Until now, Dyson's patented Ball technology that lets vacuum cleaners turn on a dime - or rather a ball - has only been available in its upright models. Now the company has unveiled its first cylinder - or canister - vacuum with Ball technology in the form of the DC37. On show it IFA 2011, the DC37 also includes a "Musclehead" floor tool that recognizes the floor surface and automatically retracts its brushes on carpet, and lowers them on hard floors.
Dyson's Ball technology, which we first looked at in 2005 with the DC15, houses all the vacuum's core components inside a ball on which the vacuum sits and pivots. To reduce friction and prevent it from digging into the carpet pile, the surface of the ball is smooth and is coupled with a patented central steering system using an articulating chassis and central pivot point that Dyson says makes the unit is easier to pull around and negotiate tight corners.
"We thrive on engineering challenges, and our first Ball cylinder posed quite a few. Cramming over 100 components into the ball itself. Compressing the airways, concealing the motor and ducting and devising a new steering mechanism. We've miniaturized the technology to deliver our most maneuverable cylinder vacuum yet," said James Dyson.
Dyson says 64 patent applications and 55 registered design applications have been filed worldwide for its Ball cylinder machines and a further 39 patent applications and 18 registered design applications have been filed for the new Musclehead floor tools found in the DC37 that use air pressure to detect the floor type and automatically retract or lower its brushes accordingly.
The Dyson DC37 measures 507mm(L) x 261mm(W) x 368mm(H) (19.96 x 10.27 x 14.48-in), weighs 7.5 kg (16.53 lb) and can hold up to two liters (0.53 US gal). It will be available in Europe from October 31 2011 and cost from 439 to 549 euro (approx. US$622 to $778). In Australia, it will be available from November 1 and known as the DC39.
In the meantime, all I use is a broom- and shop-vacs.