UPRIGHT VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20180263443A1
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Published: 09/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Jiangsu Midea Cleaning Appliances Co., Ltd. (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Jiangsu Midea Cleaning Appliances Co., Ltd. (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Xiao, Xiahu, Hu, Wei, Zou, Hui
• Granted Patent: US 10,278,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/00 Structural features of suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/22 with rotary fans
• 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 5/28 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 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/34 with height adjustment of nozzles or dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0444 for conveying motion by endless flexible members, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/102 Dust separators cyclones A47L9/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 : Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 : Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/248 : Parts, details or accessories of hoses or pipes nozzles A47L9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 : Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 : Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 : User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2863 : Control elements activated by pivoting movement of the upright vacuum cleaner handle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 : for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2023/126 : Actuation by rocker lever; Rocker levers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/0827 : for disconnecting the drive

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner (1) is provided, including a brushroll assembly (100), a motor assembly (200) and a body assembly (300). The brushroll assembly (200) includes a brushroll casing (12) and a brushroll (11). The motor assembly (200) includes a motor housing (21) and a motor (22), and the motor (22) drives the brushroll (11) to roll via a drive belt (13). The body assembly (300) includes a body (31) and a bridging member (32) mounted to the body (31), and the bridging member (32) is pivotably connected with the motor housing (21) to allow the body (31) to be rotatable between an upright position and an oblique position. When the body (31) is rotated from the upright position to the oblique position, the bridging member (32) pushes the brushroll casing (12) to move in a direction running away from the motor housing (21) so as to tension the drive belt (13).

Claims

1. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a brushroll assembly comprising a brushroll casing and a brushroll disposed in the brushroll casing;

a motor assembly comprising a motor housing and a motor disposed in the motor housing, the motor being configured to drive the brushroll to roll via a drive belt;

a body assembly comprising a body and a bridging member mounted to the body, wherein the bridging member is pivotably connected with the motor housing to allow the body to be rotatable between an upright position and an oblique position, and the bridging member is configured to push the brushroll casing to move in a direction running away from the motor housing so as to tension the drive belt, when the body is rotated from the upright position to the oblique position.

2. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gear and rack assembly disposed between the bridging member and the brushroll casing, so that the bridging member drives the brushroll casing to move via the gear and rack assembly.

3. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the gear and rack assembly comprises a gear and a rack, the rack is mounted to the brushroll casing horizontally and extends along a front-and-rear direction, and the gear is mounted to the bridging member vertically and meshed with the rack.

4. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the gear comprises:

an arc rim whose central axis is a pivoting axis of the bridging member; and

two groups of meshing teeth connected to two ends of the rim respectively, wherein each group of meshing teeth comprises a plurality of single meshing teeth.

5. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the bridging member comprises a top plate and two side plates connected to two sides of the top plate, and the gear and the side plate are molded integrally.

6. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein two racks are provided and disposed at two sides of a longitudinal central axis of the brushroll casing symmetrically, and two gears are provided and fitted with the two racks correspondingly.

7. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the two racks are both mounted to the brushroll casing via a connecting rod.

8. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, wherein two connecting rods are provided and respectively connected with the two racks correspondingly, and the two connecting rods are respectively mounted to the brushroll casing independently.

9. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, wherein one connecting rod is provided and extends along a left-and-right direction, two ends of the connecting rod are connected with front ends of the two racks respectively, and the connecting rod is mounted to the brushroll casing.

10. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising:

an elastic member having two ends connected with the brushroll casing and the motor housing respectively so as to hinder the brushroll casing from moving in the direction running away from the motor housing.

11. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein two elastic members are provided and disposed at two sides of a longitudinal central axis of the brushroll casing symmetrically.

12. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the elastic member is a spring.

13. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a rotating axis of the motor and a rotating axis of the brushroll are arranged in a non-parallel manner, and the drive belt is winded upon a motor shaft of the motor and the brushroll.

14. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the motor shaft is arranged vertically, the rotating axis of the brushroll is perpendicular to the motor shaft, and the drive belt is twisted by an angle of 90°

.

15. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the brushroll comprises a first brushroll section provided with bristles, a second brushroll section provided with bristles, and a connecting shaft section connected between the first brushroll section and the second brushroll section, in which the drive belt is winded upon the motor shaft and the connecting shaft section so that the motor drives the brushroll to roll.

16. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 15, wherein respective central axes of the first brushroll section, the second brushroll section and the connecting shaft section are located in a same line, and the first brushroll section and the second brushroll section are arranged symmetrically with respect to the drive belt.

17. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 15, wherein the brushroll casing defines a mounting chamber, a first air-suction channel and a second air-suction channel, the mounting chamber is configured to accommodate the connecting shaft section and the drive belt therein, and the first air-suction channel and the second air-suction channel are located at two sides of the mounting chamber respectively and separated from the mounting chamber.

18. The upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the first air-suction channel and the second air-suction channel both comprise a lateral air-suction channel section and a longitudinal air-suction channel section, the lateral air-suction channel section extends along an axial direction of the brushroll, and the longitudinal air-suction channel section extends along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the brushroll and is communicated with the corresponding lateral air-suction channel section.