Patents Examined by David Redding
  • Patent number: 12342979
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Steven Paul Carter, Adam Udy, Catriona A. Sutter, Christopher Pinches, David S. Clare, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Alexander J Calvino, Lee Cottrell, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, David Jalbert, Jason B. Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, David Wu, David W. Poirier, Daniel R. Der Marderosian
  • Patent number: 12342982
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include one or more driven wheels, one or more environmental sensors, at least one of the one or more environmental sensors configured to detect a first obstacle having a first vertically extending surface, one or more edge cleaning implements, and a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more driven wheels and the one or more environmental sensors. In response to detecting the first obstacle, the controller may be configured to cause the robotic cleaner to move through a rotation angle such that at least one of the one or more edge cleaning implements approaches the first vertically extending surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventor: Derek Lessard
  • Patent number: 12336682
    Abstract: An extraction cleaner may include a base, an upright body pivotally coupled to the base, a supply tank removably coupled to the upright body and a recovery tank removably coupled to the upright body. The base may include a non-removable door and a removable suction nozzle. At least one fluid dispensing nozzle may be provided on the door. The door may be pivotally coupled to the base for providing access to an agitator. The cleaner may include and auto-spray configuration. The cleaner may include a support on the upright portion for the recovery tank. The cleaner may include an additive tank received in a receptacle of the supply tank. The recovery tank may include a float and/or an airflow management configuration. The cleaner may include a cleaning tool and a suction changeover valve and/or a fluid changeover valve. The cleaner may include a mixing valve for supplying fluid to a fluid changeover valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Adam Udy, Lee Cottrell, Chi Ho Hui, Jian cheng Wang, Fariha Ahmed, Jennifer Andrews, Devan Schappler, Dejian He, Kevin O'Malley, Ognjen Vrdoljak, Peter Cahaly, Scott Niedzwecki, Bartholomew De Banzie Lampard, Qiang Liu, Yinhui Li, Daniel Innes, Jordan Ridgley, Linqiang Feng, Yongsheng Lai, Mingchun Zhu, Xavier Cullere, Zach Shonfeld, Ryan Shimizu, Jeremy McDaniel
  • Patent number: 12329350
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include one or more driven wheels and a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more driven wheels. The controller may be configured to cause: the robotic cleaner to move along a cleaning path that includes one or more row portions and one or more turn-around portions, the robotic cleaner to stop forward movement at a first cleaning point, and the robotic cleaner to rotate in a rotation direction at the first cleaning point, the rotation direction being only one of clockwise or counter clockwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventor: Michael William Finnegan
  • Patent number: 12329336
    Abstract: A remote access duster with a body, a flexible duster cord loop that is configured to be propelled such that part of the loop moves outward from the body while another part moves inward toward the body, and a vacuum source that is configured to draw air over the cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Inventor: Richard Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 12324558
    Abstract: An extraction cleaner includes a recovery tank assembly with a recovery tank that has a removable cover assembly and a separator adapted to provide fluid separation between an inlet of the recovery tank assembly and an exhaust outlet of the recovery tank assembly. The recovery tank assembly also includes a float that is slidably arranged within the recovery tank proximate the cover assembly. A suction inlet is in fluid communication with the recovery tank assembly. A recovery duct assembly is interconnected with the recovery tank assembly and includes a vertical inlet conduit and a vertical exhaust duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: BISSELL, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Lenkiewicz, Tom Minh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 12318821
    Abstract: A device for removing dust from closures which are capable of circulating in a chute extending along a longitudinal axis (y-y?), includes a suction system arranged around the chute and are capable of sucking up the dissociated dust from the closures, and including at least one ionization bar extending longitudinally alongside the chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: ETABLISSEMENTS ANDRE ZALKIN ET CIE
    Inventor: Laurent Staelens
  • Patent number: 12317784
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a blowing-sucking device. The blowing-sucking device comprises a fan and defines a blowing path and a sucking path, and comprises a first housing, a second housing, and at least one air duct, wherein the second housing is provided between the first housing and the at least one air duct, and defines at least part of the blowing path and/or the sucking path, and the second housing is configured to be detachably connected to both the first housing and the at least one air duct. The blowing-sucking device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is compact in structure and easy to disassemble and assemble. It is easy to inspect, clean, and replace its internal components. The device features operational suitability, flexibility, and convenience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: TECHTRONIC CORDLESS GP
    Inventor: Wai Chung Lee
  • Patent number: 12310543
    Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaner can include a brush chamber, a brushroll rotatably mounted in the brush chamber, a controller adapted to control the operation of the autonomous floor cleaner, and a fluid delivery system with a supply tank and at least one fluid distributor configured to deposit cleaning fluid onto a surface to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Steve M. Johnson, Todd Vantongeren, Jake Andrew Mohan, Adam Brown, Eric Daniel Buehler
  • Patent number: 12315751
    Abstract: An automatic cleaning unit for AMHS includes a plurality of sensors disposed on OHT rails. The sensors are configured to define a cleaning zone and to detect a location of an OHT vehicle. The automatic cleaning unit further includes a vacuum generator and a top cleaning part installed over the OHT rails in the cleaning zone. The top cleaning part is coupled to the vacuum generator. The vacuum generator is turned on to perform a vacuum cleaning operation when the sensors detect the OHT vehicle entering the cleaning zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Fu-Hsien Li, Chi-Feng Tung, Hsiang Yin Shen
  • Patent number: 12295532
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a lifting device for cleaning assembly and a cleaning apparatus. The lifting device includes a guiding base and a lifting assembly. The guiding base is arranged on an external housing. The lifting assembly includes a lifting mechanism connected with the cleaning assembly and slidably coupled to the guiding base, and a driving member arranged on the guiding base and configured to drive the lifting mechanism to move with respect to the guiding base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignees: Yunjing Intelligence Innovation (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Yunjing Intelligence (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minzhao Xie
  • Patent number: 12279731
    Abstract: A nozzle for a cleaner has a nozzle main body including an intake channel to suction air. The nozzle includes first and second rotary cleaning units spaced apart from each other in a lateral direction under the nozzle main body. Each of the first and second rotary cleaning units includes a rotary plate coupled to a dust cloth. The nozzle further includes a first driving device to drive the first rotary cleaning unit and a second driving device to drive the second rotary cleaning unit. The nozzle includes a water tank to store water. Further, the nozzle has a water supply channel to supply water in the water tank to the rotary cleaning units. The nozzle has a water pump and a pump motor to drive the water pump to pump the water to the dust cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungwan Ryu, Moohyun Ko, Jinhyouk Shin, Ingyu Yang
  • Patent number: 12274405
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cleaning robot and a control method thereof. The cleaning robot includes a chassis; a drive system; an energy storage unit, supported by the chassis and includes at least one charging contact sheet, wherein the charging contact sheet protrudes from a plane of the chassis slightly, and the energy storage unit is configured to be charged according to a predetermined amount in a case that the robot is located at a charging station; and a control system, disposed on a main circuit board inside the cleaning robot and including a non-transitory memory and a processor, wherein the control system is configured to control the energy storage unit to charge according to the predetermined amount based on a to-be-cleaned area and a total power consumption factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: BEIJING ROBOROCK TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fujian Xiao, Haojian Xie, Qi Wu
  • Patent number: 12262862
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus is provided, including at least one noise source and an air guidance device having at least one flow deflection element, wherein the at least one flow deflection element has a first duct arm and a second duct arm, wherein the second duct arm is oriented transversely to the first duct arm, and wherein the first duct arm and the second duct arm have a common edge at an external corner region, characterized in that arranged in an interior of the at least one flow deflection element is a built-in wall which covers the edge in the interior, in that the built-in wall faces a through-flow region in the interior, and in that the built-in wall takes a form such that it guides flow and is sound-permeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: ALFRED KÄRCHER SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Dominik Scholl, Florian Ebert
  • Patent number: 12263510
    Abstract: A multipurpose underground tool may be compact, universal, multi-purpose and/or reconfigurable. A variety of underground equipment in a variety of conditions at a variety of depths with a variety of operating interfaces may be remotely viewed, cleared of obstructions and controlled with one tool that may be reduced in size. A portable computer (e.g., cell phone) may power a lighted camera, display images of underground conditions to assist a user with operations (e.g., clear obstructions, maneuver, steer, attach to and operate underground equipment) and/or provide a user interface. Accessories may be adjusted, added or removed to accomplish a variety of tasks in a variety of conditions. Integrated, detachable, fixed or adjustable accessories may include a display holder, an ejector, a retriever, a debris deflector, a debris collector, a pressure tank, a pressure hose, actuators and/or other pole tips (e.g., with one or more accessories), pole sections, handles and/or accessory controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Inventor: Jesse Tippmann
  • Patent number: 12256885
    Abstract: Provided are a vacuum head, a collection bin, a cleaning tray, a filter assembly, and a cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus includes: a housing, a rolling brush, and a cleaning assembly, where the cleaning assembly includes a cleaning medium inlet and a plurality of cleaning medium spray orifices; the plurality of cleaning medium spray orifices face the rolling brush, and lengths of flow channels from various cleaning medium spray orifices to the cleaning medium inlet are equal. According to the present disclosure, a cleaning medium may be sprayed to a rolling brush surface uniformly, so that the rolling brush may be cleaned completely, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency and the cleanliness of the rolling brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: TINECO INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chunfeng Zhou, Jincheng Xue, Zhen Chen, Yonghai Liu, Rongyang Cheng, Yinglong Wei
  • Patent number: 12256876
    Abstract: A mobile robot includes a body configured to traverse a surface and to receive debris from the surface, and a debris bin within the body. The debris bin includes a chamber to hold the debris received by the mobile robot, an exhaust port through which the debris exits the debris bin; and a door unit over the exhaust port. The door unit includes a flap configured to move, in response to air pressure at the exhaust port, between a closed position to cover the exhaust port and an open position to open a path between the chamber and the exhaust port. The door unit, including the flap in the open position and in the closed position, is within an exterior surface of the mobile robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Russell Walter Morin, Harold Boeschenstein, David Orrin Swett, Jude Royston Jonas
  • Patent number: 12251072
    Abstract: Provided are a scrubber brush assembly and a vacuum cleaner having same. The scrubber brush assembly includes a roller brush body and a scraping sleeve. The roller brush body is rotatable around a first rotation center line and has a bristle (12) provided thereon. The scraping sleeve is rotatable around a second rotation center line noncoincident with the first rotation center line and sleeved over the roller brush body. The scraping sleeve has a scraping sleeve hole defined thereon. The bristle is adapted to be extended out of or retracted into the scraping sleeve hole in a wall thickness direction of the scraping sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignees: JIANGSU MIDEA CLEANING APPLIANCES CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xia Xu, Tom Ford, Xuebing Yin
  • Patent number: 12245731
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus includes a steam delivery system, a liquid delivery system, and a recovery system. The steam delivery system may include a steam dispenser having one outlet to dispense steam toward the surface to be cleaned and another outlet to dispense steam away from the surface to be cleaned as visible steam vapor. The apparatus may have multiple cleaning modes, including a mode where liquid is dispensed and a mode where liquid and steam are dispensed. Methods for operating a surface cleaning apparatus and for self-cleaning a surface cleaning apparatus are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Resch, Andrew Woodcox, Jeremy W. Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 12239285
    Abstract: An operating method of a station device for discharging dust from a cordless vacuum cleaner includes detecting occurrence of an event requesting discharging dust from a dustbin included in the cordless vacuum cleaner to the station device, and performing a dust discharge operation for discharging dust in the dustbin to a collector of the station device based on detecting of the occurrence of the event. The performing a dust discharge operation includes transmitting, to the cordless vacuum cleaner via short-range wireless communication, a control signal for operating a first suction motor of the cordless vacuum cleaner, and operating a second suction motor of the station device in cooperation with the first suction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seongu Lee, Seehyun Kim, Jeonghee Cho, Sanghyuk Park, Kiyong Lee, Yeongju Lee, Jaeshik Jeong, Jiwon Choi