Bladed disk brush roller assembly for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A brush roller assembly for a vacuum cleaner includes a spindle rotatable within a vacuum cleaner housing. A first airflow enhancing device (AED) may be attached to the first end of the spindle. When rotated, the spindle may increase the flow of air from the end of the spindle toward the central portion of the spindle and thereby improve the vacuum cleaner's edge cleaning capability.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a housing having a top, a bottom and first and second side walls, an intake aperture is provided in the bottom of the housing, first and second openings are provided in the first and second side walls, respectively;    a drive motor supported to the housing; and,    a device comprising: 
 (a) a spindle operatively connected to the drive motor and selectively rotatable within the housing, the spindle having a central portion and first and second ends juxtaposed to the first and second openings in the housing, respectively;  
 (b) a first airflow enhancing device positioned on the first end of the spindle, the first airflow enhancing device is selectively rotatable by the spindle to increase the flow of air from the intake aperture and first opening to the central portion of the spindle; and,  
 (c) a second airflow enhancing device positioned on the second end of the spindle, the second airflow enhancing device is selectively rotatable by the spindle to increase the flow of air from the intake aperture and second opening to the central portion of the spindle.  
   
   
   
       2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the spindle comprises first and second pins extending from the first and second ends of the spindle, respectively, the first and second pins are adapted to be rotatably received by the housing; and,    the first and second airflow enhancing devices have first and second holes, respectively, that receive the first and second pins, respectively.    
   
   
       3 . The vacuum cleaner of claim I wherein the spindle comprises: 
 first and second recesses formed in the first and second ends of the spindle, respectively, wherein at least a portion of the first and second airflow enhancing devices are positioned within the first and second recesses, respectively.    
   
   
       4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the spindle comprises: 
 a driven pulley adapted to engage a belt driven by the drive motor; and,    at least one brush extending from the outer surface of the spindle.    
   
   
       5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the housing has third and fourth openings provided in the bottom of the housing juxtaposed to the first and second ends of the spindle, respectively;    the first airflow enhancing device is selectively rotatable by the spindle to increase the flow of air from the third opening to the central portion of the spindle; and, the second airflow enhancing device is selectively rotatable by the spindle to increase the flow of air from the fourth opening to the central portion of the spindle.    
   
   
       6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 first and second adjustment mechanisms selectively adjustable to adjust the size of the first and second openings, respectively.    
   
   
       7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the first and second adjustment mechanisms are pressurization mechanisms.  
   
   
       8 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a housing having an intake aperture and a first opening;    a drive motor; and,    an assembly comprising: 
 (a) a spindle operatively connected to the drive motor and selectively rotatable within the housing, the spindle having a central portion and a first end juxtaposed to the first opening in the housing; and,  
 (b) a first airflow enhancing device positioned on the first end of the spindle, the first airflow enhancing device is selectively rotatable by the spindle to increase the flow of air from the intake aperture and first opening to the central portion of the spindle.  
   
   
   
       9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein the first airflow enhancing device comprises: 
 a central portion; and,    a plurality of blade projections extending from the central portion.    
   
   
       10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein: 
 the spindle comprises a first pin extending from the first end of the spindle, the first pin is adapted to be rotatably received by the housing; and,    the first airflow enhancing device has a first hole that receive the first pin.    
   
   
       11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein the spindle comprises: 
 a first recess formed in the first end of the spindle, wherein at least a portion of the first airflow enhancing device is positioned within the first recess.    
   
   
       12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein the spindle comprises: 
 a driven pulley adapted to engage a belt driven by the drive motor; and,    at least one brush extending from the outer surface of the spindle.    
   
   
       13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 an adjustment mechanism selectively adjustable to adjust the size of the first opening.    
   
   
       14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13  wherein the adjustment mechanism is a pressurization mechanism.  
   
   
       15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13  wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises: 
 a plate rotatably attached to the housing.    
   
   
       16 . A device comprising: 
 a spindle having first and second ends and a central portion, the spindle is adapted to be driven by a vacuum cleaner motor and rotated within a vacuum cleaner housing; and,    first and second airflow enhancing devices fixed on the first and second ends, respectively, of the spindle, the first and second airflow enhancing devices are selectively rotatable by the spindle to increase the flow of air from the first and second ends of the spindle to the central portion of the spindle.    
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the spindle comprises: 
 at least one brush extending from the outer surface of the spindle.    
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 16  wherein: 
 the spindle comprises first and second pins extending from the first and second ends of the spindle, respectively, the first and second pins are adapted to be rotatably received by the vacuum cleaner housing; and,    the first and second airflow enhancing devices have first and second holes, respectively, that receive the first and second pins, respectively.    
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the spindle comprises: 
 first and second recesses formed in the first and second ends of the spindle, respectively, wherein at least a portion of the first and second airflow enhancing devices are positioned with the first and second recesses, respectively.    
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the first and second airflow enhancing devices are screwed on to the spindle.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the first and second airflow enhancing devices are molded into the spindle.  
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the first and second airflow enhancing devices and the spindle are fabricated as an integrated assembly.  
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the spindle comprises: 
 a driven pulley adapted to engage a belt driven by the vacuum cleaner motor.    
   
   
       24 . A method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a vacuum cleaner comprising: (1) a housing having an intake aperture and a first opening; and, (2) a drive motor;    providing a device comprising a spindle operatively connected to the drive motor and selectively rotatable within the housing, the spindle having a central portion and a first end juxtaposed to the first opening in the housing; and,    operating the drive motor to rotate the spindle thereby drawing air through the first opening and along the longitudinal axis of the spindle from the first end toward the central portion.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein prior to the step of, operating the drive motor to rotate the spindle, the method comprises the step of: 
 adjusting the size of the first opening.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an adjustment mechanism comprising a plate rotatably attached to the housing; and,    wherein the step of, adjusting the size of the first opening, comprises the step of rotating the plate.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the housing with a top, a bottom and a side wall;    providing the intake aperture in the bottom of the housing and the first opening in the side wall;    providing a second opening in the bottom of the housing juxtaposed to the first end of the spindle;    wherein the step of, operating the drive motor to rotate the spindle, comprises the step of drawing air through the second opening and along the longitudinal axis of the spindle from the first end toward the central portion.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the housing with a top, a bottom and first and second side walls;    providing the intake aperture in the bottom of the housing and the first opening in the first side wall;    providing the spindle with a second end;    providing a second opening in the second side wall juxtaposed to the second end of the spindle;    wherein the step of, operating the drive motor to rotate the spindle, comprises the step of drawing air through the second opening and along the longitudinal axis of the spindle from the second end toward the central portion.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an airflow enhancing device fixedly attached to the first end of the spindle; and,    wherein the step of, operating the drive motor to rotate the spindle, comprises the step of rotating the airflow enhancing device.