Appliance which utilizes a magnetic clutch to transmit power from a drive means to a movable member and a magnetic clutch
First Claim
1. A surface cleaning head for a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a) a bottom surface having a dirt inlet;
b) a rotatable brush associated with the dirt inlet;
c) a brush drive motor; and
,d) a linkage drivingly connecting the motor to the rotatable brush, the linkage including first and second magnetic coupling members, each magnetic coupling member hasa first surface which includes at least first and second magnets; and
,each of the first and second magnets have an outer pole and the outer poles of each of the first magnets and the outer poles of each of the second magnets are of reverse polarity,wherein at least one of the first and second magnetic coupling members is moveably mounted with respect to the other of the first and second magnetic coupling members in a direction perpendicular to the first surfaces.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An appliance comprises a moving member, a drive motor, and a linkage drivingly connecting the drive motor to the moving member, the linkage including first and second magnetic coupling members The magnetic clutch may have first and second magnetic coupling members. Each magnetic coupling member has a first surface, which includes at least first and second magnets. Each of the first and second magnets have an outer pole and the outer poles of each of the first magnets and the outer poles of each of the second magnets are of reverse polarity, wherein at least one of the first and second magnetic coupling members is moveably mounted with respect to the other of the first and second magnetic coupling members in a direction perpendicular to the first faces.
56 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A surface cleaning head for a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a) a bottom surface having a dirt inlet; b) a rotatable brush associated with the dirt inlet; c) a brush drive motor; and
,d) a linkage drivingly connecting the motor to the rotatable brush, the linkage including first and second magnetic coupling members, each magnetic coupling member has a first surface which includes at least first and second magnets; and
,each of the first and second magnets have an outer pole and the outer poles of each of the first magnets and the outer poles of each of the second magnets are of reverse polarity, wherein at least one of the first and second magnetic coupling members is moveably mounted with respect to the other of the first and second magnetic coupling members in a direction perpendicular to the first surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A surface cleaning head for a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a) a bottom surface having dirt inlet; b) a rotatable brush means associated with the dirt inlet; c) a brush drive motor; and
,d) a linkage for drivingly connecting the motor to the rotatable brush, the linkage including first and second magnetic members for releasably drivingly coupling the first magnetic coupling member to the second magnetic coupling member, each of the first and second magnetic coupling members includes magnets that, in a first orientation, magnetically couple the magnetic coupling members such that rotation of the first magnetic coupling member will cause rotation of the second magnetic coupling member and, in a second orientation, the first and second magnetic coupling members will magnetically repel each other. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A clutch comprising:
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a) a moving member; b) a drive motor; c) a linkage drivingly connecting the drive motor to the moving member, the linkage including first and second magnetic coupling; and
,d) a brake member which is engagable to at least indirectly apply torque to the at least one of the magnetic coupling members. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A clutch comprising:
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a) a moving member; b) a drive motor; and
,c) a linkage for drivingly connecting the drive motor to the moving member, the linkage including first and second coupling magnetic members each of the first and second magnetic coupling members includes magnets that, in a first orientation, magnetically couple the magnetic coupling members such that rotation of the first magnetic coupling member will cause rotation of the second magnetic coupling member and, in a second orientation, the first and second magnetic coupling members will magnetically repel each other. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A surface cleaning head for a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a) a bottom surface having a dirt inlet; b) a rotatable brush associated with the dirt inlet; c) a brush drive motor; and
,d) a linkage drivingly connecting the motor to the rotatable brush, the linkage including first and second magnetic coupling members, each of the magnetic coupling members is mounted on a common shaft and the first magnetic coupling member is mounted to the shaft to rotate with the shaft and the second magnetic coupling member is freely rotatably positioned on the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A surface cleaning head for a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a) a bottom surface having a dirt inlet; b) a rotatable brush associated with the dirt inlet; c) a brush drive motor; and
,d) a linkage drivingly connecting the motor to the rotatable brush, the linkage including first and second magnetic coupling members, each of the magnetic coupling members is mounted on the brush and the first magnetic coupling member is mounted to the brush to rotate with the brush and the second magnetic coupling member is freely rotatably positioned on the brush and drivenly connected to the brush drive motor by a fan belt. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A surface cleaning head for a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a) a bottom surface having a dirt inlet; b) a rotatable brush associated with the dirt inlet; c) a brush drive motor; d) a linkage drivingly connecting the motor to the rotatable brush, the linkage including first and second magnetic coupling members; and
,e) a brake member which is engagable with at least one of the brush and the linkage to apply torque to the at least one of the brush and the linkage. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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Specification