Surface cleaning apparatus

US20060000040A1Inactive Publication Date: 2006-01-05GREY NICHOLAS GERALD +3
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2006-01-05
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a body including a rear compartment, a forward compartment and an intermediate compartment arranged between the rear and forward compartments for collecting debris. An elongate rotatable brush arrangement is positioned within and extends across the forward compartment. An electric motor is connected to the rotatable brush arrangement by a belt. A notch or opening in the front wall of the forward compartment facilitates admission of particles into the forward compartment.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10 / 431,783, filed May 8, 2003. This application also claims priority to the subject matter of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 564,296, filed Apr. 22, 2004.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to a surface cleaning apparatus, such as for a floor or upholstery. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Conventional surface cleaning apparatus which do not use suction, such as sweeper type floor cleaning apparatus using rotatable brushes to pick up and collect particles and other debris, typically have a leading front face of the body of the sweeper apparatus with a substantially planar lower edge. During use, such a conventional sweeper requires a clearance distance to be maintained between the lower edge of the body of the sweeper apparatus and the surface to be cleaned.

[0004] If the clearance distance between the lower edge of the sweeper apparatus and the s...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0023] In an embodiment corresponding to the surface cleaning apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a body 1, suitably moulded of plastics material, and having at least two compartments and preferably at least three compartments.

[0024] A rear compartment 3 houses an electric motor 5 and a rechargeable battery pack 7. The battery pack 7 may be connected to a mains power supply (not shown) for recharging the battery pack. The battery pack may either be connected to the mains supply whenever the apparatus is not in use or at suitable times when the battery pack has become depleted. Switch means (not shown) is provided to permit a user to energise and de-energise the motor 5 as desired. As an alternative to a rechargeable battery pack, the apparatus could employ disposable batteries or be mains powered, such as being adapted to operate by plugging into household electric current.

[0025] A forward compartment 9 houses an elongate rotatable brush arran...