Cleaning head for a wet vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A cleaning head for a wet vacuum cleaner has first and second rotary brushes, each extending across a width of a housing. The housing includes a first projection extending inwardly into a space between the brushes and having a first guide channel creating an air cavity over a floor, and a second projection extending inwardly the space. The second projection has a second guide channel creating another cavity over the floor. These cavities promote lateral air flow into the space between the brushes and thereby reduce pooling of water.

1 . A cleaning head for a wet vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a housing having a width between first and second side walls and a length, the length being parallel to an intended main direction of movement of the cleaning head over a floor to be cleaned, wherein the housing has a minimum spacing over the floor to be cleaned;   first and second rotary brushes, each extending across the width of the housing between the first and second side walls with parallel rotation axes, and side by side in a length direction; and   a suction channel for delivering suction to at least a space between the first and second rotary brushes,   wherein the housing comprises:   a first projection extending inwardly from the first side wall into said space, the first projection having a first guide channel creating a first region of greater spacing than the minimum spacing; and   a second projection extending inwardly from the second side wall into said space, the second projection having a second guide channel creating a second region of greater spacing than the minimum spacing.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second projections each extend across the space between the first and second rotary brushes in the length direction. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second projections each comprise a rim around the respective guide channel, wherein the rim is formed at the minimum spacing. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning head of  claim 3 , wherein the rim has a thickness, parallel to a plane defined by the minimum spacing, in a range 1 mm to 15 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first and second regions of greater spacing have a spacing between 1 mm and 6 mm greater than the minimum spacing.   
     
     
         6 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , wherein the minimum spacing is in a range 1.5 mm to 5 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , further comprising a support wheel arrangement for mounting the housing at the minimum spacing over the floor to be cleaned. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning head of  claim 7 , wherein the support wheel arrangement comprises:
 a first support wheel in the space between the first and second rotary brushes, set back from the first side wall; and   a second support wheel in the space between the first and second rotary brushes, set back from the second side wall.   
     
     
         9 . The cleaning head of  claim 8 , further comprising a third support wheel in front of or behind the first and second rotary brushes in the length direction, and a fourth support wheel side-by-side with the third support wheel. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning head of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second support wheels are each set back by a distance in a range 1 cm to 5 cm from respective ends of the rotary brushes. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive arrangement for driving the first and second rotary brushes in opposite rotation directions. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning head of  claim 11 , wherein the drive arrangement comprises:
 a single motor and a belt drive for driving the first and second rotary brushes; or   a respective motor for each of the first and second rotary brushes.   
     
     
         13 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid delivery arrangement for delivering fluid to the first and/or second rotary brushes. 
     
     
         14 . A wet vacuum cleaner comprising:
 the cleaning head of  claim 1 ;   a pump for delivering suction to the suction channel of the cleaning head; and   a fluid reservoir delivering cleaning fluid to the cleaning head.