Vacuum cleaner utensil

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner utensil comprises a plurality of elements (Lx) flexibly mounted to a central area (C) to provide a suction opening at a side of the central area (C) corresponding to a current movement direction (MD) of the vacuum cleaner utensil out of a plurality of possible movement directions, while reducing a possibility for air to enter the central area (C) from a plurality of other directions. The central area (C) may rotate around its 5 center. The elements (Lx) may rotate with reference to respective axes (A) provided on the central area (C). The elements may be mounted to a single axis (Ac), and have a flexible first part having a first thickness, followed by a second part having a second thickness exceeding the first thickness, wherein—when pushed together as a result of movement—the second parts of neighboring elements (Lx) reduce a possibility for air to enter the central area (C) from 10 between the neighboring elements (Lx). The elements (Lx) may be arranged for collecting dirt from crevices (CV) over an entire operating diameter (D) of the vacuum cleaner utensil as defined by the elements (Lx). The invention also relates to a vacuum cleaner comprising a nozzle formed by such a vacuum cleaner utensil, and may relate to a robot vacuum cleaner formed by such a vacuum cleaner utensil.15

1 . A vacuum cleaner utensil comprising:
 a plurality of elements arranged and flexibly mounted to a central area in such a way to thereby provide a suction opening at a side of the central area corresponding to a current movement direction of the vacuum cleaner utensil out of a plurality of possible movement directions, while reducing a possibility for air to enter the central area from a plurality of other directions.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the central area is circular. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the central area is rotatable around its center. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elements are rotatable with reference to respective axes provided on the central area. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the axes are regularly distributed around a center of a central area. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elements are flexible. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the elements are mounted to a central point, and have a flexible first part having a first thickness, followed by a second part having a second thickness exceeding the first thickness, whereby the second parts of neighboring elements are arranged to reduce a possibility for air to enter the central area from between the neighboring elements when pushed together as a result of movement of the vacuum cleaning utensil. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the central point is an axis around which the elements can rotate. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the elements are hollow. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the elements have side walls and roofs extending beyond the side walls. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the elements are arranged for collecting dirt from crevices over an entire operating diameter of the vacuum cleaner utensil as defined by the elements. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner comprising a nozzle formed by a vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A robot vacuum cleaner formed by a vacuum cleaner utensil as claimed in  claim 1 .