Abstract: A cleaning appliance comprises a cyclonic separating apparatus for separating dust from an airflow, the cyclonic separating apparatus having at least one cyclone, a support structure housing a motor and fan assembly for creating an airflow through the separating apparatus, the cyclonic separating apparatus comprising a duct which directs air from the at least one cyclone towards the support structure, the support structure or duct comprising at least one mesh screen through which air from the cyclonic separating apparatus must pass before reaching the motor and fan assembly.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaning appliance includes a suction cavity having a downwardly-directed opening through which debris enters the suction cavity. The opening is bounded in part by a front edge and a rear edge which is substantially co-planar with the front edge. A thread lifting strip is mounted on a support located within and moveable relative to the suction cavity. A spring urges the support in a direction extending towards the opening.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaning appliance includes a vacuum cleaning head having a suction opening, the head having a first state and a second state, a fan unit for drawing an air flow through the suction opening, and a control assembly for controlling the state of the head.

Abstract: A surface treating head in the form of a floor tool for a vacuum cleaner includes a main body, a suction cavity and an outlet. The suction cavity includes first and second suction channels, bounded on both sides by respective working edges. A fluid flow path extends from the first suction channel to the second suction channel and from there to the outlet. The plurality of suction channels permits effective pick-up of dirt. To enable the surface treating head to be used to treat both carpeted floor surfaces and hard floor surfaces, the surface treating head may be provided with a brush unit and a drive mechanism for moving the brush unit between a stowed position and a deployed position.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance includes a rotatable agitator and an agitator chamber housing the agitator. The agitator includes a flexible body and surface engaging members mounted on the body. The agitator chamber includes a downwardly-directed opening through which debris energized by the surface engaging members enters the cleaner head. The opening is located in a plane. The cleaner head includes a drive mechanism for rotating the agitator about a rotational axis which is inclined both relative to the plane of the opening and towards the rear of the opening so that, with rotation of the agitator, the surface engaging members protrude through the opening towards the front of the opening.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaning appliance includes a first rotatable agitator and a second rotatable agitator for sweeping debris from a surface, each agitator comprising a disc-shaped body and a plurality of resilient members, preferably in the form of bristles, mounted on the body for engaging the surface. The agitators are housed within an agitator chamber which includes a downwardly-directed opening through which debris energized by the bristles enters the cleaner head. The opening is located in a plane, and each body is inclined relative to the plane of the opening so that, with rotation of the agitator, the bristles protrude through the opening. The bristles of the first agitator are angularly offset from the bristles of the second agitator.

Abstract: In one implementation, an attack surface identification system defines an interface description of an application during execution of the application. The interface description is then provided to a scanner.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaning appliance includes a main body having a downwardly-directed suction opening and at least one surface engaging support member, a front agitator and a rear agitator, with each agitator being rotatable relative to the main body, and a mechanism for rotating the front agitator and the rear agitator. The front agitator has a relatively flexible pile and the rear agitator has relatively stiff bristles arranged to dislodge matter from the pile of the front agitator. The pile of the front agitator and the at least one surface engaging support member extend downwardly beyond the bristles of the rear agitator so as to space the bristles of the rear agitator from a relatively hard surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance includes a rotatable agitator and an agitator chamber housing the agitator. The agitator includes a drive shaft, a flexible body connected to the drive shaft and surface engaging members mounted on the flexible body. The agitator chamber includes a downwardly-directed opening through which debris energized by the surface engaging members enters the cleaner head. The opening is located in a plane relative to which the flexible body is inclined so that, with rotation of the agitator, the surface engaging members protrude through the opening, preferably towards the front of the opening.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaning appliance includes a main body, a front agitator and a rear agitator, each agitator being rotatable relative to the main body, a mechanism for rotating the front agitator and the rear agitator, and a surface agitating edge located between the front agitator and the rear agitator.

Abstract: A surface treating head includes a main body; a brush unit; and a drive mechanism for moving the brush unit relative to the main body between a stowed position and a deployed position. The drive mechanism includes a pressure chamber and a valve unit for varying the pressure within the chamber. The valve unit includes a housing, a valve located within the housing and, disposed on the housing, an actuator moveable relative to the housing through engagement with a surface to be treated for operating the valve and at least one surface engaging member extending downwardly beyond the actuator. The housing is moveable relative to the main body to maintain the surface engaging member in contact with the surface to be treated.

Abstract: A surface treating head includes a main body, a suction cavity in the main body including first and second suction channels, each of which is bounded on one side by a working edge, an air duct interposed between the first and second suction channels for conveying air towards the working edges, a brush unit and a drive mechanism for moving the brush unit between a stowed position in which the air duct is open to the atmosphere and a deployed position in which the air duct is closed.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance includes a rotatable agitator and an agitator chamber housing the agitator. The agitator includes a flexible body and surface engaging members mounted on the body. The agitator chamber includes a downwardly-directed opening through which debris energized by the surface engaging members enters the cleaner head. The opening is located in a plane. The cleaner head includes a drive mechanism for rotating the agitator about a rotational axis which is inclined both relative to the plane of the opening and towards the rear of the opening so that, with rotation of the agitator, the surface engaging members protrude through the opening towards the front of the opening.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaning appliance includes a first rotatable agitator and a second rotatable agitator for sweeping debris from a surface, each agitator comprising a disc-shaped body and a plurality of resilient members, preferably in the form of bristles, mounted on the body for engaging the surface. The agitators are housed within an agitator chamber which includes a downwardly-directed opening through which debris energized by the bristles enters the cleaner head. The opening is located in a plane, and each body is inclined relative to the plane of the opening so that, with rotation of the agitator, the bristles protrude through the opening. The bristles of the first agitator are angularly offset from the bristles of the second agitator.

Abstract: A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance includes a rotatable agitator and an agitator chamber housing the agitator. The agitator includes a drive shaft, a flexible body connected to the drive shaft and surface engaging members mounted on the flexible body. The agitator chamber includes a downwardly-directed opening through which debris energized by the surface engaging members enters the cleaner head. The opening is located in a plane relative to which the flexible body is inclined so that, with rotation of the agitator, the surface engaging members protrude through the opening, preferably towards the front of the opening.

Abstract: A surface treating head assembly for an appliance such as a vacuum cleaner includes a head and a drivable agitator in the form of a brush bar, rotatably housed in the head. A cam arrangement is rotatably driven in the head. The cam arrangement includes a pair of cams, each having a plurality of cam faces, each cam face corresponding to respective predetermined vertical positions of the brush bar. Thus, the height of the brush bar is selectively controllable between the predetermined positions, such that the depth of penetration of the bristles of the brush bar may be optimized for different types of carpet.

Abstract: A cleaner head is described for use with a vacuum cleaning appliance including a fan unit for generating an air flow which passes from the cleaner head to the fan unit. The cleaner head includes a rotatable agitator assembly including an agitator for sweeping dust particles. The agitator assembly is housed in an agitator chamber housing including a downwardly-directed opening through which dust particles energized by the agitator enter the cleaner head, and a dust outlet located adjacent the opening and through which the energized particles leave the agitator chamber. The cleaner head also includes an exhaust port from which a dust-bearing air flow is drawn from the cleaner head, and a dust channel extending between the dust outlet and the exhaust port. The dust channel has channel walls which are shaped to retain energized dust particles therebetween through collisions thereagainst.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaning appliance includes a vacuum cleaning head having a suction opening, the head having a first state and a second state, a fan unit for drawing an air flow through the suction opening, and a control assembly for controlling the state of the head.