FI68168B - BORSTVALS FOER DAMMSUGARE - Google Patents

Description

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j8Ti> tB3 (11) UTLÄGGNI NGSSKRIFT 68168 C (45) Patent granted 12 CO 1935 φ *) Patent neddelat (51) Kv.lk.4 / lnt.Ct. * A ^ 7 L 9 / 0h SUO M'— FIN LAND (21) Patent application - Patentansökning 793632 (22) Application date - Ansöknlngsdag 20.11. 79 (F ·) (23) Start date - Giltighetsdag 15-03 * 72 (41) Become public - Blivit offentlig 20.11.79

National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland Ngh ^ date of registration and hearing— 30.0 ^ 4.85

Patent- och registerstyrelsen '' Ansökan utlagd och utl.skrlften publicerad (32) (33) (31) Privilege claimed - Begärd priority 29.03.71 USA (US) 128869 (71) National Union Electric Corporation, 66 Field Point Road, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830, USA (72) Harold William Schaefer, Bloomington, Illinois,

William Henry Penn, Normal, Illinois, USA (7k) Berggren Oy Ab (5 * 0 Vacuum cleaner brush roller - Borstvals för dammsugare (62) Divided by application 700/72 (patent 57206) -Avdelad fran trap 700/72 (patent The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner or similar brush blade, the roller body of which comprises a drive belt disc formed as a separate component, which is formally connected to the roller body for rotation therewith and has at least one groove in the circumference extending longitudinally and terminating in the belt disc.

The object of the present invention is to provide a brush roll according to the preamble, the roll body having an arbitrary, only optimal shape determined by the cleaning process, but in which the belt disc can be accurately and non-pulledly attached to the roll body by simple means and in which the roll body can be formed as a one-piece structure.

German Patent Publication No. 1,299,809 and American Patent Publication No. 1,815,077 disclose brush rolls having a roller body formed of three parts. In them, two hoses of flexible material with longitudinal recesses for receiving strips with brushes 2 681 68 or the like are drawn on a tube of square cross-section which is helically twisted along its entire length. The belt disc is formed here by an independent unit arranged between two hose parts, with a square inner cross-section, which thus corresponds to the cross-section of a helical tube, so that the belt disc can be pushed over it by screwing longitudinally and left untwisted on the pipe between hose parts. The manufacture and formation of the roll body thus requires several steps and since the hose material must be flexible so that it can somehow be easily pulled over the square tube, it has only a relatively small resistance to the detachment of the brush strips as they strike the substrate as the brush rotates.

To overcome these drawbacks, the rotating brush according to the invention is formed in such a way that the brush roll is made in one piece, that the belt disc is a multi-part structure and that the belt disc and the brush roller are cooperating guide members comprising at least one guide part fitted to the brush roller recess.

This is achieved by a brush roller according to the invention, which is mainly characterized in that the belt disc is formed by two halves of approximately circular shape which can be fitted to the roller body and thereby connected to a belt disc and have at least one guide member extending into the groove of the roller body.

Thanks to the fact that the belt disc is formed of two halves, it can be easily fitted to the finished one-piece roller body without having to move the belt disc from the ends of the roller body over the body. Due to the fact that the brush roll has at least one guide member which engages in the at least one groove in the at least one groove, the exact three-dimensional arrangement of the belt disc on the roll body and its joining together are facilitated.

The fitting of the brush roller to the belt disc is particularly easy with a brush roller in which each groove of the roller body includes a guide member.

Other preferred embodiments are set out in the appended subclaims.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in the form of two schematically illustrated embodiments, in which Figure 1 shows a bottom view of a vacuum cleaner with a brush roller assembly having the features of the present invention mounted on a suction nozzle.

Figure 2 shows a partial longitudinal section substantially along line 2-2 in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 shows a top view and a partial section of the brush roller assembly shown in Fig. 1, the central part rotated about a longitudinal axis, for the purpose of illustrating further details.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view (rotated) taken along line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a pulley used in the brush roller assembly illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5.

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Figures 7 and 8 are partial views showing a top and side view of one detachable brush strip used in the brush roller assemblies shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Fig. 9 is a partial longitudinal section of a portion of the brush roll shown in Fig. 5 and illustrates a structure at one end of one detachable brush strip in the position it has when mounting or removing the brush strip from the roll. Fig. 10 is a plan view of a central portion of a brush roll assembly having the features of the present invention and illustrates an alternative to a pulley structure mounted on the roll body of the assembly.

Figure 11 shows an enlarged, rotated cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 12-12 in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the pulley shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13.

Figures 1 and 2 show a brush roller assembly 10 having the features of the present invention mounted on the nozzle part 11 of the bottom or body 12 of the vacuum cleaner. The body 12 of the vacuum cleaner is in this case of the type used in the so-called in standing type (vertical) vacuum cleaners and is conventional in that it includes a plurality of wheels 13 on its underside to facilitate movement of the vacuum cleaner on the surface to be cleaned and a pivotally mounted handle (not shown) to handle the vacuum cleaner. The motor-driven fan 16 is centrally located in the vacuum cleaner body 12 and enclosed in a chamber 17 which communicates with a filter bag (not shown) suspended from the vacuum cleaner handle. When the vacuum cleaner is in operation, the function of the fan 16 is to provide an air flow through the elongate inlet 19 in the removable cover 20 associated with the nozzle part 11. This flow passes through the chamber 21 to the nozzle part 11 and from here through the vacuum cleaner body 12 to the filter bag.

As best seen in Figures 3-5, the brush roll assembly 10 includes an elongate roll body member 22, which is preferably rectangular or elongate in cross-section and rotated about its longitudinal axis so as to be helical in shape. For this purpose, the roll body member 22 may be aluminum, which is extruded into the described helical shape as the material exits the compression die. Such a helical shape reduces the effective cross-sectional area of the roll body 22 and, consequently, the amount by which the brush roll assembly 10 restricts the flow of air through the nozzle portion 11. In addition, the helical shape of the roller body 22 tends to increase the vortex in the vacuum nozzle, which is advantageous.

In connection with the extrusion, at least one and preferably a pair of grooves or recesses 23 and 24 (Fig. 5) can be formed in the roll body member 22 at its longitudinal side edges.

In the case shown, the grooves 23 and 24 are each divided into two parts by a drive pulley 25 fixed to the roller body 22 between its ends. The portions of the grooves 23 and 24 are adapted to receive a pair of whip elements 26 and 27 and a pair of brush members, i.e. strips 28 and 29, the whip elements and the brush members being alternately arranged in the groove parts.

The manner in which the whip elements 26 and 27 and the brush members 28 and 29 are mounted in the grooves 23 and 24 of the roller body 22 will be explained more fully below. ,

As mentioned above, the drive pulley 25 is attached to the roller body 22. In the illustrated case, the drive pulley 25 has a multi-part construction and is preferably made of a rigid plastic material such as Lexan. Thus, the pulley 25 has two parts or halves 25a and 25b connected to each other along a diameter-common common interface 30 after the parts are mounted on the cylindrical mounting portion 31 of the roller body 22 (Fig. 3). For this purpose, the pulley halves 25a and 25b have semicircular inner edges 32a and 32b (Fig. 6) which delimit a circular opening 32 in the pulley 25 having substantially the same diameter as the mounting portion 31 when the halves 25a and 25b are connected to each other. The pulley halves 25a and 25b can be connected to each other in any suitable manner, suitably by sound wave welding.

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In order to prevent relative movement between the roller body 22 and the pulley 25 after the halves 25a and 25b are fixed to each other around the cylindrical portion 31, a recess 33 is formed in each axial end surface of the pulley 25. Each recess 33 includes a portion 33a in the pulley half 25a in cover 25b. The recesses 33 have substantially the same shape as those parts of the roller body 22 which are adjacent to the cylindrical mounting part 31, i. usually rectangular.

The assembly of the pulley halves 25a and 25b around the cylindrical portion 31 is facilitated by at least one and preferably a plurality of guide portions in the pulley 25. In the illustrated case, such guide portions include a pair of axially outwardly extending tabs 34 on each axial end face. has a sufficient axial length to extend to the adjacent ends of the grooves 23 and 24 when the pulley 25 is mounted on the roller body member 22. The transverse length of the lugs 34 is somewhat less than the width of the radially outer portions of the grooves 23 and 24. Thus, when mounting the pulley halves 25a and 25b to the mounting portion 31, the lugs 34 cooperate with the adjacent walls of the grooves 23 and 24 to guide the pulley halves into contact with the cylindrical portion 31 and the portions adjacent the mounting portion 31 of the roller body member 22 to the recesses 33.

The brush roll assembly 10 is rotatably mounted on the nozzle portion 11 of the vacuum cleaner body 12 so as to extend longitudinally across the nozzle chamber 21. For this purpose, an elongate shaft 37 extends through an extended axial bore 38 inside the roll body member 22 and supported therein by bearings 39 mounted on the bore . Two end caps 40 (Figures 1 and 3) with outwardly extending non-circular hub or support portions 41 are non-rotatably attached to opposite ends of the shaft 37 by threaded sleeves 42. The support portions 41 are adapted to enter correspondingly formed recesses in both nozzle chambers 21. at the ends and spring retainers 44 (Fig. 1) or some 7 68168 other suitable fastening means for releasably securing the support members. 41 into their recesses and into the chamber 21 of the brush roller assembly 10. Thus, the end caps 40 and the shaft 37 remain in place as the brush roller assembly 10 rotates.

Rotation of the brush roller assembly 10 in the chamber 21 is effected by a belt 53 extending around the pulley 25 and the second pulley 54 (Figures 1 and 2), the latter pulley being mounted on a shaft 56 driving a fan 16. It will be appreciated that other drive arrangements could be used to rotate the brush roller assembly 10.

As mentioned above, a pair of whip elements 26 and 27 and a pair of brush members or strips 28 and 29 are mounted on the roller frame member 22 and secured thereto by grooves 23 and 24. To this end, the bottoms 62 (Fig. 4) of the grooves 23 and 24 are wider than their radially outer ends 63 so that the side walls 64 of the grooves are inclined towards each other. Thus, the grooves 23 and 24 are notched, i.e. in the shape of a dovetail, radially inwards.

The whip elements 26 and 27 are preferably elongate sheet metal strips, for example of stainless steel or chromium-plated cold-rolled steel, having a V-shaped cross-section and twisted to correspond to the curved shape of the grooves 23 and 24. The outer surface of the whips 26 and 27 adjacent their longitudinal edges 66 is in intimate contact with the side walls 64 of the grooves so that the whip elements remain firmly in the grooves. However, if the whip elements 26 and 27 fall in or wear out or need to be replaced for any other reason, they can be removed from the grooves 23 and 24 by moving them out of the grooves from the roller body member 22 after removing the end caps 40 and a pair of annular retaining discs 67 inward. inverted mounting flanges 68. The new whip elements can then be inserted into the grooves 23 and 24 at the ends and the brush roller assembly 10 can be reassembled.

Each brush member 28 and 29 is formed by an elongate base or strip 70 of a flexible material, such as vinyl plastic, having substantially the same cross-section as the grooves 23 681 68 8 and 24. Accordingly, the strips 70 fit snugly in the grooves 23 and 24 but can be slidably moved in the grooves. . A series of brush groups, preferably of nylon, are spaced at regular intervals along the longitudinal direction of each strip 70 to brush the surface to be cleaned and to remove dirt particles adhering to the surface.

In order to prevent abrasion of the outer ends of the brush members 28 and 29 into the end caps 40 and to allow the brush members to be removed from the grooves 23 and 24 and replaced with new ones, the brush roll assembly 10 includes removable retaining means for retaining the brush members from moving axially out of the grooves 23 and 24. at the inner ends of the brush member receiving portions and a retainer 72 cooperating therewith at one end of each strip 70 of the brush members 28 and 29. Such a retaining surface is preferably formed on the inner, radially projecting surfaces 73 in the lugs 34, which form part of the axial end walls of the pulley 25. Apertures 76 are formed in the axial end surfaces of the hollow pulley 25 so that the detents 72 can extend into the cavities 77 of the pulley 25 adjacent the end walls. As can be seen in Figure 5, the cavities 77 are formed by a clearance between the inner surfaces of the lugs 34, the inner surface of the inclined wall portion 79 of the pulley 25 and the outer surface 80 of the cylindrical mounting portion of the roller body member 22. The detents 72 have extensions, i.e., arms 81, extending substantially longitudinally outwardly from the bases 70 of the brush members 28 and 29. The detents 72 and arms 81 are preferably formed in the same body as the bases 70 and the strength of the material in the arms 80 is such that the arms are resiliently flexible or bendable. Thus, when the detents 72 are located in the cavities 77, the axially outer ends of the brush members 28 and 29 are prevented from rubbing against the end caps 40. If the outer ends of the brush members 28 and 29 rub against the end caps 40, these ends would be damaged and belt 53 shortened due to increased friction.

As mentioned above, it may be necessary from time to time to remove and replace one or both of the brush members 28 and 29.

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Only the removal and replacement of the brush member 28 will be explained below, because the removal and replacement of the brush member 29 is performed in the same manner as the brush member 28. Suppose it is desired to remove and replace the brush member 28. Then remove the brush assembly 10 from the chamber 21 by removing the cover 20 and then removing spring clips 44 from the support members 41. The end cap 40 is then removed by unscrewing the sleeve 42. The brush member 28 is then moved axially outward in its groove 23 until the retainer 72 engages the inner surface 73 of the ear 34. The arm 81 is long enough to allow small axial movement of the brush member 28 in the groove 23 before the retainer 72 contacts the surface 73 of the ear 34.

When the detent 72 comes into contact with the inner surface 73 of the ear 34, a portion of the arm 81 is exposed (visible). As a result, there is a gap 82 (Fig. 9) between the axial inner end of the brush member 28 and the surface adjacent to the ear 34. The gap 82 allows a suitable tool, such as a small screwdriver (not shown), to be inserted into the gap 82 and pivot the arm 81 radially inward, as seen in Figure 9. After the arm 81 is bent inward and the retainer 72 is detached from the inner surface of the ear 34 73, the brush member 28 is moved axially outward in its groove through this open end and through a similarly shaped opening 83 in the disc 67 (Fig. 3).

After the brush member 28 has been completely removed from the groove, the new brush member can be easily installed only by pushing this new brush member from the outer end of the groove with the brush member retainer 72 facing the pulley 25 and then moving the brush member completely into the groove. To avoid the need to bend the arm 81 of the new brush member radially inward to allow the retainer 72 to pass through the opening 76 and the pulley cavity 77, the inner end of the retainer 72 may have a chamfer 84 (Figures 5 and 9) defining an inclined cam surface in axial contact with the outer corner. (85, Fig. 9) to pivot the retainer 72 inwardly as the brush member is inserted into its groove. Due to the resilience of the material of the shaft 81, the retainer 72 snaps onto the inner surface 73 of the ear 34 as soon as the brush member is fully inserted into its groove. The new brush member thus automatically locks with the pulley 25.

The brush member 29 can be removed and replaced with a new brush member in the same manner as the brush member 28, as already mentioned above.

Figures 10-12 show the center portion of another brush roller assembly 90 in accordance with the present invention. The brush roller assembly 90 differs from the brush roller assembly 10 only in the construction of the drive belt wheel 100. Accordingly, only the structure of the drive pulley 100 will be described in detail below.

The pulley 100 of the brush roller assembly 90 is similar to the pulley 25 of the brush roller assembly 10 in that a multi-part structure is also used in the pulley 100, namely the pulley is divided into two parts, i.e. the pulley half 100a and 100b. When the pulley halves 100a and 100b are assembled on the roller body member 22, they contact each other along a common joint surface 101 in the diameter direction. The pulley halves 100a and 100b are also similar to the pulley halves 25a and 25b in that the former also includes inner semicircular edges 102a Fig. 13) delimiting a circular opening 102 in the pulley 100 having substantially the same diameter as the mounting portion 31 of the roller body member 22 when the halves are in contact with the latter and with each other.

The pulley 100 is also similar to the pulley 25 in that the former is similarly provided with a recess 103 in each of its opposite axial end faces 105 and 106 (Fig. 10) for receiving the portions of the roller body member 22 adjacent the mounting portion 31.

The pulley 100 also has guide members having the shape of two lugs 108 located on each of the opposite axial end faces 105 and 106 of the pulley. The lugs 108 extend to adjacent ends 681 68 11 of the grooves 23 and 24 of the roller body member 22 when the pulley 100 is assembled to the roller body member.

The ears 108 function in the same way as the ears of the pulley 25, i. they delimit the cavities 109 for the detents 72 of the brush members 28 and 29 and the holding surfaces 110 against which the detents 72 rest when the brush members 28 and 29 are fully attached to the roller body member. The lugs 108 also facilitate the assembly of the pulley halves 100a and 100b on the mounting portion 31 by cooperating with the adjacent walls of the grooves 23 and 24 when the pulley halves 100a and 100b are assembled around the mounting portion 31.

The pulley 100 differs from the pulley 25 in that the pulley 100 is made of metal, e.g., an aluminum injection molding, and the pulley halves 100a and 100b are preferably secured together by fasteners rather than by sound wave welding.

In order to provide a place for mechanical fasteners, each pulley half 100a and 100b includes at least one and preferably a plurality of symmetrically arranged protrusions adjacent to its axial end faces. The protrusions adjacent the end face 105 of the pulley halves 100a and 100b are denoted by reference numerals 112a and 113a in Figs. 11 and 13, and the associated protrusions in the second pulley half are denoted by reference numerals 112b and 113b, respectively. A similar series of protrusions are formed on the pulley halves 100a and 100b adjacent the opposite end wall 106 of the pulley 100. Fig. 10 shows only the protrusions 114a and 115a in the pulley half 100a corresponding to the protrusions 112 and 113a. The protrusions in the pulley half 100b corresponding to the protrusions 114a and 115a are indicated by reference numerals 114b and 115b in Fig. 13.

Adjacent pairs of protrusions 112a and 112b, 113a and 113b, 114a and 114b and 115a and 115b are provided with bores 116 for mechanical fasteners, for example rivets 117. Thus, when the pulley halves 100a and 100b are assembled on the mounting portion 31, they can be fixed in this position by pushing the rivets 117 through the bores 116 and pushing their ends in the usual manner. It is to be understood, however, that although the pulley halves 100a and 100b of the 68168 are initially initially assembled using rivets 117, other fasteners, such as screws, may also be used. In the event that the pulley 100 is disassembled in the field, it is preferable to reconnect its halves 100a and 100b to each other with screws.

The pulley 100 further differs from the pulley 25 in that the cavities 109 of the former are smaller than the cavities 77 of the latter, so that the retainers 72 of the brush members 28 and 29 fit tightly into the cavities 109 when the brush members are fully inserted into their grooves 23 and 24, as shown in Fig. 12. the brush members 28 and 29 cannot be significantly displaced in their grooves relative to the pulley 100 after the detents 72 snap into the cavities 109. However, the detents 72 disengage from the cavities 109 when sufficient force is applied to the brush members 28 and 29 if it becomes necessary to replace one or both brush members. Such a force can be applied to either of the brush members 28 and 29 by inserting the blade of a screwdriver or other suitable tool between the pulley side end surface of the strip 70 and the pulley 100 and levering the brush member away from the pulley.

Claims (8)

A vacuum cleaner brush or the like, the roller body (22) of which has a drive pulley disk (25; 100) formed as a separate structural member, which in its shape is associated with the roller body for joint rotational movement with the roller body and at its circumference occupies at least one, extending approximately in the longitudinal direction of the roller body and in the pulley opening (23, 24) for receiving a brush strip, characterized in that the pulley (25; 100) consists of two, approximately half-cylinders (25a, 25b; 100a, 100b) formed ), which can be applied to the roller body (22) and where it is joined to a pulley, and that there is at least one guide member (34; 108) extending in the belt (23, 24) in the roller body (25; 100). 22). Brush roller according to claim 1, characterized in that a guide (34; 108) is associated with each latch (23, 24). Brush roll according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each half (100a, 100b) has at least one counterpart (112a, 112b; 113a, 113b; 114a, 114b; 115a, 115b) for one of the two halves connecting each other. elements, such as, for example, a rivet (117).