GB2273654A

GB2273654A - Vacuum cleaner nozzle

Info

Publication number: GB2273654A
Application number: GB9325988A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shusuke Yamashita
Original assignee: Azuma Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Azuma Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 1992-12-28
Filing date: 1993-12-20
Publication date: 1994-06-29
Also published as: GB9325988D0; KR940014548U; JPH0642597Y2; JPH0652747U

Abstract

A suction nozzle, for a vacuum cleaner comprises a hollow tubular body 1 connectible at one end to the suction pipe of a vacuum cleaner and defining an intake opening 2 at the other end thereof, a hard brush 3 composed of a number of individual tufts of stiff brush hair arranged about the intake opening, and a shielding skirt 4 of a flexible synthetic resin sheet wrapped around the hard brush and held against the suction in a shielding configuration by the hard brush. The suction nozzle attachment is particularly suitable for use on three-dimensional or deeply contoured surfaces. An auxiliary cleaning brush 6 may be disposed in the opening. <IMAGE>

Description

SUCTION NOZZLE ATTACHMENT FOR VACUUM CLEANERS This invention relates to a suction nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners, which is suitable for use in cleaning irregular surfaces which have relatively large changes in contour, for example, as in the case of deep windows or door sash rails or the like.

The suction nozzle attachments which are generally used with vacuum cleaners for floor cleaning purposes give relatively good performances on flat floor surfaces free from any significant ups and downs, but they are not good at cleaning surfaces which have a three-dimensional shape or which have relatively large changes in contour, as do deep doors or window sash rails. In order to cope with this problem, there have been introduced suction nozzle attachments with a long hair brush.

However, in the case of a suction nozzle attachment with such a long hair brush, a relatively wide space is always opened between the floor surface and the intake opening of the suction nozzle attachment, so that air is drawn into the suction pipe through the interstices between the individual tufts of the brush, giving rise to the problem that the vacuuming action of the cleaner on the floor surface to be cleaned is often insufficient, whereby the cleaner fails to remove dust effectively from the surfaces being cleaned.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a suction nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners, which is suitable for use in vacuuming surfaces with a threedimensional shape or surfaces containing relatively large changes in contour, such as deep doors or window sash rails, and more particularly which can clean up dust on such surfaces effectively despite the use of a long hair brush.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a suction nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners, comprising: a hollow tubular body connectible at one end to the suction pipe of a vacuum cleaner and defining an intake opening at the other end thereof; a hard brush composed of a number of individual tufts of stiff brush hair arranged about said intake opening of said body; and a shielding skirt of a flexible synthetic resin sheet wrapped around said hard brush and held in a shielding configuration by said tufts of said hard brush during vacuuming operations.

In the suction nozzle attachment in accordance with the present invention the provision of the flexible shielding skirt helps to suppress the amount of suction air being drawn in through the interstices of individual tufts of brush hair and lets the vacuuming action of the suction reach the cleaning surface to a greater degree.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the tufts of the hard brush are arranged in two opposed rows one on each side of the intake opening. An auxiliary cleaning brush may be additionally provided between the opposed rows of the tufts of the hard brush if desired.

The hard brush, and the auxiliary cleaning brush if present preferably project slightly below the lower end of the flexible shielding skirt.

A preferred embodiment of suction nozzle attachment in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the vacuum cleaner suction nozzle attachment; and Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the suction nozzle attachment of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown one preferred embodiment of a vacuum cleaner suction nozzle attachment according to the present invention. The suction nozzle attachment includes a hollow tubular body 1 to be connected at one end thereof (the upper end as shown) to the suction pipe (not shown) of a vacuum cleaner, the body 1 defining an intake opening 2 at the other end in communication with the suction pipe to draw in suction air therethrough. The intake opening 2 is surrounded by a hard brush 3 having a large number of tufts of lengthy stiff brush hair planted on the wall of the hollow body 1 which circumscribes the intake opening 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the tufts of the hard brush are arranged in two opposed rows, one on each side of the intake opening 2.The suction nozzle attachment is further provided with a shielding skirt 4 of a soft or flexible synthetic resin sheet which is fitted around the body 1 in the fashion of a skirt terminating slightly short of the lower end of the hard brush 3. Accordingly, the lower end of the hard brush projects slightly beyond the lower end of the flexible shielding skirt 4. Further, an auxiliary cleaning brush 6, similar to the hard brush 3 in hair length, is planted on a bridge portion 5 which is extended across the intake opening 2 of the body 1 between the two rows of tufts of the hard brush 3.

The shielding skirt 4 has the function of enclosing the circumference of the relatively large space which is formed between the intake opening 2 and a surface to be cleaned due to the presence of the long brush hair, thereby suppressing the amount of suction air which is drawn into the suction pipe through the interstices of the individual tufts of the hard brush. In turn, the hard brush 3 which is arranged on the inner side of the flexible shielding skirt 4 also serves the function of supporting the shielding skirt 4 from the inside thereof during vacuuming operations, holding the skirt in a shielding configuration against the force of suction air which tends to deform and draw the shielding skirt 4 toward the intake opening 2.

Therefore, provided that this function is ensured, the hard brush 3 may be planted around the intake opening 2 in an arbitrary density. As a result, the suction air streams can be effectively used for the dust vacuuming operation, and the dust which has been floated up or mobilized by the sweeping action of the auxiliary cleaning brush 6 and the hard brush 3 is efficiently removed by the vacuuming action of the cleaner.

The main purpose of the hard brush 3 is to sweep dust off a surface to be cleaned in cooperation with the auxiliary cleaning brush 6, and for that purpose it is preferred that it should not be stiff to an excessive degree. On the other hand, the hard brush 3 is required to have a certain degree of stiffness in order to hold the configuration of the flexible shielding skirt 4. To meet these requirements, the hard brush 3 is preferred to be composed of a mixture of a number of different brush materials with different functions which can serve for the above-described purposes, especially a mixture of different brush materials which are combined so that the brush has the required stiffness as a whole whilst also having a suitable degree of flexibility at the tips of the tufts for an effective sweeping operation.

As previously indicated, the purpose of the shielding skirt 4 is to concentrate the suction air streams toward the surface portions which are being swept by the hard brush 3 and the auxiliary cleaning brush 6. In this regard, for the purpose of ensuring an efficient vacuuming action of the cleaner, the hard brush 3 and the cleaning brush 6 are preferred to be longer than the shielding skirt 4 so that they both slightly project below the lower end of the shielding skirt 4.

The illustrated embodiment of suction nozzle attachment is intended for use on surfaces with relatively large variations up and down in contour on surfaces with a threedimensional shape like deep doors or window sash rails.

The combined action of the hard brush 3 and the auxiliary cleaning brush 6 makes it possible for a vacuum cleaner to sweep and clean up such surfaces in an extremely efficient manner.

Furthermore, the shielding skirt 4 of a flexible or soft synthetic resin sheet, which is fitted around the outer side of the hard brush 3, is suitably supported by the latter to retain its shielding configuration, precluding the risk of the shielding skirt 4 being swallowed into the intake opening 2 under the influence of the suction air.

Accordingly, the dust which has been floated up or mobilized by the sweeping action of the auxiliary cleaning brush 6 and the hard brush 3 can be removed efficiently by the vacuuming action of the cleaner.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A suction nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners, comprising: a hollow tubular body connectible at one end to the suction pipe of a vacuum cleaner and defining an intake opening at the other end thereof; a hard brush composed of a number of individual tufts of stiff brush hair arranged about said intake opening of said body; and a shielding skirt of a flexible synthetic resin sheet wrapped around said hard brush and held in a shielding configuration by said tufts of said hard brush during vacuuming operations.

2. A suction nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners as defined in Claim 1, wherein said tufts of said hard brush are arranged in two opposed rows one on each side of said intake opening, and wherein an auxiliary cleaning brush is disposed between said rows of said tufts of said hard brush.

3. A suction nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners as defined in Claims 1 or 2, wherein said hard brush, and said auxiliary cleaning brush if present, project below the lower end of said flexible shielding skirt.

4. A suction nozzle attachment for vacuum cleaners, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.