Patent ID: 8683646

Claim:
A brushroll clutch assembly for a vacuum cleaner, the brushroll clutch assembly comprising: a motor; a clutch assembly input operatively connected to and configured to be rotated by the motor; a brushroll; a clutch assembly output operatively connected to and configured to rotate the brushroll; a drive clutch operatively connected to the clutch assembly output and moveable between a first drive clutch position in which the drive clutch does not directly contact the clutch assembly input and a second drive clutch position in which the drive clutch directly contacts the clutch assembly input to transmit a first torque directly from the clutch assembly input to the clutch assembly output; a starter clutch operatively connected to the drive clutch and moveable between a first starter clutch position in which the starter clutch does not engage the clutch assembly input and a second starter clutch position in which the starter clutch engages the clutch assembly input to transmit a second torque from the clutch assembly input to the drive clutch to thereby move the drive clutch from the first drive clutch position to the second drive clutch position wherein the clutch assembly input comprises a drum and the drive clutch comprises an expanding clutch configured to expand to contact the drum to place the drive clutch in the second drive position; and wherein the starter clutch comprises means to expand the expanding clutch when the starter clutch is in the second starter clutch position.