Panasonic Corporation of North America

Jason D Bowden

Jason R Gieske

Thomas J Fedorka

Gary P Charbonneau

Dale M Peacock

A floor care apparatus has a housing with a wall having a contour. A flexible membrane circuit includes an adhesive side that attaches the circuit to the wall to generally follow the contour. A controller connects to the circuit and illuminates a visual indicator as a relative function of the cleanliness or dirtiness of a signal of a dirt sensor connected to the controller. A motor is also controlled by the controller as a relative function of the dirt sensor signal. Further, the flexible membrane circuit includes a side opposite the adhesive side to friction fit the visual indicator against the housing. Preferably, the visual indicator includes a plurality of colors, from light emitting diodes, wherein the side opposite the adhesive side of the circuit connects to the light emitting diodes.

Floor care apparatus having visual dirt indicator with flexible membrane circuit

Tire rim

A floor cleaning apparatus includes a nozzle assembly including a housing and a cooperating hood defining an agitator cavity. First and second agitators are carried by the nozzle assembly in the agitator cavity. A canister assembly is connected to the nozzle assembly. The apparatus also includes a suction generator and a dirt collector. The apparatus is characterized by the hood which includes a wall and a baffle. A first section of the wall and the baffle define a first channel that receives the first agitator. A second section of the wall and the baffle define a second channel that receives the second agitator.

Floor cleaning apparatus equipped with multiple agitators and an agitator hood with baffle

A nozzle assembly is provided for a suction cleaning device. The nozzle assembly includes a body having an edge and a bottom wall. The bottom wall includes an intake opening and a portion extending between the edge and the intake opening. At least one channel is provided within that portion. That channel extends between the edge and the intake opening and has a cross sectional area decreasing in a direction extending from the edge toward the intake opening. Air drawn through the channel is accelerated as it approaches the intake opening in order to increase the dirt, dust and debris entraining capacity of that air and overall vacuum cleaner cleaning efficiency.

Nozzle assembly with air flow acceleration channels

A floor care apparatus includes a housing having a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a canister assembly. A dirt collector and suction generator are carried on the housing. The apparatus further includes a wand having an inlet opening and a sealing element for sealing that inlet opening when the wand is held in a storage position. Additionally, the apparatus includes a valve and an airflow conduit system. The airflow conduit system provides fluid communication between the suction inlet, the inlet opening, the valve, the dirt collector and the suction generator. The valve is selectively displaceable between a closed position whereby the suction inlet is sealed off from fluid communication with the suction generator and an open position whereby the suction inlet is provided in fluid communication with the suction generator.

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Danville, KY, United States of America

Jason D Bowden