Brush assembly for a floor cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is described and comprises a handle portion and a housing containing a collection apparatus for removing contaminants from an airstream. Base portion has a suction inlet arranged to draw air into the base portion. At least one, and preferably two brush assemblies are rotatably mounted to the underside of base portion. Each brush assembly comprises a body portion around the circumference of which a plurality of bristles, preferably clumped in bristle tufts are mounted. On the underside of each body portion, a plurality of floor engaging members are disposed. Floor engaging members are configured to engage a surface on which the vacuum cleaner is placed such that when the vacuum cleaner is advanced forward, the floor engaging members grip the surface to cause rotation of the body portion and therefore brush assemblies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A brush assembly for a floor cleaning apparatus, the brush assembly comprising:
 a body portion rotatably mountable to an underside of a floor cleaning apparatus;   a plurality of bristles disposed around the edge of the body portion, said plurality of bristles being configured to engage a surface to be cleaned; and   a plurality of floor engaging members projecting from the underside of the body portion, each said floor engaging member being capable of frictionally engaging the surface on which the brush assembly is disposed to cause rotation of the body portion as the brush assembly is moved along said surface.   
     
     
         2 . The brush assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each said floor engaging member comprises an elastomeric finger. 
     
     
         3 . The brush assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of each said floor engaging member is non-perpendicular to the underside of said body portion. 
     
     
         4 . The brush assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising bearing means arranged to allow rotation of said brush assembly in a first direction, but prevent rotation of said brush assembly in a second direction, opposite to said first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The brush assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation of the body portion is non-parallel to said surface. 
     
     
         6 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a handle portion;   a collection apparatus for removing contaminants from an airstream;   a base portion configured to be moved along a surface to collect contaminants therefrom, the base portion comprising a suction inlet; and   at least one brush assembly rotatably mounted to the underside of said base portion, wherein an axis of rotation of said at least one brush assembly is arranged such that a first side of said at least one brush assembly closest to said suction inlet is tilted towards the surface and a second side of said at least one brush assembly, opposite said first side, is tilted away from said surface.   
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 6 , further comprising a bearing means arranged to allow rotation of said at least one brush assembly in a first direction, but prevent rotation of said at least one brush assembly in a second direction, opposite to said first direction. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein the axis of rotation of the at least one brush assembly is non-parallel to the surface. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein the axis of rotation of said at least one brush assembly is arranged such the axis is tilted forwardly and towards a front edge of the base portion. 
     
     
         10 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a handle portion;   a collection apparatus for removing contaminants from an airstream;   a base portion configured to be moved along a surface to collect contaminants therefrom, the base portion comprising a suction inlet and a front edge; and   at least one brush assembly rotatably mounted to the underside of said base portion, wherein an axis of rotation of said at least one brush assembly is tilted forwardly and towards the front edge.   
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 10 , wherein the axis of rotation of said at least one brush assembly is arranged such that a first side of said at least one brush assembly closest to said suction inlet is tilted towards the surface and a second side of said at least one brush assembly, opposite said first side, is tilted away from said surface. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 10 , wherein said at least one brush assembly comprises:
 a body portion;   a plurality of bristles disposed around the edge of the body portion, said plurality of bristles being configured to engage the surface; and   a plurality of floor engaging members projecting from the underside of the body portion, each said floor engaging member being capable of frictionally engaging the surface to cause rotation of the body portion as the brush assembly is moved along said surface.   
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 12 , wherein each said floor engaging member comprises an elastomeric finger. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 12 , wherein a longitudinal axis of each said floor engaging member is non-perpendicular to the underside of said body portion. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 10 , further comprising bearing means arranged to allow rotation of said at least one brush assembly in a first direction, but prevent rotation of said at least one brush assembly in a second direction, opposite to said first direction.