Nozzle assembly with high efficiency agitator cavity

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly, a canister assembly, a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel. The nozzle assembly includes a housing having a transverse axis and a bulkhead defining at least a portion of an agitator cavity in the housing. A suction port is provided in the bulkhead. An air guide carried on the housing has a portion curving toward an inlet end and a first side of the suction port. The bulkhead is angled away from a transverse axis of the housing toward the inlet end and a second side of the suction port.

1 . A nozzle assembly for a floor cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 a housing including a transverse axis and a bulkhead defining at least a portion of an agitator cavity in said housing; and    a suction port provided in said bulkhead in fluid communication with said agitator cavity, said suction port including a first side, a second side, an inlet end and an outlet end;    said nozzle assembly being characterized by an air guide carried on said housing having a portion thereof curving toward said inlet end and said first side of said suction port and said bulkhead being angled away from said transverse axis toward said inlet end and said second side of said suction port.    
   
   
       2 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first end has a cross sectional area A 1  and said second end has a cross sectional area A 2  and a ratio of A 1  to A 2  is between about 1:3 and about 1:4.  
   
   
       3 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 2 , wherein A 1  is between about 700 and about 900 mm 2  and A 2  is between about 3000 and about 3200 mm 2 .  
   
   
       4 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said curved portion of said air guide has a radius of curvature of between about 40 and about 50 mm.  
   
   
       5 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said bulkhead defines an included angle with said transverse axis of between about 2 and about 2.5 degrees.  
   
   
       6 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said bulkhead defines an included angle with said transverse axis of between about 2 and about 2.5 degrees.  
   
   
       7 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , further including a first rotary agitator carried in said agitator cavity on said housing.  
   
   
       8 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 7 , further including a second rotary agitator carried in said agitator cavity on said housing adjacent said first rotary agitator.  
   
   
       9 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said second rotary agitator is provided between said first rotary agitator and said bulkhead.  
   
   
       10 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of said air guide is provided on said housing above said first rotary agitator.  
   
   
       11 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said air guide has a height of between about 3.0 and about 4.0 mm.  
   
   
       12 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said housing includes an opening overlying said agitator cavity and a transparent agitator shield closing said opening.  
   
   
       13 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said air guide is carried on said agitator shield.  
   
   
       14 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a nozzle assembly including a housing having a transverse axis and a bulkhead defining at least a portion of an agitator cavity in said housing;    a canister assembly;    a suction generator carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly;    a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly;    said vacuum cleaner being characterized by;    a suction port provided in said bulkhead in fluid communication with said agitator cavity and said suction generator, said suction port including a first side, a second side, an inlet end and an outlet end; and    an air guide carried on said housing having a portion thereof curving toward said inlet end of said first side of said suction port and said bulkhead being angled away from said transverse axis toward said inlet end and said second side of said suction port.    
   
   
       15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein said first end has a cross sectional area A 1  and said second end has a cross sectional area A 2  and a ratio of A 1  to A 2  is between about 1:3 and about 1:4.  
   
   
       16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein A 1  is between about 700 and about 900 mm 2  and A 2  is between about 3000 and about 3200 mm 2 .  
   
   
       17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein said curved portion of said air guide has a radius of curvature of between about 40 and about 50 mm.  
   
   
       18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein said bulkhead defines an included angle with said transverse axis of between about 2 and about 2.5 degrees.  
   
   
       19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  including at least one rotary agitator in said agitator cavity of said nozzle assembly.  
   
   
       20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of said air guide is provided on said housing overlying a first rotary agitator and a second rotary agitator is provided between said first rotary agitator and said bulkhead.  
   
   
       21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein said air guide has a height of between about 3.0 and about 4.0 mm.  
   
   
       22 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein said housing includes an opening overlying said agitator cavity and a transparent agitator shield closing said opening.  
   
   
       23 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 22 , wherein said air guide is carried on said agitator shield.  
   
   
       24 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein said dirt collection vessel is a filter bag.  
   
   
       25 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.  
   
   
       26 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein said canister assembly is pivotally connected to said nozzle assembly.