SUPPORT ASSEMBLY

• US 20090300875A1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Inge, Douglas Andrew, Courtney, Stephen Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/354
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings

Abstract

A support assembly for a surface treating appliance includes a central roller arranged to engage a surface and outer rollers at either end of the central roller. The rollers together define a rolling support surface, and the outer rollers rotate about an axis spaced from the rotational axis of the central roller. This arrangement of rollers provides a rolling support surface over a wide range of motions, and spacing the rotational axes of the rollers permits the rollers to be arranged relative to one another to define a region into which components of the appliance are mountable.

Claims

1. A support assembly for a surface treating appliance or a surface treating head, comprising a plurality of rollers in combination defining a rolling support surface, the rollers comprising a central roller arranged to engage a floor surface and a pair of outer rollers at opposite ends of the central roller, each outer roller having a rotational axis spaced from a rotational axis of the central roller.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outer rollers have a common rotational axis.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when the support assembly engages a surface such that the rotational axis of the central roller is substantially parallel to the surface, the rotational axis of each outer roller is further above the surface than is the rotational axis of the central roller.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the maximum diameter of the central roller is smaller than the maximum diameter of each outer roller.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the central roller has a smaller diameter at each end portion than at the central portion.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each outer roller has a smaller diameter at its end portion remote from the central roller than at its end portion adjacent the central roller.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the rollers comprises a plurality of roller members.

9. A surface treating appliance comprising the support assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, a main body having a longitudinal axis and a surface-treating head, the support assembly being arranged to roll with respect to the main body for allowing the appliance to be rolled along a surface.

10. An appliance as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rollers of the support assembly delimit a region housing a component.

11. An appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the component comprises a fluid flow conduit.

12. An appliance as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a stand moveable between a supporting position, in which it supports the main body, and a stored position, wherein the component comprises an actuating mechanism arranged to urge the stand between the supporting and stored positions.

13. An appliance as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a user-operable pedal arranged to communicate with the actuating mechanism such that depressing the pedal brings the stand out of the supporting position.

14. An appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the component comprises a changeover mechanism arranged to allow fluid flow either from the surface-treating head or from a hose located on the main body.

15. An appliance as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rolling support surface lies in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main body.

16. An appliance as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one rotational axis of the support assembly is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the main body.

17. An appliance as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a linkage between the main body and the surface treating head arranged such that rotating the main body about its longitudinal axis causes the surface treating head to turn in a new direction.

18. An appliance according to claim 17, wherein the linkage is arranged to allow the surface treating head to remain substantially in contact with the surface as the main body is rotated about its longitudinal axis.

20. A surface treating head comprising the support assembly as claimed in claim 1.

21. A head as claimed in claim 20, wherein the rollers of the support assembly delimit a region housing a component.

22. A head as claimed in claim 21, wherein the component comprises a fluid flow conduit.

23. A head as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a neck adapted to be connectable to the wand or hose of a surface treating appliance.

24. A head as claimed in claim 23, wherein the rolling support surface lies in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the neck.

25. A head as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least one rotational axis of the support assembly is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the neck.

26. A head as claimed in claim 23, further comprising a joint arranged such that rotating the neck about its longitudinal axis causes the surface treating head to turn in a new direction.

27. A head as claimed in claim 26, wherein the joint is arranged to allow the surface treating head to remain substantially in contact with the surface as the neck is rotated about its longitudinal axis.

8. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

28-30. -30. (canceled)