Cleaner head

Abstract

A cleaner head 10 for a vacuum cleaner has a suction inlet 20 defined in the lower face of a housing 11 and a suction passageway 20 A through the housing 11 . A rotatable sealing element 40 is located at a front of the housing 11 . The rotatable sealing element 40 has a rotational axis 41 which is parallel to the lower face of the cleaner head. An agitator 60 is positioned rewards of the rotatable sealing element 40 . The suction passageway 20 A is located between the agitator 60 and the rotatable sealing element 40.

1 . A cleaner head for a vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a housing configured to be movable across a floor surface, the housing having a lower face;   a suction inlet defined in the lower face of the housing;   
       a suction passageway through the housing, the suction passageway in fluid communication with the suction inlet;
 a rotatable sealing element located at a front of the housing, the rotatable sealing element having a rotational axis which is parallel to the lower face of the cleaner head, the housing at least partially surrounding the rotatable sealing element; and 
 an agitator positioned rearwards of the rotatable sealing element, 
 
       wherein the suction passageway is located between the agitator and the rotatable sealing element. 
     
     
         2 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a shielding member located between the agitator and the rotatable sealing element, wherein the suction passageway is in fluid communication with a portion of the rotatable sealing element above the shielding member. 
     
     
         3 . A cleaner head according to  claim 2 , wherein the shielding member extends to the lower face, the shielding member configured to shield a rearward side of the rotatable sealing element, proximate the lower face of the cleaner head. 
     
     
         4 . A cleaner head according to  claim 2 , further comprising a roller mounted rotatably with respect to the shielding member, the roller configured to provide a seal between the shielding member and a floor surface. 
     
     
         5 . A cleaner head according to  claim 2 , wherein the shielding member has a surface on the rearward side configured to guide fluid flow away from rearward side of the rotatable sealing element, proximate the lower face of the cleaner head. 
     
     
         6 . A cleaner head according to  claim 2 , wherein the shielding member has a surface on the forward side which is coaxial with the rotational axis of the rotatable sealing element. 
     
     
         7 . A cleaner head according to  claim 6 , wherein there is a clearance between the surface on the forward side of the shielding member and an outer surface of the rotatable sealing element, wherein the clearance is less than about 3 mm. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A cleaner head according to  claim 2 , further comprising an agitator housing which partially encloses the agitator, the agitator housing having an opening on a front side, the opening defined by a lip of the agitator housing, wherein the shielding member extends to a height which is substantially the same as the lip of the agitator housing. 
     
     
         10 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable sealing element comprises an outer layer of deformable material or resiliently deformable material such as closed cell foam. 
     
     
         11 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable sealing element comprises a plurality of flexible, radially-extending blades. 
     
     
         15 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drive or motor configured to rotate the rotatable sealing element independently of movement of the cleaner head across a surface. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a seal between a side face of the rotatable sealing element and the housing. 
     
     
         18 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a brush seal located at a perimeter of the cleaner head on at least one of: side edges of the cleaner head; a rear edge of the cleaner head. 
     
     
         19 . A cleaner head according to  claim 18 , wherein the brush seal is adjustable in height. 
     
     
         20 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing element to provide a seal between the housing and the rotatable sealing element. 
     
     
         21 . A cleaner head according to  claim 20 , wherein the sealing element is located on a rearward side of the rotatable sealing element and within the housing. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a scraper which is configured to scrape debris from an outer surface of the rotatable sealing element. 
     
     
         24 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , wherein the agitator comprises a plurality of radially-extending brush filaments and/or a beater bar. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , wherein the agitator comprises a plurality of radially-extending blades. 
     
     
         27 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drive configured to rotate the agitator independently of movement of the cleaner head across a surface. 
     
     
         28 . A cleaner head according to  claim 27 , wherein the agitator is rotated at a speed of up to about 20000 RPM 
     
     
         29 . A cleaner head according to  claim 1 , wherein the agitator is oscillated about a longitudinal axis of the agitator. 
     
     
         30 . A vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner head according to  claim 1 .