
cleaner 1800 may also include one or more wheels 1830 for moving about a
surface to be
cleaned. An example of the combing unit used in a robotic vacuum cleaner is
disclosed in
greater detail in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/469,853, filed March 10,
2017.
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
[0073]
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.
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.
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Date Regue/Date Received 2021-05-28
