Bladed disk brush roller assembly for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A brush roller assembly for a vacuum cleaner includes a rotatable spindle having a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end and a central portion. A first airflow enhancing device (“AED”) is positioned, by being molded onto or operationally attached to, the first end of the rotatable spindle. The first AED includes a central portion, which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable spindle when the first AED is positioned on the first end of the rotatable spindle. The first AED includes at least one fan blade projection outwardly extending from the periphery of the central portion of the first AED. The fan blade projection facilitates the movement of debris directly or indirectly from the first end of the rotatable spindle toward the central portion of the rotatable spindle. A second AED device may be positioned on the second end of the rotatable spindle, wherein the second AED has similar structure to and attaches in similar fashion as the first AED. In one embodiment, the housing has a hole in the bottom to enable air to enter the housing, travel down the longitudinal axis and towards the central portion of the rotatable spindle. In another embodiment, the housing may have openings in the sidewalls that promote airflow directly from the outside of the housing to the ends of the rotatable spindle. In yet another embodiment, a pressurized fan is attached to the housing or the rotatable spindle to increase forced airflow.

1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a housing having a first opening and a second opening;    a rotatable spindle positioned within the housing, the rotatable spindle having a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end and a central portion, the first end being laterally spaced from the first opening of the housing, the second end being laterally spaced from the second opening of the housing;    an airflow enhancing means having a central portion which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable spindle when the airflow enhancing means is placed on one of the ends of the rotatable spindle, wherein debris is mechanically acted on directly or indirectly and travels along the longitudinal axis towards the central portion of the rotatable spindle wherein said airflow enhancing means is driven by the rotatable spindle.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow enhancing means further comprises at least one blade extending radially therefrom, the blade having a base and top.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the airflow enhancing means is integrally molded into said rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the airflow enhancing means is physically attached to said rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the airflow enhancing means is attached to said rotatable spindle by screws.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the airflow enhancing means is attached to said rotatable spindle by being pressed onto a stub shaft.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the blade is angled relative to said central portion of the airflow enhancing means to facilitate the movement of outside air from said first end of said rotatable spindle toward the central portion of said rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow enhancing means comprises at least one blade oriented at an angle between zero (0) degrees and ninety (90) degrees relative to the central portion of the airflow enhancing means to facilitate the movement of debris toward the central portion of said rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second airflow enhancing means having a central portion which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable spindle when the second airflow enhancing means is placed on one of the ends of the rotatable spindle, wherein debris is acted upon to travel along the longitudinal axis towards the central portion of the rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       10 . A brush roller assembly for a vacuum cleaner, the brush roller assembly comprising: 
 a housing having a top, a bottom, and sidewalls, each of the sidewalls having at least one opening, the bottom having an aperture defined therein;    a rotatable spindle positioned within the housing, the rotatable spindle having a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end and a central portion, the first end and second ends being laterally spaced from the opening of the sidewalls;    an airflow enhancing means for increasing the flow of air toward said central portion of said rotatable spindle, said airflow enhancing means having a central portion which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable spindle when the airflow enhancing means is placed on one of the ends of the rotatable spindle, wherein air is adapted to enter the housing through the aperture defined in the bottom of the housing and the openings in the sidewalls so as to travel along the longitudinal axis towards the central portion of the rotatable spindle to increase air flow and wherein said airflow enhancing means is driven by the rotatable spindle.    
   
   
       11 . The brush roller assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said airflow enhancing means is a bladed disk.  
   
   
       12 . The brush roller assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the disk further comprises at least one blade extending radially therefrom, the blade having a base and a top.  
   
   
       13 . The brush roller assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the airflow enhancing means further comprises a plurality of blades extending radially therefrom, each of the blades having a base and a top, wherein two adjacent blades have a space defined between them to facilitate the movement of outside air and/or debris from the first end of said rotatable spindle toward the central portion of said rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       14 . The brush roller assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the top and the base of at least one blade of the airflow enhancing means is oriented at an angle between zero (0) degrees and ninety (90) degrees relative to the central portion of the airflow enhancing means to facilitate the movement of outside air and debris from the first end of said rotatable spindle toward the central portion of said rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       15 . The brush roller assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a second airflow enhancing means, said second airflow enhancing means being a second disk having a central portion which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable spindle when said second airflow enhancing means is placed on one of the ends of the rotatable spindle, wherein air is adapted to enter the housing through the at least one openings and travel along the longitudinal axis towards the central portion of the rotatable spindle so as to increase air flow toward said central portion of said rotatable spindle.  
   
   
       16 . A brush roller assembly for a vacuum cleaner, said brush roller assembly comprising: 
 a housing having a top and first and second sidewalls;    a rotatable spindle positioned within the housing, the rotatable spindle having a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end and a central portion;    an airflow enhancing means for increasing the flow of air toward said central portion of said rotatable spindle, said airflow enhancing means having a central portion which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable spindle when the airflow enhancing means is placed on one of the ends of the rotatable spindle, wherein the housing has at least one adjustable opening defined in the first sidewall of the housing to facilitate the movement of outside air through the opening and directly to one of the ends of the rotatable spindle toward the central portion of the rotatable spindle and wherein said airflow enhancing means is driven by the rotatable spindle.