Cleaner head

Abstract

A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner comprises a body 18 defining a suction cavity 14, the body having an underside arranged to face towards a floor surface to be cleaned, an opening 24 of the suction

Description

B ACKGROUND A vacuum cleaner typically comprises a main body containing dirt and dust separating apparatus, and a cleaner head connected to the main body and having an opening. A motor-driven fan unit is provided for generating suction to draw dirt-bearing air through the opening and the cleaner head, and into the main body. The opening is directed downwardly to face a floor surface to be cleaned. The dirt-bearing air is conveyed to the separating apparatus so that dirt and dust can be separated from the air before the air is expelled to the atmosphere. The separating apparatus can include, for example, one or more of a filter, a filter bag and a cyclonic arrangement. A driven agitator, usually in the form of a brush bar, may be rotatably mounted within a suction cavity of the cleaner head. The brush bar typically comprises an elongate core bearing bristles which extend radially outward from the core. The brush bar may be mounted within the suction cavity so that the bristles protrude by a small extent through the opening. Rotation of the brush bar may be driven by an electric motor powered by a power supply derived from the main body of the vacuum cleaner, or by a turbine driven by an air flow passing through or into the cleaner head. Rotation of the brush bar causes the bristles to sweep along the floor surface, agitating any dust or other debris located on the floor. Where the vacuum cleaner is used to clean a carpeted surface, the bristles may agitate fibres of the carpet to dislodge dust or other debris on the surface of the carpet and / or between fibres of the carpet. The suction of air causes air to flow around the brush bar to help lift the dirt and dust from the floor surface and then carry it from the opening through the cleaner head towards the separating apparatus. SUMMARY In a first aspect, there is provided a cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner, the cleaner head comprising: a body defining a suction cavity, the body having an underside arranged to face towards a floor surface to be cleaned, an opening of the suction cavity being formed in the underside of the body; a rotatable agitator located in the suction cavity; and a brush connected to the body and located externally in front of the suction cavity, the brush being raised relative to the underside of the body, such that there is a gap between the brush and the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface; wherein the brush comprises a row of bristles and a strip of resiliently deformable material extending alongside one another along at least part of a width of the body. It can be challenging to reach certain areas for cleaning with a cleaner head. For example, it may be difficult to reach into a corner between a floor surface and a wall (or skirting board), or into a corner in a staircase, with a cleaner head to remove debris. Moreover, as the agitator is located inside the cleaner head, it cannot easily reach into corners to agitate debris in those areas. As a result, debris may accumulate over time in areas such as along edges of a floor surface (i.e. in corners between the floor surface and wall or skirting board), and / or in comers of staircases. The cleaner head of the invention addresses these issues, by providing a brush connected to the body in front of the suction cavity. The brush facilitates reaching and removing debris located in such difficult-to-reach areas, thus improving cleaning performance of the cleaner head. In particular, as the brush is located in front of the suction cavity, it can be used to reach into areas (e.g. corners) in front of the cleaner head which could not otherwise be reached by the agitator. The brush is arranged such that there is a gap between the brush and the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. In this manner, the brush may not interfere with movement of the cleaner head over the floor surface during regular use. In other words, raising the brush relative to the underside of the body serves to avoid (or reduce) drag caused by the brush when the cleaner head is flat on the floor surface. The cleaner head can then be tilted forward to bring the brush into contact with the floor surface in front of the suction cavity. In this manner, the brush can reach into areas such as the edge of a floor surface or a comer between steps in a staircase. In order to clean such an area, the cleaner head can be tilted forward and pushed into the area to be cleaned, to bring the brush into contact with the floor surface in the area to be cleaned. The cleaner head can then be pulled back along the floor surface, with the brush acting to pull debris out of the area to be cleaned, allowing the debris to be aspirated and removed via the suction cavity. The inventors have found that the structure of the brush which combines a row of bristles and a strip of resiliently deformable material enables effective cleaning of an area to be cleaned, whilst allowing for a compact brush design. In particular, the inventors found that the combination of the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material contributes to reducing a number of passes over an area in order to remove debris from the area with the brush. For example, the strip of resiliently deformable material may provide a scrubbing action on the floor surface, which agitates debris and gathers debris around the bristles to facilitate capturing debris with the bristles. The strip of resiliently deformably material may also act as a wiper, which drags debris (e.g. dirt particles) along the floor surface to remove the debris from the area to be cleaned. The bristles can agitate the floor surface, as well as capture and drag debris along the floor surface. In particular, debris such as hair and / or threads may tangle with the bristles, so that they can be effectively removed with the bristles. The cleaner head may be adapted for use with any suitable vacuum cleaner. The body corresponds to a structure (e.g. a housing) in which the suction cavity is defined. For example, the suction cavity may correspond to a hollow space in the body. The rotatable agitator is located in the suction cavity, such that the rotatable agitator is located within the body. The underside of the body corresponds to a side of the body which in use faces towards the floor surface to be cleaned. For example, the underside of the body may be arranged to contact the floor surface when in use. The opening of the suction cavity is provided in the underside of the body, and corresponds to an inlet of the suction cavity, through which air and debris may be drawn into the suction cavity in use. The suction cavity may further comprise an air outlet, through which air may be drawn from the cleaner head. An air flow path may be defined through the suction cavity in the cleaner head, between the opening and the air outlet, such that air can be drawn along the air flow path in use. For example, in use, the air outlet may be connected to a main body of a vacuum cleaner, which generates suction so as to cause a (dirt-bearing) air flow to enter the cleaner head via the opening, and exit the cleaner head via the air outlet. The agitator may also be referred to as a brush bar. The agitator may comprise a core that is rotatably connected to the body in the suction cavity, and a plurality of bristles extending along at least part of a length of the core. The core may act as a support for the plurality of bristles. Thus, the plurality of bristles may protrude from the outer surface of the core. The agitator core may be rotatably connected to the body via a suitable rotatable coupling. Rotation of the agitator (core) may be driven by a motor, which may be housed in the body of the cleaner head. The core may be rotatable relative to the body about a longitudinal axis of the core. The longitudinal axis of the core may be arranged such that it is substantially normal to a forward direction of the cleaner head. In some cases, the agitator core may have a first, free end, and a second end opposite the free end that is rotatably connected to the body (e.g. via the rotatable coupling). In other words, the first end of the core may not connected to the body. For example, there may be a gap between the free end of the core and the body. The brush is located externally in front of the suction cavity. In other words, the brush is located outside of the suction cavity, at a front side of the body. The brush may protrude from a front (or leading) side of the body. The brush may thus be located in front of the agitator, and in front of the opening of the suction cavity. A wall of the body which defines part of the suction cavity may be located between the brush and the suction cavity. Here, a front side of the body may refer to a distal side of the body, i.e. a side of the body that faces away from a user when in use. In this manner, when the user pushes the cleaner head away from themselves, the brush may be located on a leading side of the body. This enables the brush to reach areas located in front of the suction cavity and the agitator, e.g. an area further from the user than the suction cavity and agitator. The brush may be connected to the body via any suitable means. For example, the brush may be located on a protruding portion which protrudes from a front (leading) side of the body. The brush may be arranged to face towards the floor surface, e.g. when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. For example, the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material may extend (protrude) towards the ground surface. The underside of the body may be arranged (e.g. shaped) to rest flat against the floor surface. Here, the underside of the body being flat against the floor surface may mean that a plane including (at least part of) the opening of the suction cavity is substantially parallel to the ground surface. For example, the underside of the body may comprise a lower edge that extends around the opening of the suction cavity. The lower edge of the underside of the body may rest against the floor surface, and / or be substantially parallel to the floor surface, when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. The gap between the brush and the floor surface may avoid contact between the brush and the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. Thus, tips of the bristles and a tip of the strip of resiliently deformable material may be located further from the floor surface compared to the underside of the body when the underside of the body is flat against the ground surface. The brush (i.e. the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material) extends along at least part of a width of a front the body. In some cases, the brush may extend along an entire width of a front of the body, e.g. the brush may extend along a front of the body between a first (e.g. left-hand) side and a second (e.g. right-hand) side of the body. This may allow for effective and uniform cleaning across the entire width of the cleaner head. Here, a width of the body may refer to a width in a direction normal to a forward direction of the cleaner head. The forward direction may correspond to a direction linking a front (e.g. leading, distal) side of the body and a rear (e.g. trailing, proximal) side of the body. In other words, the forward direction may correspond to a direction along which the user pushes the cleaner head in use. The row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material extend alongside one another. Thus, the row of bristles may extend substantially in parallel with the strip of resiliently deformable material, along at least part of the width of the body. The row of bristles may comprise a plurality of bristles. The bristles may be regularly (evenly) spaced along the row. The strip of resiliently deformable material may be substantially continuous. The strip of resiliently deformable material may be in the form of a wiper, or wiper blade. The resiliently deformable material may be arranged to bend or flex when it is brought into contact with the ground surface. The resiliently deformable material may comprise any suitable flexible or elastic material. The brush may comprise a base portion (or carrier portion) from which the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material protrude. The row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material may be arranged such that they both contact the floor surface when the cleaner head is tilted forwards. For example, the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material may be arranged such that a gap between a tip of the strip of resiliently deformable material and the floor surface, and a gap between tips of the bristles and the floor surface, are approximately the same when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. In other words, a height of the tips of the bristles and the tip of the strip of resiliently deformable material above the floor surface may be approximately the same. The strip of resiliently deformable material may be arranged in front of the row of bristles. In other words, the strip of resiliently deformable material may be further away from the suction cavity compared to the row of bristles, e.g. the row of bristles may be located between the strip of resiliently deformable material and the suction cavity. The inventors have found that such an arrangement of the brush promotes efficient cleaning of the floor surface. In particular, arranging the strip of resiliently deformable material in front of the row of bristles facilitates enables debris to be gathered with the strip of resiliently deformable material around the bristles, which can in turn capture and remove the debris. For example, this allows the strip of resiliently deformable material to reach into comers (e.g. at edges of a floor surface), to draw debris out of the comers. The strip of resiliently deformable material may be tilted away from the suction cavity. In other words, a tip of the strip of resiliently deformable material may be located further from the suction cavity (or agitator) compared to a base of the strip of resiliently deformable material. Thus, a direction in which the strip of resiliently deformable material protrudes from the base portion of the brush may be tilted. This may facilitate the strip of resiliently deformable material reaching into corners. Such tilting of the strip of resiliently deformable material may also facilitate dragging debris along the floor surface, e.g. to remove debris from corners. The strip of resiliently deformable material may be tilted relative to (e.g. away from) the row of bristles. For example, the tip of the strip of resiliently deformable material may be located further from the row of bristles compared to the base of the strip of resiliently deformable material. In some cases, the bristles may be arranged to extend substantially normal relative to the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. The strip of resiliently deformable material may then be tilted relative to (e.g. away from) the row of bristles. The strip of resiliently deformable material may be tilted at an angle of 70° or more relative to the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. Put another way, a direction at which the strip of resiliently deformable material protrudes from the base portion of the brush may be tilted at an angle of 70° or more relative to a plane including (at least part of) the opening of the suction cavity. Such an angle may facilitate reaching into comers and drawing debris out of corners. Moreover, with such a tilt angle, the strip of resiliently deformable material may be particularly adapted to reaching into a comer between steps in a staircase, where the steps have an overhang. The row of bristles may be formed of a rubber material. A rubber material may provide suitable levels of flexibility of the bristles, coupled with a relatively high coefficient of friction, enabling the bristles to effectively draw debris along the floor surface. Additionally or alternatively, the strip of resiliently deformable material is formed of a rubber material. Similarly to the above, a rubber material may provide suitable levels of flexibility for the strip, coupled with a relatively high coefficient of friction, enabling the strip to effectively draw debris along the floor surface. The rubber material of the bristles and / or strip may comprise any suitable rubber (e.g. elastomeric material). For example, a natural or synthetic rubber material, or a silicone material may be used. The row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material may be integrally formed as a single piece of material. This may simplify the structure of the cleaner head, and facilitate assembly of the cleaner head. Moreover, this may enhance a structural integrity of the brush, which may in turn improve a performance of the brush over its lifetime. Accordingly, the row of bristles may be formed of the same resiliently deformable material as the strip, such that they may both have similar material properties and degrees of flexibility. This may contribute to effective scrubbing and cleaning of the floor surface. As an example, the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material may be integrally moulded as a single piece of material. Other suitable manufacturing processes may also be used. Where the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material are integrally formed as a single piece of material, they may be formed of a rubber material as mentioned above. The body may comprise a soleplate which defines the underside of the body, the opening of the suction cavity being formed in the soleplate; and the soleplate may have a forwardly extending portion that extends in front of the suction cavity, the brush being connected to the forwardly extending portion. In this manner, the brush may be connected to the soleplate of the cleaner head. Such a structure may facilitate integrating the brush into the cleaner head, as only the soleplate may need to be adapted to carry the brush. Moreover, providing the brush on the forwardly extending portion of the soleplate may facilitate reaching areas in front of the suction cavity with the brush, e.g. by tilting the cleaner head forwards. The soleplate may be arranged to be placed on the floor surface to be cleaned. The soleplate may comprise a bottom surface arranged to engage (contact) the floor surface, and to move (e.g. slide or glide) along the floor surface. In line with the above discussion, the soleplate may be arranged (e.g. shaped) to lie flat against the floor surface, e.g. such that a plane containing at least part of the opening of the suction cavity is substantially parallel to the floor surface. The forwardly extending portion of the soleplate may be located on a front side of the cleaner head, and extend beyond an edge of the suction cavity. The brush may be provided at a distal part of the forwardly extending portion, the distal part extending in an upwards direction to provide the gap between the brush and the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface. The forwardly extending portion of the soleplate may comprise a curved surface arranged between the underside of the body and the brush. The curved surface may facilitate tilting the cleaner head forward to engage the brush with the floor surface. In particular, the curved surface may be configured to engage the floor surface when the cleaner head is tilted forward. In this manner, when the cleaner head is tilted forward, there may be a rolling engagement between the curved surface and the floor surface, facilitating a tilting movement of the cleaner head. The curved surface on the forwardly extending portion may further serve to raise the brush relative to the underside of the body. The curved surface may join the underside of the body and the distal part of the forwardly extending portion on which the brush is located. The body may further comprise an upper body portion in which an outlet of the suction cavity is defined, and the soleplate may be pivotable relative to the upper body portion about an axis that is substantially normal to a forward direction of the cleaner head. In this manner, the soleplate can be pivoted in response to movement of the cleaner head relative to the floor surface. This may facilitate keeping the soleplate in closer contact with the floor surface as the cleaner head is moved over the floor surface, which may improve cleaning effectiveness. Furthermore, pivoting movement of the soleplate may act to agitate debris on the floor surface, facilitating removal of debris from the floor surface. As the brush is connected to the forwardly extending portion of the soleplate, the brush may pivot with the soleplate relative to the upper body portion. This may facilitate manoeuvring the brush into difficult to reach areas such as corners and recesses. The axis about which the soleplate is pivotable relative to the upper body portion may be substantially parallel to the axis about which the agitator is rotatable relative to the body. The agitator may be rotatably connected to the upper body portion. The soleplate may be pivotable relative to the upper body portion in a first direction to tilt the brush closer to the upper body portion; and the cleaner head may further comprise a limiting element arranged to prevent pivoting of the soleplate relative to the upper body portion in the first direction beyond a predetermined position. In this manner, the limiting element may act to maintain the soleplate in the predetermined position when a force is applied to the cleaner head to tilt the soleplate in the first direction. This may act to maintain (e.g. lock) the position of the brush relative to the upper body portion, in turn facilitating application of a downward force with the brush on the floor surface. For example, the upper portion of the body may be tilted forward (e.g. away from the user), resulting in pivoting of the soleplate in the first direction until it reaches the predetermined position. In the predetermined position, a downward force applied to the upper portion of the body may be transmitted via the limiting element to the soleplate and the brush, so that a downward force is applied by the brush on the floor surface, which may contribute to effective cleaning of the floor surface. The cleaner head may further comprise one or more bars on the underside of the body, the one or more bars extending across the opening of the suction cavity. The one or more bars across the opening may serve to inhibit or prevent large objects (such as rugs, blankets or pillows) from being drawn into the suction cavity and interfering with operation of the agitator. In particular, this may avoid large objects entering the suction cavity and restricting rotation of the agitator. The one or more bars may be provided on the soleplate. The one or more bars may extend across the opening in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the agitator core. Such an orientation of the one or more bars may reduce a likelihood of objects being drawn into the suction cavity. In line with the above, the agitator may comprise a first, free end, and a second end opposite the free end that is rotatably connected to the body, with a gap between the free end of the agitator and a sidewall of the body. The one or more bars may then be arranged so as not to extend across a portion of the opening located between the free end of the agitator and the sidewall of the body. In other words, there may be no bars extending across the opening between the free end of the agitator and the sidewall of the body. For example, the portion of the opening between the free end of the agitator and the sidewall of the body may be completely open, e.g. devoid of obstructions. The inventors have found that keeping the portion of the opening at the free end of the agitator free of bars may avoid or reduce tangling of debris (e.g. hair, threads) around the free end of the agitator. A distance between the sidewall of the body and a first one of the one or more bars may be greater than the gap between the free end of the agitator and the sidewall of the body. This may ensure that there are no bars extending across the portion of the opening located between the free end of the agitator and the sidewall of the body. The distance may be selected to avoid or reduce tangling of debris (e.g. hair or threads) with the one or more bars. For example, the distance may be 10 mm or more, 15 mm or more, or 20 mm or more. The cleaner head may further comprise a plurality of protrusions on the underside of the body defining one or more channels for drawing air into the opening of the suction cavity, and wherein each of the one or more bars extends across the opening from a respective one of the plurality of protrusions. The one or more channels may serve to guide an air flow into the suction cavity, enhancing an ability of the cleaner head to remove debris from the floor surface. Each channel may be defined in a gap between neighbouring protrusions on the underside of the body. Accordingly, air may preferentially flow into suction cavity via the one or more channels, which may serve to increase air flow rate into the suction cavity. The protrusions may extend between an edge of the underside and the opening, which may facilitate drawing in air from the edge of the cleaner head. The inventors have found that positioning the one or more bars such that they extend from the protrusions may reduce tangling of debris (e.g. hair, threads) with the bars. In particular, with this arrangement the one or more bars may be located in regions of lower air flow (compared to the channels in which there is a higher air flow), which may result in fewer debris becoming tangled with the bars. Furthermore, providing the bars at the protrusions may serve to increase a spacing between the agitator and the bars, which may avoid or reduce interference of the bars with rotation of the agitator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cleaner head; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an underside of the cleaner head of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a bottom view of the cleaner head of Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 shows cross-sectional side views of the cleaner head of Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a side view of a vacuum cleaner; and Figure 7 shows a close-up side view of part of a cleaner head of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A cleaner head 10 for a vacuum cleaner is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, which show different views of the cleaner head 10. The cleaner head 10 includes a body 12, in which a suction cavity 14 is defined. A rotatable agitator (or brush bar) 16 is located in the suction cavity 14, with the body 12 forming a housing that partially surrounds the agitator 16. The body 12 includes an upper body portion 18 in which an air outlet of the suction cavity 14 is formed, and a soleplate 22 which defines an underside of the body 12. A neck 20 is connected to the upper body portion 18, and in fluid communication with the air outlet of the suction cavity 14, the neck being connectable to a main body of the vacuum cleaner. An opening (air inlet) 24 of the suction cavity 14 is defined in the soleplate 22, as can be seen in the views shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The soleplate 22 is arranged to engage a floor surface to be cleaned in use, such that the opening 24 of the suction cavity 14 faces the floor surface. The soleplate 22 may be pivotably connected to the upper body portion 18, to allow pivoting of the soleplate 22 relative to the upper body portion 18. For example, the soleplate may be connected to the upper body portion via a pivot joint 23 provided on a sidewall of the upper body portion 18. An axis about which the soleplate 22 is pivotable relative to the upper body portion may be substantially normal to a forward direction of the cleaner head 10. In this manner, for example, the upper body portion 18 can be pivoted forwards and backwards, whilst keeping the soleplate flat against the floor surface. An air flow path is defined through the cleaner head 10, from the opening 24 to the neck 20 via the suction cavity 14 and the air outlet. Thus, the air flow path passes around the agitators 16 in the suction cavity 14. When the main body of the vacuum cleaner is connected to the neck 20, suction generated by a fan in the main body causes air to flow along the air flow path in the cleaner head 10, and out of the cleaner head 10 via the neck 20 to the main body. The rotatable agitator 16 is rotatably connected to the upper body portion 18 inside the suction cavity 14 via a suitable rotatable coupling. The agitator 16 may be rotatable about its longitudinal axis, which may be substantially normal to a forward direction of the cleaner head 10. In more detail, the agitator 16 includes a core (or body), which may be formed of a relatively rigid material, e g. a plastic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or similar. The core includes a first, free end 26, and a second end 28 opposite the free end 26. The free end 26 of the core is not connected to the body 12, such that a gap 30 (shown in Fig. 3) is formed between the free end 26 and a first sidewall 32 of the upper body portion 18. The second end 28 of the core is rotatably connected to a second sidewall 34 of the upper body portion 18, via the rotatable coupling mentioned above, the second sidewall 34 being on an opposite side of the body 12 relative to the first sidewall 32. In the example shown, the agitator core has a shape that tapers towards the free end 26, such that the core has a smaller cross-sectional area towards the free end 26 and a larger cross-sectional area towards the second end 28. For instance, as shown, the core may have an approximately conical (or frustoconical) shape, with one or more helical ridges arranged on an outer surface of the core. The agitator 16 further comprises a row of bristles 36 which extends between the free end 26 and the second end 28 of the core. As shown, the row of bristles 36 extends between the free end 26 and the second end 28 in a helical (curved) manner, such that it extends at least partly around the outer surface of the core. The row of bristles 36 comprises a plurality of bristles arranged in a row, and which protrude from the outer surface of the core. In use, the bristles come into contact with a surface to be cleaned to agitate dust, dirt and / or debris on the surface. The bristles may thus be formed of a flexible material so that they have sufficient strength to agitate dust and debris located upon a surface to be cleaned in use, whilst having sufficient flexibility to resiliently deform (bend) relative to the core. For example, the bristles may be formed of strands of nylon and / or carbon fibre. The cleaner head 10 further includes a brush 38 that is connected to the body 12, and located externally in front of the suction cavity 14. In particular, the brush 38 is mounted on a forwardly extending portion 40 of the soleplate 22 which extends in front of the opening 24 of the suction cavity 14. The soleplate 22 includes a bottom surface 41 arranged around the opening 24 which provides the underside of the body 12, and which is arranged to engage the floor surface and rest flat against the floor surface. The forwardly extending portion 40 extends in a forward (i.e. distal) direction from the bottom surface 41, such that the brush is located on a front (i.e. leading) side of the cleaner head 10. For example, the brush may correspond to the forwardmost part of the cleaner head 10. The forwardly extending portion 40 of the soleplate 22 is shaped such that the brush 38 is raised relative to the underside (i.e. bottom surface 41) of the soleplate 22 when the underside of the soleplate 22 is flat against the floor surface. This is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, which show cross-sectional side views of the cleaner head 10 where the underside of the soleplate 22 is flat against a floor surface 43. As can be seen, in this position there is a gap 44 between the floor surface 43 and the brush 38. The forwardly extending portion 40 of the soleplate 22 includes a distal part 46 which extends in an upwards direction to provide the gap 44. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the distal part 46 may curve upwards so as to raise the brush relative to the underside of the soleplate 22. Such a curved shape may facilitate tilting the cleaner head 10 forwards, e.g. as illustrated in Fig. 6. The brush 38 extends in a width direction of the body 12, i.e. in a direction substantially normal to the forward direction of the cleaner head 10. For example, the brush 38 may extend along the width of the body 12 between a left-hand side and a right-hand side of the body 12. The brush 38 comprises a row of bristles 48 and a strip 50 of resiliently deformable material that extend alongside one another along the width of the body 12. The row of bristles 48 comprises a plurality of regularly spaced bristles, which are arranged to extend in a generally downwards (e.g. vertical) direction when the underside of the soleplate 22 is flat against the ground surface. The strip 50 is arranged in front (i.e. distally) of the row of bristles 48, and may be in the form of wiper (or wiper blade) made of a suitable flexible material. The brush 38 comprises a base portion 52 from which the row of bristles 48 and the strip 50 protrude, and which is connected to the distal part 46 of the forwardly extending portion 40 of the soleplate 22. For instance, as shown, the base portion 52 may be shaped to be fitted into a slot in the distal part 46. In the example shown, the row of bristles 48, the strip 50, and the base portion 52 are integrally formed as a single piece of material, i.e. the brush 38 is provided as a single integrally formed component. For instance, the brush 38 may be formed as a single component using a suitable moulding process. The brush 38 (including the row of bristles 48 and the strip 50) may be formed of a rubber (e.g. elastomeric) material. Forming the base portion 52 of a rubber material may enable the base portion 46 to be retained in the slot in the distal part 46 via friction. As shown in Fig. 4, the strip 50 is tilted away from the suction cavity 14, such that a tip of the strip 50 is located further from the suction cavity 14 compared to a base of the strip 50. Thus, whereas the bristles 48 are oriented in a generally vertical direction when the underside of the soleplate is flat against the floor surface, the strip 50 is tilted (angled) relative to the vertical direction. For example, the strip 50 may be tilted such that an angle 54 between the strip 50 and the floor surface 43 is 70° or more when the underside of the soleplate 22 is flat against the floor surface 43. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the underside of the soleplate 22 comprises a plurality of protrusions 56 which extend from a front (leading) edge of the opening 24 along at least part of the forwardly extending portion 40 of the soleplate 22. The plurality of protrusions 56 define a set of channels (or grooves) 58 in the underside of the soleplate 22, through which air can flow into the opening 24 of the suction cavity 14. In particular, each channel 58 is defined in a gap between neighbouring protrusions 56 on the underside of the soleplate 22. In this manner, air can be preferentially drawn into the opening 24 from in front of the cleaner head 10 via the channels 58 in the underside of the soleplate 22. The cleaner head 10 further includes a plurality of bars 60 extending across the opening 24. The bars 60 are arranged to inhibit or prevent large objects (such as rugs, blankets or pillows) from being drawn into the suction cavity 14 and interfering with operation of the agitator 16. As shown, each bar 60 extends from a respective one of the protrusions 56 to an opposing edge of the opening 24. The bars 60 may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the forward direction of the cleaner head 10. As the bars 60 extend from the protrusions, they may be located in regions of lower airflow (e.g. as compared to the channels 58), such that there may be a lower likelihood of debris tangling on the bars 60. As can be seen, no bars extend across a region of the opening 24 located between the free end 26 of the agitator 16 and the first sidewall 32. In other words, the region of the opening 24 which is arranged under the gap 30 when the soleplate 22 is flat on the floor surface is free of the bars 60. As noted above, the upper body portion 18 can be pivotable relative to the soleplate 22. Fig. 4 shows the upper body portion 18 in a first position relative to the soleplate 22, and Fig. 5 shows the upper body portion 18 in a second position relative to the soleplate 22, where the upper body portion 18 is tilted in a forwards direction such that the brush 38 is located closer to a front of the upper body portion 18 (e.g. compared to the position illustrated in Fig. 4). The soleplate 22 is rigidly connected to a limiting element 25, which is engaged in a slot 27 (or groove) formed in the upper body portion 18. The limiting element 25 is arranged to move along the slot 27 when the upper body portion 18 is pivoted (tilted) relative to the soleplate 22. The slot 27 is shaped such that, when the upper body portion 18 is tilted in the forwards direction to the position shown in Fig. 5, the limiting element 25 abuts an end of the slot 27, to prevent the upper portion 18 from being further pivoted in the forwards direction relative to the soleplate 22. In this manner, when the upper body portion 18 is tilted forwards to the position shown in Fig. 5, further torque applied in the forwards direction is transmitted to the soleplate via the limiting element 25, which acts to tilt the soleplate relative to the floor surface 43. This can facilitate tilting the soleplate 43 to bring the brush 38 into contact with the floor surface 43, and applying a force (e.g. scrubbing force) to the floor surface 43 with the brush 38. A use of the cleaner head 10 is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 6 shows a side view of a vacuum cleaner 100 including the cleaner head 10. The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a main body 102 having a power source arranged to power a motor-driven fan unit for generating suction. The main body 102 is connected to the neck 20 of the cleaner head 10, such that suction generated in the main body 102 causes air to flow into the suction cavity 14 via the opening 24, through the air outlet of the cleaner head and via the neck 20 into the main body 102. The main body 102 includes separating apparatus configured to separate dirt and dust from the air flow before the air is expelled from an outlet of the main body 102. In use, rotation of the agitator 16 may be driven by a motor provided in the cleaner head 10. The motor may be powered by the power source in the main body 102, via a set of electrical connectors provided in the neck 20. Fig. 6 illustrates use of the brush 38 on the cleaner head 10 for cleaning a corner, which may for example be between a floor surface 70 and a wall 72. Fig. 7 shows a close-up side view of a region A of the cleaner head 10 indicated in Fig. 6. As shown, the cleaner head 10 is tilted forwards such that the brush 38 reaches into the corner between the floor surface 70 and the wall 72. For example, in this position the limiting element 25 may abut the end of the slot 27, so that a downwards force applied to the body 102 may be transmitted to the brush 38, e.g. to scrub the floor surface 70. The cleaner head 10 can be pulled backwards from this position, to draw dust and debris out of the comer with the brush 38. The cleaner head 10 can then be passed over the dust and debris to remove them with the air flow through the cleaner head 10. The angle 54 of the strip 50 may facilitate reaching into the corner and retrieving dust and debris from the corner. The bristles 48 may act to agitate dust and debris as well as capture debris located in the corner, whilst the strip 50 may serve to drag further debris not captured by the bristles 48. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner, the cleaner head comprising:a body defining a suction cavity, the body having an underside arranged to face towards a floor surface to be cleaned, an opening of the suction cavity being formed in the underside of the body;a rotatable agitator located in the suction cavity; anda brush connected to the body and located externally in front of the suction cavity, the brush being raised relative to the underside of the body, such that there is a gap between the brush and the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface;wherein the brush comprises a row of bristles and a strip of resiliently deformable material extending alongside one another along at least part of a width of the body.

2. A cleaner head according to claim 1, wherein the strip of resiliently deformable material is arranged in front of the row of bristles.

3. A cleaner head according to claim 2, wherein the strip of resiliently deformable material is tilted away from the suction cavity.

4. A cleaner head according to claim 3, wherein the strip of resiliently deformable material is tilted at an angle of 70° or more relative to the floor surface when the underside of the body is flat against the floor surface.

5. A cleaner head according to any preceding claim, wherein the row of bristles and the strip of resiliently deformable material are integrally formed as a single piece of material.

6. A cleaner head according to any preceding claim, wherein the row of bristles is formed of a rubber material; and / orwherein the strip of resiliently deformable material is formed of a rubber material.

7. A cleaner head according to any preceding claim, wherein:the body comprises a soleplate which defines the underside of the body, the opening of the suction cavity being formed in the soleplate; andthe soleplate has a forwardly extending portion that extends in front of the suction cavity, the brush being connected to the forwardly extending portion.

8. A cleaner head according to claim 7, wherein the forwardly extending portion of the soleplate comprises a curved surface arranged between the underside of the body and the brush.

9. A cleaner head according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the body further comprises an upper body portion in which an outlet of the suction cavity is defined, and wherein the soleplate is pivotable relative to the upper body portion about an axis that is substantially normal to a forward direction of the cleaner head.

10. A cleaner head according to claim 9, wherein:the soleplate is pivotable relative to the upper body portion in a first direction to tilt the brush closer to the upper body portion; andthe cleaner head further comprises a limiting element arranged to prevent pivoting of the soleplate relative to the upper body portion in the first direction beyond a predetermined position.

11. A cleaner head according to any preceding claim, further comprising one or more bars on the underside of the body, the one or more bars extending across the opening of the suction cavity.

12. A cleaner head according to claim 11, wherein:the agitator comprises a first, free end, and a second end opposite the free end that is rotatably connected to the body, and wherein there is a gap between the free end of the agitator and a sidewall of the body;the one or more bars are arranged so as not to extend across a portion of the opening located between the free end of the agitator and the sidewall of the body.

13. A cleaner head according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising a plurality of 5 protrusions on the underside of the body defining one or more channels for drawing air into the opening of the suction cavity, and wherein each of the one or more bars extends across the opening from a respective one of the plurality of protrusions.1021

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