Clutch control mechanical device for the brush axle of a vacuum cleaner

• US 5,839,160 A
• Filed: 02/21/1997
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kinergy Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kinergy Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, Chia-Ming, Wang, Chieh-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US08/804,347
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 15/332, 15/361, 15/390, 15/410
• US Class Current: 15/390
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes

Abstract

A clutch control mechanical device is disclosed for the brush axle of a vacuum cleaner. The clutch control mechanical device is located at the undercarriage of the machine with a pressure control shaft extending out of the inner sides of the undercarriage. At the corresponding position, the underside of the upper body joining the undercarriage is equipped with a pressure control piece so that when the upper body is in a vertical position to the undercarriage, the pressure control piece shall press down on the pressure control shaft of the clutch control mechanical device which suspends rotation of the brush axle. When the upper body is in a slanted angle to the undercarriage, the removal of external force shall return the pressure control shaft to its original position by a spring bias which rotates the brush axle.

Claims

1. A clutch mechanism for a vacuum cleaner having an undercarriage with a rotatable brush axle connected to an endless belt that is movable between driving and non-driving positions, and an upper body movably attached to the undercarriage so as to be movable between an upright position and an oblique position, the clutch mechanism comprising:

a) a pressure control shaft movably connected to the undercarriage and in contact with the upper body so as to move between first and second positions as the upper body moves between the upright and oblique position;

b) a belt mount member pivotally connected to the undercarriage and having a portion engaging the endless belt whereby pivoting movement of the belt mount member moves the endless belt between the driving and non-driving positions;

c) a spring acting on the belt mount member so as to bias the belt mount member toward a position in which the endless belt is in the driving position;

d) a first pivoting plate in contact with the pressure control shaft whereby movement of the pressure control shaft causes pivoting movement of the first pivoting plate; and

,

e) a second pivoting plate connected to the first pivoting plate and to the belt mount member, whereby when the upper body is in the upright position the endless belt is in the non-driving position and when the upper body is in the oblique position, the endless belt is in the driving position.

2. The clutch mechanism of claim 1 wherein the first pivoting plate is substantially L-shaped.

3. The clutch mechanism of claim 1 wherein the second pivoting plate is substantially L-shaped.

4. The clutch mechanism of claim 1 wherein the belt mount member has a substantially U-shaped hood cover through which the endless belt passes.

5. The clutch mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a pressure control piece attached to the upper body so as to contact the pressure control shaft when the upper body is in the upright position.

6. The clutch mechanism of claim 1 further comprising:

a) a first control button on the undercarriage to manually move and hold the pressure control shaft in the first position whereby the endless belt is in the non-driving position; and

,

b) a second control button on the undercarriage to release the first control button enabling the pressure control shaft to be controlled by the position of the