Brushroll with rotatably mounted end assembly

• US 6,591,440 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stegens, Alfred H., Stegens, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/974,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 151/79, 151/81--83, 153/66, 153/83, 153/89, 153/91, 153/92
• US Class Current: 15/179
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0455 Bearing means therefor

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner brushroll having skirted, one piece plastic ferrules inserted into the ends of a tufted, wood spindle so that the ferrule skirts embrace the spindle end portions to prevent the ferrules from loosening upon expansion of the spindle due to moisture. The skirts are drilled to permit angled tufting to be inserted very near the spindle ends with the tufting extending axially and radially outwardly beyond the spindle ends to provide improved edge cleaning and create a wider cleaning path compared to conventional brushroll designs.

Claims

1. In a tufted, vacuum cleaner brushroll including a spindle having a longitudinal rotation axis, stub shafts extending from the ends of said spindle, and end members and bearings mounted on said stub shafts, the improvement comprising one-piece plastic ferrules at the ends of said spindle, each ferrule having a hollow pin that receives one of said stub shafts and is fixed in an end of said spindle, a skirt around the end portion of said spindle, and a web between said pin and said skirt, and wherein tufts of said brushroll extend outwardly through said skirt.

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each end of said spindle has a hole in which said hollow pin is fixed, a countersunk mouth, and an outer, axially extending lip around said mouth, and wherein said web has a first radial wall confronting the bottom of said mouth, an axial wall fitted against the inside of said lip, and a second radial wall which connects said skirt and said axial wall, said skirt and axial wall being radially spaced apart to define an annular cavity that receives said lip.

3. The improvement as claimed in claim 2 wherein each of said end members is surrounded by the axial wall of the adjacent ferrule.

4. The improvement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said tufts extending through said skirts are angled axially outwardly beyond the adjacent ends of said spindle in order to provide improved edge cleaning and a wide cleaning path upon rotation of said brushroll.

5. In a vacuum cleaner brushroll including a spindle having a longitudinal rotation axis, tufts extending outwardly from said spindle, and end assemblies for rotatably mounting said brushroll in a vacuum cleaner, the improvement wherein at least one of said end assemblies comprises:

a) a one-piece plastic ferrule having a skirt surrounding an outer circumferential end portion of said spindle, a hollow pin fixed in an end of said spindle, and a web connecting said skirt and pin,

b) a stub shaft fixed in said pin and extending therefrom, and

c) a bearing assembly on an extending end of said sub shaft.

6. A one-piece plastic ferrule for a vacuum cleaner brushroll comprising a center hollow pin, a first radial wall extending outwardly from said pin, an axial wall projecting in an axially outward direction from said first radial wall to form a mouth at one end of said ferrule, a second radial wall extending outwardly from said axial wall, and a peripheral skirt projecting from said second radial wall, said skirt being spaced radially outwardly from said axial wall to form a recess which opens in an axial direction opposite to said mouth.

7. A ferrule as claimed in claim 6 including an annular seat at the bottom of said mouth around the opening of said hollow pin.

8. In a vacuum cleaner brushroll including a spindle having a longitudinal axis, tufts extending outwardly from said spindle, and end assemblies for rotatably mounting said brushroll in a vacuum cleaner, the improvement wherein at least one of said end assemblies comprises:

a) a one-piece plastic ferrule having a skirt around an outer end portion of said spindle, a hollow pin fixed in an end of said spindle, and a web connecting said skirt and pin,

b) a stub shaft fixed in said pin and extending therefrom,

c) a bearing assembly on an extending end of said stub shaft, and

d) said tufts of said brushroll extending outwardly through said skirt and angling beyond the adjacent end of said spindle to provide improved, wide angle edge cleaning.

9. The improvement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said outer end of said spindle has an axially extending lip, and wherein said web includes a wall spaced radially inwardly of said skirt, said lip being fitted between said skirt and said wall.