Patent attributes
A vacuum cleaner agitator system having an agitator, an electric motor to rotate the agitator, a power source, and an agitator cleaner. The cleaner moves between a first position in which it is spaced from the agitator and a second position in which it engages the agitator to remove debris while the agitator rotates. The system also has a detector configured to indicate when the cleaner is in the second position. A drive control system connects the electric motor, electric power source, and agitator cleaning detector. The drive control system has a first drive mode to drive the electric motor at a first power level, and a second drive mode, activated upon receiving an indication from the detector that the cleaner is in the second position, to drive the electric motor at a second power level that is greater than the first power level.