Vacuum cleaner with reversible rotary agitator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
- a cannister assembly including a collection vessel;
a suction generator;
a nozzle assembly, said nozzle assembly including a housing defining an agitator cavity and an agitator mounted in the agitator cavity for rotation (a) in a first direction for drawing said nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction for drawing said nozzle assembly rearward;
a drive motor for driving said agitator; and
an actuator for controlling operation of said drive motor and rotation direction of said agitator.
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Abstract
A vacuum cleaner includes a cannister assembly, a nozzle assembly, and a suction generator that draws air, dust, dirt and debris from a surface to be cleaned through the nozzle assembly to a collection vessel. A rotary agitator carried on the nozzle assembly is driven by a motor in a forward or a rearward direction. Depending upon the direction of rotation, the rotary agitator propels the nozzle assembly in the forward or rearward direction.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
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a cannister assembly including a collection vessel;
a suction generator;
a nozzle assembly, said nozzle assembly including a housing defining an agitator cavity and an agitator mounted in the agitator cavity for rotation (a) in a first direction for drawing said nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction for drawing said nozzle assembly rearward;
a drive motor for driving said agitator; and
an actuator for controlling operation of said drive motor and rotation direction of said agitator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A nozzle assembly of a vacuum cleaner, comprising:
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a housing defining an agitator cavity;
an agitator mounted in said agitator cavity for rotation (a) in a first direction for drawing the nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction for drawing the nozzle assembly rearward;
a drive motor for driving said agitator in either of said first direction and said second direction; and
an actuator for controlling operation of said drive motor and rotation direction of said agitator. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of propelling a nozzle assembly of a vacuum cleaner having a power driven agitator in a desired forward or rearward direction, comprising:
selectively rotating said agitator (a) in a first direction to draw said nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction to draw said nozzle assembly rearward. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
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a nozzle assembly including an agitator cavity and at least one rotary agitator mounted for rotation in the agitator cavity (a) in a first direction for drawing said nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction for drawing said nozzle assembly rearward;
a cannister assembly connected to said nozzle assembly;
a suction generator carried on one of said nozzle assembly and cannister assembly;
a drive motor for driving said at least one agitator, said drive motor being carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said cannister assembly; and
an actuator for controlling operation of said drive motor and rotation direction of said at least one agitator, said actuator being carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said cannister assembly. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification