Patents Examined by Terrence R. Till
  • Patent number: 6814788
    Abstract: Vacuum cleaner with water filter constituted by an aspirator connected to an air inlet conduit controllable by an operator, and by a filtering chamber interposed between the conduit and the aspirator. The filtering chamber has in its own lower portion a tank for containing the water and dirt. Above the maximum level of filling of the containment tank the filtering chamber also has a first air inlet section connected to the inlet conduit, and an air outlet section connected to the aspirator. The filtering chamber further comprise at least a second air inlet section. The aspirator is also provided with first means for spraying the water contained in the containment tank towards the main path of the air that goes from the first inlet section to the outlet section, associated to the first inlet section, and second means for spraying the water contained in the containment onto the air flowing along the main path, and operatively connected to the second inlet section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: EKO S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gino Barazza, Claudio Mezzalira
  • Patent number: 6813800
    Abstract: A mop head having a sculpted cutout in at least one side surface that corresponds to the shape of floor molding to allow for cleaning of the floor molding and floor together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Pia C. Licciardi
    Inventor: Pia C. Liccardi
  • Patent number: 6813805
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaning system and more particularly pertains to a direct port vacuum cleaning system for use in a motor vehicle anytime or anywhere. The system comprises a vacuum generating unit and a vacuum cleaner hose. The vacuum generating unit comprises an electric motor, an impeller and a removable debris canister. The removable debris canister contains a vacuum cleaner hose attachment end and is directly connected to the vacuum cleaner hose. The vacuum generating unit also contains a vacuum exhaust port, located at the opposite end of the vacuum generating unit from the vacuum cleaner hose attachment end. The vacuum generating unit is powered by the vehicle's battery. The battery's power is converted from DC to AC by power inversion means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Inventor: William Ganzenmuller
  • Patent number: 6810559
    Abstract: An agitator assembly for a vacuum cleaner comprises a dowel assembly with recesses at its opposite ends defined by outwardly inclined walls. Each recess has inwardly facing radial vanes, and a shaft end for holding the inner ring of a bearing assembly. End caps extend over the ends of the dowel, and each has a collar for holding the outer ring of the bearing assembly and an outer longitudinal wall for providing a dust shield. The rotating vanes create an air barrier to preclude dust from moving towards each bearing assembly, and the inclined walls of each recess direct dust tossed outwardly by centrifugal force out of the agitator assembly. The end caps and the walls defining each recess further define a labyrinth seal to keep dust from traveling to each bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Superior Brush Company
    Inventors: Richard H. Mertes, Joseph P. Frantz
  • Patent number: 6807702
    Abstract: Absorbent, multilayer cleaning fabrics are provided which have (i) a porous, abrasion resistant liquid pervious top layer, (ii) a liquid impervious bottom layer, and (iii) an absorbent mat sealed between the top and bottom layers. The top and/or bottom layers form highly flexible tabs that extend beyond the absorbent mat and allow the cleaning fabric to be easily attached and removed from a cleaning tool having fasteners. The multilayer cleaning fabrics are well suited for wiping wet surfaces and/or cleaning surfaces with soap and water or other liquid cleaners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura Elizabeth Keck, James Jay Tanner, Jeanette Ann Allen
  • Patent number: 6807707
    Abstract: An air exhaust structure for an upright-type vacuum cleaner capable of a convenient use by providing a filter cover which is not easily opened by a discharging pressure of the air, while the filter cover is easily opened and closed by the user. The air exhaust structure of an upright-type vacuum cleaner has a frame having a duct formed at a side of the cleaner body to communicate with the motor driving chamber, a support member protruded from an inside wall of the duct, a filter, a filter cover having a grill portion disposed at the frame; and a removable means for opening and closing the filter cover. The removable means includes a hook formed at a front end of the filter cover and a locking hole having a locking protrusion disposed at the frame placed at a corresponding position of the hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-seon Park, Il-won Yang, Hyung-il Jeon
  • Patent number: 6807708
    Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly having a nozzle cavity and a canister assembly pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. A dust bag is carried by the canister assembly. A dirty air pathway provides fluid communication between the nozzle cavity and dust bag. A suction generator generates a vacuum for drawing dirt and debris from the nozzle cavity, through the dirty air pathway to the dust bag. The dirty air pathway includes dual suction ports carried on the nozzle assembly in fluid communication with the nozzle cavity, a splitter carried on the canister assembly, dual suction hoses in fluid communication between the dual suction ports and the splitter, a removable bag mount carried on the canister assembly and a feed conduit on the canister assembly which provides fluid communication between the splitter and the removable bag mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Corporation of America
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Roney, Danielle M. Hafling
  • Patent number: 6807705
    Abstract: The invention provides a double sided waffle-surfaced foam polishing pad and a polishing system with which it can be used. The double sided feature allows great versatility in the type of polishing that can be accomplished using the same pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Abrasive Technology Company
    Inventor: Robert Piombini
  • Patent number: 6804857
    Abstract: An improved vacuum cleaner has an acoustic dampening mechanism to substantially reduce the noise level generated from a suction unit of the vacuum cleaner while it is sufficiently cooled. Noise that radiates from the motor is continually sucked back into the motor and in effect, the noise is bent by using suction so that the noise is muffled by being pulled back into the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: M.D. Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Grant M. Olewiler, III
  • Patent number: 6802104
    Abstract: An attachment for a vacuum cleaner hose allows dusting and debris removal from small, fragile articles such as glasses, china, figurines, plants and the like that are often displayed on open shelves. The attachment includes soft natural feathers which extend therefrom that can contact the objects without damage or displacement thereto. In the preferred form of the invention the attachment has a large conically shaped suction fitting and a smaller conically shaped fitting insert axially aligned therewith, both of which have natural ostrich feathers for safely disturbing and removing dust from and between delicate objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Inventor: Katherine B. Redd
  • Patent number: 6802102
    Abstract: A windshield wiper includes a drive shaft (10), to which shaft a crank (12) is fastened. A base body (14) of the drive shaft (10) is made from an extruded light metal profile and on its free end, in the region of a fastening part, carries a connection part (16, 22) of a harder material, which has a screw thread (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Merkel, Roger Daenen
  • Patent number: 6799348
    Abstract: A windscreen wiper (14) assembly includes a wiper arm (12) and a windscreen wiper having a resiliently flexible elongate beam (18) which is curved in a plane. The assembly also includes a coupler (16) for coupling an end of the wiper arm (12) to the wiper (4) in such a manner that resilient bending movement of the beam in the plane of curvature along its full length is substantially allowed. The invention also relates to a coupler for a windscreen wiper assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: TRICO Products Corporation
    Inventors: Adriaan Retief Swanepoel, Johannes Hendrik Fehrsen
  • Patent number: 6795998
    Abstract: A swab for cleaning electronic and electro-mechanical components includes a handle and a pull-truded fiber cleaning head. The handle is elongated and has a cleaning head end and a grasping end. The cleaning head end defines a securing region for securing the cleaning head to the handle. The cleaning head is formed from a plurality of fibers that are pulled through a die to compress the fibers into a substantially rigid, elongated cleaning head. The swab includes a tether to secure the swab and prevent inadvertent misplacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventors: K. Scott Kammerer, Edward J. Forrest, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6792647
    Abstract: A filter supporting structure for an upright-type vacuum cleaner having a body divided by a partition into a dust-collecting chamber having a dust bag and a motor driving chamber, a filter grill formed at the partition in order to allow an air passed through the dust bag of the dust-collecting chamber to flow to the motor driving chamber, and having a filter for filtering the drawn air, supporting protrusions disposed at both sidewalls of the dust-collecting chamber in order to support both sides of the filter mounted on the filter grill, and a plurality of ribs disposed around the filter grill in order to support the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-seon Park, Il-won Yang, Hyung-il Jeon
  • Patent number: 6792646
    Abstract: A tank truck for collecting and transporting flowable material, the tank truck including a tank for storing flowable material and a suction hose connected to the tank so that at least a portion of the suction hose extends into the tank. A drive assembly engageable with the suction hose is provided for drawing the suction hose into and out of the tank, thereby varying the length of the suction hose outside the tank. The boom preferably includes a boom tube through which the suction hose extends. Also an extendable nozzle assembly may be attached to an end of the suction hose outside the tank. The drive assembly may take various forms and may be supported on the end of the boom. A combination of movement of the suction hose into and out of the tank, in combination with the extendable nozzle assembly, varies the effective length of the suction hose outside the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Vactor Manufacturing
    Inventors: Michael C. Greene, Bernie Jon Bossom
  • Patent number: 6792645
    Abstract: A coil cleaning tool for attachment to a vacuum cleaner hose includes a flattened tubular housing having opposed planar side faces connected by top and bottom walls, the top and bottom walls having a narrow width such that the entire tubular housing is very narrow and lender. The tubular housing includes a first end capable of being releasably coupled to a vacuum cleaner hose and a second end having a tapered construction and defining an air intake opening. A light housing having a battery powered LED is mounted atop the top wall of the tubular housing for illuminating a cleaning area. Each side face of the tubular housing may also define an auxiliary air intake opening with a slidable cover such that the air intake openings may be selectively opened or closed for the most efficient and convenient cleaning of hard to reach areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Inventor: Timothy K. Ruff
  • Patent number: 6790411
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hydrogen peroxide indicator that includes a substrate on which is disposed an indicator composition that includes at least one of a select group of colorants. As a result of contact with hydrogen peroxide, the colorants change color, and even become colorless, thereby providing an indication of the presence of hydrogen peroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: David M. Read
  • Patent number: 6789291
    Abstract: A telerobotic nozzle positioning system for a mobile debris vacuum vehicle or for fixed particulate vacuuming applications. The apparatus has a vacuum source coupled to an adjustable boom and nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly is mounted to the boom with a compliant upper joint that will allow the nozzle assembly to withstand impacts with obstructions without shearing the nozzle assembly from the boom. A base with an extensible fly is pivotally coupled to the upper joint and can swing with respect to the joint upon actuation of a short stroke hydraulic cylinder. The distal end of the extendable fly has a nozzle bracket assembly with a nozzle bracket, flexible hose and nozzle tip. The nozzle bracket and nozzle tip can pivot with respect to the fly. A pair of long hydraulic cylinders allows the extension of the fly from the base as well as rotation of the nozzle bracket and tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Steven A. Velinsky, Wilderich A. White, Andrew A. Porterfield
  • Patent number: 6785934
    Abstract: A vacuum extension kit elements includes extensions, a flexible hose and an adapter or two, each having plural diameter male and female connectors for connection to different size vacuum cleaner elements and attachments and/or an elastic adapter. The conduit through the elements is essentially a uniform diameter, for uninterrupted flow, and is small enough to double the flow velocity through standard vacuum cleaner elements. A clog preventer, for filtering out large particles, and inserts, for optional further reduction of female connector inside diameters, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Cornice Technologies Inc
    Inventors: Frank L. Bruno, Marva L. Plummer-Bruno
  • Patent number: 6785932
    Abstract: A Vacuum Cleaner (1) having a removable dust collection bowl (5) through which the air flow passes so as to deposit dirt carried on the air flow. The dust bowl (5) contains a closure member (7) which is slidably displaceable relative the dust bowl (5) so as to simultaneously close a first air inlet (33) into the dust bowl (5) while opening a second air flow path (61) to the dust bowl (5) that is remote from the first air flow path (33). The second air flow path allows an external hose connector to be coupled in air flow communication with the dust bowl. The closure member (7) comprises a slidable shuttle cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Bone