Surface cleaning apparatus

• US 7,331,078 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grey Technology Limited (Grey Technology Holding Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grey Technology Limited (Grey Technology Holding Ltd.)
• Inventors: Grey, Nicholas Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider; Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US11/055,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20050217043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 15/411, 15/42, 15/43, 15/521, 153/44, 153/77, 153/83, 153/85, 55D/IG.3
• US Class Current: 15/42
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/3066 Brush specifically designed for use with street cleaning machinery
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/32 Carpet-sweepers combined with suction cleaners A47L7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4094 Accessories to be used in combination with conventional vacuum-cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/02 with driven tools for special purposes with floor-polishing tools A47L11/20
• 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 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/32 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/10 in ships A62C3/0207 takes precedence

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a body including a rear compartment, a forward compartment and an intermediate compartment arranged between the rear and forward compartments. An elongate rotatable brush arrangement is positioned within and extends across the forward compartment. An electric motor is positioned in the rear compartment, and drive means extends between the rotatable brush arrangement and the electric motor.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a body having a forward compartment and rear compartment;

an elongate rotatable brush having bristles and extending across the forward compartment, the elongate rotatable brush further comprising a gear wheel at least one end of the brush;

an auxiliary brush extending from the forward compartment, the auxiliary brush having a body comprising a gear wheel that meshes with the elongate rotatable brush gear wheel for rotatably driving the auxiliary brush by the elongate rotatable brush; and

a belt connecting an electric motor and the rotatable brush;

wherein a front part of the forward compartment is movable to expose bristles on the elongate rotatable brush at the front part of the forward compartment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate compartment defined by a wall between the forward compartment and the intermediate compartment, a wall between the intermediate compartment and the rear compartment, and side walls.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one side wall is removable to facilitate removal of debris.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the removable side wall includes a cover.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the belt is enclosed within a tunnel that passes through the intermediate compartment.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the tunnel is arranged at a side remote from the removable side wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the intermediate compartment includes a tray that can be removed and emptied so as to discharge debris.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wall between the forward and intermediate compartments is inclined rearwardly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wall between the forward and intermediate compartments has an angle of inclination of from 15 to 20 degrees.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wall between the intermediate and rear compartments seals the rear compartment from the intermediate compartment.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle rotatable about an axial direction of the handle attached to the body to facilitate steering of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the handle is further pivotable about an axis transverse to the axial direction of the handle.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the handle is attached to the body in a region of the rear compartment.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motor switch located at the rear of the body to control operation of the motor.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the forward compartment further comprises an opening in a lower surface thereof, and wherein a lower front region of the body is chamfered so that bristles of the elongate brush protrude from the body in the region of the chamfer such that, when the apparatus is inclined relative to a surface to be cleaned, contact between the bristles and the surface to be cleaned is increased.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is located in the rear compartment.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary brush comprises radial bristles which are inclined at an acute angle to the axis of rotation.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary brush is supported for rotation about an axis inclined relative to vertical.

19. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a body having a forward compartment with an opening in a lower surface thereof, and a rear compartment;

an elongate rotatable brush extending across the forward compartment, the elongate rotatable brush having bristles adapted to extend through the opening in the forward compartment as the brush is rotated, with the elongate rotatable brush further comprising a gear wheel at an end of the brush;

an intermediate compartment defined by a wall between the forward compartment and the intermediate compartment, with a wall between the intermediate compartment and the rear compartment, and side walls;

a belt connecting an electric motor to the rotatable brush; and

an auxiliary brush extending from the forward compartment, the auxiliary brush having a body comprising a gear wheel that meshes with the elongate rotatable brush gear wheel for rotatably driving the auxiliary brush by the elongate rotatable brush,

wherein a lower front region of the body is chamfered to increase the extent to which the bristles protrude from the body in the region of the chamfer such that, when the apparatus is inclined relative to a surface to be cleaned, contact between the bristles and the surface to be cleaned is increased.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the electric motor is located in the rear compartment.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein one side wall is removable to facilitate removal of debris.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the removable side wall includes a cover.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the belt is enclosed within a tunnel that passes through the intermediate compartment.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the tunnel is arranged at a side remote from the removable side wall.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the intermediate compartment includes a tray that can be removed and emptied so as to discharge debris.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the wall between the forward and intermediate compartments is inclined rearwardly.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the wall between the forward and intermediate compartments has an angle of inclination of from 15 to 20 degrees.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the wall between the intermediate and rear compartments seals the rear compartment from the intermediate compartment.

29. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a handle rotatable about an axial direction of the handle attached to the body to facilitate steering of the apparatus.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the handle is further pivotable about an axis transverse to the axial direction of the handle.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the handle is attached to the body in a region of the rear compartment.

32. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a motor switch located at the rear of the body to control operation of the motor.

33. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a front part of the forward compartment is movable to expose bristles on the elongate rotatable brush at the front part of the forward compartment.

34. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the auxiliary brush comprises radial bristles which are inclined at an acute angle to the axis of rotation.

35. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the auxiliary brush is supported for rotation about an axis inclined relative to vertical.

36. A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

an elongate rotatable brush having bristles and extending across a forward compartment of the apparatus, wherein the forward compartment includes a rearwardly angled wall and the elongate rotatable brush is positioned to propel debris up the wall;

an electric motor attached to the apparatus and in connection with the elongate rotatable brush to rotate the elongate rotatable brush;

a gear wheel at an end of the elongate rotatable brush; and

an auxiliary brush extending from the forward compartment, supported for rotation about an axis, and having a body comprising a gear wheel that meshes with the gear wheel at the end of the elongate rotatable brush without an intervening gear to rotatably drive the auxiliary brush by the elongate rotatable brush.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the apparatus includes a tray that can be removed and emptied so as to discharge debris.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the auxiliary brush comprises radial bristles which are inclined at an acute angle to the axis of rotation.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the auxiliary brush is supported for rotation about an axis inclined relative to vertical.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the apparatus has a lower front region that is chamfered to increase the extent to which the bristles protrude from the body in the region of the chamfer such that, when the apparatus is inclined relative to a surface to be cleaned, contact between the bristles and the surface to be cleaned is increased.