Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner for removing debris from a surface to be cleaned includes a suction chamber having a suction nozzle opening, a source of suction in fluid communication with the suction chamber, a brushroll provided within the suction chamber, and a roller provided in a roller chamber in front of the brushroll.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner for removing debris from a surface to be cleaned, comprising:
 a base comprising a suction chamber, a roller chamber forward of the suction chamber, and a passageway through the base fluidly connecting the roller chamber to the suction chamber, wherein the roller chamber is defined by a curved wall and comprises an open forward portion;   a suction source fluidly connected to the suction chamber for generating a working air stream through the suction chamber;   a suction nozzle opening disposed in the base and in fluid communication with the suction chamber and defining an inlet to the suction chamber;   a rotatable brushroll provided in the suction chamber for rotation about a brushroll axis; and   a rotatable roller mounted in the roller chamber for rotation about a roller axis;   wherein the rotatable roller is in engagement with the curved wall of the roller chamber; and   wherein the roller axis is located vertically between the suction nozzle opening and the brushroll axis, wherein the suction nozzle opening defines a generally horizontal plane.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the roller axis is parallel to the brushroll axis. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the rotatable roller is smaller than a diameter of the rotatable brushroll. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein a lower rear portion of the roller chamber is open to the passageway. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the suction nozzle opening is separate from the passageway. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable roller forms a seal between the passageway and the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the rotatable roller is in sealing engagement with the curved wall to form the seal. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the curved wall of the roller chamber separates the roller chamber from the suction chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the curved wall of the roller chamber comprises a curved top wall and a curved rear wall defining the roller chamber, wherein the curved rear wall faces the suction chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the rotatable roller is in engagement with the curved top wall and the curved rear wall. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein a passageway inlet is formed by a gap between the curved rear wall and a sole plate of the base. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a roller mounting housing provided on the base in front of the suction nozzle opening, wherein the roller mounting housing defines the roller chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the rotatable roller is rotatably mounted on an axle fixed within the roller mounting housing and extending through the roller chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable roller is substantially co-extensive with the suction nozzle opening. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable roller extends across an entire front side of the suction nozzle opening. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a brushroll motor provided in the base and coupled with the rotatable brushroll. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a height adjustment mechanism provided on the base for adjusting a height of the suction chamber and the roller chamber relative to the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper housing pivotally mounted to the base, wherein the suction source is provided in the upper housing. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the upper housing has an elongated handle that is provided with a hand grip at one end. 
     
     
         20 . A surface cleaning base for a vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a housing including a suction chamber;   wheels rearward of the suction chamber;   a roller chamber forward of the suction chamber;   a passageway through the surface cleaning base fluidly connecting the roller chamber to the suction chamber, wherein the roller chamber is defined by a curved wall and comprises an open forward portion;   a suction nozzle opening disposed in a lower portion of the housing, the suction nozzle opening in fluid communication with the suction chamber and defining an inlet to the suction chamber;   a rotatable brushroll provided in the suction chamber for rotation about a brushroll axis; and   a roller rotatably mounted in the roller chamber for rotation about a roller axis wherein the roller is in engagement with the curved wall of the roller chamber.