REMOVABLE ROTATABLE DRIVEN AGITATOR FOR SURFACE CLEANING HEAD

• US 20160220084A1
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC (JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC (JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited)
• Inventors: HUTCHINSON, Peter, XU, Kai, XU, AiMing, D'AMICO, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,226,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0405 Driving means for the brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0444 for conveying motion by endless flexible members, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0455 Bearing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls

Abstract

A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.

Claims

1. A removable rotatable agitator assembly for use in a surface cleaning head of a vacuum, the removable rotatable agitator assembly comprising:

an agitator body having a driven end and a non-driven end;

at least one agitating element located on at least a portion of the agitator body between the driven end and the non-driven end;

a driven member located at the driven end of the agitator body, the driven member being configured to mate axially and engage with a drive member on a drive mechanism in the surface cleaning head;

an axle extending from the non-driven end of the agitator body and fixed within the agitator body such that the axle rotates with the agitator body;

a bushing rotatably mounted on the axle; and

an end cap mounted on the bushing and configured to be mounted without rotation in an agitator chamber of the surface cleaning head, wherein the end cap secures the bushing such that the axle rotates within the bushing and the agitator body spins about an axis of rotation, wherein the end cap includes a tab extending radially outward and configured to be gripped by a user applying a radially outward force to facilitate removing and inserting the non-driven end laterally into an agitator chamber.

3. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 1, wherein the end cap is removably mounted on the bushing with a friction fit.

4. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 3, wherein the end cap includes an elastomeric ring for engaging the bushing with the friction fit.

5. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 1, wherein the end cap includes an elastomeric pad for engaging an engaging structure on an external cover in a closed position on the surface cleaning head.

6. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 1, wherein the end cap includes stabilizing structures configured to be keyed to corresponding structures in the agitator chamber in a particular orientation.

8. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 1, wherein the driven member is a splined driven member, wherein the splined driven member includes wedge-shaped spline teeth.

9. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 8, wherein the wedge-shaped spline teeth have tapered sides.

10. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 8, wherein the wedge-shaped spline teeth have chamfered radial faces extending at least partially in a radial direction and tapering inwardly and forming an acute angle relative to a radial line, the chamfered radial faces being located at outer ends of the wedge-shaped spline teeth.

13. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the rotatable agitator is a brush roll.

14. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 1, wherein the agitating element includes bristles extending substantially radially from the agitator body.

15. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 1, wherein the agitating element includes a fabric material covering at least a portion of the agitator body.

16. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 1, wherein the agitator body includes at least one cutting groove extending substantially axially along at least a portion of the agitator body.

32. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 10, wherein the wedge-shaped spline teeth are separated by spaces configured to receive wedge-shaped spline teeth on the splined drive member, wherein each of the spaces have a radially outer portion that is wider than a radially inner portion.

2. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

11. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 7, wherein the splined driven member includes six spline teeth arranged in a star configuration around the axis of rotation

12. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 7, wherein the splined driven member is made of a thermoplastic material having a durometer of at least about 90.

17. A removable rotatable agitator assembly for use in a surface cleaning head of a vacuum, the removable rotatable agitator assembly comprising:

an agitator body having a driven end and a non-driven end;

at least one agitating element located on at least a portion of the agitator body between the driven end and the non-driven end; and

a splined driven member located at the driven end of the agitator body, the splined driven member being configured to mate axially and engage with a splined drive member on a drive mechanism in the surface cleaning head, wherein the splined driven member includes wedge-shaped spline teeth, wherein the wedge-shaped spline teeth have chamfered radial faces extending at least partially in a radial direction and tapering inwardly and forming an acute angle relative to a radial line, the chamfered radial faces being located at outer ends of the wedge-shaped spline teeth.

18. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 17, wherein the wedge-shaped spline teeth are internal spline teeth.

20. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 17, wherein the wedge-shaped spline teeth have tapered sides that taper outwardly from the chamfered radial faces.

23. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 17, wherein the splined driven member is made of a thermoplastic material having a durometer of at least about 90.

24. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 17, wherein the splined driven member includes six spline teeth arranged in a star configuration around the axis of rotation.

26. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 17, wherein the agitator body includes at least one cutting groove extending substantially axially along at least a portion of the agitator body.

27. The surface cleaning head of claim 17, wherein the rotatable agitator is a brush roll.

28. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 17, wherein the agitating element includes bristles extending substantially radially from the agitator body.

29. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 17, wherein the agitating element includes a fabric material covering at least a portion of the agitator body.

30. The removable rotatable agitator of claim 17, further comprising:

an axle extending from the non-driven end of the agitator body;

a bushing rotatably mounted on the axle; and

an end cap mounted on the bushing and configured to be mounted without rotation in an agitator chamber of the surface cleaning head.

31. The removable rotatable agitator assembly of claim 17, wherein the wedge-shaped spline teeth are separated by spaces configured to receive wedge-shaped spline teeth on the splined drive member, wherein each of the spaces have a radially outer portion that is wider than a radially inner portion.

19. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

25. (canceled)