Patents Examined by Randall Chin
  • Patent number: 10196786
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, a lawn sweeper for being towed by a lawn tractor including a body, a rotatable brush mounted to the body, and a motor for rotating the brush independently of the rotation of at least one wheel of the lawn sweeper. The lawn sweeper further includes a remote control for being operated by a user of the lawn tractor to control the motor. In another aspect, a lawn sweeper having a pair of wheels rotatable about a wheel axis, a body shiftable between raised and lowered positions relative to the wheels, and brush mounted to the body and rotatable about a brush axis. The brush axis is substantially vertically aligned with the wheel axis when the body is in the raised position and the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: REMARK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Rodney M. Kramer
  • Patent number: 10188203
    Abstract: An oral cleaning system provides motivating feedback to a user before brushing and includes: a power toothbrush (10); one or more sensors (26) on or within the toothbrush; a processor (30) within the toothbrush configured to process sensor information obtained from the one or more sensors during a first brushing session of a user; and a feedback system (40) on or within the toothbrush responsive to the processor and configured to communicate brushing information to the user at a time subsequent to the first brushing session but before a second brushing session of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Edgar Martinus Van Gool, Mark Thomas Johnson, Steven Charles Deane, Johannes Hendrikus Maria Spruit, Amir Hussein Rmaile, Pieter Horstman, Okke Ouweltjes
  • Patent number: 10188202
    Abstract: A broom with a replaceable brush cartridge is disclosed where the broom bristles can be replaced when worn. A brush cartridge is releasably retained by a broom head, and can be easily removed when needed. A replacement brush cartridge slides onto the broom head with a groove and track arrangement, and is locked into place with a wedge affixed to a live hinge on the brush cartridge that interacts with a wedge retainer on the broom head. A release tab moves the wedge away from the wedge retainer to unlock the brush cartridge from the broom head, allowing it to slide freely away. A new brush cartridge is then slid onto the track of the broom head, with the wedge and wedge retainer releasably engaging and locking the new brush cartridge to the broom head. The broom can be used as a pole broom or as a hand broom with a quick release retention button serving to release and reattach the pole as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Bradshaw International, Inc.
    Inventor: Evan Carman Cincotta
  • Patent number: 10188919
    Abstract: A golf towel including a towel body, the towel body having both a first abrasive portion and a second abrasive portion for cleaning the dimples on a golf ball and the grooves in a golf club head, respectively. The first abrasive portion includes a plurality of nubs projecting outwardly therefrom and corresponding to dimples on a golf ball. The first abrasive portion may include a bowl-shaped cavity for at least partially enveloping a golf ball when seated therein. The second abrasive portion includes a plurality of linearly arranged mounds projecting outwardly therefrom in a substantially parallel manner. The plurality of mounts is arranged to clean individual and corresponding grooves formed in golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventor: Lee R. Williams
  • Patent number: 10188199
    Abstract: An extendable cleaning brush for use in cleaning hard to reach areas. The extendable cleaning brush includes an elongated handle having a first end and a second end. The elongated handle has a telescopic configuration such that it can be extended and shortened as desired. The first end includes a grip to be held by the user and one or more controls. The second end includes a housing having a rotating brush head thereon, wherein the brush head is driven by a motor disposed within the housing. A reservoir is further disposed within the housing and includes a dispensing mechanism for dispensing a cleaning solution onto the brush head. The one or more controls allow the user to actuate the motor and dispensing mechanism in a convenient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventor: Deborah Hilliard
  • Patent number: 10183310
    Abstract: The articles of manufacture a roller with an offset handle that is part of paint brush and roller system. The roller has an offset handle in which the painter grips above the plane of the roller. The handle is removable from the roller and can be used with different sizes of brush heads. The handle is designed such that the ordination of the roller's painting surface can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Inventor: John M Kern
  • Patent number: 10172509
    Abstract: A shoe or cleat cleaning and transport unit structured as a box providing a storage cavity, in which a cleaning tray is removably positioned and resting on support structure whereby the tray is elevated above the box floor to provide a debris collection receptacle space between the floor and the tray, wherein the tray is formed with multiple upstanding brush or other mud scraping structure bordered by debris exit ports extending through the tray and opening into the debris collection space between the tray and the box floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Inventor: Freddie Wayne Ketron
  • Patent number: 10173247
    Abstract: A rotating cleaning brush includes a connection pin to be clamped in a chuck of a machine for rotatingly driving the cleaning brush about its longitudinal axis. The cleaning brush includes a bristle carrier including a plurality of openings. The bristle carrier includes a first bristle bundle and a second bristle bundle being adjacent along the longitudinal axis. The first bristle bundle is located closer to the first end region of the cleaning brush than the second bristle bundle. Each of the bristle bundles includes a plurality of bristles and is located in one of the openings. The bristles of the first bristle bundle are designed to bend towards the longitudinal axis and then run parallel to the longitudinal axis so as to overlap the opening in which the second bristle bundle is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Inventor: Ahmet Kalfe
  • Patent number: 10173648
    Abstract: An assembly including an arm having a rotatable brush for cleaning a vehicle, the arm being rotatable about a generally vertical axis to move the brush between a parked position and a deployed position, the arm being supported by a mechanism such that the arm is in a raised position when the brush is in the parked position and the arm is in a lowered position when the brush is in the deployed position and the arm is biased to move the brush towards the deployed position by the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Fred Hiscock, Peter Spencer
  • Patent number: 10172697
    Abstract: A powered toothbrush apparatus with capacitive touch control, which includes a head portion having an oscillating tuft block driven by a motor, a handle portion, and an elastically deformable capacitive touch control panel mounted in the handle portion. In one embodiment, the control panel includes movable sensor targets each paired with a corresponding capacitance sensor electrically connected to a programmable microprocessor. Applying finger pressure on the control panel adjacent a sensor target operates to change the capacitance of the respective sensor target-sensor pair. The microprocessor detects the change in capacitance, which may be used to control the motor speed for changing the oscillation rate of the tuft block. In one embodiment, a linear array of sensor targets-sensors is provided which is activated by a sliding finger or thumb motion across the array. A related operating method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Brian Bloch, Lars Ralf Rainer Lieberwirth
  • Patent number: 10166569
    Abstract: A painting system having a paint applicator holder, a paint applicator and a paint tray. The paint applicator holder has a handle portion and an applicator portion that extends from the handle portion. The paint applicator has an applicator base and an applicator pad. The applicator base is capable of engaging the applicator portion. The applicator pad is capable of receiving paint. The paint tray has a lower surface and a side wall extending therefrom to define a recess that is adapted to receive paint. The paint tray further also has at least one ridge extending from the lower surface into the recess to longitudinally and latitudinally support the paint applicator above the lower surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Inventor: Susan Ries
  • Patent number: 10166008
    Abstract: A modified glove includes a glove portion and a wipe portion. The wipe portion is attached to the inner or palm surface of the glove, and comes in wet and dry varieties. The wet variety contains water or mild cleaning agents or some combination thereof, and can be scented or unscented. An embodiment of the modified glove is a single modified glove, while another embodiment is multiple modified gloves, such as three modified gloves in one. One aspect of the modified glove is for cleaning the rectal area of an individual. Another aspect of the modified glove is for cleaning other areas of an individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Inventor: Malcolm Edgar Scoon
  • Patent number: 10161144
    Abstract: A variable angle corner flusher tool includes a pair of blades pivotally connected along one edge. An activator assembly is provided to facilitate angular adjustment of the blades. The activator assembly includes an activator screw and a slider bracket that moves axially along the activator screw. A pair of linkage arms are provided, with each linkage arm having a first end attached to the slider bracket and a second end attached to one the pair of blades. The linkage arms results in an axial position of the slider bracket along the activator screw determining the angular positioning of the blades. A ratchet plate is pivotally mounted to the slider bracket. The ratchet plate is selectively pivoted between an engaged position engaged with the activator screw and a disengaged position disengaged from activator screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: CanAm Tool Corp.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Dombrowski, Lucien Dnestrianschii, Micah Warkentin
  • Patent number: 10159388
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for cleaning is provided. More specifically, the present invention provides an improved apparatus having a vibratory portion adapted to a traditional scrubber apparatus such as a body scrubber. Additionally, the present invention provides an improved apparatus and method wherein the apparatus may have at least a vibratory portion adapted to fit about the body scrubber which may be activated and/or de-activated by the user. Moreover, the apparatus may include a reservoir for storage of a cleansing agent that may be dispensed from the vibratory portion to the body scrubber portion to help facilitate cleansing of the portion of the body to be cleaned. Still further, the invention may include at least a handle assembly in combination with the vibratory portion to provide a handle for use by the individual user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventor: Mitch Junkins
  • Patent number: 10143351
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a cleaning ball or cleaning cloth, comprising a fluffy main body, wherein the main body is made from fiber yarn and the fiber yarn is made from polyester fibers with a low melting point of which the melting point is below 180° C. The present application can ensure that the cleaning ball or cleaning cloth does not deform or reduce the dirt removing power no matter how long it is used and has the characteristic that plastic fibers are not easy to scratch the object surface. The present invention also discloses a manufacturing method and manufacturing device for the cleaning ball or cleaning cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Yunyou Xu
  • Patent number: 10136976
    Abstract: A toothbrush vibrator according to one embodiment includes a vibration applicator holding a toothbrush and applying a vibration to the toothbrush, and a grip detachably connected to the vibration applicator and gripped by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: M-SYSTEM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Saburo Miyamichi
  • Patent number: 10130165
    Abstract: A solar panel cleaning brush assembly including a trolley frame having parallel first and second side frame members. A first guide member is connected to the first side frame member. A second guide member is connected to the second side frame member. A first belt rotatably disposed about a perimeter of the first guide member directly contacts a first array edge of a solar panel array. A second belt rotatably disposed about a perimeter of the second guide member directly contacts a second array edge of the solar panel array. At least one brush set is connected to the trolley frame, the at least one brush set having multiple fixed, non-rotating brushes each frictionally contacting and spanning across a module face of individual ones of multiple solar panel modules defining a solar panel array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: FIRST SOLAR, INC.
    Inventor: Eddie Bugg
  • Patent number: 10117507
    Abstract: A roof cleaning system for removing snow from a roof includes a crane that has a boom and a man box that is coupled to the boom. The crane positions the man box above a roof of a building. A sweeper is coupled to the man box and the sweeper sweeps snow from the roof. The sweeper is operationally coupled to the crane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventor: Jeffery Sobus
  • Patent number: 10117506
    Abstract: A finger puppet toothbrush may include character features, such as an imitation animal body, arms, legs, teeth, eyes, tail, etc. The various character features may provide different brushing functions to the toothbrush. However, due to the disguised appearance of the functional features as character parts, small children may be enticed to use the toothbrush more willingly and develop proper dental hygiene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: THE BRUSHIES LLC
    Inventors: Colleen Crowley, Hilary Fritsch
  • Patent number: 10117555
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprises: a head; a handle for holding; and a cleaning element, for upward cleaning, wherein the cleaning element is removably attachable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas K. Schultheis, Toni L. Schultheis, Jethro Bennett