FLOOR CLEANER INCLUDING AN AGITATOR
A floor cleaner that includes a cleaning head, an agitator drive, and an agitator. The cleaning head includes an agitator chamber having an opening facing toward a surface to be cleaned. The agitator is rotatably disposed within the agitator chamber and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned through the opening. The agitator extends longitudinally between a first end and a second end along an axis of rotation. The agitator includes a core operably connected to the agitator drive, rotatable about the axis and at least one molded agitating member integrally formed with the core. The agitating member extends from the core to contact the surface to be cleaned.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/015,232, filed Apr. 24, 2020 and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/036,714, filed Jun. 9, 2020, the entire contents all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUNDThe present invention relates to a floor cleaner comprising a cleaning head, an agitator drive, and an agitator. The cleaning head includes an agitator chamber having an opening facing toward a surface to be cleaned. The agitator is rotatably disposed within the agitator chamber and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned through the opening. The agitator extends longitudinally between a first end and a second end along an axis of rotation. The agitator includes a core operably connected to the agitator drive, rotatable about the axis and at least one molded agitating member integrally formed with the core. The agitating member extends from the core to contact the surface to be cleaned.
The disclosure relates to a floor cleaner such as a vacuum cleaner, an extractor, or the like, and more specifically, an agitator 20 for a floor cleaner.
The agitator assembly 20 includes a core 30 operably connected to the agitator drive 22 for rotation about the axis 100 and at least one molded agitating member 32 extending from and integrally formed with the core 30. In the illustrated embodiments, the agitating members 32 are integral with the core 30. The molded agitation members 32 form a pattern along a longitudinal and circumferential direction around the agitator 20 to engage the surface to be cleaned through the opening 18, agitating the surface during operation to facilitate removal of dirt and debris.
The core 30 is rigid in one embodiment. In such embodiments, the core 30 is made from a plastic material, such as nylon or glass filled nylon, however the core may be made from other materials as desired for the application, such as polystyrene, ABS, magnesium alloy, zinc alloy, or steel. In one embodiment, the core 30 is a less rigid material, such as an elastomeric material such as polyurethane or other thermoplastic material having a durometer between about 60 and 95 Shore A. In the illustrated embodiment, the agitating members 32 are molded or cast from an elastomeric material, for example thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), or other thermoplastic elastomer, polyurethane, silicone, rubber or any other flexible, durable, resilient material as desired for the application. In one embodiment, the agitating member has a durometer between 25 and 60 Shore A. In another embodiment, the agitating member has a durometer between 55 and 80 Shore A. In one embodiment, the agitating member has a durometer between 70 and 95 Shore A. In the illustrated embodiments, the integrally formed agitating members 32 are injection molded or cast directly onto the core 30 by overmolding. In one embodiment, the integrally formed agitating members 32 are molded first, and then are affixed to the core 30 by fastening, bonding, welding, or other attachment. In the embodiment illustrated in
The agitating members 32 have a proximal portion 33 adjacent the core 30 and a distal portion 35 extended away from the core by a height H, the distal portion 35 configured engage a surface to be cleaned through the opening 18. In one embodiment, the height H is radial. In one embodiment, the height H is rearwardly raked relative to the direction of rotation. In one embodiment, the height H is forwardly raked relative to the direction of rotation. In the illustrated embodiments, the agitating members 32 have a longitudinal shape with a length L and thickness T. In one embodiment, the distal portion of the agitating member forms a smooth continuous edge along the length of the agitating member 32. The smooth surface of the elastomeric agitator 20 facilitates debris pickup, while allowing bending and flicking to inhibit the hair and debris from being wrapped around the agitator. By inhibiting hair and debris wrap, the longevity of the cleaner 10 is increased as well as the time required between cleaning and maintenance of the agitator 20.
In the illustrated embodiments, the agitating member 32 defines an agitating axis 100 extending outwardly from the core 30. In the embodiment illustrated in
The flange 65 extends forwardly along a flange axis 102, away from the agitating axis 100 in the direction of rotation. In one embodiment, the flange 65 extends between 2 and 10 millimeters away from the distal portion of the agitating member 32. In one embodiment, the flange 65 extends between 10 and 20 millimeters away from the distal portion 35 of the agitating member 32. The flange axis 102 is angled forwardly relative to the agitating axis 100. In one embodiment, an angle 61 of the flange axis 102 relative to the agitating axis 100 is between 60 and 75 degrees. In one embodiment, the angle 61 of the flange axis 102 relative to the agitating axis 100 is between 75 and 90 degrees. In one embodiment, the angle 61 of the flange axis 102 relative to the agitating axis 100 is between 90 and 105 degrees. The flange axis 102 does not intersect the core 30 of the agitator 20. The flange 65 assists in debris pick up by directing the gathered debris into the debris inlet of the floor cleaner.
In the embodiments illustrated in
In the embodiments illustrated in
In various embodiments, the arrangement of chevrons may be closer to one end of the agitator or another, or may be centered longitudinally. In the embodiment illustrated in
In one embodiment, adjacent vanes converge at the peaks 40, 41 at an angle 48 between 10 degrees and 75 degrees. Decreasing the angle 48 of the peaks 40, 41 results in more chevrons, more peaks 40, 41 across the agitator 20, and a more compressed zig-zag pattern of chevrons. Increasing the angle 48 of the peaks 40, 41, reduces the number of chevrons, with fewer peaks 40, 41 across the agitator 20. The angle 48 may be varied based on desired cleaning outcome. The length L of the agitating vanes 42 from the leading peak 40 to the trailing peak 41 varies based on the length of the agitator and the number of chevrons desired, and could be any value based on the desired geometry. In some embodiments the length may be between 10 millimeters and 75 millimeters, or between 15 millimeters and 50 millimeters. In one example, the length of the agitator 20 is 30 centimeters, the peak 40, 41 angles are 70 degrees, and the length of the agitating vanes 42 is 47 millimeters, resulting in 10 total peaks 40, 41 spanning the agitator 20.
The agitator 20 includes between 1 and 6 agitating members 32, or more than 6 agitating members 32 as desired. In the embodiments illustrated in
In one embodiment, the height of the agitating member 32 from the proximal portion 33 to the distal portion 35 is constant along the length of the agitating vane 42 and is equivalent to the height of the peaks 40, 41 from the core 30. In another embodiment, the height of the agitating member 32 decreases from the leading peak 40 to the trailing peak 41. In one embodiment, the height of the agitating member 32 increases from the leading peak 40 to the trailing peak 41. In another embodiment, the height of a portion of the agitating member 32 is greater than the height of both the leading peak 40 and the trailing peak 41, such that the height of the agitating member 32 increases in a slope or arc away from the leading peak 40, and then decreases in a slope or arc toward the trailing peak 41. In illustrated embodiments, the height of the annular rib 34 from the core 30 is less than the height of the agitating members 32. In one embodiment, the height of the annular rib 34 is the same or greater than the height of the agitating members 32.
In the embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiments illustrated in
In the embodiments illustrated in
The agitating vanes 142 converge at a peak 140 forming an angle between the vanes. The angle of the chevron or V-shape varies based on the number of chevron shaped portions and the diameter of the agitator, which may be modified based on the desired cleaning outcome, as seen by the different angle illustrated in
The agitator 120 includes a plurality of annular agitating members 132 arranged along the agitator between the first end 124 and the second end 126. In one embodiment, the agitator 20 includes more than 6 agitating members 132. In the embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiments illustrated in
A connecting rib 134 may be provided between adjacent agitating members 132 to reinforce the annular agitating members. In the embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in
A connecting rib 234 may be provided between adjacent agitating members 232 to reinforce the agitating members. In the embodiment illustrated in
The shape and direction of the agitating members 232 move the dirt and debris on the surface in an axial direction as the agitator 220 rotates. The surface cleaning head 12 will move in the forward or reverse direction as the agitator 220 is rotating and therefore the movement of the debris will not be purely axial but will likely also have some forward or rearward component of movement as well. In one embodiment, the convergence area 250 is aligned with a suction inlet such that the rotating agitator 220 moves the debris toward the convergence area 250 and the suction inlet. Directing debris to the convergence area 250 aligned with the suction inlet enables improved collection of debris drawn by the suction source 22 into the suction inlet.
In the embodiment illustrated in
The flexibility of the agitating members 32, 132, 232, 332 allows for bending and flexing during operation, which may reduce debris wrap around the agitator 20, 120, 220, 320. The agitating members 32, 132, 232, 332 promote surface debris pick-up and inhibit hair and debris wrap around the agitator body 22.
The floor cleaning device 10 is illustrated as an upright floor cleaner including an upper body 28 coupled to the surface cleaning head 12. With further reference to
In one embodiment, the agitating member 32 includes one or more support ribs 67 integral with the agitating member 32. The support ribs 67 extend between the leading side 36 and/or the trailing side 38 and the core 30. In the illustrated embodiments, the support ribs 67 extend along the height H of the agitating members 32 from the core 30 to the outer circumference of the agitator. The support ribs 67 help support, strengthen, and reinforce the agitating member 32. The support of the ribs 67 limits the flexing of the agitating member 32, which improves surface pick up and cleaning performance. In the embodiments illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
Claims
1. A floor cleaner comprising:
- a cleaning head including an agitator chamber having an opening facing toward a surface to be cleaned;
- an agitator drive; and
- an agitator rotatably disposed within the agitator chamber positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned through the opening, the agitator extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end along an axis of rotation, the agitator including a core operably connected to the agitator drive rotatable about the axis, and at least one molded agitating member integrally formed with the core, the agitating member extending from the core to contact the surface to be cleaned, wherein the agitating member has a thickness that is between 20% and 50% of a height of the agitating member, wherein the height of the agitating member is measured from the core to a distal portion of the agitating member.
2. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the molded agitating member is overmolded onto the core.
3. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation extends along the surface to be cleaned.
4. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member has a length along the core having a shape of two or more repeating chevrons.
5. The floor cleaner of claim 4, wherein the two or more repeating chevrons are contiguous.
6. The floor cleaner of claim 4, wherein the agitating member extends lengthwise along the core.
7. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member extends circumferentially along the core to form an annular agitating member.
8. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member extends continuously from the first end to the second end in a repeating chevron pattern
9. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member includes a leading peak, a trailing peak, and an agitating vane extending from the leading peak to the trailing peak.
10. The floor cleaner of claim 1, the at least one molded agitating member including two molded agitating members.
11. The floor cleaner of claim 10, the agitator further comprising at least one rib connecting the two molded agitating members.
12. The floor cleaner of claim 11, wherein the two molded agitating members extend circumferentially along the core and where the rib extends longitudinally between the two molded agitating members.
13. The floor cleaner of claim 11, wherein the two molded agitating members extend lengthwise along the core and where the rib extends annularly between the two molded agitating members.
14. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member is formed from a resilient material.
15. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member has a durometer between 25 and 60 Shore A.
16. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member has a durometer between 55 and 80 Shore A.
17. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member has a durometer between 70 and 95 Shore A.
18. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member defines an agitating axis extending outwardly from the core, the agitating member including a forwardly extending flange, the flange extending along a flange axis angled forwardly relative to the agitating axis.
19. The floor cleaner of claim 18, wherein the angle between the agitating axis and the flange axis is between 70 and 105 degrees.
20. The floor cleaner of claim 18 wherein the agitating member includes a plurality of support ribs extending between agitating member and the core.
21. The floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein the agitating member includes a plurality of support ribs extending between the agitating member and the core.
22. The floor cleaner of claim 21, wherein the plurality of support ribs are positioned on the agitating member in the direction of rotation.
23. The floor cleaner of claim 22, wherein adjacent support ribs are spaced from each other by between 5 and 20 millimeters.
24. The floor cleaner of claim 9, wherein the agitating vanes have a thickness that is between 20% and 30% of a height of the agitating member, wherein the height of the agitating member is measured from the core to a distal portion of the agitating member.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 23, 2021
Publication Date: Oct 28, 2021
Inventors: Robert McRorie (Huntersville, NC), Rafael Davila (Kannapolis, NC)
Application Number: 17/239,062