Multiple chamber suction nozzle configuration

• US 7,159,277 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2002
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Weber, Vincent L., Bilek, Greg A., Steiner, Ryan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider; Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US10/142,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 153/83, 153/84, 153/66, 154/151
• US Class Current: 15/384
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0427 Gearing or transmission means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0433 Toothed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0444 for conveying motion by endless flexible members, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is provided having a suction nozzle comprised of a transparent agitator housing and an opaque suction nozzle body. The agitator housing forms a downwardly disposed nozzle chamber divided into a right and left agitator chamber. The right and left agitator chambers each have a forward or front suction duct adjacent the front edges of the respective agitator chambers. The right and left agitator chambers also each have a rearward or rear suction duct adjacent the rear edges of the respective agitator chambers. A nozzle liner is also disposed within the nozzle chamber partially forming a right and left dirt and air passage over the right and left agitator chambers, respectively, to fluidly connect the respective front suction ducts with the rear discharge ports located in the rear of each of the right and left agitator chambers. The rear suction ducts are also fluidly connected to respective rear discharge ports to remove dirt particles. The front and rear stringers of bottom plate of the foot serve as ledges or bottom walls of the respective front and rear suction ducts. Dirt particles flung onto the ledges by the front and rear agitators are momentarily captured on the ledges before being removed by the respective front or rear suction duct.

Claims

1. A suction nozzle for a floor care appliance including:

a nozzle body having a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber divided into symmetric right and left agitator chambers;

a rear discharge port located in each of said right and left agitator chambers;

at least one sidewardly extending duct located in each of said right and left agitator chambers communicating with the respective rear discharge port located in said right and left agitator chambers; and

said at least one sidewardly extending ducts being disposed to extend transversely along said right and left agitator chambers.

2. The suction nozzle of claim 1, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

3. The suction nozzle of claim 2, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

4. The suction nozzle of claim 1, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side of said right and left agitator chambers.

5. The suction nozzle of claim 1 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side and a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

6. The suction nozzle of claim 5, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

7. The suction nozzle of claim 1 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts includes a bottom wall, a pair of vertically extending walls, and one of said vertically extending walls is spaced from a nozzle supporting lip to provide an open slot for air and dirt impingement on said nozzle supporting lip and transport along said sidewardly extending duct.

8. A suction nozzle for a floor care appliance including:

a nozzle body having a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber divided into symmetric right and left agitator chambers;

at least one agitator comprised of a right agitator half-section and a left agitator half-section wherein the right agitator half section is disposed in the right agitator chamber and the left agitator half-section is disposed in the left agitator chamber;

a rear discharge port located in each of said right and left agitator chambers;

at least one sidewardly extending duct located in each of said right and left agitator chambers communicating with the respective rear discharge port located in said right and left agitator chambers; and

said sidewardly extending ducts being disposed to extend transversely along said right and left agitator chambers.

9. The suction nozzle of claim 8, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

10. The suction nozzle of claim 9, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidity communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

11. The suction nozzle of claim 8, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers, are disposed along a rear side of said right and left agitator chambers.

12. The suction nozzle of claim 8 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side and a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

13. The suction nozzle of claim 12, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each includes a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

14. The suction nozzle of claim 8 including a front agitator and a rear agitator wherein said front agitator and said rear agitator are each comprised of a right agitator half-section and a left agitator half-section wherein the right agitator half sections are disposed in the right agitator chamber and the left agitator half-sections are disposed in the left agitator chamber.

15. The suction nozzle of claim 12 including a front agitator and a rear agitator wherein said front agitator and said rear agitator are counter-rotating.

16. The suction nozzle of claim 15 wherein said front agitator rotates clockwise and said rear agitator rotates counter-clockwise.

17. The suction nozzle of claim 8 wherein said sidewardly extending duct includes a bottom wall, a pair of vertically extending walls, and one of said vertically extending walls is spaced from a nozzle supporting lip to provide an open slot for air and dirt impingement on said nozzle supporting lip and transport along said sidewardly extending duct.

18. A suction nozzle for a floor care appliance including:

a nozzle body having a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber divided into symmetric right and left agitator chambers;

two counter-rotating agitators each comprised of a right agitator half-section and a left agitator half-section wherein the right agitator half sections are disposed in the right agitator chamber and the left agitator half-sections are disposed in the left agitator chamber;

a rear discharge port located in each of said right and left agitator chambers;

at least one sidewardly extending duct located in each of said right and left agitator chambers communicating with the respective rear discharge port located in said right and left agitator chambers; and

said sidewardly extending ducts being disposed to extend transversely along said right and left agitator chambers.

19. The suction nozzle of claim 18, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

20. The suction nozzle of claim 19, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

21. The suction nozzle of claim 18, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side of said right and left agitator chambers.

22. The suction nozzle of claim 18 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chamber are disposed along a rear side and a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

23. The suction nozzle of claim 22, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

24. The suction nozzle of claim 18 wherein one of said agitators is a front agitator and the other of said agitators is a rear agitator.

25. The suction nozzle of claim 24 wherein said front agitator rotates clockwise.

26. The suction nozzle of claim 24 wherein said rear agitator rotates counter-clockwise.

27. The suction nozzle of claim 18 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts includes a bottom wall, a pair of vertically extending walls, and one of said vertically extending walls is spaced from a nozzle supporting lip to provide an open slot for air and dirt impingement of said nozzle supporting lip and transport along said sidewardly extending duct.

28. A suction nozzle for a floor care appliance including:

a nozzle body having a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber divided into symmetric right and left agitators chambers;

a rear discharge port located in each of said right and left agitator chambers;

at least one sidewardly extending duct located in each of said right and left agitator chambers communicating with the respective rear discharge port located in said right and left agitator chambers; and

said at least one sidewardly extending ducts being disposed to extend transversely along said right and left agitator chambers;

said sidewardly extending ducts includes a bottom wall;

said sidewardly extending duct includes a pair of vertically extending walls; and

one of said vertically extending walls is spaced from a nozzle supporting lip to provide an open slot for air and dirt impingement on said nozzle supporting lip and transport along said sidewardly extending duct.

29. The suction nozzle of claim 28, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

30. The suction nozzle of claim 29, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

31. The suction nozzle of claim 30, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along the rear side of said right and left agitator chambers.

32. The suction nozzle of claim 31 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side and a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

33. The suction nozzle of claim 32, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

34. A suction nozzle for a floor care appliance including:

a nozzle body having a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber divided into symmetric right and left agitator chambers;

at least one agitator comprised of a right agitator half-section and a left agitator half-section wherein the right agitator half section is disposed in the right agitator chamber and the left agitator half-section is disposed in the left agitator chamber;

a rear discharge port located in each of said right and left agitator chambers;

at least one sidewardly extending duct located in each of said right and left agitator chambers communicating with the respective rear discharge port located in said right and left agitator chambers;

said sidewardly extending ducts being disposed to extend transversely along said right and left agitator chambers;

said sidewardly extending ducts includes a bottom wall;

said sidewardly extending duct includes a pair of vertically extending walls; and

one of said vertical extending walls is spaced from a nozzle supporting lip to provide an open slot for air and dirt impingement on said nozzle supporting lip and transport along said sidewardly extending duct.

35. The suction nozzle of claim 34, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitation chambers are disposed along a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

36. The suction nozzle of claim 35, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

37. The suction nozzle of claim 34, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side of said right and left agitator chambers.

38. The suction nozzle of claim 34 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side and a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

39. The suction nozzle of claim 38, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

40. The suction nozzle of claim 34 wherein said at least one agitator includes a front agitator and a rear agitator wherein said front agitator and said rear agitator are each comprised of a right agitator half-section and a left agitator half-section wherein the right agitator half sections are disposed in the right agitator chamber and the left agitator half-sectors are disposed in the left agitator chamber.

41. The suction nozzle of claim 38 wherein said at least one agitator includes a front agitator and a rear agitator wherein said front agitator and said rear agitator are counter-rotating.

42. The suction nozzle of claim 41 wherein said front agitator rotates clockwise and said rear agitator rotates counter-clockwise.

43. The suction nozzle of claim 41 wherein said front agitator rotates clockwise and said rear agitator rotates clockwise.

44. A suction nozzle for a floor care appliance including:

a nozzle body having a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber divided into symmetric right and left agitator chambers;

two counter-rotating agitators each comprised of a right agitator half-section and a left agitator half-section wherein the right agitator half sections are disposed in the right agitator chamber and the left agitator half-sections are disposed in the left agitator chamber;

a rear discharge port located in each of said right and left agitator chambers;

at least one sidewardly extending duct located in each of said right and left agitator chambers communicating with the respective rear discharge port located in said right and left agitator chambers;

said sidewardly extending ducts includes a bottom wall;

said sidewardly extending duct includes a pair of vertically extending walls; and

one of said vertically extending walls is spaced from a nozzle supporting lip to provide an open slot for air and dirt impingement on said nozzle supporting lip and transport along said sidewardly extending duct.

45. The suction nozzle of claim 44, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

46. The suction nozzle of claim 45, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

47. The suction nozzle of claim 44, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side of said right and left agitator chambers.

48. The suction nozzle of claim 44 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts located in said right and left agitator chambers are disposed along a rear side and a front side of said right and left agitator chambers.

49. The suction nozzle of claim 48, wherein said sidewardly extending ducts disposed along the front side of said right and left agitator chambers each include a communicating portion that extends over the respective right and left agitator chambers to fluidly communicate with the respective rear discharge ports.

50. The suction nozzle of claim 44 wherein one of said agitators is a front agitator and the other of said agitators is a rear agitator.

51. The suction nozzle of claim 50 wherein said front agitator rotates clockwise.

52. The suction nozzle of claim 50 wherein said rear agitator rotates counter-clockwise.

53. The suction nozzle of claim 44 wherein said sidewardly extending ducts includes a bottom wall, a pair of vertically extending walls, and one of said vertically extending walls is spaced from a nozzle supporting lip to provide an open slot for air and dirt impingement on said nozzle supporting lip and transport along said sidewardly extending duct.

54. A suction nozzle for a floor care appliance including:

a nozzle body moveable in a longitudinal direction having a transversely extending downwardly opening nozzle chamber divided in the longitudinal direction into at least two agitator chambers;

a rear discharge port located in each of said at least two agitator chambers.