An attachment for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An attachment 10, such as a pet grooming device, for a vacuum cleaner, comprising a head 12 with a cover 14 having a plurality of bristle-receiving slots (22, fig.3), a suction opening (26, fig.3), an

Description

A conventional pet grooming device is a brush with a grooming head attached to a handle. The grooming head is usually in the form of a bristle carrier carrying an array of metallic or polymeric bristles. Some vacuum cleaner attachments are provided in the form of pet grooming devices. These devices allow pet hairs to be sucked into the vacuum during or after grooming. Such pet grooming devices may be made up of a bristle carrier carrying an array of bristles, and a bristle cover with apertures for receiving the bristles. The bristle carrier and the bristle cover may be moveable relative to one another, such that the bristles can be retracted back through the bristle cover, for example to clear pet hair from the bristles. Improvements to attachments for vacuum cleaners, which may be in the form of pet grooming devices, may be desirable. SUMMARY According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides an attachment for a vacuum cleaner. The attachment comprises a head including: a cover having: a slotted portion defining a plurality of bristle-receiving slots; and, a suction opening; and, an airflow tube extending from the suction opening, the airflow tube being connectable to the vacuum cleaner. The attachment further comprises: a bristle carrier pivotably connected to the head, the bristle carrier having a plurality of bristles extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of bristle-receiving slots in the slotted portion of the cover are for receiving the plurality of bristles; and, an actuator operable to pivot the bristle carrier relative to the head between a deployed configuration in which the bristles extend through the bristle-receiving slots in the slotted portion of the cover, and a stowed configuration in which the bristles are retracted relative to the cover. In this way, by pivoting the bristle carrier from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration, hair (e.g., pet hair) may be cleared from the bristles. Due to the bristle carrier being pivotable, an improved clearing of hair from the bristles may be enabled, compared to if the bristle carrier were moveable by translational motion, for example. Additionally, or alternatively, this feature may provide an improved ease of moving the bristle carrier between the stowed and deployed configurations, and / or may prevent excessive pressure being applied (to e.g., a pet) during brushing. Further, due to the bristle carrier being pivotable relative to the head, the cover is not required to move relative to the airflow tube in order to clear hair from the bristles. In this way, a fixed distance between a front surface (or clearing surface, as is described below) of the cover and the airflow tube may be maintained (e.g., not increased) when the hair is cleared from the bristles, and suction of hair into the airflow tube may be improved. Additionally, or alternatively, the risk of hair becoming trapped between the cover and the airflow tube may be reduced or eliminated. The bristle carrier and the cover may each have a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface. The plurality of bristles may extend from the front surface of the bristle carrier, and / or the front surface of the bristle carrier may face towards the back surface of the cover. The airflow tube may extend from the back surface of the cover. The front surface of the cover may be referred to as a clearing surface, because it may act to clear hair from the bristles when the bristle carrier moves from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration. It will be appreciated that the bristle carrier being pivotable relative to the head may comprise the bristle carrier being pivotable relative to both the cover and the airflow tube. The cover may be fixedly coupled to the airflow tube. In some examples, the bristle carrier may be pivotably connected to the cover. The bristle carrier may be pivotable about a pivot axis, which may be parallel to (or parallel to a tangent of) the front surface of the cover and / or the front surface of the bristle carrier. In some examples, the bristle carrier may be connected to the cover via a hinge, such as a barrel hinge, or a pivot hinge. The hinge may comprise a pin and a pin-receiving barrel housing the pin, the pin-receiving barrel being rotatable around the pin. For example, the pin may be (e.g., fixedly) connected to the cover, and the bristle carrier may define a pinreceiving barrel extending around the pin. In some examples, the pin may be integrally formed with the cover and / or the pin-receiving barrel may be integrally formed with the bristle carrier. This can make assembly of the attachment easier, as the number of separate components may be reduced. It can be appreciated that, alternatively, the pin may be connected to (e.g. integrally formed with) the bristle carrier and the cover may define (e.g. be integrally formed with) the pinreceiving barrel. The attachment may comprise a plurality of associated pins and pin-receiving barrels. This may improve the rigidity of the cover when pivoting relative to the bristle carrier. In some examples, the attachment may further comprise a resilient element biasing the bristle carrier towards (e.g. into) the stowed configuration. In this way, the ease of use of the attachment may be improved. Additionally, or alternatively, there may be a reduced risk of damage being caused to the bristles (for example if the attachment is dropped), and thus a safety of the attachment may be improved. In some examples, the attachment may comprise a lock operable to maintain the bristle carrier in the deployed configuration. In this way, ease of use of the attachment (e.g., when brushing a pet) may be improved. In other examples, the attachment may not include a lock operable to maintain the bristle carrier in the deployed configuration. In this way, a safety of the attachment may be improved. The risk of the tips of the bristles being exposed when the attachment is dropped, for example, may be reduced. In some examples, the resilient element may comprise a torsion spring. The torsion spring may extend around the pin of the hinge. Alternatively, the torsion spring may extend around a spring-mounting pin that is not received in a pin-receiving barrel. The separating of the mounting of the resilient element from the hinge structure may simplify assembly of the attachment. The spring-mounting pin may be provided on the bristle carrier. It will be appreciated that a torsion spring may comprise a first leg and a second leg at which windings of the torsion spring terminate. The first leg of the torsion spring may be coupled to the bristle carrier or the actuator and the second leg of the torsion spring may be mounted to the cover. In some examples, the first leg of the torsion spring may be a first end of the torsion spring. In some examples, the second leg of the torsion spring may be a second end of the torsion spring. In some examples, the resilient element may be located in the middle / at the centre of the pivotable connection (e.g., around a middle / central portion of the pin). In further examples, where the pivotable connection comprises two sets of pins and pin-receiving barrels, the resilient element may be located between the two sets of pins and pin-receiving barrels. In some examples, the attachment may comprise two resilient elements (e.g., two torsion springs), each biasing the bristle carrier into the stowed configuration. For example, the attachment may comprise two resilient elements, each located at a respective end of the pivotable connection (e.g., two torsion springs, each extending around a respective end of the pin). In this way, a more stable movement of the bristle carrier may be provided. In some examples, the hinge may be concealed (e.g. concealed between the bristle carrier and the cover). In this way, the hinge may not be exposed on an exterior surface of the attachment. This can reduce the likelihood of the hinge snagging, for example, on hair. Where the hinge comprises a pin and a pin-receiving barrel, the pin may be provided in a recess of the cover and the and pin-receiving barrel may be provided in a recess of the bristle carrier, or vice versa. The recess of the cover may be surrounded by one or more sidewalls of the cover. The recess of the bristle carrier may be surrounded by one or more sidewalls of the bristle carrier. This structure can facilitate concealment of the hinge. In some examples, the resilient element (e.g. torsion spring) may be concealed (e.g. concealed between the bristle carrier and the cover). In this way, the resilient element may not be exposed on an exterior surface of the attachment. This can reduce the likelihood of the resilient element snagging, for example, on hair. Where the resilient element comprises a torsion spring, the torsion spring may be mounted in a recess of the cover (e.g. the recess that the pin is provided in) and / or a recess of the bristle carrier (e.g. the recess that the pinreceiving barrel is provided in). Where the torsion spring extends around a spring-mounting pin, the spring-mounting pin may be provided in the recess of the bristle carrier (or the recess of the cover). The recess of the cover may be surrounded by one or more sidewalls of the cover. The recess of the bristle carrier may be surrounded by one or more sidewalls of the bristle carrier. The first and second ends of the torsion spring may be received in the recesses of the bristle carrier and cover, respectively. This structure can facilitate concealment of the torsion spring. In some examples, the actuator may comprise a trigger, such as a squeeze handle, extending from the bristle carrier. The pivotable connection of the bristle carrier to the head may be interposed between the trigger or squeeze handle and a bristled portion of the bristle carrier (from which the bristles extend). In this way, pivotable movement of the bristle carrier may be induced by applying a force to the actuator. For example, squeezing the squeeze handle towards the airflow tube may act to pivot the bristle carrier into the deployed configuration. Releasing the squeeze handle may act to pivot the bristle carrier into the stowed configuration, for example due to the resilient element biasing the bristle carrier towards the stowed configuration. In this way, the ease of use of the attachment may be improved. In some examples, the actuator may be fixedly coupled to and / or integrally formed with the bristle carrier. Thus, in some examples, the trigger or squeeze handle may be fixedly coupled to and / or integrally formed with the bristle carrier. In this way, the durability of the attachment may be improved. In some examples, an end portion of each of the bristles may be bent (e.g. cranked) relative to a main portion of the respective bristle (the main portion of the bristle being coupled to and extending e.g., perpendicularly from the bristle carrier). The end portions of the bristles may be bent (e.g. cranked) in the same direction as one another, for example. The angle of the end portion of each bristle relative to the respective main portion of the bristle may be at least 90°, and no more than 170°, for example at least 130° and no more than 140°. The angle may be approximately 136°, for example. In this way, convenient brushing hair (of e.g., a pet) may be facilitated. In some examples, in the deployed configuration an end portion of each bristle may be angled away from a normal of (e.g., the front surface of) the cover (e.g., the normal at the point of the cover from which the respective bristle extends in the deployed configuration). During pivoting movement from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration, the end portion of each bristle may rotate towards the normal of (e.g., the front surface of) the cover (e.g., the normal at the point of the cover from which the respective bristle extends in the deployed configuration), for example so as to move towards or into a position substantially parallel to the normal of the cover. In this way, clearing of hair from the bristles may be improved. For example, the bristles may be inhibited from hooking the hair and pulling it through the bristle-receiving slots. In some examples, each of the bristles may have a rounded tip, the rounded tip being configured to contact the surface to be brushed (e.g., a pet). In this way, the safety and comfort of use of the attachment may be improved. In some examples, the bristles may be arranged in a plurality of columns. In such examples, each bristle-receiving slot may be for receiving a respective column of bristles. In some examples, in the stowed configuration, each of the bristles may at least partially extend through a bristle-receiving slot. For example, in the stowed configuration the tip of each bristle may sit between the front surface and the back surface of the cover. In this way, the bristles may be prevented from moving completely out of the bristlereceiving slots in the stowed configuration. As such, the ease of use and durability of the attachment may be improved, because a user is not required to insert the bristles back into the bristle-receiving slots for subsequent movement from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration, for example. In some examples, in the stowed configuration a portion of each of the bristles between the bristle carrier and the cover may be exposed. In this way, in the stowed configuration a portion of the bristles may be accessible e.g., for manual clearing by a user. In the deployed configuration, the front surface of the bristle carrier (e.g., the bristled portion of the bristle carrier) may abut the back surface of the cover. In contrast, in the stowed configuration, the front surface of the bristle carrier (e.g., the bristled portion of the bristle carrier) may not contact, and / or may be spaced apart from the back surface of the cover. In the stowed configuration, an angle between the front surface of bristle carrier (e.g., the bristled portion of the bristle carrier) and the back surface of the cover may be at least 5° and no more than 90°, for example no more than 45° or no more than 20°. For example, the angle may be approximately 14°. In some examples, the suction opening may be interposed between the slotted portion of the cover and the pivotable connection of the bristle carrier to the head. For example, the slotted portion may be located on an upper side of the suction opening, and the pivotable connection may be located on a lower side of the suction opening. In this way, improved suction of hair into the suction opening may be achieved, for example because hair may fall downwards from the bristles into the suction opening. Additionally, or alternatively, improved comfort and / or grooming (for e.g., the pet being brushed) may be provided by having the bristles all located on a single side of the suction opening. It will be appreciated that the airflow tube extending from the suction opening may comprise the airflow tube extending from a portion of the cover which defines the suction opening. As mentioned above, the airflow tube may be fixedly coupled to the cover, and may extend from the back surface of the cover. In some examples, the cover may be integrally formed with the airflow tube. The airflow tube may be connectable to a vacuum cleaner such as to define an airflow path from the suction opening, through the airflow tube to the vacuum cleaner. In some examples, the airflow tube may comprise a bleed hole, which may be referred to as a primary bleed hole. It will be appreciated that reference to a component having or comprising an opening or a hole may correspond to the component defining the opening or hole. In this way, the vacuum cleaner may be inhibited from hunting if the suction opening should become blocked, for example due to contact with the surface being brushed (e.g., a pet). As such, the safety and comfort of use of the attachment may be improved. In some examples, the bleed hole may face towards the back surface of the bristle carrier. In such examples, the bristle carrier may be pivotable to block, close or seal the bleed hole when in the stowed configuration, and to open the bleed hole in the deployed configuration. For example, in the stowed configuration (e.g., the back surface of) the bristle carrier may cover and / or abut the bleed hole (and / or the portion of the airflow tube defining the bleed hole), such as to seal the bleed hole. In the deployed configuration, (e.g., the back surface of) the bristle carrier may not contact, and / or may be spaced apart from the bleed hole (and / or the portion of the airflow tube defining the bleed hole). In this way, a higher suction of air through the suction opening may be provided in the stowed configuration to facilitate clearing hair, while a lower suction of air through the suction opening may be provided in the deployed configuration to inhibit the vacuum cleaner from hunting if the suction opening is blocked due to contact with the surface being brushed (e.g., a pet). As such, the safety and comfort of use of the attachment may be improved, while maintaining effective hair clearing. Further, the blocking (e.g. closing or sealing) and opening of the bleed hole may be achieved directly from the pivoting movement of the bristle carrier. In some examples, the attachment may comprise a foam block, such as an acoustic foam block, located within the bleed hole. In this way, an amount of suction allowed through the bleed hole may be reduced to e.g., an improved or optimum level. In other examples, the bleed hole may be empty. In this way, the likelihood of hair getting stuck within the bleed hole may be minimised. In some examples, a cross-sectional area of the bleed hole (e.g., the area of the opening into the bleed hole) may be at least 400 mm2 and no more than 500 mm2, for example approximately 476 mm2. In some examples, the airflow tube may comprise one or more secondary bleed holes, which are open in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration. In this way, the safety and comfort of use of the attachment may be improved. For example, the vacuum cleaner may be inhibited from hunting if, for example, the front surface of the cover remains in contact with the surface being brushed (e.g., the pet) whilst the bristle carrier is in the stowed configuration. In some examples, each secondary bleed hole may be empty. In this way, the likelihood of hair getting stuck within the secondary bleed holes may be minimised. In some examples, a cross-sectional area of each secondary bleed hole (e.g., the area of the opening into the bleed hole) may be between 5% and 15% of that of the primary bleed hole, for example approximately 10% of the cross-sectional area of the bleed hole. The cross-sectional area of each secondary bleed hole may be at least 40 mm2 and no more than 50 mm2, for example approximately 40.7 mm2. In some examples, the secondary bleed holes may be omitted. In some examples, the airflow tube may comprise a primary tube and a connector tube which couples the suction opening to the primary tube. For example, the connector tube may extend from the suction opening to the primary tube and may define an airflow path from the suction opening to the primary tube. The primary tube may be connectable to the vacuum cleaner. The airflow tube may be integrally formed. The bleed hole and / or the secondary bleed holes may be formed in or defined by the primary tube. In some examples, an area of the suction opening (e.g., the area of the opening into the bleed hole) may be between 600 mm2 and 800 mm2, for example approximately 688.5 mm2. In some examples, the airflow tube (e.g., the primary tube) may correspond to a handle of the attachment. In some examples, the bristle carrier may extend around a portion of the airflow tube (e.g., the connector tube). For example, the bristle carrier may comprise an airflow tube-receiving aperture through which a portion of the airflow tube (e.g., the connector tube) is received. In this way, the pivoting movement of the bristle carrier may be allowed or facilitated. As described above, in some examples, the attachment may correspond to a pet grooming device. It will be appreciated that the above examples may be combined in any suitable combination to provide further examples, except where such a combination is clearly impermissible or expressly avoided. According to a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a kit of parts comprising a vacuum cleaner, and an attachment for the vacuum cleaner, the attachment being according to the first aspect of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a side view of an attachment for a vacuum cleaner where the attachment is in the deployed configuration. Figure 2 shows a side view of an attachment for a vacuum cleaner where the attachment is in the stowed configuration. Figure 3 shows a front view of an attachment for a vacuum cleaner. Figures 4A and 4B show perspective views of a bristle carrier component of the attachment and a cover component of the attachment, respectively. Figure 5 shows a section view of the attachment adjacent a bottom edge of the bristle carrier and cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figures 1 to 3 show an attachment 10 for a vacuum cleaner, where the attachment 10 is provided in the form of a pet grooming device. Figures 1 and 2 show side views of the attachment 10 (in deployed and stowed configurations respectively, as will be described in detail below), and Figure 3 shows a front view of the attachment 10. The attachment 10 comprises a head 12 having an airflow tube 16 connectable to the vacuum cleaner and a cover 14 fixedly coupled to the airflow tube 16. In some embodiments, the cover 14 and the airflow tube 16 are integrally formed with one another. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the airflow tube 16 comprises a primary tube 16a, which is connectable to the vacuum cleaner, and a connector tube 16b which extends from the cover 14 to the primary tube 16a in fluid communication therewith. The primary tube 16a corresponds to a handle of the attachment 10, which a user may hold when operating the attachment 10. The primary tube 16a further defines a bleed hole 34, and two secondary bleed holes (not visible in the Figures). The two secondary bleed holes may be proximate the primary bleed hole 34, and may be located on respective sides of the primary tube 16a. As shown in Figure 2, the cover has a generally arcuate shape, and the back surface of the cover 14 is fixedly coupled to the connector tube 16b. The front surface of the cover 14 can be seen in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the cover 14 defines a suction opening 26. The connector tube 16b extends from the suction opening 26 such as to define an airflow path from the suction opening 26 to the primary tube 16a. The cover 14 further defines, on an upper side of the suction opening 26, a slotted portion defining a plurality of elongate, spaced-apart and substantially parallel slots 22. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the attachment further comprises a bristle carrier 18, which has a bristled portion with a plurality of bristles 24 extending therefrom. The bristle carrier 18 has a generally arcuate shape, which follows the generally arcuate shape of the cover 14. As shown in Figure 2, an end portion of each of the bristles 24 is bent. The bristles 24 are arranged in columns, each column being aligned with a respective slot 22 of the cover 14 so as to be received in or extend through the slot 22. The bristle carrier 18 is pivotably coupled to the head 12. In particular, the bristle carrier 18 extends around the connector tube 16b and is pivotably connected to the cover 14 via a barrel hinge 20 located on a lower side of the suction opening 26. The barrel hinge 20 comprises a pin 30 connected to the cover 14, and a pin-receiving barrel 32 defined by the bristle carrier 18, which is rotatable around the pin 30. Although not visible in the Figures, there is also provided a resilient element in the form of a torsion spring provided along a rotational axis defined by the barrel hinge 20. A first leg of the torsion spring is coupled to the bristle carrier 18 and a second leg of the torsion spring is coupled to the cover 14. An actuator 28, in the form of a squeeze handle, extends downwardly from the bristle carrier 18, with the barrel hinge 20 interposed between the squeeze handle 28 and the bristled portion of the bristle carrier 18. The actuator 28 is operable to pivot the bristle carrier 18 relative to the head 12 between a deployed configuration, shown in Figure 1, in which the bristle carrier 18 abuts the cover 14 such that the bristles 24 extend through the slots 22 in the cover 14 and a stowed configuration, shown in Figure 2, in which the bristle carrier 18 is spaced apart from the cover 14 such that the bristles 24 are retracted relative to the cover 14 to clear hair from the bristles 24. The slots 22 in the cover thus correspond to bristlereceiving slots 22, each bristle-receiving slot 22 being for receiving a respective column of bristles. The torsion springs bias the bristle carrier 18 towards and thus into the stowed configuration. Thus, squeezing the squeeze handle 28 towards the airflow tube 16 pivots the bristle carrier 18 into the deployed configuration. Conversely, releasing the squeeze handle 28 allows the bristle carrier 18 to pivot into the stowed configuration under the biasing action of the torsion springs. Due to the end portions of the bristles 24 being bent, in the deployed configuration, the end portion of each bristle 24 is angled away from the normal of the front surface of the cover 14 (the normal being at the point from which the respective bristle extends in the deployed configuration). The end portion of each bristle 24 thus makes an acute angle to the normal at the point from which the respective bristle extends. The normal 25 of the front surface of the cover 14 at the point from which bristle 24a extends is shown in Figures 1 and 2. During pivoting movement from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration, the end portion of each bristle 24 rotates towards the normal of the cover 14 at the point from which the respective bristle extends. As such, the pivoting movement of the bristle carrier 18 enables an improved clearing of hair from the bristles 24, compared to if the bristle carrier 18 were moveable by translational motion, for example. The bristles 24 are inhibited from hooking the hair and pulling it through the bristle-receiving slots 22. Further, it is to be noted that the cover 14 does not move relative to the airflow tube 16 when clearing hair from the bristles 24. In this way, the distance between the front surface of the cover 14 and the airflow tube 16 is maintained (e.g., not increased) when the hair is cleared from the bristles 24, and suction of hair into the airflow tube 16 may be improved. Additionally, or alternatively, the risk of hair becoming trapped between the cover 14 and the airflow tube 16 may be reduced or eliminated. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the (primary) bleed hole 34 defined by the primary tube 16a faces the back surface of the bristle carrier 18, such that in the deployed configuration (shown in Figure 1) the bristle carrier 18 is spaced apart from the bleed hole 34 and the bleed hole 34 is open, and in the stowed configuration the bristle carrier 18 covers the bleed hole 34 and the bleed hole 34 is thereby sealed. In this way, a higher suction of air through the suction opening 26 may be provided in the stowed configuration to facilitate clearing hair, while a lower suction of air through the suction opening 26 may be provided in the deployed configuration to inhibit the vacuum cleaner from hunting if the suction opening 26 is blocked due to contact with the pet being brushed. The secondary bleed holes are open in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration. In this way, the safety and comfort of use of the attachment 10 may be improved, as the vacuum cleaner may be inhibited from hunting if, for example, the front surface of the cover 14 remains in contact with the pet in the stowed configuration. In addition, as shown in Figure 2, in the stowed configuration a portion of each of the bristles 24 between the bristle carrier 18 and the bristle cover 14 is exposed, and thus are accessible for further clearing by a user. In addition, in the stowed configuration, each of the bristles 24 partially extends through a bristle-receiving slot 22 of the cover 14 such that the tip of each bristle 24 sits between the front surface and the back surface of the cover 14. In this way, the bristles 24 are prevented from moving completely out of the bristle-receiving slots 22 in the stowed configuration, and the ease of use and durability of the attachment 10 may be improved, because a user does not have to insert the bristles 24 back into the bristlereceiving slots 22 in order to facilitate actuation from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration. Figures 4A and 4B show perspective views of the bristle carrier 18 and the cover 14, respectively. Figure 4A shows the structure of the bristle carrier 18 that facilitates the pivotable coupling to the cover 14. The bristle carrier 18 comprises two pin-receiving barrels 32 spaced apart along the lower side of the suction opening 26 along the rotational axis of the barrel hinge 20. The pin-receiving barrels 32 are integrally formed with the remainder of the bristle carrier 18 and are provided in a recess 42 of the bristle carrier 18, the recess 42 surrounded by a sidewall 44 of the bristle carrier 18. The bristle carrier 18 further comprises two spring-mounting pins 40 that are also integrally formed with the remainder of the bristle carrier 18 and provided in the recess 42. The spring-mounting pins 40 are configured to have the torsion spring mounted thereon, as is discussed further below with reference to Figure 5. Figure 4B then shows the structure of the cover 14 that facilitates the pivotable coupling to the bristle carrier 18. The cover 14 comprises two pins 30 spaced apart along the lower side of the slots 22 along the rotational axis of the barrel hinge 20. The pins 30 are integrally formed with the remainder of the cover 14 and are provided in a recess 36 of the cover 14, the recess 36 surrounded by a sidewall 38 of the cover 14. The pins 30 are positioned and sized such as to be received in the respective pin-receiving barrels 32, such that each pinreceiving barrel 32 can then rotate about the respective pin 32. Figure 5 shows a section view of the attachment 10 in a plane perpendicular to the length of the slots 22 and perpendicular to the front surface of the cover 14, adjacent a bottom edge of the bristle carrier 18 and cover 14. Figure 5 illustrates the assembly of the hinge 20 and the mounting of the torsion spring 46 between the bristle carrier 18 and cover 14. Each pin 30 of the cover 14 is rotatably received in its respective pin-receiving barrel 32 of the bristle carrier 18, thereby providing the hinge 20. In order to bias the bristle carrier into the stowed configuration, the torsion spring 46 is mounted on the spring mounting pins 40 (concealed in Fig. 5 by the coils of the torsion spring 46) and has a first leg that abuts the bristle carrier 18 and a second leg that abuts the cover 14. The location of the pins 30 and pin-receiving barrels 32 within the recesses 36, 42 of the cover 14 and bristle carrier 18, respectively, results in concealment of the hinge 20 between the cover 14 and bristle carrier 18. Similarly, the torsion spring 46 is mounted to the springmounting pins 46 such that the spring mounting pin 46 is contained between the recess 36 of the cover 14 and the recess 42 of the bristle carrier 18. A first leg of the torsion spring 46 abuts a portion of the bristle carrier 18 within the recess 42 of the bristle carrier 18 and a second leg of the torsion spring 46 abuts a portion of the cover 14 within the recess 36 of the cover 14. In this way, the torsion spring 46 is also concealed between the cover 14 and the bristle carrier 18.

Claims

1. An attachment for a vacuum cleaner, the attachment comprising:a head including:a cover having:a slotted portion defining a plurality of bristle-receiving slots; and,a suction opening; and,an airflow tube extending from the suction opening, the airflow tube being connectable to the vacuum cleaner;a bristle carrier pivotably connected to the head, the bristle carrier having a plurality of bristles extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of bristle-receiving slots in the slotted portion of the cover are for receiving the plurality of bristles; and,an actuator operable to pivot the bristle carrier relative to the head between a deployed configuration in which the bristles extend through the bristle-receiving slots in the slotted portion of the cover, and a stowed configuration in which the bristles are retracted relative to the cover.

2. An attachment according to claim 1, wherein the bristle carrier is pivotably connected to the head via a hinge.

3. An attachment according to claim 2, wherein the hinge is a barrel hinge.

4. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a resilient element biasing the bristle carrier into the stowed configuration.

5. An attachment according to claim 4, wherein the resilient element comprises a torsion spring.

6. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims wherein the airflow tube comprises a bleed hole.

7. An attachment according to claim 6 wherein the bleed hole faces towards the back surface bristle carrier, and wherein the bristle carrier is pivotable to seal the bleed hole in the stowed configuration, and to open the bleed hole in the deployed configuration.

8. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims wherein the airflow tube comprises one or more secondary bleed holes which are open in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration.

9. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuator comprises a squeeze handle extending from the bristle carrier, wherein the pivotable connection of the bristle carrier to the head is interposed between a bristled portion of the bristle carrier from which the bristles extend and the squeeze handle.

10. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover and the airflow tube are integrally formed.

11. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims, wherein in the deployed configuration an end portion of each bristle is angled away from a normal of the cover.

12. An attachment according to claim 11, wherein during the pivoting movement from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration, the end portion of each bristle rotates towards the normal of the cover.

13. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims, wherein: the bristles are arranged in a plurality of columns; and, each bristle-receiving slot is for receiving a respective column of bristles.

14. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims wherein the suction opening is interposed between the slotted portion of the cover and the pivotable connection of the bristle carrier to the head.

15. An attachment according to any of the preceding claims, wherein in the stowed configuration, each of the bristles at least partially extends through a bristle-receiving slot.

16. A kit of parts comprising a vacuum cleaner, and an attachment for the vacuum cleaner, 5 the attachment being according to any of the preceding claims.

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