Vacuum cleaner head

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner ( 10 ) having a hollow body ( 11 ). The body ( 11 ) includes a coupling ( 12 ) providing a conduit ( 13 ) to which air under reduced pressure is delivered. The body ( 11 ) has a transverse slot ( 16 ) that faces the floor surface to be cleaned. Forward or rearward of the slot ( 16 ) are wheels ( 20 ).

1 . There is disclosed herein a vacuum cleaner head to move in a forward direction over a floor surface to clean the floor surface, the head including:
 a hollow body to be connected to a supply of air having a reduced pressure relative to atmosphere, the body having a duct to be connected to the supply;   two wheels to engage said floor surface to at least partly support the head on said floor surface; and wherein   said body is elongated transverse of said direction so as to extend longitudinally between opposite end surfaces, includes a slot connected to said duct, the slot being open downward so as to face said floor surface, with said wheels being directly forward or rearward of said slot relative to said direction and adjacent one of the end surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein said slot extends between end openings in the end surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein each wheel is forward and adjacent of a respective one of the openings. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein the end openings face transversely outwardly relative to said direction. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaner head of  claim 2 , wherein the slot has a central portion with a transverse area, and each end opening has an area less than the transverse area of the central portion. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaner head of  claim 2 , wherein the slot includes end slot lengths, each slot length extending to a respective one of the end openings, with each wheel forward of a respective one of the lengths. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaner head of  claim 6 , wherein the body is moulded from plastics material, and the body includes slots and ridges adjacent each length to inhibit distortion of the body. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaner head of  claim 6 , wherein the slot has a central portion with a transverse area, and each end length has a transverse area less than the transverse area of the central portion. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaner head of  claim 2 , wherein the slot has a transverse area that reduces toward the end openings. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaner head of  claim 2 , wherein said body is moulded from plastics material, and the body has a central coupling providing said duct, with the body including ribs and slots adjacent the coupling to inhibit distortion of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaner head of  claim 2 , wherein the end openings face transversely outwardly relative to said direction, and the slot has a central portion with a transverse area, and each end opening has an area less than the transverse area of the central portion. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaner head of  claim 2 , wherein the slot includes end slot lengths, each slot length extending to a respective one of the end openings, with each wheel forward of a respective one of the lengths. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaner head of  claim 6 , wherein the body is moulded from plastics material, and the body includes slots and ridges adjacent each length to inhibit distortion of the body. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaner head of  claim 12 , wherein the slot has a central portion with a transverse area, and each end length has a transverse area less than the transverse area of the central portion. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaner head of  claim 3 , wherein the slot has a transverse area that reduces toward the end openings. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein said body is moulded from plastics material, and the body has a central coupling providing said duct, with the body including ribs and slots adjacent the coupling to inhibit distortion of the body. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaner head of  claim 7 , wherein the slot has a central portion with a transverse area, and each end length has a transverse area less than the transverse area of the central portion. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein said body is moulded from plastics material, and the body has a central coupling providing said duct, with the body including ribs and slots adjacent the coupling to inhibit distortion of the body. 
     
     
         19 . A vacuum cleaner head to move in a forward direction over a floor surface to clean the floor surface, the head including:
 a hollow body to be connected to a supply of air having a reduced pressure relative to atmosphere, the body having a duct to be connected to the supply;   two wheels to engage said floor surface to at least partly support the head on said floor surface; and wherein   said body is elongated transverse of said direction so as to extend longitudinally between opposite end surfaces, with said body including a slot connected to said duct, the slot being open downward so as to face said floor surface, and end opening in each end surface and between which the slot extends, the end openings facing transversely outwardly relative to said direction, the slot having a central portion with a transverse area, and each end opening having an area less than the transverse area of the central portion, the slot including end slot lengths, each end slot length extending to a respective one of the end openings, with each wheel being forward of a respective one of the lengths, and each end length having a transverse area less than the transverse area of the central portion.   
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the body is moulded from plastics material, and the body includes slots and ridges adjacent each length to inhibit distortion of the body, and the body has a central coupling providing said duct, with the body including ribs and slots adjacent the coupling to inhibit distortion of the body.