Suction attachment for a vacuum cleaner

• US 7,467,439 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Splinter, Alexander Poul, Lijzenga, Henk
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III; Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muller; Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US10/539,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20060213026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 153/73, 153/55, 153/68, 154/151
• US Class Current: 15/373
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/06 with fixed, e.g. adjustably fixed brushes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/062 Rigidly anchored edge brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0653 with mechanical actuation, e.g. using a lever

Abstract

A suction attachment has a suction nozzle and is coupled to a suction channel of a vacuum cleaner by a coupling member. The coupling member is pivotable relative to the suction nozzle about a pivot axis which extends perpendicularly to a main displacement direction of the attachment. The suction nozzle has front and rear brushes. The suction nozzle also has an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the two brushes between retracted and protruding positions relative to the bottom surface of the suction nozzle. The suction attachment further has a rolling member is arranged near the pivot axis. The pivot axis is arranged between the front brush and at least a portion of the rear brush.

Claims

1. A suction attachment for a vacuum cleaner comprising:

a suction nozzle;

a coupling member for coupling the suction attachment to a suction channel of the vacuum cleaner, said coupling member being pivotable relative to the suction nozzle about a pivot axis extending substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the coupling member;

a first brush and a second brush extending near, respectively, a front edge and a rear edge of the suction nozzle;

an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the first brush and the second brush from a first position, in which the first brush and the second brush are in a retracted position relative to a bottom surface of the suction nozzle, into a second position, in which the first brush and the second brush are in a protruding position relative to said bottom surface;

a rolling member configured for rolling and arranged near said pivot axis in such a position that, during operation, said rolling member extends below the first and second brush when the first and the second brush are in said first position, and said first and second brush extend below the rolling member when the first and the second brush are in said second position, wherein said pivot axis is arranged between the first brush and at least a portion of the second brush; and

a blocking mechanism which cooperates with the adjustment mechanism and which blocks the suction nozzle in a blocked position relative to a central portion of the suction attachment when the first brush and the second brush are in the second position.

2. The suction attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suction nozzle has a mainly V-shaped rear edge along which the second brush extends, the pivot axis being arranged, between the first brush and end portions of the second brush.

3. The suction attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling member has an axis of rotation which coincides with the pivot axis.

4. The suction attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling member has a relatively hard, non-resilient rolling surface.

5. The suction attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rolling member is provided on a central portion of the suction attachment, wherein the coupling member is pivotable relative to said central portion about the pivot axis, and wherein the suction nozzle is pivotable relative to said central portion about an additional pivot axis extending parallel to the pivot axis.

6. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing,

an electrical suction unit accommodated in said housing,

a suction channel, and

a suction attachment configured to be coupled to the suction unit via the suction channel, wherein the suction attachment comprises;

a suction nozzle;

a coupling member for coupling the suction attachment to a suction channel of the vacuum cleaner, said coupling member being pivotable relative to the suction nozzle about a pivot axis extending substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the coupling member;

a first brush and a second brush extending near, respectively, a front edge and a rear edge of the suction nozzle;

an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the first brush and the second brush from a first position, in which the first brush and the second brush are in a retracted position relative to a bottom surface of the suction nozzle, into a second position, in which the first brush and the second brush are in a protruding position relative to said bottom surface;

a rolling member configured for rolling and arranged near said pivot axis in such a position that, during operation, said rolling member extends below the first and second brush when the first and the second brush are in said first position, and said first and second brush extend below the rolling member when the first and the second brush are in said second position, wherein said pivot axis is arranged between the first brush and at least a portion of the second brush; and

a blocking mechanism which cooperates with the adjustment mechanism and which blocks the suction nozzle in a blocking position relative to a central portion of the suction attachment when the first brush and the second brush are in the second position.

7. A suction attachment for a vacuum cleaner comprising:

a suction nozzle;

a suction channel connected to the suction nozzle by a coupler, the coupler being pivotable about a pivot axis;

a front brush extending near a front edge of the suction nozzle, and a rear brush extending near a rear edge of the suction nozzle,

an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the front brush and the rear brush from a retracted position relative to a bottom surface of the suction nozzle in a first position to protruding position relative to the bottom surface in a second position;

a rolling member configured for rolling and arranged near said pivot axis in such a position that, during operation, said rolling member extends below the front brush and the rear brush when the front brush and the rear brush are in said first position, and the front brush and the rear brush extend below the rolling member when the front brush and the rear brush are in said second position, wherein said pivot axis is arranged between the front brush and at least a portion of the rear brush; and

a blocking mechanism which cooperates with the adjustment mechanism and which blocks the suction nozzle in a blocked position relative to a central portion of the suction attachment when the front brush and the rear brush are in the second position.

8. The suction attachment of claim 7, wherein the rear edge is V-shaped having end portions, and wherein the pivot axis is arranged between the front brush and the end portions of the rear brush.

9. The suction attachment of claim 7, wherein the rolling member has an axis of rotation which coincides with the pivot axis.

10. The suction attachment of claim 7, wherein the rolling member is provided on the central portion of the suction attachment, the coupler being pivotable relative to the central portion about the pivot axis, and wherein the suction nozzle is pivotable relative to the central portion about an additional pivot axis extending parallel to the pivot axis.