Rotatable brush for surface cleaning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12349853-B2
Application number	US-202318230429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2023
Priority date	Mar 29, 2018
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus has a rotatably mounted brush. The brush has first and second microfiber pads separated by bristles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with an air treatment member and a suction motor provided in the air flow path;
b) a rotatably mounted brush associated with the dirty air inlet, the rotatably mounted brush having an axis of rotation, a length in the axial direction, a radial outer surface and first and second axially spaced apart sides; and,
c) a first hard floor cleaning pad provided on the radial outer surface, the first hard floor cleaning pad having a first radial outer floor cleaning surface, a leading side in a direction of rotation on the brush and a trailing side;
d) a second hard floor cleaning pad provided on the radial outer surface and radially spaced around the brush from the first hard floor cleaning pad, the second hard floor cleaning pad having a second radial outer floor cleaning surface, a leading side in a direction of rotation on the brush and a trailing side; and,
e) a flexible first protective pad member positioned between the leading side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the trailing side of the second hard floor cleaning pad, wherein the flexible first protective pad member has a radial outer end that is located radially outwardly of a radial outer end of the first hard floor cleaning pad,
wherein, with the flexible first protective pad member engaging a floor, the radial outer end of the flexible first protective pad member is positioned between the radial outer surface of the brush and the radial outer surface the first hard floor cleaning pad, and
wherein a plane extends between the radial outer end of the leading side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and a radial outer end of the trailing side of the second hard floor cleaning pad and, when the flexible first protective pad member engages a floor, the radial outer end of the flexible first protective pad member is co-incident with or recessed radially inwardly from the plane.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first hard floor cleaning pad are less flexible or less compressible than the flexible first protective pad member.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flexible first protective pad member comprises a plurality of bristles.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein an open volume is provided between the leading side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the trailing side of the second hard floor cleaning pad and, when the flexible first protective pad member engages a floor, the flexible first protective pad member is located in the open volume.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a flexible second protective pad member positioned between the trailing side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the leading side of the second hard floor cleaning pad, wherein the flexible second protective pad member has a radial outer end that is located radially outwardly of a radial outer end of the first hard floor cleaning pad.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein an open volume is provided between the trailing side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the leading side of the second hard floor cleaning pad and, when the flexible second protective pad member engages a floor, the flexible second protective pad member is located in the open volume.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second hard floor cleaning pads comprise microfiber pads.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second hard floor cleaning pads extend around at least 50% of a radial perimeter of the brush.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second hard floor cleaning pads extend around at least 75% of a radial perimeter of the brush.

10. A surface cleaning head comprising:
a) a rotatably mounted brush having an axis of rotation, a length in the axial direction, a radial outer surface and first and second axially spaced apart sides; and,
b) a first hard floor cleaning pad provided on the radial outer surface, the first hard floor cleaning pad having a first radial outer floor cleaning surface, a leading side in a direction of rotation on the brush and a trailing side;
c) a second hard floor cleaning pad provided on the radial outer surface and radially spaced around the brush from the first hard floor cleaning pad, the second hard floor cleaning pad having a second radial outer floor cleaning surface, a leading side in a direction of rotation on the brush and a trailing side; and,
d) a flexible first protective pad member positioned between the leading side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the trailing side of the second hard floor cleaning pad, wherein the flexible first protective pad member has a radial outer end that is located radially outwardly of a radial outer end of the first hard floor cleaning pad,
wherein the first and second hard floor cleaning pads comprise microfiber pads, and
wherein a plane extends between the radial outer end of the leading side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and a radial outer end of the trailing side of the second hard floor cleaning pad and, when the flexible first protective pad member engage a floor, the radial outer end of the flexible first protective pad member is co-incident with or recessed radially inwardly from the plane.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein, when the flexible first protective pad member engage a floor, the radial outer end of the flexible first protective pad member is positioned between the radial outer surface of the brush and the radial outer surface the first hard floor cleaning pad.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first hard floor cleaning pad are less flexible or less compressible than the flexible first protective pad member.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the flexible first protective pad member comprises a plurality of bristles.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein an open volume is provided between the leading side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the trailing side of the second hard floor cleaning pad and, when the flexible first protective pad member engages a floor, the flexible first protective pad member is located in the open volume.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein a flexible second protective pad member positioned between the trailing side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the leading side of the second hard floor cleaning pad, wherein the flexible second protective pad member has a radial outer end that is located radially outwardly of a radial outer end of the first hard floor cleaning pad.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein an open volume is provided between the trailing side of the first hard floor cleaning pad and the leading side of the second hard floor cleaning pad and, when the flexible second protective pad member engages a floor, the flexible second protective pad member is located in the open volume.

17. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a) a rotatably mounted brush having an axis of rotation, a length in the axial direction, a radial outer surface and first and second axially spaced apart sides; and,
b) a first hard floor cleaning pad provided on the radial outer surface, the first hard floor cleaning pad having a first radial outer floor cleaning surface, a leading side in a direction of rotation on the brush and a trailing side;
c) a second hard floor cleaning pad provide

Assignees

• Omachron Intellectual Property Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Wayne Ernest
• Petersen Dave

Classifications

• A46B13/006

  formed by winding a strip tuft in a helix about the body · CPC title

• A47L11/24

  Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven · CPC title

• A46B9/12

  Non-adjustable supports · CPC title

• A46B13/02

  power-driven {carriers} · CPC title

• A47L11/4041

  Roll shaped surface treating tools · CPC title