U.S. patent application number 11/813832 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-11 for vacuum cleaner base with belt drive disengager.
This patent application is currently assigned to BISSELL Homecare, Inc.. Invention is credited to Alan J. Krebs, Jonathan L. Miner, George Moyher, Tom Minh Nguyen.
Application Number | 20080216283 11/813832 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37309530 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080216283 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miner; Jonathan L. ; et
al. |
September 11, 2008 |
Vacuum cleaner base with belt drive disengager
Abstract
An upright vacuum cleaner comprises a base assembly pivotally
connected to an upright assembly. The base assembly comprises a
foot-actuated belt drive disengaging mechanism and a ratchet
operated nozzle height adjustment mechanism.
Inventors: |
Miner; Jonathan L.;
(Rockford, MI) ; Moyher; George; (Cedar Springs,
MI) ; Nguyen; Tom Minh; (Grand Rapids, MI) ;
Krebs; Alan J.; (Pierson, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCGARRY BAIR PC
32 Market Ave. SW, SUITE 500
GRAND RAPIDS
MI
49503
US
|
Assignee: |
BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Grand Rapids
MI
|
Family ID: |
37309530 |
Appl. No.: |
11/813832 |
Filed: |
July 12, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/US2006/026696 |
Jul 11, 2006 |
|
|
|
11813832 |
|
|
|
|
60595515 |
Jul 12, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/390 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 5/28 20130101; A47L
9/068 20130101; A47L 9/0673 20130101; A47L 9/122 20130101; A47L
9/00 20130101; A47L 5/225 20130101; A47L 5/34 20130101; A47L 9/0494
20130101; A47L 9/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/390 |
International
Class: |
A47L 5/30 20060101
A47L005/30; A47L 9/04 20060101 A47L009/04 |
Claims
1-10. (canceled)
11. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a base assembly having a housing,
a suction nozzle, and an agitator rotatably mounted to the housing;
a motor comprising a motor shaft and a flywheel mounted to the
motor shaft; a belt drive assembly between the flywheel and the
agitator for selectively driving the agitator, and comprising: an
actuator for selectively uncoupling the belt drive assembly, and a
hub rotatably mounted to the actuator and selectively coupled with
the flywheel for rolling contact therewith.
12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 11 wherein the actuator
comprises a first portion positioned exterior of the housing for
user access and a second portion positioned interior of the
housing.
13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12 wherein the first
portion is adapted to be moved by the foot of a user from an
engaging position wherein the hub is in rolling contact with the
flywheel and a disengaging position in which the hub is disengaged
from rolling contact with the flywheel.
14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 13 and further comprising
a biasing member for biasing the actuator to the engaging
position.
15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 14 and further comprising
a detent for the actuator for maintaining the actuator in the
disengaging position.
16. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 15 wherein the motor is
vertically oriented.
17. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 16 wherein the motor is
positioned within the housing of the base assembly.
18-26. (canceled)
27. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12 wherein the hub is
rotatably mounted to the second portion.
28. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 11 wherein the hub
comprises a hub shaft and a belt is coupled between the hub shaft
and the agitator.
29. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 11 wherein the hub is
laterally movable with respect to the flywheel to change the
relative speed of the agitator.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority on International
Application No. PCT/US2006/026696, filed Jul. 11, 2006, which
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
60/595,515, filed Jul. 12, 2005, both of which are incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to suction cleaners, and in
particular, to the base portion of an upright vacuum cleaner.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Upright vacuum cleaners employing cyclone separators are
well known. Some cyclone separators follow textbook examples using
frusto-conical shape separators and others use high-speed
rotational motion of the air/dirt to separate the dirt by
centrifugal force. Typically, working air enters and exits at an
upper portion of the cyclone separator as the bottom portion of the
cyclone separator is used to collect debris. Furthermore, in an
effort to reduce weight, the motor/fan assembly that creates the
working air flow is typically placed at the bottom of the handle,
below the cyclone separator.
[0006] BISSELL Homecare, Inc. presently manufactures and sells in
the United States an upright vacuum cleaner that has a cyclone
separator and a dirt cup. A horizontal plate separates the cyclone
separator from the dirt cup. The air flowing through the cyclone
separator passes through an annular cylindrical cage with baffles
and through a cylindrical filter before exiting the cyclone
separator at the upper end thereof. The dirt cup and the cyclone
separator are further disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,557
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,772 to Dyson discloses an upright vacuum
cleaner employing a two stage cyclone separator. The first stage is
a single separator wherein the outlet of the single separator is in
series with an inlet to a second stage frusto-conical
separator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to the invention, a vacuum cleaner comprises a
base assembly having a housing, a suction nozzle, and an agitator
rotatably mounted to the housing. A motor has a motor shaft and a
flywheel mounted to the motor shaft for rotation therewith. A belt
drive assembly is mounted between the flywheel and the agitator for
selectively driving the agitator and comprises an actuator for
selectively uncoupling the belt drive assembly and a hub rotatably
mounted to the actuator and selectively coupled with the flywheel
for rolling contact therewith.
[0009] In one embodiment, the actuator comprises a first portion
positioned exterior of the housing for user access and a second
portion positioned interior of the housing. The hub is rotatably
mounted to the second portion. The first portion is adapted to be
moved by the foot of a user from an engaging position wherein the
hub is in rolling contact with the flywheel and a disengaging
position in which the hub is disengaged from rolling contact with
the flywheel. A biasing member biases the actuator to the engaging
position. Preferably, a detent maintains the actuator in the
disengaging position. In addition, the motor is preferably
vertically oriented in the housing of the base assembly. The hub
further comprises a hub shaft, and a belt is coupled between the
hub shaft and the agitator. Additionally, the hub can be laterally
movable with respect to the flywheel to change the relative speed
of the agitator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the drawings:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner
with a base assembly according to the invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a rear quarter perspective view of the upright
vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the vacuum cleaner from FIG.
1.
[0014] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the base assembly from FIG.
1.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wheel axle shown in FIG.
3.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an exploded bottom quarter perspective view of a
snap in bushing as shown in FIG. 4.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a rear left perspective view of a nozzle height
adjustment as shown in FIG. 4.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a rear right perspective view of the nozzle height
adjustment as shown in FIG. 4.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a drive disengaging device
shown in FIG. 4, illustrating the belt engaged with the brush.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a drive disengaging device
shown in FIG. 4, illustrating the belt disengaged from the
brush.
[0021] FIG. 11 is a rear left perspective view of a first alternate
nozzle height adjustment mechanism according to the invention.
[0022] FIG. 12 is a rear right perspective view of the nozzle
height adjustment mechanism shown in FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 13 is a cut-away perspective view of a second alternate
nozzle height adjustment mechanism according to the invention.
[0024] FIG. 14 is a cut-away perspective view of a third alternate
nozzle height adjustment mechanism according to the invention.
[0025] FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a fourth alternate nozzle
height adjustment mechanism according to the invention.
[0026] FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of the nozzle height
adjustment mechanism from FIG. 15.
[0027] FIG. 17 is a front perspective view of a first alternate
drive disengaging mechanism according to the invention.
[0028] FIG. 18 is a right side view of the drive disengaging
mechanism from FIG. 17, illustrating the drive mechanism engaged
with the brush.
[0029] FIG. 18A is a left side view of the drive disengaging
mechanism from FIG. 17, illustrating the drive mechanism engaged
with the brush.
[0030] FIG. 19 is a right side view of the drive disengaging
mechanism from FIG. 17, illustrating the drive mechanism disengaged
from the brush.
[0031] FIG. 19A is a left side view of the drive disengaging
mechanism from FIG. 17, illustrating the drive mechanism disengaged
from the brush.
[0032] FIG. 20 is a schematic view of a second alternate drive
disengaging mechanism according to the invention.
[0033] FIG. 21 is a top view of a lower housing of the base
assembly from FIG. 4, illustrating a first alternate embodiment of
a suction nozzle.
[0034] FIG. 22 is a top view of a lower housing of the base
assembly from FIG. 4, illustrating a second alternate embodiment of
a suction nozzle.
[0035] FIG. 23 is a front view of a brush roll assembly according
to the invention.
[0036] FIG. 24 is a front view of an alternate brush roll assembly
according to the invention.
[0037] FIG. 25 is a cross sectional view of an alternate brush roll
assembly according to the invention.
[0038] FIG. 26 is a cross sectional view of a second alternate
brush roll assembly according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0039] An exemplary upright vacuum cleaner 10 according to the
invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3, and comprises an upright assembly
12 pivotally mounted to a base assembly 14. The upright assembly 14
further comprises a primary support section 16 with a grip 18 on
one end to facilitate movement by the user. A motor cavity 20 is
formed at an opposite end of the upright assembly 12 and contains a
commonly known motor/fan assembly 22 (FIG. 17) oriented
transversely therein. The upright assembly 12 pivots relative to
the base assembly 14 through an axis formed relative to a shaft 24
(FIG. 9) within the motor/fan assembly. The upright assembly 12
further receives a dirt separation and collection assembly,
illustrated as a cyclone separation assembly 26 on the primary
support section 16. The cyclone module assembly 26 forms part of a
working air path fluidly connecting the base assembly 14 to the
motor/fan assembly and separates and collects debris from a working
air stream for disposal after the cleaning operation is complete.
The details of cyclone separators are known in the vacuum cleaner
art and will not be described in detail herein.
[0040] The base assembly 14 further comprises a lower housing 28
that mates with an upper housing 30 to form a brush chamber 32 in a
forward portion thereon. A rotating brush roll assembly 34 is
positioned within the brush chamber 32. A pair of rear wheels 36 is
secured to a rearward portion of the base assembly 14, rearward
being defined relative to the brush chamber 32. A variety of
different base assembly 14 configurations can be assembled to the
upright assembly 12 that comprise various features. Typically, the
base assembly 14 can vary in width so that the cleaning path can be
narrower or wider depending upon the size of the brush chamber 32.
A suction nozzle 38 is formed at a lower surface of the brush
chamber 32 on the base assembly 14 and is in fluid communication
with the surface to be cleaned. A foot conduit 40 provides an air
path from the suction nozzle 38 through the base assembly 14 and
terminates in a hose grip receiver 42. In the preferred embodiment,
the foot conduit 40 is a smooth rigid blow molded tube with a
bendable portion 44 that coincides with the pivot point between the
base assembly 14 and the upright assembly 12 to allow the upright
assembly 12 to pivot with respect to the base assembly 14. In an
alternate embodiment, the foot conduit 40 is a commonly known
flexible hose typically used in the vacuum cleaner industry. In yet
another embodiment, the air path is formed by and between the
housings 28, 30 with no secondary blow molded or flexible hose
parts.
[0041] A live hose 46 terminates in a fixed hose grip 48 on one end
and a cyclone inlet receiver 50 on the other end. The live hose 46
is preferably a commonly known flexible vacuum hose. The cyclone
inlet receiver 50 is rigidly fixed to an upper portion of the
primary support section 16 of the upright assembly 12. The hose
grip 48 is removably received in the hose grip receiver 42 via a
bayonet latch or, alternatively a friction fit so as to create an
air tight seal when the hose grip 48 is inserted therein. The live
hose 46 is managed via a pair of commonly known hose hooks (not
shown) at a lower portion of the primary support section 16 and
near the grip 18 as is commonly known in the vacuum industry.
[0042] A cyclone outlet receiver 52 is integrally formed on an
upper portion of the primary support section 16 in close proximity
to the cyclone inlet receiver 50 and is in fluid communication with
a pre-motor filter assembly 54 positioned upstream of an inlet to
the motor/fan assembly 22 located in the motor cavity 20. Fluid
communication can be accomplished by an air path (not shown)
integrally formed in the primary support section 16 or can be a
rigid blow molded tube or a commonly known flexible vacuum hose. An
outlet of the motor/fan assembly 22 is in fluid communication with
a working air exhaust assembly 56. The working air exhaust assembly
56 is positioned adjacent to or may be integral with the primary
support section 16, in fluid communication with the exhaust air
flow from the motor/fan assembly 22. A variety of commonly known
filter elements (not shown) can be utilized in the exhaust assembly
56. In the preferred embodiment, the filter is a commonly known
high efficiency particle arrestor (HEPA) filter element.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 4, the lower housing 28 further comprises
the suction nozzle 38 at a forward end and a handle pivot cavity
116 centrally located on a rearward end relative to the forward
end. A plurality of upright retaining tabs 118 are oriented
generally orthogonal to the lower housing 28 and on either side of
the handle pivot cavity 116, and a pair of retaining tabs 120 are
positioned on the side edges of the lower housing 28. A pair of
wheel bearings 122 is formed on a side rear edge of the lower
housing 28 and fixedly receives a wheel axle 124 upon which the
wheel 36 freely rotates. The wheel 36 is captured by a flange 126
on one end of the axle 124. Referring to FIG. 5, the axle 124 is
secured in the lower housing 28 via an integrally formed coaxial
snap feature comprising a pair of integrally formed resilient
engagement members 125 offset axially from the axle 124. The
engagement members 125 are tapered relative to the axle 124 shaft
to provide a lead in that is self-centering when being inserted
into the corresponding wheel bearing 122. In the preferred
embodiment, the wheel 36 load is centered longitudinally on the
axle 124 so that bending moments on the axle 124 are minimized.
Lower bending loads enable the use of smaller diameter axles,
which, in the preferred embodiment, are made of a plastic with
adequate lubricity. A suitable plastic material is sold by DuPont
under the trade name Delrin.RTM.. This axle design significantly
reduces costs over metal axles that are typically found in vacuum
cleaners.
[0044] Referring back to FIG. 4, the upper housing 30 further
comprises a handle cut out 134 to accommodate rotation of the
upright assembly 12 about the motor cavity 20. A plurality of
retaining surfaces 132 are formed by apertures in an upper surface
of the upper housing 30 that correspond with the upright retaining
tabs 118 on the lower housing 28. A pair of engaging tabs 130 are
formed on the bottom surface of the upper housing 30 that
corresponding to the retaining tabs 120 on the lower housing 28. In
operation, the upper housing 30 is oriented at a slight upward
angle so that the retaining surfaces 132 engage the retaining tabs
11 8. The upper housing is then rotated about the retaining
surfaces 132 so that the engaging tabs 130 pass over the tabs 120.
To remove the upper housing 30, the sides of the upper housing 30
are pulled outward while the upper housing 30 is rotated up and
forward about the retaining surfaces 132 until the upper housing 30
can be removed. This design facilitates easy removal of the upper
housing 30 for access to the lower housing 28 without the use of
tools for routine maintenance. In an alternate embodiment, the
upright retaining tabs 118 can be replaced with commonly known 1/4
turn fasteners that also facilitate removal of the upper housing 30
without the use of tools.
[0045] A belt chamber 160 is also integrally formed in the lower
housing 28 and provides a space for a brush belt 162 to
mechanically connect the rotating motor shaft 24 with the brush
roll assembly 34 positioned in the brush chamber 32 in a
conventional manner. A working airflow conduit passage 166 is
integrally formed through the lower housing 28 to provide a space
for the foot conduit 40 (FIG. 3) to pass therethrough in a
conventional manner. In an alternate embodiment, the foot conduit
40 is integrally formed by the upper and lower housings 30, 28 and
no additional parts are needed to create the working air flow path
through the base assembly 14.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 6, the upright assembly 12 is pivotally
supported on the base assembly 14 via a pair of snap-in bushings
151. The bushings 151 further comprise a bearing surface 153, a
pair of opposed tongues 155, and a resilient snap that includes a
lip 157. The lower housing 28 further comprises a bushing support
300 that includes a pair of opposed grooves 302, an arcuate portion
304 that corresponds with the bearing surface 153, and a latch
surface 306 that corresponds with the lip 157. To assemble the
upright assembly 12 to the base assembly 14, a bushing 151 is
placed over a pivot pin 308 (FIG. 3) formed on a lower portion of
the upright assembly 12, on either side of the motor cavity 20.
Each bushing 151 can be oriented as the upright assembly 12 is
moved toward the base assembly 14 so that the tongues 155 engage
the grooves 302. The upright assembly 12 is moved downward until
the resilient lip 157 passes below the latch surface 306 and snaps
in place to capture the bushings 151 on the base assembly 14. As
can be appreciated, the snap-in bushings 151 allow the upper
housing 30 to be removed without separating the upright assembly 12
from the base assembly 14.
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a foot-actuated nozzle height
adjustment mechanism comprises a carriage assembly 150, an actuator
disc 210, a cam disc 212, and a pivot arm 219. The carriage
assembly 150 comprises a pivot pins 152 that rotate within a pivot
socket 156 integrally molded into the lower housing 28 and a pair
of forward freely rotating wheels 154. The actuator disc 210
further comprises a foot pedal 215 and a plurality of resilient
ramped surfaces 214 that selectively engage a like number of ramped
surfaces 216 on a mating surface of the cam disc 212. Both the
actuator disc 210 and cam disc 212 are rotatably affixed to the
base 28 via a pin 217 that further keeps the discs 210, 212 in
mating contact. A plurality of cam lobes 211 of varying dimensions
surround a boss 220 formed on a surface of the cam disc 212
opposite the ramped surfaces 216 for receiving a pivot pin 221. The
pivot arm 219 is integrally molded with the carriage assembly 150
and slidingly engages the cam lobes 211 on the inner surface of the
cam disc 212. In operation, the foot pedal 215 is depressed and
since it is offset from the pivot pin boss 220, the actuator disc
210 rotates in a counterclockwise direction which, in turn, rotates
the cam disc 212 via the mating ramped surfaces 214, 216. As the
cam disc 212 rotates, the cam lobes 211 move past the pivot arm 219
and the pivot arm 219 comes to rest in the next cam lobe recess
formed between two cam lobes 211. Since the cam lobes 211 vary in
height, the carriage assembly 150 rotates about the pivot axis 152
causing the wheels 154 move either away from or towards a bottom
surface of the lower housing 28. When the foot pedal 215 is
released, the pivot arm 219 holds the cam disc 212 in place and a
torsion spring (not shown) forces the actuator disc 210 in a
clockwise direction whereby the resilient ramped surfaces 214 slide
past the cam ramped surfaces 216 and come to rest in mating
relation with the next ramped surface 214.
[0048] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a belt or drive disengaging
device 159 comprises a first plate 161 that is mounted for rotation
about the motor cavity 20 having motor shaft 24 extending
therethrough. A crescent shaped bearing surface 163 is attached in
an offset fashion to the first plate 161. A spring 167 is connected
at one end to the first plate 161 and at the other end to a
location on the base assembly 14 to bias the belt disengaging
device 159 to an engaged position. A second plate 165 is mounted
for rotation about a pivot pin 175 attached to the lower housing 28
and has an engagement pin 173 extending orthogonally therefrom. The
second plate 165 is biased in a counterclockwise direction as
viewed in FIG. 9 by a spring strap 177 that is fixed at one end to
the periphery of the second plate 165 through pin 179 and at the
other end to the periphery of the first plate 161 through a pin
181. The spring strap 177 is weaved between the two plates 161, 165
so that the two plates 161, 165 move in an interrelated fashion. A
foot pedal 204 for actuating the belt disengaging device 159 is
provided on the exterior of the base assembly 14 and comprises a
shaft 206 that extends through the upper housing 28 for engagement
with the engagement pin 173. With the belt disengaging device 159
in the position shown in FIG. 9, the crescent surface 163 is
generally positioned between the motor shaft 24 and the brush roll
assembly 34 so that the belt 162 rides on the motor shaft 24 and
drives the brush roll assembly 34. Referring to FIG. 10, when
pressure is applied to the foot pedal 204, the shaft 206 moves
linearly in a substantially vertical direction such that the
engagement pin 173 is forced downwardly. The downward force
overcomes the spring bias and rotates the second plate 165
approximately 90 degrees in a counterclockwise direction. The
interconnection of the first and second plates 161, 165 provided by
the spring strap 177 causes the first plate 161 to rotate
approximately 90 degrees in a counterclockwise direction. As the
first plate 161 is rotated, the crescent bearing surface 163
rotates into contact with and slightly stretches the belt 162 away
from the shaft 24 until the shaft 24 is between the crescent
bearing surface 163 and the brush roll assembly 34, effectively
disengaging the brush roll assembly 34. A detent device (not shown)
maintains the pedal 204 in the depressed position shown in FIG. 10
and thus maintains the belt disengaging device 159 in the
disengaged position. To engage the brush roll assembly 34, the foot
pedal 204 is again depressed to release the first plate 161 back to
the original position.
[0049] While the base assembly 14 is illustrated as comprising the
nozzle height adjustment mechanism shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, other
adjustment mechanisms can be used and a few examples of alternate
embodiments of suitable nozzle height adjustment mechanisms are
illustrated in FIGS. 11-16. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, a first
alternate embodiment 300 comprises a carriage assembly 302, an
actuator disc 304, and a cam disc 306. The carriage assembly 300 is
pivotally connected to the lower housing 28 through a pivot axis
308 and comprises a pair of wheels 310 and a pivot arm 312. The
actuator disc 304 and cam disc 306 are received in a bracket 314
affixed within the base assembly 14 such that the discs 304, 306
are kept in mating contact. The bracket 314 comprises two
upstanding portions 316, between which the actuator disc 304 and
cam disc 306 are mounted by inserting a pin 318 or other suitable
fastener through a pair of aligned holes 320, a pivot arm slot 322,
and a spring arm slot 324. The actuator disc 304 further comprises
a foot pedal 326, a spring arm 328 and a pair of resilient ramped
surfaces 330 that selectively engage a plurality of generally rigid
ramped surfaces 232 on a mating surface of the cam disc 306. On the
side of the cam disc 306 opposite the ramped surfaces 232, a
plurality of cam lobes 334 of varying dimensions surround a boss
336 for receiving pin 318. The pivot arm 312 engages the cam lobes
334 on the cam disc 306. The spring arm 328 is received in the
spring arm slot 324 and biases the actuator disc in a
counterclockwise direction with respect to the orientation of FIG.
11. In operation, the foot pedal 326 is depressed and the actuator
disc 304 rotates in a clockwise direction with respect to the
orientation of FIG. 11 which, in turn, rotates the cam disc 306 via
the mating ramped surfaces 330, 332. As the cam disc 306 rotates,
the cam lobes 334 move past the pivot arm 312 and the pivot arm 312
comes to rest in the next cam lobe recess formed between two cam
lobes 334. Since the cam lobes 334 vary in height, the carriage
assembly 302 rotates about the pivot axis 308, causing the wheels
310 move either away from or towards a bottom surface of the lower
housing 28. When the foot pedal 326 is released, the pivot arm 312
holds the cam disc 306 in place and the spring arm 328 forces the
actuator disc 304 in a clockwise direction whereby the resilient
ramped surfaces 330 slide past the rigid ramped surfaces 332 and
come to rest in mating relation with the next ramped surface
332.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 13, a second alternate embodiment of a
nozzle height adjustment mechanism comprises a rotating drum 168
with a plurality of ratcheted detents 170, a foot pedal 172, a down
actuator rod 174, and an up actuator rod 176. The drum 168 and the
foot pedal 172 both rotate about separate bearing surfaces
integrally molded in the lower housing 28. The foot pedal 172 is
pivotally mounted on a pin 178. Both the up and down actuator rods
174, 176 further comprise a pedal engagement surface 180 on one end
and a ratchet engagement surface 182 on the other. The up actuator
rod 176 further comprises a spring member 184 that biases the rod
176 into engagement with the ratchet detents 170. The down actuator
rod 174 is rotatably attached to an upper end of the foot pedal
172. A plurality of steps 186 are formed on the surface of the drum
168 adjacent the ratchet detents 170 and engage with a carriage
assembly (not shown) similar to the carriage assembly 150 (FIG. 4)
as previously described.
[0051] In operation, an upper portion of the foot pedal 172 is
pressed and the foot pedal pivots about the pin 178, thereby
displacing the down actuator rod 174 and forcing the ratchet
engagement surface 182 into the ratchet detent 170. This causes the
drum 168 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction whereby the
ratchet engagement surface 182 on the up actuator rod 176 rides
over the ratchet detent 170 until the up actuator rod 176 clears
the ratchet detent 170 and the spring member 184 forces the ratchet
engagement surface into the next ratchet detent 170. This action
rotates the drum one ratchet detent 170 which displaces the step
186 and moves the carriage assembly closer to the lower housing 28
to reduce the nozzle height above the surface to be cleaned.
Conversely, when the lower surface of the foot pedal 172 is
depressed, the foot pedal 172 pushes the up actuator rod 176 to
release engagement surface 182 and pulls the down actuator rod 174
away from the ratchet detents 170 so that the drum 168 rotates in
an opposite direction. The steps 186 then push the carriage
assembly 150 away from the lower housing to increase the nozzle
height above the surface to be cleaned. In this way, nozzle height
can be adjusted incrementally in either direction as desired.
[0052] Referring to FIG. 14, a third alternate embodiment of a
nozzle height adjustment mechanism is illustrated, and comprises a
ratcheting nozzle height adjustment mechanism 340. The height
adjustment mechanism 340 comprises a linear track 342 with a
plurality of ratchet detents 344 formed within a trapezoidal
housing 346. A pair of grooves 348 run along either side of the
linear track 342. Both the linear track 342 and the grooves 348 are
aligned parallel to an upper surface of the trapezoidal housing
346, leaving a ramped engagement surface 350 at a lower surface. A
plurality of detents 352 are equally spaced along the upper surface
of the trapezoidal housing 346 and slideably engage a resilient tab
(not shown) on the lower housing 28. The trapezoidal housing 346 is
slideably affixed to the lower housing 28 in a horizontal
orientation via the grooves 348 so that the upper surface travels
in a generally horizontal plane relative to the surface to be
cleaned. A two position foot pedal 354 is pivotally affixed to the
lower housing 28 by a pin 360 and acts on an actuation rod 356 with
a corresponding ratchet engagement surface 358. The operation is
similar to the second alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 13,
wherein when either the upper portion or the lower portion of the
foot pedal 354 is pressed, the ratchet engagement surface 358
respectively engages either the upper or lower set of ratchet
detents 344 formed on the linear track 342 and pushes the
trapezoidal housing 346 relative to the lower housing 28 along the
grooves 348 until one of the detents 352 is captured by the
resilient tab on the lower housing 28, which forces the ratchet
engagement surface 358 into the next ratchet detent 344. Since the
movable ramped engagement surface 350 directly engages the pivoting
height adjustment carriage assembly (not shown) similar to the
carriage assembly 150 shown in FIG. 4, as the trapezoidal housing
346 moves horizontally, the carriage assembly is forced away from
or up towards the lower housing 28 to effectively raise and lower
the nozzle height above the surface to be cleaned.
[0053] Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, a fourth alternate embodiment
of a nozzle height adjustment mechanism is illustrated. A nozzle
height adjustment aperture 136 is integrally formed through the
upper housing 30 and is aligned with a carriage assembly 138
pivotally mounted to the lower housing 28. A height adjustment
actuator 140 comprises an actuator knob 142 on one end and an
engaging surface 144 on the other. The engaging surface 144 is
comprised of a series of cam lobes 146 that vary in height relative
to the actuator knob 142. The engaging surface 144 abuts a
corresponding engaging surface 148 on a height adjustment carriage
assembly 138. A plurality of rectangular engagement keys 141
protrude from the engaging surface 144. The engagement keys 141
correspond with a like number of engagement slots 143 formed in the
height adjustment aperture 136. The keys 141 and slots 143 are
oriented so that the height adjustment actuator 140 can be inserted
in one orientation only. To assemble the height adjustment
assembly, the height adjustment actuator 140 is positioned over the
aperture 136 so that the keys 141 align with the slots 143. The
actuator 140 is pushed down until a lower surface 145 of the knob
142 abuts an upper surface 147 of the aperture 136. The actuator
140 is then rotated approximately 90 degrees, whereby the keys 141
no longer align with the slots 143 and effectively locking the
actuator 140 to the upper housing 30. This locking design and
mating of the lower surface 145 to the upper surface 147 serves to
effectively seal the generally cylindrical portion of the actuator
140 from dirt and debris that could otherwise enter the assembly
and cause binding. Additionally, a plurality of grooves 366 are
provided on the upper surface 147 of the aperture 136 and allow any
dirt or debris that accumulates around the nozzle height adjustment
mechanism to fall between the actuator 140 and the aperture 136 via
the grooves.
[0054] The carriage assembly 138 further comprises a pivot pins 362
that rotate within the pivot socket 156 integrally molded into the
lower housing 28 and a pair of forward freely rotating wheels 364.
As the knob 142 is rotated within the aperture 136, the cam lobes
146 interface with the upper surface 147 of the aperture 136, thus
raising or lowering the engaging surface 144 relative to the lower
housing 28. As the engaging surface 144 is moved down, the carriage
assembly 138 rotates downwardly about the pivot points 362, pushing
the carriage 138 down toward the surface and effectively raising
the suction nozzle 38 away from the surface to be cleaned.
Conversely, as the engaging surface is raised, the carriage 138
rotates upwardly toward the lower housing 28 thus minimizing the
distance between the suction nozzle 38 and the surface to be
cleaned.
[0055] While the base assembly 14 is illustrated as comprising the
belt disengaging mechanism shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, other belt
drive disengaging mechanisms can be used and a few examples of
alternate embodiments of suitable belt or drive disengaging
mechanisms are illustrated in FIGS. 17-20. Referring to FIG.
17-19A, a first alternate embodiment 370 generally comprises a
bracket 372, a pair of belt disengaging pins 374, 376 for
disengaging the belt 162 from the motor shaft 24, an actuator 378
for actuating the belt disengager 370, and a linkage 380 between
the belt disengaging pins 374, 376 and the actuator 378. The
bracket 372 comprises a linear guide track 382, an upper curved
guide track 384, a lower curved guide track 386 and a plurality of
flanges 388 that facilitate mounting the bracket 372 within the
base assembly 14. The actuator 378 comprises a foot pedal 390
provided on the exterior of the base assembly 14 and that is
rotatably coupled to the bracket 372 by a foot pedal shaft 392. A
retainer spring 393 mounts the foot pedal shaft 392 to the bracket
372. The foot pedal shaft 392 has a rear orthogonal extension 394
pivotally coupled to the linkage 380 by a first pivot pin 396. The
linkage 380 comprises a pair of spaced toggle links 398, 400 and a
pair of curved arms 402, 404. The toggle links 398, 400 are
attached at one end to the rear extension 394 by the first pivot
pin 396 and at the other end to one end of the curved arms 402, 404
by a second pivot pin 406, such that the rear extension 394 and the
curved arms 402, 404 are both positioned between the toggle links
398, 400. The other end of the curved arms 402, 404 each comprise
one of the belt disengaging pins 374, 376, respectively. The second
pivot pin 406 is slidingly received in the linear guide track 382,
the belt disengaging pin 374 on the upper curved arm 402 is
slidingly received in the upper curved guide track 384, and the
belt disengaging pin 376 on the lower curved arm 404 is slidingly
received in the lower curved guide track 386. A belt guide 408 is
provided between the belt 162 and the bracket 372, and prevents the
belt 162 from rubbing against the bracket 372 and creating unwanted
friction. A spring 410 on the foot pedal shaft 392 having an arm
portion 412 wrapped around the rear extension 394 biases the foot
pedal 390, and thus the entire belt disengager 370, to the position
shown in FIGS. 18 and 18A, wherein the belt 162 is engaged with the
motor shaft 24 and drives the brush roll assembly 34. When pressure
is applied to the foot pedal 390, the foot pedal shaft 392 rotates
clockwise and the rear extension 394 pivots upwardly with respect
to the orientation of FIG. 18A. The pivoting motion of the rear
extension 394 causes the toggle links 398, 400 pivot clockwise
about the first pivot pin 396 and the second pivot pin 406 to slide
within the linear guide track 382, which in turn causes the curved
arms 402, 404 to slide within their respective curved guide tracks
384, 386 from the position shown in FIG. 18A to the position shown
in FIG. 19A. As the curved arms 402, 404 move, the belt disengaging
pins 374, 376 engage the belt 162 and lift it from engagement with
the motor shaft 24, as can be seen in FIG. 19A, thereby disengaging
the belt drive mechanism. The foot pedal 390 or another portion of
the actuator 378 can have a detent device (not shown) to maintain
the foot pedal 390 in the depressed position shown in FIGS. 19 and
19A and thus maintain the belt in the disengaged position.
[0056] Referring to FIG. 20, in a second alternate embodiment of a
drive disengaging mechanism, the motor/fan assembly 22 is fixedly
mounted vertically in the base assembly 14. A generally circular
flywheel 250 is fixedly attached to and rotates with the motor
shaft 24. A drive engaging arm 252 is pivotally attached to the
lower housing 28 and comprises foot pedal 254 on one end and a
pivot point 256 on the other end. A belt drive hub 258 is mounted
to the drive engaging arm 252, orthogonally to the flywheel 250,
for selective engagement therewith. The belt 162 is in mechanical
communication with a drive hub shaft 260 extending from the drive
hub 258 and the brush roll assembly 34. The drive engaging arm 252
is biased by a drive engaging spring 262 to place the belt drive
hub 258 in selective contact with the flywheel 250. In operation,
the motor shaft 24 rotates when power is applied to the motor/fan
assembly 22, causing the flywheel 250 to rotate. The drive engaging
spring 262 forces the drive engaging arm 252 to pivot about the
pivot point 256 causing the belt drive hub 258 to engage the
flywheel 250. The belt drive hub 258 rotates, which in turn causes
the drive hub shaft 260 to rotate, rotating the belt 162 and
ultimately the brush roll assembly 34. A commonly known latch (not
shown) can be incorporated to secure the drive engaging arm 252
away from the flywheel 250 when the user steps on the foot pedal
254, effectively disengaging the brush drive mechanism when the
user desires to use the vacuum cleaner 10 without the aid of a
rotating brush roll assembly 34.
[0057] As can be appreciated, the drive engaging arm 252 can also
pivot laterally so that the belt drive hub 258 can change contact
positions on the flywheel 250. For example, when the belt drive hub
258 is positioned near the center of the flywheel 250, the belt
drive hub 258 will rotate slowly. As the belt drive hub 258 is
moved toward the outer perimeter of the flywheel 250 the speed of
the belt drive hub 258, and correspondingly the speed of the brush
roll assembly 34, increases thus providing a variable speed brush
control.
[0058] While the base assembly 14 is illustrated as comprising the
suction nozzle 38 shown in FIG. 4, other suction nozzles can be
used, and a few examples of alternate suction nozzles are
illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 22. Referring to FIG. 21, a first
alternate embodiment comprises a suction nozzle extension 128
extends in a rearward direction at either side of the lower housing
28, forming a generally U-shaped suction nozzle 58. In this way,
the suction nozzle 58 surrounds the forward portion of the lower
housing 28 for cleaning additional surface area as well as improved
edge cleaning. In addition, an optional pet hair removal device 129
is included near the suction nozzle 58 and is formed of a rubber or
plastic material create a static charge when exposed to frictional
forces are mounted around the suction nozzle 58 to further enhance
cleaning. Alternatively, the pet hair removal devices 129 can be
made of a conventional lint brush material. A more complete
description of suitable pet hair removal devices can be found in US
Provisional Patent Application 60/594773 which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 22, a second alternate embodiment of a
suction nozzle 60 for the base assembly 14 is illustrated, wherein
the suction nozzle 60 comprises a plurality of partitions 62
sectioning the suction nozzle 60 into a plurality of individual
suction chambers 64 across the width of the suction nozzle 60. Each
suction chamber 64 has an outlet port 66 in communication with a
common manifold conduit 68 in fluid communication with the motor
fan assembly 22 via the foot conduit 40 or other suitable
means.
[0060] Referring to FIGS. 23-26, various embodiments of the brush
roll assembly 34 are illustrated. It is within the scope of this
invention to incorporate any of the following brush roll assemblies
on the base assemblies 14 previously described. Referring to FIG.
23, a first embodiment of the brush roll assembly 34 comprises a
generally cylindrical brush dowel 222 with a bearing surface 224 on
both ends and a belt engagement surface 226 around the
circumference near one end that communicates with the belt 162. A
plurality of flexible bristles 228 are inserted into the outer
circumference of the brush dowel 222 forming individual tufts 230.
Typically the bristles 228 are finished by trimming the bristles
228 after they are inserted into the brush dowel 222 resulting in a
squared off end of the bristle 228. A plurality of tufts 230 are
arranged in a generally helix fashion in rows 232 along the outer
circumference of the brush dowel as is typical in the vacuum art.
In addition, the brush roll assembly can be biased so that a
constant down force is provided to ensure even and consistent
contact with the surface to be cleaned as is disclosed in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 10/064322 which is incorporated herein
by reference in its entirety. As can be appreciated, the number of
bristles 228 used to form each tuft 230, the number of tufts 230
used to form each row 232, and the number of rows 232 used on the
brush dowel 222 can all be varied to create an optimum agitation
device. Furthermore, the helix angle of the rows 232 can be
increased to give a high helix angle pattern resulting in a greater
bristle 228 surface area. In an alternate embodiment, the bristle
end that engages the surface to be cleaned is rounded and the tufts
230 are created by inserting the bristle 228 into the brush dowel
222 so that a finished diameter is created upon insertion with no
need for finish trimming. Alternatively, the bristle 228 ends can
be rounded after trimming similar to the configuration of the
bristles of a toothbrush. The rounded bristle 228 end creates a
smoother bristle surface area that is preferred on the more
delicate surface finishes such as wood and carpet.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 24, in a second embodiment, where like
elements are indicated by the same reference numeral bearing a
prime symbol ('), the tufts 230' are attached to a flexible support
234 forming a bristle strip 236 that is removably inserted into a
channel 238 formed in the dowel 222'. A number of different bristle
strips 236 that vary the material, length, or stiffness of the
bristles 228' can be used to give the user options based upon their
particular cleaning needs. For example, softer bristles 228' are
preferred on more delicate floors such as wood or delicate carpets
to prevent damage while stiffer bristles 228' are desired on hard
tiled surfaces to more aggressively remove debris that is stuck to
the surface to be cleaned. In addition, the use of bristle strips
236 provides for easy maintenance of the brush because the bristles
can be replace without removing the brush roll assembly 34' from
the base assembly 14.
[0062] Referring to FIG. 25, in a third embodiment wherein like
elements are identified by the same reference numerals bearing a
double prime symbol (''), each tuft 230'' is cut on an angle so
that the angled surface is in contact with the surface to be
cleaned. This allows for more of the bristle 228''ends to remain in
contact with the surface to be cleaned resulting in improved
cleaning performance. Alternatively, the tuft 230'' can be trimmed
at an angle on both sides so that a more flexible tuft 230'' is
created. In yet another embodiment, a stiffener 240 is embedded in
the dowel 222'' behind the tuft 230'' relative to the direction of
rotation that effectively creates a stiffer tuft 230'' while
improving dynamic flexing characteristics. Alternatively, the
stiffener 240 can be integrally formed in the brush dowel 222'' or
can be mechanically fastened to the brush dowel 222'' after the
tufts 230'' have been inserted via commonly known methods such as
rivets, screws, or adhesives. Furthermore, the stiffeners 240 can
be formed as a continuous strip that extends between the tufts
230'' or can be individually placed behind each tuft 230''.
Additionally, the tufts 230'' can be stiffened by counter boring
each tuft to provide the wall required to stiffen the bristle
228''.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 26, in a fourth embodiment wherein like
elements are identified by the same reference numerals bearing a
triple prime symbol (''')a plurality of static strips 242 are
formed of a suitable rubber or plastic material that creates a
static charge when exposed to frictional forces. The static strips
242 are inserted into the channels in the dowel 222''' as
previously described. Different materials create different static
charges that are suitable for attracting specific debris types such
as dust, pollens, pet hair, and dirt. One or more static strip 242
of the same or different material types can be used in the dowel
222''' depending upon the user's preference.
[0064] While the invention has been specifically described in
connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be
understood that this is by way of illustration and not of
limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible
within the scope of the foregoing description and drawings without
departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined in the
appended claims.
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