CN213155658U

CN213155658U - Cleaning device and robotic vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: CN213155658U
Application number: CN201921708342.3U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 杰森·B·索恩; 姚·明; 丹尼尔·R·德马德罗思安; 丹尼尔·迈尔; 帕特里克·克利里; 戈登·贺维; 戴维·吴; 南希·高·文修
Original assignee: Shangconing Home Operations Co ltd
Current assignee: Shangconing Home Operations Co ltd; Sharkninja Operating LLC
Priority date: 2017-03-10
Filing date: 2017-12-29
Publication date: 2021-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-29
Also published as: CN108567375B; CN113440046A; CN209595644U; CN113440046B; CN108567375A

Abstract

A cleaning device and robotic vacuum cleaner includes a grooming unit that includes a series of spaced apart projections or teeth that extend into a cleaning roller to prevent the accumulation and removal of debris (e.g., hair, lines, etc.). The projection extends along a majority of the cleaning roller and partially into the cleaning roller to intercept debris as it passes around the roller. The projection has an angled leading edge that is not aligned with the center of rotation of the cleaning roller and is directed in or against the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller. The comb unit and the projections are shaped and configured to facilitate removal of debris from the cleaning roller while having minimal impact on the operation of the cleaning device. The cleaning apparatus may comprise a surface cleaning head of an upright vacuum cleaner or sweeper or robotic vacuum cleaner.

Description

Cleaning device and robotic vacuum cleaner

The present application is a divisional application of the patent application entitled "cleaning apparatus, robotic vacuum cleaner, sweeper, stick vacuum cleaner, canister vacuum cleaner, and surface cleaning head" filed No. 201721922090.5, 2017, 12, month 29.

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims the benefit of united states provisional application No. 62/469,853 filed on day 3/10 in 2017 and is a continuation-in-part application of united states patent application serial No. 15/331,045 filed on day 21/10 in 2016. united states patent application serial No. 15/331,045 claims the benefit of united states provisional patent application serial No. 62/244,331 filed on day 21/10 in 2015, united states provisional patent application serial No. 62/248,813 filed on day 30/10 in 2015, and united states provisional patent application serial No. 62/313,394 filed on day 25/3 in 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is also a continuation-in-part application of International application No. PCT/US2016/058148, filed 2016, 10, 21, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to cleaners having cleaning rollers, and more particularly to cleaning devices having a comb unit for removing debris from a cleaning roller (e.g., a preceding roller), such as a surface cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner.

Background

Vacuum cleaners typically include a suction duct having an opening on the underside of the surface cleaning head to allow air (and debris) to be drawn into and through the surface cleaning head. One of the challenges in vacuum cleaner design is controlling the engagement of the suction duct with the surface being cleaned to provide the desired amount of suction. If the suction duct is too far from the surface, suction may be less because air flows into the suction duct over a larger surface area. If the suction duct engages directly with the surface and is thus sealed on all sides, the air will stop flowing into the suction duct, with the result that the suction motor may be damaged.

Vacuum cleaners also typically utilize agitation to loosen debris and facilitate capturing debris in the air stream into the suction duct. Agitators are often used in the suction duct of a surface cleaning head in close proximity to a dirty air inlet to cause agitated debris to flow into the dirty air inlet. If the agitator in the suction duct is unable to loosen the debris or if the debris is too small, the suction duct may pass over the debris without removing the debris from the surface. In other cases, the surface cleaning head may push larger debris forward without the debris becoming caught in the flow into the suction duct (sometimes referred to as snow sweeping).

One example of an agitator is a cleaning roller, such as a brush roller. The cleaning roller may be located within the suction duct and/or may be located at a front side of the suction duct (e.g., at the front roller). One challenge for the front roller is, among other things, debris (e.g., hair) that becomes wrapped around the roller. Protrusions may be used to engage the rollers to facilitate removal of debris, but existing structures tend to be ineffective and/or interfere with the operation of the surface cleaning head.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

According to one embodiment, a cleaning apparatus comprises: a housing defining an opening on a bottom side of the housing for receiving debris; a cleaning roller mounted in the housing for directing debris into the opening; and a carding unit extending along a majority of the length of the cleaning surface of the cleaning roller and in contact with the cleaning roller. The combing unit includes a series of spaced combing projections extending partially into the cleaning roller and having an angled leading edge that is not aligned with the center of rotation of the cleaning roller. The angled leading edge is directed in the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller.

In accordance with another embodiment, a surface cleaning head includes a housing having a front side and a rear side. The housing defines a suction duct having an opening on a bottom side of the housing between the front side and the rear side. A brushroll is rotatably mounted to the housing within the suction conduit, and at least a portion of the brushroll is proximate the opening of the suction conduit. A front roller is mounted to the housing in front of the brush roller and adjacent the opening of the suction duct. The front portion of the preceding roller is at least partially exposed at the front side of the housing. The surface cleaning head further comprises a comb unit extending along a majority of the length of the cleaning surface of the preceding roller and in contact with the preceding roller. The comb unit includes a series of spaced comb projections extending partially into the preceding roll, the comb projections having angled leading edges that are not aligned with the center of rotation of the preceding roll. The angled leading edge is directed toward the direction of rotation of the preceding roller.

Drawings

These and other features and advantages will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings,

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning head including dual agitators and combing protrusions according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the surface cleaning head shown in figure 1 showing the flow path through the suction duct.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing the front roller and brush roll of the surface cleaning head shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side sectional view showing the front roller and the combing protrusion of the surface cleaning head shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of the front region of the surface cleaning head of fig. 1 without the front roller and showing the combing projections.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one embodiment of a plurality of combing projections.

Fig. 7 is a front bottom view of the front region of the surface cleaning head of fig. 1 without the front roller.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the surface cleaning head of fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the surface cleaning head of fig. 1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a comb projection engaged with a cleaning roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of a carding tab engaged with a cleaning roller.

Fig. 12 is a side perspective view of the carding tab shown in fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a top perspective view of a section of the carding tab shown in fig. 10.

Fig. 14A-14D are top, front, bottom and side views of a section of the carding tab shown in fig. 13.

FIG. 15A is a side cross-sectional view of a comb projection engaging a cleaning roller above the axis of rotation according to another embodiment.

FIG. 15B is a side cross-sectional view of a carding wire having a curved leading edge that engages a cleaning roller according to yet another embodiment.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner including a surface cleaning head having a dual rotary agitator and combing projections according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a stick vacuum cleaner including a surface cleaning head with dual rotary agitators and combing protrusions according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 18 is a bottom perspective view of a robotic vacuum cleaner including cleaning rollers and combing protrusions according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a cleaning device includes a grooming unit (also referred to as a cleaning unit or rib) that includes a series of spaced apart projections or teeth that extend into the cleaning roller to prevent accumulation and to clear debris (e.g., hair, lines, etc.). The projection extends along a majority of the cleaning roller and partially into the cleaning roller to intercept debris as it passes around the roller. The projection has an angled leading edge that is not aligned with the center of rotation of the cleaning roller and is directed in or against the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller. The comb unit and the projections are shaped and configured to facilitate removal of debris from the cleaning roller while having minimal impact on the operation of the cleaning device. The cleaning apparatus may comprise a surface cleaning head of an upright vacuum cleaner or sweeper or robotic vacuum cleaner.

One embodiment of the surface cleaning head may include a dual rotary agitator (e.g., at the front roller and the brush roller) and may be used to facilitate capturing debris in the airflow into the suction duct on the underside of the surface cleaning head. In this embodiment, the front roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in front of the opening of the suction duct such that the front roller engages and moves debris toward the opening. At least the upper half of the front roller may be substantially outside the flow path to the suction duct, while the bottom of the front roller may be exposed to the flow path to the suction duct. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction duct with the front roller in front of and spaced from the brush roll to form an inter-roller air passage between a lower portion of the front roller and a lower portion of the brush roll. In some embodiments, the combing projections may contact the front roller above the inter-roller air channel to facilitate debris removal into the flow path. The surface cleaning head may also include a forward bumper extending in front of the forward roller to protect the front of the forward roller and facilitate front edge cleaning.

Although some specific embodiments of a surface cleaning head with a front roller are shown, other embodiments of a cleaning apparatus with a comb unit are within the scope of the present disclosure. The cleaning apparatus with the grooming unit can be used with different types of vacuum cleaners including, but not limited to, "all in the head" type vacuum cleaners, upright vacuum cleaners, canister vacuum cleaners, stick vacuum cleaners, robotic vacuum cleaners and central vacuum systems, and can be used with sweepers (e.g., low suction or no suction). Surface cleaning heads having a front roller may also include a removable agitator (e.g., a brush roller) in an openable agitator chamber, such as the type described in more detail in U.S. patent No. 9,456,723 and U.S. patent application publication No. 2016/0220082, both commonly owned and hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The front roller may be similarly removable.

As used herein, "surface cleaning head" refers to a device configured to contact a surface to clean the surface by utilizing a suction air flow, agitation, or a combination thereof. The surface cleaning head may be pivotably or steerably connected to the wand by a swivel connection to control the surface cleaning head, and may include a motorized attachment as well as a stationary surface cleaning head. The surface cleaning head may also be operated without a wand or handle. As used herein, "seal" or "close" refers to preventing a substantial amount of air from passing through the suction duct without the need for an air-tight seal. As used herein, "agitator" refers to any element, member or structure capable of agitating a surface to facilitate movement of debris into a suction airflow in a surface cleaning head. As used herein, "soft" and "softer" refer to the feature that a cleaning element is more compliant or flexible than another cleaning element. As used herein, the term "flow path" refers to the path through which air flows into the suction duct when inhaled by suction. As used herein, the terms "above" and "below" are used in relation to the orientation of the surface cleaning head on the surface to be cleaned, and the terms "front" and "rear" are used in relation to the direction in which a user pushes the surface cleaning head over the surface to be cleaned (i.e., from back to front). As used herein, the term "forward" refers to a position in front of at least one other component, but does not necessarily mean in front of all other components.

Referring to fig. 1 to 9, one embodiment of a surface cleaning head 100 having dual agitators and a comb unit is shown and described. Surface cleaning head 100 includes a housing 110 having front and

rear sides

112, 114, left and

right sides

116a, 116b, an upper side 118, and a lower or bottom side 120. The housing 110 defines a suction duct 128 (shown in fig. 2 and 3) having an opening 127 on the bottom side 120 of the housing. The suction duct 128 is in fluid communication with a dirty air inlet 129 which leads to a suction motor (not shown) in the surface cleaning head 100 or at another location in the vacuum. The suction duct 128 is an internal space defined by the inner walls of the housing 110 that receives and guides air drawn by suction, and the suction duct 128 merges with the bottom side 120 of the housing 110 at an opening 127.

The surface cleaning head 100 includes dual

rotary agitators

122, 124, for example, a brush roller 122 and a front roller 124. The brush roller 122 and the preceding roller 124 may be configured to rotate about first and second axes of rotation (RA1, RA 2). The rotating brushroll 122 is at least partially disposed within the suction conduit 128 (shown in fig. 2 and 3). The front roller 124 is positioned in front of the brushroll 122 and spaced from the brushroll 122 and at least substantially outside the suction conduit 128. In some embodiments, at least an inner upper portion (e.g., upper half) of the front roller 124 is not exposed to the primary air flow path (e.g., arrow 40) into the opening 127 of the suction duct 128, and at least an inner side of the bottom portion of the front roller 124 is exposed to the primary flow path into the opening 127 of the suction duct 128.

Other variations are possible in which different portions of the front roller 124 may or may not be exposed to the flow path into the suction duct 128. In other embodiments, for example, the flow path may allow air to flow over the upper portion of the front roller 124. The front roller 124 may rotate about a second axis of rotation RA2 located within the front roller chamber 126. When the preceding roller 124 rotates in the preceding roller chamber 126 to form a flow path, for example, at an upper portion, the size and shape of the preceding roller chamber 126 may be slightly larger than the size and shape of the cylindrical protrusion of the preceding roller 124.

The surface cleaning head 100 may include one or more wheels 130 for supporting the housing on the surface 10 to be cleaned. The brushroll 122 may be positioned in front of one or more wheels 130, 132 (see fig. 1 and 9) for supporting the housing 110 on the surface 10 to be cleaned. For example, one or more larger wheels 130 may be disposed along the rear side 114 and/or one or more smaller intermediate wheels 132 may be disposed at a mid-section on the bottom side 116 of the housing 110 and/or along the left and

right sides

116a, 116 b. Other wheel configurations may also be used. The

wheels

130, 132 facilitate moving the surface cleaning head 100 along the surface 10 to be cleaned, and may also enable a user to easily tilt or pivot the surface cleaning head 100 (e.g., the brushroll 122 and/or the front roller 124) relative to the surface 10 to be cleaned. The one or more rear wheels 130 and the one or more intermediate wheels 132 may provide substantial contact with the surface being cleaned and, thus, substantially support the surface cleaning head 100. The front roller 124 may also be placed on the surface 10 being cleaned when the surface cleaning head 100 is positioned on the surface 10 being cleaned. In other embodiments, the front roller 124 may be positioned such that the front roller 124 is positioned just above the surface being cleaned.

Rotating brushroll 122 may have bristles, fabric, or other cleaning elements, or any combination thereof, around the outside of brushroll 122. Examples of brush rolls and other agitators are shown and described in more detail in U.S. patent No. 9,456,723 and U.S. patent application publication No. 2016/0220082, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

As will be described in greater detail below, the front roller 124 may include a relatively soft material (e.g., soft bristles, fabric, felt, pile, or fleece) arranged in a pattern (e.g., a spiral pattern) to facilitate capturing debris. The roller 124 may be selected to be substantially softer than the brushroll 122 at the front. The softness, length, diameter, arrangement, and resiliency of the bristles and/or pile at the front roller 124 may be selected to seal with hard surfaces (such as, but not limited to, hardwood floors, tile floors, laminated floors, etc.), while the bristles of the brushroll 122 may be selected to agitate the carpet fibers, etc. For example, the front roller 124 may be at least 25% softer than the brushroll 122, or the front roller 124 may be at least 30% softer than the brushroll 122, or the front roller 124 may be at least 35% softer than the brushroll 122, or the front roller 124 may be at least 40% softer than the brushroll 122, or the front roller 124 may be at least 50% softer than the brushroll 122, or the front roller 124 may be at least 60% softer than the brushroll 122. Softness may be determined, for example, based on the flexibility of the bristles or tufts used.

The size and shape of the bristles and/or tufts may be selected based on the intended application. For example, the front roller 124 may include bristles and/or tufts having a length between 5 to 15mm (e.g., 7 to 12mm) and may have a diameter of 0.01 to 0.04mm (e.g., 0.01 to 0.03 mm). According to one embodiment, the bristles and/or tufts may have a length of 9mm and a diameter of 0.02 mm. The bristles and/or tufts may have any shape. For example, the bristles and/or pile may be linear, arcuate, and/or may have a compound shape. According to one embodiment, the bristles and/or tufts may have a generally U-shape and/or Y-shape. The U-shaped and/or Y-shaped bristles and/or knops may increase the number of points of contact with the floor surface 10, thereby enhancing the sweeping function of the front roller 124. The bristles and/or pile may be made of any material such as, but not limited to, nylon 6 or nylon 6/6.

Optionally, the bristles and/or tufts at the front roller 124 may be heat treated, for example, using a post-weaving heat treatment. The heat treatment may extend the useful life of the bristles and/or tufts on the front roller 124. For example, after the fibers are woven and the flock cut into rolls, the flock can be rolled up and then passed through a steam-rich autoclave to make the fibers/bristles into more elastic fibers.

The outer diameter Dlr of the front roller 124 may be smaller than the outer diameter Dbr of the brushroll 122. For example, the diameter Dlr may be greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.8Dbr, greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.7Dbr, or greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.6 Dbr. According to some exemplary embodiments, the diameter Dlr may be in a range of 0.3 to 0.8Dbr, in a range of 0.4 to 0.8Dbr, in a range of 0.3 to 0.7Dbr, or in a range of 0.4 to 0.7 Dbr. As an illustrative example, the brushroll 122 may have an outer diameter of 48mm, and the front roller 124 may have an outer diameter of 30 mm. While the outer diameter Dlr of the front roller 124 may be smaller than the outer diameter Dbr of the brushroll 122, the bristles of the brushroll 122 may be longer than the bristles and/or tuft of the front roller 122.

Positioning the front roller 124 (having a diameter Dlr less than the diameter Dbr of the brushroll 122) in front of the brushroll 122 provides a number of benefits. For example, this arrangement reduces the height of the front side 112 (e.g., housing 110) of the surface cleaning head 100 from the surface 10 to be cleaned. The reduced height of the front of the surface cleaning head 100 provides a lower configuration that allows the surface cleaning head 100 to fit under an object (e.g., furniture and/or a cabinet). Further, the lower height allows for the addition of one or more light sources 111 (such as, but not limited to, LEDs) while still allowing the surface cleaning head 100 to fit under an object.

In addition, the smaller diameter Dlr of the front roller 124 places the axis of rotation of the front roller 124 closer to the front side 112 of the surface cleaning head 100. The front roller 124 forms a generally cylindrical protrusion upon rotation, the protrusion having a radius based on the overall diameter of the front roller 124. As the diameter of the front roller 124 decreases, the contact surface 140 (FIG. 3) at the bottom of the front roller 124 moves forward toward the front side 112 of the surface cleaning head 100. In addition, when the surface cleaning head 100 contacts a vertical surface 12 (such as, but not limited to, a wall, upholstery, and/or a cabinet), the contact surface 140 is also closer to the vertical surface 12 at the bottom of the front roller 124, thereby enhancing front edge cleaning of the surface cleaning head 100 as compared to a larger diameter front roller. In addition, the smaller diameter Dlr of the front roller 124 also reduces the load/resistance of the motor driving the front roller 124, thereby extending the life of the motor and/or allowing a smaller motor to be used to rotate both the brushroll 122 and the front roller 124.

The rotating brushroll 122 may be coupled to an electric motor (AC or DC) to rotate the rotating brushroll 122 about a first axis of rotation. The rotating brush roller may be coupled to an electric motor by gears and/or a drive belt. The front roller 124 may be driven by the same drive mechanism used to drive the rotating brushroll 122 or a separate drive mechanism. An example of a drive mechanism is described in U.S. patent application serial No. 15/331,045 filed on 21/10/2016, which is incorporated herein by reference. Other drive mechanisms are also possible and within the scope of the present disclosure.

In at least one embodiment, the brushroll 122 and the preceding roller 124 rotate in the same direction that directs debris toward the suction conduit 128, for example, counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3. Such an arrangement may reduce the number of components (e.g., a clutch or additional gear train may not be required), thereby making the surface cleaning head 100 lighter, reducing drive train losses (thereby allowing for a smaller/cheaper motor), and lower production costs. Alternatively, the brushroll 122 and the preceding roller 124 may rotate at the same speed, thereby reducing the number of components (e.g., no additional gear train is required) and reducing driveline losses (and thus, a smaller/cheaper motor) and making the surface cleaning head 100 lighter and less costly to manufacture.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front roller 124 may be positioned within the housing 110 such that the bottom contact surface 140 is disposed closer to the surface 10 to be cleaned than the bottom contact surface 144 of the brushroll 122. This arrangement allows the front roller 124 to contact the surface 10 (e.g., a hard surface) without the brush roller 122 contacting the hard surface 10. It will be appreciated that the front roller 124 is used to pick up debris from the hard surface 10, while the brush roller 122 is used to substantially contact the carpeted surface. This arrangement is therefore advantageous as it allows a seal to be formed between the front roller 124 on the front side 112 of the surface cleaning head 100 and the hard surface 10, thereby enhancing airflow and suction of the hard surface 10. In addition, this arrangement reduces the resistance/torque of the drive motor because the brushroll 122 (in some embodiments) does not have to contact the hard surface 10. The reduced drag/torque may allow for a smaller, less expensive motor and/or may extend the useful life of the motor.

According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the leading roller 124 is spaced a distance L1 (which is greater than 0mm) from the brushroll 122 such that the leading roller 124 does not contact the brushroll 122. The distance L1 allows an inter-roller vacuum path 146 between the lower portion of the brushroll 122 and the lower portion of the front roller 124 that provides at least a portion of the flow path into the opening 127 of the suction duct 128. The inter-roller vacuum channels 146 allow debris to be picked up by the leading roller 124 (and/or removed from the leading roller 124) to be entrained in the vacuum flow generated by the surface cleaning head 100 and/or picked up by the brushroll 122, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the surface cleaning head 100. Further, the distance L1 reduces the load/drag on the motor, thereby extending the life of the motor and/or allowing a smaller motor to be used to rotate both the brushroll 122 and the preceding roller 124.

One or both of the front roller 124 and the brushroll 122 may be removable. The front roller 124 may be removably coupled to the housing 110 of the surface cleaning head 100. For example, a portion of the housing 110 (e.g., without limitation, a portion of the left and/or

right sides

116a, 116 b) may be removably/hingedly coupled to the preceding roller 124. To remove the leading roller 124, the removable portion may be unsecured/uncoupled from the remainder of the housing 110, thereby disengaging the leading roller 124 from the drive wheel and removing the leading roller 124 from the leading roller chamber 126. Other ways of removably coupling the front roller 124 within the housing 110 are also possible and within the scope of the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, the housing 110 of the surface cleaning head 100 may include removable and/or hinged panels that allow the brushroll 122 to be removed. As shown in fig. 1 and 8, for example, the surface cleaning head 100 includes a faceplate 119 that is removably and/or hingedly coupled to the housing 110. To remove the brushroll 122, the panel 119 may be disengaged (e.g., removed) from the housing 110 to allow a user to access the brushroll chamber 121. Examples of removable panels or covers and removable brushrolls are described in more detail in U.S. patent No. 9,456,723 and U.S. patent application publication No. 2016/0220082, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively or additionally, the front roller 124 may be removable in the same manner. Another example of a removable front roller is described in U.S. patent application serial No. 15/331,045, filed 2016, 10, 21, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The ability to remove the brushroll 122 and/or the front rollers 124 from the surface cleaning head 100 allows the brushroll 122 and/or the front rollers 124 to be more easily cleaned, and may allow a user to change the size of the brushroll 122 and/or the front rollers 124, change the type of bristles on the brushroll 122 and/or the front rollers 124, and/or remove the brushroll 122 and/or the front rollers 124 altogether depending on the intended application.

In some embodiments, as shown in more detail in fig. 4-7, the surface cleaning head 100 may also include a series of combing projections 150 (also referred to as cleaning projections) in contact with the preceding roller 124. The combing projections 150 may be configured to remove debris (e.g., without limitation, hair, threads, etc.) that may become entangled and/or trapped/entrained in/on the front roller 124 when the surface cleaning head 100 is in use (e.g., a user does not have to manually remove debris from the front roller 124). According to one embodiment, the combing projections 150 may contact only the front roller 124 (e.g., the combing projections 150 may not contact the brushroll 122). Some of the benefits of the comb projections 150 contacting only the front roller 124 include extending the useful life of the front roller 124. In addition, the comb projections 150 contacting only the front roller 124 may reduce the load/drag on the motor, thereby allowing a smaller/cheaper motor to be used, and allowing the surface cleaning head 100 to be lighter and less expensive to manufacture.

In this embodiment, the combing protrusion 150 may include a plurality of spaced ribs 152 having angled edges 153 extending into contact with the surface of the front roller 124. Spaced ribs 152 extend from the rear support 151 with bases 154 located between the ribs 152 to strengthen the spaced ribs 152. The rear support 151 may be mounted within the front roller chamber 126. The angled edges 153 of the spaced ribs 152 may be arranged at an angle a (see fig. 4 and 6) of 15 to 20 degrees, such as 20 to 25 degrees, such as 23.5 degrees. This exemplary configuration of the comb projections 150 may allow for increased strength and reduced frictional losses because fewer points may contact the front roller 124. Other shapes and configurations of the comb projections are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 4 and 5, the comb projection 150 may be disposed at a height H above the bottom contact surface 140 of the front roller 124 and on the side of the front roller 124 or the lower half thereof. The placement of the combing projections 150 can help prevent the combing projections 150 from contacting the carpet, thereby reducing drag on the surface cleaning head 100 and reducing the likelihood of the combing projections 150 damaging the carpet. This arrangement also allows the combing projections 150 to be exposed to the inter-roll vacuum channels 146, thereby enhancing the removal of debris from the preceding roll 124 by the combing projections 150. The combing protrusion 150 may also substantially prevent air from flowing to an upper inside (e.g., upper half) of the front roller 124 through the combing protrusion 150. In other embodiments, a space may be formed between the outer surface of the front roller 124 and the rear support 151 such that air flows downwardly over the carding tabs 150 to force debris through the inter-roller vacuum channels 146 into the airflow.

As shown in FIG. 7, one embodiment of the surface cleaning head 100 optionally includes an electrostatic discharge Element (ESD) 156. The ESD156 can reduce and/or prevent the build up of electrostatic charge on the surface cleaning head 100. The ESD156 can include any known means for discharging static charge. According to one embodiment, the ESD156 may comprise Barnet fabric woven between openings at the rear of the front roller chamber 126. The Barnet fibers may be arranged to discharge electricity in close proximity to the carding projections 150 and/or at the front roller 124. For example, the ESD156 may be connected to a Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) that dumps charge to the neutral AC line.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1, 3, 5, and 8, the housing 110 may further include a bumper 160 forming a top of the front side 112 of the housing 110. The bumper 160 may reduce potential damage to the surface cleaning head 100 and/or other objects in the environment. The front of the front roller 124 is exposed at the front side 112 of the housing 110, and the cushion 160 may extend around at least the top of the front roller 124. In the exemplary embodiment, cushioning portion 160 includes a lateral portion 162 that extends laterally along front side 112 of housing 110 and

side portions

164, 168 that extend downward along left and right sides of front side 112 of housing 110. The

sides

164, 168 may extend to a point at or below the second rotational axis RA2 of the front roller 124, which is the second rotational axis RA2 of the front roller 124.

The cushioning portion 160 may optionally define one or more front

edge vacuum channels

168, 169 that provide at least a portion of an air flow path. As shown in fig. 4, the relief 160 may thus generally form a seal with the vertical surface 12 (e.g., wall, etc.) to improve front edge cleaning. The front

edge vacuum channels

168, 169 may provide increased air velocity to air drawn into the surface cleaning head 100, thereby enhancing front edge cleaning. The cushioning portion 160 may also include one or more lateral air channels disposed in the lateral portion 162, which also results in increased airflow along the front side 112.

The relief 160 may also include one or more compression elements 161, 163 (e.g., ribs) disposed on the lateral edges/sections 162. The

compression elements

161, 163 provide the cushioning portion 160 with increased resilience and cushioning. When the cushioning portion 160 pushes against the vertical surface 12 (fig. 4), the

compression elements

161, 163 first contact the surface 12 and push back the cushioning portion 160 locally farther than the rest of the cushioning portion 160, thereby forming gaps on both sides of the

compression elements

161, 163. The gaps on both sides of the

compression elements

161, 163 form air paths so that air is drawn down in front of the front roller 124, which may disturb dust and debris so that it can be directed into the air flow path towards the suction duct.

The cushioning portion 160 may be formed integrally with the housing 110 or may be formed as a separate component secured within a groove and/or recess 165 formed between two or more components (e.g., the upper and

lower portions

110a, 110b) of the housing 110, as shown in fig. 3. The groove and/or notch 165 may facilitate assembly of the housing 110 and the bumper 160 (e.g., between the headlamp portion 110a and the main portion 110b of the housing 110).

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1 and 9, the surface cleaning head 100 may further include one or more floor seals 170, 172 and side edge vacuum channels 174 on the bottom side of the housing 110. The floor sealing strips 170, 172 may comprise one or more sections extending outwardly from the housing 110, the sections being of sufficient length to at least partially contact the surface 10 to be cleaned. One or more of the floor sealing strips 170, 172 may comprise soft bristles, a fabric material, a rubber material, or other material capable of contacting the surface being cleaned to substantially prevent air from flowing from the rear into the opening 127 of the suction duct 128. The sealing strips 170, 172 may also include a combination of elements or materials, such as bristles with rubber strips that extend along the strip between the bristles (e.g., the bristles are longer than the rubber strips).

In the exemplary embodiment, a transverse floor seal 170 extends along a rear transverse portion (e.g., behind the opening 127 of the suction duct 128), and a lateral seal 172 extends partially along the left and

right sides

116a, 116 b. The lateral seal 172 extends, for example, along a majority of the opening 127 of the suction duct 128, and is spaced from the front roller 124 to define one or more side edge vacuum channels 174, the side edge vacuum channels 174 extending rearwardly toward the opening 127 of the suction duct 128. Because the front roller 124 itself forms a seal with the surface 10 being cleaned, no additional sealing strip along the front side 112 is required. Although

separate strips

170, 172 are shown, one continuous sealing strip may be used. The floor sealing strips 170, 172 may enhance the seal between the surface cleaning head 100 and the floor 10, thereby improving vacuum efficiency.

The side edge vacuum channels 174 may enhance the side edge cleaning efficiency of the surface cleaning head 100. The side edge vacuum channels 174 draw air from the front side 112 and corners/

sides

116a, 116b toward the suction duct 128, thereby enhancing edge cleaning as well as front side cleaning. The at least one side edge vacuum channel 474 may also direct air into the inter-roller air channel 146 between the front roller 124 and the brushroll 122 to facilitate removal of debris from the front roller 124. In this manner, the side edge vacuum channels 174 and the inter-roller air channels 146 together provide at least a portion of the primary air flow path (e.g., as indicated by arrow 40) into the suction duct 128.

The side edge vacuum channels 174 may be arranged at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing 110. In other embodiments, the side edge vacuum channels 174 may be angled between 30 and 60 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing 110. Although the side edge channels are shown as angled straight channels, other shapes and configurations (e.g., S-shaped or curved) are possible and within the scope of the present disclosure.

With reference to fig. 10 to 14D, a carding unit 1050 for cleaning the cleaning roller 1024 in the cleaning apparatus is described in more detail. The cleaning roller 1024 may be rotatably mounted in a housing, such as the surface cleaning head housing described above, with the comb unit 1050 engaging the cleaning roller 1024. Carding unit 1050 includes a series of spaced apart carding tabs or teeth 1052 that extend from rear support 1051 and partially into cleaning roller 1024. Although the illustrated embodiment shows carding unit 1050 having teeth 1052 extending from a single rear support 1051, carding unit 1050 may also include teeth extending from multiple rear supports.

Carding unit 1050 can extend along a majority (i.e., more than half) of the length of cleaning roller 1024, such that carding teeth 1052 remove debris from a majority of the cleaning surface of cleaning roller 1024. In one embodiment, comb teeth 1052 may engage the cleaning surface of cleaning roller 1024, for example, along greater than 90% of the length of the cleaning surface of cleaning roller 1024. The comb unit 1050 works particularly well with a cleaning roller, which is designed to remove hair and other similar debris from the center of the roller 1024.

Comb teeth 1052 have angled leading edges 1053 that are not aligned with the center of rotation 1023 of cleaning roller 1024. The angled leading edge 1053 is the edge that the incoming portion of the rotating cleaning roller 1024 first encounters and is directed toward or into the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller 1020 (i.e., to arrow 1002). More specifically, the leading edge 1053 of the comb teeth 1052 forms an acute angle α with respect to a line 1004 extending from the intersection point 1025 to the center of rotation 1023, where the leading edge 1053 intersects the outer surface of the cleaning roller 1024 at the intersection point 1025. In some embodiments, the angle α is in the range of 5 ° to 50 °, and more specifically in the range of 20 ° to 30 °, and even more specifically in the range of about 24 ° to 25 °.

In some embodiments, the comb teeth 1052 are positioned as close as possible to the bottom contact point 1040 of the cleaning roller 1024, but high enough to prevent catching on the surface being cleaned (e.g., carpet). Comb teeth 1052 may be positioned, for example, directly above the lowermost structure on the housing of the cleaning device. Positioning comb teeth 1052 closer to bottom contact point 1040 of cleaning roller 1024 allows debris to be intercepted and removed as quickly as possible, thereby improving debris removal.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 15A, carding unit 1050 may have other orientations and positions relative to cleaning roller 1024 (e.g., above center of rotation 1023). In a robotic vacuum cleaner, for example, combing unit 1050 may be positioned higher to prevent combing teeth 1052 from interfering with debris being deposited into trash bin 1060.

The comb teeth 1052 may extend into the cleaning roller 1024 to a depth in the range of 0% to 50% of the cleaning roller radius of the soft roller and 0% to 30% of the cleaning roller radius of the tufted brush roller. In one embodiment, cleaning roller 1024 is a soft roller (e.g., nylon bristles having a diameter less than or equal to 0.15mm and a length greater than 3mm) and comb teeth 1052 extend into soft cleaning roller 1024 in the range of 15% to 35%. Carding projections 1052 may be positioned to provide a root gap or spacing between rear support 1051 and the outer surface of cleaning roller 1024 so that air may flow between cleaning roller 1024 and rear support 1051 and through the roots of carding teeth 1052. The airflow over the roots of carding teeth 1052 may assist in dislodging debris that has been removed from cleaning roller 1024 and directing the debris into the airflow path of the suction duct towards the cleaning apparatus. The width RG of the root gap may be in the range of 1 to 3mm, more particularly in the range of 2 to 3 mm. Root gap RG may extend over the entire length of comb unit 1050, or root gap RG may be formed only in one or more sections along the length of comb unit 1050 to form air channels only at these sections. In other embodiments, the rear support 1051 of the comb unit 1050 may contact the outer surface of the cleaning roller 1024 to provide a seal and force air to flow under the cleaning roller 1024.

In the illustrated embodiment (fig. 11 and 14D), comb teeth 1052 have a triangular "teeth" configuration with a wider base or root 1054 having a root width W_rThe apex 1056 has a diameter D_r. In general, base or root 1054 may be wide enough to prevent teeth 1052 from bending upward when contacted by rotating cleaning roller 1024, and tip 1056 may be sharp enough to capture debris. In some embodiments, the tip 1056 can be rounded to have a diameter in the range of less than 3mm, and more specifically in the range of 1 to 2mm, and even more specifically about 1.6 mm. Root width W_rMay be in the range of 5 to 6 mm.

In another embodiment, shown in fig. 15B, comb teeth 1052 'have a curved configuration in which curved leading edge 1053' forms a concave curve. In this embodiment, a line 1006 extending from the curved leading edge 1053' at the tip 1056 forms an angle α with a line 1004 extending from the intersection 1025 to the center of rotation 1023. Comb teeth 1052' having curved edges may be positioned and similarly spaced apart from teeth 1052 having straight leading edges 1053 as described and illustrated herein.

In some embodiments, carding unit 1050 includes carding teeth 1052 spaced at 4 to 16 teeth per inch, more specifically 7 to 9 teeth per inch. Comb teeth 1052 may be made of plastic or metal and may have a thickness that provides a desired stiffness to prevent bending when engaged with rotating cleaning roller 1024. In some embodiments, comb teeth 1052 may have a thickness of 0.5 to 2mm, depending on the material. In one example, comb teeth 1052 are made of plastic andhaving a thickness of 0.8mm, a spacing S of about 2.4mm and a center-to-center spacing S of about 3.3mm_c。

Although carding unit 1050 is shown with carding teeth 1052 equally spaced, carding unit 1050 may also include teeth 1052 of different spacing, e.g., groups of equidistant teeth. Carding unit 1050 may include a section without teeth at the center of cleaning roller 1024 and a set of carding teeth 1052 immediately adjacent the ends of cleaning roller 1024, where hair and similar debris migrate during rotation. Although carding unit 1050 is shown as having teeth 1052 of the same shape or tooth configuration and size, carding unit 1050 may include teeth of different shapes, configuration sizes and configurations at different locations along carding unit 1050.

Fig. 16 and 17 show examples of two different types of

vacuum cleaners

1600, 1700 which may include surface cleaning heads 1602, 1702 with dual agitators, including

front rollers

1624, 1724 and a comb unit (not shown), consistent with embodiments described herein. Surface cleaning head 1602 with forward roller 1624 may be used on an upright vacuum cleaner 1600 in which a removable canister 1601 is coupled to wand 1604, such as the type described in commonly-owned U.S. patent application publication No. 2015/0351596, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The surface cleaning head 1702 with the forward rollers 1724 may be used on a stick-type vacuum cleaner 1700 in which a detachable handheld vacuum 1701 is coupled to one end of a stick 1704, such as the type described in commonly-owned U.S. patent application publication No. 2015/0135474, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Fig. 18 shows a robotic vacuum cleaner 1800, the robotic vacuum cleaner 1800 comprising a housing 1810 and a cleaning roller 1824 having a comb unit (not shown) as disclosed herein. The robotic vacuum cleaner 1800 may also include one or more wheels 1830 for moving around the surface to be cleaned. An example of a comb unit for use in a robotic vacuum cleaner is disclosed in more detail in us provisional application No. 62/469,853 filed on 10/3/2017, which is incorporated herein by reference.

While the principles of the invention have been described herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention. In addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein, other embodiments are also contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A cleaning device, characterized in that the cleaning device comprises:

a housing defining a suction duct having an opening on a bottom side of the housing;

a cleaning roller mounted in the housing for directing debris into the opening; and

a comb unit extending along at least a portion of the cleaning roller and in contact with the cleaning roller, the comb unit comprising a series of spaced comb projections extending partially into the cleaning roller and having a leading edge directed in the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller, wherein at least some of the comb projections have a curved configuration having at least a leading edge forming a concave curve, and wherein the tips of the spaced comb projections contact the upper half of the cleaning roller above the center of rotation of the cleaning roller, and wherein the upper portion of the cleaning roller above the comb projections is outside the suction duct.

2. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the leading edge is not aligned with a center of rotation of the cleaning roller.

3. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections comprise spaced-apart combing teeth extending from a rear support, wherein the teeth have roots at the rear support and tips at an end opposite the roots, the roots of the teeth being wider than the tips.

4. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections comprise spaced-apart combing teeth extending from a rear support to tips, and wherein at least some of the tips are rounded with a diameter of less than 3 mm.

5. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein at least some of the tips are rounded with a diameter of 1-2 mm.

6. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the carding projections are spaced 4 to 16 teeth per inch.

7. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the carding projections is in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm.

8. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the carding tabs are made of plastic.

9. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced-apart carding projections comprise spaced-apart carding teeth extending from a rear support to a tip, and wherein the teeth engage the cleaning roller such that a root gap is formed between the rear support and an exterior of the cleaning roller.

10. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections extend into the cleaning roller at about 15-35% of the radius of the cleaning roller.

11. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spaced-apart combing projections of said combing unit comprise combing teeth having different shapes.

12. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced-apart carding projections of the carding unit comprise carding teeth having different configurations.

13. The cleaning apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced-apart carding projections of the carding unit comprise carding teeth having different configurations.

14. A robotic vacuum cleaner, characterized in that the robotic vacuum cleaner comprises:

a dustbin;

a cleaning roller mounted in the housing for directing debris through the opening into the trash bin; and

a carding unit extending along at least a portion of the cleaning roller and in contact with the cleaning roller, the carding unit comprising a series of spaced carding tabs extending partially into the cleaning roller and having a leading edge that is directed into the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller, wherein at least some of the carding tabs have a curved configuration with at least a leading edge that forms a concave curve, and wherein the tips of the spaced carding tabs contact the upper half of the cleaning roller above the center of rotation of the cleaning roller and debris is deposited into the bin.

15. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the leading edge is not aligned with a center of rotation of the cleaning roller.

16. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections comprise spaced-apart combing teeth extending from a rear support, wherein the teeth have roots at the rear support and tips at ends opposite the roots, the roots of the teeth being wider than the tips.

17. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the combing projections are spaced 4 to 16 teeth per inch.

18. A robotic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 14, wherein the thickness of the combing projections is in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm.

19. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the combing protrusions are made of plastic.

20. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the spaced combing projections comprise spaced combing teeth extending from a rear support to tips, and wherein at least some of the tips are rounded with a diameter of less than 3 mm.

21. A robotic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 20, wherein at least some of the tips are rounded with a diameter of 1 to 2 mm.

22. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the spaced combing projections include spaced combing teeth extending from a rear support to a tip, and wherein the teeth engage the cleaning roller such that a root gap is formed between the rear support and an exterior of the cleaning roller.

23. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections extend into the cleaning roller at about 15% to 35% of a radius of the cleaning roller.

24. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections of the combing unit include combing teeth having different shapes.

25. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections of the combing unit include combing teeth having different configurations.

26. The robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the spaced-apart combing projections of the combing unit include combing teeth having different configurations.

27. A robotic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 14, wherein the upper part of the cleaning roller above the combing projection is outside the suction duct.