Floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance

Abstract

A floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance comprising a support member adapted to support a cleaning element and at least one suction nozzle in communication with a conduit, wherein the support member comprises a removable pad which is detachable from the support member. The support member includes a rolling arrangement that is engageable with a floor surface when the removable pad is disengaged from the support plate, thereby allowing the floor tool to be used in a ‘suction-only’ mode of operation or a “suction-and-wipe” mode of operation.

1 . A floor tool for a vacuum cleaning appliance comprising a support member for supporting a cleaning element and at least one suction nozzle in communication with a conduit, wherein the support member comprises a removable pad which is detachable from the support member and a rolling arrangement depending from the support member so as to face a floor surface when the removable pad is disengaged from the support member. 
     
     
         2 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , further including a neck for controlling the floor tool, the neck being coupled to the support member. 
     
     
         3 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the suction nozzle is mounted so as to float with respect to the support member. 
     
     
         4 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the support member has a leading edge and a trailing edge and wherein the suction nozzle is located adjacent one of the leading edge or the trailing edge. 
     
     
         5 . The floor tool of  claim 4 , including a further suction nozzle located adjacent the other of the leading or the trailing edges. 
     
     
         6 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the or each of the suction nozzles includes at least one connecting arm that extends towards a manifold disposed centrally on the support member. 
     
     
         7 . The floor tool of  claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a carrier plate from which the removable pad is separable, the rolling arrangement being provided on the underside of the carrier plate. 
     
     
         8 . The floor tool of  claim 7 , wherein the rolling arrangement includes a plurality of wheels, rollers or skids that depend down from the support member to define a plane of contact parallel to the floor surface. 
     
     
         9 . The floor tool of  claim 8 , wherein the wheels, rollers or skids extend at least partially into apertures defined in the removable pad when the removable pad is coupled to the carrier plate. 
     
     
         10 . A vacuum cleaner comprising the floor tool of  claim 1 .