Patent Publication Number: US-6209168-B1

Title: Combination brushroll and nozzle inlet control mechanism

Description:
This application claims priority from Provisional Application Serial No. 60/110,275 filed Nov. 30, 1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners. More particularly, the present invention relates to an easily used and easily stored lightweight upright vacuum cleaner for suctioning dirt and debris from carpets, floors and above-floor surfaces. 
     Upright vacuum cleaners are continually being improved and enhanced with larger, more powerful motors and with an assortment of cleaning accessories and attachments. As upright cleaners are enhanced in this manner, they correspondingly increase in size and weight. The height and the footprint of the nozzle base portion of the cleaner have become larger to accommodate the more powerful motors and, perhaps, some accessories. These enhanced upright cleaners are too heavy and occupy too much storage space to be owned by people dwelling in small apartments, trailers, dormitories, and similar locations with limited storage area. Their size also makes cleaning under beds and other furniture difficult. The handle of many such cleaners is connected to the top of the nozzle base, which undesirably increases the overall height of the nozzle base when the handle is reclined for cleaning under beds and the like. Often, the location of the filter bag and the design of the hinge interconnecting the handle portion to the nozzle base portion prevents the handle from being pivoted downward sufficiently far to approach the surface being cleaned as is required for cleaning under furniture. Furthermore, known upright cleaners are too heavy and do not provide an effective means for hanging storage. Rather, they must be stored on the floor of a closet or in the corner of a room. 
     Upright vacuum cleaners generally utilize large filter bags to capture the dirt and dust liberated from the subjacent surface being cleaned. These bags are either housed in or connected to the upper handle portion of the cleaner. When full, these bags must be disconnected from the cleaner, disposed of, and replaced. The operator of the cleaner must purchase replacement bags regularly. Furthermore, the bag changing operation is time consuming, and some people object to utilizing disposable filter bags. In addition to the space occupied by the filter bag and its cloth or plastic housing, as these bags fill with dirt, the upper portion of the cleaner becomes quite heavy making the vacuum cleaner unbalanced. 
     Another drawback associated with known upright vacuum cleaners is their lack of an easy to use and effective power cord storage mechanism. Some upright cleaners utilize a mechanism that retracts the power cord into the upper handle portion of the cleaner. Others utilize a pair of spaced hooks connected to the handle around which the cord is wound. The provision of a retractable cord adds complexity, weight, and expense to the vacuum cleaner. The spaced hooks are inconvenient, require the operator to bend over each time the cord is wound around or unwound from the hooks, and do not provide a mechanism for quick and secure short-term storage of the cord. The cord must either be loosely draped over the handle where it is insecure and becomes tangled, or the cord must be completely wrapped around the hooks each time one desires to store the cord. 
     While certain upright cleaners have been designed in an effort to overcome some of the foregoing deficiencies, they have not been successful. One known cleaner utilizes a dust cup in the nozzle base portion to collect dirt and dust in place of the filter bag. However, the dust cup is difficult to remove from the cleaner. In order to empty the contents of the dust cup, the operator must grasp the filter assembly with two hands. This can result in the spillage of the contents of the dust cup when it becomes separated from the filter assembly. 
     It would also be desirable to have an upright vacuum cleaner in which the rotation of the brushroll can be stopped for bare floor cleaning or for above-floor cleaning and in which communication between the floor nozzle of the vacuum cleaner and the removable dust container can be blocked when the vacuum cleaner is used for above-floor cleaning. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved upright vacuum cleaner which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies and others while meeting the above-stated needs and providing better and more advantageous overall results. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and improved upright vacuum cleaner. More specifically, the upright vacuum cleaner has an above-floor cleaning tool and is used for cleaning carpets, floors, and above-floor surfaces. The vacuum cleaner has a combination brushroll and nozzle inlet control mechanism. 
     The vacuum cleaner comprises a nozzle base comprising a primary suction opening formed therein, and a suction source which communicates with the primary suction opening. A rotatable brushroll assembly is positioned adjacent the primary suction opening. A dust cup assembly is releasably secured to the nozzle base. The dust cup assembly defines a dirt and dust collecting chamber. The dust cup assembly comprises a first inlet which is in fluid communication with the primary suction opening, and a door which is positioned adjacent the inlet to selectively open and close the inlet. The door comprises a rod which extends therefrom and a finger which protrudes from an end of the rod. 
     A three position control assembly is located on the nozzle base. The control assembly comprises a selector switch positioned within a slot in the nozzle base and a slide bar connected to the selector switch. Movement of the selector switch to a first and a second position moves the slide bar out of engagement with the finger extending from the door allowing the door to open due to suction air. Movement of the selector switch to a third position moves the slide bar into engagement with the finger to prevent the door from opening due to suction air. 
     A full-size pulley and an idler pulley are mounted adjacent each other in the nozzle base. A first pulley belt engages a drive shaft of the suction source and one of the full-size pulley and idler pulley. A reduction pulley is connected to the full-size pulley. A second pulley belt engages the reduction pulley and a shaft of the brushroll assembly. 
     The control assembly further comprises a guide arm assembly connected to the selector switch wherein the guide arm includes a pair of walls forming an opening which selectively receives the first pulley belt. Movement of the selector switch moves the guide arm and the first pulley belt between alignment with the full-size pulley and the idler pulley. 
     When the selector switch is moved to the first position the slide bar is moved away from the finger of the door thus allowing the door to pivot open when suction air is pulled through the vacuum cleaner. The guide arm aligns the first pulley belt with the full-size pulley, thus rotating the brushroll. 
     When the selector switch is moved to the second position the slide bar is moved away from the finger of the door, allowing the door to pivot open due to suction air. The guide arm is moved to alignment with the idler pulley, thus preventing rotation of the brushroll. 
     When the selector switch is moved to the third position the slide bar is moved into contact with the finger of the door, closing the door and preventing suction air from entering the inlet of the dust cup. The guide arm moves into alignment with the idler pulley, thus preventing rotation of the brushroll. 
     One advantage of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved vacuum cleaner. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuum cleaner that eliminates the need for filter bags. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuum cleaner having a low profile nozzle base so that it can fit beneath furniture for effective cleaning. 
     Yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a lightweight upright vacuum cleaner that can be hung for storage. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuum cleaner having a removable dust cup located in a nozzle base and having an easy to remove and easy to replace filter assembly. 
     A yet further advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuum cleaner having a removable dust cup which has an inlet communicating with a floor nozzle wherein the inlet can be selectively closed. 
     A still yet further advantage of the present invention is the provision of an upright vacuum cleaner having a three position control assembly in which in a first position a brushroll is driven by a motor while a first inlet to a dust cup is in communication with a floor nozzle; in a second position the brushroll is disconnected from the motor but the first inlet remains open and in a third position the first inlet is closed and the brushroll is prevented from rotation. 
     Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may take form in certain components and structures, a preferred embodiment of which will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an front elevational view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 showing an opened tool caddy; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a floor-traveling head of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating the back position of a control switch; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view in cross-section of a pulley assembly employed with the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of a brushroll, a pulley assembly and a motor of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, in partial cross-section, of the pulley assembly of FIG. 5 along line  6 — 6 ; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom plan view of a floor-traveling head of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1, partially broken away to illustrate the brushroll and pulley assembly; 
     FIG. 8A is a side elevational view of the floor-traveling head of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1, partially broken away to illustrate an inlet opening of a dust cup in the open position; 
     FIG. 8B is a side elevational view of the floor-traveling head of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1, partially broken away to illustrate the inlet opening of the dust cup in the closed position; and, 
     FIG. 8C is an enlarged rear elevational view of the inlet opening and door assembly of the dust cup of the vacuum cleaner of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of this invention only and not for purposes of limiting same, FIG. 1 shows a vacuum cleaner A according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The vacuum cleaner A comprises a floor-traveling head or a nozzle base  10  accommodating a dust cup  12 , and a handle assembly  13  pivotally mounted on the floor-traveling head. The handle assembly  13  includes a handle element  14 . The floor-traveling head  10  includes a nozzle cover or upper housing  16  and a base or lower housing  18 . A motor and fan assembly or suction source  19  (FIG. 5) is positioned within a first cavity (not shown) in the nozzle base. The dust cup  12  is releasably positioned in a second cavity  20  (FIG. 8A) defined in the lower housing  18 . The dust cup  12  defines a dirt and dust collecting chamber. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner further comprises a motor cover  21  which is positioned over the motor/fan assembly  19  at the rear of the nozzle base. An elongated connecting portion  22 , having a first end  23  and a second end  24 , is removably attached to the floor-traveling head  10  at its first end. The handle  14  is removably attached to the elongated connecting portion second end  24 . 
     The lower housing member  18  supports the various components of the head. The two housing members  16 ,  18  are fastened to each other, but do not entirely enclose the motor and fan assembly therebetween. The two housing members  16 ,  18  thus form part, but not substantially the entirety, of the housing. In addition to these two housing members there is the upper motor housing cover  21 , which covers upper portions of the motor and fan assembly. In combination, the three housing members  16 ,  18 ,  21  thus form substantially the entirety of the housing for the floor-traveling head  10 . 
     A tool caddy  25  is removably mounted to the elongated connecting portion  22 . The tool caddy  25  includes a storage hook  26  and an arm  27  which is used to wrap or store a power cord  28  (FIG.  2 ). The tool caddy  25  can be stored separately via the storage hook  26 . The tool caddy  25  houses at least one above-floor cleaning tool. The tool caddy  25  has a door  29  which is opened to allow access to the tools. Referring to FIG. 2, the tools can include a crevice tool  30 , a POWER EDGER™ tool  32 , and a 2-in-1 dust brush/upholstery tool  34 . These tools are used separately in conjunction with the handle  14  to perform above-floor cleaning or corner cleaning. 
     A quick cord clip  38  is provided on the elongated connecting portion  22  for securing the power cord  28  in a storage position. If desired, the power cord  28  can be wound around an upper portion of the quick cord clip  38  and the arm  27 , instead of being looped so as to hang from the cord clip. 
     The handle  14  can be removed from the elongated connecting portion  22  for use as a handle for an above-floor cleaning tool. A hose  40  is removably attached to the handle  14  at a hose first end  42  and is removably attached to the floor-traveling head  10  at a hose second end  44 . Clips  45  secure the hose  40  to the elongated handle portion  22 . The hose  40  is used with the above-floor cleaning tools. 
     Casters  46  and wheels  47  (FIG. 7) extend from beneath the floor-traveling head  10  to facilitate horizontal movement of the vacuum cleaner along a floor surface to be cleaned. At the front of the floor-traveling head  10  is a wraparound bumper  48  which protects the floor-traveling head if the vacuum cleaner bumps into furniture or a wall or other surface. The bumper  48  also protects furniture and walls from being damaged by the vacuum cleaner. 
     With reference now to FIG. 2, a brushroll  49  extends beneath the floor-traveling head  10 . The brushroll  49  is used to agitate the carpet or surface to be cleaned and aids in loosening dirt, dust and other particles for vacuuming into the vacuum cleaner. POWER EDGERM™ tool slots  50  are provided adjacent the wraparound bumper  48 . 
     With reference to FIG. 3, a selector switch  52 , protruding through an opening  53  in the upper housing  16 , allows switching between a) carpet cleaning, b) bare floor cleaning, and c) above-floor cleaning. When the selector switch  52  is in a back or first position, as shown in solid lines, the vacuum cleaner is ready to sweep carpeted surfaces. In a middle or second position, the vacuum cleaner is ready to sweep bare floors. In a third or forward position, shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner is ready to clean above-floor surfaces. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, an on/off switch  54  is provided at the rear of the nozzle base to activate the motor. A handle release pedal (not shown) is provided to release the handle assembly  13  from its locked upright position on the floor-traveling head  10  so as to allow rearward pivoting of the handle assembly. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a pulley assembly housed within the vacuum cleaner. The pulley assembly includes a common pulley shaft  74  which is mounted on a pulley bracket  76  that is secured to one of the upper housing  16  and the lower housing  18  with a spring washer  78  and nut  80 . Rotatably mounted on the pulley shaft is a compound pulley body  82  which includes a full size pulley  84  and a reduction pulley  86 . Rotatably mounted adjacent the full size pulley  84  is an idler pulley  88 . Respective bearings  90  mount the compound pulley  82  and the idler pulley  88  on the pulley shaft  74 . 
     With reference now to FIG. 5, a first endless belt  100  is looped around either the full size pulley  84  or the idler pulley  88  and a drive shaft  102  of the motor/fan assembly  19 . A second endless belt  104  is looped around the reduction pulley  86  and a shaft  106  of the brush roll  49 . A control assembly  130  moves the first belt  100  between the full size pulley  84  and the idler pulley  88 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates that the first and second belts  100  and  104  are disposed at an angle in relation to each other since the brushroll  49  is located closer to the ground than is the drive shaft  102 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, the selector switch  52  is connected to the control assembly  130  which includes a tab  131  which engages a guide track  133  located within the base of the vacuum. As the selector switch  52  moves from the back position to the front position within the opening  53  in the base, the tab  131  rides within the guide track  133 , thus moving a control assembly guide arm  135  (FIG. 5) between alignment with the full size pulley  84  and the idler pulley  88 . The guide track  133  has an angled portion  134  to allow the guide arm  135  to move between alignment with either the full-size pulley  84  or the idler pulley  88 . The angled portion  134  is used for pivoting the guide arm  135  between the back position to the middle position. As the guide arm  135  moves from the middle position to the first position, the guide arm  135  does not pivot and remains in the same position. Referring to FIG. 5, the guide arm  135  includes a pair of lateral walls  136 ,  137  spaced from and approximately parallel to each other and connected to each other via a base wall  138 . The three walls  136 ,  137 ,  138  form a slot or opening  139  between them. The guide arm  135  is angled so that the slot  139  may be aligned along a longitudinal axis of full-size pulley  84  or idler pulley  88 . The first belt  100  is positioned within the slot  139 . As the guide arm  135  moves, it pivots about a pivot point  140 . During such movement, the first belt  100  is moved between engagement with the idler pulley  88  and the full size pulley  84 . In FIG. 5, the first belt  100  is shown engaging the full-size pulley  84 . 
     For carpet cleaning, the selector switch  52  is moved to a back position shown in FIG.  3 . In the back position, the brushroll  49  is rotated. As shown in FIG. 5, when the selector switch  52  is in the back position, the guide arm  135  is shifted to align with the full-size pulley  84 . The first belt  100  is then also shifted to engage the full size pulley  84 . Since the reduction pulley  86  is connected to the pulley  84 , when the motor  19  is operated, the first belt  100  rotates due to the drive shaft  102  of the motor  19 , rotating both the full-size pulley  84  and the reduction pulley  86 . Second belt  104  connects the shaft  106  of brushroll  49  to the reduction pulley  86 , thus, brushroll  49  is also rotated when the motor  19  is operated. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8A-8C, the dust cup  12  includes an inlet opening  142  which is in fluid communication with a primary suction opening  144  which is adjacent the brushroll  49 . The primary suction opening  144  is also in communication with the motor  19  through the dust cup  12 . Referring to FIG. 8C, the dust cup includes a door  146 , and a finger  148  which extends from the door on a rod  150 . The rod  150  is mounted in openings in two guide arms  152 ,  154  which are formed in a front wall  156  of the dust cup  12  above the inlet opening  142 . A spring  160  is mounted onto the rod  150  and biases the door  146  to a closed position. The door  146  rotates about a pivot point  161 . 
     As shown in FIG.  7  and FIGS. 8A and 8B, the control mechanism further includes a slide bar  162  which is connected to the selector switch  52 . When the selector switch  52  is in the back position, the slide bar  162  is moved away from the finger  148 , thus allowing the door  146  to be swung open about pivot point  161  due to suction air being pulled through the primary suction opening  144  into the inlet  142  of the dust cup  12 . The difference in air pressure between the inside of the dust cup and outside the vacuum cleaner opens the door by overcoming the force of the spring  160 . Thus, for carpet cleaning, the inlet  142  of the dust cup receives suction air and the brushroll  49  is rotated. 
     When the selector switch  52  is in the middle position, the guide arm  135  is moved to the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 5, where the guide arm is aligned with the idler pulley  88 . The first belt  100  then engages the idler pulley  88 . The full size pulley  84  is not engaged by the belt  100 , and as a result does not rotate, thus preventing the reduction pulley  86  and the brushroll  49  from also rotating. The slide bar  162  is still moved away from contact with the finger  148 , thus allowing the door  146  to be pivoted open by suction air. In this position, the vacuum cleaner may be used for hard surface floor cleaning, such as wood floors or vinyl floors. Since brushroll  49  does not rotate, it will not potentially damage the floors. 
     When the selector switch  52  is moved to the forward position, as shown in FIG. 8B, the slide bar  162  engages a protrusion  168  on the finger  148  and pushes the door  146  into its spring biased closed position. Thus, no suction air passes through the inlet  142  into the dust cup  12 . This allows above-floor cleaning tools to be used and for all of the suction to be applied to above-floor cleaning. In moving from the middle position to the forward position, the guide arm  135  remains in the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 5, where the guide arm is aligned with the idler pulley  88 . The first belt  100  remains shifted to and engaging the idler pulley  88 . The full size pulley  84  is not engaged by the belt  100 , and as a result does not rotate, thus preventing the reduction pulley  86  and brushroll  49  from also rotating. Again, since above-floor cleaning tools are being used, there is no need for rotation of the brushroll  49 . 
     The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, alterations and modifications will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.