U.S. patent application number 12/455514 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-09 for vacuum cleaner head.
Invention is credited to Man-Yan Chan.
Application Number | 20100306953 12/455514 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43299668 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100306953 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chan; Man-Yan |
December 9, 2010 |
Vacuum cleaner head
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner head for attachment to a suction pipe or hose
of a vacuum cleaner includes a body, an inlet through which air
from a surface enters the body en route to the vacuum cleaner, and
an agitation plate attached movably to the body across or adjacent
to the inlet and adapted to beat against the surface in use. An
ultraviolet lamp illuminates and disinfects dust and debris as is
passes through the head.
Inventors: |
Chan; Man-Yan; (Kowloon,
CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALIX YALE & RISTAS LLP
750 MAIN STREET, SUITE 1400
HARTFORD
CT
06103
US
|
Family ID: |
43299668 |
Appl. No.: |
12/455514 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/339 ;
15/363 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/0411 20130101;
A47L 9/0483 20130101; A47L 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/339 ;
15/363 |
International
Class: |
A47L 9/04 20060101
A47L009/04 |
Claims
1. A vacuum cleaner head for attachment to a suction pipe or hose
of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a body; an inlet through which air
from a surface enters the body en route to the vacuum cleaner; and
an agitation plate attached movably to the body across or adjacent
to the inlet and adapted to beat against the surface in use.
2. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 1, further comprising a motor
adapted to cause the agitation plate to move.
3. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 2, wherein the agitation plate
is pivotally mounted to the body.
4. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 3, further comprising a cam
driven to rotate by the motor and wherein the agitation plate
comprises a cam follower against which the cam bears to cause
pivotal oscillation of the agitation plate.
5. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 3, further comprising a spring
extending between the body and the agitation plate to bias the cam
follower against the cam.
6. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the agitation plate
is perforated.
7. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 1, further comprising an
ultraviolet light located within the body across or adjacent to the
inlet and adapted irradiated airborne dust and/or debris entering
the body en route to the vacuum cleaner.
8. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 1, further comprising an
ultraviolet light located adjacent to the agitation plate and
adapted irradiated airborne dust and/or debris passing the
agitation plate en route to the vacuum cleaner.
9. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 8, wherein the body comprising
a battery compartment for receiving batteries to power the
ultraviolet light.
10. The vacuum cleaner head of claim 2, wherein the body comprising
a battery compartment for receiving batteries to power the motor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners. The
invention more particularly, although not exclusively, relates to a
vacuum cleaner head having a carpet or fabric beating feature to
raise dust from carpet pile or fabrics such as bed linen and
curtains.
[0002] Vacuum cleaner heads for attachment to suction poles of
vacuum cleaners usually comprise a simple brush or carpet slider or
rollers to engage a hard floor or carpet surface as the case may
be. These heads rely almost solely on the suction provided by the
vacuum cleaner to lift dust and debris from the surface. Some
vacuum cleaner heads known as "turbo heads" have a rotating drum
with peripheral bristles. These rely on energy in the airflow to
cause rotation of the drum and bristles and therefore some of the
energy of the airflow which might otherwise be useful for lifting
dust and debris is exploited.
[0003] Another problem associated with vacuum cleaners is that the
dust and debris lifted and stored in a receptacle such as a cyclone
chamber or paper bag can be contaminated with bacteria which might
multiply in the receptacle.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or
substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages
and/or more generally to provide an improved vacuum cleaner
head.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0005] There is disclosed herein a vacuum cleaner head for
attachment to a suction pipe or hose of a vacuum cleaner,
comprising: [0006] a body; [0007] an inlet through which air from a
surface enters the body en route to the vacuum cleaner; and [0008]
an agitation plate attached movably to the body across or adjacent
to the inlet and adapted to beat against the surface in use.
[0009] Preferably, the vacuum cleaner head further comprises a
motor adapted to cause the agitation plate to move.
[0010] Preferably, the agitation plate is pivotally mounted to the
body.
[0011] Preferably, the vacuum cleaner head further comprises a cam
driven to rotate by the motor and the agitation plate comprises a
cam follower against which the cam bears to cause pivotal
oscillation of the agitation plate.
[0012] Preferably, the vacuum cleaner head further comprises a
spring extending between the body and the agitation plate to bias
the cam follower against the cam.
[0013] Preferably, the agitation plate is perforated.
[0014] Preferably, the vacuum cleaner head further comprises an
ultraviolet light located within the body across or adjacent to the
inlet and adapted irradiated airborne dust and/or debris entering
the body en route to the vacuum cleaner.
[0015] The ultraviolet light can be located adjacent to the
agitation plate and adapted irradiated airborne dust and/or debris
passing the agitation plate en route to the vacuum cleaner.
[0016] Preferably, the body comprises a battery compartment for
receiving batteries to power the ultraviolet light and motor.
[0017] The agitation plate as well as the ultraviolet light will
advantageously kill dust mites when drawn up from carpets and
fabrics and help prevent dust mite allergies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] A preferred form of the present invention will now be
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a vacuum cleaner
head;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic inverted plan view of the vacuum
cleaner head showing a printed circuit board and an ultraviolet
light source inside the vacuum cleaner head;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic end elevation of the vacuum cleaner
head;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic inverted plan view of the vacuum
cleaner head;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a schematic inverted plan view of the vacuum
cleaner head showing a motor-driven agitation plate;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a schematic parts-exploded perspective
illustration of the vacuum cleaner head; and
[0025] FIG. 7 is a schematic inverted partial illustration of the
vacuum cleaner head showing the motor, agitation plate and
associated drive mechanism.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0026] In the accompanying drawings there is depicted schematically
a vacuum cleaner head 10 comprising a body 11 typically formed as a
thermoplastics moulding. The body has pivotally extending from it a
vacuum hose or pole attachment 14 via which air is drawn through
the body en route to a vacuum cleaner.
[0027] Inside the body there is provided a PCB 16 having wires
extending to an ultraviolet fluorescence lamp 15.
[0028] A covered battery compartment 20 houses a number of
batteries 24. A switch 13 conveys power from the batteries 24 to
the PCB 16. A power indicator LED 12 is provided upon the body 11
to indicate that the switch 13 is in the ON position.
[0029] Pivotally attached to the underside of the body 11 is a
perforated agitation plate 17. The agitation plate 17 includes a
hinge 29 through which a hinge pin 28 extends. A pair of hinge
clamps 30 secures the hinge pin 28 to the body 11. Integrally
moulded with the agitation plate 17 is a cam follower 23.
[0030] An electric motor 21 is attached to the body 11 by a motor
cover plate 19. The output shaft of the motor has attached to it a
cam 26 having an eccentric pin 27 extending therefrom. The
eccentric pin 27 engages with the cam follower 23.
[0031] A spring 18 extends between the agitation plate 17 and the
body 11 and pivotally biases the agitation plate such that the cam
follower 23 remains in contact with the eccentric pin 27 throughout
rotation of the cam 26. The electric motor 21 is connected by wires
to the PCB 16 so as to receive energy from the batteries 24 upon
movement of the switch 13 to the ON position.
[0032] The ultraviolet fluorescent lamp 15 is positioned directly
above the agitation plate 17.
[0033] The pole attachment 14 has an inlet aperture 22 directed
over the agitation plate 17 and the ultraviolet fluorescent lamp 15
extends laterally directly adjacent to the inlet aperture 22 so
that air entering the inlet aperture is irradiated with ultraviolet
light.
[0034] In use, the vacuum cleaner head 10 can be attached to the
flexible hose or rigid pole of a vacuum cleaner. If the switch 14
is left in the OFF position, the vacuum cleaner head can be used in
a conventional manner because the agitation plate 17 is perforated
to allow the passage of air therethrough. Upon movement of the
switch 13 to the ON position, the LED 12 will indicate that the
ultraviolet fluorescent lamp 15 is illuminated and that the motor
21 is running. The rotating cam 26 will cause pivotal oscillation
of the agitation plate 17 so that it pivotally oscillates
downwardly from the body 11 to beat against the surface being
cleaned. The surface would typically be carpet so that the beating
action dislodges dust and debris from the fibres of the carpet
pile. This dust and debris is drawn through and/or across the
agitation plate and is irradiated by ultraviolet light from the
lamp 15 en route to the inlet aperture 22 via which it is drawn to
the vacuum cleaner.
[0035] It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations
obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as
beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, rather than
providing electric motor, cam and cam follower, an electric
solenoid could be pulsed by a microcontroller on the PCB 16 and act
directly upon the agitation plate.
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