Vacuum Belts

Belts for vacuum cleaners come in many styles and hundreds of sizes.  Vacuums generally use a belt to drive the agitation device or brush roller.  Most vacuums use a flat, round or geared style belt.

The type of belt a vacuum uses is important for both durability and performance.  The condition and type of belt the system uses will have a great impact on the unit's ability to clean the carpet.  The proper use of agitation is nearly 70% of the cleaning ability of the cleaner.

Suction is another important factor.  It is suction that pulls the dirt that is removed from the carpet into the collection area of the unit.  The suction, or airflow, is the key when cleaning hard surfaces or using attachments.  Without suction the unit will only bring dirt to the surface of the carpet.  While agitation and suction are both important with vacuuming, the agitation actually cleans.

Nearly all manufacturers use brush rollers made of wood, metal or plastic driven by a suction or brush motor through the use of three different types of belts, round, geared or flat.

Round belts have been around the longest because they are easy to produce and engineer.  However this style is generally run in the same space as the vacuumed debris meaning that anything vacuumed up will come into contact with the belt possibly damaging it.

Belts must stretch a long way, placing more stress on the roller and motor bearings.  The round belt is quite common and is still used today.

The flat belt generally run in a circular fashion unlike the twisted route the round belt uses to deliver the performance in the proper direction.

This style allows manufacturers to run the belt off of one side of the roller, instead of the center where all the dirt is.  This helps eliminate premature breakage due to soil and dirt in the belt path.

The newest design, the geared belt, is thought to be the best in the industry.  It is the most efficient means to drive the brush.  It is also known as a positive brush system because the energy of the brush motor is transmitted directly to the brush.

Both the brush and the motor are locked by teeth to each other through a cogged belt without tension.  The direct connection results in better cleaning because the brush is driven at a faster speed regardless of the age of the belt.

The flat belt can stretch as it warms, which causes a loss in tension.  The belt will always stretch with use and it will lose its tension the moment the unit is put away.

There is one major drawback to the geared belt and that is the cost of the vacuum.  Geared belts are most commonly used on two motor units.  This requires a separate suction and brush motor as well as electronic sensory systems to inform the user when something is wrong with the brush.