Patent Application
20180353024
The field relates to vacuum cleaners and, in particular, upright vacuum cleaners that include magnet assemblies to prevent metal objects from being vacuumed.
Vacuum cleaners typically include a cleaning head and a debris tube connected to the cleaning head. Some known vacuum cleaners include a rotary brush in the cleaning head that rotates to entrain debris into an airflow through the cleaning head. During operation of the vacuum cleaner, some debris may damage the vacuum cleaner if the debris is drawn into the cleaning head. In particular, metal objects such as staples and paperclips, may become lodged in, abrade, and damage internal components of the vacuum cleaner. In addition, such debris may be propelled by the rotary brush and damage the cleaner. Some vacuum cleaners include guards that extend from the cleaning head to prevent unwanted objects from being drawn into the cleaning head. Such guards may be part of the original vacuum design, or added to the vacuum cleaner by the purchaser as an add-on or modification to the original design. However, such guards may increase the cost to assemble and operate the vacuum cleaners. In addition, the guards may increase the footprint of the vacuum cleaner and affect the maneuverability and aesthetics of the vacuum cleaner. Moreover, at least some of the prior art guards are difficult to attach and/or remove from the vacuum cleaner.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In one aspect, an upright vacuum cleaner includes a blower for pulling air and debris through the upright vacuum cleaner, a motor connected to the blower, and a cleaning head for removing the debris from a floor. The cleaning head includes a front wall, a rear wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall. The first sidewall and the second sidewall extend between the front wall and rear wall. The vacuum cleaner further includes a debris tube connected to the cleaning head for receiving the debris from the cleaning head. The vacuum cleaner also includes magnet assemblies adapted to prevent metal objects from entering the cleaning head. Each magnet assembly includes a bracket and a magnet. The bracket includes a horizontal plate and a vertical plate. The magnet is connected to the vertical plate. The front wall includes shelves to support the magnet assemblies. Each shelf is arranged to receive one of the magnet assemblies such that the horizontal plate rests on the shelf and the magnet is positioned below the shelf.
In another aspect, a method of assembling a vacuum cleaner includes removing a bumper from a front wall of a cleaning head of the vacuum cleaner to expose recesses in the front wall. The vacuum cleaner includes magnet assemblies. The method also includes positioning each of the magnet assemblies in a respective one of the recesses. Each magnet assembly includes a bracket and a magnet. The bracket includes a horizontal plate and a vertical plate. The magnet is connected to the vertical plate. The method further includes positioning the horizontal plate of each magnet assembly on a shelf within the respective recess. Each shelf is arranged to receive one of the magnet assemblies such that the horizontal plate rests on the shelf and the magnet is positioned below the shelf. The method also includes attaching the bumper to the front wall such that the bumper covers the recesses.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure, alone or in any combination.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Directions indicated herein refer to the orientation of vacuum cleaner 102 shown in
Referring to
Pulley assembly 124 may include a clutch 184 and a belt 186. Clutch 184 is connected to rotary brush 114. Belt 186 extends between clutch 184 and drive shaft 122 to connect clutch 184 to motor 118. During operation of motor 118, clutch 184 is rotated by belt 186 at a first speed and clutch 184 rotates rotary brush 114 at a second speed such that rotary brush 114 agitates debris. In other embodiments, vacuum cleaner 102 may include any pulley assembly 124 that enables vacuum cleaner 102 to operate as described. For example, in some embodiments, clutch 184 is omitted.
A blower or fan 188 pulls air and debris from rotary brush 114, through a blower housing 187 and into blower 188. Blower 188 is connected to motor 118 on a side opposite pulley assembly 124. Blower 188 pushes the air and debris into a debris tube 190 that extends upward from cleaning head 108. Debris tube 190 is pivotally attached to cleaning head 108. Air and debris travel up debris tube 190 and are discharged into a filter assembly 192, where debris is filtered from the air and collected.
In reference to
In addition, with reference to
Magnet assemblies 148 reduce the time to assemble vacuum cleaner 102 because magnet assemblies 148 are simpler to secure to cleaning head 108 that at least some known magnets. In addition, magnet assemblies 148 are positioned within front wall 126 and do not extend outward from cleaning head 108 when magnet assemblies are attached to front wall 126. As a result, magnet assemblies 148 allow vacuum cleaner 102 to have a smooth aesthetic appearance and do not hinder the maneuverability of vacuum cleaner 102.
Housing 110 includes a front wall 126, a rear wall 128, sidewalls 130, a top cover 132 (shown in
In reference to
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Referring to
Each recess 136 is defined by a rear surface 160, side surfaces 162, and an upper surface 164. In other embodiments, each recess 136 may be defined by a lower surface (not shown) that is positioned opposite the upper surface 164. Shelves 150 extend from rear surface 160 within recesses 136. In this embodiment, recesses 136 are slightly wider than shelves 150 such that gaps 166 are defined between ends of shelves 150 and side surfaces 162. Gaps 166 are suitably in a range of about 0.1 mm (0.004 in.) to about 5 mm (0.20 in.). In addition, shelves 150 are spaced a distance 168 from upper surface 164. Distance 168 is suitably in a range of about 1 mm (0.04 in.) to about 12 mm (0.5 in.).
In this embodiment, shelves 150 are generally wedge-shaped to facilitate installation, for example, by allowing the magnets to be added with or without disassembly and reassembly of the product. In particular, shelves 150 have a minimum thickness 170 at a distal edge and a maximum thickness 172 at a proximal edge. For example, in some embodiments, shelves 150 have a maximum thickness 172 in a range of about 1.3 mm (0.05 in.) to about 5 mm (0.2 in.). In some embodiments, shelves 150 have a minimum thickness 170 in a range of about 0.25 mm (0.01 in.) to about 2.5 mm (0.1 in.). The thickness of shelves 150 varies at a constant rate from maximum thickness 172 to minimum thickness 170. In other embodiments, shelves 150 may have any shape that enables shelves 150 to function as described. For example, in some embodiments, shelves 150 may include planar surfaces, curves, and any other suitable shapes.
Each shelf 150 extends a shelf depth 174 from rear surface 160. Shelf depth 174 may be less than depth 158 to allow magnet assemblies (shown in
In reference to
Bracket 178 has a height 181, a length 183, and a depth 185. For example, in some embodiments, height 181 is in a range of about 6 mm (0.25 in.) to about 25 mm (1 in.). Length 183 is in a range of about 9.5 mm (0.375 in.) to about 102 mm (4 in.). Depth 185 is in a range of about 2.5 mm (0.1 in.) to about 19 mm (0.75 in.). In this embodiment, depth 185 is defined by horizontal plate 180 and height 181 is defined by vertical plate 182. Horizontal plate 180 and vertical plate 182 define length 183 and are joined along longitudinal edges to form an angle. In this embodiment, horizontal plate 180 and vertical plate 182 are perpendicular to one another.
Brackets 178 may include, for example and without limitation, plastics, metals, and any other suitable materials. For example, in some embodiments, brackets 178 are constructed of a ferromagnetic material, such as steel, and direct the magnetic field of magnet 176. In other embodiments, magnet assemblies 148 may include any brackets 178 that enable magnet assemblies 148 to function as described. For example, in some embodiments, brackets 178 are constructed of non-ferromagnetic materials, in addition to or as an alternative to ferromagnetic materials. In some embodiments, for example, ferromagnetic materials may be used to orient the magnetic fields of magnets 176, and non-ferromagnetic materials may be used to retain the magnets in position.
Each magnet 176 is attached to a rear surface of vertical plate 182 and is spaced from horizontal plate 180. Accordingly, shelf 150 may extend between magnet 176 and vertical plate 182 when magnet assembly 148 is attached to front wall 126. In this embodiment, magnet 176 is smaller than bracket 178. In particular, magnet 176 is generally square and has a length 177 that is less than length 183 of bracket 178. In some embodiments, length 177 is in a range of about 5 mm (0.2 in.) to about 25 mm (1 in.). As a result, magnet assembly 148 may be easier to position in recess 136. Moreover, in this embodiment, magnet 176 is centered along length 183 and substantially flush with a bottom edge of bracket 178. In other embodiments, magnet assembly 148 may include any magnet 176 that enables magnet assembly 148 to function as described. For example, in some embodiments, more than one magnet 176 may be connected to bracket 178.
In reference to
When magnet assemblies 148 are positioned in recesses 136, vertical plate 182 may contact shelf 150 and horizontal plate 180 does not necessarily contact rear surface 160. Accordingly, the depth of magnet assemblies 148 does not control the position of magnet assemblies 148 in recesses 136. In other embodiments, magnet assemblies 148 may be positioned in recesses 136 in any manner that enables magnet assemblies 148 to function as described.
Referring now to
As shown in
Compared to conventional vacuum cleaning systems, the vacuum cleaning systems of embodiments of the present disclosure have several advantages. For example, embodiments of the upright vacuum cleaner include magnet assemblies that prevent magnetized and/or magnetizable materials from entering a cleaning head and being drawn into a debris tube. Accordingly, the magnet assemblies prevent damage to components of the vacuum cleaner and prevent the objects from being propelled into the surrounding environment by the vacuum cleaner. In addition, the magnet assemblies are removably secured to shelves within recesses in a front wall of the cleaning head. Accordingly, the time required to assemble and maintain the vacuum cleaner is reduced. In addition, the magnet assemblies do not change the effective cleaning distance from the wall. Moreover, the magnet assemblies are hidden and do not affect the aesthetic appearance of the vacuum cleaner.
As used herein, the terms “about,” “substantially,” “essentially” and “approximately” when used in conjunction with ranges of dimensions, concentrations, temperatures or other physical or chemical properties or characteristics is meant to cover variations that may exist in the upper and/or lower limits of the ranges of the properties or characteristics, including, for example, variations resulting from rounding, measurement methodology or other statistical variation.
When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. The use of terms indicating a particular orientation (e.g., “top”, “bottom”, “side”, etc.) is for convenience of description and does not require any particular orientation of the item described.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawing[s] shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
