US20020066154A1

US20020066154A1 - Vacuum cleaner nozzle

Info

Publication number: US20020066154A1
Application number: US09/730,626
Authority: US
Inventors: Dieter Kaffenberger; Hans-Joachim Steudtner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Wessel Werk GmbH
Priority date: 2000-12-06
Filing date: 2000-12-06
Publication date: 2002-06-06

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner nozzle with a top part of the housing and a bottom plate. The bottom plate has a suction mouth that is realized in the form of a channel extending transversely in relation to the direction of movement. Thread lifting strips made of textile material are arranged on both sides of the suction mouth in recesses in the bottom plate. According to the invention, the ratio of the nozzle width (B) measured at the ends of the suction mouth, to the length (L) of the thread lifting strips is lower than 2.8.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner nozzle for household vacuum cleaners, comprising a top housing part and a bottom plate. The bottom plate has a suction mouth in the form of a channel extending transversely to the direction of movement. Thread lifting strips made of textile material are arranged on both sides of the suction mouth in recesses of the bottom plate.

2. The Prior Art

Vacuum cleaner nozzles for floor vacuum cleaners used in households usually have a nozzle width of between 280 and 300 mm and thread lifting strips with a length of between 65 and 85 mm. Thread lifting strips detach fibers and threads from a textile surface of the floor, so that such fibers and threads can be seized by the current of suction air and transported away.

Vacuum cleaner nozzles for household vacuum cleaners are used on smooth and textile floor coverings and are expected to pick up dust-like and coarser particles as well as also fiber-like dirt materials in an effective way. Furthermore, such nozzles are expected to be easily movable. The suction mouth has to be made so that the vacuum cleaner nozzle cannot “freeze” itself by suction on high-pile floor coverings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a vacuum cleaner nozzle for household vacuum cleaners that has improved fiber pick-up, and which does not adversely influence the picking up of dust and particles or the pushing force.

This and other objects are accomplished by a vacuum cleaner nozzle according to the invention in which the ratio of the nozzle width at the ends of the suction mouth, to the length of the thread lifting strips is lower than 2.8. A length ratio of from 2.2 to 2.6 was found to be particularly advantageous. The thread lifting strips arranged at both ends of the suction mouth preferably have the same length.

As compared to the prior art, the thread lifting strips are very long, so that the nozzle can effectively pick up fiber-like dirt such as hair and the like. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the recess for the front thread lifting strip (as measured by the direction of suction) is defined along the suction mouth by a narrow rib. This rib projects on the bottom side as far as the edges of the suction mouth adjoining the two ends of the thread lifting strip. The rib, which defines the recess for the front thread lifting strip, represents extensions of the edges of the suction mouth in the zone of the thread lifting strip and promotes good pick-up of dust. Surprisingly good results are obtained with respect to the pushing force when the vacuum cleaner nozzle is used on textile floor coverings.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom plate behind the suction mouth has a beveled sliding surface that projects downwards, starting from a rearward horizontal section, and which is followed by a rear edge of the suction mouth. There is a rib that defines the recess for the rear thread lifting strip along the rear edge of the suction mouth. This rib is followed by contours of the beveled sliding surface.

The textile surfaces of the thread lifting strip preferably consist of slanted bristle velour, which due to their mirror-symmetrical alignment, alternately pick up fibers and strip them off as the vacuum cleaner nozzle moves forward and back.

The thread lifting strips may glued into their associated recesses in the bottom plate. According to a preferred embodiment, the thread lifting strips have reinforcing backs made of plastic, and are detachably secured on the bottom plate by plug connections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. [0012]
In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: [0013]
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a vacuum cleaner nozzle for a household vacuum cleaner according to the invention; and [0014]
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a bottom plate of the vacuum cleaner nozzle shown in FIG. 1.[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the vacuum cleaner nozzle, which is intended for floor vacuum cleaners and can be used on textile floor coverings as well as smooth floors. In a known manner, the nozzle consists of a top housing part [0016] 1, a bottom plate 2, a running roller 3 supported in the rear on the top part 1, and a suction tube connection 4, which is pivot-mounted in a rear suction channel 5 of the top part 1. Strips of bristles or combinations of bristle strips and a rubber lip can be retracted via foot switch 5 and extended on the bottom side. The vacuum cleaner nozzle shown in the Figures is supported on the bottom side only on its rearward running roller 3. No provision is made for running rollers in front. Bottom plate 2 slides on the floor covering to be vacuum-cleaned when the bristle strips are retracted.
FIG. 2 shows that bottom plate [0017] 2 has a suction mouth 7 in the form of a channel extending transversely to the direction of movement of the vacuum cleaner nozzle. Two equally long thread lifting strips 8 and 8′ made of textile material are arranged on both sides of suction mouth 7 in recesses provided in bottom plate 2. The ratio of the nozzle width “B” measured at the ends of the suction mouth, to the length “L” of the thread lifting strips, is less than 2.8, and preferably amounts to between 2.2 and 2.6. The recess for thread lifting strip 8 located in front in the direction of suction is defined by a narrow rib 9, which projects on the bottom side as far as the suction mouth edges 10, and adjoin the two ends of the thread lifting strip 8.
Behind the [0018] suction mouth 7, bottom plate 2 has a beveled sliding surface 11 that projects downwards, starting from a rearward horizontal section 12. The rear suction mouth edge 10 and a rib 9′, which defines the recess of the rear thread lifting strip 8′, is followed by contours of the beveled sliding surface 11. The channel forming the suction mouth 7 has a constant width over its entire length, and the section of the channel extending between thread lifting strips 8 and 8′ is parallel offset by about the width of a thread lifting strip 8, 8′, in relation to the sections following on the ends.
The textile surfaces of [0019] thread lifting strips 8, 8′ consist of velour with slanted bristles. Due to the mirror-symmetrical alignment of slanted- bristle velour strips 8, 8′, fibers are alternately picked up and stripped off as the vacuum cleaner nozzle is moving forward and back. Therefore, it is advantageous if thread lifting strips 8 and 8′ have the same length. These lifting strips have reinforcing backs made of plastic, and are secured in a detachable manner on bottom plate 2 by plug connections. There are pocket-like openings in bottom plate 2 for the plug connections, in which the end-side tabs of the thread lifting strips are inserted as shown by the dotted lines. The pockets associated with a thread lifting strip 8 have different slide-in widths, and the tabs of the thread lifting strips are adapted to the pockets. The correct installation of the thread lifting strips is assured in this way and assembly mistakes are excluded.
In the exemplified embodiment, bottom plate [0020] 2 has a nozzle width of 256 mm measured at the ends of the suction mouth. The thread lifting strips consist of a velour material with slanted bristles are 102 mm long and have a width of 7 mm. Narrow ribs defining the recesses for the thread lifting strips against the suction mouth and projecting on the bottom side as far as the edges of the suction mouth, have a width of about 1.5 mm.
Accordingly, while only a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. [0021]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum cleaner nozzle, comprising:

a housing top part;

a bottom plate having a suction mouth in the form of a channel extending transversely in relation to a direction of movement of the nozzle, said suction mouth having edges; and

thread lifting strips made of textile material arranged on both sides of the suction mouth in recesses of the bottom plate,

wherein the ratio of a nozzle width (B) measured at ends of the suction mouth, to a length (L) of the thread lifting strips is less than 2.8.

2. The vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of nozzle width (B) to length (L) of the thread lifting strips amounts to 2.2 to 2.6.

3. The vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the thread lifting strips have the same length.

4. The vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the recess for the thread lifting strip located in front in a direction of suction is defined along the suction channel by a narrow rib, said rib projecting on the bottom side as far as the edges of the suction mouth adjoining the two ends of the thread lifting strip.

5. The vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate has a beveled sliding surface behind the suction mouth, said sliding surface projecting downwards starting from a rearward horizontal section, and further comprising a rib which defines the recess for the thread lifting strip located behind the suction mouth in the direction of suction, and wherein said rib and said rear suction mouth edge are followed in a rearward direction by the downward-most projecting portion of the beveled sliding surface.

6. The vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the channel forming the suction mouth has a constant width over its length, and wherein a section of said channel extending between the thread lifting strips is parallel offset from sections adjoining it on end sides by about the width of a thread lifting strip.

7. The vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the textile surfaces of the thread lifting strips consist of slanted-bristle velour having mirror-symmetrical alignment as the vacuum cleaner moves forward and back, such that said strips alternately pick up and strip off fibers.

8. The vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the thread lifting strips have reinforcing backs made of plastic, said backs being detachably secured on the bottom plate by plug connections.