Vacuum cleaner accessory tool

Abstract

An accessory tool for use with a vacuum cleaner. The accessory tool has a hair removal system configured to collect hair from various surfaces to be cleaned, including soft surfaces such as upholstery, dog beds, pillows, and automobile interiors. The collected hair is gathered by the hair removal system and ingested via the vacuum cleaner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An accessory tool, comprising:
 a housing assembly defining an underside, a suction nozzle provided at an interior portion of the underside, the housing assembly further comprising an outlet, the outlet adapted to be connected to a suction source adapted for generating a working air flow from the suction nozzle through the housing assembly to the outlet; and   a set of hair collecting elements provided on the underside adjacent the suction nozzle, the set of hair collecting elements configured to create an aggregating effect of removed hair from a surface to be cleaned during use to agglomerate the removed hair into a cluster of hair and move the removed hair towards the suction nozzle.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the underside has an outer periphery and the suction nozzle is centrally located. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory tool of  claim 2 , wherein the suction nozzle is elongated. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory tool of  claim 3 , wherein the underside has a profile that is sloped from the suction nozzle to the outer periphery. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the set of hair collecting elements comprises a plurality of elastomeric nubs. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory tool of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of elastomeric nubs is oriented or angled towards the suction nozzle. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the suction nozzle is an elongated suction nozzle located at a juncture of a first side and a second side of the underside. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the underside comprises a first side and a second side. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory tool of  claim 8 , wherein the first side and the second side form a V-shape towards the suction nozzle. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the set of hair collecting elements comprises a first plurality of hair collecting elements oriented or angled in a first direction and second plurality of hair collecting elements oriented or angled in a second direction. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory tool of  claim 10 , wherein the first plurality of hair collecting elements and the second plurality of hair collecting elements are both oriented or angled towards the suction nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory tool of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of hair collecting elements or the second plurality of hair collecting elements comprise an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is defined by a conduit. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory tool of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of ridges or a grip provided on the conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the set of hair collecting elements are configured to create the aggregating effect of removed hair and move the removed hair towards the suction nozzle via a side-to-side motion. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory tool of  claim 1 , wherein the housing assembly further comprises a crevice tool having an aperture fluidly coupled to the outlet via a passageway within the housing assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The accessory tool of  claim 16 , wherein the passageway is fluidly coupled to the working air flow from the suction nozzle through the housing assembly to the outlet. 
     
     
         18 . An accessory tool, comprising:
 a housing assembly defining an underside, a suction nozzle provided at an interior portion of the underside, the housing assembly including a crevice tool having an aperture located at a distal end of the housing assembly and an outlet located at a proximal end, the outlet adapted to be connected to a suction source adapted for generating a working air flow from the suction nozzle and the crevice tool through the housing assembly to the outlet; and   a set of hair collecting elements provided on the underside adjacent the suction nozzle, the set of hair collecting elements configured to create an aggregating effect of removed hair from a surface to be cleaned during use to agglomerate the removed hair into a cluster of hair and move the removed hair towards the suction nozzle.   
     
     
         19 . The accessory tool of  claim 18 , wherein the underside comprises a first side and a second side and wherein the first side and the second side form a V-shape towards the suction nozzle. 
     
     
         20 . The accessory tool of  claim 19 , wherein the set of hair collecting elements comprises a first plurality of hair collecting elements oriented or angled in a first direction towards the suction nozzle and second plurality of hair collecting elements oriented or angled in a second direction towards the suction nozzle.