Surface cleaning head

• US 9,161,666 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): SCRUGGS, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/721,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 154/151, 153/271, 154/12, 153/19, 153/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings

Abstract

A surface cleaning head comprises an upper section and a lower section. A front portion of the upper section extends forwardly of the lower section. At least a section of the front portion is transparent.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning head comprising:

(a) a front end, a rear end and first and second opposed lateral sides;

(b) a main body having an entrance to an enclosed air flow passage and a front portion that extends forwardly from the enclosed air flow passage, the front portion having a central brushless, planar portion and laterally spaced apart side portions that extend to the first and second opposed lateral sides such that, when the surface cleaning head is positioned on a surface to be cleaned, a lower surface of the front portion is spaced from and faces the surface to be cleaned; and

,

(c) an air flow passage extending from the front end to an air outlet, the air flow passage includes an open lower sided passage located between the lower surface and the surface to be cleaned when the surface cleaning head is positioned on the surface to be cleaned that extends concurrently horizontally and rearwardly to the entrance to the enclosed passage,

wherein each side portion has a depending wall that extends downwardly from the central portion and is angled rearwardly and inwardly to define a sidewall of the open sided passage.

2. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the front portion is transparent.

3. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the front portion is transparent.

4. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the surface cleaning head further comprises front wheels wherein the front wheels are positioned rearward of the entrance to the enclosed passage.

5. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the front portion has an upward facing portion and the front portion further comprises reinforcing ribs provided on the upward facing portion.

6. The surface cleaning head of claim 5 wherein the front portion comprises a single layer of plastic.

7. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the front portion has a thickness less than 0.1 inch.

8. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the enclosed passage inlet is positioned proximate a midpoint between the front and rear ends.

9. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the open sided passage extends rearwardly to a laterally extending passage having a lower extent that is open, the laterally extending passage is provided between a forward depending wall and a rearward depending wall, the entrance to the enclosed passage is provided in the rearward depending wall.

10. The surface cleaning head of claim 9 wherein the lower extent of the laterally extending passage is spaced upwardly from the central portion wherein, when the surface cleaning head is positioned on the surface to be cleaned, a lower surface of the central portion is positioned closer to the surface to be cleaned than the lower extent.

11. The surface cleaning head of claim 9 wherein the laterally extending passage is located rearward of the side portions.

12. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the central portion has a lateral width that decreases in a rearward direction.

13. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the lower surface is rigid.

14. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the front end has an upwardly curved lip.

15. A surface cleaning head comprising:

(a) a front end, a rear end and first and second opposed lateral sides;

(b) a main body having an entrance to an enclosed air flow passage and a front portion that extends forwardly from the enclosed air flow passage, the front portion having a central brushless, planar portion and laterally spaced apart side portions that extend to the first and second opposed lateral sides such that, when the surface cleaning head is positioned on a surface to be cleaned, a lower surface of the front portion is spaced from and faces the surface to be cleaned; and

,

(c) an air flow passage extending from the front end to an air outlet, the air flow passage includes an open lower sided passage located between the lower surface and the surface to be cleaned when the surface cleaning head is positioned on the surface to be cleaned that extends generally horizontally and rearwardly to the entrance to the enclosed passage,

wherein the open sided passage extends rearwardly to a laterally extending passage that extends transverse to a forward direction of travel and has a lower extent that is open, the laterally extending passage is provided between a forward depending wall that is located rearward of the side portions and a rearward depending wall, and extends to each laterally opposed side.

16. The surface cleaning head of claim 15 wherein each side portion has a depending wall that extends downwardly from the central portion and is angled rearwardly and inwardly to define a sidewall of the open sided passage.

17. A surface cleaning head comprising;

(a) a front end, a rear end and first and second opposed lateral sides;

(b) a front portion having a central portion and laterally spaced apart side portions, the side portions extending inwardly from the laterally opposed sides, each of the central and side portions having a lower rigid planar surface that is spaced from and faces a floor when the surface cleaning head is positioned on the floor with the lower surface of the side portions located closer to the floor than the lower surface of the central portion, the central portion extends rearwardly from the front end and the side portions are defined by depending walls located at the lateral sides of the lower surface of the central portion that extend rearwardly and laterally inwardly whereby the central portion has a lateral width that decreases in a rearward direction;

(c) a laterally extending passage positioned rearward of the front portion, the laterally extending passage extending transverse to a forward direction of travel and has a lower extent that is open, the laterally extending passage is provided between a forward depending wall that is located rearward of the side portions and the central portion and a rearward depending wall, and extends to each laterally opposed side; and

,

(c) an air flow passage extending from the front end to an air outlet, the air flow passage includes an open lower sided passage located between the lower surface of the central and side portions and the surface to be cleaned when the surface cleaning head is positioned on the floor.

18. The surface cleaning head of claim 17 wherein the lower extent of the laterally extending passage is spaced upwardly from the central portion wherein, when the surface cleaning head is positioned on the floor, the lower surface of the central portion is positioned closer to the floor than the lower extent.

19. The surface cleaning head of claim 17 wherein the entrance to the enclosed passage is provided in the rearward depending wall.

20. The surface cleaning head of claim 17 wherein the front end has an upwardly curved lip.

21. The surface cleaning head of claim 17 wherein the surface cleaning head further comprises front wheels that are positioned rearward of the entrance to the enclosed passage.

22. The surface cleaning head of claim 17 wherein the surface cleaning head has an absence of a rotatable mounted brush.