A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance

Abstract

A cleaner head for a surface cleaning apparatus, including: a first agitator rotatable about a first axis; a second agitator rotatable about a second axis; a housing movable along a surface to be cleaned; wherein the housing at least partially defines a chamber which at least partially surrounds the first and second agitators, wherein said chamber includes: a dirty air inlet; a dirty air outlet; and an opening for permitting access to and removal of the first and/or second agitators from the chamber; the cleaner head further including a cover cooperatively associated with the housing for permitting access to the chamber through the opening; wherein the cover is movable to an agitator access position to permit the first and/or second agitator to be removed from the chamber through the opening in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first and/or second axis of the respective first and/or second agitator and in a direction which is substantially parallel to a plane of the surface to be cleaned.

1 . A cleaner head for a surface cleaning apparatus, including:
 a first agitator rotatable about a first axis;   a second agitator rotatable about a second axis;   a housing movable along a surface to be cleaned;   wherein the housing at least partially defines a chamber which at least partially surrounds the first and second agitators, wherein said chamber includes:
 a dirty air inlet; 
 a dirty air outlet; and 
 an opening for permitting access to and removal of the first and/or second agitators from the chamber; 
   the cleaner head further including a cover cooperatively associated with the housing for permitting access to the chamber through the opening;   wherein the cover is movable to an agitator access position to permit the first and/or second agitator to be removed from the chamber through the opening in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first and/or second axis of the respective first and/or second agitator and in a direction which is substantially parallel to a plane of the surface to be cleaned.   
     
     
         2 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second agitators are positioned generally side by side within the chamber. 
     
     
         3 . A cleaner head for a surface cleaning apparatus, including:
 a first agitator rotatable about a first axis;   a second agitator rotatable about a second axis;   a housing movable along a surface to be cleaned;   wherein the housing at least partially defines a chamber which at least partially surrounds the first and second agitators, wherein said chamber includes:
 a dirty air inlet; 
 a dirty air outlet; and 
 an opening for permitting access to and removal of the first and/or second agitators from the chamber; 
   wherein the first and second agitators are positioned generally side by side within the chamber;   the cleaner head further including a cover cooperatively associated with the housing for permitting access to the chamber through the opening;   wherein the cover is movable to an agitator access position to permit the first and/or second agitator to be removed from the chamber through the opening.   
     
     
         4 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the housing includes a front side, a rear side, a first side which extends between the front and rear sides and a second side generally opposite the first side which extends between the front and rear sides. 
     
     
         5 . A cleaner head according to  claim 4  when dependent on  claim 3  wherein the housing includes top and bottom sides which extend generally between the front, rear, first and second sides;
 wherein the opening is in the front and/or top and/or rear and/or bottom of the housing. 
 
     
     
         6 . A cleaner head according to  claim 4  wherein the opening and the cover are positioned at or on the front side of the housing; and/or
 wherein the first and second agitators are positioned adjacent the cover. 
 
     
     
         7 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the cover is releasably connectable, e.g., removable from, the housing; and/or
 wherein the cover is pivotably movable, preferably downwardly, relative to the housing; or 
 wherein the cover is slidably movable, preferably vertically, with respect to the housing. 
 
     
     
         8 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the first and second agitators are generally parallel; or
 wherein the first and second agitators are generally coaxial; or 
 wherein the first agitator is inclined at an angle with respect to the second agitator and wherein the first axis of the first agitator is inclined at an angle to the front and/or rear sides of the housing; and/or 
 wherein the second axis of the second agitator is inclined at an angle to the front and/or rear sides of the housing. 
 
     
     
         9 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  when dependent, directly or indirectly, on  claim 4  wherein the first agitator is positioned on the first side of the housing; and/or
 wherein the second agitator is positioned on the second side of the housing. 
 
     
     
         10 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  further including a motor for driving the first and/or second agitator. 
     
     
         11 . A cleaner head according to  claim 10  further including a drive formation operatively connected to the motor; and
 wherein the first agitator includes a first end including a drive engagement formation; 
 wherein, in use, the drive formation is engaged by the drive engagement formation for driving the first agitator. 
 
     
     
         12 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  when dependent, directly or indirectly, on  claim 4  wherein the first agitator includes a second end which includes a retaining formation for retaining the first agitator relative to the housing, preferably for retaining the second end of the first agitator relative to the first side of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the first agitator is a brush bar. 
     
     
         14 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the first agitator includes microfibre and/or bristles. 
     
     
         15 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the second agitator includes one or more or all of the features of the first agitator as set forth in  claims 11 to 14 . 
     
     
         16 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the first and second agitators each have a respective length and diameter;
 wherein the first agitator has a greater length and/or diameter than the second agitator; or 
 wherein the first and second agitators have the same length and/or diameter. 
 
     
     
         17 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the second agitator is a mirror image of the first agitator. 
     
     
         18 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  wherein the housing includes an intermediate portion, and wherein the first and second agitators are separated by the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         19 . A cleaner head according to  claim 18  when dependent, directly or indirectly, on  claim 11  wherein the drive formation is positioned in the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         20 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  when dependent, directly or indirectly, on  claim 11  wherein the drive formation is positioned generally centrally in the chamber. 
     
     
         21 . A cleaner head according to  any preceding claim  including a spray nozzle device for spraying cleaning fluid onto the first and/or second agitator, said spray nozzle device being fluidly connectable to a cleaning fluid supply tank of a cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         22 . A cleaner head according to  claim 21  including first and second spray nozzle devices;
 wherein the first spray nozzle device is for spraying cleaning fluid onto the first agitator; and 
 wherein the second spray nozzle device is for spraying cleaning fluid onto the second agitator. 
 
     
     
         23 . A cleaner head for a surface cleaning apparatus, including:
 a first agitator rotatable about a first axis;   a second agitator rotatable about a second axis;   a housing movable along a surface to be cleaned;   wherein the housing at least partially defines a chamber which at least partially surrounds the first and second agitators, wherein said chamber includes:
 a dirty air inlet; and 
 a dirty air outlet; 
   wherein the first and second agitators are positioned generally side by side within the chamber; and   wherein the cleaner head further includes a spray nozzle device for spraying cleaning fluid onto the first and/or second agitator, said spray nozzle device being fluidly connectable to a cleaning fluid supply tank of a cleaning apparatus.   
     
     
         24 . A cleaner head according to  claim 23  including one or more or all of the features of the cleaner head as set forth in  claims 1 to 22 . 
     
     
         25 . A cleaning appliance including a cleaner head according to  any preceding claim . 
     
     
         26 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 25  including a source of suction for drawing air through the dirty air outlet. 
     
     
         27 . A cleaning appliance according to  claim 25 or claim 26  including:
 a main body; 
 a cleaning fluid supply tank for holding a cleaning fluid which is preferably releasably connectable to the main body; and 
 a recovery tank fluidly connected to the dirty air outlet; 
 wherein the cleaning fluid supply tank is fluidly connected to a spray nozzle device, or the or each spray nozzle device when dependent, directly or indirectly, on  claims 21 to 23 .