Belt guard for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle defining a chamber, a suction source in fluid communication with the nozzle and operable to generate an airflow through the nozzle, and an agitator rotatably supported within the chamber. The vacuum cleaner further includes a belt, a drive member drivingly connected to the agitator by the belt, and a belt guard surrounding at least a portion of the agitator at an interface between the agitator and the belt, the belt guard partitioning the chamber into a first section and a second section. The belt guard includes an aperture extending from the second section to the first section to permit air to flow from the second section to the first section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a nozzle defining a chamber;   a suction source in fluid communication with the nozzle and operable to generate an airflow through the nozzle;   an agitator rotatably supported within the chamber;   a belt;   a drive member drivingly connected to the agitator by the belt;   a belt guard surrounding at least a portion of the agitator at an interface between the agitator and the belt, the belt guard partitioning the chamber into a first section and a second section,   wherein the belt guard includes an aperture extending from the first section to the second section to permit air to flow from the first section to the second section.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes an upper portion and a lower portion coupled to the upper portion. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the lower portion includes an elongate opening forming an inlet through which the airflow enters the nozzle. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes an outlet, and wherein the second section of the chamber is in communication with the outlet through the aperture. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the outlet is adjacent the first section of the chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes an outlet, and wherein the first section of the chamber is in communication with the outlet through the aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the belt guard includes a first portion supported by the upper portion of the nozzle and a second portion supported by the lower portion of the nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the belt guard is integrally formed as a single piece with the upper portion of the nozzle. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the second portion of the belt guard is integrally formed as a single piece with the lower portion of the nozzle. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the aperture extends through the second portion of the belt guard. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the belt guard includes a first wall and a second wall spaced from the first wall, and wherein the belt is positioned between the first wall and the second wall. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the aperture extends through the first wall and the second wall. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first section has a width greater than half the width of the nozzle, and the second section has a width less than half the width of the nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the first section has a width greater than or equal to two-thirds the width of the nozzle, and the second section has a width less than or equal to one-third the width of the nozzle. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the drive member is an electric motor. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the suction source is a fan assembly driven by the drive member. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a pulley coupled to the drive member, wherein the belt extends between the pulley and the agitator. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the belt is a first belt, and wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises a second belt extending between the drive member and the pulley. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a base assembly on which the nozzle is located;   a handle assembly pivotally coupled to the base assembly; and   a separator supported by the handle assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the separator is a multi-stage cyclonic separator.