Patents Assigned to Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
  • Patent number: 11324372
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner having a surface cleaning head and a brush supported by the surface cleaning head. A control circuit operates the vacuum cleaner. The control circuit includes a motor coupled to and operable to cause movement of the brush. Also disclosed is a method of controlling a motor for a brush of a vacuum cleaner. The method includes sensing an electrical parameter related to an amount of carpet load restricting the brush and determining a pulse width modulated duty cycle value based on the electrical parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Fai Zhao Hui Xie
  • Patent number: 11311167
    Abstract: A recovery tank for a surface cleaning apparatus such as an extractor is provided. The apparatus comprises a base positionable on the surface to be cleaned and includes a suction nozzle having a suction inlet in fluid communication with a duct and an exhaust outlet. The recovery tank is mountable to the base and has one or more walls and a bottom surface. The recovery tank includes a tank inlet extending through the bottom surface, wherein the tank inlet is positioned adjacent the base and operatively coupled to the duct outlet when the recovery tank is mounted to the base. A tank air outlet extends through the bottom surface, wherein the tank air outlet is positioned adjacent the base and operatively coupled to the exhaust outlet when the recovery tank is mounted to the base. A tank air outlet tube extends into the recovery tank from the tank air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TECHTRONIC FLOOR CARE TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Douglas M. Rukavina, Donovan Bode
  • Patent number: 11291345
    Abstract: A floor cleaner including a vacuum source and a base movable over a surface to be cleaned. The base includes a front side, a back side opposite the front side, a lower end configured to be adjacent the surface to be cleaned, a suction inlet adjacent the front side and adjacent the lower end of the base and in fluid communication with the vacuum source, a brushroll rotatable about a brushroll axis, a first squeegee that extends from the lower end between the suction inlet and the back side of the base, the first squeegee configured to contact the surface to be cleaned. The base further includes a second squeegee that contacts the brushroll and the brushroll axis is between the lower end of the base and the second squeegee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Rafael Davila, Michael Paul Dawson, Don Lydic, Robert McRorie, Benjamin Shrader
  • Patent number: 11284761
    Abstract: A cyclonic separator device for removing dust or debris from dirt-laden air, the device having a separating chamber, an inlet, an outlet, and a shroud that is connected to the separating chamber at one end, and provides a plurality of openings for the passage of air to the outlet. The device further includes a dirt collection chamber in communication with the separating chamber. The separating chamber includes an airflow directing formation which is connected to an inner surface of a generally cylindrical portion and which extends inwardly towards a central axis of the generally cylindrical portion. The airflow directing formation provides a surface which follows a substantially helical path that extends away from the inlet as it extends circumferentially around the inner surface of the generally cylindrical portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Matthew James Ward, Richard David Waters, Guy Lawrence Newsom, Darren David Holmes, Steven James Rogers
  • Patent number: 11284770
    Abstract: A surface cleaning device includes a body, a suction opening, a suction source, and a separation chamber. The body has a handle and a receptacle. The suction source is at least partially located within the body. The suction source is in fluid communication with the suction opening and is operable to draw a fluid mixture of liquid and air through the suction opening. Liquid is separated from the fluid mixture in the separation chamber. The separation chamber is coupled to the body for rotation relative to the receptacle about a rotational axis. The separation chamber includes an inlet in fluid communication with the suction opening, an outlet in fluid communication with the suction source, and a drainage outlet in fluid communication with the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Daragh Manning, Darren Holmes, Samuel Bennett
  • Patent number: 11289930
    Abstract: A battery pack, power tool, and power tool combination. The battery pack includes one or more battery cells, a first terminal electrically connected to the one or more battery cells, a high current power supply terminal, a power switch electrically connected between the one or more battery cells and the high current power supply terminal, and a low current power supply terminal electrically connected to the one or more battery cells. The first terminal and low current power supply terminal are operable to provide a substantially continuous low current to the power tool during a normal operating state of the battery pack. The battery pack also includes a controller operable to control the power switch to provide high current power through the high current power supply terminal in response to a call for power from the power tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Brett Reed
  • Patent number: 11229341
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a dust inlet and a first latch. The first latch is moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The vacuum cleaner also includes a second latch moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and a spring pressing the second latch to the locked position. The vacuum cleaner also includes a dust bin securable on the housing with the first latch and the second latch. When the dust bin is being installed onto the housing, the second latch is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position until the spring presses the second latch back to the locked position. The dust bin is secured on the housing when the dust bin is installed on the housing, the first latch is in the locked position, and the second latch is in the locked position. The dust bin is removable from the housing when the dust bin is installed on the housing, the first latch is in the unlocked position, and the second latch is in the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Jerald Bradley
  • Publication number: 20220007912
    Abstract: A surface cleaner is disclosed having abase moveable along a surface and an operating component configured to perform a function of the cleaner. The surface cleaner includes a sensor configured to generate a signal based on the surface and a controller in communication with the sensor and the operating component. The controller is operable to convert the signal from a time domain to a frequency domain to generate a surface fingerprint. Furthermore, the controller is operable to control the operating component based on the surface fingerprint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: TECHTRONIC FLOOR CARE TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kevin TERRY, Patrick TRUITT
  • Patent number: 11206960
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a brushroll that rotates about an axis. The brushroll defines a cylindrical portion and the axis extends centrally through the cylindrical portion. The brushroll also includes a rib that extends in a direction away from the axis. The rib includes a face extending along a line that is collinear with a secant through the cylindrical portion. A brush member extends from the face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Robert McRorie, Douglas Rukavina
  • Patent number: 11202543
    Abstract: A cleaner including a base defining a suction chamber, a brush roll driven by a brush roll motor, a sensor configured to sense a parameter related to a floor; and a controller having a memory and electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive the parameter, control the brush roll motor based on the parameter and a first floor coefficient, determine a second floor coefficient based on the parameter, and control the brush roll motor based on the second floor coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Kevin Pohlman, Christopher M. Charlton
  • Patent number: 11197592
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner (10) includes a handle assembly (22) pivotally coupled to a foot (42). The handle assembly (22) includes an air treatment member, an actuator (34) centrally arranged on a rear side of the handle assembly (22) and a cord reel assembly (14) arranged on a front side of the handle assembly (22). The cord reel assembly (14) includes a cord reel (30) and a cord (26) configured to be coupled to an AC power source and provide power to the suction source. The cord reel (30) is switchable between a first state, in which the cord reel (30) winds the cord (26), and a second state, in which the cord reel (30) does not wind. The actuator (34) is moveable between a first position and a second position. In response to the actuator (34) moving from the first position to the second position, the cord reel (30) switches from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Rong Zhou, David Khalil, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11172799
    Abstract: An extraction cleaner includes a supply tank, a recovery tank, a pump, a suction source, a base configured to support the suction source and the pump, an external hose, and a hose attachment assembly. The hose attachment assembly has a suction conduit extending from a suction inlet connected to the proximal end of the hose to a suction outlet in fluid communication with the recovery tank. The suction conduit is removable from the base with the hose. The hose attachment assembly also has a fluid coupling which is removable with the suction conduit. The fluid coupling extends from a coupling inlet in fluid communication with the pump to a coupling outlet coupled to a supply tube having one or more portions carried within the suction conduit. The proximal end of the hose is at least partially nested adjacent the base when the suction conduit is coupled to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Douglas M. Rukavina, Donovan Bode, Juan Aviles Quintero
  • Patent number: 11154170
    Abstract: An automated cleaning device includes a chassis, a controller operably connected to a drive assembly and configured to move the chassis within an area to be cleaned in repeated cleaning cycles, a cleaning unit carried by the chassis, a sensor configured to detect material drawn into the cleaning unit and provide a debris signal corresponding to an amount of material drawn into the cleaning unit, the controller being operably connected to the sensor and configured to generate a high-material indicator in response to the debris signal exceeding a predetermined debris threshold, and determining whether the autonomous cleaner is in a high traffic area when the chassis moves within the area to be cleaned based on locations of high-material indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Kevin L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11141031
    Abstract: A floor cleaner including a base that includes a suction inlet, a brushroll chamber, and brushroll. The base further includes a brushroll cover releaseably attached to the base, the brushroll cover removable to access the brushroll chamber. The brushroll chamber includes a brushroll, an endcap, a tab extending from the endcap, a driven end and a non-driven end. The endcap includes the tab extending from the endcap. The tab is movable between an unfolded and a folded position. Upward movement of the tab in the unfolded position removes the brushroll from the brushroll chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Rafael Davila
  • Patent number: 11122952
    Abstract: An extractor is provided. The extractor comprises: a base movable along a surface; a handle configured to be gripped by a user to move the base; a nozzle in fluid communication with a suction motor configured to generate a suction airflow through the nozzle; an encoder operable to generate an encoder signal as a first signal based on user-initiated movement of the base along the surface in a forward direction and as a second signal based on movement in a rearward direction; and a controller operatively connected to the encoder and the suction motor, the controller being configured to change a power to the suction motor to a forward power level based on the first signal during operation of the extractor and to a rearward power level based on the second signal during operation of the extractor, wherein the forward power level is less than the rearward power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: TECHTRONIC FLOOR CARE TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Patrick Diana, Douglas M. Rukavina
  • Patent number: 11083354
    Abstract: A dirt collector that includes a housing and an air-permeable filter media extending from the housing such that the filter media and housing at least partially define a collection volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Michael Bloom, Steven Marcus, William Jacob Kozlowski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11058273
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner that includes a suction source configured to generate a suction airflow, a dirt collector in fluid communication with the suction source and configured to separate debris from the suction airflow and the dirt collector is configured to store the debris separated from the suction airflow. The vacuum further includes an infrared sensor operable to output a signal corresponding to a distance to an amount of debris stored in the dirt collector, a controller that receives the signal, and the controller is operable to determine a fill level stored in the dirt collector based on the signal. A visual display displays the fill level stored in the dirt collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Steven Marcus, William Jacob Kozlowski, Jr.
  • Patent number: D925846
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Simon Matthew Pougher, Darren David Holmes, Anna Louise Jaanus, Gavin Burnham, Samuel William Bennett
  • Patent number: D930297
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Roderick Burgess, Kevin Terry, Robert Warren
  • Patent number: D930580
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Joseph Sexton, Somnanritha Chan, Benjamin Shrader, Bradley Hooley