Corner suction devices for vacuum cleaners, and associated systems and methods

Abstract

Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for vacuum cleaners, including vacuum cleaners with corner suction functionality. An example vacuum cleaner includes a suction channel assembly that has a main channel including a main suction input and one or more branch channels connected to the main channel and extending away from the main channel, each branch channel having an opening forming an auxiliary suction input. The vacuum cleaner can have a valve positioned between the main channel and at least one branch channel. The valve can be operable to open or close to allow or block suction through the branch channel and/or open or close to allow or block suction through the main channel. The vacuum cleaner can include a lower assembly that carries the suction channel assembly. Each branch channel opens to an exterior of the lower assembly, such as through a front corner of the lower assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a vacuum head assembly comprising a housing, the housing including a main suction passage leading out of the vacuum head assembly and a main suction inlet and a corner suction inlet to allow intake into the vacuum head assembly;   a suction drive assembly to create a suction force to pull an airflow containing debris into the vacuum head assembly though the main suction inlet and the corner suction inlet and out through the main suction passage;   a debris collection assembly in fluid communication with the suction drive assembly and the vacuum head assembly to receive at least some of the debris from the pulled airflow; and   a front corner suction assembly disposed in the housing of the vacuum head assembly and interfaced with the corner suction inlet, the front corner suction assembly comprising:
 a channel inlet component having at least one wall surrounding a hollow interior, where the channel inlet component is positioned within the housing at a front corner region between a side wall and a front wall of the housing, the channel inlet component having an aperture to interface the corner suction inlet, and 
 a projection channel coupled to the channel inlet component and spanning to a terminus region of the projection channel that is directed at the main suction passage. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is positioned on a downward and/or outward facing wall of the channel inlet component. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the projection channel is coupled to a surrounding perimeter of the aperture on the channel inlet component. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the projection channel is coupled to a distal end of the channel inlet component. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the distal end of the channel inlet component includes a tapered portion to facilitate an interface between the channel inlet component and the projection channel. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture includes one of a rectangular, circular, elliptical, or triangular shape. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture includes a size with at least one dimension having a length in a range of ¼ inch to 2 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture includes a size with at least one dimension having a length in a range of ½ inch to 3/2 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the front corner suction assembly further includes a door coupled to the channel inlet component and disposed with respect to the aperture, wherein the door is moveable between a first position where the aperture is fully open and a second position where the aperture is closed or at least partially open position. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the door includes a sliding door or a rotatable door. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the door is removable from the channel inlet component. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the projection channel includes a first segment that is configured along or proximate to an interior surface of the side wall of the housing and a second segment that is angled to project toward the main suction passage. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the projection channel includes a segment that is curved or angled from a portion of the projection channel at or out of the channel inlet component that projects toward a central region within the interior of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second front corner suction assembly disposed in the housing of the vacuum head assembly and interfaced with a second corner suction inlet at a second front corner region opposite the front corner region with respect to the housing, the second front corner suction assembly comprising:
 a second channel inlet component positioned within the housing at the second front corner region between a second side wall and the front wall of the housing, the second channel inlet component having a second aperture to interface the second corner suction inlet, and 
 a second projection channel coupled to the second channel inlet component and spanning to a terminus region of the second projection channel that is directed at the main suction passage. 
   
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the housing of the vacuum head assembly comprises a rear corner inlet, and wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises:
 a rear corner suction assembly disposed in a rear corner region of the housing of the vacuum head assembly to interface with the rear corner inlet, wherein the one or more rear corner suction assemblies comprising:
 a rear channel inlet component positioned within the housing at the rear corner region between the side wall and a rear wall of the housing, the rear channel inlet component having an aperture to interface the rear corner suction inlet, and 
 a rear projection channel coupled to the rear channel inlet component and spanning to a terminus region of the rear projection channel that is directed at the main suction passage. 
   
     
     
         16 . A vacuum cleaner floor head, comprises:
 a housing having a main cavity within an interior of the housing, a main suction input, and a main suction outlet to create a main suction channel in the main cavity between the main suction input and the main suction outlet; and   one or more branch channels disposed in one or more respective corners within the housing, the one or more branch channels comprising an opening forming an auxiliary suction input of the vacuum cleaner floor head, wherein a branch channel extends away from a respective corner and leads to the main suction channel.   
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner floor head of  claim 16 , further comprising a valve positioned between the main suction channel and at least one branch channel of the one or more branch channels, wherein the valve is operable to:
 open or close to allow or block suction through the at least one branch channel; and/or   open or close to allow or block suction through the main suction channel.   
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner floor head of  claim 17 , further comprising a switch and/or power source operatively connected to the valve to control opening and/or closing of the valve. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner floor head of  claim 16 , further comprising a brushroll agitator disposed within the housing proximate the main suction input for agitating debris on a surface to be cleaned within the main suction channel. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner floor head of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the branch channels comprises a door for accessing an interior of the at least one of the branch channels.