Patents by Inventor Samuel N. Hansen
Samuel N. Hansen 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).
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Patent number: 7247181Abstract: The invention relates to dirt separator module comprising a dirt-separation housing having an inlet and an outlet opening and defining a cyclonic airflow separator, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt-separation housing. A separator plate and a cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing form a toroidal cyclonic airflow chamber in the dirt-separator for aiding in the separation of dirt from a suction airstream developed by the suction source. The separator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing, creating a gap between the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall of the dirt tank. A further embodiment includes dual cyclonic separators fluidly connected through a filter assembly. A further embodiment includes a cyclonic separator in the form of a tangential helical ramp.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2004Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.Inventors: Samuel N. Hansen, Gary L. Smith, Eric R. Metzger, David E. McDowell
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Patent number: 6810557Abstract: The invention relates to a cyclonic dirt separator comprising a dirt-collection assembly including a dirt tank having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, a cyclonic separator, at least one filter element, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt collection assembly. In one embodiment, the cyclonic dirt separator includes a separator plate cooperating with the housing to form a toroidal region of the dirt tank for aiding in the separation of dirt from a suction airstream developed by the suction source. The separator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the dirt tank, creating a gap between the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall of the dirt tank. A further embodiment includes fins projecting from a sidewall of the dirt tank, and fingers projecting from a bottom wall of the dirt tank, to reduce re-entrainment of dirt particles.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2002Date of Patent: November 2, 2004Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.Inventors: Samuel N. Hansen, David E. McDowell, Lindsay Michelle Swartz
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Patent number: 6800140Abstract: An extraction surface cleaning apparatus is provided having an extraction head adapted to be moved over a floor surface to be cleaned, a handle mounted to the extraction head for grasping by a user and propelling the extraction head over the floor surface, and an application and recovery system fluidly interconnected with the extraction head and movable therewith to apply at least one of water and cleaning solution to the floor surface and extract the same in combination with any dirt entrained therein. A detector is mounted to the extraction head for detecting the relative speed of the extraction head relative to the floor surface and generating a signal representative of such relative speed. An indicator is operably interconnected with the detector and is adapted to receive the signal generated by the detector and provide an indication to a user representative of the signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2002Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.Inventor: Samuel N. Hansen
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Patent number: 6775880Abstract: A hand-held nozzle is attached to the end of a vacuum and fluid delivery hose of an upright deep cleaner. The nozzle includes a reservoir to contain a solution to be applied to a surface. When a solution delivery system of the deep cleaner is pressurized, water from the upright cleaner clean water tank is routed through the hose to the hand-held nozzle. The water is routed through a venturi valve connected to the reservoir, which draws the solution to the valve to mix with the water stream. The resultant mixture flows from the hand-held nozzle for application to a surface being treated. One embodiment of the solution reservoir includes a retainer cap bonded to the reservoir and utilizing a bayonet-type mounting arrangement for mounting the reservoir to a nozzle assembly.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2002Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.Inventors: Gary A. Kasper, Samuel N. Hansen, John L. Jansen, Phong Hoang Tran, Eric J. Hansen, Gabriel S. Vander Baan
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Publication number: 20040154126Abstract: The invention relates to a cyclonic dirt separator comprising a dirt-collection assembly including a dirt tank having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, a cyclonic separator, at least one filter element, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt collection assembly. In one embodiment, the cyclonic dirt separator includes a separator plate cooperating with the housing to form a toroidal region of the dirt tank for aiding in the separation of dirt from a suction airstream developed by the suction source. The separator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the dirt tank, creating a gap between the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall of the dirt tank. A further embodiment includes fins projecting from a sidewall of the dirt tank, and fingers projecting from a bottom wall of the dirt tank, to reduce re-entrainment of dirt particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2002Publication date: August 12, 2004Inventors: Samuel N. Hansen, David E. McDowell, Lindsay Michelle Swartz
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Publication number: 20030159411Abstract: The invention relates to dirt separator module comprising a dirt-separation housing having an inlet and an outlet opening and defining a cyclonic airflow separator, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt-separation housing. A separator plate and a cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing form a toroidal cyclonic airflow chamber in the dirt-separator for aiding in the separation of dirt from a suction airstream developed by the suction source. The separator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing, creating a gap between the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall of the dirt tank. A further embodiment includes dual cyclonic separators fluidly connected through a filter assembly. A further embodiment includes a cyclonic separator in the form of a tangential helical ramp.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2003Publication date: August 28, 2003Applicant: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.Inventors: Samuel N. Hansen, Gary L. Smith, Eric R. Metzger
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Patent number: 6446302Abstract: The invention relates to an extraction cleaning machine including condition sensors for generating condition signals representative of a condition of the surface being cleaned, a controller, and variable-control cleaning systems, wherein the controller sends control signals to the variable-control cleaning systems in response to sensor signals received from the condition sensors. The invention further relates to a self-propelled extraction cleaning machine, and to an extraction cleaning machine including condition sensors and audible or visual indicators to notify the operator of the condition of the surface being cleaned.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2000Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.Inventors: Gary A. Kasper, Samuel N. Hansen, Jonathan L. Miner, David E. McDowell
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Publication number: 20020092117Abstract: A hand-held nozzle is attached to the end of a vacuum and fluid delivery hose of an upright deep cleaner. The nozzle includes a reservoir to contain a solution to be applied to a surface. When a solution delivery system of the deep cleaner is pressurized, water from the upright cleaner clean water tank is routed through the hose to the handheld nozzle. The water is routed through a venturi valve connected to the reservoir, which draws the solution to the valve to mix with the water stream. The resultant mixture flows from the hand-held nozzle for application to a surface being treated. One embodiment of the solution reservoir includes a retainer cap bonded to the reservoir and utilizing a bayonet-type mounting arrangement for mounting the reservoir to a nozzle assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2002Publication date: July 18, 2002Inventors: Gary A. Kasper, Samuel N. Hansen, John L. Jansen, Phong Hoang Tran, Eric J. Hansen, Gabriel S. Van Baan
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Publication number: 20020083548Abstract: An extraction surface cleaning apparatus is provided having an extraction head adapted to be moved over a floor surface to be cleaned, a handle mounted to the extraction head for grasping by a user and propelling the extraction head over the floor surface, and an application and recovery system fluidly interconnected with the extraction head and movable therewith to apply at least one of water and cleaning solution to the floor surface and extract the same in combination with any dirt entrained therein. A detector is mounted to the extraction head for detecting the relative speed of the extraction head relative to the floor surface and generating a signal representative of such relative speed. An indicator is operably interconnected with the detector and is adapted to receive the signal generated by the detector and provide an indication to a user representative of the signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2002Publication date: July 4, 2002Inventor: Samuel N. Hansen
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Publication number: 20020011050Abstract: The invention relates to cyclonic dirt separator comprising a dirt-collection assembly including a dirt tank having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, a cyclonic separator, at least one filter element, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt collection assembly. In one embodiment, the cyclonic dirt separator includes a separator plate cooperating with the housing to form a toroidal region of the dirt tank for aiding in the separation of dirt from a suction airstream developed by the suction source. The separator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the dirt tank, creating a gap between the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall of the dirt tank. A further embodiment includes dual cyclonic separators fluidly connected through a filter assembly. A further embodiment includes a cyclonic separator in the form of a tangential helical ramp.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2001Publication date: January 31, 2002Inventors: Samuel N. Hansen, Gary L. Smith, Eric R. Metzger, David E. McDowell, Brandon L. Mouw
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Patent number: D467812Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2001Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth L. Roberts, Samuel N. Hansen