Surface cleaning head

A surface cleaning head is disclosed. The surface cleaning head includes a housing, a brush system, and a panel open detector. The brush system includes a brush and a brush drive member drivingly connected to the brush. The brush is moveably mounted in the brush chamber and removably from the brush chamber. A panel open detector is operatively connected to a brush interruption member and the brush interruption member is operatively connected to the brush system. When the panel open detector detects that a panel on the housing is opened, the brush interruption member interacts with the brush system to prevent the brush drive member driving the brush.

FIELD

This application relates to the field of surface cleaning apparatus, and more specifically to surface cleaning heads for surface cleaning apparatus.

INTRODUCTION

Surface cleaning apparatus, such as vacuum cleaners and carpet extractors, typically have a cleaning head defining a dirt inlet for dirt collected from surfaces to be cleaned. The cleaning head may include a cleaning brush which may help to dislodge dirt on the surface and/or drive dislodged dirt into the surface cleaning apparatus. Over time, the cleaning brush may become tangled with debris such as hair and larger dirt particles. A user may free the debris from the cleaning brush by hand.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of this disclosure, a brush is removable from a brush chamber in a surface cleaning head so it may be cleaned (e.g., to enable a user to remove hair that is wrapped around the brush) and/or replaced by another brush. In order to enable the brush to be removed, an openable or removable panel may be provided on the surface cleaning head (e.g., on an upper surface of the surface cleaning head). In order to prevent a user being hurt when removing the brush (e.g., by the rotation of the brush in the surface cleaning head) a switch may be provided to prevent the brush from being driven by a brush drive member (e.g., an electric motor) when the panel is opened. Accordingly, one advantage of this design is that, if the surface cleaning apparatus is accidentally actuated while a user is removing the brush from the brush chamber, the brush will not be driven by, e.g., an electric brush motor, and the user thereby hurt.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning head which may comprise a housing, a brush system, and a panel open detector. The housing may have a front end, a rear end, a brush chamber and an openable panel. The brush system may include a brush and a brush drive member drivingly connected to the brush. The brush may be moveably mounted in the brush chamber and removable from the brush chamber (e.g., removably mounted to the housing). The panel open detector may be operatively connected to a brush interruption member and the brush interruption member may be operatively connected to the brush system. When the panel open detector detects that the panel is opened, the brush interruption member may interact with the brush system to prevent the brush drive member driving the brush.

In some embodiments, the brush may be rotatably mounted in the brush chamber.

In some embodiments, the panel may be provided in an upper surface of the housing.

In some embodiments, the panel may be removably mounted to the housing.

In some embodiments, the panel may be moveably mounted (e.g., pivotally mounted) with respect to the housing between an open position, in which the brush is removable, and a closed position.

In some embodiments, a front portion of the panel may be moveably mounted to the housing and a rear portion of the panel may be moveable upwardly to the open position.

In some embodiments, the panel open detector may include an abutment member moveable between an open position and a closed position and the brush interruption member may be movable between a brush driven position and a brush non driven position in response to movement of the abutment member between closed position and the open position.

In some embodiments, the panel open detector may include a mechanical linkage drivingly connecting the abutment member to the brush interruption member.

In some embodiments, the brush drive member may include a drive motor, the brush system may include an electrical circuit and movement of the brush interruption member to the brush non-driven position may open the circuit.

In some embodiments, the panel open detector may include an abutment member moveable between an open position and a closed position and the abutment member may be provided on the housing below the rear portion of the panel.

In some embodiments, the abutment member may be slidably mounted in a switch housing, the abutment member may have an upper portion drivingly engageable by the panel and a lower portion may include the brush interruption member.

In some embodiments, the brush drive member may include a drive motor, the brush system may include an electrical circuit having a contact member and downward movement of the brush interruption member to the brush driven position may move the contact member to a circuit closed position.

In some embodiments, the abutment member may be slidably mounted in a switch housing, the abutment member may have a first portion drivingly engageable by the panel and a second portion may include the brush interruption member.

In some embodiments, the brush drive member may include a drive motor, the brush system may include an electrical circuit having a contact member and movement of the brush interruption member to the brush driven position may move the contact member to a circuit closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

For the purpose of illustration, the surface cleaning apparatus exemplified herein is an all-in-the-head vacuum cleaner. It will be appreciated that aspects disclosed herein may be used in other surface cleaning apparatus, such as other types of vacuum cleaners (e.g. canister vacuum cleaners, upright vacuum cleaners, or handheld vacuum cleaners), or floor sweepers (e.g. without suction, air flow path, or air treatment member), extractors, or in surface cleaning heads of any such surface cleaners.

General Description of the Vacuum Cleaner

Referring toFIG. 1, an embodiment of a surface cleaning apparatus100is shown. The surface cleaning apparatus includes a surface cleaning head102and an upper portion104that is movably and drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head102. In the embodiment illustrated, the surface cleaning apparatus100is an all in the head type vacuum cleaner in which the functional or operational components for the transport and treatment of fluid (e.g., air) entering the dirty air inlet of the vacuum cleaner (such as, for example, the suction motor, air treatment member, filters, motors, etc.) are all contained within the surface cleaning head102portion of surface cleaning apparatus100.

The surface cleaning head102may be supported by any suitable support members, such as, for example wheels121and/or rollers, to allow the surface cleaning head102to be moved across the floor or other surface to be cleaned. The support members (e.g., wheels121) may be of any suitable configuration, and may be attached to any suitable part of the surface cleaning apparatus, including, for example, the surface cleaning head102and upper portion104.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the surface cleaning apparatus100preferably includes a dirty air inlet130, preferably located at the front end of the surface cleaning head102, a clean air outlet132, and an air flow path or passage extending therebetween. Preferably, at least one suction motor122and at least one air treatment member123are provided in the air flow path. The air treatment member123may be any suitable air treatment member, including, for example, one or more cyclones (arranged in series or in parallel with each other), filters, bags and other dirt separation devices. Preferably, the at least one air treatment member123is provided upstream from the suction motor122, but alternatively may be provided downstream from the suction motor122or both upstream and downstream from the suction motor122. In addition to the at least one air treatment member123, the surface cleaning apparatus100may also include one or more pre-motor filters (positioned in the air flow path between the air treatment member123and the suction motor122) and/or one or more post-motor filters (positioned in the air flow path between the suction motor and the clean air outlet).

As exemplified inFIG. 1, upper portion104may be of any design known in the art that is drivingly connected to surface cleaning head102so as to permit a user to move surface cleaning head102across a surface to be cleaned (such as a floor). If upper portion104is moveably connected to surface cleaning head102about only one axis of rotation (e.g., a horizontal axis), then upper portion104may be used to move surface cleaning head102in a generally forward/backward direction of travel, indicated by arrow106. A direction generally orthogonal to the direction of travel, indicated by arrow108defines a lateral or transverse direction. In some embodiments, upper portion104may be rotatable connected to surface cleaning head102, such as by a swivel connection, so as to enable a user to steer the surface cleaning head102in the lateral direction using the upper portion104.

Upper portion104may comprise a handle110and a drive shaft112. Drive shaft112may be telescopic and/or it may be useable as an above floor cleaning wand and/or it may provide electrical cord storage and/or auxiliary cleaning tool storage and/or it may be used to hang the surface cleaning apparatus on a wall when not in use.

The upper portion104may include some components, such as, for example, height adjustment mechanisms, electrical cord connections, electrical cord storage members, handle, actuators, steering components and other functional, or on board energy storage systems of the surface cleaning apparatus100.

Surface cleaning head102includes a cleaning head housing134. As illustrated, cleaning head housing134may include a front end114having a front face116, a rear end118spaced rearwardly from the front end114and having a rear face120and a pair of side faces124that are laterally spaced apart from each other and extend from the front face116to the rear face120. Brush housing134may also have a bottom face126that extends between the front end114, rear end118and side faces124. The bottom face126is positioned to face the surface being cleaned when the surface cleaning apparatus100is in use.

As exemplified, a top face128is generally spaced apart from and overlies the bottom face126. Together, the front face116, rear face120, side faces124, bottom face126and top face128of cleaning head housing134co-operate to bound an interior of the surface cleaning head102, which, in the illustrated example, is configured to house the functional components of the air flow path of the surface cleaning apparatus100. Preferably, in an all in the head type vacuum cleaner, the surface cleaning head102includes the dirty air inlet130and the clean air outlet132.

In the exemplified embodiment, surface cleaning head102has a generally rectangular footprint when viewed from above. It will be appreciated that front, rear and sides faces need not extend linearly and that surface cleaning head102may be of various shapes.

The forgoing is a general description of an all in the head vacuum cleaner. It will be appreciated that the following aspects may be applied to the cleaning head for any suitable surface cleaning apparatus, such as an upright vacuum, canister vacuum, handheld vacuum, or floor sweeper.

Surface Cleaning Head

Reference is now made toFIG. 2, which shows a perspective view of surface cleaning head102cross-sectioned along line2-2inFIG. 1. As exemplified, surface cleaning head102may include a brush system136having a brush140and a brush drive member144drivingly connected to the brush140. The brush drive member144may be operable to move brush140so that brush140brushes against a surface to be cleaned to dislodge dirt contained on the surface for improve cleaning performance.

Brush140and brush drive member144may be located at any position known in the art and may be in any suitable position inside cleaning head housing134. As exemplified, brush140may be positioned in a brush chamber148, and brush drive member144may be positioned in a brush drive chamber152. Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, the brush chamber148may include a front wall156, a rear wall160, two sidewalls164, and a top wall168. The brush chamber148may be located at the surface cleaning head front end114, and, as in the illustrated embodiment, an outer surface of the brush chamber front wall156may form at least a portion of the surface cleaning head front face116. The bottom side of the brush chamber148may be at least partially open and form all or a portion of the dirt inlet (e.g. dirty air inlet130) of the surface cleaning apparatus100.

As exemplified, the brush chamber148may extend from surface cleaning head bottom face126to surface cleaning head top face128, so that an outer surface172of brush chamber top wall168forms part of the surface cleaning head top face128, and the open, bottom side of the brush chamber148forms part of the surface cleaning head bottom face126.

The brush drive chamber152may be positioned rearwardly of brush chamber148as shown. Alternatively, brush drive chamber152may be positioned forwardly, above, or to the side of brush chamber148. Further, brush drive chamber152may be immediately adjacent (e.g. connected in contact with) brush chamber148as shown. Alternatively, brush drive chamber152may be spaced apart from brush chamber148. For example, one or more other components or chambers may be interposed between brush chamber148and brush drive chamber152. In alternative embodiments, brush drive member144may be situated inside brush chamber148and may be located internally of the brush140, instead of a discrete brush drive chamber152. In some embodiments, brush drive chamber152and/or brush drive member144may be positioned outside of cleaning head housing134(e.g. in upper portion104).

Turning toFIG. 2, brush140may be movably mounted in brush chamber148. This may permit brush140to brush to move relative to a surface to be cleaned to dislodge dirt on the surface. Brush140may be movable in any suitable fashion. For example, brush140may be rotatable as shown, linearly oscillating, or have any other movable brush configuration known in the cleaning arts. In the illustrated example, brush140is rotatable about a brush axis176. Brush axis176may extend in any suitable direction. As shown, brush axis176may extend generally orthogonal to the travel direction106, such as generally parallel to the lateral direction108. Alternatively, brush axis176may extend generally orthogonal to the lateral direction108, such as parallel to the travel direction106. In some embodiments, brush axis176may extend in a direction between the travel direction106and lateral direction108, such as approximately 45 degrees to both directions106and108.

Brush140may be driven to move by any suitable brush drive member144. For example, brush drive member144may include an electric drive motor180as shown, and/or any other drive device known in the cleaning arts, such as an air driven turbine drive or linear agitator. Brush drive member144may be drivingly connected to brush140in any suitable fashion. For example, brush drive member144may directly or indirectly drive brush140. In the illustrated example, brush drive member14includes an output shaft182. Output shaft182may be indirectly mechanically coupled to brush140, such as by belt184as shown, gears, or any other suitable fashion. In alternative embodiments, output shaft182may be directly mechanically coupled to brush140. For example, output shaft182may be collinear with brush axis176.

Reference is now made toFIGS. 3 and 4, which show an enlarged perspective view of surface cleaning head102. As shown, cleaning head housing134may include a panel188that is openable for providing user access to brush140(e.g. for cleaning, repair, or replacement of brush140). Panel188may be of any size and shape that, when in an opened position, enables brush140to be withdrawn from the brush chamber148. In the illustrated example, panel188includes a portion of the front and top faces116and128of cleaning head housing134, and the front and top walls156and168of brush chamber148. Alternatively, or in addition, panel188may include a portion of one or more other faces of cleaning head housing134, such as rear face120, side faces124, or bottom face126, and/or one or more other faces of brush chamber148, such as rear wall160, sidewalls164, or the bottom wall of brush chamber148.

Panel188may be movable in any suitable fashion between a panel closed position and a panel open position. For example, panel188may be pivotally attached to cleaning head housing134for rotation between the panel closed and panel open positions as shown. Alternatively or in addition, panel188may be slidably attached to cleaning head housing134for sliding between the panel closed and panel open positions. In some embodiments, panel188may be wholly removable from cleaning head housing134and removed from cleaning head housing134in the panel open position.

Panel188may be movable in any suitable direction between the panel closed and panel open positions. In the illustrated example, panel188is rotatable about a lower end192of front panel portion196whereby the rear panel portion200may be upwardly and forwardly movable in transitioning from the panel closed position (FIG. 3) to the panel open position (FIG. 4). Alternatively, or in addition, panel188may be rotatable about rear panel portion200. For example, the front panel portion196may be upwardly and rearwardly movable in transitioning from the panel closed position to the panel open position. In other embodiments, panel188may be rotatable about a side panel portion204. For example, one of side panel portions204may be upwardly and laterally movable in transitioning from the panel closed position to the panel open position.

As noted above, panel188may be openable to permit user access to brush140, such as for cleaning, repair, or replacement of brush140. In some embodiments, brush140may be removably mounted to cleaning head housing134. This may permit brush140to be more easily cleaned of debris (e.g. tangled hair), and permit brush140to be replaced. For example, brush140may be removable from brush chamber148when panel188is in the panel open position. Panel188may also inhibit the removal of brush140from cleaning head housing134when in the panel closed position. This may mitigate the risk of brush140disconnecting from surface cleaning head102while in use. In some embodiments, panel188may be at least partially transparent. This may permit a user to inspect brush140through panel188while panel188is closed to assess whether brush140requires cleaning, repair, or replacement for example.

In some cases, a user may attempt to access brush140while brush140is still moving. For example, a user may open panel188while brush drive member144continues to drive movement of brush140. This may present a safety hazard, as manual interaction with a moving brush140may lead to injury. For example, a moving brush140may be capable of burning or scraping a user's skin, or jamming if the user inserts their fingers into the brush chamber. Accordingly, it may be desirable to mitigate the risk of user injury by preventing brush drive member144from driving brush140when panel188is open.

Referring now toFIG. 5, in some embodiments, surface cleaning head102may include a panel open detector208and a brush interruption member212. Panel open detector208may be operable to detect the opening of panel188and operably connected to brush interruption member212(e.g., it may engage or interact with) the brush interruption member212to prevent brush drive member144from driving brush140. In combination, panel open detector208and brush interruption member212may help prevent user injury cause by user engagement with brush140while brush drive member144is actively driving brush140.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, surface cleaning head102may include any suitable panel open detector208. For example, panel open detector208may include an abutment member216as shown, an electronic sensor (e.g. optical encoder, or light sensor), or any other device suitable for detecting the position of panel188(e.g. relative to cleaning head housing134and/or brush chamber148). In the illustrated embodiment, abutment member216may be movable between a closed position (FIG. 6) and an open position (FIG. 7). For example, abutment member216may be slidable, (e.g. upwardly) from the closed position to the open position as shown. Alternatively, or in addition, abutment member216may be rotatable or resiliently deformable (e.g. bendable) between the closed and open positions.

Panel open detector208may be positioned at any suitable location in surface cleaning head102. In the illustrated example, panel open detector208is provided on the cleaning head housing134below rear panel portion200. As shown, when panel188is moved to the closed position (FIG. 6), rear panel portion200may drivingly engage abutment member216to move to the closed position. For example, rear panel portion200may contact an upper abutment member portion224to slide, rotate, or resiliently deform abutment member216to the closed position. In alternative embodiments, panel open detector208may be provided on the cleaning head housing134below front panel portion196(FIG. 4) (e.g. where front panel portion196is upwardly movable from cleaning head housing134), or below side panel portion204(FIG. 4) (e.g. where that side panel portion204is upwardly movable from cleaning head housing134). As exemplified, abutment member216may be slidably mounted in a switch housing228, which may at least partially constrain the sliding motion of abutment member216. It will be appreciated that a panel lock may be provided to secure panel188in the closed position. Panel lock may be any member known in the art such as a latch, male and female engagement member, a magnet or the like.

Surface cleaning head102may include any suitable brush interruption member212. For example, brush interruption member212may include an arm226as shown, or a solenoid. Brush interruption member212may be movable between a brush driven position to a brush non-driven position in response to detection by panel open detector208that panel188is open. For example, panel open detector208may physically engage with brush interruption member212to move brush interruption member arm226between the brush driven and brush non-driven positions. Alternatively, or in addition, panel open detector208may be in signal communication with brush interruption member212and send brush interruption member solenoid a control signal (e.g. by wire or wireless) to extend or retract. For example, brush interruption member solenoid may extend or retract to mechanically disengage brush drive member144from brush140(FIG. 2), e.g. as in a clutch.

Still referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, as exemplified, panel open detector208and brush interruption member212may be synchronously movable. For example, panel open detector208may comprise a mechanical linkage drivingly connecting abutment member216to brush interruption member212. Alternatively, abutment member216may be integrally formed with or rigidly connected to brush interruption member212. As exemplified, a lower abutment member portion220may include brush interruption member212.

Brush interruption member212may interact with brush system136to prevent brush drive member144from driving brush140(FIG. 5) in any suitable fashion. For example, movement of brush drive member144to the non-driven position may disconnect power to brush drive member144, or mechanically disengage brush drive member144from brush140(FIG. 5) e.g., by actuating a clutch. In the illustrated example, brush system136includes an electrical circuit having a contact member232. The electrical circuit may provide electricity to power brush drive member144, and/or control signals to direct the operation of brush drive member144. As exemplified, contact member232may have a circuit closed position (FIG. 6) in which contact member232closes the electrical circuit, and a circuit open position (FIG. 7) in which contact member232opens the electrical circuit or permits the electrical circuit to be opened (e.g., contact member232may be biased to the open position). When the electrical circuit is open, electricity or control signals may not flow to the brush drive member144.

In some embodiments, contact member232may be biased toward the circuit closed position and brush interruption member212may hold contact member232in the circuit open position when in the non-driven position. Alternatively, as shown, contact member232may be biased to the circuit open position (FIG. 7), and brush interruption member212may hold contact member232in the circuit closed position (FIG. 7) when in the driven position. Contact member232may move to the circuit open position when panel188is open (e.g. under bias or interaction by brush interruption member212), and contact member232may move to the circuit closed position when panel188is closed (e.g. under interaction by brush interruption member212, or bias). This may open the electrical circuit when panel188is open to stop brush drive member144from driving brush140(FIG. 2), and close the electrical circuit when panel188is closed to permit brush drive member144to drive brush140(FIG. 2).

In the illustrated embodiment, contact member232is upwardly movable between the circuit closed and circuit open positions. As shown inFIG. 6, when panel188is closed, panel188may push panel open detector208to slide downwardly to the closed position, panel open detector208may push brush interruption member212to slide downwardly to the driven position, and brush interruption member212may push contact member232downwardly to the circuit closed position whereby the electrical circuit may be closed to permit electricity and/or control signals to reach brush drive member144. This may permit brush drive member144to drive brush140(FIG. 5).

Turning toFIG. 7, when panel188is opened, contact member232may move under bias to the circuit open position and push brush interruption member212upwardly to the brush non-driven position, and brush interruption member212may push panel open detector208to the open position. This may open the electrical circuit to brush drive member144, which may prevent brush drive member144from driving brush140(FIG. 5). Accordingly, brush drive member144may cease to drive brush140(FIG. 5) when panel188is open to permit a user to safely access brush140for removal, cleaning, and/or replacement.

While the above description provides examples of the embodiments, it will be appreciated that some features and/or functions of the described embodiments are susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit and principles of operation of the described embodiments. Accordingly, what has been described above has been intended to be illustrative of the invention and non-limiting and it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments and examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.