Cleaner head assembly for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A cleaner head assembly for a vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner head body pivotably attachable to a main body of a vacuum cleaner and a brush housing pivotably mounted on the cleaner head body, the brush housing having a suction opening, a brush bar mounted therein and a resilient member provided to bias the brush housing in a pivoting direction so as to urge a rear portion of the brush housing in an upward direction with respect to the cleaner head body. This configuration allows the brush housing to be doubly articulated with respect to the main body of the vacuum cleaner as it is biased by the resilient member in the pivoting direction such that the rear portion of the brush housing is urged in an upward direction with respect to the cleaner head body and the suction opening remains in a horizontal plane.

1 . A cleaner head assembly for a vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner head body pivotably attachable to a main body of a vacuum cleaner and a brush housing pivotably mounted on the cleaner head body, the brush housing having a suction opening and a brush bar mounted therein, and a resilient member arranged to bias the brush housing in a direction of pivoting so as to urge a rear portion of the brush housing in an upward direction with respect to the cleaner head body, the cleaner head assembly further comprising a sealing member extending downwardly from the rear portion of the brush housing so as to provide a seal between the housing and a floor surface in use. 
   
   
       2 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the brush housing is pivotable with respect to the cleaner head about an axis coincident with an axis of rotation of the brush bar. 
   
   
       3 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the axis of the brush bar is located in a front portion of the brush housing. 
   
   
       4 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the resilient member is located between the cleaner head body and the brush housing. 
   
   
       5 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the resilient member is adapted to maintain the suction opening in a horizontal plane. 
   
   
       6 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the resilient member extends between the cleaner head body and a rear portion of the brush housing and exerts an upward force on the rear portion of the brush housing. 
   
   
       7 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the resilient member comprises a tension spring. 
   
   
       8 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein a motor is provided to drive the brush bar. 
   
   
       9 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the motor is mounted to the brush housing. 
   
   
       10 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the sealing member comprises a flicker strip. 
   
   
       11 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the lower portion of the cleaner head comprises a support member arranged to extend across the suction opening. 
   
   
       12 . A cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the support member is profiled so as to adjust the relationship between the main body of a vacuum cleaner, the cleaner head body and the brush housing relative to the horizontal plane of the suction opening. 
   
   
       13 . A vacuum cleaner comprising a main body including the cleaner head assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the cleaner head body is pivotably mounted on the main body of the vacuum cleaner. 
   
   
       14 . A vacuum cleaner as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the support member has a profile such that, in use, the suction opening remains horizontal as vacuum cleaner moves along a surface. 
   
   
       15 . (canceled)