Generally, the invention relates to vacuum cleaners. Particularly, the invention relates to a rotary mode control arrangement for a floor care appliance such as an upright vacuum cleaner.
It is known to produce an upright vacuum cleaner with controls for controlling the operation of the motor-fan assembly, the height of the suction nozzle in relation to the floor surface, and for turning the rotary agitator on and off. There are many such cleaners having various manual or electronic controls or a combination thereof for controlling these features individually or in conjunction with one another as a system according to pre-determined settings.
In recent years, it has been found to be advantageous to produce a floor care appliance with one or more modes wherein one of the modes will be used for cleaning bare floors. In bare floor mode, it is desirous to either manually or automatically lower the suction nozzle of the vacuum cleaner to the lowest position in relation to the floor surface while simultaneously disconnecting the rotary power to the rotary agitator. Disconnecting the rotary agitator prevents the rotating agitator from damaging the floor surface. It has also been found to be desirous to vary the height of the suction nozzle according to the type of floor surface being cleaned by utilizing a rotary control dial or member having either discrete settings or variable positions. In this manner, a suction nozzle height setting may be selected according to the type floor surface or type of carpet to be cleaned. Heretofore, it is unknown to have a floor care appliance utilizing a rotary control member to control the height of the suction nozzle and to control the rotary agitator according a pre-determined position of the rotary control member
In the present invention, a rotary mode control member electronically controls a suction nozzle height adjustment motor. The suction nozzle height adjustment motor has a cam portion which adjusts the height of the suction nozzle by urging against a lever arm on the wheel carriage supporting the suction nozzle on the floor surface. A projection extending from the cam portion is operatively linked to an idler arm having a belt tensioner for tensioning and de-tensioning the agitator drive belt according to a pre-determined height of the suction nozzle. Thus, the rotary control member can be moved to a position to lower the suction nozzle closest to the floor surface and turn off the rotary agitator ortho other positions where the suction nozzle is moved to a pre-determined height above the floor surface and the drive belt is tensioned so that rotary power is provided to the rotary agitator. Therefore, the present invention fulfills a need not heretofore addressed in the prior art.
In carrying out the invention in one aspect thereof, these objectives and advantages are obtained by providing a floor care appliance such as vacuum cleaner having a rotary mode control member located on the upper housing for controlling the height of the suction nozzle and to control the rotary agitator according to a pre-determined position of the rotary control member. The rotary mode control member includes a first position for cleaning bare or hard floors wherein the suction nozzle is lowered to the closest position in relation to the floor surface and the rotary agitator is turned off. The rotary mode control member also includes a second position for cleaning deep pile height carpet wherein the suction nozzle is raised to the highest position in relation to the floor surface and the rotary agitator is turned on. The rotary mode control member also includes one or more positions between said first and second positions for moving the suction nozzle to the proper height for cleaning carpet of various pre-determined pile heights and wherein the rotary agitator is turned on. The rotary mode control member is operatively linked to a suction nozzle height adjustment motor which raises and lowers the suction nozzle according to the position of the rotary mode control member. A cam portion extending from the suction nozzle height adjustment motor urges against a lever arm extending from the wheel carriage supporting the suction nozzle for raising and lowering the suction nozzle. A projection also extends from said cam portion for engaging an idler arm which has a wheel tensioner extending therefrom for tensioning and de-tensioning a drive belt transmitting rotary power from the motor-fan assembly to the rotary agitator. The projection urges said lever arm to cause said wheel tensioner away from said drive belt when said suction nozzle is moved to the lowest or bare floor position. This causes the rotary power from said motor-fan assembly to be disconnected from said rotary agitator. The idler arm and wheel tensioner are released when said suction nozzle is moved to one of the other pre-determined positions by moving said rotary mode control member. The rotary mode control member is operatively connected to a microprocessor which is pre-programmed with data for controlling said suction nozzle height adjustment motor to one of the pre-determined height positions.
Embodiments of the invention, illustrative of several modes in which applicants have contemplated applying the principles are set forth by way of example in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
An upright vacuum cleaner 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in
Referring now to
Located immediately above the dirt cup 500 is a rotating filtration cartridge 602 that is visible through a translucent viewing window located in the front of a filtration housing 601. The rotating filtration cartridge 602 acts as a final filter for the dirt laden air stream flowing that originated through the suction openings 116 located beneath the suction nozzle 130. The motor-fan assembly 401 generates the suction that is applied to the suction nozzle 130 through the dirt cup 500 and filtration cartridge 602. The filtration cartridge 602 is rotated so that a single segregated, longitudinal portion of the hollow interior is rotated past a valve (not shown) which allows ambient air to reverse flow through that portion of the filtration cartridge 601. The ambient airflows through the filtration cartridge wall to clean the outer surface of the filtration cartridge wall for that portion of the filtration cartridge 602. As the filtration cartridge 602 rotates through one complete 3600 revolution, the exterior of the filtration cartridge 602 is cleaned of the buildup of dust and dirt. In this manner the filtration cartridge 602 is continuously cleaned and filtration performance is maintained. A similar regenerative filtration arrangement was disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/731,380 filed on Dec. 8, 2003, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/249,249 filed on Oct. 13, 2005, both of which are incorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein.
The vacuum cleaner 10 includes a foot 100 with a suction nozzle 130 attached at the front. The vacuum cleaner 10 is of the type having an agitator 135 positioned within an agitator chamber (not shown) formed in suction nozzle 130. The agitator chamber (not shown) communicates with the suction nozzle openings 116 and the agitator 135 rotates about a horizontal axis inside the agitator chamber (not shown) for loosening dirt from the floor surface. The loosened dirt is drawn into a suction duct 110b located behind and fluidly connected to agitator chamber (not shown) by a suction air stream generated by a motor-fan assembly 401. The suction duct 110b directs the loosened dirt to a dirt cup 500 positioned in the upper housing 200. Freely rotating support wheels 102 (only one of which is visible in
Located above the rotating filtration cartridge 602 is a rotary mode control member 20 for controlling the height of the suction nozzle 130 in relation to the floor surface and for disconnecting the rotary power to rotary agitator 135 for pre-selected suction nozzle 130 heights in relation to the floor surface. A push button member 21 is located in the center of the rotary mode control member 20 for switching the motor-fan assembly 401 on and off. Both the push button member 21 and rotary mode control member 20 are operatively connected to a control board 35 having electrical controls for controlling various features of the vacuum cleaner 10. The details of the rotary mode control member 20 and push button member 21 are shown in the exploded view shown in
The rotary agitator 135 is supplied rotary power through a drive belt 142 which is tensioned and de-tensioned to connect and disconnect the rotary power according to the position of the rotary mode control member 20 selected by the user. The drive belt 142 is supplied rotary power by a pulley 145 which is driven by a v-grooved belt 147 that engages an upper portion 145b of the pulley 145. The v-grooved belt 147 coupled to a grooved portion of stub shaft 401a extending from motor-fan assembly 401. A grooved portion 145a of pulley 145 receives the drive belt 142 connected to rotary agitator 135.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mode control member 20 is electronically connected to a suction nozzle height adjustment motor 140 which varies the height of the suction nozzle 130 and foot 100 in relation to the surface to be cleaned. For pre-selected suction nozzle 130 height positions, such as for cleaning bare or hard floors, it may be desirous to disconnect connect the rotary power to the rotary agitator 135. This is accomplished by a projection or tongue 140b extending from a cam portion 140a extending downwardly from the suction nozzle height adjustment motor 140. The tongue 140b causes idler arm 141 to be rotated so a tensioner wheel 143 normally tensioning drive belt 142 is released and drive belt 142 is de-tensioned causing rotary agitator 135 to stop rotating. Oppositely, it may be desirous to connect the rotary power to the rotary agitator 135 when returning to cleaning floors having carpet. Moving the mode control member to one of the discrete positions for cleaning carpet causes the suction nozzle height adjustment motor 140 to rotate the tongue 140b extending from cam portion 140a to release the pressure against idler arm 141 causing tensioner wheel 143 to return to the normal position and once again the tension drive belt 142 causing rotary agitator 135 to stop rotating. A torsional spring 146 biases the idler arm 141 back to the normal position to tension drive belt 142 to cause rotary agitator 135 to rotate.
Referring now to more particularly to
The suction delivered to the filter housing 601 causes a pressure drop in the forward portion of the dirt cup 500 to draw a dirt laden air stream into the dirt cup 500 originating at the suction nozzle inlets 116 located below suction nozzle 130. A flexible duct portion 58 connects the suction duct 110b and 130a to the dirt cup 500 via another duct formed from a duct portion 210b integrally formed in the rear of upper housing shell 210 and a duct cover 225. A gasket 511 seals the duct portion 210b to the dirt cup inlet 500e (
A pre-filter basket 503 is inserted into the open top of dirt cup 500 for filtering larger dirt particles and retaining them in the front portion of dirt cup 500. The pre-filter basket 503 is of a truncated pyramidal shape that extends downwardly into the front portion of dirt cup 500. A plurality of vertical axis holes in pre-filter basket 503 allow the cleaning suction to be delivered to the front portion of dirt cup 500 from filtration housing 601. The more finer dust is then filtered from the dirt laden air stream by filtration cartridge 602. A pre-filter basket gasket 504 seals the pre-filter basket 504 against the filtration housing.
A carrying handle 215 is provided above the upper housing portion cover 205 for carrying the vacuum cleaner 10 up the stairs and the like. A suction powered hand tool 75 can be stored in a pocket partially formed from the carrying handle 215. One or more off-the-floor accessory tools including a crevice tool 65, dusting brush assembly 66, and furniture nozzle 67 can be stored in pockets integrally formed in the rear of upper housing shell 210. The free end of the telescoping portion 56 of wand assembly 56 fits over a post (not shown) on the rear of upper housing shell 210 for sealing off the suction. The handle portion 55 is connected to a flexible hose portion 57 which is connected to the duct portion 225 on the rear of upper housing shell 210. Thus, cleaning suction is delivered to the wand assembly 50 or the suction nozzle 130 as previously described. The wand assembly 50 slides into a set of grooves (not shown) formed in the rear of upper housing shell 210 and is secured by a latch 220 which is depressed to release wand assembly 50 for off-the-floor use.
A bottom plate 115 fits to the bottom of suction nozzle 130 and has a plurality of suction inlets 116 formed therein for exposing the agitator 135 and suction nozzle 130 to the surface to be cleaned. A wheel carriage 105 with a pair of opposing wheels 106 fits into a channel 115b formed in a tongue 115a extending rearwardly from the bottom plate before the bottom plate 115 is installed on the underside of the agitator chamber. The wheel carriage 105 and wheels 106 support the front portion of the base 100 and suction nozzle 130 over the surface to be cleaned and is used to vary the height of the suction nozzle 130 over the surface to be cleaned by a lever arm 105a that extends from the wheel carriage 105. The lever arm 105a is in operative engagement with a cam 140a on the bottom of the suction nozzle height adjustment motor 140 which urges against the lever arm 105a causing the wheel carriage 105 to be raised or lowered. The bottom plate 115 has a belt guard 115c integrally formed therein for receiving the belt 142 that rotates the rotary agitator 135 and partially surrounds a portion of the bottom of the rotary agitator 135 having a groove for receiving the belt 142. The upper portion of the groove for receiving the belt 142 on rotary agitator is surrounded by a belt guard 110a that extends forwardly from base 110. The opposing end of belt 142 is inserted into a groove 145a (
The suction nozzle height adjustment motor 140 is fitted into a recess 110c integrally formed in the upper surface of base 110 (see also
A valve 160 is installed in the suction duct 110b in the base 110 to cut off suction to the suction nozzle 130 when the upper housing 200 is in the upright or off-the-floor use position. This makes full suction available for off-the-floor cleaning via wand assembly 50 (
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, and turning more particularly to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Accordingly, the mode control arrangement for a floor care appliance is simplified, provides an effective, inexpensive, and efficient arrangement which achieves all of the enumerated objectives. While there has been shown and described herein a single embodiment of the present invention, it should be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art that numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20070234505 A1 | Oct 2007 | US |