Patent Publication Number: US-8528167-B2

Title: Nozzle assembly including cord reel and agitator drive motor

Description:
This application (a) is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/223,615, filed on 1 Sep. 2011 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/429,940, filed on 5 Jan. 2011, and (b) claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/530,073, filed on 1 Sep. 2011, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to a floor care apparatus, such as an upright vacuum cleaner, incorporating a cord reel and agitator drive motor in the nozzle assembly. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Floor care equipment such as upright vacuum cleaners and extractors, are well known in the art. An upright vacuum cleaner generally includes a body having both a nozzle assembly and a handle assembly. A suction generator and dirt collection vessel are both carried on the body. The nozzle assembly has a suction inlet and a rotary agitator that beats dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. The handle assembly is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly and is moved into an inclined position to allow the operator to guide the vacuum cleaner to and from across the floor. 
     Cord reel assemblies for vacuum cleaners are well known in the art. Such a cord reel assembly generally includes a reel upon which the electrical power cord of the apparatus is wound and stored. During use the operator unwinds the cord from the reel and connects the electrical plug to a standard electrical wall outlet. Following use the electrical plug is unplugged from the wall outlet and the cord is rewound on the reel for storage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,410 to Danielson et al discloses one possible construction for a cord reel. 
     In the past the cord reel on an upright vacuum cleaner has been positioned on the pivoting handle assembly. This has been done for a number of reasons including the fact that the handle assembly has more room than the nozzle assembly to accommodate the cord reel and for operator convenience. An example of an upright vacuum cleaner equipped with a cord reel on the handle assembly is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,598 to Hashizume et al. While such a cord reel is useful for its intended purpose, the positioning of the cord reel in the handle or canister assembly suffers from various drawbacks. 
     First, the weight of the cord reel in a handle assembly is positioned well above the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner where it has a tendency to promote the inadvertent tipping over of the vacuum cleaner. Second, the opening on the handle assembly from which the electrical cord extends is positioned at a height well above the floor. In the event the electrical cord slips from the grasp of the operator, the spring loading of the reel which allows the rewinding of the cord onto the reel for storage may cause the free electrical cord to whip upwardly striking the operator. 
     The present invention relates to an upright vacuum cleaner equipped with a cord reel that is positioned in the nozzle assembly adjacent to ground. Thus, the cord reel is positioned closer to the floor where it will not promote potential tipping of the vacuum cleaner. Advantageously, this lowers the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner thereby increasing its stability. In addition, by positioning the electrical cord payout opening closer to the ground, the potential of being struck above the knees by a free electrical cord during the rewinding operation is substantially reduced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A floor care apparatus is provided comprising a body including a nozzle assembly and a handle assembly pivotally attached to the nozzle assemble. Both a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel are carried on the body. A cord reel is positioned in a cord reel compartment in the nozzle assembly. A rotary agitator is carried on the nozzle assembly in a rotary agitator cavity. In addition, a rotary agitator drive motor is carried on the nozzle assembly in an airflow pathway that directs cooling air toward the cord reel in the cord reel compartment. 
     More particularly describing the floor care apparatus, the cord reel compartment includes a cooling air inlet and a discharge outlet. Further, the nozzle assembly includes a suction generator compartment and the suction generator is held in the suction generator compartment. The suction generator compartment includes an exhaust port and the air flow pathway extends from the exhaust port of the suction generator compartment to the cooling air inlet of the cord reel compartment. A filter covers the exhaust port of the suction generator compartment and clean air is circulated to provide cooling to the agitator drive motor and cord reel that are provided downstream from the filter. 
     The nozzle assembly includes a housing having a removable cover. Removal of the cover allows access to the air flow pathway including the agitator drive motor and the filter covering the exhaust port. The air flow pathway is positioned adjacent and parallel to the agitator cavity on the nozzle assembly. The housing and nozzle assembly also has a bottom plate and an electrical cord opening. An electrical power cord is wound on the cord reel and has an end that projects through the electrical cord opening. That electrical cord opening is provided no more than seventeen vertical centimeters above the bottom plate when the vacuum cleaner is positioned on a floor in an operating position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the floor care apparatus and together with the description serve to explain certain principles of the device. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of one possible embodiment of the floor care apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the floor care apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle assembly of the floor care apparatus; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the upright vacuum cleaner with the cover of the nozzle housing assembly removed to illustrate the positioning of the various internal components and the handle assembly in the inclined, use position; 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed perspective view of the nozzle assembly with the cover removed to illustrate the internal structure including air flow pathways. 
     
    
    
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the apparatus, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1-4  illustrating an upright vacuum cleaner  10 . The upright vacuum cleaner  10  includes a body comprising a nozzle assembly  12  and a canister or handle assembly  14 . The handle assembly  14  is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly  12  by means of a twin pivot connector arm  18 . The details of the connector arm  18  are not relevant to this discussion but can be found in co-pending U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/223,615, filed on 1 Sep. 2011, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     As illustrated best in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the nozzle assembly  12  includes an agitator cavity or suction inlet  20 . A rotary agitator  22  is carried on the nozzle assembly  12  in the mouth of the suction inlet  20 . The nozzle assembly  12  also includes a suction generator chamber  26  for receiving and holding the suction generator  28  and a cord reel chamber  30  for receiving and holding a cord reel  32 . The suction generator  28  comprises a combined motor and fan assembly. The suction generator  28  functions to draw dirt and debris into and through the vacuum cleaner  10 . A dedicated rotary agitator drive motor  29  functions to drive the rotary agitator  22  at the high speeds necessary to provide the desired cleaning action as the bristle tufts or other cleaning structures  24  on the rotary agitator sweep through the nap of an underlying carpet or rug being cleaned. In the illustrated embodiment, the agitator drive motor  29  is connected to the agitator  22  by means of the drive belt  31 . 
     An electrical power cord  36  is wound onto the cord reel  32 . As should be appreciated from viewing  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  5 , the nozzle assembly  12  includes a housing  38  having a bottom plate  40 , an agitator shield  41 , a removable two-piece cover  42  and a resilient bumper  43 . The suction inlet  20  is provided in the bottom plate  40 . An electrical cord opening  44  is provided in the cover  42 . The electrical power cord  36  extends or projects through the electrical cord opening  44 . The plug  46  on the end of the electrical power cord  36  is larger than the opening  44  so as to always to be exposed for easy access by the operator. As should be appreciated, the electrical cord opening  44  is provided less than 17 vertical centimeters above the bottom plate  40  when the vacuum cleaner  10  is resting in an operating position on an underlying floor. 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the handle assembly  14  includes a control stalk  50  having a hand grip  52 . In the illustrated embodiment, the switch  54  for controlling the operation of the suction generator  28  is provided on the nozzle assembly  12 . A second switch  55  controls the operation of the agitator drive motor  29 . However, it should be appreciated that either or both of the switches  54 ,  55  could be provided along the control stalk  50  adjacent to hand grip  52  if desired. The handle assembly  14  also carries a dirt collection vessel generally designated by reference numeral  56 . In the illustrated embodiment the dirt collection vessel  56  comprises a reusable dirt cup  58 . The dirt cup  58  may include a cylindrical sidewall  60 , a tangentially directed inlet  62  and an axially directed outlet (not shown) covered by a filtering shroud  64  so as to provide cyclonic cleaning action. A primary filter (also not shown) may be provided in the dirt cup  58  or downstream from the dirt cup as desired. In an alternative embodiment, the dirt collection vessel  56  may comprise a vacuum cleaner filter bag of a type known in the art held in a filter bag compartment provided in the handle assembly  14 . 
     The vacuum cleaner  10  is supported for movement along a floor on a series of wheels. More specifically, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the nozzle assembly  12  carries a pair of rear wheels  66  and one or more forward wheels or rollers  68  that allow for height adjustment of the vacuum cleaner  10  with respect to the floor. Such height adjustment may be made by manipulating a height adjustment lever  70  that projects from the nozzle assembly  12  and is connected to a height adjustment mechanism (not shown) of a type known in the art. The lever  72  is depressed in order to release a lock that secures the handle assembly  14  in an upright storage position illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     During vacuum cleaner  10  operation the rotary agitator  22  is driven by the dedicated agitator drive motor  29  and functions to beat dirt and debris from the nap of the underlying carpet. The suction generator  28  functions to draw a vacuum air stream into the suction inlet  20 . Dirt and debris from the carpet is entrained in that air stream which is drawn by the suction generator  26  from the suction inlet  20  serially through the suction duct  74 , flexible hose  76  and the conduit  78  into the tangentially directed inlet  62  of the dirt collection vessel  56 . Dirt and debris are captured in the dirt collection vessel  56  while relatively clean air is drawn serially through an air stream conduit  80 , the flexible hose  82  and the air stream conduit  84  into the suction generator chamber  26 . The air stream is then forced by the fan over the motor of the suction generator  28  so as to provide cooling. The air stream then passes through the exhaust port  86  of the suction generator chamber  26  and then through a final filter  88  covering that exhaust port. Next the air stream passes transversely across the nozzle assembly  12  through an air flow pathway  90 . The agitator drive motor  29  is positioned in the airflow pathway  90  downstream from the filter  88  so that the clean airstream passes over the motor to provide cooling. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the air flow pathway  90  directs the air stream from the exhaust port  86  of the suction generator chamber  26  into an inlet port  92  of the cord reel chamber  30 . The air stream flows over the cord reel  32 , any electrical cord  36  remaining wound on the cord reel and the electrical contacts (not shown) of the cord reel to provide cooling before being exhausted into the environment through the exhaust vent  94 . It should be appreciated that an additional exhaust vent  96  may be provided in the cover  42  in direct communication with the air flow pathway  90 . The vent  96  may be provided adjacent the agitator drive motor  29 . Thus, while one portion of the air stream (the portion that provides most of the cooling to the agitator drive motor  29 ) is vented through the exhaust vent  96  directly from the air flow pathway  90  into the ambient environment, another portion of the air stream flows through the cord reel chamber  30  over the cord reel  32  to provide cooling before being vented through the exhaust vent  94  into the ambient environment. The vent  96  also relieves any back pressure that might otherwise reduce the suction power and cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner  10 . The vent  96  may comprise one opening or a series of openings in the cover  42  adjacent the motor  29  or all along the length of the airflow pathway  90  as well as substantially any other configuration. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , it should be appreciated that the air flow pathway  90  extends transversely across the nozzle assembly  12  between the (a) the suction generator and cord reel chambers  26 ,  30  on a first side and (b) the suction inlet  20  on a second side. Further, the air flow pathway  90  crosses over the suction duct  74  that is connected to the suction inlet  20 . The removable cover  42  allows one to easily access the final filter  88  and the agitator drive motor  29  in the airflow pathway  90  should either ever need service. 
     In summary, numerous benefits result in employing the concepts disclosed in this document. Specifically, the cord reel chamber  32  is provided at the rear of the nozzle assembly  12  on one side of the handle mount or connector arm  18  while the suction generator  28  is mounted at the rear of the nozzle assembly on the opposite side thereof. As should be appreciated the cord real  32  has a first axis of rotation R 1  and the rotary agitator  22  has a second axis of rotation R 2  where the axis of rotation are provided parallel to one another. The air flow pathway  90  extends transversely across the nozzle assembly  12  between the suction generator and cord reel chambers  26 ,  30  on the one side and the suction inlet  20  on the other side where it can provide sufficient space for receiving the final filter  88  while still maintaining a compact design. Further, the front portion of the nozzle assembly  12  still maintains a low profile for cleaning under cabinets and along the toe plates thereof and the like. 
     Advantageously, the positioning of the cord reel  32  in the nozzle assembly  12  rather than the handle assembly  14  as in previous upright vacuum cleaner designs removes weight from the handle assembly and places it lower to the ground thereby increasing the stability of the vacuum cleaner  10 . Further, by placing the electrical cord opening  44  in the nozzle assembly cover  42  within 17 or fewer centimeters of the bottom plate  40 , the electrical cord  36  and plug  46  are placed in a convenient rearwardly facing orientation (i.e. in a direction facing away from the suction inlet  20 ) where the plug may be conveniently accessed by the operator. Further, if the operator inadvertently drops the end of the cord  36  as it is being retracted by the cord reel  32  into the nozzle assembly  12 , the cord is positioned low where it has the least potential to strike the operator. 
     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present device has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the device to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the device and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the device in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the device as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiments do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims in their fair and broad interpretation in any way.