Two-piece brushroll

Abstract

A brushroll for a vacuum cleaner includes a roll body with a first end, a second end and a rotational axis. A first bore extends from the first end to the second end along the rotational axis. The roll body further includes a first connecting element located at the roll body second end. The brushroll further has a pulley including a first end, a second end and a rotational axis. A second centrally positioned bore extends from the pulley first end to the pulley second end along the pulley rotational axis. The pulley further includes a second connecting element located at the pulley first end for engaging the first connecting element. A shaft extends through the first and second bores. At least one bearing is mounted on the shaft and rotatably mounts at least one of the roll body and the pulley to the shaft.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment, the invention is now claimed to be:  
     
         1 . A roll assembly for use in a vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a housing;    an elongated roll body and an agitator extending radially away from the roll body; and    a pulley section mounted to one end of the elongated roll body wherein the roll body and the pulley section are rotatably mounted to the housing.    
     
     
         2 . The roll assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pulley section comprises a relatively hard, wear-resistant material.  
     
     
         3 . The roll assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elongated roll body comprises a polypropylene material and the pulley section comprises a glass-filled polypropylene material.  
     
     
         4 . The roll assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the agitator comprises at least one set of bristle tufts mounted on an outer surface of the elongated roll body.  
     
     
         5 . The roll assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one set of bristle tufts extends in a helical manner along a longitudinal axis of the elongated roll body.  
     
     
         6 . The roll assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elongated roll body includes a throughhole extending along a longitudinal axis of said roll body and the pulley section includes a throughhole extending along a longitudinal axis of said pulley section, and further comprising a shaft disposed in said throughholes and supported in said housing adjacent one end of the roll body and adjacent one end of the pulley section.  
     
     
         7 . The roll assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising annular bearings connecting the shaft to the roll body.  
     
     
         8 . The roll assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first threaded area located adjacent one end of said roll body; and    a second threaded area located adjacent one end of said pulley section, wherein said first and second threaded areas cooperate to allow said pulley section to be mounted on said roll body.    
     
     
         9 . A roller assembly for use in a suction cleaner, comprising: 
 a housing having a suction opening; and    a roller mounted adjacent said suction opening, said roller comprising: 
 an elongated roller body comprising a first material; and  
 a pulley section comprising a second material, said pulley section being axially connected to the elongated roller body.  
   
     
     
         10 . A roller assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the second material comprises a relatively hard, wear-resistant material.  
     
     
         11 . The roller assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein in the first material comprises a polypropylene material and a second material comprises a glass-filled polypropylene material.  
     
     
         12 . The roller assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the elongated roller body is threadedly connected to the pulley.  
     
     
         13 . The roller assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising an agitator carried on an outer surface of the elongated roller body.  
     
     
         14 . The roller assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the elongated roller body and the pulley section together define a central through hole extending along a longitudinal axis of the roller brush, and further comprising a shaft disposed in said through hole and supported in said housing at opposed ends of said shaft.  
     
     
         15 . The roller assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising at least two annular bearings which mount at least one of the roller body and the pulley section on said shaft.  
     
     
         16 . The roller assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said agitator comprises at least one bristle tuft carried on at least one of said roller body and said pulley section.  
     
     
         17 . A brushroll for a vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a roll body including a first end, a second end and a rotational axis, wherein a first bore extends from said first end to said second end of said roll body along said rotational axis, and further including a first connecting element located at said roll body second end;    a pulley section including a first end, a second end and a pulley rotational axis, wherein a second centrally positioned bore extends from said first end to said second end of said pulley section along said pulley rotational axis, and further including a second connecting element located at said pulley first end for engaging said first connecting element;    a shaft extending through said first and second bores; and    at least one bearing mounted on said shaft and rotatably positioning said roll body and said pulley on said shaft.    
     
     
         18 . The brushroll of  claim 17  wherein the first connecting element comprises one of an internally threaded female connector and an externally threaded male connector and wherein the second connecting element comprises the other of the internally threaded female connector and the externally threaded male connector.  
     
     
         19 . The brushroll of  claim 17  wherein the at least one bearing comprises a first annular bearing located adjacent said roll body first end for rotatably mounting said shaft to said roll body and a second annular bearing located adjacent said pulley second end for rotatably mounting said shaft to said pulley.  
     
     
         20 . The brushroll of  claim 17  further comprising at a pair of end caps for connecting the shaft to a vacuum cleaner housing.  
     
     
         21 . The brushroll of  claim 17  wherein the pulley section is constructed from a harder material than is a material of the roll body.  
     
     
         22 . The brushroll of  claim 17  further comprising at least one bearing support for connecting said at least one bearing to one of said roll body and said pulley.