Surface cleaner

Abstract

A surface cleaner including a cleaning head with a rotatable brushroll assembly. The cleaning head further includes a cutting member configured to cut debris from the brushroll assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaner comprising:
 a housing including a brushroll chamber, the brushroll chamber having a front side, a rear side, an upper side, and a lower side with an opening adjacent a surface to be cleaned;   a brushroll assembly rotatably mounted in the brushroll chamber, the brushroll assembly including one or more agitating members;   the one or more agitating members are positioned to extend through the opening to agitate the surface to be cleaned;   a suction inlet positioned in the front side of the housing and in communication with a brushroll chamber outlet in the rear side of the housing;   a suction source in fluid communication with the suction inlet and the brushroll chamber outlet for generating a working flow through the housing;   a cutting member extending from the rear side of the brushroll chamber toward the brushroll assembly, the cutting member extending parallel to the brushroll axis and spaced from the one or more agitating members;   wherein the cutting member is positioned adjacent the brushroll chamber outlet, the cutting member configured to cut debris to facilitate debris intake through the brushroll chamber outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member includes a blade edge extending toward the agitating members. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the blade edge includes a flat portion extending parallel to the brushroll axis. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the blade edge includes a flange extending at an angle toward the agitating member. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member extends over a portion of the brushroll chamber outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member is between the brushroll axis and the lower side of the brushroll chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member includes a flat plateau portion. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member includes an arc shaped portion. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member is a cylindrical blade roll. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member is positioned above the brushroll chamber outlet. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member is positioned below the brushroll chamber outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting member includes a proximal end attached to the housing and a distal end extending toward the brushroll assembly, wherein the distal end includes a flange extending an angle toward the brushroll assembly. 
     
     
         13 . A surface cleaner comprising:
 a housing including a brushroll chamber, the brushroll chamber having a front side, a rear side, an upper side, and a lower side with an opening adjacent a surface to be cleaned;   a brushroll assembly rotatably mounted in the brushroll chamber, the brushroll assembly a first agitating portion, a second agitating portion, and a track portion positioned between the first agitating portion and the second agitating portion;   the first agitating portion and the second agitating portion extending through the opening to agitate the surface to be cleaned a suction inlet positioned in the front side of the brushroll chamber and in communication with a brushroll chamber outlet in the rear side of the brushroll chamber;   a suction source in fluid communication with the suction inlet and the brushroll chamber outlet for generating a working flow through the housing;   a cutting member extending from the rear side of the brushroll chamber, the cutting member including a gear portion positioned to engage the track portion configured to rotate the cutting member when the brushroll assembly rotates;   wherein the cutting member is configured to cut debris wrapped around the first agitating portion and the second agitating portion when the brushroll assembly rotates.   
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the gear portion is driven by the rotation of the brushroll assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the gear portion includes teeth. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the cutting member includes a cutting blade.