Patents Examined by Marc Carlson
  • Patent number: 11937764
    Abstract: Provided is a cleaning device including a vacuum cleaner including a dust collector into which dirt and dust is collected, a docking station connected to the dust collector and having a long axis extending in a first direction, and the docking station includes a docking part coupled to the dust collector to remove dirt and dust collected in the dust collector, a sucking device sucking up the dirt and dust and inside air in the dust collector docked with the docking part through the docking part, and a circulation duct arranged for the air sucked up by the sucking device to be circulated to the docking part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seehyun Kim, Youngchul Ko, Higon Koo, Kisup Lee, Hyunho Lee, Seungryong Cha, Seungwoo Choi, Kihwan Kwon, Hyeoncheol Kim, Hwagyu Song, Sungcheol Lee, Hyunju Lee, Ingyu Choi
  • Patent number: 11930991
    Abstract: A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot can include a canister and a base configured to receive the mobile cleaning robot thereon, where the base can include a front portion and a back portion opposite the front portion. The base can include a vacuum port extending at least partially through the base. The canister can be connected to the back portion of the base and can be located at least partially above the base. The canister can include a debris bin connected to the vacuum port to receive debris therefrom and a fan compartment connected to a side wall of the debris bin and including a fan system operable to draw debris through the vacuum port and the debris bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent Andrew Wolff, Brian W. Doughty, Leo Torrente, Travis Gschrey, Jack Zhang, Levi Fox, Rogelio Manfred Neumann, Celerick Stephens, James J. Mahoney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11925304
    Abstract: An information processing method in a server device includes obtaining first information obtained by at least one of one or more sensors installed in a space, detecting the breakage of an article present in the space based on the first information, estimating a situation where the breakage of the article occurred based on the first information, and outputting second information for causing a self-propelled device to perform a predetermine operation in the space according to the estimated situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Takanori Ogawa, Masashi Koide
  • Patent number: 11928726
    Abstract: An information processing method in a server device includes obtaining first information on an object to be sucked by a self-propelled vacuum cleaner, specifying a first article constituted by the object to be sucked based on the first information, specifying a second article relating to the first article based on second information on the first article and third information on an owner of the first article, and outputting fourth information on the specified second article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventor: Takanori Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11918171
    Abstract: A detection system including an autonomous collection device that is capable of moving on a floor surface and for collecting an object on the floor surface, and a station device for detecting an analyte from the object collected from the floor surface by the autonomous collection device. The autonomous collection device includes a moving part for moving on the floor surface, a primary electric blower for sucking the object on the floor surface, and a dust container for storing the sucked object. The station device includes a transfer pipe fluidically connected to the dust container of the autonomous collection device when the autonomous collection device is positioned in a home position, and a virus detection part for detecting the analyte from the object transferred from the dust container through the transfer pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakayama, Mikiya Nakata
  • Patent number: 11918160
    Abstract: A turntable structure, a mopping device, and a robot are disclosed. The turntable structure comprises: a cleaning turntable, an adjusting component, and a pressure unit; one side of the cleaning turntable is connected to a cleaning piece; the adjusting component is slidably connected to the cleaning turntable along a target direction, and is located on the side of the cleaning turntable opposite to the cleaning piece, and the side of the adjusting component away from the cleaning piece is connected to a driving mechanism of the robot; the pressure unit is provided between the cleaning turntable and the adjusting component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: YUNJING INTELLIGENCE INNOVATION (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junbin Zhang, Jibiao Huang, Weijin Lin
  • Patent number: 11911812
    Abstract: A drain cleaning device for removing debris from a drain is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the drain cleaning device includes a handle section; a rod section connected to the handle section, the rod section optionally including one or more ribs, the one or more ribs configured to add structural rigidity to the rod section, and the one or more ribs further configured to facilitate the cleaning of grime from a side of a drain pipe; and an optional tip section connected to the rod section, the tip section including a plurality of projections disposed thereon, the plurality of projections configured to grab and collect debris from the drain pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Imagination Products Corp.
    Inventors: Stephen S. Turner, Scott I. Turner
  • Patent number: 11910992
    Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner is provided with a hand-carriable body housing the components of a vacuum collection system, which can include a working air path through the body from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air deflector is positioned in opposition to the air inlet and directs a working airstream from the air inlet downwardly within a debris removal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 11896194
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner of the present disclosure includes a cleaner body having a suction motor provided inside thereof and a handle provided outside thereof, and a suction nozzle connected to the cleaner body, wherein the suction nozzle includes a housing having at least part of a front portion opened, and a rotary cleaning unit disposed inside the housing, having at least part thereof exposed through the opening of the housing, and configured to clean a floor by a rotating operation, wherein the rotary cleaning unit includes a cylindrical nozzle body rotatably installed inside the housing, and fiber filaments and metal filaments disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the nozzle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ingyu Yang, Moohyun Ko, Jungwan Ryu, Daeho Chang
  • Patent number: 11896190
    Abstract: A cleaning system may include a vacuum cleaner and a docking station. The vacuum cleaner may include an air inlet, a suction motor having a suction motor inlet and a suction motor outlet, and a cleaner dust cup configured to transition between a collection position and an emptying position, the cleaner dust cup being upstream of the suction motor inlet when in the collection position and downstream of the suction motor outlet when in the emptying position. The docking station may include a base, a support extending from the base, a station dust cup removably coupled to the support, and a receptacle coupled to the support and configured to receive at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner, the cleaner dust cup being fluidly coupled to and upstream of the station dust cup when the vacuum cleaner is inserted in the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Kai Xu, Baodong Lu, Yuang Xie, Jingjiang Wu, Queena Li Tan
  • Patent number: 11898338
    Abstract: A drain cleaning device for removing debris from a drain is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the drain cleaning device includes a handle section, an elongated rod section having a first end and a second end oppositely disposed relative to the first end, the first end of the elongated rod section being connected to the handle section; and a tip section connected to the second end of the elongated rod section, the tip section including a central core portion and a plurality of protruding elements integrally formed with the central core portion, the plurality of protruding elements configured to grab and collect debris from the drain pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventors: Stephen S. Turner, Scott I. Turner
  • Patent number: 11889970
    Abstract: A cleaning device comprising a convex transfer surface disposed between a flat nozzle and a rotary brush. The flat nozzle is formed as a multichannel nozzle between the convex transfer surface and the apron with the bevel of the mouth of the multichannel nozzle ranging from 20 to 60 degrees from the horizontal plane. The clearance height between the convex transfer surface and the floor is preferably in the range of 1 to 8 millimetres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventor: Pavel Lébl
  • Patent number: 11889971
    Abstract: A cleaning robot, a bristle control method and a bristle control device, and a computer storage medium are provided. The cleaning robot includes a robot body, an side brush assembly disposed on the robot body, and a controller disposed on the robot body and configured to control a target bristle of the side brush assembly to be limited in a designated area. In embodiments of this application, the target bristle of the side brush assembly is limited in the designated area to prevent, as much as possible, the target bristle from exceeding out of the cleaning robot and affecting the appearance of the cleaning robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: YUNJING INTELLIGENCE (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., YUNJING INTELLIGENCE INNOVATION (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weijing Lin, Yun Chen, Minzhao Xie
  • Patent number: 11889973
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner of the present invention comprises: a main body having a suction motor for generating suction force; a main PCB capable of generating a control command for the suction motor; a handle part capable of accommodating the main body PCB; and a connector provided at the main body, and to which the main PCB is connected in a process of coupling the handle part to the main body. The main PCB includes a plurality of pads and a slit, and the connector includes: a plurality of connecting pins for making contact with the plurality of pads; and a slit insertion protrusion inserted into the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Changjun Lee, Philjae Hwang, Mantae Hwang, Jungbae Hwang, Eunji Sung, Taekgi Lee
  • Patent number: 11884480
    Abstract: A tank assembly. The tank assembly comprises a shell, a plurality of conical dispensers, a plurality of drawtubes, a plurality of drawtube apertures, a slurry reservoir, one or more spray equipment and a slurry mixture. The slurry reservoir comprises a fluid reservoir within the shell of the tank assembly. The slurry reservoir comprises an upper reservoir and a conical dispensers reservoir. The conical dispensers reservoir can comprise a fluid space within the plurality of conical dispensers. each among the plurality of drawtubes comprise a drawtube axis. The plurality of drawtubes comprise at least a first drawtube and a second drawtube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventor: Benjamin LeCompte
  • Patent number: 11877716
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for determining a region attribute, and electronic devices are provided. In one aspect, a method includes: identifying a marker line in a target map, the target map being a map of a to-be-cleaned target scene, an intelligent cleaning device relying on the target map during a cleaning process, determining an enclosed region and an unenclosed region with a first position as a reference point in the target map, based on the identified marker line and an auxiliary object in the target map, the auxiliary object including a map boundary and an obstacle, the first position being a position of a preset reference object in the target map, determining the enclosed region as a user-defined cleaning region for the cleaning process of the intelligent cleaning device, and determining the unenclosed region as a normal cleaning region for the cleaning process of the intelligent cleaning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: HANGZHOU EZVIZ SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bingwei Shen, Nicong Jiang, Jianhua Zhu, Bin Guo, Anqiang Du, Haiqing Jiang
  • Patent number: 11874668
    Abstract: A robot vacuum cleaner is provided. The robot vacuum cleaner includes a camera, a memory configured to store an artificial intelligence model trained to identify an image from an input image and shape information corresponding to each of a plurality of objects, and a processor configured to control the electronic apparatus by being connected to the camera and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to input an image obtained by the camera to the artificial intelligence model to identify an object included in the image, obtain shape information corresponding to the identified object among the plurality of shape information stored in the memory, and set a traveling path of the robot vacuum cleaner based on the shape information and size information related to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sukhoon Song, Kyongsu Kim, Injoo Kim, Dongmin Shin, Shin Kim
  • Patent number: 11871888
    Abstract: A cleaning roller mountable to a cleaning robot is featured. The cleaning roller includes an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis of the cleaning roller, and a vane extending outward from the elongate member. The vane includes a first vane portion attached to the elongate member, and a second vane portion attached to the first vane portion. The first vane portion extends from the elongate member at a location intersecting a radial axis of the cleaning roller. The first vane portion extends along a first axis angled relative to the radial axis and away from the radial axis in a tangential direction. The second vane portion extends along a second axis angled relative to the first axis. A first angle between the first axis and the radial axis is greater than a second angle between the second axis and the radial axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Burbank, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral
  • Patent number: 11871889
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot includes a body, a traveling assembly, a rolling brush assembly and a dust suction assembly. The traveling assembly, the rolling brush assembly and the dust suction assembly are arranged on the body. The dust suction assembly includes a dust box arranged in front of the rolling brush assembly in the advancing direction of the cleaning robot. The rolling brush assembly is configured for sweeping garbage on a ground. The dust box is configured for receiving garbage swept by the rolling brush assembly. The present application is beneficial to increasing the volume and storage space of the dust box, reducing the number of times of cleaning the dust box by the user, and improving the user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: YUNJING INTELLIGENCE INNOVATION (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., YUNJING INTELLIGENCE (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junbin Zhang, Weijing Lin, Minzhao Xie, Minhua Sheng, Yun Chen, Zhaoqun Zhu, Yu Ai, Xingyan Li
  • Patent number: 11844483
    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: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Douglas M. Rukavina, Donovan Bode, Juan Aviles Quintero