CLEANING APPLIANCE

• US 20100242220A1
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Genn, Stuart Lloyd, DYSON, James, Gammack, Peter David, Sunderland, David Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1633 Concentric cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/24 Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings hoses or hose joints in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/327 for suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing

Abstract

A cleaning appliance of the canister type includes a substantially spherical floor engaging rolling assembly comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid flow and a device for acting on the fluid flow received through the inlet, and a steering mechanism for steering the cleaning appliance.

Claims

1. A cleaning appliance of the canister type comprising a substantially spherical floor engaging rolling assembly comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid flow and a device for acting on the fluid flow received through the inlet, and a steering mechanism for steering the cleaning appliance.

2. The cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein the rolling assembly comprises a main body and a plurality of floor engaging rolling elements rotatably connected to the main body.

7. The cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein the device for acting on the fluid flow comprises a fan unit for drawing a fluid flow into the rolling assembly.

8. The cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein the means for acting on the fluid flow comprises a filter for removing particulates from the fluid flow.

9. The cleaning appliance of claim 1, comprising separating apparatus for separating dirt from the fluid flow.

24. The cleaning appliance of claim 1, comprising a chassis connected to the rolling assembly.

25. The cleaning appliance of claim 24, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a plurality of floor engaging steering members moveable relative to the chassis.

26. The cleaning appliance of claim 25, wherein each steering member comprises a wheel assembly.

27. The cleaning appliance of claim 25, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a plurality of moveable steering arms each connecting a respective one of the steering members to the chassis.

28. The cleaning appliance of claim 27, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a control member for moving the steering arms relative to the chassis.

29. The cleaning appliance of claim 28, wherein the control member is pivotably coupled at or towards each end thereof to a respective steering arm.

30. The cleaning appliance of claim 28, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a lever pivotably connected to the chassis for moving the control member relative to the chassis.

31. The cleaning appliance of claim 30, comprising a flexible hose connected to the lever for pivoting the lever relative to the chassis.

32. The cleaning appliance of claim 31, comprising a hose support pivotably connected to the chassis for supporting the hose.

33. The cleaning appliance of claim 31, wherein the hose comprises a coupling for connecting the hose to a wand and hose assembly.

3. A cleaning appliance of the canister type comprising a main body comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid flow, a device for acting on the fluid flow received through the inlet, and a plurality of rolling elements rotatable relative to the main body and which define with the main body a substantially spherical floor engaging rolling assembly, and a steering mechanism for steering the cleaning appliance.

4. The cleaning appliance of claim 3, wherein said device for acting on the fluid flow received through the inlet is connected to the main body.

5. The cleaning appliance of claim 3, wherein the rotational axes of the rolling elements are inclined upwardly towards the main body with respect to a floor surface upon which the cleaning appliance is located.

6. The cleaning appliance of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of rolling elements has a spherical curvature.

10. The cleaning appliance of claim 3, comprising separating apparatus for separating dirt from the fluid flow.

11. A cleaning appliance of the canister type comprising separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, a substantially spherical floor engaging rolling assembly comprising means for drawing the fluid flow through the separating apparatus, and a steering mechanism for steering the cleaning appliance.

12. The cleaning appliance of claim 11, wherein the separating apparatus comprises cyclonic separating apparatus.

13. The cleaning appliance of claim 11, wherein the separating apparatus comprises a chamber for collecting dirt separated from the fluid flow.

14. The cleaning appliance of claim 11, wherein the separating apparatus is located outside the rolling assembly.

15. The cleaning appliance of claim 14, comprising a duct extending from the separating apparatus to the rolling assembly for conveying the fluid flow to the rolling assembly.

16. The cleaning appliance of claim 15, wherein the duct is detachable from the separating apparatus to allow the separating apparatus to be removed from the appliance.

17. The cleaning appliance of claim 16, wherein the separating apparatus comprises a handle located beneath the duct.

18. The cleaning appliance of claim 14, wherein the duct comprises a handle.

19. The cleaning appliance of claim 16, wherein the duct is pivotably connected to the rolling assembly.

20. The cleaning appliance of claim 11, wherein the separating apparatus has a longitudinal axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical when the rolling assembly engages a substantially horizontal floor surface.

21. The cleaning appliance of claim 20, wherein the angle is in the range from 30 to 70°

.

22. The cleaning appliance of claim 11, comprising an inlet duct for conveying the dirt-bearing fluid flow to the separating apparatus, and wherein the inlet duct comprises a support for supporting the separating apparatus.

23. The cleaning appliance of claim 22, wherein the separating apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical outer wall, and wherein the support comprises a curved support surface for supporting the outer wall of the separating apparatus.