Patents by Inventor John Freese

John Freese 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: 20260090686
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaning system comprising a vacuum cleaner having a vacuum motor, a dirt bin, a primary separation system, a membrane filter, and an air valve arrangement configured to control air flow through at least the membrane filter. The vacuum cleaner is configured to be operable in a surface cleaning mode of operation and a self-cleaning mode of operation. In the surface cleaning mode of operation, the vacuum cleaner is configured such that the vacuum motor draws dirty air from a dirty-air inlet through the dirt bin, the primary separation system and the membrane filter in a first airflow direction, and, in the self-cleaning mode of operation, the vacuum cleaner is configured to permit air to flow from the air valve arrangement through the membrane filter in a second airflow direction to clean dirt from the membrane filter. Usefully, therefore, airflow can be routed through the vacuum cleaner in a second or ‘reverse’ direction to clean the caked on dirt from the membrane filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2025
    Publication date: April 2, 2026
    Inventors: John Freese, Street Barnett, Leo Yamazaki, Steven Gacin, Pengfei Liu, Yang Zhao, Mingjie Jiang, Wenxiu Gao, Jiancheng Wang, Kai Xu, Li Tan
  • Publication number: 20260041292
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2025
    Publication date: February 12, 2026
    Inventors: Steven Paul CARTER, Adam UDY, Catriona A. SUTTER, Christopher PINCHES, David S. CLARE, Andre David BROWN, John FREESE, Patrick CLEARY, Alexander CALVINO, Lee COTTRELL, Daniel MEYER, Daniel John INNES, David JALBERT, Jason THORNE, Peter HUTCHINSON, Gordon HOWES, Nancy GAO WENXIU, David WU, David W. POIRER
  • Publication number: 20250331691
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including a body defining an agitation chamber, an agitator partially disposed within the agitation chamber and configured to rotate about a pivot axis, and a debrider at least partially disposed within the agitation chamber. The agitator includes an elongated body having a first and a second end, a sidewall extending radially outward from the elongated body extending between the first and the second ends, and a plurality of bristles extending radially outward from the elongated body. The plurality of bristles are arranged in at least one row adjacent to the sidewall. The debrider includes a plurality of teeth configured to contact a portion of the sidewall as the agitator rotates about the pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2025
    Publication date: October 30, 2025
    Inventors: Daniel R. DER MARDEROSIAN, John FREESE, Gordon HOWES, Wenxiu GAO, David S. CLARE, Nathan HERRMANN, Hugh Jamie CROGGON, Nicholas SARDAR, Tyler SMITH, Ian LIU, Jiancheng WANG
  • Patent number: 12376720
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including a body defining an agitation chamber, an agitator partially disposed within the agitation chamber and configured to rotate about a pivot axis, and a debrider at least partially disposed within the agitation chamber. The agitator includes an elongated body having a first and a second end, a sidewall extending radially outward from the elongated body extending between the first and the second ends, and a plurality of bristles extending radially outward from the elongated body. The plurality of bristles are arranged in at least one row adjacent to the sidewall. The debrider includes a plurality of teeth configured to contact a portion of the sidewall as the agitator rotates about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Der Marderosian, John Freese, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, David S. Clare, Nathan Herrmann, Hugh Jamie Croggon, Nicholas Sardar, Tyler Smith, Ian Liu, Jiancheng Wang
  • Patent number: 12342979
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Steven Paul Carter, Adam Udy, Catriona A. Sutter, Christopher Pinches, David S. Clare, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Alexander J Calvino, Lee Cottrell, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, David Jalbert, Jason B. Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, David Wu, David W. Poirier, Daniel R. Der Marderosian
  • Publication number: 20240415345
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head includes dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) and a removable cover for covering a top of the agitators and allowing access to the agitators from a top of the surface cleaning head. The dual agitators may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The brush roll may be located in a brush roll chamber and at least partially in an opening to the suction conduit. The leading roller may be positioned adjacent to and in advance of the suction conduit opening such that the leading roller engages debris and moves the debris toward the brush roll and the opening. The leading roller may be removable from the housing and held in place by the removable cover. The cover may be coupled using isolated latching mechanisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Adam UDY, Andre David BROWN, John FREESE, Patrick CLEARY, Daniel MEYER, Daniel John INNES, Jason THORNE, Peter HUTCHINSON, Gordon HOWES, Wenxiu GAO, Daniel R. DER MARDEROSIAN, Thomas FORD, Owen R. JOHNSON
  • Publication number: 20240341549
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Steven Paul CARTER, Adam UDY, Catriona A. SUTTER, Christopher PINCHES, David S. CLARE, Andre David BROWN, John FREESE, Patrick CLEARY, Alexander CALVINO, Lee COTTRELL, Daniel MEYER, Daniel John INNES, David JALBERT, Jason THORNE, Peter HUTCHINSON, Gordon HOWES, Nancy GAO WENXIU, David WU, David W. POIRER
  • Patent number: 12070177
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head includes dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) and a removable cover for covering a top of the agitators and allowing access to the agitators from a top of the surface cleaning head. The dual agitators may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The brush roll may be located in a brush roll chamber and at least partially in an opening to the suction conduit. The leading roller may be positioned adjacent to and in advance of the suction conduit opening such that the leading roller engages debris and moves the debris toward the brush roll and the opening. The leading roller may be removable from the housing and held in place by the removable cover. The cover may be coupled using isolated latching mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Adam Udy, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, Jason Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, Daniel R. Der Marderosian, Thomas Ford, Owen R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 12048410
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Steven Paul Carter, Adam Udy, Catriona A. Sutter, Christopher Pinches, David S. Clare, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Alexander Calvino, Lee Cottrell, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, David Jalbert, Jason Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Nancy Gao Wenxiu, David Wu, David W. Poirer
  • Publication number: 20240215778
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including a body defining an agitation chamber, an agitator partially disposed within the agitation chamber and configured to rotate about a pivot axis, and a debrider at least partially disposed within the agitation chamber. The agitator includes an elongated body having a first and a second end, a sidewall extending radially outward from the elongated body extending between the first and the second ends, and a plurality of bristles extending radially outward from the elongated body. The plurality of bristles are arranged in at least one row adjacent to the sidewall. The debrider includes a plurality of teeth configured to contact a portion of the sidewall as the agitator rotates about the pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel R. DER MARDEROSIAN, John FREESE, Gordon HOWES, Wenxiu GAO, David S. CLARE, Nathan HERRMANN, Hugh Jamie CROGGON, Nicholas SARDAR, Tyler SMITH, Ian LIU, Jiancheng WANG
  • Publication number: 20240090721
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Steven Paul CARTER, Adam Udy, Catriona A. Sutter, Christopher Pinches, David S. Clare, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Alexander J. Calvino, Lee Cottrell, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, David Jalbert, Jason B. Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, David Wu, David W. Poirier, Daniel R. Der Marderosian
  • Patent number: 11925303
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including a body defining an agitation chamber, an agitator partially disposed within the agitation chamber and configured to rotate about a pivot axis, and a debrider at least partially disposed within the agitation chamber. The agitator includes an elongated body having a first and a second end, a sidewall extending radially outward from the elongated body extending between the first and the second ends, and a plurality of bristles extending radially outward from the elongated body. The plurality of bristles are arranged in at least one row adjacent to the sidewall. The debrider includes a plurality of teeth configured to contact a portion of the sidewall as the agitator rotates about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Der Marderosian, John Freese, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, David S. Clare, Nathan Herrmann, Hugh Jamie Croggon, Nicholas Sardar, Tyler Smith, Ian Liu, Jiancheng Wang
  • Patent number: 11839346
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Steven Paul Carter, Adam Udy, Catriona A Sutter, Christopher Pinches, David S. Clare, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Alexander J. Calvino, Lee Cottrell, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, David Jalbert, Jason B. Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, David Wu, David W. Poirier, Daniel R. Der Marderosian
  • Publication number: 20230090575
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Steven Paul CARTER, Adam UDY, Catriona A. SUTTER, Christopher PINCHES, David S. CLARE, Andre David BROWN, John FREESE, Patrick CLEARY, Alexander CALVINO, Lee COTTRELL, Daniel MEYER, Daniel John INNES, David JALBERT, Jason THORNE, Peter HUTCHINSON, Gordon HOWES, Nancy GAO WENXIU, David WU, David W. POIRER
  • Publication number: 20220110495
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Steven Paul CARTER, Adam UDY, Catriona A. SUTTER, Christopher PINCHES, David S. CLARE, Andre David BROWN, John FREESE, Patrick CLEARY, Alexander J. CALVINO, Lee COTTRELL, Daniel MEYER, Daniel John INNES, David JALBERT, Jason B. THORNE, Peter HUTCHINSON, Gordon HOWES, Wenxiu GAO, David WU, David W. POIRIER, Daniel R. DER MARDEROSIAN
  • Patent number: 11278171
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Steven Paul Carter, Adam Udy, Catriona A. Sutter, Christopher Pinches, David S. Clare, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Alexander Calvino, Lee Cottrell, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, David Jalbert, Jason Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Nancy Gao Wenxiu, David Wu, David W. Poirier
  • Patent number: 11202542
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Steven Paul Carter, Adam Udy, Catriona A. Sutter, Christopher Pinches, David S. Clare, Andre David Brown, John Freese, Patrick Cleary, Alexander J. Calvino, Lee Cottrell, Daniel Meyer, Daniel John Innes, David Jalbert, Jason B. Thorne, Peter Hutchinson, Gordon Howes, Wenxiu Gao, David Wu, David W. Poirier, Daniel R. Der Marderosian
  • Publication number: 20210169287
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus including a body defining an agitation chamber, an agitator partially disposed within the agitation chamber and configured to rotate about a pivot axis, and a debrider at least partially disposed within the agitation chamber. The agitator includes an elongated body having a first and a second end, a sidewall extending radially outward from the elongated body extending between the first and the second ends, and a plurality of bristles extending radially outward from the elongated body. The plurality of bristles are arranged in at least one row adjacent to the sidewall. The debrider includes a plurality of teeth configured to contact a portion of the sidewall as the agitator rotates about the pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel R. DER MARDEROSIAN, John FREESE, Gordon HOWES, Wenxiu GAO, David S. CLARE, Nathan HERRMANN, Hugh Jamie CROGGON, Nicholas SARDAR, Tyler SMITH, Ian LIU, Jiancheng WANG
  • Patent number: D955115
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventors: Nicholas Sardar, Daniel R. Der Marderosian, Tyler Smith, Wenxiu Gao, Ian Liu, John Freese
  • Patent number: D1005690
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Sardar, Daniel R. Der Marderosian, Tyler Smith, Wenxiu Gao, Ian Liu, John Freese