Floor cleaning apparatus with twin agitators having different diameters

Abstract

A floor cleaning apparatus includes a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. A suction generator and a dirt collection vessel are carried on either the nozzle assembly or the canister assembly. In addition, the apparatus includes first and second agitators. The first agitator has a diameter D 1 and the second agitator has a diameter D 2 . Diameter D 1 is greater than diameter D 2 . Accordingly, the two agitators have different footprints and different cleaning characteristics.

1 . A floor cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 a nozzle assembly;    a canister assembly;    a suction generator carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly;    a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said canister assembly and said nozzle assembly;    a first agitator having a first diameter D 1 ;    a second agitator having a second diameter D 2  where D 1 >D 2 ; and    at least one agitator drive motor carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said canister assembly is pivotally connected to said nozzle assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a filter bag.  
   
   
       4 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.  
   
   
       5 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a cyclonic airflow chamber.  
   
   
       6 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said floor cleaning apparatus is a device selected from a group consisting of an upright vacuum cleaner, a canister vacuum cleaner, a hand-held vacuum cleaner and an extractor.  
   
   
       7 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein D 2  is between approximately 75 and 90 percent of D 1 .  
   
   
       8 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein D 1  is between about 50 mm to about 63 mm.  
   
   
       9 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein D 2  is between about 37 mm to about 57 mm.  
   
   
       10 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein D 2  is between about 37 mm to about 57 mm.  
   
   
       11 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one agitator drive motor is positioned inside said first agitator.  
   
   
       12 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , further including a second agitator drive motor positioned inside said second agitator.  
   
   
       13 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one agitator drive motor is positioned inside said second agitator.  
   
   
       14 . A method of providing an improved floor cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 equipping said floor cleaning apparatus with a first agitator having a first diameter D 1  and a second agitator having a second diameter D 2  where D 1 >D 2 ; and    driving said first and second agitators.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  including driving said first and second agitators at different speeds.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , including driving said first and second agitators in different directions.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , including driving said first and second agitators in different directions.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14  further including positioning an agitator drive motor in one of said first agitator and said second agitator.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14  further including positioning a first agitator drive motor in said first agitator and a second agitator drive motor in said second agitator.