Agitator with internal twin motor drive system

Abstract

A floor care apparatus includes a housing having a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. Both a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel are carried on the housing. An agitator cavity is provided on the nozzle assembly. A rotary agitator is provided in the agitator cavity. The rotary agitator includes an internal space. An agitator drive system is provided in the internal space of the rotary agitator. The agitator drive system includes first and second drive motors that simultaneously drive the agitator.

1 . A floor care apparatus, comprising:
 a housing including a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly;   a suction generator carried on said housing;   a dirt collection vessel carried on said housing;   an agitator cavity provided on said nozzle assembly;   a rotary agitator provided in said agitator cavity, said rotary agitator including an internal space; and   an agitator drive system provided in said internal space of said rotary agitator, said agitator drive system including a first drive motor and a second drive motor.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second drive motors are aligned within said internal space. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said first drive motor is provided adjacent a first end of said rotary agitator and said second drive motor is provided adjacent a second end of said rotary agitator so as to provide weight balance. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further including a first intake opening at a first end of said agitator, a second intake opening at a second end of said agitator and an exhaust outlet in a wall of said rotary agitator between said first drive motor and said second drive motor. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further including a first air filter in said internal space between said first drive motor and said first intake opening, a second air filter in said internal space between said second drive motor and said second intake opening and a third air filter in said internal space between said first and second drive motors and covering said exhaust outlet;
 cooling air being drawn into said filter through said first and second air intake openings by said first and second drive motors, said cooling air flowing through said first and second drive motors before being exhausted from said rotary agitator through said exhaust outlet.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further including a first motor support engaging said first motor and mounting said first motor to said nozzle assembly and a second motor support engaging said second motor and mounting said second motor to said nozzle assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further including a first bearing assembly provided between said first motor support and said first end of said rotary agitator and a second bearing assembly provided between said second motor support and said second end of said rotary agitator. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further including a first power transmission assembly received in said internal space and transmitting power from said first drive motor to said rotary agitator and a second power transmission assembly received in said internal space and transmitting power from said second drive motor to said rotary agitator. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said first drive motor includes a first drive shaft and said second drive motor includes a second drive shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said first power transmission assembly includes a first planetary gear set carrier carrying a first planetary gear set as well as a first drive ring and associated rubber drive boot. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said second power transmission assembly includes a second planetary gear set carrier carrying a second planetary gear set as well as a second drive ring and associated rubber drive boot. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said first planetary gear set carrier holds a first bearing and said first drive shaft extends through said first bearing while said second planetary gear set carrier holds a second bearing and said second drive shaft extends through said second bearing. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further including a first annular gear fixed to a first housing of said first drive motor and a second annular gear fixed to a second housing of said second drive motor, said first planetary gear set being driven around said first annular gear by said first drive motor while said second planetary gear set is being drive around said second annular gear by said second drive motor. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further including a plurality of axial ribs projecting inwardly into said internal space from said wall of said rotary agitator. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second drive ring and associated rubber drive boot include a plurality of spaced channels that receive and engage said plurality of axial ribs on said wall of said rotary agitator so that said rotary agitator is rotated with said first and second planetary gear set carriers. 
     
     
         16 . A method of driving a rotary agitator in a vacuum cleaner comprising:
 providing a first agitator drive motor;   providing a second agitator drive motor; and   simultaneously driving said rotary agitator with said first agitator drive motor and said second agitator drive motor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , including mounting both of said first and second agitator drive motors in an internal space within said rotary agitator. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , including aligning said first and second agitator drive motors within said internal space in said rotary agitator while also orienting said first and second agitator drive motors in opposite directions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , including driving said first agitator drive motor in a counter-clockwise direction while simultaneously driving said second agitator drive motor in a clockwise direction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , including reducing the overall diameter of said rotary agitator by using said first and second agitator drive motors to drive said rotary agitator instead of a single drive motor where said single drive motor has a diameter D and a power output of P while each of said first and second agitator drive motors has a diameter less than D and a combined power output of at least P.