Abstract:
The present invention relates to a duster brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner. The duster brush assembly includes a duster brush fixedly disposed at the air flow entrance of a hollow tubular member operatively connected to the vacuum cleaner. A hollow tubular member is telescopically mounted on a suction tube which is in communication with the vacuum cleaner. To clean the duster brush the hollow tubular member is moved forward over the duster brush is removed by vacuum into the vacuum cleaner.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a dust cleaning member for vacuum cleaners.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Vacuum cleaners generally are either full-sized models or hand-held models. Generally all vacuum cleaners include a vacuum source, a power unit, and a cleaning nozzle with a cleaning orifice.  
         [0003]     Various attachments, such as extension wands, crevice tools, upholstery tools and dust brushes adapted to mate with the cleaning orifices in order to provide more effective dirt and dust pick-up are known. The dust brush attachment tools pick up dirt and dust and need to be cleaned often to remove this dust and dirt. In order to clean presently available dust brush attachment tools it is necessary to remove these tools from the vacuum cleaner and insert them into the cleaning orifice. This is a cumbersome and time consuming process. It would be very advantageous and useful if a duster brush could be provided which did not have to be removed from the vacuum cleaner for cleaning but could be cleaned simply and easily while mounted on the vacuum cleaner. The present invention provides such a duster brush assembly.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention relates to a duster brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner, which uses the suction power of the vacuum to which it is operatively connected to provide effective cleaning of dust and dirt particles. The present invention further relates to a duster brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner wherein the duster brush can be cleaned without having to be removed from the vacuum cleaner. The duster brush assembly comprises a suction tube in which the duster brush is fixedly mounted. A duster brush cleaning tube having a greater diameter than the suction tube is telescopically mounted over the suction tube. Duster brush cleaning tube can be slid over and encompasses the duster brush. When the duster brush cleaning tube is slid over the duster brush, the vacuum cleaner suction force sucks the dust and dirt particles from the duster brush thereby cleaning the duster brush. After the duster brush is cleaned, the duster brush cleaning tub is slid back over the suction tube thereby exposing the duster brush for dusting. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of duster brush assembly attached to a vacuum cleaner;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the duster brush assembly with the duster brush fully extended and ready for dusting;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the duster brush assembly with the duster brush cleaning hollow tubular member partially extended to cover part of the duster brush;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the duster brush assembly with the duster brush cleaning hollow tubular member fully extended to cover all of the duster brush, in this fully extended position of the duster brush cleaning hollow tubular member the duster brush can be cleaned;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is a side sectional view of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 9  is a side sectional view of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 10  is a side sectional view of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged front perspective view of the duster brush assembly with the duster brush removed therefrom;  
         [0017]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged front cross sectional view taken along line I-I of  FIG. 11 ; and  FIG. 13  is an enlarged front perspective view of the duster brush holding member. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  the duster brush assembly  10  is connected by a generally flexible suction hose  30  at one end  31  of the suction hose  30  to a vacuum cleaner  50 . In the embodiment illustrated the vacuum cleaner is a well known light weight portable, hand held or shoulder carried model. This vacuum cleaner  50  is carried on a users shoulder by shoulder strap  52 . It is to be understood that suction hose  30  can be connected at end  31  to any conventional and well known vacuum cleaner other then the hand held, shoulder carried model illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]     In order to dust and clean a room the duster brush  11 , is in the entirely uncovered or clear position as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5  and  8 . For cleaning the duster brush  11 , i.e. removing dust and dirt particles from duster brush  11  which said brush has picked up during the dusting process, duster brush cleaning tube  15  is extended, in the direction illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 9 , over duster brush  11 . The suction from the vacuum cleaner removes the dust and dirt particles from the duster brush  11 .  
         [0020]     Duster brush assembly  10  includes duster brush  11  and an outer casing  13 . Duster brush  11  can be comprised of any of a variety of materials commonly used to make conventional and known duster brushes. These include, but are not limited to, animal or artificial feathers, cotton threads or bristles, vegetable fiber threads or bristles, or artificial fiber threads or bristles.  
         [0021]     Duster brush  11  is fixedly mounted in duster brush assembly  10 . More particularly it is mounted in central annular chamber  26  in duster brush retaining member  24 . Duster brush retaining member  24 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 13 , is generally a ring shaped structure having an outer ring  25 , an inner ring  27  which defines chamber  26  in which post  12  of duster brush  11  is mounted, and a plurality of radially extending vanes connecting outer ring  25  and inner ring  27 . The post  12  of duster brush  11  can be affixed to chamber  26  by magnets, spring loaded pressure snap (similar to a standard vacuum house), pressure fitted, or by threads. The vanes  28  are spaced apart and define passages  29  which allow air and suction from the vacuum cleaner to pass through. Duster brush retaining member  24  is fixedly disposed in the interior of suction tube  20  which is in the interior of Casing  13 .  
         [0022]     Duster brush cleaning tube  15  is telescopically mounted over suction tube  20 , and is also located in casing  13 .  
         [0023]     Duster brush cleaning tube  15  has a greater diameter than suction tube  20  and slides over suction tube  20 . When duster brush cleaning tube  15  is pushed rearward duster brush  11  extends completely outside of duster brush cleaning tube  15 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5 , and  8 . When duster brush cleaning tube  20  is pushed forward duster brush  11  is encompassed within and surrounded by duster brush cleaning tube  11 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 10 . When duster brush cleaning tube  11  is moved only partially rearward or forward over vacuum tube  20 , it is in the position shown in  FIGS. 3,6  and  9  with the duster brush  11  partially within duster brush cleaning tube  11  and partially outside of duster brush cleaning tube  11 .  
         [0024]     Duster brush cleaning tube  15  fits tightly over suction tube  20  and is held in place against movement by friction. It can, however, be moved by pulling or pushing by hand. The fit of duster brush cleaning tube  15  over inner suction tube  20  is tight enough to maintain the suction provided by the vacuum cleaner within duster brush cleaning tube  15 . This fit may be achieved by a pressure fit or other means such as a rubber seal such as rubber gasket.  
         [0025]     With the duster brush  11  fully encompassed within duster brush cleaning tube  15 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 4, 7  and  10 , the suction provided by the vacuum cleaner  40  sucks out all of the dust and debris present in the duster brush  11  and thereby cleans duster brush  11 .  
         [0026]     The duster brush assembly is held and carried by handle  40  at the top of casing  13 . An on-off button is located in the front top of handle  40 .  
         [0027]     Located in the front of handle  40 , above duster brush  11 , is auxiliary vacuum opening  42  which communicates via distal end  44  of small tube  43  with suction tube  20 . This communication occurs only when distal end  44  is aligned with port  16  disposed in the top of vacuum cleaning tube  20 , as best seen in  FIG. 8 . When small tube  43  is in communication with suction tube  20 , suction is provided to auxiliary vacuum opening  42  and some dust and particles of debris are sucked from the duster brush  11  and into the vacuum cleaner during the dusting process. As can be seen from the figures, particularly  FIGS. 7-8 , the distal and  44  of small tube  43  is aligned with port  16  only when the duster brush  11  is in the entirely uncovered or clear position as illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5  and  8 . It is in this position that one dusts and cleans and needs the suction provided by auxiliary vacuum opening  42 . It is to be understood that auxiliary vacuum opening may be opened and closed by other means including, but not limited to, a mechanical valve operated by the action of opening and closing the vacuum cleaner.  
         [0028]     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered as illustrative only and not limiting.