Vacuum cleaner with reversible rotary agitator

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a cannister assembly, a nozzle assembly, and a suction generator that draws air, dust, dirt and debris from a surface to be cleaned through the nozzle assembly to a collection vessel. A rotary agitator carried on the nozzle assembly is driven by a motor in a forward or a rearward direction. Depending upon the direction of rotation, the rotary agitator propels the nozzle assembly in the forward or rearward direction.

In the claims:  
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a cannister assembly including a collection vessel;    a suction generator;    a nozzle assembly, said nozzle assembly including a housing defining an agitator cavity and an agitator mounted in the agitator cavity for rotation (a) in a first direction for drawing said nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction for drawing said nozzle assembly rearward;    a drive motor for driving said agitator; and    an actuator for controlling operation of said drive motor and rotation direction of said agitator.    
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said drive motor is positioned within said agitator.  
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said drive motor and said agitator are coaxial.  
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said nozzle assembly further includes a belt and pulley assembly connecting said drive motor to said agitator.  
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a controller programmed to drive said drive motor in either of said first direction and said second direction dependent upon a signal received from said actuator.  
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein said controller is programmed upon a change of state of the actuator signal to remove power from said drive motor and to reapply power to said drive motor such that the agitator is rotated in a different direction.  
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein said controller is programmed to delay the reapplication of power to said drive motor.  
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7  wherein the delay in the reapplication of power to said drive motor is between 0.1 second and 1.0 second.  
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6  wherein the power reapplied to said drive motor is incrementally increased to a normal operating level.  
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said collection vessel is selected from a cup and a bag.  
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said vacuum cleaner is cyclonic.  
     
     
         12 . A nozzle assembly of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a housing defining an agitator cavity;    an agitator mounted in said agitator cavity for rotation (a) in a first direction for drawing the nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction for drawing the nozzle assembly rearward;    a drive motor for driving said agitator in either of said first direction and said second direction; and    an actuator for controlling operation of said drive motor and rotation direction of said agitator.    
     
     
         13 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 12  wherein said agitator drive motor is positioned within said agitator.  
     
     
         14 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 12  wherein said drive motor and said agitator are coaxial.  
     
     
         15 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a controller programmed to receive an actuator signal and drive said drive motor in either of said first direction and said second direction.  
     
     
         16 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 15  wherein said controller is programmed upon a change of state of said actuator signal to remove power from said drive motor and to reapply power to said drive motor such that the agitator is rotated in a different direction.  
     
     
         17 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 16  wherein said controller is programmed to delay the reapplication of power to said drive motor.  
     
     
         18 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 17  wherein the delay in the reapplication of power to said drive motor is between 0.1 second and 1.0 second.  
     
     
         19 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 16  wherein the power reapplied to said drive motor is incrementally increased to a normal operational level.  
     
     
         20 . A method of propelling a nozzle assembly of a vacuum cleaner having a power driven agitator in a desired forward or rearward direction, comprising: 
 selectively rotating said agitator (a) in a first direction to draw said nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction to draw said nozzle assembly rearward.    
     
     
         21 . The method of propelling a nozzle assembly of a vacuum cleaner of  claim 20  further comprising the step of sensing operator input to determine a direction of desired nozzle assembly movement; and 
 driving said agitator in a selected direction to draw said nozzle assembly in the direction of desired nozzle assembly movement.  
 
     
     
         22 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a nozzle assembly including an agitator cavity and at least one rotary agitator mounted for rotation in the agitator cavity (a) in a first direction for drawing said nozzle assembly forward and (b) in a second direction for drawing said nozzle assembly rearward;    a cannister assembly connected to said nozzle assembly;    a suction generator carried on one of said nozzle assembly and cannister assembly;    a drive motor for driving said at least one agitator, said drive motor being carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said cannister assembly; and    an actuator for controlling operation of said drive motor and rotation direction of said at least one agitator, said actuator being carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said cannister assembly.    
     
     
         23 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 22  further comprising a controller programmed to receive a signal generated by said actuator and drive said drive motor in either of said first direction and said second direction.  
     
     
         24 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 23  wherein said controller is programmed upon a change of state of the actuator signal to remove power from said drive motor and to reapply power to said drive motor such that said agitator is rotated in a different direction.  
     
     
         25 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 24  wherein said controller is programmed to delay the reapplication of power to said drive motor.  
     
     
         26 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 25  wherein the delay in the reapplication of power to said drive motor is between 0.1 second and 1.0 second.  
     
     
         27 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 26  wherein the power reapplied to said drive motor is incrementally increased to a normal operating level.  
     
     
         28 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 25  wherein said collection vessel is selected from a cup and a bag.  
     
     
         29 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 22  wherein said vacuum cleaner is cyclonic.