VACUUM CLEANER WITH HAIR COLLECTION ELEMENT

• US 20120110778A1
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Moyher, George Jr., Butkiewicz, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 8,407,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/364
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/006 formed by winding a strip tuft in a helix about the body
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 25/08 Pads or the like for cleaning clothes using adhesive surfaces A47L25/005
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0066 adapted for removing nail dust, hair or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• 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 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/06 with fixed, e.g. adjustably fixed brushes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0613 with means specially adapted for picking up threads, hair or the like, e.g. brushes, combs, lint pickers or bristles pads
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0633 with retractable brushes, combs, lips or pads
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0653 with mechanical actuation, e.g. using a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0666 with tilting, floating or similarly arranged brushes, combs, lips or pads

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprises a hair collection assembly having a hair collection element adapted to collection hair from a surface to be cleaned. The hair collection element is configured to collect hair on the surface to be cleaned substantially only when the cleaning head is moved in a first direction and substantially not when the cleaning head is moved in a second direction.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cleaning head having a suction nozzle adapted to be moved along a surface to be cleaned; and

a hair collection assembly provided on the cleaning head and adapted to collect hair from the surface to be cleaned, and comprising an elongated, cylindrical hair collection element;

wherein the hair collection element is configured to collect hair on the surface to be cleaned substantially only when the cleaning head is moved in a first direction and substantially not when the cleaning head is moved in a second direction.

2. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the cleaning head further comprises an agitator chamber in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and an agitator provided in the agitator chamber, wherein the hair collection assembly is separate from the agitator.

3. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the hair collection element is formed of an elastomeric material.

4. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the cleaning head further comprises a sole plate defining the suction nozzle, and the hair collection element is mounted to the sole plate.

5. The vacuum cleaner from claim 4, wherein the sole plate comprises a leading edge which at least partially covers the hair collection assembly.

6. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the hair collection assembly further comprises a rod having the hair collection element covering at least a portion of the rod.

7. The vacuum cleaner from claim 6, wherein the rod is indexible between at least two different orientations.

8. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the hair collection assembly is positioned within the cleaning head and forwardly of the suction nozzle.

9. The vacuum cleaner from claim 8, wherein the cleaning head comprises a leading edge that at least partially covers the hair collection element when the cleaning head is moved in the second direction.

10. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the hair collection assembly further comprises spaced arms supporting the hair collection element.

11. The vacuum cleaner from claim 10, wherein the arms are mounted to the exterior of the cleaning head.

12. The vacuum cleaner from claim 10, wherein the hair collection element is rotatably mounted to the arms.

13. The vacuum cleaner from claim 12, wherein the arms comprise ratchet arms that selectively engages a portion of the hair collection element to prevent rotation of the hair collection element.

14. The vacuum cleaner from claim 13, wherein the ratchet arms comprise teeth that selectively engage toothed surfaces provided on the hair collection element.

15. The vacuum cleaner from claim 14, further comprising a spring biasing the tooth surfaces against the corresponding ratchet arms.

16. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the hair collection element comprises a cylindrical body and a plurality of projections extending from the cylindrical body.

17. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the hair collection assembly is positioned exteriorly of the cleaning head.

18. The vacuum cleaner from claim 1, wherein the hair collection element is configured to rotate when the cleaning head is moved in the first direction.

19. The vacuum cleaner from claim 18, wherein the hair collection element is configured to be locked against rotation when the cleaning head is moved in the second direction.