Patents Examined by David A. Redding
  • Patent number: 11957298
    Abstract: A material collection system is provided. The system can include a vehicle, a conduit, a vacuum generator mounted to the vehicle to develop an airflow and to draw material into the conduit, and a moveable boom mounted to the vehicle to support the conduit. The system can include a control system to control a speed of the vacuum generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Old Dominion Brush Company
    Inventors: Britt R. Calloway, Robert Mayes, Andrew Nitchie, Tim Stumph, Chris Turner
  • Patent number: 11950745
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus includes a cyclone bin assembly that includes a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber. A first end of the cyclone bin assembly includes at least a portion of the cyclone chamber and at least a portion of the dirt collection chamber and at least a portion of a sidewall separating the dirt collection chamber and the cyclone chamber. The first end of the cyclone bin assembly is rotationally mounted between a closed position and an open position in which an end of the cyclone chamber and an end of the dirt collection chamber are opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Ernest Conrad, Daniel Innes
  • Patent number: 11950748
    Abstract: A cleaning accessory for a vacuum cleaner comprises a housing having a first air inlet on an underside of the housing and an air outlet and a first airflow path between the first air inlet and the air outlet. The cleaning accessory also comprises at least one cleaning brush having at least one flexible cleaning element projecting outwards from a side of the housing. The cleaning accessory also comprises at least one side air inlet on the side of the housing and a second airflow path between the at least one side inlet and the air outlet. The at least one flexible cleaning element is arranged to engage a surface to be cleaned adjacent to the at least one side air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Black & Decker, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Muir, Oleksiy Sergyeyenko, Mark Davies
  • Patent number: 11950747
    Abstract: An extraction cleaner having a cleanout tool for use with a surface cleaning apparatus such as an extraction cleaner or vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle cleaning implement and a brush cleaning implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Miller, Karyn Lee Sagorski, Daniel Browne
  • Patent number: 11944259
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprises a nozzle (N) for cleaning a surface, a suction tube (T) for receiving input air from the nozzle (N), a cyclone device having a cyclone (C) and a dirt container (DC) both oriented substantially perpendicular to the suction tube (T), a cyclone device input coupled to the suction tube (T) from which the input air is transported, following a spiral around a center, in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the suction tube (T) to reach a stage (V) at which dirt is separated from the input air to obtain cyclone output air, from which stage the cyclone output air is conveyed through a conduit in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the suction tube (T) and opposite to the first direction to arrive at a cyclone device output, a filter (F) for filtering the cyclone output air, and an airflow generator (A) for generating an airflow through the suction tube (T), the cyclone (C) and the filter (F), wherein when the nozzle (N) is touching the surface, the suction tube (T)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Matthijs Hendrikus Lubbers
  • Patent number: 11937750
    Abstract: A floor cleaner that includes a recovery tank having a top side, a bottom wall opposite the top side, and a sidewall that extends from the bottom wall and defines a perimeter of the recovery tank, the bottom wall and the sidewall at least partially define a storage volume of the recovery tank. The recover tank further includes an inlet aperture, the inlet aperture adjacent the storage volume and the top side and configured to direct fluid into the storage volume. A baffle wall is connected to the sidewall and the baffle wall faces toward the inlet aperture. An inlet aperture axis extending centrally through the inlet aperture and the inlet aperture axis extends through the baffle wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Douglas M. Rukavina
  • Patent number: 11937760
    Abstract: A cleaning accessory for a vacuum cleaner comprises a housing. A rotatable cleaning brush is rotatably mounted to the housing. The rotatable cleaning brush has at least one flexible cleaning element projecting outwards from a side of the housing. The at least one flexible cleaning element is configured to rotate and engage with a surface to be cleaned. A dirt deflector projects from the side of the housing and is configured to surround at least part of the perimeter of the rotatable cleaning brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Black & Decker, Inc.
    Inventor: Oleksiy Sergyeyenko
  • Patent number: 11937766
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a main body, one or more drive wheels coupled to the main body, one or more surface type sensors coupled to the main body, the one or more surface type sensors being configured to receive robotic motor sound reflected from a surface to be cleaned, the robotic motor sound being generated by one or more motors of the robotic cleaner, and a controller configured to determine a surface type based, at least in part, on the reflected robotic motor sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Chad Woodrow, David Harting, Scott A. Rhodes, Sienna Ramos, Brandon A. Vasquez, Paul D. Butler
  • Patent number: 11930975
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus includes a housing including an upright handle assembly and a base mounted to the upright handle assembly. The surface cleaning apparatus is further provided with a brushroll and a fluid delivery system comprising a fluid supply chamber and a fluid dispenser configured to dispense fluid to the brushroll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Jincheng Xia, Jianjun Ge, Zhenjiang Yin, Xin Chen, Yongsheng Liang, Kam Hoi Ma
  • Patent number: 11930974
    Abstract: A handheld extraction cleaner includes a unitary body provided with a carry handle, and further provided with a supply tank, a recovery tank, and a suction source, all of which are carried on the unitary body. The various components of the extraction cleaner can be arranged for a balanced weight in hand. The supply tank can be integrated with a fluid distributor in a removable, modular unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Colin J. Bloemendaal, Kin-leung Tam, Wei-min Yi
  • Patent number: 11930987
    Abstract: A hand vacuum cleaner has an upper end, a lower end, an air flow passage, a main body with a handle, an air treatment member, an on board energy storage member, and a suction motor. The on board energy storage member is positioned in the air flow passage downstream of the air treatment member. The suction motor is provided in the air flow passage downstream of the energy storage member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad
  • Patent number: 11933006
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a material collection system. The material collection system includes a conduit, a vacuum generator coupled to the conduit, an engine powering the vacuum generator, and a container mounted to a chassis of a vehicle. The vacuum generator generates airflow for drawing material into a material inlet of the conduit. The container receives collected material from the conduit. The conduit, vacuum generator, the engine, and the container are supported on a hook-lift frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Old Dominion Brush Company
    Inventors: Britt R. Calloway, Robert Mayes, Tim Stumph, Chris Turner
  • Patent number: 11918168
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand vacuum cleaner, a rigid air flow conduit and a surface cleaning head. The hand vacuum cleaner has a body, which houses a suction motor, and a cyclone unit provided on a front end of the body. The cyclone unit has a cyclone with a cyclone axis of rotation that extends between the front and rear ends of the first stage cyclone. Air enters the cyclone unit through a cyclone unit air inlet that is centrally positioned on a front end wall of the cyclone. A front electrical connector is positioned adjacent the cyclone unit air inlet. When the hand vacuum cleaner is mounted to the rigid air flow conduit, the rigid air flow conduit is concurrently connected in air flow communication with the cyclone unit air inlet and the outlet end electrical connector is electrically connected to the front electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad
  • Patent number: 11918172
    Abstract: This document describes a mobile cleaning robot including a chassis having a forward portion and an aft portion; a blower affixed to the chassis; a bin supported by the chassis and configured to receive airflow from the blower, the chassis enabling evacuation of the bin through a bottom of the robot. The bin includes a top, a bottom, a sidewall, and an internal barrier. The bin includes a first volume and a second volume separated by the internal barrier and a filter unit supported by the internal barrier and removably disposed in an airflow path between the first volume that includes an intake port in the bin and the second volume that includes an exhaust port in the bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Oliver Lewis, Stephen A. Hickey, Russell Walter Morin
  • Patent number: 11910987
    Abstract: An extraction cleaner includes a portable extractor and a base adapted to be moved to perform a cleaning operation on a floor surface when the portable extractor is operably mounted to the base. The portable extractor includes a recovery tank assembly provided on the housing adjacent to the recovery tank assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Lenkiewicz, Tom Minh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11910988
    Abstract: A dust collecting device includes a bin, a dust bag assembly, a bin cover, a trigger structure, a detector and a controller. The trigger structure moves between an initial position in which the trigger structure does not trigger the detector and a trigger position in which the trigger structure triggers the detector. When the dust bag assembly is installed in the bin and the bin cover covers the bin, the dust bag assembly and the bin cover respectively pushes the trigger structure, such that the trigger structure moves from the initial position to the trigger position and triggers the detector. The controller is electrically connected with the detector. The controller restricts an operation of the dust collecting device according to an untriggered state of the detector, and releases the operation of the dust collecting device according to a triggered state of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SILVER STAR INTELLIGENT GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xuesen Zhong, Wenhai Deng
  • Patent number: 11910983
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand vacuum cleaner, a surface cleaning head and a rigid air flow conduit removably mountable between the surface cleaning head air outlet and the dirty air inlet of the hand vacuum cleaner. The hand vacuum cleaner comprises a main body and a cyclone unit. The main body has a suction motor axis of rotation and an axially extending sidewall wherein an end of a pistol grip handle is mounted to the sidewall. The dirty air inlet of the hand vacuum cleaner is removably drivingly mounted to a downstream end of the rigid air flow conduit. When the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned with the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner in front of the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the cyclone axis of rotation is generally horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad
  • Patent number: 11910986
    Abstract: A floor cleaning machine having a base, a suction foot, a dirty water tank in fluid communication with the suction foot, a suction turbine, and a separation container. The suction turbine is attached to the base and generates a suction air flow from the suction foot into the dirty water tank. The suction turbine has a housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening through which air flows. The separation container adjoins the suction turbine housing and has an interior, which that communicates with the inlet opening and a bottom wall section that faces the interior. The bottom wall section is disposed vertically lower than the inlet opening. A drainage opening leads out of the bottom wall section into the environment and is provided with a valve that is closed during operation of the suction turbine is in operation and open when the suction turbine is not operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Hako GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Protz, Bertram Ulrich
  • Patent number: 11903550
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a foot assembly having a suction inlet thereon, a suction source in fluid communication with the suction inlet to produce a working airflow there through, and a dirt container in fluid communication with the suction inlet and suction source. The foot assembly further includes a body defined by a central portion and a pair of extension arms, a rotatable agitator on each extension arm, and a drive assembly configured to counter-rotate the agitators. The counter-rotating agitators are operable to cooperate with the suction source to direct dust and debris towards the suction inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventor: Alan J. Krebs
  • Patent number: 11903546
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand vacuum cleaner, a surface cleaning head and a rigid air flow conduit removably mountable between the surface cleaning head air outlet and the dirty air inlet of the hand vacuum cleaner. The hand vacuum cleaner comprises a main body and a cyclone unit. The cyclone axis of rotation intersects the pistol grip handle. The cyclone axis of rotation is generally horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad