Rotary brush device and vacuum cleaner using the same

• US 6,400,048 B1
• Filed: 04/05/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Seizo, Nishimura, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DANG D
• Application Number:
  US09/286,340
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 310/40.MM, 310/46, 310/47, 310/48, 310/50, 310/63, 310/67.R, 310/83, 310/99, 310/154, 310/242, 451/178, 451/352, 366/134, 366/163.1, 15/23, 15/98, 15/82, 15/503, 15/521, 15/532, 153/001, 153/08, 153/63, 153/64, 153/66, 153/75, 153/77, 153/83, 153/89, 153/92
• US Class Current: 310/47
• 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 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0438 with gears having orbital motion, e.g. planetary gearing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0455 Bearing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2831 Motor parameters, e.g. motor load or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2847 Surface treating elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Abstract

A motor is incorporated in a cylindrical body which is a rotary brush. Rotation of a rotor of the motor, directly or via a speed reduction mechanism, drives the rotary brush. Cooling air runs through the cylindrical body so that the motor is cooled and protected. The rotary brush and an electric apparatus using the rotary brush can be downsized and easily.

Claims

1. A rotary brush device comprising:

a cylindrical body having two ends, at least one of a brush agitator, a thin-plate agitator and a thin-plate scraper;

a motor disposed in said cylindrical body and for rotating said cylindrical body;

a speed reduction mechanism for reducing rotational speed of said motor;

wherein said motor is disposed on a first end of said cylindrical body and said speed reduction mechanism is disposed on a second end of said cylindrical body; and

an electric blower disposed outside of the cylindrical body for drawing air into said cylindrical body for cooling said motor.

2. The rotary brush device of claim 1 further comprising:

said motor having a rotor;

a commutator provided at one side of said rotor; and

a carbon brush slidably contacts said commutator provided outside said cylindrical body .

3. The rotary brush device of claim 2 wherein a first end of the cylindrical body is journaled by a shaft of the rotor and a second end of the cylindrical body is engaged, via said speed reduction mechanism, with the shaft of the rotor.

4. The rotary brush device of claim 1 further comprising:

said motor having a rotor;

a commutator provided at one side of said rotor ; and

a carbon brush slidably contacts said commutator provided inside said cylindrical body.

5. The rotary brush device of claim 4 wherein said first end of the cylindrical body is journaled by a shaft of the rotor and said second end of the cylindrical body is engaged, via said speed reduction mechanism, with the shaft of the rotor.

6. The rotary brush device of claim 5 wherein the first end of the cylindrical body is supported by an outer ring of a third bearing, whose inner ring is press fitted with an outer wall of a motor bracket, and wherein at the second end of said cylindrical body, the rotor shaft is journaled by an inner ring of a second bearing, and an outer ring of said second bearing is press fitted into a speed reduction gear bracket.

7. The rotary brush device of claim 6 wherein-the speed reduction mechanism further comprises:

a first gear fixed to the rotor shaft;

a second gear rotatably engaged with the first gear;

a third gear disposed on an inner wall of said cylindrical body and the second gear is placed between the first and third gears; and

the speed reduction gear bracket supporting the second bearing and the second gear,

said rotary brush device further comprises a third bearing contacting said cylindrical body,

wherein the first gear is held and sandwiched by an inner ring of the third bearing and the inner ring of the second bearing.

8. The rotary brush device of claim 1 wherein the motor has a stator, a motor bracket supports the motor disposed in the cylindrical body, and an annular space between an outer wall of the motor bracket, which holds said stator, and an inner wall of said cylindrical body are minimized to allow said cylindrical body to spin.

9. The rotary brush device of claim 8 wherein said cylindrical body is of a magnetic permeable material.

10. The rotary brush device of claim 1 wherein a first end of the cylindrical body is journaled by a shaft of the rotor and a second end of the cylindrical body is engaged, via said speed reduction mechanism, with the shaft of the rotor.

11. The rotary brush device of claim 1 further comprising a detector sensing either pressure or temperature, the detector is provided adjacent the motor, and a power supply to the motor is controlled in accordance with the detector.

12. The rotary brush device of claim 1 further comprising a detector sensing electric current flowing in the motor, and a power supply to the motor is controlled in accordance with the detector.

13. The rotary brush device of claim 1 wherein one of the agitator and the scrapper is provided on an outer wall of the cylindrical body and having bristles in one of a helical pattern and a V-shaped pattern.

14. The rotary brush device of claim 1, wherein said speed reduction mechanism is supported with a bearing disposed concentrically around said motor shaft.

15. A rotary brush device comprising:

a sucking means, a cylindrical body with a motor housed in the cylindrical body, an outer wall of the cylindrical body having two ends is provided with at least one of a brush, a thin-plate agitator, and a thin-plate scraper, the cylindrical body is provided at one end with a first opening for receiving outside air and a second opening at an opposite side of the cylindrical body, said second opening is provided near where sucking power from the outside of said cylindrical body is exerted in order to flow the outside air from said first opening to said second opening through the inside of said motor, and a partition protrusively surrounding both ends of said cylindrical body.

16. The rotary brush device of claim 15 wherein the motor comprises a rotor and a stator provided around an outer wall of the rotor, and a rotor shaft extends through the rotor and is coupled with the cylindrical body by direct connection.

17. The rotary brush device of claim 15 wherein a motor bracket is provided with a third opening, the third opening is connected with the first opening and the second opening.

18. The rotary brush device of claim 15 wherein wind creating means is provided within the cylindrical body.

19. The rotary brush device of claim 18 wherein the wind creating means is formed by a fin provided on at least one of a rotor shaft, an inner wall surface of the cylindrical body and a side wall surface of the cylindrical body.

20. The rotary brush device of claim 15 wherein the first opening is provided in the cylindrical body at a side spaced from the motor, and the second opening is provided near an opposite side of the cylindrical body at which is located the motor.

21. The rotary brush device of claim 20 further comprising a rotary brush, and the second opening is provided in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the rotary brush.

22. The rotary brush device of claim 15 further comprising a detector sensing either pressure or temperature, the detector is provided adjacent the motor, and a power supply to the motor is controlled in accordance with the detector.

23. The rotary brush device of claim 15 further comprising a detector sensing electric current flowing in the motor, and a power supply to the motor is controlled in accordance with the detector.

24. The rotary brush device of claim 15 wherein one of the agitator and the scraper is provided on the outer wall of the cylindrical body and having bristles in one of a helical pattern and a V-shape pattern .

25. The rotary brush device of claim 15 wherein the motor comprises a rotor and a stator provided around an outer wall of the rotor, and a rotor shaft extends through the rotor and is coupled with the cylindrical body by a speed reduction mechanism.

26. The rotary brush device of claim 15 wherein the motor comprises a stator and a rotor provided rotatable around an outer wall of the stator, and the rotor is engaged with the cylindrical body by direct connection.

27. An electric apparatus comprising:

a sucking means, at least one rotary brush device, said rotary brush device having a cylindrical body having two ends, with a motor housed in the cylindrical body, an outer wall of the cylindrical body is provided with at least one of a brush, a thin-plate agitator, and a thin-plate scraper, the cylindrical body is provided at one end with a first opening for receiving outside air and a second opening at an opposite side of the cylindrical body, said first opening and said second opening being connected to one another through the inside of the motor, wherein said second opening is affected by an electric blower disposed outside of the cylindrical body for sucking air therein for cooling said motor.

28. An electric apparatus of claim 27 further comprising:

a detector for detecting one of a pressure and a temperature is provided in a place connected through with inside of the motor, and a power supply to the motor is controlled in accordance with a result of detection made by the detector, and

a manual reset thermo-protector as a detector for detecting a temperature, and a temperature detecting part of the detector is disposed at a motor side of the apparatus and a reset button of the detector is disposed on an outer face of the apparatus.

29. An electric apparatus of claim 27 further comprising:

a floor nozzle having an intake chamber connected with an electric blower, and the floor nozzle is provided with a downward facing opening, wherein the intake chamber is provided with the rotary brush device.

30. The electric apparatus of claim 29 wherein a second brush is provided at a bottom of the floor nozzle between a first rotary brush and respective side ends of the floor nozzle.

31. The electric apparatus of claim 29 wherein a detector for detecting a pressure is provided, and a power supply to the motor is controlled in accordance with the pressure detected by said detector.

32. An electric apparatus of claim 27 further comprising:

a floor nozzle which incorporates the rotary brush device and has an intake chamber with a downwardly facing opening, an electric blower for air intake , a dust chamber for capturing dust, and a handle tiltably attached to said floor nozzle;

wherein rotation of the cylindrical body of said rotary brush device is halted when said handle is positioned substantially upright.

33. The electric apparatus of claim 32 wherein a controller is provided on a part of the handle for controlling rotation of the cylindrical body of rotary brush device.

34. An electric apparatus of claim 27 further comprising:

a floor nozzle having disposed therein the rotary brush device the floor nozzle having an intake chamber with a downwardly facing opening, an electric blower for air intake, a dust chamber for capturing dust, and a dust detector provided at a part of an air intake path connecting said intake chamber and the electric blower;

wherein rotation of the cylindrical body of the rotary brush device is controlled in accordance with an output of said dust detector.

35. An electric apparatus comprising:

an electric blower for air intake, a floor nozzle provided with a downwardly facing opening, said floor nozzle having an intake chamber connected with said electric blower, arotary brush having a cylindrical body with a motor housed in the cylindrical body, an outer wall of the cylindrical body is provided with at least one of a brush, a thin-plate agitator, and a thin-plate scraper, the cylindrical body is provided at one end with a first opening for receiving outside air and a second opening at an opposite side of the cylindrical body, said first opening and said second opening being connected to one another through the inside of the motor;

said rotary brush disposed in the intake chamber, said first and second openings separated from the intake chamber, and an outside-air intake provided on an outer face of said apparatus and connecting with the first opening.

36. The electric apparatus of claim 35 wherein the second opening is connected with the intake chamber.

37. The electric apparatus of claim 36 wherein the outside-air intake is provided at a top surface of the floor nozzle.

38. The electric apparatus of claim 36 wherein the electric blower and the intake chamber are connected by at least one hose.

39. The electric apparatus of claim 35 wherein the intake chamber has an intake mouth and the second opening is disposed near the intake mouth, the intake chamber connects the intake mouth and the electric blower.

40. The electric apparatus of claim 35 wherein the second opening is disposed opposite to an intake mouth that connects the electric blower with the intake chamber so that motor cooling-air discharged from the second opening travels around the rotary brush.

41. The electric apparatus of claim 35 wherein the floor nozzle has an opening at a bottom thereof, said opening connected with the second opening so that said opening is connected with the intake chamber.

42. The electric apparatus of claim 35 wherein a detector for detecting a pressure is provided, and a power supply to the motor is controlled in accordance with the pressure detected by said detector.

43. The electric apparatus of claim 35 wherein the outside-air intake is provided at a top surface of the floor nozzle.

44. The electric apparatus of claim 35 wherein the electric blower and the intake chamber are connected by at least one hose.

45. An electric apparatus comprising:

an electric blower for air intake, a dust chamber for capturing dust, a floor nozzle provided with an intake chamber having a downwardly facing opening, an intake mouth provided at a wall of said intake chamber and connected by a hose with said electric blower, and a rotary brush device having a cylindrical body, with a motor housed in the cylindrical body, an outer wall of the cylindrical body is provided with at least one of a brush, a thin-plate agitator, and a thin-plate scraper, the cylindrical body is provided at one end with a first opening for receiving outside air and a second opening at an opposite side of the cylindrical body, said first opening and said second opening being connected to one another through the inside of the motor and disposed in said intake chamber;

wherein an outside-air intake connected with said first opening is provided at a top part of said floor nozzle, and said intake is disposed on a same side as said first opening in a longitudinal direction of said floor nozzle.

46. An electric apparatus comprising:

at least one rotary brush device having a cylindrical body having two ends, at least one of a brush agitator, a thin-plate agitator and a thin-plate scraper;

a motor disposed in said cylindrical body and for rotating said cylindrical body;

a speed reduction mechanism for reducing rotational speed of said motor;

wherein said motor is disposed on a first end of said cylindrical body and said speed reduction mechanism is disposed on a second end of said cylindrical body; and

wherein outside-air is drawn into said cylindrical body by an electric blower disposed outside of said cylindrical body for sucking air therein for cooling said motor.

47. An electric apparatus of claim 46 further comprising:

a manual reset thermo-protector is as a detector for detecting a temperature, and a temperature detecting part of the detector is disposed at a motor side of the apparatus and a re set button of the detector is disposed on an outer face of the apparatus.

48. An electric apparatus comprising:

a floor nozzle having an intake chamber connected with an electric blower, and the floor nozzle is provided with a downward facing opening, wherein the intake chamber is provided with a rotary brush device having a cylindrical body having two ends, at least one of a brush agitator, a thin-plate agitator and a thin-plate scraper;

a motor disposed in said cylindrical body and for rotating said cylindrical body;

a speed reduction mechanism for reducing rotational speed of said motor;

wherein said motor is disposed on a first end of said cylindrical body and said speed reduction mechanism is disposed on a second end of said cylindrical body; and

wherein outside-air is drawn into said cylindrical body by an electric blower disposed outside said cylindrical body for sucking air therein for cooling said motor.

49. An electric apparatus comprising:

a floor nozzle which incorporates a rotary brush device having a cylindrical body having two ends, at least one of a brush agitator, a thin-plate agitator and a thin-plate scraper;

a motor disposed in said cylindrical body and for rotating said cylindrical body;

a speed reduction mechanism for reducing rotational speed of said motor;

wherein said motor is disposed on a first end of said cylindrical body and said speed reduction mechanism is disposed on a second end of said cylindrical body;

and has an intake chamber with a downwardly facing opening, an electric blower for air intake, a dust chamber for capturing dust, and a handle tiltably attached to said floor nozzle;

wherein rotation of the cylindrical body of said rotary brush device is halted when said handle is positioned substantially upright; and

wherein outside-air is drawn into said cylindrical body by an electric motor disposed outside of said cylindrical body for sucking air therein for cooling said motor.

50. A rotary brush device comprising:

a housing;

a cylindrical body having first and second ends and at least one of a brush agitator, a thin-plate agitator and a thin-plate scraper, said cylindrical body disposed in said housing;

a motor disposed in and at said first end of said cylindrical body and for rotating said cylindrical body;

a speed reduction mechanism for reducing rotational speed of said motor and disposed at said second end of said cylindrical body;

a partition extending in said housing and having a communication opening therein; and

an electric blower disposed outside of said cylindrical body for drawing air into said cylindrical body through said communication opening of said partition for cooling said motor.

51. The rotary brush device of claim 50 further comprising an outside-air-intake opening in said housing through which air is drawn into said housing.