Apparatus for disentanglement of fibers from rotors

A rotor assembly is provided and includes a rotor, tongs and an actuation system. The rotor includes a shaft defining a rotational axis about which the rotor is rotatable and rotor elements supported on the shaft to define grooves. The tongs are disposed in the grooves to occupy and move between first and second positions. At the first positions, the tongs are retracted from the grooves. At the second positions, the tongs are engaged in the grooves to disentangle fibers from the rotor. The actuation system is configured to bias the tongs toward the first positions and is actuatable to drive the tongs into the second positions.

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to rotors and, more specifically, to an apparatus for disentanglement of fibers from rotors.

A rotor is used in a vacuum cleaner or lawnmower. In the case of vacuum cleaners, as air is drawn into the vacuum cleaner, the air flows over a rotor while the rotor rotates. Brushes on the rotor agitate debris in carpeting or flooring so that the debris is enjoined into the airflow, which increases the efficiency of the cleaning effect.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a rotor assembly. A non-limiting example of the rotor assembly includes a rotor, tongs and an actuation system. The rotor includes a shaft defining a rotational axis about which the rotor is rotatable and rotor elements supported on the shaft to define grooves. The tongs are disposed in the grooves to occupy and move between first and second positions. At the first positions, the tongs are retracted from the grooves. At the second positions, the tongs are engaged in the grooves to disentangle fibers from the rotor. The actuation system is configured to bias the tongs toward the first positions and is actuatable to drive the tongs into the second positions.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a rotor assembly. A non-limiting example of the rotor assembly includes a housing defining a pathway, a rotor, tongs and an actuation system. The rotor is rotatably disposed in the pathway and includes a shaft defining a rotational axis about which the rotor is rotatable and rotor elements supported on the shaft to define grooves. The tongs are disposed in the grooves to occupy and move between first and second positions. At the first positions, the tongs are retracted from the grooves. At the second positions, the tongs are engaged in the grooves to disentangle fibers from the rotor with the rotor continuing to rotate. The actuation system is configured to bias the tongs toward the first positions and is actuatable with the rotor continuing to rotate to drive the tongs into the second positions.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of operating a rotor assembly that includes tongs disposed to occupy and move between disengaged positions and engaged positions at which the tongs are engaged to disentangle fibers from a rotor. A non-limiting example of the method includes identifying that fibers are entangled in the rotor; actuating an actuation system configured to bias the tongs toward the disengaged positions such that the actuation system drives the tongs into the engaged positions and de-actuating the actuation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a roller head that is designed to be easily cleaned without disassembly or additional tools. The roller head includes a rotor and a series of blades that are incorporated into the head on a spring-loaded arm designed to clear fibers upon vertical pressing by insertion into narrow channels on the roller. Features of the roller include conical elements with narrow cross-sectional channels at regular intervals along the length of the roller. The channels allow for insertions of the blades into the channels whereby the blades cut below the surface of the roller on which tangled fibers rest. The spring-loaded arm can be vertically oriented and includes a series of spring-loaded tongs to which the blades are coupled enabling close cuts without the risk of damage being caused to the roller head itself. In general, the roller head improves user safety by not requiring disassembly, lifting or application of external cutting tools to remove tangled fibers.

Rotor head cleaners have been a staple of households for decades. Nevertheless, there are design issues with these devices. For example, rotor heads with brushes, which are used for agitating debris in carpeting to improve cleaning efficiency, can easily become tangled with fibers like hair and pet fur. Cleaning of such rotor heads often requires disassembly and manual cutting of hair and fur fibers to free tangles from the rotor.

Solutions for the problem of entangled fibers involve the use of a blade. This blade is typically blunt lest it present a risk of cutting through bristles on surfaces of rollers of the rotor head. As such, the blade works on the basis of pinching and not cutting. That is, the blunt blade tends to pinch off entangled fibers to thereby loosen them from the rollers. The use of one or more blades is not usually paired with additional features, such as channels for cutting without causing damage to the roller, and normally only works when the rollers spin. This leads to high degrees of frictional wear and risk of moving parts causing damage.

As will be described below, a roller head is provided in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention to be easily cleaned without disassembly or additional tools and uses cutting blades that do not touch the bristles of the rollers.

Turning now toFIGS. 1 and 2, a rotor assembly101is provided and includes a housing110that is formed to define a pathway111, a rotor120that is rotatably disposed in the pathway111, tongs130and an actuation system140. The rotor120includes a shaft121defining a rotational axis A (seeFIG. 2) about which the rotor120is rotatable, rotor elements122that are supported on the shaft121and brushes123that are attached separately or in groups to each of the rotor elements122. As the rotor120rotates about the rotational axis A, the rotor elements122and the brushes123rotate together. The housing110can include or be provided as at least one or more of a manual or robotic vacuum cleaner housing112, a hay roller or baler machine housing and a land clearing machine housing (all of which have a similar general configuration for the purposes of this disclosure) that are usable in industrial and/or agricultural applications. That is, the housing110includes an inlet1111, a main section1112in which the rotor120is disposed and an outlet1113that can be coupled with a storage bag or unit (seeFIG. 2). The rotor assembly101can further include a blower element or engine that generates an airflow through the pathway111such that the airflow impinges upon and flows around the rotor120.

In the case of the housing110being provided as a manual or robotic vacuum cleaner housing112, the rotor assembly101can be provided for use in cleaning carpeting or other types of flooring. In these or other cases, the airflow draws dirt particles and fibers into the housing110via the inlet1111, around the rotor120and through the main section1112and out of the housing110via the outlet1113. In the meantime, the rotation of the rotor elements122and the brushes123agitates the dirt particles and fibers so that they move more efficiently. Ideally, the dirt particles and fibers will pass by the rotor120but it is to be understood that at least the fibers will occasionally become entangled with the rotor120. The rotor assembly101is configured to address the cases in which at least the fibers become entangled with the rotor120.

With reference toFIGS. 3-6, the rotor elements122are arranged and configured along the shaft121to define channels or grooves124between adjacent or neighboring rotor elements122. The tongs130are disposed in the grooves124to occupy and move between first positions and second positions. At the first positions, the tongs130are retracted from the grooves124. At the second positions, the tongs130are engaged in the grooves124to disentangle fibers from the rotor120with the rotor stationary or continuing to rotate about the rotational axis A. The actuation system140is configured to bias the tongs130toward the first positions and is actuatable with the rotor stationary or continuing to rotate to drive the tongs130into the second positions.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, the rotor elements122can each have a similar size, shape, and configuration whereby the grooves124can each have a similar size, shape, and configuration and can be separated from one another by a substantially similar interval. In an exemplary case, the rotor elements122can each include conical sections310such that the grooves124have complementary V-shapes with flat-bottoms corresponding to the shaft121(i.e., flat-bottomed V-shaped grooves124).

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, where the rotor elements122can each include conical sections310that taper toward the shaft121in the grooves124such that the grooves124have complementary V-shapes with flat-bottoms corresponding to the shaft121, the brushes123can be configured with varying lengths to accommodate the conical sections310whereby external edges of the brushes123form a substantially flat alignment320. That is, the brushes123at the axial center of the rotor elements122are relatively short and the brushes123at or near the narrow ends of the conical sections310are relatively long.

As shown inFIG. 5, the tongs130each include a support shaft131, upper and lower blades132and an elastic element133. The upper and lower blades are pivotally attached to the support shaft131and are spring-loaded by the elastic element133. The spring-loading of the upper and lower blades132is such that the upper and lower blades132automatically close toward each other with the tongs130occupying the first positions and, conversely, such that the upper and lower blades132automatically open with the tongs130occupying the second positions.

Although not shown, the tongs130can further include hinges by which the upper and lower blades132are pivotally attached to the support shaft131.

With the automatic closure and the automatic opening of the upper and lower blades132being controlled in accordance of the tongs130occupying the first positions or the second positions, the upper and lower blades132can move toward and around components of the rotor120in the grooves124without actually touching the rotor120. Thus, to the extent that the upper and lower blades132can be used to disentangle fibers from the rotor120, the upper and lower blades132can do so without touching the rotor120and therefore without potentially impacting and damaging the rotor120.

Each of the upper and lower blades132can, but is not required to, include a cutting element1320. When provided, the cutting element1320can be disposable within the corresponding groove124and proximate to the rotor120whereby the cutting element1320can cut through fibers that might be entangled on the rotor120.

As shown inFIG. 6, conical sections310of adjacent or neighboring rotor elements122are illustrated with an intervening section of the shaft121to define groove124having width W1. Here, the upper and lower blades132of the tong130have a width W2, which is only slightly smaller than the width W1. In this way, the effectiveness of the tongs130(seeFIG. 5) can be maximized within the groove124. In fact, respective widths W2of the upper and lower blades132of each of the tongs130are a substantial fraction of respective widths W1of corresponding ones of each of the grooves124.

With reference back toFIGS. 2 and 3, the actuation system140includes a chassis141, a button142coupled to the chassis141and an elastic element143. The chassis141can be provided as an elongate member with which each of the tongs130are coupled. The button142is disposed at a distal end of a boss extending from the chassis141and can be supportively disposed at an exterior of the housing110(seeFIG. 2) so that the button142is accessible to an operator or user. The elastic element143can be anchored between the button142and the housing110and is spring-loaded to bias the chassis141away from the rotor120and to thus bias the tongs130toward the first positions.

During operation of the rotor assembly101, when an operator or user becomes aware that fibers are entangled with the rotor120, the operator or user can actuate the actuation system140by pressing the button142against the bias of the elastic element143toward the housing110to thereby drive the chassis141toward the rotor120and to thereby drive the tongs130toward the second positions. Subsequently, the operator or user can de-actuate the actuation system140by releasing the button142whereby the bias of the elastic element143drives the chassis141away from the rotor120and the tongs130toward the first positions. In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, the actuation and de-actuation of the actuation system140can be repeated by the operator or user by repeated pressing and releasing of the button142until the entangled fibers are disentangled from the rotor120.

Although the button142is described herein as an analog feature, it is to be understood that this is not required and that other embodiments are possible. For example, the button142and the actuation system140can be actuated and controlled electronically with or without the involvement of the operator or user. For example, in a case where the button142is coupled with an electronic system including, for example a solenoid or another similar device, a pressing and releasing of the button142can cause the electronic system to activate and deactivate to drive the chassis141toward and away from the rotor120. In a case where the actuation system140can be operable without the operator or user, the actuation system140can further include a sensor and processor to sense an entangled condition and to activate the actuation system140accordingly.

Although the tongs130and the actuation system140are described herein such that each of the tongs130are driven toward the first or second positions as a unit, it is to be understood that this is not required and that other embodiments are possible. For example, each tong130can be dependently or independently operable by the actuation system140. In these or other cases, the operator or user (in the case of the actuation system140being non-automatically controlled) or the actuation system140itself (in the case of the actuation system140being automatic) can operate only those tongs130that are closest to an entanglement. That is, if fibers are entangled on the rotor in only one of the grooves124, the tong130corresponding to that groove124can be driven between the first and second positions independently of the other tongs130.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, the actuation system140can be actuated and de-actuated with the rotor120continually rotating or with the rotor120stationary. As such, an entangled condition can be addressed prior to, during and/or after an operation of the rotor assembly101.

With reference toFIG. 7, a method of operating a rotor assembly, such as the rotor assembly101described herein, is provided. As shown inFIG. 7, the method includes identifying that fibers are entangled in the rotor120(701), manually or automatically actuating the actuation system140such that the actuation system140drives the tongs130from disengaged (or the first) positions and into engaged (or the second) positions (702) and manually or automatically de-actuating the actuation system140(703). The method can further include determining whether the entangled condition remains in effect following the manual or automatic de-actuating of operation703(704) and either repeating the manual or automatic actuating and the manual or automatic de-actuating of operations702and703in an event the entangled condition remains in effect until fiber disentanglement can be confirmed or ending the method in an event the fiber disentanglement is confirmed. The rotor assembly (i.e., the rotor assembly101) is activatable and/or continually activatable during execution of the method.