Floor cleaner including an agitator

Abstract

A floor cleaner that includes a cleaning head, an agitator drive, and an agitator. The cleaning head includes an agitator chamber having an opening facing toward a surface to be cleaned. The agitator is rotatably disposed within the agitator chamber and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned through the opening. The agitator extends longitudinally between a first end and a second end along an axis of rotation. The agitator includes a core operably connected to the agitator drive, rotatable about the axis and at least one molded agitating member integrally formed with the core. The agitating member extends from the core to contact the surface to be cleaned.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor cleaner comprising:
 a cleaning head including an agitator chamber having an opening facing toward a surface to be cleaned;   an agitator drive; and   an agitator rotatably disposed within the agitator chamber positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned through the opening, the agitator extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end along an axis of rotation, the agitator including
 a core operably connected to the agitator drive rotatable about the axis, and 
 at least one molded agitating member integrally formed with the core, the agitating member extending from the core to contact the surface to be cleaned, 
 wherein the agitating member has a thickness that is between 20% and 50% of a height of the agitating member, wherein the height of the agitating member is measured from the core to a distal portion of the agitating member. 
   
     
     
         2 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the molded agitating member is overmolded onto the core. 
     
     
         3 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation extends along the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         4 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member has a length along the core having a shape of two or more repeating chevrons. 
     
     
         5 . The floor cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the two or more repeating chevrons are contiguous. 
     
     
         6 . The floor cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the agitating member extends lengthwise along the core. 
     
     
         7 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member extends circumferentially along the core to form an annular agitating member. 
     
     
         8 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member extends continuously from the first end to the second end in a repeating chevron pattern 
     
     
         9 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member includes a leading peak, a trailing peak, and an agitating vane extending from the leading peak to the trailing peak. 
     
     
         10 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , the at least one molded agitating member including two molded agitating members. 
     
     
         11 . The floor cleaner of  claim 10 , the agitator further comprising at least one rib connecting the two molded agitating members. 
     
     
         12 . The floor cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the two molded agitating members extend circumferentially along the core and where the rib extends longitudinally between the two molded agitating members. 
     
     
         13 . The floor cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the two molded agitating members extend lengthwise along the core and where the rib extends annularly between the two molded agitating members. 
     
     
         14 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member is formed from a resilient material. 
     
     
         15 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member has a durometer between 25 and 60 Shore A. 
     
     
         16 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member has a durometer between 55 and 80 Shore A. 
     
     
         17 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member has a durometer between 70 and 95 Shore A. 
     
     
         18 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member defines an agitating axis extending outwardly from the core, the agitating member including a forwardly extending flange, the flange extending along a flange axis angled forwardly relative to the agitating axis. 
     
     
         19 . The floor cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the angle between the agitating axis and the flange axis is between 70 and 105 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The floor cleaner of  claim 18  wherein the agitating member includes a plurality of support ribs extending between agitating member and the core. 
     
     
         21 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitating member includes a plurality of support ribs extending between the agitating member and the core. 
     
     
         22 . The floor cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of support ribs are positioned on the agitating member in the direction of rotation. 
     
     
         23 . The floor cleaner of  claim 22 , wherein adjacent support ribs are spaced from each other by between 5 and 20 millimeters. 
     
     
         24 . The floor cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the agitating vanes have a thickness that is between 20% and 30% of a height of the agitating member, wherein the height of the agitating member is measured from the core to a distal portion of the agitating member.