Patents by Inventor AiMing XU

AiMing XU has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250151964
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2025
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Kai XU, AiMing XU, Michael D'AMICO, Peter HUTCHINSON
  • Publication number: 20250031925
    Abstract: An example of a surface cleaning head may include a main body, a neck pivotally coupled to the main body, a stabilizer, and a linkage pivotally coupled to the main body and the stabilizer. The linkage may be configured to cause the stabilizer to transition between an extended position and a retracted position in response to a pivotal movement of the neck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2024
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Inventors: Jason B. THORNE, Kai XU, Zongnan CHENG, Ian LIU, AiMing XU, Wenxiu GAO, Andre D. BROWN, Samuel Emrys JAMES, Jordan RIDGLEY, Nicholas SARDAR, Christopher P. PINCHES, David S. CLARE, Lee M. COTTRELL
  • Publication number: 20240415352
    Abstract: A wand includes a hinge configured to pivotally connect first and second wand segments in an extended configuration and a storage configuration. A first locking mechanism locks the wand in extended configuration. A second locking mechanism includes a rod, a sliding lever, a plunger, and a plunger cavity. The plunger is configured to be received in the plunger cavity to lock the wand in the storage configuration. When in the extended configuration, depressing a single actuator pivots the locking arm, causes the hook/pawl to be removed from the locking cavity, and unlocks the wand. When in the storage configuration, depressing the single actuator causes the rod to move in a first direction, causes the sliding rod to move a second direction, and urges the plunger out of the plunger cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Casey MCCLAY, Kevin KELEMEN, Owen R. JOHNSON, Steven GACIN, Patrick CLEARY, AiMing XU, Dawei ZHAO, Yaqin WANG, Weiwei HE
  • Patent number: 12053141
    Abstract: A wand includes a hinge configured to pivotally connect first and second wand segments in an extended configuration and a storage configuration. A first locking mechanism locks the wand in extended configuration. A second locking mechanism includes a rod, a sliding lever, a plunger, and a plunger cavity. The plunger is configured to be received in the plunger cavity to lock the wand in the storage configuration. When in the extended configuration, depressing a single actuator pivots the locking arm, causes the hook/pawl to be removed from the locking cavity, and unlocks the wand. When in the storage configuration, depressing the single actuator causes the rod to move in a first direction, causes the sliding rod to move a second direction, and urges the plunger out of the plunger cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Casey McClay, Kevin Kelemen, Owen R. Johnson, Steven Gacin, Patrick Cleary, AiMing Xu, Dawei Zhao, Yaqin Wang, Weiwei He
  • Patent number: 12053140
    Abstract: An example of a surface cleaning head may include a main body, a neck pivotally coupled to the main body, a stabilizer, and a linkage pivotally coupled to the main body and the stabilizer. The linkage may be configured to cause the stabilizer to transition between an extended position and a retracted position in response to a pivotal movement of the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Jason B. Thorne, Kai Xu, Zongnan Cheng, Ian Liu, AiMing Xu, Wenxiu Gao, Andre D. Brown, Samuel Emrys James, Jordan Ridgley, Nicholas Sardar, Christopher P. Pinches, David S. Clare, Lee M. Cottrell
  • Publication number: 20240122424
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Kai XU, AiMing XU, Michael D'AMICO, Peter HUTCHINSON
  • Patent number: 11759068
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Kai Xu, AiMing Xu, Michael D'Amico, Peter Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 11723498
    Abstract: An example of a vacuum pod may include a handle, a vacuum pod body, a dust cup removably coupled to the vacuum pod body, and a fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the dust cup. The fluid conduit may include a flexible hose configured to transition between an expanded and a retracted position and a coupling configured to be removably coupled to the vacuum pod body. A first end of the flexible hose may be coupled to the vacuum pod body and a second end of the flexible hose may be coupled to the coupling. When the coupling is coupled to the vacuum pod body, the flexible hose may be in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Andre D. Brown, Jason B. Thorne, Kai Xu, Lee M. Cottrell, Alexander Calvino, Gordon Howes, AiMing Xu, Wenxiu Gao, Oliver Chambers
  • Publication number: 20230210327
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Kai XU, AiMing XU, Michael D'AMICO, Peter HUTCHINSON
  • Patent number: 11607095
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Kai Xu, AiMing Xu, Michael D'Amico, Peter Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 11602251
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Kai Xu, AiMing Xu, Michael D'Amico, Peter Hutchinson
  • Publication number: 20220400922
    Abstract: A wand includes a hinge configured to pivotally connect first and second wand segments in an extended configuration and a storage configuration. A first locking mechanism locks the wand in extended configuration. A second locking mechanism includes a rod, a sliding lever, a plunger, and a plunger cavity. The plunger is configured to be received in the plunger cavity to lock the wand in the storage configuration. When in the extended configuration, depressing a single actuator pivots the locking arm, causes the hook/pawl to be removed from the locking cavity, and unlocks the wand. When in the storage configuration, depressing the single actuator causes the rod to move in a first direction, causes the sliding rod to move a second direction, and urges the plunger out of the plunger cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Casey MCCLAY, Kevin KELEMEN, Owen R. JOHNSON, Steven GACIN, Patrick CLEARY, AiMing XU, Dawei ZHAO, Yaqin WANG, Weiwei HE
  • Publication number: 20220330771
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Kai XU, AiMing XU, Michael D'AMICO, Peter HUTCHINSON
  • Patent number: 10924643
    Abstract: Provided is a terminal. The terminal includes a camera component and a camera control device. The terminal has an accommodation chamber therein. Both of the camera component and the camera control device are located in the accommodation chamber. The camera control device comprises a switch valve component, an elastic component and a holding component. When held by the holding component, a valve core of the switch valve component could limit the camera component to be within the accommodation chamber. When camera control software such as a camera application is infected by virus, the camera component could avoid stretching out of the accommodation chamber even upon being controlled to start. Accordingly, the camera component could avoid being secretly filmed by lawbreakers and prevent user's privacy from being exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignees: K-Tronics (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd., BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Aiming Xu, Wei Huang
  • Publication number: 20200085267
    Abstract: An example of a surface cleaning head may include a main body, a neck pivotally coupled to the main body, a stabilizer, and a linkage pivotally coupled to the main body and the stabilizer. The linkage may be configured to cause the stabilizer to transition between an extended position and a retracted position in response to a pivotal movement of the neck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Jason B. THORNE, Kai XU, Bruce CHENG, Ian LIU, AiMing XU, Wenxiu GAO, Andre D. BROWN, Samuel Emrys JAMES, Jordan RIDGLEY, Nicholas SARDAR, Christopher P. PINCHES, David S. CLARE, Lee M. COTTRELL
  • Publication number: 20200000298
    Abstract: An example of a vacuum pod may include a handle, a vacuum pod body, a dust cup removably coupled to the vacuum pod body, and a fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the dust cup. The fluid conduit may include a flexible hose configured to transition between an expanded and a retracted position and a coupling configured to be removably coupled to the vacuum pod body. A first end of the flexible hose may be coupled to the vacuum pod body and a second end of the flexible hose may be coupled to the coupling. When the coupling is coupled to the vacuum pod body, the flexible hose may be in the retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Andre D. BROWN, Jason B. THORNE, Kai XU, Lee M. COTTRELL, Alexander Calvino, Gordon Howes, AiMing Xu, Wenxiu Gao, Oliver Chambers
  • Publication number: 20190373141
    Abstract: Provided is a terminal. The terminal includes a camera component and a camera control device. The terminal has an accommodation chamber therein. Both of the camera component and the camera control device are located in the accommodation chamber. The camera control device comprises a switch valve component, an elastic component and a holding component. When held by the holding component, a valve core of the switch valve component could limit the camera component to be within the accommodation chamber. When camera control software such as a camera application is infected by virus, the camera component could avoid stretching out of the accommodation chamber even upon being controlled to start. Accordingly, the camera component could avoid being secretly filmed by lawbreakers and prevent user's privacy from being exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Aiming Xu, Wei Huang
  • Publication number: 20190269289
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Kai XU, AiMing XU, Michael D'AMICO, Peter HUTCHINSON
  • Patent number: 10226157
    Abstract: A removable rotatable driven agitator is used in a surface cleaning head and is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages a driven end of the agitator. The removable rotatable driven agitator may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The removable rotatable agitator may have an end cap mounted on a rotatable bushing at a non-driven end and may have a splined driven member at the driven end to engage a splined drive member on the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Kai Xu, AiMing Xu, Michael D'Amico, Peter Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 9955832
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head may be configured to receive a removable rotatable driven agitator, such as a brush roll, or a non-driven agitator. Either of these agitators may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The non-driven agitator may include an agitator body including a bottom portion supporting one or more cleaning pads. The non-driven agitator body may also define one or more air inlets, an air outlet and an air passageway extending therebetween to facilitate air passage through the surface cleaning head. Different removable agitators with different characteristics may be used interchangeably in the surface cleaning head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Jason B. Thorne, Kai Xu, AiMing Xu, Andre David Brown, Brian Burke, Michael D'Amico, Peter Hutchinson