CLEANER HEAD FOR A VACUUM CLEANER

Abstract

A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner has a housing, an agitator mounted within the housing, and a drive mechanism for driving the agitator about a first axis A. The drive mechanism is mounted to the housing for rotation about a second axis R. The second axis R is offset from the first axis A. When the agitator is brought into contact with a surface to be cleaned, the surface exerts a reaction torque on the agitator that causes the drive mechanism to rotate about the second axis R.

Claims

1. A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner, the cleaner head comprising a housing, an agitator mounted within the housing, and a drive mechanism for driving the agitator about a first axis, wherein the drive mechanism is mounted to the housing for rotation about a second axis, the second axis is offset from the first axis, and when the agitator is brought into contact with a surface to be cleaned, the surface exerts a reaction torque on the agitator that causes the drive mechanism to rotate about the second axis.

2. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the agitator is hollow, and the drive mechanism is housed at least partially within the agitator.

3. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism and the agitator comprise a common central longitudinal axis such that the drive mechanism and the agitator are concentrically arranged within the housing, and the first axis comprises the common central longitudinal axis.

4. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the second axis is located behind the first axis.

5. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the cleaner head comprises a stop mechanism for restricting rotation of the drive mechanism about the second axis.

6. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein rotation of the drive mechanism about the second axis is restricted such that the entirety of the agitator, or the entirety of the agitator save for bristles of the agitator, is contained within the housing when the drive mechanism is at a position of minimum height within the housing.

7. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the main body of the agitator extends out of the housing when the drive mechanism is at a position of minimum height with the housing.

8. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises first and second ends, and each of the first and second ends is rotatably connected to the housing such that the drive mechanism is rotatable about the second axis.

9. The cleaner head of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the drive mechanism rigidly connects the first and second ends.

10. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the cleaner head comprises a biasing mechanism which exerts a biasing torque on the drive mechanism that acts in a first direction about the second axis, and when the agitator is brought into contact with a surface to be cleaned, the reaction torque on the drive mechanism acts in a second opposite direction about the second axis.

11. The cleaner head of claim 10, wherein the biasing torque is at least one of opposite to and equal to a reaction torque experienced by the drive mechanism in use.

12. The cleaner head of claim 10, wherein the biasing torque retains the drive mechanism at an initial position of minimum height of the drive mechanism within the housing in the absence of an experienced reaction torque.

13. The cleaner head of claim 10, wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one spigot defining the second axis, and the biasing mechanism is connected to the at least one spigot such that the biasing mechanism is able to transmit the biasing torque about the second axis.

14. The cleaner head of claim 10, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a resiliently deformable member held under tension.

15. The cleaner head of claim 14, wherein the resiliently deformable member comprises at least one spring.

16. The cleaner head of claim 15, wherein the at least one spring comprises a single spring.

17. The cleaner head of claim 15, wherein the at least one spring comprises a coil spring.

18. The cleaner head of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a chamber within which the agitator and drive mechanism are mounted, a dirty air inlet in fluid communication with the chamber, and a further chamber within which the biasing mechanism is located.

19. A vacuum cleaner comprising the cleaner head of claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] In order to better understand the present invention, and to show more clearly how the invention may be put into effect, various aspects of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings:

[0041] FIG. 1 is an upper front perspective view of a cleaner head according to various aspects of the present invention;

[0042] FIG. 2 is a rotated perspective view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 3 is a lower rear perspective view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1;

[0044] FIG. 4 is an upper front perspective view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with its front wall removed;

[0045] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an agitator of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 in isolation;

[0046] FIG. 6 is a front view of a drive mechanism of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 in isolation;

[0047] FIG. 7 is a schematic end view of the drive mechanism of FIG. 6;

[0048] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the drive mechanism of FIG. 6 taken along a central longitudinal axis of the drive mechanism;

[0049] FIG. 9 is a front view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with its front wall removed;

[0050] FIG. 10 is a second upper front perspective view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with its front wall removed;

[0051] FIG. 11 is a first schematic front view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with stop pins in place;

[0052] FIG. 12 is a second schematic front view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with stop pins in place;

[0053] FIG. 13 is a third upper front perspective view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with the drive mechanism at a mid-point within the housing;

[0054] FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating the drive mechanism and biasing mechanism of the cleaner head of FIG. 1;

[0055] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interaction between the drive mechanism and biasing mechanism of the cleaner head of FIG. 1;

[0056] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating torques which act on the drive mechanism of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 in use;

[0057] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating the movement of the drive mechanism within the cleaner head of FIG. 1 in use;

[0058] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a position of minimum height of the agitator of the cleaner head of FIG. 1;

[0059] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram illustrating a position of medium height of the agitator of the cleaner head of FIG. 1;

[0060] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating a position of maximum height of the agitator of the cleaner head of FIG. 1;

[0061] FIG. 21 is a third upper front perspective view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with the drive mechanism at a maximum within the housing;

[0062] FIG. 22 is a third schematic front view of the cleaner head of FIG. 1 with stop pins in place;

[0063] FIG. 23 is a schematic view of a vacuum cleaner according to various aspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0064] A cleaner head according to various aspects of the present invention, generally designated 10, is shown in FIGS. 1-4, 9-13, and 21-22. The cleaner head 10 has a housing 12, an agitator in the form of a brushbar 14, a drive mechanism 16, and a biasing mechanism 18.

[0065] The housing 12 is formed of a front wall 20, a rear wall 22, an upper wall 24, a soleplate 26, first 28 and second 30 side walls, and a dividing wall 32.

[0066] Collectively, the rear wall 22, upper wall 24, soleplate 26, first 28 and second 30 side walls, and the dividing wall 32, define an agitator chamber 34. The agitator chamber 34 has substantially the same shape as the brushbar 14, and is generally cylindrical in form. The agitator chamber 34 is, however, somewhat larger than the brushbar 14, and is dimensioned to enable the brushbar 14 to move within the agitator chamber 34 in use, both in an upward/downward and forward/rearward direction. The soleplate 26 has an aperture formed therein, which defines a dirty air inlet 36 of the agitator chamber 34.

[0067] Collectively, the front wall 20, soleplate 26, first 28 and second 30 side walls, and the dividing wall 32, define a front chamber 38. The front chamber 38 is shaped and dimensioned to house a spring 80 and cable 82 of the biasing mechanism 18. The front chamber 38 is substantially sealed from the agitator chamber 34 and the dirty air inlet 36, such that debris is prevented from entering the front chamber 38 in use. The front wall 20 is removable to allow access to the front chamber 38, for example to enable maintenance of the biasing mechanism 18.

[0068] The rear wall 22 has a dirty air outlet 23, leading to a connection mechanism 25 for connecting the cleaner head 10 to a vacuum cleaner 100 in use. The cleaner head 10 has a pair of wheels 27, located between the dirty air outlet 23 and the connection mechanism 25, which facilitate movement of the cleaner head 10 across a surface to be cleaned in use. The upper wall 24 has an optional viewing window 21 which may allow a user to view the brushbar 14 in use. Although not shown, the viewing window 21 comprises a transparent piece of plastic which defines part of the agitator chamber 34, such that the upper end of the agitator chamber 34 is enclosed. The soleplate 26 has a further pair of wheels 29 which also facilitate movement of the cleaner head 10 across a surface to be cleaned in use. The soleplate 26 has a flexible member 31 which contacts a surface to be cleaned in use, and may assist with sealing between the cleaner head 10 and the surface.

[0069] The second side wall 30 has an end cap 40, and the end cap 40 is removable to allow the brushbar 14 and/or the drive mechanism 16 to be removed from the agitator chamber 34 for maintenance.

[0070] The brushbar 14 is shown in isolation in FIG. 5. The brushbar 14 has a main body 42 and four strips 44 of bristles. The main body 14 is substantially cylindrical in form, and has a hollow interior 46. The main body 42 is shaped and dimensioned such that substantially the entirety of the drive mechanism 16 can be received within the hollow interior 46. Each of the four strips 44 of bristles is spaced evenly about the circumference of the main body 14, and each of the four strips 44 extends through 360 degrees about an outer surface of the main body 14. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the number of strips 44, the length of the bristles, and the material of the bristles, may be varied to achieve desired agitation of a surface to be cleaned in use. In a presently preferred embodiment, the bristles are formed of nylon. As seen in FIG. 5, further bristle strips, eg carbon fibre bristle strips, can be inserted into appropriate slots formed in the main body 42 of the brushbar 14. It will be recognised that the additional slots can be removed if further bristle strips are not desired.

[0071] The drive mechanism 16 is shown in isolation in FIGS. 6 and 8. The drive mechanism 16 has first 48 and second 50 end spigots, a drive housing 52, a motor 54, first 56 and second 58 planet carriers, planet gears 59 a sun gear 60, a ring gear 62, a drive dog 64, and first 66 and second 68 drive bearings.

[0072] The first 48 and second 50 end spigots are generally tubular in form, and are offset from a common central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14. An outer surface of the first end spigot 48 has a drum-like collection member 70, about which a cable 82 of the biasing mechanism 18 can wind and unwind in use. The first 48 and second 50 end spigots are mounted to fixed points of the first side wall 28 and the end cap 40 by bearings 51, such that the first 48 and second 50 end spigots can rotate relative to the housing 12, within the agitator chamber 34 in use. The offset nature of the first 48 and second 50 end spigots means that the drive mechanism 16, and hence the brushbar 14, can move in upward/downward and forward/backward directions within the agitator chamber 34 in use.

[0073] The first 48 and second 50 end spigots define a rotational axis R of the drive mechanism 16. Due to the offset nature of the first 48 and second 50 end spigots from the common central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14, the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14 rotate about the rotational axis R of the drive mechanism 16 in an eccentric manner in use. The first 48 and second 50 offset spigots are positioned such that the defined rotational axis R is located rearward of the common central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14, thereby ensuring that any reaction torque experienced drives the brushbar 14 upward within the agitator chamber 34 rather than downward. A schematic view of the end spigots 48,50 and the rotational axes A,R is shown in FIG. 7, with the arrow D representing the direction of movement of the cleaner head 10 in a forward direction away from a user in use, and the arrow RT representing a reaction torque experienced by the drive mechanism 16.

[0074] The drive housing 52 is generally tubular in form, extends from the first end spigot 48, and houses the motor 54 and at least a portion of the first planet carrier 56. The motor 54 is conventional in form, and provides a rotating output force to the sun gear 60 in use. Planet pins 72 rigidly connect the first 56 and second 58 planet carriers, and the second planet carrier 58 is rigidly connected to the second end spigot 50. The sun gear 60 is located between the first 56 and second 58 planet carriers, and is attached to the ring gear 62 via planet gears 59, whilst the ring gear 62 is in turn rigidly connected to the drive dog 64.

[0075] The drive mechanism 16 is configured such that the first 56 and second 58 planet carriers are stationary, whilst the ring gear 62 spins about the planet gears 59 as the planet gears 59 spin about their own axes, ie the planet gears 59 do not rotate about the sun gear 60. This enables a rigid connection between the first 48 and second 50 end spigots, which may retain the drive mechanism 16 and/or brushbar 14 substantially parallel to a surface to be cleaned when the drive mechanism 16 rotates about the rotational axis R in use.

[0076] In use, the sun gear 60 transmits the motor torque to the ring gear 62 via the planet gears 59, such that the drive dog 64 can cause rotation of the brushbar 14 about the common central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14. The first 66 and second 68 drive bearings facilitate rotation of the brushbar 14 in use.

[0077] The drive mechanism 16 is located within the hollow interior 46 of the main body 42 of the brushbar 14, such that the drive mechanism 16 is protected from debris flowing into the agitator chamber 34 through the dirty air inlet 36 in use. In a presently preferred embodiment, the brushbar 14 covers the extent of the drive mechanism 16 located between the bearings 51. The drive mechanism 16 acts to position the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34, and rotation of the drive mechanism 16 about the rotational axis R can move the brushbar within the agitator chamber 34.

[0078] The drive mechanism 16 is connected to first 74 and second 76 stop members for engaging stop pins 78 formed on the cleaner head 10. In a presently preferred embodiment, the first 74 and second 76 stop members extend from ends of the respective first 48 and second 50 end spigots respectively. The stop pins 78 are shown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 22, and although the stop pins 78 are shown schematically as formed on an external surface of the cleaner head 10, and the first 74 and second 76 stop members are shown as extending outwardly from the cleaner head 10, it is also envisaged that the stop members 74,76 and the stop pins 78 can be located internally of the cleaner head 10. The first 74 and second 76 stop members and the stop pins 78 act to limit rotation of the drive mechanism 16 about the rotational axis R, and hence act to limit movement of the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34 in use.

[0079] In the presently preferred embodiment, the stop members 74,76 and stop pins 78 are configured to restrict rotation to a range of 100, from 40 to 140 measured relative to an axis perpendicular to a surface to be cleaned in use. This provides a smooth change in height of the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34 with rotation of the drive mechanism 16. In a presently preferred embodiment, the offset between the rotational axis R, and the common central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism and the brushbar 14, is 3 mm. This would usually allow for a 6 mm range of motion between upper and lower positions of the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34. However, restriction of motion to the range of angles identified above may limit the range of motion between upper and lower positions of the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34 to a distance of 4.6 mm.

[0080] The biasing mechanism 18 comprises a coil spring 80, a cable 82, a pulley 84, and the drum-like collection member 70 of the first end spigot 48. A schematic view of the biasing mechanism 18 can be seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, where the line RT represents reaction torque experienced by the drive mechanism in use, and RF represents the restorative force of the coil spring 80 converted into a torque about the rotational axis R.

[0081] The coil spring 80 is a conventional coil spring, and is fixedly mounted at a first end 86 within the front chamber 38. The second end 88 of the coil spring 80 is connected to the cable 82. The coil spring 80 can be chosen to have a desired spring constant depending on the force the coil spring 80 is intended to produce.

[0082] The cable 82 is an inextensible cable, and can, for example, be fishing line or the like. It is presently preferred that the cable 82 is coated to reduce friction which may occur when the cable 82 moves within the cleaner head 10 in use. A first end 90 of the cable 82 is connected to the second end 88 of the coil spring 80 by a connection member 83, whilst a second end 92 of the cable 82 is connected to the drum-like collection member 70 of the first end spigot 48, such that at least a portion of the cable 82 is wound around the drum-like collection member 70 at all times. The cable 82 passes about the pulley 84 as it runs between the coil spring 80 and the drum-like collection member 70, and extends through channels (not-shown) in the housing 12 located in the path between the coil spring 80 and the drum-like collection member 70.

[0083] The cable 82 is wound around the drum-like collection member 70 such that the coil spring 80 is held in a high pre-loaded condition in the absence of any other applied forces. The cable 82 converts a restorative force of the coil spring 80 to a biasing torque on the drum-like collection member 70, and hence also to a torque on the drive mechanism 16 about the rotational axis R. The cable 82 is wound about the drum-like collection member 70 such that the biasing torque applied by the coil spring 80 about the rotational axis R is a force in a direction which opposes a reaction torque experienced when the brush bar 14 contacts a surface to be cleaned in use, ie the coil spring 80 generates a rotational force about the rotational axis R which is in a direction generally corresponding to the direction of rotation of the brushbar 14 about the common central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34 in use.

[0084] The highly pre-loaded nature of the coil spring 80 means that any extension of the coil spring 80 results only in a small increase in the restorative force of the coil spring. Thus any increase in restorative force caused by winding of the cable 82 onto the drum-like collection member, in turn caused by rotation of the drive mechanism 16 due to the experienced reaction torque, may be sufficiently small that the force provided by the coil spring can be thought of as substantially constant. Furthermore, the drum-like collection member 70 has a non-circular, elliptical cross-sectional shape, which also acts to minimise any variation in the restorative force of the coil spring 80 in use.

[0085] In the presently preferred embodiment, the initial position of the drive mechanism 16 and brushbar 14 is a position of minimum height within the agitator chamber 34, ie a position in which the distance between a surface to be cleaned and the brushbar 14 measured in a direction orthogonal to the surface to be cleaned is at a minimum. The drive mechanism 16, and hence the brushbar 14, are prevented from moving any closer to the surface to be cleaned by engagement of the first 74 and second 76 stop members with lowermost stop pins 78, as seen in FIG. 11. In the initial position, only the bristles of the brushbar 14 extend through the dirty air inlet 36 past the soleplate 26, and this may prevent the main body 42 of the brushbar 14 from contacting and damaging certain surfaces to be cleaned, for example a hard floor, in use.

[0086] Operation of the cleaner head will now be described, with reference to FIGS. 9-22.

[0087] When it is desired to use the cleaner head 10, the cleaner head 10 is connected to a vacuum cleaner 100, and the cleaner head 10 is lowered onto a floor surface to be cleaned. Prior to the cleaner head 10 contacting the surface, the brushbar 14 is held at an initial minimum position within the agitator chamber 34, as seen in FIGS. 9-11 and 18. As the brushbar 14 rotates within the agitator chamber 34 about the central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14, and contacts the surface, a reaction torque is experienced by the drive mechanism 16 in a direction opposite to the rotation of the brushbar 14.

[0088] Where the reaction torque is not balanced with the restorative force provided by the pre-loaded coil spring, ie when the reaction torque about the rotational axis R is greater than the biasing torque provided about the rotational axis R, the drive mechanism 16 will rotate about the rotational axis R in a direction generally opposite to the rotation of the brushbar 14. As previously discussed, the first 48 and second 50 offset spigots are positioned such that the rotational axis R is located rearward of the common central longitudinal axis A of the drive mechanism 16 and the brushbar 14, so that the drive mechanism 16 rotates about the rotational axis R in an eccentric manner, and the reaction torque experienced drives the brushbar 14 upward within the agitator chamber 34, as seen in FIG. 17. In FIG. 17, MIN represents an initial minimum position of the brushbar 14, MID represents a position of medium height of the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34, and MAX represents a position of maximum height of the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34.

[0089] As the drive mechanism 16 rotates about the rotational axis R in a direction generally opposite to the rotation of the brushbar 14, more of the length of the cable 82 is wound onto the drum-like collection member 70 of the first end spigot 48, as shown schematically in FIG. 15. However, the high pre-loading of the coil spring 80 means that the variation in length of the coil spring 80 only produces a small variation in force, such that the restorative force of the coil spring 80 can be thought of as substantially constant. As the cable 82 passes around the pulley 84 and onto the drum-like collection member 70, the cable 82 converts the restorative force of the coil spring 80 into a biasing torque about the rotational axis R which opposes the reaction torque. As the drive mechanism 16 moves upward within the agitator chamber 34, the experienced reaction torque decreases as the brushbar 14 moves out of contact with the surface, until the experienced reaction torque to is equal to the restorative force of the coil spring 80, ie until the experienced reaction torque is equal to the biasing torque.

[0090] At this point, rotation of the drive mechanism 16 about the rotational axis R ceases, and the drive mechanism 16, and hence the brushbar 14, are held at a fixed height within the agitator chamber 34. A schematic force diagram is shown in FIG. 16. As the restorative force of the coil spring 80, converted into a biasing torque about the rotational axis R, is substantially constant, and the drive mechanism 16 is able to move within the agitator chamber 34 until the experienced reaction torque is equal to the restorative force of the coil spring 80, the experienced reaction torque is also substantially constant, irrespective of the surface upon which the cleaner head 10 is used. This may enable the cleaner head to have a substantially constant power draw across all surfaces. A configuration in which the restorative force of the coil spring 80 is equal to the experienced reaction torque can be seen in FIGS. 12-13 and 19.

[0091] The biasing mechanism 18 ensures a constant power draw both as the cleaner head 10 is moved backward and forward across the surface in use, and indeed where the cleaner head 10 is used on different surfaces.

[0092] As the variation of power draw on different surfaces to be cleaned no longer needs to be taken into account, the drive mechanism 16 may operate closer to its chosen optimum operating point than in cleaner heads known in the art. This may increase the pick-up performance of the cleaner head 10 relative to known cleaner heads. Furthermore, the cleaner head 10 may reduce or remove any variations in power draw that typically occur as a result of varying bristle height due to manufacturing tolerances.

[0093] Where the reaction torque experienced by the drive mechanism is insufficient to match the restorative force of the coil spring 80 in its pre-loaded position, the drive mechanism 16, and hence the agitator 14, is held at its initial position of minimum height within the agitator chamber 34.

[0094] A position of maximum height of the brushbar 14 within the agitator chamber 34 is shown in FIGS. 20-22, and in this position the coil spring 80 is at a maximum extended position within the front chamber 38.