Cleaner head

Abstract

A cleaner head ( 20 ) for a vacuum cleaner ( 2 ), the cleaner head comprising: a housing ( 32 ) defining a suction chamber comprising an outlet ( 34 ); and an agitator element ( 22, 24 ) being mounted for rotation about an axis (R 1 , R 2 ), wherein: the agitator element comprises a first, free end ( 26 a, 26 b ) and a second end ( 28 a, 28 b ), the agitator element has a shape which tapers towards the first end in a direction along the axis of rotation, the agitator element is cantilevered from a portion ( 30 ) of the cleaner head at the second end, and the housing comprises a side opening ( 36 ) in the housing, adjacent the first end of the agitator element.

1 : A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner, the cleaner head comprising:
 a housing defining a suction chamber comprising an outlet; and   an agitator element being mounted for rotation about an axis, wherein:   the agitator element comprises a first, free end and a second end,   the agitator element has a shape which tapers towards the first end in a direction along the axis of rotation,   the agitator element is cantilevered from a portion of the cleaner head at the second end, and   the housing comprises a side opening in the housing, adjacent the first end of the agitator element.   
     
     
         2 : The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein the side opening provides a suction path from the first end of the agitator element towards the outlet. 
     
     
         3 : The cleaner head of claim  15 , wherein the first end of the agitator element protrudes beyond the footprint of the cleaner head housing. 
     
     
         4 : The cleaner head of  claim 1 , further comprising a further agitator element being mounted for rotation about a further axis, wherein:
 the further agitator element comprises a first, free end and a second end,   the further agitator element has a shape which tapers towards the first end in a direction along the further axis of rotation,   the agitator elements are cantilevered from opposing sides of a hub portion of the cleaner head at their respective second ends, and   the housing comprises a further side opening in the housing, adjacent the first end of the further agitator element.   
     
     
         5 : The cleaner head of  claim 4 , wherein the further side opening provides a suction path from the first end of the further agitator element towards the outlet. 
     
     
         6 : The cleaner head of  claim 4 , wherein the first end of the further agitator element projects into or through the further side opening. 
     
     
         7 : The cleaner head of  claim 6 , wherein the first end of the further agitator element protrudes beyond the footprint of the cleaner head housing. 
     
     
         8 : The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein the or each agitator element is arranged such that when the cleaner head is applying suction to a horizontal surface, the position of the axis at the first end of the element is closer to the surface than the position of the axis at the second end of the element. 
     
     
         9 : The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein the or each agitator element is arranged such that the position of the axis at the first end of the agitator element is further forwards than the position of the axis at the second end of the agitator element. 
     
     
         10 : The cleaner head of  claim 9 , wherein the frontmost portions of the external surfaces of the agitator elements lie in a single plane perpendicular to the horizontal surface when the cleaner head is applying suction thereto. 
     
     
         11 : The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein the external surface of the or each agitator element comprises a felt-like covering. 
     
     
         12 : The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein the external surface of the or each agitator element comprises upstanding helical strips of bristles. 
     
     
         13 : A vacuum cleaner comprising the cleaner head of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 : The cleaner head of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the agitator element projects into or through the side opening.