Vacuum Brush

• US 20140317879A1
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Granted Patent: US 10,314,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/383
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0427 Gearing or transmission means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0455 Bearing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls

Abstract

A rotating cleaning element configured to be inserted in a cleaning head compartment of a robotic vacuum, the rotating cleaning element including: a drive end including a drive protrusion configured to engage a drive mechanism of the cleaning head compartment; a bearing end and a shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the bearing end to lessen an amount of hair and similar matter that reaches the bearing; and a central member extending between the bearing end and the drive end.

Claims

1. A cleaning element comprising:

a central member defining a longitudinal axis and having a drive end portion and a bearing end portion, the bearing end portion comprising;

a cylindrical sleeve; and

a circular flange extending radially outwardly from the sleeve;

a shroud surrounding at least a portion of the bearing end portion, the shroud comprising walls arranged to define an interior space of the shroud; and

a guard extending radially outwardly from the sleeve into the interior space of the shroud, the guard dividing the interior space of the shroud into first and second reservoirs spaced along the longitudinal axis.

2. The rotating cleaning element of claim 1, wherein the circular flange, the guard and the shroud define the first reservoir.

3. The cleaning element of claim 2, wherein the shroud comprises:

a first wall disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis;

a second wall extending generally perpendicular from the first wall;

a third wall extending generally perpendicular from the second wall; and

a fourth wall extending generally perpendicular from the third wall, the first, second, third and fourth wall defining an interior space of the shroud; and

4. The cleaning element of claim 3, wherein the first reservoir is defined between the circular flange, the first wall of the shroud, the second wall of the shroud, a portion of the third wall of the shroud, the guard, and the sleeve.

5. The cleaning element of claim 3, wherein the circular flange, the first wall of the shroud, the second wall of the shroud, and the sleeve define the second reservoir.

6. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein the central member comprises a brush cage disposed between the drive end portion and the bearing end portion, the brush cage and the circular flange of the bearing end portion defining a recess, the shroud extending over the recess.

7. The cleaning element of claim 6, wherein the bearing end defines a labyrinth passage between the recess and the reservoirs at an outer diameter of the circular flange.

8. The cleaning element of claim 7, wherein the recess and the first reservoir define a first labyrinth passage at an outer diameter of the circular flange.

9. The cleaning element of claim 8, wherein the first reservoir and the second reservoir define a second labyrinth passage at an outer diameter of the guard.

10. A cleaning element comprising:

a central member having a drive end and hearing end, the central member defining a longitudinal axis; and

a shroud surrounding at least a portion of the bearing end;

wherein the drive end comprises a retention device configured to limit axial motion of the cleaning element, the retention device including interlocking members configured to engage one or more recess in a drive gear that engages the drive protrusion, each interlocking member having a proximal end attached to the central member and extending to an unattached distal end defining a retention feature configured to releasably engage a recess defined by the drive end of the cleaning element.

11. A cleaning head subsystem for a robotic vacuum, the cleaning head subsystem comprising:

a cleaning head compartment;

a cleaning element assembly disposed within the cleaning head compartment, the cleaning element assembly including a brush;

a gearbox comprising a brush drive gear to drive the brush; and

a shroud surrounding at least one of the brush drive gear, the shroud comprising;

a first wall disposed generally parallel to a central axis of the central member;

a second wall extending generally perpendicular from the first wall;

a third wall extending generally perpendicular from the second wall; and

a fourth wall extending generally perpendicular from the third wall, the first, second, third and fourth wall define the interior of the shroud.

12. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 11, further comprising a guard extending outwardly from the sleeve into the interior wall of the shroud, the guard dividing the interior space of the shroud into first and second reservoirs spaced along the longitudinal axis.

13. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 12, wherein the circular flange, the guard and the shroud define the first reservoir.

14. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 13, wherein the first reservoir is defined between the circular flange, the first wall of the shroud, the second wall of the shroud, a portion of the third wall of the shroud, the guard, and the sleeve.

15. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 12, wherein the circular flange, the first wall of the shroud, the second wall of the shroud, and the sleeve define the second reservoir.

16. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 12, wherein the central member comprises a brush cage disposed between the drive end portion and the bearing end portion, the brush cage and the circular flange of the bearing end portion defining a recess, the first wall of the shroud extending over the recess.

17. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 16, wherein the bearing end defines a labyrinth passage between the recess and the reservoirs at an outer diameter of the circular flange.

18. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 17, wherein the recess and the first reservoir define a first labyrinth passage at an outer diameter of the circular flange.

19. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 18, wherein the first reservoir and the second reservoir define a second labyrinth passage at an outer diameter of the guard.