Vacuum brushroll edge cleaner

Abstract

An agitator assembly having a spindle having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis. One or more primary agitators are attached to the spindle between the first end and the second end, and edge agitators are attached in a generally circumferential pattern around the spindle's first end. In one aspect, the edge agitators may be arranged at different inclination angles. In another aspect, the edge agitators may be attached on offset circumferential lines. In another aspect, at least one of the edge agitators is more flexible than a primary agitator. In another aspect, the first end has an edge cleaning assembly that is attached to the spindle and rotationally fixed relative thereto by one or more rotationally interlocking structures formed integrally with the edge cleaning assembly. Also provided is a cleaner having a housing and a spindle, with a window through the housing to view the first end of the spindle and substantially no other parts of the spindle. Also provided is an agitator assembly with a spindle, an edge cleaning assembly attached to the spindle, and edge agitators mounted to the edge cleaning assembly. The spindle, edge cleaning assembly and edge agitators have contrasting colors.

1 . An agitator assembly comprising: 
 a spindle having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis;    one or more agitators attached to the spindle between the first end and the second end;    one or more first bristle tufts inclined at a first inclination angle;    one or more second bristle tufts inclined at a second inclination angle;    one or more third bristle tufts inclined at a third inclination angle; and    wherein the one or more first bristle tufts, the one or more second bristle tufts, and the one or more third bristle tufts are attached to the spindle in a generally circumferential pattern around the first end of the spindle, and the first inclination angle is different from the second and third inclination angles.    
   
   
       2 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more agitators comprise two helical rows of primary cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       3 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the one or more first bristle tufts comprise two or more first bristle tufts;    the one or more second bristle tufts comprise two or more second bristle tufts; and    the one or more third bristle tufts comprise two or more third bristle tufts.    
   
   
       4 . The agitator assembly of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the one or more first bristle tufts comprise three or more first bristle tufts;    the one or more second bristle tufts comprise three or more second bristle tufts; and    the one or more third bristle tufts comprise three or more third bristle tufts.    
   
   
       5 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second inclination angle is the same as the third inclination angle.  
   
   
       6 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first inclination angle is about +5 to about +30 degrees;    the second inclination angle is about +5 to about −5 degrees; and    the third inclination angle is about −5 to about −30 degrees.    
   
   
       7 . The agitator assembly of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the first inclination angle is about +15 degrees;    the second inclination angle is about zero degrees; and    the third inclination angle is about −15 degrees.    
   
   
       8 . The agitator assembly of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the one or more first bristle tufts comprise three first bristle tufts;    the one or more second bristle tufts comprise three second bristle tufts; and    the one or more third bristle tufts comprise three third bristle tufts.    
   
   
       9 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more first bristle tufts, the one or more second bristle tufts, and the one or more third bristle tufts are approximately evenly spaced around the circumference of the spindle.  
   
   
       10 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 one or more fourth bristle tufts inclined at a fourth inclination angle;    one or more fifth bristle tufts inclined at a fifth inclination angle;    one or more sixth bristle tufts inclined at a sixth inclination angle; and    wherein the one or more fourth bristle tufts, the one or more fifth bristle tufts, and the one or more sixth bristle tufts are attached to the spindle in a generally circumferential pattern around the second end of the spindle, and the fourth inclination angle is different from the fifth and sixth inclination angles.    
   
   
       11 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more agitators, the one or more first bristle tufts, the one or more second bristle tufts, and the one or more third bristle tufts are attached to the spindle.  
   
   
       12 . The agitator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first end of the spindle comprises an edge cleaning assembly that is attached to the remainder of the spindle; and    the one or more first bristle tufts, the one or more second bristle tufts, and the one or more third bristle tufts are attached to the edge cleaning assembly.    
   
   
       13 . An agitator assembly comprising: 
 a spindle having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis;    one or more agitators attached to the spindle between the first end and the second end;    two or more first bristle tufts attached to the first end of the spindle along a first circumferential line;    two or more second bristle tufts attached to the first end of the spindle along a second circumferential line; and    wherein the two or more first bristle tufts and the two or more second bristle tufts are distributed in a generally circumferential pattern around the first end of the spindle, and the first circumferential line is axially offset relative to the second circumferential line.    
   
   
       14 . The agitator assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 two or more third bristle tufts attached to the first end of the spindle along a third circumferential line; and    wherein the two or more first bristle tufts, the two or more second bristle tufts, and the two or more third bristle tufts are distributed in a generally circumferential pattern around the first end of the spindle, and the third circumferential line is axially offset relative to the first circumferential line and the second circumferential line.    
   
   
       15 . An agitator assembly comprising: 
 a spindle having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis;    at least one primary agitator attached to the spindle between the first end and the second end;    three or more edge agitators attached to the spindle in a generally circumferential pattern around the first end of the spindle; and    wherein at least one of the three or more edge agitators is more flexible than the at least one primary agitator.    
   
   
       16 . The agitator assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one primary agitator comprises one or more rows of primary cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       17 . The agitator assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the three or more edge agitators comprise edge cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       18 . The agitator assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the three or more edge agitators comprise nine edge cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       19 . The agitator assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the three or more edge agitators are approximately evenly spaced around the circumference of the spindle.  
   
   
       20 . The agitator assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the three or more edge agitators comprise: 
 one or more first bristle tufts inclined at a first inclination angle;    one or more second bristle tufts inclined at a second inclination angle; and    one or more third bristle tufts inclined at a third inclination angle; and    wherein the one or more first bristle tufts, the one or more second bristle tufts, and the one or more third bristle tufts are distributed in a generally circumferential pattern around the first end of the spindle, and the first inclination angle is different from the second and third inclination angles.    
   
   
       21 . The agitator assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one primary agitator comprises a plurality of primary cleaning bristle tufts and the three or more edge agitators comprise edge cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       22 . The agitator assembly of  claim 21 , wherein each primary cleaning bristle tuft has a diameter of about 0.091 inches to about 0.191 inches, and each edge cleaning bristle tuft has a diameter of about 0.040 inches to about 0.140 inches.  
   
   
       23 . The agitator assembly of  claim 22 , wherein each primary cleaning bristle tuft has a diameter of about 0.141 inches, and each edge cleaning bristle tuft has a diameter of about 0.090 inches.  
   
   
       24 . The agitator assembly of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 the first end of the spindle comprises an edge cleaning assembly that is attached to the remainder of the spindle; and    three or more edge agitators are mounted to the edge cleaning assembly.    
   
   
       25 . An agitator assembly comprising: 
 a spindle having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, the first end comprising an edge cleaning assembly that is attached to the remainder of the spindle and rotationally fixed relative thereto by one or more rotationally interlocking structures formed integrally with the edge cleaning assembly;    at least one primary agitator attached to the spindle between the first end and the second end;    three or more edge agitators mounted to the edge cleaning assembly and arranged in a generally circumferential pattern around the spindle.    
   
   
       26 . The agitator assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more rotationally interlocking structures comprise one or more protrusions extending from the edge cleaning assembly to fit into one or more corresponding voids in the remainder of the spindle.  
   
   
       27 . The agitator assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one primary agitator comprises two helical rows of primary cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       28 . The agitator assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the three or more edge agitators comprise edge cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       29 . The agitator assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the three or more edge agitators comprise nine edge cleaning bristle tufts.  
   
   
       30 . The agitator assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the three or more edge agitators are approximately evenly spaced around the circumference of the spindle.  
   
   
       31 . The agitator assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the three or more edge agitators comprise: 
 one or more first bristle tufts inclined at a first inclination angle;    one or more second bristle tufts inclined at a second inclination angle; and    one or more third bristle tufts inclined at a third inclination angle; and    wherein the one or more first bristle tufts, the one or more second bristle tufts, and the one or more third bristle tufts are distributed in a generally circumferential pattern around the edge cleaning assembly, and the first inclination angle is different from the second and third inclination angles.    
   
   
       32 . The agitator assembly of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the three or more edge agitators is more flexible than the at least one primary agitator.  
   
   
       33 . A cleaner comprising: 
 a housing comprising: 
 a downwardly facing opening;  
 a chamber located adjacent the opening; and  
 a window located to view into the chamber;  
   a spindle rotatably mounted in the chamber, the spindle comprising: 
 a first end;  
 a second end;  
 a longitudinal axis; and  
 at least one primary agitator attached to the spindle between the first end and the second end; and  
   wherein the window is adapted to view the first end of the spindle and substantially no other parts of the spindle.    
   
   
       34 . The cleaner of  claim 33 , wherein the chamber has a vacuum outlet, and the window is further adapted to view the vacuum outlet.  
   
   
       35 . The cleaner of  claim 33 , wherein the housing comprises a generally opaque structure, and the window is integrally molded with the generally opaque structure by a two-shot molding process.  
   
   
       36 . The cleaner of  claim 33 , further comprising a light adapted to illuminate the first end of the spindle.  
   
   
       37 . The cleaner of  claim 33 , wherein the spindle further comprises three or more edge agitators attached to the spindle in a generally circumferential pattern around the first end of the spindle.  
   
   
       38 . The cleaner of  claim 37 , wherein the three or more edge agitators comprise: 
 one or more first bristle tufts inclined at a first inclination angle;    one or more second bristle tufts inclined at a second inclination angle; and    one or more third bristle tufts inclined at a third inclination angle; and    wherein the one or more first bristle tufts, the one or more second bristle tufts, and the one or more third bristle tufts are distributed in a generally circumferential pattern around the first end of the spindle, and the first inclination angle is different from the second and third inclination angles.    
   
   
       39 . The cleaner of  claim 37  wherein at least one of the three or more edge agitators is more flexible than the at least one primary agitator.  
   
   
       40 . The cleaner of  claim 37  wherein: 
 the spindle further comprises an edge cleaning assembly that is attached to the remainder of the spindle; and    the three or more edge agitators are attached to the edge cleaning assembly.    
   
   
       41 . The cleaner of  claim 40 , wherein the edge cleaning assembly comprises one or more protrusions extending from the edge cleaning assembly to fit into one or more corresponding voids in the remainder of the spindle to thereby rotationally fix the edge cleaning assembly relative to the remainder of the spindle.  
   
   
       42 . The cleaner of  claim 33 , wherein the spindle further comprises: 
 an edge cleaning assembly that is attached to the remainder of the spindle; and    one or more edge agitators attached to the edge cleaning assembly.    
   
   
       43 . The cleaner of  claim 42 , wherein: 
 the spindle has a first color;    the edge cleaning assembly has a second color; and    wherein the first color and the second color are contrasting colors.    
   
   
       44 . The cleaner of  claim 42 , wherein: 
 the edge cleaning assembly has a first color;    the one or more edge agitators have a second color; and    wherein the first color and the second color are contrasting colors.    
   
   
       45 . The cleaner of  claim 42 , wherein: 
 the spindle has a first color;    the edge cleaning assembly has a second color;    the one or more edge agitators have a third color; and    wherein the first color and the second color are contrasting colors, and the second color and the third color are contrasting colors.    
   
   
       46 . An agitator assembly comprising: 
 a spindle having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, the first end comprising an edge cleaning assembly that is attached to the remainder of the spindle;    three or more edge agitators mounted to the edge cleaning assembly and arranged in a generally circumferential pattern around the spindle;    wherein the spindle has a first color, the edge cleaning assembly has a second color, and the one or more edge agitators have a third color; and    wherein the first color and the second color are contrasting colors, and the second color and the third color are contrasting colors.