Patents Examined by Thomas Raymond Rodgers
  • Patent number: 11707176
    Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner includes a main-body part (10) having a dust-collection chamber (14) fluidly connected to a motor chamber (13) via a coupling pipe (15). A fan (13f) and a motor (13m) are housed in the motor chamber. A cleaner head (20) is pivotably and fluidly connected to the main-body part and suctions air through a suction opening (23) when a suction force is generated by the fan and the motor in the motor chamber. A straight suction passageway (24) extends through a central portion of the interior of the cleaner head in plan view. One or more batteries (50) is/are disposed within the cleaner head spaced apart (outward) from the suction passageway in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Yamada, Takayuki Tahara
  • Patent number: 11707821
    Abstract: A tool for unscrewing a stud has a body with cam surfaces in a bore. A recess extends through the cam surfaces. Jaws have outer sides in engagement with one of the cam surfaces and inner sides containing teeth. An outward protruding rib on the outer side of each of the jaws inserts into the recess. Rotation of the body in a first direction causes the cam surfaces to slide in the first direction along the outer sides of the jaws, pushing the jaws to a gripping position. Rotation of the body in a second direction causes the cam surfaces to slide in the second direction along the outer sides of the jaws, enabling the jaws to move to a retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: ToolTech, LLC
    Inventors: Jake Merrick, Lucas Taylor, Christopher Aho
  • Patent number: 11707178
    Abstract: A shoe cleaning apparatus and method configured for cleaning a user's shoes while the user is wearing said shoes. A cleaning solution can be supplied by the shoe cleaning apparatus and operation of the shoe cleaning apparatus can agitate the surface of the shoe and the cleaning solution. The shoe cleaning apparatus can be provided as part of a decorative or storage unit, entry system, portable system, or built-in system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventor: Isaac Busken-Jovanovich
  • Patent number: 11707161
    Abstract: A foot scrubber assembly includes a block that is positionable on a floor of a shower. A pair of stops is each coupled to and extends upwardly from the block to define a foot space between the stops. A plurality of foot bristles is each coupled to and extends upwardly from the block to scrub a sole of the person's foot. A plurality of side bristles is each coupled to and extends away from a respective one of the stops to scrub the sides of the person's foot. A container is positioned in the block to contain a liquid soap. The container is comprised of a resiliently deformable material to be compressed by the person's foot. In this way the liquid soap can be urged outwardly from the container. The container is in fluid communication with the foot bristles to release the liquid soap into the foot bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventor: Dion Eberle
  • Patent number: 11708702
    Abstract: An automatic pool cleaner comprising a housing and a base. The housing comprises a suction flow pathway, an impeller disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the suction flow pathway such that water traveling through the suction flow pathway spins the impeller, an off-center cam that extends through the impeller and is configured to rotate as the impeller rotates, and two spring biased valves. Each valve comprises a valve seat, and a spring biased poppet configured to seal against the valve seat, the poppet having a rod with a spring disposed around the rod. The base comprises two feet, each foot having a spring-biased pad extending from each end of the foot, two A-arm assemblies, one for each foot, and a suction port that extends through the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: AQUASTAR POOL PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventor: Olaf Mjelde
  • Patent number: 11707812
    Abstract: The present invention is an interface between an orbital or dual action machine and towels. The apparatus may directly connect to the orbital or dual action machine or may attach to a backing plate that is attached to the orbital or dual action machine. The quick connector is located concentric with the head of the orbital and dual action machine to provide balanced and even mechanical movement of the attached towel. The present invention provides an interface between an orbital or dual action machine and towels in order to take advantage of the mechanical action of the machines to provide faster and more efficient use of towels. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a towel quick connector pad having of a central opening with a retaining aperture for attaching and securing a towel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventors: Kenneth Fox, David Tedeschi
  • Patent number: 11708053
    Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to features that facilitate the automatic cleaning of optical sensors and in particular Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors used in autonomous vehicle deployments. In some aspects, the disclosed technology includes a sensor cleaning apparatus having a housing, wherein the housing is configured to be rotatably coupled to an optical sensor, a wiper blade coupled to the housing, wherein the wiper blade is disposed at a downward angle relative to a top-surface of the optical sensor, and one or more nozzles disposed within the wiper blade, wherein the nozzles are configured to apply compressed gas to a surface of the optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC.
    Inventors: Wesley Newhouse, Michael Shagam, Isaac Brown
  • Patent number: 11708255
    Abstract: The present invention is a cork removal tool and cork ejector. The big effort required is reduced by incorporating a battery powered reversible DC electric motor. It allows the extraction of the cork from a bottle and its ejection from the tool with a single hand, with minimal effort on the part of the user, holding the cork remover and bottle together to open the bottle and only the opener itself to eject the cork from the latter. Binding of the opener is avoided by a ratcheted nut assembly which in conjunction with a micro switch protects the opener from binding due to a wrongly pressed switch and allows the screw to penetrate the cork and to remove it from the bottle and then from the opener smoothly. The single hand operation enables operators who only have use of one hand to open a bottle of wine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventor: Alvaro Bunster
  • Patent number: 11707129
    Abstract: A strip brush assembly with a plurality of elongated polymer bristles forming a section and a plurality of elongated metal bristles forming another section adjacent the polymer bristles section, such that the metal bristles section is supported by the polymer bristles section. The polymer and metal bristles are bonded and encapsulated in a base formed by direct extrusion onto and around the polymer and metal bristles to secure them to the formed base. The strip brush assembly may be used on a tubular mandrel of a street sweeper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Keystone Plastics Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Naftal
  • Patent number: 11530771
    Abstract: A plug removal tool may include a mount for attaching the plug removal tool to a structure and a plug nut. Additionally, the plug removal tool may include at least one rigid arm extending between the mount and the plug nut. Further, the at least one arm may have at least one translational degree of movement and at least one rotational degree of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hugues Trifol, Matthieu Dezaphix
  • Patent number: 11518662
    Abstract: A lid opening component, a lid opening device, and a suction system are disclosed. The suction system includes the lid opening device and a suction assembly, wherein the lid opening device includes a positioning assembly and a lid opening assembly having the lid opening components, and the lid opening component includes a needle holder, a plurality of unpowered needles, and a drive part. The suction system identifies the locations of a container and its lids through the positioning assembly of the lid opening device, opens the container's lids by fitting the unpowered needles of the lid opening components in with the surfaces of the container's lids and rotating the lid opening components of the lid opening assembly, and by moving the suction assembly to the openings of the container, draws out the content in the container through the suction assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: ASIA IC MIC-PROCESS, INC.
    Inventors: Hung-Hsin Hsu, Yan-Lan Chiou
  • Patent number: 11511397
    Abstract: An adjustable open end wrench includes a pivot extending through a handle and a first jaw, permitting the first jaw to pivot relative to the handle. A second jaw is pivotably connected to the handle and is slidably connected to the first jaw. An elastic element is disposed between the handle and the second jaw. The second jaw includes a second driving portion facing a first driving portion of the first jaw. The first and second jaws are jointly pivotable relative to the handle between first and second positions. The first and second driving portions are close to each other when the first and second jaws are in the first position. The first and second driving portions are away from each other when the first and second jaws are in the second position. The elastic element is configured to move the second jaw towards the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventor: Ming Chieh Wu
  • Patent number: 11497302
    Abstract: A method (500) for manufacturing a brush head (10). The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of bristle tuft retention elements (52), and inserting a bristle tuft (21) into each of the bristle tuft retention elements; using a heat reflection device (200) to evenly apply heat to at least partially melt the bristle tuft proximal end and, optionally, the retention element, create proximal end head portion (26) to retain the bristle tuft in the retention element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Michael Meidl, Martin Varch
  • Patent number: 11502471
    Abstract: A press cutting tool is disclosed. The press cutting tool includes a first and second plier, a first and second connecting rod, an opening, a pressing block, and a cutting block. The first and second connecting rods are connected to the second plier. The opening is used for placing a connection head. The pressing block is connected to the first connecting rod for clamping housing. The cutting block is connected to the second connecting rod for cutting the connection line; wherein the pressing block and the cutting block slide separately, and an initial distance from the pressing block to the opening is greater than an initial distance from the cutting block to the opening. After the first and second plier are pressed, the pressing block slides first to clamp and press the housing, and then the cutting block slides to cut the connection line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hanlong Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Wei Huang, Mei-Fang Lin
  • Patent number: 11457724
    Abstract: A method and device (1) for producing and machining screwed-in brushes (2). In the method and in the device, at least one grinding sleeve (4) is used to grind down free bristle ends (5) of a brush (2) to be machined and thus remove edges and/or burrs on the free bristle ends (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Zahoransky AG
    Inventors: Ingo Kumpf, Marc Konig, Florian Kiefer
  • Patent number: 11458529
    Abstract: A chain tool includes a body having a driving hole, a stop portion, and a receiving portion located between the driving hole and the stop portion in an axial direction. A pressing member is received in the receiving portion and is movable relative to the body in the axial direction. A push member is in threading connection with the first threaded portion and is movable relative to the body between a first position distant to the stop portion and a second position adjacent to the stop portion. The pressing member is pressed by the push member and moves in an arcuate path when the push member moves between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Louis Chuang
  • Patent number: 11432703
    Abstract: An automatic and currentless dirt remover for collecting dirt from the area surrounding the dirt remover, having a dirt-collecting body and a rolling-action sheath body, which defines a receiving space for receiving the dirt-collecting body. The sheath body has a lattice design and openings for providing external access to the dirt-collecting body, which has a surface that collects the dirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: NO CRUMBS GMBH
    Inventor: Susanne Schmekel
  • Patent number: 11426757
    Abstract: A caulking tool configured to be frictionally attached to a user's finger during use. The caulking tool in one example having; a convex caulk spreader comprising a pliable spreader surface configured to spread caulk smoothly between a first wall surface and a second wall surface to which the caulk is adhered. In one example junction between a first wall surface and a second wall surface will be in a corner junction between the two wall surfaces. In one example the caulking tool comprises a finger tube fixed to the caulk spreader. The finger tube may be cast with the spreader surface and thus forms a monolithic, single component without seams therebetween. The finger tube in one example having an inner surface configured to frictionally engage the outer surface of a user's finger. In one example the inner surface of the finger tube is tapered from a first longitudinal end to a second longitudinal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventor: Javier Mora Zamarripa
  • Patent number: 11419470
    Abstract: A cleaner may include a main body configured to be ascendable and descendable with respect to a suspension assembly provided to absorb shocks applied to a wheel assembly, thereby enabling the suspension assembly to continuously absorb shocks even when the height of the main body is adjusted. The cleaner may further include a charging terminal configured to connect to an external docking device to charge the cleaner and provided on a bottom surface of the main body, a drive assembly including a wheel assembly to drive the main body, a height adjuster coupled to the main body to ascend or descend together with the main body and mounted to the drive assembly so as to be ascendable and descendable, and a controller to ascend the height adjuster and raise the main body when the main body is set to be docked with the docking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seungjin Lee, Sangik Lee, Sangjo Kim
  • Patent number: 11420307
    Abstract: A wrench for tightening and loosening lug nuts may include a head disposed on a distal end of a handle. The head defines a curved inner surface facing an axis and an opening configured to receive a portion of a lug. One or more supports are formed on the curved inner surface, extending toward the axis. The supports are spaced from the opening and are configured to contact an outer surface of the lug with the portion of the lug received in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolas Jay Gretz, Scott Alan Thomas