Abstract: A hair care appliance is provided. The hair care appliance includes a handle and a body coupled to the handle via a rotational hinge joint. The body can be movable via the rotational hinge joint between a straight configuration in which the body is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the handle and a bent configuration in which the body extends along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. A fluid flow path extends between an inlet in the handle and an outlet in the body. The hair care appliance can be operated with minimal loss of fluid flow in either the straight configuration and the bent configuration. The hair care appliance includes a fan assembly in the handle and a heater assembly in the body that are positioned to create a balanced center of mass of the hair care appliance when operated by a user.

Abstract: A hair care appliance is provided. The hair care appliance includes a handle and a body coupled to the handle via a rotational hinge joint. The body can be movable via the rotational hinge joint between a straight configuration in which the body is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the handle and a bent configuration in which the body extends along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. A fluid flow path extends between an inlet in the handle and an outlet in the body. The hair care appliance can be operated with minimal loss of fluid flow in either the straight configuration and the bent configuration. The hair care appliance includes a fan assembly in the handle and a heater assembly in the body that are positioned to create a balanced center of mass of the hair care appliance when operated by a user.

Abstract: A hair care appliance is provided. The hair care appliance includes a handle and a body coupled to the handle via a rotational hinge joint. The body can be movable via the rotational hinge joint between a straight configuration in which the body is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the handle and a bent configuration in which the body extends along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. A fluid flow path extends between an inlet in the handle and an outlet in the body. The hair care appliance can be operated with minimal loss of fluid flow in either the straight configuration and the bent configuration. The hair care appliance includes a fan assembly in the handle and a heater assembly in the body that are positioned to create a balanced center of mass of the hair care appliance when operated by a user.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.

Abstract: A nozzle for use with a surface cleaning device is disclosed that includes a nozzle housing defining a dirty air inlet, at least a first caster coupled to the nozzle housing to allow for movement of the nozzle housing over a surface to be cleaned, and a caster locking arrangement coupled to the nozzle housing. The caster locking arrangement preferably includes at least a first locking member to transition the first caster between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, with the locked configuration limiting movement of the nozzle housing along a single axis during cleaning operations, and the unlocked configuration allowing for movement of the nozzle housing along a plurality of axes/directions during cleaning operations.

Abstract: A rotatable agitator is used in a surface clearing head of a surface cleaning apparatus. The agitator is coupled to the cleaning head at least partially within an agitator chamber and is rotated about a pivot axis. The agitator includes an elongated agitator body and a hair migration portion. The hair migration portion includes a continuous row of bristles and a sidewall. The continuous row of bristles and sidewall are at least partially revolved around and extend along at least a portion of the pivot axis from one of a collection area or a first end region of the agitator and either another collection area or a second end region of the agitator. The sidewall extends substantially parallel to the continuous row of bristles within the hair migration portion. The continuous row of bristles and sidewall are configured to reduce hair from becoming entangled in the bristles and to migrate hair towards the collection area or the first end region of the agitator.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.

Abstract: An agitator for a vacuum cleaner including an elongated main body extending along a pivot axis and having first and second opposite lateral ends, one or more soft cleaning elements extending from elongated main body between the first and second opposite lateral ends, one or more channels formed within the one or more soft cleaning elements and disposed between the first and second opposite lateral ends, and one or more deformable flaps disposed within the one or more channels and extending from the elongated main body.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head includes a housing having a front side and back side, a brush roll rotatably mounted to the housing within a suction conduit and having at least a portion proximate the opening of the suction conduit, a leading roller mounted to the housing in front of the brush roll, and a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the brush roll and the leading roller for driving the brush roll and the leading roller at same time. The brush roll includes an agitator body and a first bristle/flap arrangement comprising a first deformable flap extending from the agitator body and a first bristle strip and/or row of tufts extending from the agitator body and disposed adjacent to the first deformable flap. The first deformable flap is disposed at an aggressive angle and the first bristle strip and/or row of tufts is arranged at a passive angle.

Abstract: An agitator including an elongated main body configured to rotate about a pivot axis, one or more soft cleaning features coupled to and extending over a substantial portion of a surface of the elongated main body, the one or more soft cleaning features defining at least one channel, and at least one deformable flap disposed at least partially within the at least one channel and extending from the elongated main body. The deformable flap may extend beyond an outer surface of the soft cleaning features. The channel may have a generally U shape and/or V shape. The channel may be configured to allow the resiliently deformable flap to move front to back as the agitator rotates about the pivot axis.

Abstract: A rotatable agitator is used in a surface clearing head of a surface cleaning apparatus. The agitator is coupled to the cleaning head at least partially within an agitator chamber and is rotated about a pivot axis. The agitator includes an elongated agitator body and a hair migration portion. The hair migration portion includes a continuous row of bristles and a sidewall. The continuous row of bristles and sidewall are at least partially revolved around and extend along at least a portion of the pivot axis from one of a collection area or a first end region of the agitator and either another collection area or a second end region of the agitator. The sidewall extends substantially parallel to the continuous row of bristles within the hair migration portion. The continuous row of bristles and sidewall are configured to reduce hair from becoming entangled in the bristles and to migrate hair towards the collection area or the first end region of the agitator.

Abstract: In general, the present disclosure is directed to a hand-held surface cleaning device that includes a relatively compact form-factor to allow users to store the same in a nearby location (e.g., in a drawer, in an associated charging dock, on a table top) for easy access to perform relatively small cleaning tasks that would otherwise require retrieving a full-size vacuum from storage. A hand-held surface cleaning device consistent with aspects of the present disclosure includes a body (or body portion) with a motor, power source and dust cup disposed therein. The body portion also functions as a handgrip to allow the hand-held surface cleaning device to be operated by one hand, for example.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.

Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has a main body having an upper end having a dirty air inlet conduit and a handle. The handle has a hand grip portion that extends upwardly and forwardly. An assembly comprising an air treatment member and a pre-motor filter media is removably mounted to the main body.

Abstract: A nozzle for use with a surface cleaning device is disclosed that includes a nozzle housing defining a dirty air inlet, at least a first caster coupled to the nozzle housing to allow for movement of the nozzle housing over a surface to be cleaned, and a caster locking arrangement coupled to the nozzle housing. The caster locking arrangement preferably includes at least a first locking member to transition the first caster between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, with the locked configuration limiting movement of the nozzle housing along a single axis during cleaning operations, and the unlocked configuration allowing for movement of the nozzle housing along a plurality of axes/directions during cleaning operations.

Abstract: A flexible hose for use with surface cleaning devices is disclosed that includes a support structure that allows a user to collapse and lock the same into a storage configuration, and then easily unlock the same using a relatively minor amount of force, e.g., a user-applied pulling force or mechanical force. Thus, in a general sense, a hose consistent with the present disclosure may include two relatively stable/steady-state configurations, namely a storage configuration and an in-use configuration. Thus, the hose allows a user to collapse and lock the hose when not in use, and to transition the hose to an in-use configuration to target various types of surfaces to clean including, for instance, floors, walls and ceilings which may be many feet (e.g., up to 5 feet or more) from the surface cleaning apparatus.

Abstract: A vacuum assembly having a hand vacuum configuration and a wand vacuum configuration may include a dust cup, a suction motor fluidly coupled to the dust cup, and a power source. The suction motor and the power source may be transitionable between a wand vacuum position and a hand vacuum position. When the suction motor and the power source are in the wand vacuum position, the dust cup, the suction motor, and the power source may be arranged serially. When the suction motor and the power source are in the hand vacuum position, the suction motor and the power source may be arranged in parallel with the dust cup.