Patent ID: 8336162

Claim:
A floor care appliance, comprising: a body including a control assembly pivotally connected to a nozzle assembly; a rotary agitator carried on said nozzle assembly; a dirt collection vessel carried on said body; a suction generator carried on said body, said suction generator including a fan and a drive motor with a drive shaft connected to said drive motor; a belt operatively connecting said drive motor to said rotary agitator; and an agitator drive interrupt mechanism including a pivoting idler pulley support, a first idler pulley carried on said idler pulley support and a second idler pulley carried on said idler pulley support, and a torsion spring received concentrically around said drive shaft, said idler pulley support being displaceable by pivoting movement of said control assembly between a first position wherein said first and second idler pulleys tension said belt to provide drive to said rotary agitator and a second position wherein said first and second idler pulleys de-tension said belt and interrupt drive to said rotary agitator and wherein said torsion spring is configured for biasing said idler pulley support into said second position when said control assembly is in a storage position.