Abstract: A vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the invention includes a chassis, a fan unit including a blower housing mounted to the chassis and an inlet housing affixed to the blower housing, and a baseplate affixed to the chassis. An access aperture is formed in the baseplate. The access aperture extends at least partially over the fan unit. A door can be included in the baseplate. A bearing washer is positioned between the blower housing and the inlet housing and provides a substantially air-tight seal between the blower housing and the inlet housing. The inlet housing includes a bearing face, an inlet conduit portion, a slide flange, and a slide block. The slide block slides into and engages the slide flange and further slides into and engages the chassis of the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A clamp device for removably attaching a vacuum cleaner component to a structure according to an embodiment of the invention includes a clamp adapted to removably attach to the structure, a slot formed in the clamp, and a knob attached to the vacuum cleaner component. The knob slides into the slot of the clamp and the vacuum cleaner component is removably held in the clamp by the knob.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner brushroll according to an embodiment of the invention includes a brushroll body and at least one row of bristle tufts disposed on the brushroll body. The at least one row of bristle tufts includes a first tuft of a first effective length from the brushroll body and at least a second tuft of a second effective length that is different from the first effective length.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of the formula:R.sub.1 SCH(R.sub.2)CH(R.sub.3)CO-AA.sub.1 ?AA.sub.2 !.sub.m ?AA.sub.3 !.sub.n --X orHSCH.sub.2 ?CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 !CO--Nal--NH.sub.2wherein Nal is L-3-(2-naphthyl)alanine;m is the integer 0 or 1; n is an integer from 0-2;AA.sub.1 is a non-polar hydrophobic aromatic amino acid;AA.sub.2 is alanine, glycine, leucine, isoleucine or phenylalanine;AA.sub.3 is one of the twenty naturally occurring amino acids, preferably glutamine or arginine;R.sub.1 is hydrogen, alkyl having from 1-10 carbon atoms, alkanoyl having from 2-10 carbon atoms, or aroyl having from 7-10 carbon atoms;R.sub.2 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1-6 carbon atoms;R.sub.3 is hydrogen, alkyl having from 2-10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl having from 3-6 carbon atoms, aryl or arylalkyl, wherein aryl moieties have from 6-10 carbon atoms;X is NH.sub.2, OH, OCH.sub.3 or OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ;and salts thereof.