Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-23
2001-05-29
Warden, Sr., Robert J. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S327300, C015S387000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237188
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a suction nozzle for an air-circulating vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner furnished with the suction nozzle.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner designed so that an exhaust blast from a motor blower in the body of a cleaner is blown off into a suction port of the suction nozzle and circulated, whereby the exhaust blast ejected into the suction nozzle is prevented from being discharged to the outside from between the suction nozzle and a to-be-cleaned surface, and a vacuum cleaner furnished with the suction nozzle of this type.
BACKGROUND ART
An air-circulating vacuum cleaner is designed so that air is sucked into a suction port of a suction nozzle by operating a motor blower, the sucked air is run through a filter so that dust therein is seized, the air run through the filter and discharged from the motor blower is returned to the suction port, and the returned air is recovered through the suction port and circulated for cleaning. Thus, exhaust gas that contains dust, germs, etc. can scarcely be discharged to the outside, so that the cleaner has advantages in being more sanitary and less power-consuming.
In the circulating vacuum cleaner of this type, moreover, the circulated exhaust blast is blown against a floor surface so that dust on the floor surface can be flung up and sucked in. Thus, the dust collecting efficiency of this cleaner is high. Since the circulated exhaust blast is heated to high temperature, furthermore, harmful microorganisms, such as various germs, ticks, etc., in a dust chamber can be killed or wounded, so that better hygiene is ensured.
Vacuum cleaners of this type are disclosed in Jpn. UM Appln. KOKOKU Publication No. 39-36553, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 3-162814, etc.
According to these vacuum cleaners, an exhaust blast is blown off into the suction port of the suction nozzle, dust on a floor surface is flung up by the exhaust blast, and the exhaust blast, along with the dust, is sucked again into the motor blower. However, all the exhaust blast that is blown off into the suction port is not always sucked again into the motor blower in the aforesaid manner, and sometimes may leak out from between the suction nozzle and the floor surface. If the exhaust blast leaks out in this manner, the dust on the floor surface around the suction nozzle is blown away and scattered, so that the cleaning efficiency lowers inevitably. In the case where the floor surface to be cleaned is a smooth floor surface, such as a wooden floor surface, in particular, the exhaust blast easily leaks out through the gap between the suction nozzle and the floor surface. When the suction nozzle is lifted from the floor surface, moreover, the exhaust blast is liable to be blown off to the outside in the aforesaid manner.
Described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 3-162814, etc., moreover, is a suction nozzle that has therein a cleaning rotor, which is rotated by utilizing the energy of the exhaust blast that is discharged from the motor blower and returned to the suction port. According to this suction nozzle, having the cleaning rotor therein, the cleaning rotor taps the floor surface to fling up dust thereon, so that the cleaning efficiency is high enough. Since the exhaust blast rotates in the suction port, the exhaust blast forms a turbulent flow in the suction port and easily leaks out through the gap between the suction nozzle and the floor surface.
When the suction nozzle having the cleaning rotor is lifted from the floor surface, furthermore, no resistance acts on the cleaning rotor, so that the cleaning rotor races at high speed, sometimes producing loud noises.
A brush or a rubber lip member that protrudes from the underside of a suction nozzle to prevent the exhaust blast from leaking to the outside is disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 61-2821, Jpn. UM Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 51-154065, etc.
Although the bristles of the brush and the projecting lip member have an effect to prevent the leakage of the exhaust blast to the outside, however, they may possibly push aside dust on a floor surface when the suction nozzle is moved on the floor surface, thus lowering the cleaning efficiency.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention has been contrived in consideration of these circumstances, and provides a suction nozzle for vacuum cleaner designed so that an exhaust blast from a motor blower is returned to a suction port of the suction nozzle and circulated, whereby the exhaust blast can be prevented from leaking out from between the suction nozzle and a floor surface, and a vacuum cleaner furnished with the suction nozzle of this type.
According to the present invention, a nozzle hole is bored in a suction port of the aforesaid suction nozzle so that an exhaust blast can be blown off therefrom, and air leakage preventing means is provided for preventing the air blast from leaking out. Thus, the exhaust blast blown off through the nozzle hole can be sucked into a motor blower through the suction port without leaking out, so that cleaning can be carried out efficiently without blowing away and scattering dust around the suction nozzle.
The air leakage preventing means may include a nozzle hole, formed in part of inner wall vertical wall surfaces defining the inside space of the suction port and used to circulate and blow off an exhaust blast from the motor blower, and a screen portion formed over the whole area of an edge portion around the suction port except the region near the nozzle hole, whereby the gap between the suction nozzle and the to-be-cleaned surface is screened.
According to this arrangement, the screen portion prevents the exhaust blast blown off through the nozzle hole from leaking out. In this arrangement, moreover, no screen portion is formed in the region for the formation of the nozzle hole. If the suction nozzle is moved, therefore, dust on the to-be-cleaned surface is introduced and sucked into the suction port through that region, so that the cleaning efficiency cannot be lowered. If the exhaust blast is blown off through the nozzle hole, moreover, there is no possibility of the exhaust blast diffusing from the region near the nozzle hole, though ambient air may possibly be attracted to the jet of the exhaust blast to form a negative pressure in the region near the nozzle hole. Thus, there is no possibility of the exhaust blast leaking out from this region.
According to a preferred embodiment, the nozzle hole is formed in one of the inner wall vertical wall surfaces defining the inside space of the suction port so as to be directed toward the other inside wall surface, and the screen portion for screening the gap between the suction nozzle and the to-be-cleaned surface is formed over the whole area of the edge portion around the suction port except the region near the blow-off port. Thus, the exhaust blast from the nozzle hole can be securely prevented from leaking out.
According to another embodiment, moreover, the nozzle hole is provided on the side opposite from a connecting pipe mounting region for the connection of the suction nozzle to the cleaner body. Thus, no screen portion is formed in front of the suction nozzle, so that dust can be efficiently introduced into the suction port to expedite use as the suction nozzle is advanced.
Further, the air leakage preventing means includes a seal roller extending in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the suction nozzle and rotatable in contact with the to-be-cleaned surface, the seal roller being attached to the suction port so as substantially to cover the full width thereof.
In this arrangement, air discharged from the motor blower in the cleaner body is returned to the suction port, and air is sucked into the motor blower through the suction port, that is, air is circulated. Thus, dust on the to-be-cleaned surface can be sucked into the suction nozzle and cleared through the suction port that faces the to-be-cleaned surface as
Mano Fumiki
Takemoto Ritsuo
Torisawa You
Tutiya Yosihiro
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Snider Theresa T.
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
Warden, Sr. Robert J.
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