Vacuum cleaner

• US 10,820,764 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2018
• Issued: 11/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Inventors: Krebs, Alan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding, David
• Application Number:
  US15/983,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20180263444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/22 Floor-sweeping machines, hand-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0014 with additional means or devices between nozzle and casing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0422 driven by the rotation of the supporting wheels on which the nozzle travels over the floor
• 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 9/0472 Discs
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0686 Nozzles with cleaning cloths, e.g. using disposal fabrics for covering the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/104 Means for intercepting small objects

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a foot assembly having a suction inlet thereon, a suction source in fluid communication with the suction inlet to produce a working airflow there through, and a dirt container in fluid communication with the suction inlet and suction source. The foot assembly further comprises a body defined by a central portion and a pair of extension arms, a rotatable agitator on each extension arm, and a drive assembly configured to counter-rotate the agitators. The counter-rotating agitators are operable to cooperate with the suction source to direct dust and debris towards the suction inlet.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a foot assembly adapted to be moved across a surface to be cleaned and having a suction inlet;

an upright handle assembly pivotally mounted to the foot assembly; and

a dirt cup in fluid communication with the suction inlet;

wherein the foot assembly further comprises;

a body defined by a central portion and a pair of extension portions that extend laterally outwardly from the central portion;

an agitator mounted on each extension portion of the pair of extension portions, the agitator on each extension portion being rotatable and having an axis of rotation; and

a drive assembly operably interconnected with each of the agitators, wherein the drive assembly is configured to counter-rotate one of the agitators with respect to the other one of the agitators;

wherein the suction inlet is positioned rearward of and between the axes of rotation of the agitators and a dirt inlet ramp forms a bottom wall of a dirt path from the suction inlet to a dirt ramp outlet and the dirt ramp outlet is fluidly coupled with the dirt cup.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a suction source in fluid communication with the suction inlet and the dirt cup and wherein the suction source is adapted to create a working airflow that entrains dirt and transports it up the dirt inlet ramp through the dirt ramp outlet and into the dirt cup.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further comprising a dirt container selectively mountable to the upright handle assembly and fluidly coupled to the dirt cup via the working airflow and wherein the suction source is further configured to move dirt located in the dirt cup into the dirt container.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the agitators are operable to cooperate with the suction source to direct dust and debris outside a periphery of the foot assembly along a converging debris path, towards the suction inlet.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the dirt inlet ramp defines a length between the suction inlet and the dirt ramp outlet and the dirt inlet ramp is inclined along an entirety of the length.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein the agitators are canted forwardly so that a forward most portion of the agitators is in register with the surface to be cleaned and a rearward most portion of the agitators is not in register with the surface to be cleaned.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6 wherein the rearward most portion of the agitators is located above a portion of the dirt inlet ramp.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the dirt path is further defined by dirt ramp sidewalls located in the foot assembly adjacent opposing sides of the dirt inlet ramp.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein the dirt path is further defined at an upper bound by a dirt ramp top located at a forward portion of the foot assembly.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein each of the agitators comprises a hub comprising at least one retainer that is adapted to receive at least one cleaning element.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the at least one cleaning element comprises at least one of a flexible pad, a brush, bristles, a micro-fiber pad, a disposable non-woven fibrous dusting sheet, a synthetic chamois pad, a natural chamois pad, felt, yarn, or a cloth rag.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the hub comprises resilient bristle tufts disposed at intervals around a perimeter of the hub and extending substantially radially outwardly therefrom.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the agitators are canted forwardly so that a forward most portion of the agitators is in register with the surface to be cleaned and a rearward most portion of the agitators is not in register with the surface to be cleaned.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the agitators are canted forwardly so that a forward most portion of the agitators is in register with the surface to be cleaned and a rearward most portion of the agitators is not in register with the surface to be cleaned.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the agitators are rotatably mounted within an agitator cavity formed in the foot assembly such that a rearward most portion of the agitators is located above a portion of the dirt inlet ramp.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the foot assembly and wherein the drive assembly mechanically couples the agitators to the at least one wheel, whereby rotation of the at least one wheel imparts movement to the agitators.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation of each the agitators is angled relative to the surface to be cleaned.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a stationary strip brush disposed on the foot assembly behind the suction inlet.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the stationary strip brush extends in a generally arcuate configuration around at least a portion of the suction inlet.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the stationary strip brush comprises at least one row of bristles.