Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-23
2001-09-18
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S325000, C015S339000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289552
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the vacuum cleaner art and, more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner incorporating a unique multiple window assembly to allow both clear viewing of the rotary agitator of the vacuum cleaner and enhanced illumination of the floor in front of the vacuum cleaner during its operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A vacuum cleaner is an electro-mechanical appliance utilized to effect the dry removal of dust, dirt and other small debris from carpets, rugs, fabrics or other surfaces in both domestic and industrial environments. In order to achieve the desired dirt and dust removal, a rotary agitator is provided to beat dirt and dust from the nap of the carpet and a pressure drop or vacuum is used to force air entrained with this dirt and dust into the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner. The particulate-laden air is then drawn through a bag-like filter or a cyclonic separation chamber and filter combination which traps the dirt and dust, while the substantially clean air is exhausted by an electrically operated fan that is driven by an on board motor. It is this fan and motor arrangement that generates the drop in air pressure necessary to provide the desired cleaning action. Thus, the fan and motor arrangement is commonly known as the vacuum or suction generator.
One critical factor in garnering consumer satisfaction for a vacuum cleaner is its convenience features. Toward this end, it is desirable for the operator to be able to quickly and easily visually confirm the proper functioning of various components of the vacuum cleaner and thus, the efficient operation thereof. Additionally, it is desirable to provide illumination of the floor forward of the vacuum cleaner during the cleaning operation. This allows the operator to visually direct and confirm proper cleaning by the vacuum cleaner in dark corners, as well as, under chairs, beds and other overhead obstructions.
Various attempts have been made in the prior art to address these needs and concerns. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,217,174 and 2,575,554 both to Langille disclose vacuum cleaners incorporating lights for illuminating the floor in front of the vacuum cleaner. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,217,174 the headlight is set back from the front wall of the vacuum cleaner and projects through a prismed lens. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,554, the front wall of the vacuum cleaner incorporates a window 52 through which the light is projected. While these patents provide a good means of illuminating the floor in front of the vacuum cleaner to allow efficient cleaning in shadowy or dark areas, they provide no means for viewing operation of various components of the vacuum cleaner such as, a rotary agitator to confirm that it is functioning properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,271 to Sepke discloses a vacuum cleaner incorporating a transparent viewing window that overlies the rotary agitator so as to allow visual confirmation of the proper operation of the agitator and/or any erratic movement or slipping of the belt that drives the agitator. The vacuum cleaner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,271, however, fails to provide any effective means for illuminating (1) the agitator so as to aid in its viewing; or (2) the floor in front of the vacuum cleaner to aid in efficient and effective floor cleaning.
Accordingly, it should be appreciated that while prior art vacuum cleaners have sought to individually address concerns respecting visual confirmation of component operation and effective illumination of the floor forward of a vacuum cleaner, no design of a vacuum cleaner to date has effectively addressed each of these issues simultaneously.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved vacuum cleaner is provided. The vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a nozzle with an agitator cavity. An agitator is mounted in the agitator cavity for rotation relative to the housing. A suction generator and an illumination compartment are both carried on the housing. A light source is held in the illumination compartment while a first window divides the illumination compartment from the agitator cavity and a second window provides an outer facing for the illumination compartment which distributes and projects light forward of the vacuum cleaner. Thus, the windows function to allow simultaneous illumination of the rotary agitator and the work area immediately in front of the vacuum cleaner from a single light source, as well as a clear path for viewing the agitator.
The second window at least partially overlies the first window in a vertical plane, while the light source at least partially overlies the agitator in a vertical plane. In our embodiment, the first and second windows, the light source and the agitator all at least partially overlie each other in a vertical plane. This stacked arrangement allows for an overall reduction in the length or fore-aft dimension of the nozzle assembly which in turn makes for easier manipulation when moving the vacuum cleaner into comers and around furniture and other objects.
Still more specifically describing the invention, the second window of the vacuum cleaner incorporates at least one prism for bending light forward and downward to illuminate the work area of the floor immediately in front of the vacuum cleaner. This aids the operator in cleaning in shadows cast, for example, by the operator or furniture such as chairs and beds.
In addition, the bumper guard over the front wall of the housing preferably includes an opening for allowing the passage of light from the light source and the second window preferably includes a front portion that closes that opening. Thus, the floor immediately in front of the vacuum cleaner is directly illuminated. In one embodiment, that front portion is arch shaped. Where the second window is molded in one piece from a transparent plastic material the arch shape allows for better strength and rigidity. In addition, as a result of this spatial arrangement the first and second windows overlie the forward gap between the agitator and the inner nozzle wall to allow for visual inspection thereof. This allows the operator to easily confirm that the vacuum cleaner is working at utmost efficiency without any obstructions that might cause the agitator to bind or otherwise restrict or reduce airflow and, therefore, cleaning power.
Alternatively, the present invention may be defined as including a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle housing for holding a rotary agitator and a novel agitator window assembly. That novel window assembly includes first and second windows that at least partially overlie the agitator. The vacuum cleaner further includes a light source for projecting light into a gap formed between the first and second window so as to illuminate the agitator. Advantageously, as noted above, the illumination of the agitator and the straight and uninterrupted path to the agitator through the two windows allows the operator to readily and conveniently confirm that the rotary agitator is functioning properly at all times.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for viewing an illuminated agitator of a vacuum cleaner. The method includes the steps of providing an illumination compartment overlying the agitator, flooding the illumination compartment with light and viewing the agitator through windows providing a sight path through the illumination compartment.
Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restric
King & Schickli PLLC
Matsushita Electric Corporation of America
Moore Chris K.
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