Surface cleaning head for vacuum cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12070177-B2
Application number	US-202016921350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2020
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

A surface cleaning head includes dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) and a removable cover for covering a top of the agitators and allowing access to the agitators from a top of the surface cleaning head. The dual agitators 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 brush roll may be located in a brush roll chamber and at least partially in an opening to the suction conduit. The leading roller may be positioned adjacent to and in advance of the suction conduit opening such that the leading roller engages debris and moves the debris toward the brush roll and the opening. The leading roller may be removable from the housing and held in place by the removable cover. The cover may be coupled using isolated latching mechanisms.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface cleaning head comprising:
a housing having a front side, a back side, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, and an underside, the housing further including a suction conduit having an opening on the underside of the housing;
a brush roll rotatably mounted to the housing within a brush roll chamber and having a first brush roll end proximate the first lateral side and a second brush roll end proximate the second lateral side;
a leading roller mounted to the housing in front of the brush roll and having a first leading roller end proximate the first lateral side and a second leading roller end proximate the second lateral side, wherein at least an inside upper portion of the leading roller is not exposed to a primary air flow path into the opening of the suction conduit while at least an inside of a bottom portion of the leading roller is exposed to the primary flow path into the opening of the suction conduit; and
a drive mechanism coupled to the first brush roll end for rotating the brush roll, wherein the second brush roll end of the brush roll is coupled to the second leading roller end of the leading roller for transferring rotation from the brush roll to the leading roller, the drive mechanism including a drive motor, wherein the drive mechanism is further configured to cause the brush roll and the leading roller to both rotate in the same direction.

2. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is coupled to the first brush roll end via a first drive belt, and wherein the second brush roll end is coupled to the second leading roller end via a second drive belt.

3. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 , wherein the leading roller is centrally located between the first lateral side and the second lateral side.

4. The surface cleaning head of claim 1 , further comprising:
the housing defining the brush roll chamber and the suction conduit with the suction conduit opening on the underside of the housing between the front side and the back side, wherein the suction conduit passes from the suction conduit opening through at least a portion of the brush roll chamber; and
wherein at least a portion of the brush roll is proximate the opening of the suction conduit.

5. The surface cleaning head of claim 4 , further comprising:
a vacuum channel extending from a back side of the brush roll chamber such that the suction conduit passes from the brush roll chamber and into the vacuum channel; and
a shelf structure located at the back side of the brush roll chamber, the shelf structure including a surface facing generally downward toward the underside of the housing and opposing rotation of the brush roll, wherein the shelf structure is configured and positioned to knock down and de-energize debris moving at the back side of the brush roll chamber to allow the debris to enter the vacuum channel via air flow through the suction conduit.

6. The surface cleaning head of claim 5 , wherein the shelf structure extends at least partially into the vacuum channel.

7. The surface cleaning head of claim 5 , wherein the vacuum channel includes a flared mouth at the brush roll chamber, and wherein the shelf structure extends along at least a portion of the flared mouth.

8. The surface cleaning head of claim 7 , wherein the shelf structure also extends from the flared mouth along at least a portion of the back side of the brush roll chamber.

9. The surface cleaning head of claim 8 , further comprising a rear floor sealing strip along the opening to the suction conduit proximate the back side of the brush roll chamber and first and second side floor sealing strips along at least a portion of the opening to the suction conduit proximate first and second lateral sides of the housing.

10. The surface cleaning head of claim 9 , wherein the side floor sealing strips are located proximate the rear floor sealing strip and spaced from the leading roller to form side air passageways to the opening of the suction conduit.

11. A surface cleaning head comprising:
a housing having a front side, a back side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the housing defining a brush roll chamber and a suction conduit with a suction conduit opening on an underside of the housing between the front side and the back side, wherein the suction conduit passes through at least a portion of the brush roll chamber;
wheels coupled to the housing for supporting the housing on a surface to be cleaned;
a brush roll rotatably mounted to the housing within the brush roll chamber with at least a portion of the brush roll extending through the suction conduit opening, the brush roll having a first brush roll end proximate the first lateral side and a second brush roll end proximate the second lateral side;
a leading roller mounted to the housing in front of the brush roll and having a first leading roller end proximate the first lateral side and a second leading roller end proximate the second lateral side;
a drive mechanism coupled to the first brush roll end for rotating the brush roll, wherein the second brush roll end of the brush roll is coupled to the second leading roller end of the leading roller for transferring rotation from the brush roll to the leading roller, the drive mechanism including a drive motor
at least one floor sealing strip along a rear side of the suction conduit opening and along at least a portion of sides of the suction conduit opening, wherein side air passages are formed between the leading roller and ends of the at least one floor sealing strip on the sides of the suction conduit; and
a sole plate on an underside of the housing defining at least a portion of the suction conduit opening, wherein the sole plate has a clearance from the surface to be cleaned when the wheels are supported on the surface to be cleaned, wherein the brush roll extends beyond the sole plate less than or equal to the clearance and wherein the at least one floor sealing strip extends greater than the clearance.

12. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 , wherein the drive motor is coupled to the first brush roll end via a first drive belt, and wherein the second brush roll end is coupled to the second leading roller end via a second drive belt.

13. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 , wherein the leading roller is centrally located between the first lateral side and the second lateral side.

14. The surface cleaning head of claim 11 , wherein the at least one floor sealing strip includes at least one bristle strip.

15. The surface cleaning head of claim 14 , wherein the bristle strip includes bristles and a strip of another material extending along the bristle strip between the bristles.

16. The surface cleaning head of claim 15 , wherein the leading roller has a smaller diameter than the brush roll.

17. The surface cleaning head of claim 16 , wherein the at least one floor sealing strip includes a rear sealing strip along a rear side of the suction conduit opening and side floor sealing strips along at least a portion of sides of the suction conduit opening.

Assignees

• Sharkninja Operating Llc

Inventors

• Udy Adam
• Brown Andre David
• Freese John
• Cleary Patrick
• Meyer Daniel
• INNES Daniel John
• Thorne Jason
• Hutchinson Peter
• Howes Gordon
• Gao Wenxiu
• Der Marderosian Daniel R
• Ford Thomas
• Johnson Owen R

Classifications

• A47L9/0488

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

• A47L9/0477

  Rolls · CPC title

• A47L5/34

  with height adjustment of nozzles or dust-loosening tools · CPC title

• A47L9/0411

  driven by electric motor · CPC title

• A47L9/0444

  for conveying motion by endless flexible members, e.g. belts · CPC title