Vacuum cleaner accessory tool having a removable brush

• US 8,037,571 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Butts, Mark, Rukavina, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Muller; Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US12/552,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 15383-392
• US Class Current: 15/383
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0455 Bearing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner accessory tool for use with a vacuum cleaner. The accessory tool includes a nozzle body defining a chamber. An agitator having a first end portion and a second end portion is rotatably supported within the chamber of the nozzle body, and the agitator is removably coupled to the nozzle body. A drive member is coupled to the agitator, and a release member is coupled to the nozzle body and slidable with respect to the nozzle body between an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position, the release member engages the second end portion of the agitator to couple the agitator to the nozzle body within the chamber. In the disengaged position, the release member allows the agitator to be removed from the chamber of the nozzle body.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner accessory tool for use with a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner operable to draw air through a suction hose to clean a surface, the accessory tool comprising:

a nozzle body configured to be coupled to the suction hose and defining a chamber;

an agitator having a first end portion and a second end portion rotatably supported within the chamber of the nozzle body, the agitator removably coupled to the nozzle body,

a drive member coupled to the agitator;

a release member coupled to the nozzle body and slidable with respect to the nozzle body between an engaged position and a disengaged position; and

an ejection mechanism including a biasing member and a movable member coupled to the biasing member such that the biasing member biases the movable member,

wherein in the engaged position, the release member engages the second end portion of the agitator to couple the agitator to the nozzle body within the chamber, and wherein in the disengaged position, the release member allows the agitator to be removed from the chamber of the nozzle body,

wherein the biasing member biases the movable member to contact a portion of the agitator to bias the agitator out of the chamber of the nozzle body when the release member is in the disengaged position.

2. The accessory tool of claim 1, wherein the release member includes an actuation portion and an engagement portion, wherein the engagement portion contacts the second end portion of the agitator to retain the agitator in an operable position so that the agitator is drivable by the drive member, wherein the actuation portion is operable to move the engagement portion out of contact with the second end portion of the agitator to allow the agitator to be removed from the chamber.

3. The accessory tool of claim 2, wherein the release member is integrally formed as a single component.

4. The accessory tool of claim 2, wherein the nozzle body includes a side wall having an aperture, wherein the actuation portion of the release member is accessible through the aperture of the side wall to slide the release member to the disengaged position.

5. The accessory tool of claim 2, wherein the engagement portion includes a cam surface, wherein contact between the second end portion of the agitator and the cam surface moves the release member toward the disengaged position when the agitator is being coupled to the nozzle body.

6. The accessory tool of claim 5, wherein the nozzle body defines a slot having an open end, wherein the second end portion includes a projection, wherein the projection is received through the open end of the slot, wherein the projection contacts the cam surface of the release member as the projection is being moved along the slot to force the release member into the disengaged position, the accessory tool further comprising a biasing member configured to move the release member from the disengaged position to the engaged position when the projection travels within the slot past the engagement portion of the release member.

7. The accessory tool of claim 1, wherein the nozzle body includes a slot that receives the second end portion of the agitator, wherein the release member extends into the slot in the engaged position to retain the agitator in an operable position so that the agitator is drivable by the drive member.

8. The accessory tool of claim 7, wherein the release member does not extend into the slot when the release member is in the disengaged position to allow the second end portion of the agitator to slide along the slot and out of the slot.

9. The accessory tool of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the ejection mechanism is positioned in the slot.

10. The accessory tool of claim 1, wherein the nozzle body includes an inner wall disposed within the nozzle body and an outer wall that defines an outer surface of the nozzle body, wherein the release member is in sliding contact with the inner wall and the outer wall and between the inner wall and the outer wall.

11. The accessory tool of claim 1, wherein the release member remains coupled to the nozzle body in both the engaged and the disengaged positions.

12. The accessory tool of claim 1, wherein the movable member is a slide.

13. The accessory tool of claim 1, wherein the movable member is a slide and wherein the ejection mechanism further includes a base having an aperture, wherein the biasing member is positioned within the base and the slide extends through the aperture in the base to bias the agitator out of the chamber of the nozzle body.

14. A vacuum cleaner accessory tool for use with a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner operable to draw air through a suction hose to clean a surface, the accessory tool comprising:

a nozzle body configured to be coupled to the suction hose and defining a chamber, the nozzle body defining a slot having an open end;

an agitator having a first end portion and a second end portion rotatably supported within the chamber of the nozzle body, the second end portion including a projection that is received through the open end of the slot to couple the agitator to the nozzle body, the agitator removably coupled to the nozzle body;

a drive member coupled to the agitator and operable to rotate the agitator;

a release member slidable with respect to the nozzle body between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the release member including a cam surface;

a biasing member coupled to the release member and configured to bias the release member toward the engaged position,

wherein in the engaged position, the release member is coupled to the nozzle body and retains the agitator in an operable position so that the agitator is drivable by the drive member, wherein in the disengaged position, the release member is coupled to the nozzle body and the second end portion of the agitator is movable with respect to the nozzle body to uncouple the agitator from the nozzle body, and

wherein the projection of the agitator directly contacts the cam surface of the release member as the projection is being moved into the slot through the open end to force the release member into the disengaged position, wherein the biasing member moves the release member from the disengaged position to the engaged position when the projection travels within the slot past the cam surface and the open end, and wherein the release member extends into the slot when in the engaged position to retain the agitator in the operable position.

15. The accessory tool of claim 14, wherein the release member contacts the second end portion of the agitator to retain the agitator in the operable position.

16. The accessory tool of claim 15, wherein the release member generally does not contact the agitator when the release member is in the disengaged position.

17. The accessory tool of claim 14, wherein the release member is integrally formed as a single component.

18. The accessory tool of claim 14, wherein the release member does not extend into the slot when the release member is in the disengaged position.

19. The accessory tool of claim 14, wherein the nozzle body includes a bottom wall, a top wall, a first side wall that couples the top wall and the bottom wall, and a second side wall that couples the top wall and the bottom wall opposite the first side wall, the accessory tool further comprising,

a suction inlet opening that extends through the bottom wall, the suction inlet opening configured to draw air therethrough, and wherein the first side wall includes an aperture, and wherein the release member is manually accessible through the aperture of the first side wall to move the release member from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

20. The accessory tool of claim 14, wherein the nozzle body includes an inner wall disposed within the nozzle body and an outer wall that defines an outer surface of the nozzle body, wherein the release member is in sliding contact with the inner wall and the outer wall and between the inner wall and the outer wall.