Abstract:
A vacuum cleaner, includes a first compartment for receiving air-entrained dust particles drawn therein by a fan, and a second compartment for receiving debris delivered thereto by a motor-driven bristle bar past which the fan draws air.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a pair of debris compartments—one for relatively heavy objects such as nails and/or broken glass for example, and another for fine dust particles and the like.  
         [0002]     Some known vacuum cleaners rely entirely on suction to draw dust particles into a dust bag or other receptacle. Such vacuum cleaners often have insufficient suction to lift heavy objects such as broken glass, nails, screws and the like. Other known vacuum cleaners employ a rotary brush, as well as suction to lift heavier articles from the floor surface into a dust bag. It is intended that such articles be drawn by the airflow into a single dust bag together with lighter dust particles and the like. Such relatively heavy articles often have sharp edges which might cut through the dust bag and/or filters and finally damage the machine. Powerful electric motors are required in order to provide sufficient suction to raise the heavy articles into the dust receptacle.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages and/or more generally to provide an improved vacuum cleaner.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     There is disclosed herein a vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
        a first compartment receiving air-entrained dust particles drawn therein by a fan, and     a second compartment receiving debris delivered thereto by a motor-driven bristle bar past which the fan draws air.        
 
         [0007]     Preferably, the first compartment is located within a suction housing and the second compartment is located in a floor-traversing cleaning head that is pivotally interconnected with the suction housing.  
         [0008]     In one embodiment, the floor-traversing cleaning head is pivotally interconnected with an intermediate housing to which the suction housing is detachably connected.  
         [0009]     In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner might further comprise a nozzle extending from the first compartment into the intermediate housing.  
         [0010]     Preferably, the bristle bar is rotatably mounted within the cleaning head, and further comprising a deflector plate for deflecting the debris from the bristle bar into the second compartment.  
         [0011]     The vacuum cleaner typically further comprises a first electric motor housed within the suction housing and wherein the fan is driven by the first electric motor.  
         [0012]     The vacuum cleaner typically further comprises a second electric motor housed within the cleaning head and wherein the bristle bar is driven to rotate by the second electric motor.  
         [0013]     The vacuum cleaner typically further comprises a drive belt extending between an output pulley of the second electric motor and the bristle bar.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the first and second motors receive electric power from discrete battery packs located in the suction housing and cleaning head respectively.  
         [0015]     Preferably, the first and second motors are activated by discrete switches—one of which is located on the suction housing and the other of which is located on the cleaning head.  
         [0016]     Alternatively, the first and second motors are activated and controlled by a switch located on the intermediate housing.  
         [0017]     The vacuum cleaner would typically further comprise a handle detachably connected to the suction housing. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective illustration of a vacuum cleaner,  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional side elevation of the vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a schematic front elevation of the vacuum cleaner of  FIGS. 1 and 2  having certain of its basic components detached from one another, and  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-sectional front elevation of the vacuum cleaner with its basic components connected to one another. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     In the accompanying drawings there is depicted schematically a vacuum cleaner  10  comprising a handle  11  at the upper end of a handle pole  12 . The handle pole  12  is detachably connected to a suction housing  13  on which there is provided a first electrical switch  19 .  
         [0024]     The suction housing  13  is pivotally connected to a cleaning head  14  on which there is provided a second electrical switch  20 .  
         [0025]     Located within the suction housing  13  is a first battery pack  15  comprising one or more rechargeable batteries. A first electric motor  16  receives power from the batteries  15  via switch  19 . The first electric motor  16  drives a fan  17  which draws air upwardly through a filter  18  via nozzle  27  to retain air-entrained dust particles within a dust compartment  24  that is situated beneath a filter  18 .  
         [0026]     Within the cleaning head  14 , there is a second battery pack comprising one or more batteries  28  for driving a second electric motor  22  having its output pulley connected by a belt  23  to a rotary bristle bar  21  mounted within the cleaning head  14 .  
         [0027]     Situated behind the rotational bristle bar  27  is a debris compartment  25  having a deflector plate  26  positioned thereabove. There is also a ramp  29  immediately behind the bristle bar  21  and this ramp together with the deflector plate assist in directing heavier debris (debris that is too heavy to be drawn up into the dust compartment  24 ) into the debris compartment  25 .  
         [0028]     It should be appreciated that motor  16  and fan  27  need be configured and/or selected as relatively low-power units capable of lifting light debris such as dust particles into the dust compartment  24 .  
         [0029]     Similarly, electric motor  22  need only be of sufficient power to cause the bristle bar to flick the heavier debris over the ramp  29  for deflection by the deflector plate  26  into the debris compartment  25 .  
         [0030]     There is an intermediate housing  13  pivotally connected to the cleaning head. The suction housing  13  is connected detachably with the intermediate housing  13  in such manner that the nozzle  27  extends into the intermediate housing. When the suction housing  13  is detached from the intermediate housing  30 , it can be used as a hand-held unit for suction-cleaning purposes—say to clean curtains or upholstery for example.  
         [0031]     It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the bristle bar might be driven to rotate by gears rather than a drive belt.