Abstract: An environmental monitoring system intended to assist persons with performing cleaning duties, the system comprising a plurality of sensors (10) for detecting the level of dust and other environmental levels in respective rooms of a building and for transmitting data of the detected levels over the internet or other network to a remote server (13) which analyses the data and transmits a signal to a wireless remote appliance (such as a smartphone (15), tablet PC (16) or robotic vacuum cleaner (18)) indicative that a surface in the building needs vacuum cleaning.

Abstract: A floor cleaning head 10 comprises a body portion 12 and a pivotally attached nozzle 16. The nozzle 16 comprises resiliently flexible front and rear extending elongate blades 33, 34 depending from the underside thereof and a transversely extending suction mouth 20 disposed between the blades 33, 34, and intersected by a steam inlet duct 37 to form frontal and rear portions 20F, 20R. The orientation of the nozzle 16 is altered by a mechanism 23, such that the leading blade 33, 34 raises to allow dust and debris to pass beneath, while the trailing blade 34, 33 lowers to form a working edge against the floor surface, against which, dust, dirty water and debris gathers for removal by the induced airflow of an attached floor cleaner (not shown). The head 10 is thus configured to perform separate vacuuming and steam cleaning operations simultaneously, in a single pass.

Abstract: A cyclonic separation device comprises a cyclone chamber 11 having a cyclone axis A, a fluid outlet at one end of the cyclone chamber and a tubular apertured shroud 14 extending concentrically with the cyclone axis A. In use a motor 15 rotates the shroud 14 in the direction of a rotational airflow in the chamber 11 at a rotational speed which is over 1500 rpm and/or over 70% of the airflow speed around the shroud 14. The high speed of rotation of the shroud 14 is sufficient to dislodge any dust on the shroud by centrifugal action. Also, the high rotational speed of shroud 14 means that the air does not to need to decelerate to pass through the shroud 14 apertures and hence the risk of pressure drop and a loss of suction is avoided.

Abstract: A cyclonic separation device comprises a plurality of cyclonic separators fluidly arranged in parallel with each other, each cyclonic separator comprising a chamber 18 having a circular-section side wall 19, a fluid inlet 20 and a fluid outlet 21 disposed at one end of the cyclone chamber 18, and an opening at the second end of the cyclone chamber 18 through which separated matter passes out of the chamber for collection. The cyclonic separators are arranged in a rotatable body 17 such that their respective cyclone axes B are outwardly inclined relative to an axis A of rotation of the body 17 and such that the second end of each cyclone chamber 18 is disposed radially outwardly of its first end with respect to the axis A of rotation. A motor 15 rotates the body 17 about its axis A of rotation and so imparts a radially outward force on separated matter forced against the side wall 19 by the cyclonic action, the radial force serving to rapidly force the matter axially of the towards the opening.

Abstract: A floor cleaning head 10 comprises a body portion 12 and a pivotally attached nozzle 16. The nozzle 16 comprises resiliently flexible front and rear extending elongate blades 33, 34 depending from the underside thereof and a transversely extending suction mouth 20 disposed between the blades 33, 34, and intersected by a steam inlet duct 37 to form frontal and rear portions 20F, 20R. The orientation of the nozzle 16 is altered by a mechanism 23, such that the leading blade 33, 34 raises to allow dust and debris to pass beneath, while the trailing blade 34, 33 lowers to form a working edge against the floor surface, against which, dust, dirty water and debris gathers for removal by the induced airflow of an attached floor cleaner (not shown). The head 10 is thus configured to perform separate vacuuming and steam cleaning operations simultaneously, in a single pass.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner incorporating a cyclone separation device comprises a cylindrical cyclone chamber having a tubular side wall in the form of a filter. An auger is mounted within the chamber for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, the auger having a vane which extends along the chamber in a first helical direction. In use, the auger is rotated in a direction opposite to said helical direction so that separated dirt and dust is driven to a collection region at the bottom of the chamber and compacted. The collection region preferably expands during use to increase the capacity thereof. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention has to be emptied less regularly and any risk of dust re-entrainment is reduced.

Abstract: A cyclonic separation device comprises a cyclone chamber 11 having a cyclone axis A, a fluid outlet at one end of the cyclone chamber and a tubular apertured shroud 14 extending concentrically with the cyclone axis A. In use a motor 15 rotates the shroud 14 in the direction of a rotational airflow in the chamber 11 at a rotational speed which is over 1500 rpm and/or over 70% of the airflow speed around the shroud 14. The high speed of rotation of the shroud 14 is sufficient to dislodge any dust on the shroud by centrifugal action. Also, the high rotational speed of shroud 14 means that the air does not to need to decelerate to pass through the shroud 14 apertures and hence the risk of pressure drop and a loss of suction is avoided.

Abstract: A cyclonic separation device comprises a plurality of cyclonic separators fluidly arranged in parallel with each other, each cyclonic separator comprising a chamber 18 having a circular-section side wall 19, a fluid inlet 20 and a fluid outlet 21 disposed at one end of the cyclone chamber 18, and an opening at the second end of the cyclone chamber 18 through which separated matter passes out of the chamber for collection. The cyclonic separators are arranged in a rotatable body 17 such that their respective cyclone axes B are outwardly inclined relative to an axis A of rotation of the body 17 and such that the second end of each cyclone chamber 18 is disposed radially outwardly of its first end with respect to the axis A of rotation. A motor 15 rotates the body 17 about its axis A of rotation and so imparts a radially outward force on separated matter forced against the side wall 19 by the cyclonic action, the radial force serving to rapidly force the matter axially of the towards the opening.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a device for dispensing atomized liquid, the device having a reservoir for holding liquid and an ultrasonic transducer arranged to atomize the liquid in the reservoir. An airflow is created through the reservoir via the exhaust gasflow from the vacuum cleaner, the airflow carrying the atomized liquid via an elongate tube to dispensing outlet provided on a cleaning head of the vacuum cleaner. The ultrasonic transducer is simple and inexpensive, yet is able to reliably atomize the liquid for dispensing.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprises first and second devices 116,125 for separating dirt and dust from an airflow through the cleaner. The dirt and dust separated by the first and second devices 116,125 is deposited at the bottom of a collection chamber 112. The dirt and dust separated by the second device 125 is transferred to the bottom of the collection chamber 112 via a duct which is normally closed by a valve 124 to prevent air from leaving the chamber 112 along the duct 133 instead of forming a proper cyclonic flow in the chamber 112. An actuator 131, 135, 136 is provided for periodically opening the valve 124 to release the collected dirt and dust into the bottom of the chamber 112. The actuator 131, 135, 136 simultaneously closes the duct 133 between the valve 124 and the second device 125, so as to temporarily prevent air from leaving the chamber 112 along the duct 133 whilst the collected dirt and dust is released.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner incorporating a cyclone separation device comprises a cylindrical cyclone chamber having a tubular side wall in the form of a filter. An auger is mounted within the chamber for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, the auger having a vane which extends along the chamber in a first helical direction. In use, the auger is rotated in a direction opposite to said helical direction so that separated dirt and dust is driven to a collection region at the bottom of the chamber and compacted. The collection region preferably expands during use to increase the capacity thereof. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with the invention has to be emptied less regularly and any risk of dust re-entrainment is reduced.

Abstract: A steerable vacuum cleaner comprises an upright body portion which is pivotally mounted at its lower end to the rear of a wheeled floor-engaging head portion. A catch is pivotally mounted intermediate its opposite ends to the upright body portion, the catch having a finger at a forward end arranged to engage a formation on the head portion. The rearward end of the catch defines a foot pedal for moving the forward end of the catch out of engagement with the formation. The catch on the body portion can engage the head portion to prevent the head portion from pivoting sideways and rearwards when the cleaner is not in use.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a device for dispensing atomized liquid, the device having a reservoir for holding liquid and an ultrasonic transducer arranged to atomize the liquid in the reservoir. An airflow is created through the reservoir via the exhaust gasflow from the vacuum cleaner, the airflow carrying the atomized liquid via an elongate tube to dispensing outlet provided on a cleaning head of the vacuum cleaner. The ultrasonic transducer is simple and inexpensive, yet is able to reliably atomize the liquid for dispensing.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner comprises a floor-engaging head portion 11 having a dirty air inlet 12, an upright body portion 10 pivotably mounted to the floor-engaging head portion 11 for movement between parked and in-use positions, an agitator 13 rotatably mounted across the dirty air inlet 12, a motor for driving the agitator via motor shaft 14, a pulley assembly 15 pivotably mounted for rotation between first and second positions about an axis which extends parallel to the axes of rotation of the agitator 13 and motor shaft 14, the assembly 15 including an idler pulley 16 connected to the motor shaft 14 by a first drive belt 18 and to the agitator 13 by a second drive belt 19, the idler pulley 16 being mounted for rotation about an axis which is offset from the axis of rotation of the assembly 15, and an externally-operable foot pedal 30.

Abstract: A steerable vacuum cleaner comprises an upright body portion which is pivotally mounted at its lower end to the rear of a wheeled floor-engaging head portion. A catch is pivotally mounted intermediate its opposite ends to the upright body portion, the catch having a finger at a forward end arranged to engage a formation on the head portion. The rearward end of the catch defines a foot pedal for moving the forward end of the catch out of engagement with the formation. The catch on the body portion can engage the head portion to prevent the head portion from pivoting sideways and rearwards when the cleaner is not in use.