Patents by Inventor Leonard E. Bowerman

Leonard E. Bowerman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5725623
    Abstract: A secondary air filter assembly that can be attached to the exhaust port of an upright vacuum cleaner is provided. The assembly includes an adapter plate that is adhered, clipped or otherwise affixed to the exhaust port, and a filter carrier that is removably attached to the base. The filter is preferably affixed as a unit to the filter carrier so that the entire filter/carrier unit can be replaced at once. The adapter base can also be used as an attachment for other accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Electrolux Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard E. Bowerman, Jeffrey P. Chandler, Peter Hoekstra, Carla B. Rogers
  • Patent number: 5690713
    Abstract: A secondary air filter assembly that can be attached to the exhaust port of an upright vacuum cleaner is provided. The assembly includes an adapter plate that is adhered, clipped or otherwise affixed to the exhaust port, and a filter carrier that is removably attached to the base. The filter is preferably affixed as a unit to the filter carrier so that the entire filter/carrier unit can be replaced at once. The adapter base can also be used as an attachment for other accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Electrolux Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard E. Bowerman, Jeffrey P. Chandler, Peter Hoekstra, Michael J. Kowalski, Carla B. Rogers
  • Patent number: 5685894
    Abstract: A secondary air filter assembly that can be attached to the exhaust port of an upright vacuum cleaner is provided. The assembly includes an adapter plate that is adhered, clipped or otherwise affixed to the exhaust port, and a filter carrier that is removably attached to the base. The filter is preferably affixed as a unit to the filter carrier so that the entire filter/carrier unit can be replaced at once. The adapter base can also be used as an attachment for other accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Electrolux Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard E. Bowerman, Jeffrey P. Chandler, Peter Hoekstra, Michael J. Kowalski, Carla B. Rogers
  • Patent number: 5387117
    Abstract: A "universal" end fitting for a central vacuum cleaner hose, having a reversible electrical connector body that can be reversed without being disconnected from the end fitting, and which accordingly need not be realigned after being reversed, is provided. The connector body is permanently but rotatably affixed to the end fitting. Because it is permanently affixed, the connector body need not be realigned after being rotated to a new position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Electrolux Corporation
    Inventors: George C. Moyher, Jr., Randall D. Gill, Peter Hoekstra, Leonard E. Bowerman, Jeffrey H. Ingerman
  • Patent number: 5329666
    Abstract: A hand-held corded vacuum cleaner having a housing with a motor compartment containing a motor mounted on partitions defining inlet, cooling and outlet chambers for efficient motor cooling by air which enters inlet and exits outlet vents in the inlet and outlet chambers, respectively. A dirt channel extends from a fan chamber having a fan mounted by being swaged on a motor shaft. A nozzle chamber is disposed at one end of the housing and a bag assembly is removably detached from the rear of the housing by means of a collar having a side hole through which a detent extends and which may be depressed to remove the bag assembly. The nozzle is in communication with the fan chamber and the fan pushes dirt through a dirt channel over the motor compartment into the bag of the bag assembly. The motor shaft has a pulley at the end thereof which is connected to a brush which is releasably retained in the nozzle compartment. A belt extends around the brush and the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: TRC Aquisition Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard E. Bowerman, Eugene K. Chumley, Raymond D. Owens, William E. Bartasevich, Robert L. Waldo, John R. Caterinacci
  • Patent number: 5218736
    Abstract: A hand-held corded vacuum cleaner having a housing with a motor compartment containing a motor mounted on partitions defining inlet, cooling and outlet chambers for efficient motor cooling by air which enters inlet and exits outlet vents in the inlet and outlet chambers, respectively. A dirt channel extends from a fan chamber having a fan mounted by being swaged on a motor shaft. A nozzle chamber is disposed at one end of the housing and a bag assembly is removably detached from the rear of the housing by means of a collar having a side hole through which a detent extends and which may be depressed to remove the bag assembly. The nozzle is in communication with the fan chamber and the fan pushes dirt through a dirt channel over the motor compartment into the bag of the bag assembly. The motor shaft has a pulley at the end thereof which is connected to a brush which is releasably retained in the nozzle compartment. A belt extends around the brush and the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: TRC Acquisition Corporation
    Inventors: William E. Bartasevich, Robert L. Waldo, John R. Caterinacci, Leonard E. Bowerman, Eugene K. Chumley, Raymond D. Owens
  • Patent number: 5129128
    Abstract: A hand-held corded vacuum cleaner having a housing with a motor compartment containing a motor mounted on partitions defining inlet, cooling and outlet chambers for efficient motor cooling by air which enters inlet and exits outlet vents in the inlet and outlet chambers, respectively. A dirt channel extends from a fan chamber having a fan mounted by being swaged on a motor shaft. A nozzle chamber is disposed at one end of the housing and a bag assembly is removably detached from the rear of the housing by means of a collar having a side hole through which a detent extends and which may be depressed to remove the bag assembly. The nozzle is in communication with the fan chamber and the fan pushes dirt through a dirt channel over the motor compartment into the bag of the bag assembly. The motor shaft has a pulley at the end thereof which is connected to a brush which is releasably retained in the nozzle compartment. A belt extends around the brush and the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: TRC Acquisition Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard E. Bowerman, Eugene K. Chumley, Raymond D. Owens, William E. Bartasevich, Robert L. Waldow, John R. Caterinacci
  • Patent number: 4724574
    Abstract: A lightweight, upright, top-loading vacuum cleaner wherein a seal between the disk of a filter bag and a duct for conveying dirt-laden air to the bag is provided adjacent the outer peripheral edges of the disk resulting in the disk becoming an integral part of the seal while eliminating pressure differential across opposite sides of the disk. A portion of the duct extending into the filter bag is capable of being displaced to an open position for filter bag loading and unloading and is normally closed to maintain the seal by a latch which cooperates with the handle vacuum cleaner handle. The vacuum cleaner handle includes electrical components having projections which are releasably received and supported within an electrical receptacle supported by the vacuum cleaner housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignee: Sara Lee Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard E. Bowerman, Daniel A. Peragine, George C. Moyher
  • Patent number: 4364146
    Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner having a ductwork system for carrying dust-laden air comprised of a plurality of interconnected sections. Some of the sections are quickly removable for dislodging debris within the sections and coincidentally exposing the remaining ductwork for cleaning out debris. A cleanout rod is stored within the upper body of the cleaner and is quickly removed to be inserted into the ductwork for dislodging debris therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: Electrolux Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard E. Bowerman
  • Patent number: 4294595
    Abstract: An automatic shutoff arrangement for a vacuum cleaner of the "clean air" type in which the vacuum fan is downstream of the dirty air passageway and vacuum filter. The automatic shutoff arrangement includes an apparatus for sensing a selected characteristic of the air flow at a first point adjacent the entrance to the dirty air passageway and at a second point along the clean air passageway between the vacuum filter and fan and operates in response to a relative change in the selected characteristic between such points to interrupt power to the vacuum motor and/or indicate to the operator that the dirty air passageway is obstructed or vacuum filter is full.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Assignee: Electrolux Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard E. Bowerman
  • Patent number: 4099291
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, the agitator brush in the suction nozzle of an upright vacuum cleaner is positively driven by the high speed fan motor through reduction gearing, including a torque-limiting magnetic drive, which will disengage in the event the agitator brush is stalled or overloaded to thus prevent damage to the motor and conversely will limit the value of the torque transmitted to the agitator in order to minimize the damage done to whatever has stalled the brush. In some cases the value of the torque at which the magnetic drive is designed to disengage may be lower than that required to overcome the frictional resistance to turning of the agitator on the rug being cleaned plus the inertia load of the driven system during the rapid acceleration from start to full speed, which results if the motor is initially supplied with full line voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1978
    Inventor: Leonard E. Bowerman
  • Patent number: D299176
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Sara Lee Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard E. Bowerman, George Schick