VACUUM CLEANER WITH SCRAPER ASSEMBLY

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of PCT/CN2024/100599 filed on Jun. 21, 2024, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is generally directed to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a vacuum cleaner with a scraper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of various embodiments of the claimed subject matter will become apparent as the following Detailed Description proceeds, and upon reference to the Drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, and in which:

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate various views of an example cleaning head according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A illustrates a partial bottom view of the flap member assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 2B-2D illustrate several front views of overlapping flap members according to several embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3A illustrates an isometric bottom view of the scraper assembly when the cleaning head is moving in the forward (F) direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B illustrates another isometric bottom view of the scraper assembly when the cleaning head is moving in the forward (F) direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an isometric bottom view of the scraper assembly when the cleaning head is moving in the reverse (R) direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate various views of an example cleaning head 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to the isometric view in FIG. 1A, the cleaning head 100 generally includes a vacuum interface region 120 generally configured to receive a handle and control assembly (not shown in this figure) associated with a vacuum system. The vacuum system may include, for example, an upright vacuum system, canister vacuum system, handheld vacuum system, battery powered vacuum system, central vacuum cleaner, etc. The vacuum interface region 120 generally forms a vacuum conduit 101 for fluid communication between the cleaning head 100 and a handle/base portion (not shown in this figure) of a vacuum system. In addition, the vacuum interface region 120 may include an electrical interface 103 to provide electrical and power coupling between the cleaning head 100 and a handle/base portion (not shown in this figure). The cleaning head 100 also includes a surface cleaning region 122 that includes a main body 124 generally configured to roll across an area to be cleaned, for example, carpet, flooring, etc.

The cleaning head 100 also includes rollers 126 to facilitate movement of the cleaning head 100 across a floor in both forward and reverse directions (as generally indicated by the F (forward) arrow and R (reverse) arrow). The main body 124 of the cleaning region 122 also includes main controllable cleaning roller 106 (cleaning roller 106) generally disposed within a vacuum region 129 of the main body, and generally configured to controllably rotate to lift dirt and debris into a vacuum region 129.

The cleaning roller 106 generally extends across the width of the main body 124, and may include one or more bristle tracks 121 to provide cleaning as the main body 124 passes over flooring. In the view of FIG. 1A, the cleaning roller 106 is generally controlled to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. The one or more bristle tracks 121 may be formed of, for example, stiff bristles, flaps (e.g., rubber flaps), plush material (e.g., low-nap material), rubber and cloth materials, etc. The cleaning roller 106 may be coupled to controllable motor circuitry (not shown) to cause controllable rotation of the cleaning roller 106 and to enable a user to turn the roller 106 “on” and “off”, depending on a given cleaning task. The vacuum region 129 is illustrated as an elongated opening generally disposed near a leading edge or centrally to the main body 124, and the cleaning roller 106 may generally be disposed within the vacuum region 129, and partially extending “below” a plane of the bottom of the main body 124, to enable contact with a surface to be cleaned. In some embodiments, the main body 124 may also include a “leading edge” roller 132 positioned forward of the cleaning roller 106, and generally configured to maintain dirt and debris within the footprint of the main body 124 as the main body moves across a floor.

The main body 124 also includes a removable debris scraper assembly 130 generally extending across the width of the main body 124, and positioned “behind” the cleaning roller 106. The scraper 130 is generally disposed parallel to the cleaning roller 106, and having a length the same as, or slightly larger than the cleaning roller 106. As described in greater detail below, the scraper assembly 130 includes a removable frame member and a plurality of overlapping flap members coupled to the frame member. FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of the cleaning head 100. As shown in FIG. 1B, the scraper assembly 130 extends below the plane of the bottom of the main body 124. To properly engage a surface to be cleaned, the scraper assembly 130 may extend approximately 1 mm to 5 mm below the plane 131 of the bottom of the main body 124.

FIG. 1C illustrates a bottom view of the cleaning head 100. As illustrated, the scraper assembly 130 includes a removable frame member 132 (shown in FIG. 1A) and flap member assembly 134 that includes a plurality of flap members. The frame member 132 includes a main portion 136 generally configured to receive the flap member assembly 134 and a tab portion 138 extending rearward of the main portion 136. The tab portion 138 is configured to removably engage with snap-fit portions 140A and 140B of the main body 124, so that the scraper assembly 130 may be removed from the main body 124 for certain cleaning tasks. The overlapping flap members of the flap member assembly 134 are disposed along the length of the main portion 136, as illustrated (and described below). The flap member assembly 134 is illustrated in FIG. IC an “un-engaged” or static position, i.e., not in contact with a floor surface. As a general matter, the overlapping flap members of the flap member assembly 134 are generally configured to pivot to a first position when the cleaning head 124 is moving in a forward direction and pivot to a second position when the cleaning head 124 is moving in a forward direction. The first position is a “closed” position to allow dirt and debris to gather on the forward side of the flap members of the flap member assembly 134, and the second position is an “open” position to allow dirt and debris to pass through the flap members of the flap member assembly 134 to be picked up within the vacuum region 129 (i.e., to reduce or eliminate to “pile-up” of debris on the rear edge of the flap members of the flap member assembly 134 when the cleaning head 100 is moving in a reverse direction).

FIG. 2A illustrates a partial bottom view of the flap member assembly 134 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The flap member assembly 134 includes a base insert 142, a first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N disposed on the base insert 142, a second plurality of overlapping flap members 146A . . . 146N disposed on the base insert 144, and a center flap member 148 disposed on the base insert 142 between the first and second plurality of overlapping flap members 144/146. The base insert 142 is generally dimensioned to be received in a corresponding slot or channel defined in the frame member 132 and/or integrated with the frame member 132. The first plurality of flap members 144A . . . 144N are disposed adjacent to one another so that each flap member partially overlaps an adjacent flap member, with respect to a first centerline 150 of the base insert 142. The first centerline 150 represents the long axis of the base insert 142. The first plurality of flap members 144A . . . 144N are disposed transverse (angled) with respect to the first centerline 150. Taking flap member 144A as an example, the flap member 144A has a leading edge side 160 generally facing the front of the main body 124 of the cleaning head 100, and a trailing edge side 162 generally facing the rear of the main body 124 of the cleaning head 100. As illustrated, each flap member 144A . . . 144N is disposed at an angle with the first centerline 150 so that the leading edge side 160 generally faces away from the centerline 150 (and the trailing edge side 162 generally faces toward the first centerline 150). The first plurality of flaps 144A . . . 144N are disposed on a first side of a second centerline 152 of the base insert 142, as illustrated (and the second centerline 152 is normal to the first centerline 150 and generally corresponds to a centerline of the main body 124 of the cleaning head 100).

The second plurality overlapping flap members 146A . . . 146N are similar to the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N. The second plurality overlapping flap members 146A . . . 146N are disposed on the opposite side of the second centerline 152, in a mirrored fashion to the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N. The center flap member 148 disposed on the base insert 142, centered on the second centerline 152 and between the first and second plurality of overlapping flap members 144/146, and rearward of the first and second plurality of overlapping flap members 144/146.

FIG. 2B illustrates a front view of an overlapping flap member 144A′ according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The flap member 144A′ is representative of other flap members of the first and second overlapping flap member 144/146, oriented on the base insert 142 as described in greater detail below. The flap member 144A′ includes a base portion 170 and a flap extension portion 172. The base portion 170 may be formed having a generally rectangular shape, and having a width (W) selected to be partially overlapping and adjacent flap member (when disposed on the base insert 142). A height (H1) of the base portion 170 is selected so that the base portion 170 is at or near in contact with the floor when the cleaning head 100 is contacting the floor, as represented by dashed line 176. In example embodiments, the width of the flap member 144A′ may be approximately 15-35 mm, and the total height (H1+H2) may be approximately 10-20 mm. The flap member 144A′ also includes a flap extension portion 172 extending above the base portion 170. It should be noted that “extending above” is in reference to the orientation of the flap member 144A′ shown in FIG. 2B, and it will be understood that, when installed on the cleaning head, the flap extension 172 is disposed below the base portion (i.e., the flap member is rotated 180 degrees from the orientation in FIG. 2B as the installed).

The base portion 170 and flap extension 172 may be formed of, for example, a flexible rubber material, flexible polymer material, flexible cloth material, and/or combinations thereof, etc., and in some embodiments is formed having a Shore hardness of between 50A and 80A. As will be described below, the flap extension 172 is generally configured to “pivot into” the base portion of an adjacent flap member when the cleaning head 100 is moving in a forward direction, and the flap extension is also configured to pivot away from the base portion of the adjacent flap member when the cleaning head 100 is moving in a reverse direction. The flap extension 172 of this embodiment is generally triangular-shaped, having a height (H2) selected to be able to contact the floor when installed to provide pivoting action as the cleaning head moves between the forward and reverse directions. In some embodiments, H2 may be on the order of 3-5 mm.

FIG. 2C illustrates a front view of an overlapping flap member 144A″ according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the flap extension 172 may be formed to have a truncated asymmetric polygon shape, as illustrated. FIG. 2D illustrates a front view of an overlapping flap member 144A″′ according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the flap extension 172 may be formed to have a curved outer edge, as illustrated.

FIG. 3A illustrates an isometric bottom view of the scraper assembly 130 when the cleaning head is moving in the forward (F) direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated and with respect to the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N on the left side of centerline 152, and by way of example, the flap extension portion 172B of flap member 144B is folded (or “pivoted”) onto the base portion 170C of flap member 144C. Similarly, the flap extension portion 172N of flap member 144N is folded onto the center flap member 148. The remaining flap members on the left side of centerline 152 operate in a similar manner. In addition, the second plurality of flap overlapping flap members 146A . . . 146N operate in a similar manner as the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N, except as a mirror image of the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N with respect to centerline 152. FIG. 3B illustrates another isometric bottom view of the scraper assembly 130 when the cleaning head is moving in the forward (F) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the leading edge side of the flap members 144A . . . 144N, 146A . . . 146N and 148 are referred to collectively as 160. As illustrated when viewed from the from the front, the leading edge sides 160 form a “closed” surface that causes dirt and debris to be pushed forward as the cleaning head is moved in the forward (F) direction.

FIG. 4 illustrates an isometric bottom view of the scraper assembly 130 when the cleaning head is moving in the reverse (R) direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated and with respect to the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N on the left side of centerline 152, and by way of example, the flap extension portion 172B of flap member 144B is folded (or “pivoted”) away from the flap member 144C. Thus, an opening or channel 190 is formed. The channel 190 allows dirt and debris to pass through, and, by virtue of the angle of the flap members 144B and 144C, causes dirt and debris to deflect generally towards centerline 152, as generally illustrated by arrow 192. The remaining flap members on the left side and right side of centerline 152 operate in a similar manner. Similarly, the flap extension portion 172N of flap member 144N is folded onto the center flap member 148. The remaining flap members on the left side of centerline 152 operate in a similar manner. In addition, the second plurality of flap overlapping flap members 146A . . . 146N operate in a similar manner as the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N, except as a mirror image of the first plurality of overlapping flap members 144A . . . 144N with respect to centerline 152. Thus, as illustrated, the scraper assembly 130 forms an “open” position in the reverse direction.

As is illustrated, the internal structure of the main body 124 of the cleaning head 100 includes various slots, channels and/or chambers to affix and/or house the scraper assembly 130, cleaning roller 106, etc., within/on the main body 124. Of course, such slots, channels and/or chambers to affix and/or house components within the main body 124 may be modified, for example, depending on dimensions of selected components, desired tolerances within the body and between components, etc.

As used in this application and in the claims, a list of items joined by the term “and/or” can mean any combination of the listed items. For example, the phrase “A, B and/or C” can mean A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; or A, B and C. As used in this application and in the claims, a list of items joined by the term “at least one of” can mean any combination of the listed terms. For example, the phrases “at least one of A, B or C” can mean A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; or A, B and C.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described (or portions thereof), and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all such equivalents. Various features, aspects, and embodiments have been described herein. The features, aspects, and embodiments are susceptible to combination with one another as well as to variation and modification, as will be understood by those having skill in the art. The present disclosure should, therefore, be considered to encompass such combinations, variations, and modifications.