Surface cleaning head with leading roller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10925448-B2
Application number	US-201615768879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 21, 2015
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A surface cleaning head with a leading roller may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The surface cleaning head may have dual agitators—a leading roller and a rotating brush roll—with the leading roller being located in front of the brush roll. The leading roller may have a smaller diameter than the brush roll and may provide a softer cleaning element. The leading roller may also have a bottom portion exposed to the flow path to the suction conduit and at least a top half that is not exposed to that flow path. The leading roller may also float relative to the surface cleaning head and/or may be adjustable relative to the brush roll.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface cleaning head comprising:
a housing having a front side and back side, the housing defining a suction conduit with an opening on an underside of the housing between the front side and the back side;
a brush roll rotatably mounted within the suction conduit and at least a portion of the brush roll being proximate the opening of the suction conduit;
a leading roller rotatably mounted to the front side of the housing in front of and spaced from the brush roll to define an inter-roller air passageway between lower portions of the brush roll and the leading roller, wherein the leading roller has an outer diameter that is less than an outer diameter of the brush roll, wherein at least an inside upper portion of the leading roller is substantially outside of a flow path to the suction conduit and wherein at least an inside bottom portion of the leading roller is exposed to the flow path to the suction conduit, and wherein the leading roller is in front of the opening of the suction conduit such that the leading roller at least partially seals a front side of the underside of the housing when used on a surface being cleaned and directs debris from the surface being cleaned to the inter-roller passageway;
a drive mechanism drivingly engaged with the rotating brush roll for driving the rotating brush roll and drivingly engaged with the leading roller for driving the leading roller; and
at least one sealing strip extending from the underside of the housing, the at least one sealing strip comprising a rear sealing strip extending along a rear side of the opening;
wherein the underside of the housing at least partially defines side air passageways between the leading roller and the sealing strip to direct air to the opening along the underside at left and right sides of the housing.

2. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of the leading roller is less than or equal to ¾ of the outer diameter of the brush roll.

3. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of the leading roller is less than or equal to about half of the outer diameter of the brush roll.

4. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the leading roller has an outer diameter in a range of about 15 to 21 mm.

5. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the leading roller has a bottom contact surface at a location below a bottom contact surface of the brush roll.

6. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the brush roll includes bristles and wherein the leading roller includes a cleaning element that is softer than bristles.

7. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the at least one sealing strip includes left and right side sealing strips along left and right sides of the underside of the housing.

8. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes a cover for covering a brush roll chamber including the brush roll, the cover being movable between a closed position and an open position.

9. The surface cleaning head of claim 8 wherein the brush roll is removable from the brush roll chamber when the cover is in the open position.

10. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 wherein the leading roller is removable.

11. A surface cleaning head comprising:
a housing having a front side and back side, the housing defining a suction conduit with an opening on an underside of the housing between the front side and the back side;
a brush roll rotatably mounted at least partially within the suction conduit;
a drive mechanism drivingly engaged with the brush roll for driving the rotating brush roll and drivingly engaged with the leading roller for driving the leading roller; and
a leading roller coupled to the front side of the housing adjacent in front of the brush roll and in front of the opening of the suction conduit, wherein the leading roller floats relative to the housing independent of the brush roll for engaging a surface being cleaned, wherein the leading roller at least partially seals a front side of the underside of the housing and directs debris to the suction conduit.

12. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 wherein the brush roll is rotatably mounted at least partially within the suction conduit and above the opening of the suction conduit.

13. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 further including a pivoting roller support pivotably coupled to the front side of the housing, wherein the leading roller is rotatably mounted within the pivoting roller support.

14. The surface cleaning head of claim 13 further including a biasing mechanism coupled to the pivoting roller support for biasing the leading roller toward the surface being cleaned.

15. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 further including at least one rear wheel at the back side of the housing and least one middle wheel on the underside of the housing at a middle section of the housing, wherein the rear wheel and the middle wheel support the surface cleaning head.

16. The surface cleaning head of claim 15 wherein the leading roller floats at a position above bottom contact surfaces of the rear wheel and the middle wheel such that the leading roller is spaced from the surface being cleaned.

17. The surface cleaning head of claim 15 wherein the leading roller floats at a position below bottom contact surfaces of the rear wheel and the middle wheel such that the leading roller rests on the surface being cleaned.

18. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 wherein the leading roller is adjustable to at least a lowered position and a raised position.

19. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 wherein the leading roller includes at least one cleaning element in a spiral pattern along a body of the leading roller.

20. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 wherein the leading roller includes first and second cleaning elements in a spiral pattern along a body of the leading roller, the first and second cleaning elements having different characteristics.

21. A surface cleaning head comprising:
a housing having a front side and back side, the housing defining a suction conduit with an opening on an underside of the housing between the front side and the back side;
a brush roll rotatably mounted at least partially within the suction conduit and above the opening of the suction conduit;
a leading roller rotatably mounted to the front side of the housing in front of the brush roll and in front of the opening of the suction conduit;
a drive mechanism drivingly engaged with the brush roll for driving the brush roll and drivingly engaged with the leading roller for driving the leading roller; and
an adjusting mechanism coupled to the leading roller for adjusting a position of the leading roller independent of the brush roll between at least a lowered position and a raised position, wherein a bottom contact surface of the leading roller is located below a bottom contact surface of the brush roll in the lowered position such that the leading roller contacts a surface to be cleaned, and wherein a bottom contact surface of the leading roller is located above the bottom contact surface of the brush roll in the raised position such that the leading roller is spaced from the surface being cleaned and the brush roll contacts the surface being cleaned.

22. The surface cleaning head of claim 21 further comprising wherein the adjusting mechanism includes a foot pedal or switch.

23. The surface cleaning head of claim 21 wherein the ho

Assignees

• Sharkninja Operating Llc

Inventors

• Thorne Jason B
• Meyer Daniel
• Brown Andre David
• Liu Sam

Classifications

• A47L9/0494

  Height adjustment of dust-loosening tools · CPC title

• A47L9/0477 Primary

  Rolls · CPC title

• A47L5/30

  with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes · CPC title

• A47L9/0488 Primary

  Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools · CPC title

• A47L9/30

  Arrangement of illuminating devices · CPC title