Title of Invention

" CLEANING APPLIANCE AND CONTROL CIRCUITRY FOR A CLEANING APPLIANCE

Abstract A cleaning appliance (1) comprises dirt and dust separating means (8), a motor (6) arranged to drive a fan (5) for generating suction air flow, a selectively-operable switch (23) for energizing the motor and a cleaner head (13). The cleaner head has a driveable agitator in the form of a brush bar (15) and a dedicated motor (18). When the main vacuum motor (6) is switched on, the brush bar motor (18) is energized so that the brush bar is automatically driven on start-up of the cleaner. This enables the superior cleaning performance achievable with a brush bar to be automatically achieved, without the user having to remember to select operation of the brush bar.
Full Text Cleaner Head for a Cleaning Appliance
This invention relates to a cleaner head for a cleaning appliance, such as a vacuum
cleaner.
The majority of vacuum cleaners are either of the 'upright' type or of the 'cylinder'
type, called canister or barrel cleaners in some countries. An upright vacuum cleaner
normally comprises a main body containing dirt and dust separating apparatus, a cleaner
head rotatably mounted on the main body and having a dirty air inlet, and a motor and
fan unit for drawing dirty air into the dirt and dust separating apparatus via the dirty air
inlet so that dirt and dust can be. separated from the airflow before the clean air is
expelled to the atmosphere. The dirty-air inlet through which dirty air is sucked into the
vacuum cleaner is directed downwardly so that it faces the floor to be cleaned. The dirt
and dust separating apparatus can take the form of a filter bag or, as is known, can
alternatively take the form of a cyclonic arrangement. The present invention is not
concerned with the nature of the dirt and dust separating apparatus and is therefore
applicable to vacuum cleaners utilising either arrangement.
An agitator in the form of, for example, a brush bar is supported in the dirty-air inlet so
that it protrudes to a small extent from the inlet. The brush bar typically comprises an
elongate cylindrical core from which bristles extend along its length in a radial
direction. The brush bar is driven by a motor, typically via a drive belt, so that the
brush bar rotates within the inlet. Rotation of the brush bar causes the bristles to flick
dirt and debris from the fibres of the carpet to be cleaned. The suction of air causes air
to flow around the brush bar and underneath it to help lift the dirt and dust from the
surface to be cleaned and then carry it from the dirty-air inlet to the dirt and dust
separating apparatus. Use of the agitator when cleaning a carpeted surface provides a
superior cleaning performance than if an agitator is not used.
-2-

A first embodiment of the invention provides a cleaner head for a cleaning appliance
comprising dirt and dust separating means, a motor arranged to drive a fan for
generating suction air flow and selectively-operable switch for energising the motor, the
cleaner head comprising a driveable agitator arranged so that, when the motor is
switched on, the agitator is driven.
A second embodiment of the invention provides a cleaning appliance comprising a main
body housing dirt and dust separating means, a motor arranged to drive a fan for
generating suction air flow, a selectively-operable switch for energising the motor and a
cleaner head having a driveable agitator arranged so that, when the motor is switched
on, the agitator is driven.
A further embodiment of the invention provides control circuitry for a cleaning
appliance comprising dirt and dust separating means, a motor arranged to drive a fan for.
generating suction air flow and a cleaner head having a driveable agitator, the circuitry
comprising a user-operable switch for energising the motor and arranged so that, when
the motor is switched on, the agitator is driven.
It has been found with conventional cleaners that users tend to forget to employ the
agitator on restarting their appliance, thereby missing out on the best cleaning
performance. The invention prevents this from happening by causing the agitator
automatically to be driven on start-up of the main vacuum motor. The user does not
have to remember to select operation of the agitator when using the cleaner.
Preferably, the agitator is driven by its own dedicated motor, which may be located on
the cleaner head.
A switch for the agitator motor may be provided, so that the agitator motor can be de-
energised if the user wishes to, say, clean an uncarpeted surface. The agitator motor
may subsequently be re-energised for cleaning of carpeted surfaces.
3


The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of a surface treating appliance constructed in accordance
with the first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of the surface-treating head of
the appliance of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of the appliance of Figure 1 in a
mode of use.
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification.
With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the surface treating appliance is shown in the form of
a vacuum cleaner and is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The vacuum
cleaner 1 comprises a main body 2, a user-operable handle 3 and a large roller 4 for
rolling the cleaner along a floor surface.
As viewable in Figure 3, the roller 4 houses a fan 5 and a motor 6 for driving the fan.
The motor 6 and fan 5 together generate suction for drawing a fluid, such as air, into the
apparatus. The motor 6 and fan 5 may be arranged to rotate with the roller 4 or may be
constrained so that the roller rotates with respect to them. A switch in the form of a
user-operable button 7 is provided on the upper portion of the main body 2 and is
arranged so that, when the button is pushed, the motor 6 is energised. The motor may
also be de-.energised by means of this button 7.
The main body 2 also houses separating apparatus 8 for separating dirt, dust and other
debris from a dirty airflow drawn into the machine by the fan 5 and motor 6. In this
embodiment, the separating apparatus 8 is cyclonic, in which the dirt and dust is spun
from the airflow. The cyclonic separating apparatus 8 comprises two stages of cyclone
4


separation arranged in series with one another. The first stage is a cylindrically-walled
chamber 9 and the second stage comprises a set 10 of tapering, substantially frusto-
conically shaped chambers arranged in parallel with one another. Airflow is directed
tangentially into the upper part of a first cyclonic chamber 9. Larger debris and
particles are removed and collected in the first cyclonic chamber 9. The airflow then
passes through a shroud 11 to the set 10 of smaller frusto-conically shaped cyclonic
chambers. Finer dust is separated by these chambers and the separated dust is collected
in a common collecting region. The second set 10 of separators can be upright, i.e. with
their fluid inlets and outlets at the top and their dirt outlets at the bottom, or inverted, i.e.
with their fluid inlets and outlets at the bottom and their dirt outlets at the top. The
nature of the dust separating apparatus 8 is not material, to the present invention.
The main body 2 also houses filters (not visible in these drawings) for trapping fine
particles in the cleaned airflow. These filters remove any fine particles of dust which
have not already been removed from the airflow by the separating apparatus. A first
filter, called a pre-motor filter, is provided before the motor 6 and fan 5. A second
filter, called a post-motor filter, is provided after the motor 6 and fan 5. Where the
motor 6 for driving the suction fan 5 has carbon brushes, the post-motor filter also
serves to trap any carbon particles emitted by the brushes. Clean air is then expelled to
the atmosphere.
The roller 4 permits the cleaner to be manoeuvred easily along a floor surface.
However, the roller 4 may not provide sufficient support for the cleaner when the main
body 2 is in the vertical, or substantially vertical position. To this end, a support
assembly 12 is provided.
The handle 3 extends upwardly from the rear part of the main body 2. When the cleaner
1 is in the position shown in Figure 1, it can be used in a cylinder mode, in which case
the handle 3 may be released and used as a hose and wand assembly. A changeover
valve on the main body 2 automatically connects the dust separating apparatus 8 to the
wand and hose assembly so that cleaner can be used in this cylinder mode for above
5


the floor cleaning. Air is drawn into the cleaner through the end of the wand which can
be released from the cleaner for appropriate manipulation.
When the cleaner 1 is to be used in conventional upright mode, the user reclines the
main body 2. The support assembly 12 is arranged to be retractable when the main
body 2 of the cleaner 1 is reclined for upright cleaning, such as is shown in Figure 3 .
A cleaner head 13 serves to treat the floor surface in the upright cleaning mode, and is
shown in more detail in Figure 2. ha this embodiment, it comprises a chamber 14 for
supporting an agitator in the form of a brush bar 15. The lower, floor-facing side of the
chamber 14 has an air inlet slot 16 and the brush-bar 15 is.rotatably mounted in the
chamber such that bristles 17 on the brush bar can protrude through the inlet slot and
can agitate the floor surface over which the cleaner head is made to pass. The brush bar
15 is rotatably driven by a dedicated motor 18 positioned inside the cleaner head. A
system of gears 19 connects the motor 18 to the brush bar 15 to provide drive.
An electrical connection 20 is provided to the brush bar motor 18 in order to energise it.
In accordance with the invention, the cleaner head 13 is arranged so that, when the main
vacuum motor 6 is switched on, the motor 18 in the cleaner head is also energised, so
mat the brush bar 15 is driven automatically on start-up of the cleaner.
The partly cut-away view of Figure 3 shows control circuitry 21 that may be employed
in order to effect automatic driving of the brush bar 15 on start-up. The control circuitry
21 is located within a duct 22 forming part of the suction airflow path, after the dust
separating apparatus 8 and upstream of the main vacuum motor 6 located in the roller 4.
Positioning of the circuitry 21 in the airflow ensures that the electronic components are
cooled adequately.
A user can also select energisation and de-energisation of the brush bar motor 18 by
means of a switch, which is provided on the machine in the form of a depressible button
23. The button 23 is conveniently located in an easily visible location at the top of the
6


main body 2 of the machine. The button 23 may be employed to switch off the motor
18 for the brush bar 15. For example, the user may wish to clean an uncarpeted surface,
in which case the brush bar 15 need not be employed. Alternatively, the user may wish
to use the hose and wand assembly for cleaning.
In this embodiment, the button 23 is provided adjacent the button 7 by which the user
switches on the cleaner 1 and energises the main vacuum motor 6 used to generate
suction airflow. The buttons 7, 23 may have visual indicia on them to indicate their
respective functions.
The control circuitry 21 is arranged to reset itself so that, when the main vacuum motor
6 is switched off and subsequently re-energised, the brush bar motor 18 automatically
starts up again and rotates the brush bar 15.
Although the invention has just been described with reference to an upright cleaner, it is
also applicable to cylinder cleaners, which have a surface-treating head located at the
end of the hose and wand assembly. The cleaner head may also be provided in the form
of a floor tool, which may be fitted to the end of a hose and wand assembly of a vacuum
cleaner of either type.
Of course, further variations may be made without departing from the scope of the
invention. For example, there need not be a physical electrical connection between the
main body of the appliance and the cleaner head. Wireless signals may be employed to
switch on the dedicated brush bar motor, in which case the brush bar motor may be
conveniently energised by a dedicated energy source, such as a battery pack.
While the illustrated embodiment shows a vacuum cleaner in which ducts carry airflow,
it will be appreciated that the invention can be applied to vacuum cleaners which carry
other fluids, such as water and detergents.
7

We claim:
1. A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance comprising dirt and dust separating
means, a motor arranged to drive a fan for generating suction air flow and a selectively-
operable switch for energising the motor, the cleaner head comprising a driveable
agitator arranged so that, when the motor is switched on, the agitator is driven.
2. A cleaner head as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an agitator motor for
driving the agitator.
3. A cleaner head as claimed in claim 2, further comprising, a switch for selective
energising and de-energising the agitator motor.
4. A cleaner head as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the agitator
comprises a rotatable brush bar.
5. A cleaner head, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, or as
illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.
6. A cleaning appliance comprising a main body housing dirt and dust separating
means, a motor arranged to drive a fan for generating suction air flow, a selectively-
operable switch for energising the motor and a cleaner head having a driveable agitator
arranged so that, when the motor is switched on, the agitator is driven.
7. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an agitator motor
for driving the agitator.
8. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an agitator motor
switch for selective energising and de-energising the agitator motor.
8


9
9. A cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 8, in which the agitator motor switch is
located on the main body.
10. A cleaning appliance as claimed in 7, 8 or 9, in which the agitator motor is
located in the cleaner head.
11. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 10, in which the
agitator comprises a rotatable brush bar.
12. A cleaning appliance as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11 in the form of a
vacuum cleaner.
13. A cleaning appliance, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to,
or as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.
14. Control circuitry for a cleaning appliance comprising dirt and dust separating
means, a motor arranged to drive a fan for generating suction air flow and a cleaner
head having a driveable agitator, the circuitry comprising a user-operable switch for
energising the motor and arranged so that, when the motor is switched on, the agitator is
driven.

A cleaning appliance (1) comprises dirt and dust separating means (8), a motor (6)
arranged to drive a fan (5) for generating suction air flow, a selectively-operable switch
(23) for energizing the motor and a cleaner head (13). The cleaner head has a driveable
agitator in the form of a brush bar (15) and a dedicated motor (18). When the main
vacuum motor (6) is switched on, the brush bar motor (18) is energized so that the brush
bar is automatically driven on start-up of the cleaner. This enables the superior cleaning
performance achievable with a brush bar to be automatically achieved, without the user
having to remember to select operation of the brush bar.

Documents:

02734-kolnp-2007-abstract.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-claims.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-correspondence others.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-description complete.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-drawings.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-form 1.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-form 2.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-form 3.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-form 5.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-gpa.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-international exm report.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-international publication.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-international search report.pdf

02734-kolnp-2007-priority document.pdf

2685-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 1.2.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(22-08-2012)-ABSTRACT.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(22-08-2012)-AMANDED CLAIMS.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(22-08-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(22-08-2012)-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(22-08-2012)-DRAWINGS.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(22-08-2012)-FORM-1.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(22-08-2012)-FORM-2.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-02-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-02-2012)-FORM-1.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-02-2012)-FORM-3.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-02-2012)-OTHERS.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-02-2012)-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-07-2012)-ANNEXURE TO FORM 3.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-07-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(23-07-2012)-OTHERS.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(29-06-2012)-ABSTRACT.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(29-06-2012)-AMANDED CLAIMS.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(29-06-2012)-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(29-06-2012)-DRAWINGS.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(29-06-2012)-FORM-1.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-(29-06-2012)-OTHERS.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 1.1.pdf

2734-KOLNP-2007-FORM 3 1.1.pdf

abstract-02734-kolnp-2007.jpg


Patent Number 254562
Indian Patent Application Number 2734/KOLNP/2007
PG Journal Number 47/2012
Publication Date 23-Nov-2012
Grant Date 20-Nov-2012
Date of Filing 24-Jul-2007
Name of Patentee DYSON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
Applicant Address TETBURY HILL MALMESBURY WILTSHIRE SN16 0RP
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 CLIVE JAMES FREDERICKSON C/O DYSON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED TETBURY HILL MALMESBURY WILTSHIRE SN16 0RP
PCT International Classification Number A47L 5/30, A47L 9/28
PCT International Application Number PCT/GB06/000061
PCT International Filing date 2006-01-09
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 0500990.7 2005-01-18 U.K.