GB2154128A

GB2154128A - Floor-cleaning appliances

Info

Publication number: GB2154128A
Application number: GB08403985A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans Wessel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-02-15
Filing date: 1984-02-15
Publication date: 1985-09-04
Also published as: GB2154128B; GB8403985D0

Abstract

A floor-cleaning appliance, such as vacuum cleaner nozzle housing (1) has a textile layer (2) covering its periphery as a buffer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements Relating to Floor-cleaning Appliances This invention relates to floor-cleaning appliances.

It is known to fit floor-cleaning appliances such as vacuum cleaners, carpet sweepers and polishers with a shock-cushioning or buffer band around the periphery of the working end of housing, so that furniture, doors, picture rails, skirting boards and so on are not damaged. Another preventive measure is to use rubber or soft plastics strips, but these either leave marks on objects against which the appliance touches or at least have the disadvantage of limiting the approach of the appliance to such objects. Thus they give a poorer cleaning action as compared with an appliance having a buffer band.

However, such bands are expensive to manufacture and fix to the periphery of the housing in relation to the cost of the housing itself.

Particularly stringent demands have to be made on the quality of fastening, for the bands are often subject to heavy stress.

The aim is therefore to fit an efficient shock- cushioning or buffer device to the housing of a floor-cleaning appliance in the simplest possible way.

According to the present invention there is provided a floor-cleaning appliance with a housing whose periphery is covered with a textile layer.

Preferably, the textile layer is composed of a woven or knitted backing with a short stiff pile, the reverse side of the backing having an adhesive for securing it to the appliance housing. Alternatively, the periphery of the housing can be directly flocked with textile fibres, although it may be desirable in some circumstances to coat the entire surface of the housing.

For a better understanding of the invention some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a vacuum cleaner nozzle housing whose periphery is fitted with a pile buffer; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a nozzle housing whose surface is completely coated with a pile buffer.

In Fig. 1, a vacuum cleaner nozzle housing 1 is open at the bottom (not shown) and its periphery is covered by a textile band 2 having a backing of woven or knitted backing fabric anchoring a stiff fibre pile. The backing fabric is preferably composed of 100% polyamide, and may be 6-6.6 mm thick, while the pile height may be 1 .S2.2 mm. The reverse side of the backing is provided with an adhesive by which the band can be stuck to the housing.

In use, the nozzle can be brought quite close to an object standing on the floor to clean the zone immediately in front of it just as efficiently as the more readily accessible parts of the floor.

Instead of an adhesive band, the periphery of the housing can be coated with an adhesive and then directly flocked.

If it is desired to avoid subjecting the upper surface 3 to normal machining when it is being manufactured, or to protect it from damage, the entire surface of the vacuum cleaner nozzle housing 1 can be flocked as shown at 4 in Figure 2. This has the further advantage that a bottom edge of a piece of furniture, for example, under which the housing will only partly pass, will not be scraped. One can of course avoid applying the fibres to any particular points, such as those carrying the name of the manufacturer or the description of the model, and so leave them visible.

1. A floor-cleaning appliance with a housing whose periphery is covered with a textile layer.

2. A floor-cleaning appliance as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the textile layer is a band of woven or knitted fabric with a short stiff pile.

3. A floor-cleaning appliance as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the textile layer is formed by directly flocking the periphery of the housing with textile fibres.

4. Afloor-cleaning appliance as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the entire surface of the housing is directly flocked with textile fibres.

5. A floor-cleaning appliance substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements Relating to Floor-cleaning Appliances This invention relates to floor-cleaning appliances. It is known to fit floor-cleaning appliances such as vacuum cleaners, carpet sweepers and polishers with a shock-cushioning or buffer band around the periphery of the working end of housing, so that furniture, doors, picture rails, skirting boards and so on are not damaged. Another preventive measure is to use rubber or soft plastics strips, but these either leave marks on objects against which the appliance touches or at least have the disadvantage of limiting the approach of the appliance to such objects. Thus they give a poorer cleaning action as compared with an appliance having a buffer band. However, such bands are expensive to manufacture and fix to the periphery of the housing in relation to the cost of the housing itself. Particularly stringent demands have to be made on the quality of fastening, for the bands are often subject to heavy stress. The aim is therefore to fit an efficient shock- cushioning or buffer device to the housing of a floor-cleaning appliance in the simplest possible way. According to the present invention there is provided a floor-cleaning appliance with a housing whose periphery is covered with a textile layer. Preferably, the textile layer is composed of a woven or knitted backing with a short stiff pile, the reverse side of the backing having an adhesive for securing it to the appliance housing. Alternatively, the periphery of the housing can be directly flocked with textile fibres, although it may be desirable in some circumstances to coat the entire surface of the housing. For a better understanding of the invention some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a vacuum cleaner nozzle housing whose periphery is fitted with a pile buffer; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a nozzle housing whose surface is completely coated with a pile buffer. In Fig. 1, a vacuum cleaner nozzle housing 1 is open at the bottom (not shown) and its periphery is covered by a textile band 2 having a backing of woven or knitted backing fabric anchoring a stiff fibre pile. The backing fabric is preferably composed of 100% polyamide, and may be 6-6.6 mm thick, while the pile height may be 1 .S2.2 mm. The reverse side of the backing is provided with an adhesive by which the band can be stuck to the housing. In use, the nozzle can be brought quite close to an object standing on the floor to clean the zone immediately in front of it just as efficiently as the more readily accessible parts of the floor. Instead of an adhesive band, the periphery of the housing can be coated with an adhesive and then directly flocked. If it is desired to avoid subjecting the upper surface 3 to normal machining when it is being manufactured, or to protect it from damage, the entire surface of the vacuum cleaner nozzle housing 1 can be flocked as shown at 4 in Figure 2. This has the further advantage that a bottom edge of a piece of furniture, for example, under which the housing will only partly pass, will not be scraped. One can of course avoid applying the fibres to any particular points, such as those carrying the name of the manufacturer or the description of the model, and so leave them visible. CLAIMS