Patent Publication Number: US-2004045125-A1

Title: Rotary brush for vacuum cleaner

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates generally to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a rotary brush for vacuum cleaner having simplified structure.  
       [0003] 2. Background of the Related Art  
       [0004] Generally, a vacuum cleaner is an apparatus for sucking dust and contaminants off of a surface to be cleaned using high vacuum pressure generated inside the device. FIG. 1 shows an upright type vacuum cleaner as an example of a conventional vacuum cleaner.  
       [0005] As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional vacuum cleaner includes a body  10  comprising a dust-collecting chamber having a dust bag disposed inside the body  10  and seated by a cover  11 , a motor driving chamber  12 , in which a motor is disposed, and a brush assembly  20  having a suction port.  
       [0006] In the case of such an upright type vacuum cleaner, when the motor is driven and suction force is generated, dust and contaminants on the surface to be cleaned are sucked in with the external air through the suction port of the brush assembly  20  and are collected in the dust bag in the dust-collecting chamber.  
       [0007] Meanwhile, the brush assembly  20  has a rotary brush  30  for removing contaminants that are deeply embedded in a carpet or a floor. The rotary brush  30  is rotatably disposed in a housing  21  of the brush assembly  20  and rotated by a driving belt  22 .  
       [0008]FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view schematically showing a rotary brush of a conventional vacuum cleaner.  
       [0009] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotary brush  30  for a conventional vacuum cleaner comprises a drum  31  on which bristles  32  are spirally disposed, a bearing holder  34  press-fit in the groove  33  formed at an end of the drum  31 , a bearing  36  press-fit in the bearing holder  34  while a washer  35  is interposed between the bearing  36  and the bearing holder  34 , a rotary shaft  37  penetrating the drum  31  and having an end thereof connected to the bearing  36 , and a drum holder  38  connected to an end of the rotary shaft  37 .  
       [0010] The drum holder  38  is fixed to the housing  21  and a connection hole  39  is formed at the center of the drum holder  38  for the rotary shaft  37  to be inserted therein. The bearing  36  has an outer race  36   b  press-fit into the bearing holder  34 , and the rotary shaft  37  is press-fit within the inner race  36   a , which is rotating relative to the outer race  36   b.    
       [0011] Accordingly, the drum holder  38 , the rotary shaft  37 , and the inner race  36   a  of the bearing  36  are fixed relative to the housing  21  and the outer race  36   b , the bearing holder  34  and the drum  31  rotate as a unified assembly relative to the inner race  36   a.    
       [0012] The drum  31  has a belt connecting portion  31   a  at one side of the outer circumference. The driving belt  22  (FIG. 1), driven by a motor, is connected to the belt connecting portion  31   a.    
       [0013] However, such a conventional rotary brush  30  requires many parts and therefore the number of operations necessary for assembling components and manufacturing costs increase. In addition, there is strong possibility of defects caused by the complex structure.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014] One object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problems by providing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner having fewer number of parts, a simple structure and a reduction in the manufacturing costs and in the possibility of defects.  
       [0015] The foregoing and other objects and advantages are realized by providing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner comprising a drum rotatably supported in a housing of a brush assembly and provided with bristles on an outer circumference thereof, a bearing, including outer and inner races, and having the outer race press-fit in a groove formed at an open end of the drum, and a drum holder having one side connected relative to the housing and other side supporting the inner race for the drum to be rotatably supported within the housing.  
       [0016] In the present invention having the above structure, it is preferable that the drum holder has covering portion covering the open end of the drum for preventing contaminants from entering into the bearing.  
       [0017] In addition, it is preferable that a supporting portion press-fit in the inner race of the bearing is provided on a proximal, inwardly facing surface of the drum holder and a supplementary metallic member is inserted into the supporting portion.  
       [0018] Moreover, it is preferable that a fixing protrusion provided on a distal, outwardly facing surface of the holder is inserted and fixed in a receiving recess formed on the housing.  
       [0019] It is preferable that the drum holder comprises a cover covering an open end of the drum for preventing contaminants from entering into the bearing, and a supporting shaft having one end passing through the cover and press-fit into the receiving recess formed on the housing and another end press-fit into the inner race of the bearing.  
       [0020] It is preferable that a belt-connecting portion is connected with a driving belt for rotating the drum and is provided at one side of the outer circumference of the drum.  
       [0021] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0022] The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, wherein:  
     [0023]FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away, perspective view showing a general upright type vacuum cleaner;  
     [0024]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotary brush for a conventional vacuum cleaner;  
     [0025]FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view showing the rotary brush of FIG. 2, fully assembled;  
     [0026]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0027]FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view showing the rotary brush of FIG. 4, fully assembled;  
     [0028]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  
     [0029]FIG. 7 is a detailed sectional view of the rotary brush of FIG. 6, fully assembled. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0030] The following detailed description will present a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to the preferred embodiments of the invention in reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     [0031] As shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, a rotary brush  100  for a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a drum  110 , a bearing  120 , and a holder  130 .  
     [0032] The drum  110  has bristles  111  spirally disposed on the outer circumference and a groove  112  formed at both ends. Additionally, at one side of the outer circumference of the drum  110 , a belt-connecting portion  113  is formed. A driving belt  22  (FIG. 1), driven by a motor, is connected to the belt-connecting portion  113 .  
     [0033] The bearing  120  is structured to include the inner race  121  and the outer race  122 . The outer race  122  of the bearing is press-fit in the groove  112  of the drum  110 . Accordingly, the drum  110  rotates around the inner race  121  together with the outer race  122 .  
     [0034] The holder  130  has a cover portion  131  having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the end of the drum  110 , a supporting portion  132  centrally disposed in the inwardly facing, proximal surface of the cover portion  131 , and a fixing protrusion  133  provided on the outwardly facing, distal surface of the covering portion  131 . The holder  130  enables the drum  110  to be rotatably supported in the housing  21  since the fixing protrusion  133  is press-fit into the receiving recess  23  of the housing  21  and the supporting portion  132  is press-fit into the inner race  121  of the bearing  120  disposed in the drum  110 . In order words, the holder  130  and the inner race  121  of the bearing  120  are fixed relative to the housing  21  and the outer race  122  of the bearing  120  and the drum  110  rotate around the inner race  121 . A metallic supplementary member  134  is preferably inserted inside the supporting portion  132  for preventing the holder  130  from being deformed by the load produced during the rotation of the drum  110 .  
     [0035] In the present invention having the above-described structure, if a motor is driven during cleaning, the driving belt  22  (FIG. 1) connected to the belt-connecting portion  113  of the drum  110  rotates the drum  110 . At this time, the outer race  122  of the bearing  120  and the drum  110  rotates around the inner race  121  of the bearing  120 .  
     [0036] Meanwhile, since the cover portion  131  of the holder  130  covers the open end of the drum  110 , contaminants rising as a result of the rotation of the drum  110  can be prevented from entering into the groove  112 .  
     [0037]FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the structure of the drum  110  and the bearing  120  is essentially identical to those in the above-described preferred embodiment, except for the structure of the holder  140 . In this embodiment, the holder  140  includes a cover  141  having an inserting hole  142  and a supporting shaft  143  having a protrusion  144  at one end. One end of the supporting shaft  143  is press-fit into the inner race  121  of the bearing  120  after passing through the inserting hole  142  of the cover  141  and the other end of the supporting shaft  143  is press-fit into the receiving recess  23  formed on the housing  21 . Therefore, the inner race  121  of the bearing  120  and the supporting shaft  143  is fixed in the housing  21 , and the drum  110  and the outer race  122  of the bearing  120  rotates around the inner race  121 . The cover  141  covers the open end of the drum  100 , thereby preventing contaminants from entering into the groove  112  of the drum  110  in which the bearing  120  is disposed.  
     [0038] According to the embodiment of the present invention set forth above, the holder fixed in the housing supports the inner race of the bearing disposed at the end of the drum, thereby providing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner having a reduced number of working parts and operations, and manufacturing costs are also reduced.  
     [0039] Moreover, the rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention has a simpler structure and therefore the possibility of defects in the moving parts may be reduced.  
     [0040] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in the form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.  
     [0041] The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.