Tool For a Surface Treating Appliance

• US 20080178419A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Courtney, Stephen Benjamin, Cameron, James Elliott, Byatt, Nicholas George
• Granted Patent: US 8,720,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/363
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0416 driven by fluid pressure, e.g. by means of an air turbine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49822 by applying force

Abstract

A tool for a surface treating appliance, such as a vacuum cleaner, includes a housing having a suction opening. An agitator, such as a brush bar, is rotatably located in the suction opening of the housing. The interior of such a tool can get blocked due to large objects being drawn in through the suction opening, or else by threads and fibres becoming tangled in the brush bar. The brush bar may be removed through the suction opening for replacement or repair. A portion of the housing may also be removable to clear the way for the user to access a narrow opening in the neck of the tool which may be prone to blockage.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A tool for a surface treating appliance comprising a housing, an agitator in the housing and a suction opening, in which the agitator is removable, by means of a lever, through the suction opening.

19. A tool as claimed in claim 18, in which the lever is associated with a catch for releasing the agitator from a predetermined position in the housing.

20. A tool as claimed in claim 18 or 19, in which the lever communicates with a flange arranged to locate the agitator in a predetermined position in the housing.

21. A tool as claimed in claim 20, in which the flange comprises an end cap in which an end portion of the agitator is rotatably arranged.

22. A tool as claimed in claim 20, in which a region of the flange is arranged to co-operate with a region of the housing to provide a pivot point for rotatably removing the agitator.

23. A tool as claimed in claim 18 or 19, in which the lever forms part of a sole plate associated with the suction opening.

24. A tool as claimed in claim 18 or 19, in which a portion of the housing is removable.

25. A tool as claimed in claim 24, in which the removable portion is releasable from the housing against the force of a resilient member.

26. A tool as claimed in claim 18 or 19, in which at least a portion of the housing is transparent.

27. A tool as claimed in claim 18 or 19, in which the agitator comprises a brush bar or beater.

28. A tool as claimed in claim 18 or 19, further comprising a turbine for driving the agitator.

29. A surface treating appliance incorporating a tool as claimed in claim 18 or 19.

30. A surface treating appliance as claimed in claim 29, in the form of a vacuum cleaner.

32. A tool as claimed in claim 21, in which a region of the flange is arranged to co-operate with a region of the housing to provide a pivot point for rotatably removing the agitator.

33. A tool as claimed in claim 22, in which the lever forms part of a sole plate associated with the suction opening.

34. A tool as claimed in claim 20, in which a region of the flange is arranged to co-operate with a region of the housing to provide a pivot point for rotatably removing the agitator and a portion of the housing is removable.

35. A tool as claimed in claim 34, in which the removable portion is releasable from the housing against the force of a resilient member.

36. A tool as claimed in claim 20, in which at least a portion of the housing is transparent.

37. A tool as claimed in claim 20, in which a region of the flange is arranged to co-operate with a region of the housing to provide a pivot point for rotatably removing the agitator and the agitator comprises a brush bar or beater.

38. A tool as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a turbine for driving the agitator and in which a region of the flanged to co-operate with a region of the housing to provide a pivot point for rotatably removing the agitator.

31. A method of releasing an agitator from a tool of a surface treating appliance, comprising leverably removing the agitator from the housing through the suction opening of the tool.