Floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance

Abstract

A floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance, comprising a main body connected to a conduit, the main body comprising, a supporting member adapted to support a cleaning element and a suction nozzle adjacent an edge of the supporting member, wherein the suction nozzle defines a suction chamber, and wherein the suction chamber includes a first fluid outlet and a second fluid outlet in communication with the conduit.

1 . A floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance comprising a main body connected to a conduit, the main body comprising a supporting member adapted to support a cleaning element and a suction nozzle adjacent an edge of the supporting member, wherein the suction nozzle defines a suction chamber, and wherein the suction chamber includes a first fluid outlet and a second fluid outlet in communication with the conduit. 
     
     
         2 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the suction nozzle includes a surface engaging skirt member that depends from a surface of the suction nozzle and defines an outer periphery of the suction chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The floor tool of  claim 2 , wherein the surface engaging skirt member is flexible. 
     
     
         4 . The floor tool of  claim 2 , wherein the surface engaging skirt member is defined by at least one of a plurality of bristles, a plurality of filaments and at least one strip of flexible material. 
     
     
         5 . The floor tool of  claim 2 , where a first portion of the surface engaging skirt member has a substantially uniform linear edge along its length. 
     
     
         6 . The floor tool of  claim 5 , wherein the surface engaging skirt member includes a second portion provided with openings along at least a portion of its length. 
     
     
         7 . The floor tool of  claim 6 , wherein the openings are regularly spaced in the form of castellations. 
     
     
         8 . The floor tool of  claim 6 , wherein the first portion is located directly adjacent the edge of the support member and wherein the second portion is located on an edge of the suction nozzle remote from the edge of the support member. 
     
     
         9 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , including a second suction nozzle adjacent a second edge of the supporting member. 
     
     
         10 . The floor tool of  claim 9 , wherein the second suction nozzle has a suction chamber of the same configuration as the first suction nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . A floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance comprising a main body connected to a conduit, the main body comprising a supporting member adapted to support a cleaning element and a suction nozzle adjacent an edge of the supporting member, wherein the suction nozzle includes a surface engaging skirt member that depends from a surface of the suction nozzle and defines an outer periphery of a suction chamber, the suction chamber including a first fluid outlet in communication with the conduit, and wherein the surface engaging skirt member includes a first portion having a substantially uniform linear edge along its length, wherein a second portion of the surface engaging skirt member opposing the first portion is provided with one or more openings along at least a portion of its length. 
     
     
         12 . The floor tool of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion is located directly adjacent the edge of the support member and wherein the second portion is located on an edge of the suction nozzle remote from the edge of the support member. 
     
     
         13 . The floor tool of  claim 11 , wherein the surface engaging skirt member is flexible. 
     
     
         14 . The floor tool of  claim 11 , wherein the surface engaging skirt member is defined by at least one of a plurality of bristles, a plurality of filaments and at least one strip of flexible material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The floor tool of  claim 11 , wherein the suction chamber includes a second fluid outlet in communication with the conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The floor tool of  claim 15 , wherein the first and the second fluid outlets are spaced an equal distance from respective ends of the suction chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The floor tool of  claim 15 , wherein the suction chamber includes a dividing wall so as to define a first and a second suction chamber, each of the first and the second suction chambers including one of the first and second fluid outlets. 
     
     
         18 . A vacuum cleaner including a floor tool as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A stick type vacuum cleaner comprising a handheld vacuum cleaner including a motor and fan unit and a separating apparatus having an air inlet, a wand attachable to the air inlet and a floor tool in accordance with  claim 1  attachable to a remote end of the wand. 
     
     
         20 . A stick type vacuum cleaner comprising a handheld vacuum cleaner including a motor and fan unit and a separating apparatus having an air inlet, a wand attachable to the air inlet and a floor tool attachable to a remote end of the wand, wherein the floor tool includes a supporting member adapted to support a cleaning element and a suction nozzle adjacent an edge of the supporting member. 
     
     
         21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the suction nozzle includes a suction chamber including a first fluid outlet and a second fluid outlet in communication with a conduit. 
     
     
         22 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 21  wherein the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlets are associated with separate suction chambers of the suction nozzle. 
     
     
         23 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein a second suction nozzle is located against a second edge of the supporting member.