Patents by Inventor Melinda L. LIGGETT

Melinda L. LIGGETT 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).

  • Patent number: 12004706
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a housing, a bumper, driven wheels, and a controller. The bumper can be coupled to a front of the housing. The bumper may include a plurality of projections extending from a top edge of the bumper and above a top surface of the housing. The projections may include at least one leading projection proximate a forward most portion of the bumper and at least two side projections on each respective side of the bumper. The driven wheels may be rotatably mounted to the housing. The controller may be for controlling at least the driven wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Melinda L. Liggett, Isaku D. Kamada, Frederick K. Hopke, Gan Sin Huat, Charles Fiebig, Scott Connor, Alan Ai
  • Patent number: 11583158
    Abstract: A robotic vacuum cleaner may include a housing, a displaceable bumper, an emitter/detector pair, and at least one divider. The displaceable bumper may be moveably coupled to the housing and may be configured to be displaced along at least one axis. The emitter/detector pair may have an emitter and a detector, wherein the emitter is configured to emit light through at least a portion of the displaceable bumper. The at least one divider may be disposed between the emitter and the detector of the emitter/detector pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Charles Fiebig, Isaku D. Kamada, William Wang, Ming Yao, Rain Gu, Melinda L. Liggett, Kennedy Huang, Charles S. Brunner
  • Patent number: 11426046
    Abstract: A beacon for a robotic cleaner may include a housing and an optical indicium having an optical pattern. The optical indicium may be coupled to the housing and be viewable by a camera of the robotic cleaner. After observing the optical indicium, the robotic cleaner may be caused to carry out an action associated with at least a portion of the optical pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Melinda L. Liggett, Adam Leech, Catriona C. A. Sutter, Isaku D. Kamada
  • Patent number: 11000169
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a body and an illuminator assembly. At least a portion of the illuminator assembly may be disposed within the body. The illuminator assembly may include an illuminator optic configured to emit light from an illumination surface and an illumination guide configured to direct light into the illuminator optic. The illumination guide may have a cavity. The cavity may include a reflecting surface and a directing surface, the reflecting surface being positioned opposite the directing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Catriona C. A. Sutter, Melinda L. Liggett, Isaku D. Kamada, Emily Pearce
  • Publication number: 20210113044
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a housing, a bumper, driven wheels, and a controller. The bumper can be coupled to a front of the housing. The bumper may include a plurality of projections extending from a top edge of the bumper and above a top surface of the housing. The projections may include at least one leading projection proximate a forward most portion of the bumper and at least two side projections on each respective side of the bumper. The driven wheels may be rotatably mounted to the housing. The controller may be for controlling at least the driven wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Melinda L. LIGGETT, Isaku D. KAMADA, Frederick K. HOPKE, Gan Sin HUAT, Charles FIEBIG, Scott CONNOR, Alan AI
  • Patent number: 10874275
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a housing, a bumper, driven wheels, and a controller. The bumper can be coupled to a front of the housing. The bumper may include a plurality of projections extending from a top edge of the bumper and above a top surface of the housing. The projections may include at least one leading projection proximate a forward most portion of the bumper and at least two side projections on each respective side of the bumper. The driven wheels may be rotatably mounted to the housing. The controller may be for controlling at least the driven wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Melinda L. Liggett, Isaku D. Kamada, Frederick K. Hopke, Gan Sin Huat, Charles Fiebig, Scott Connor, Alan Ai
  • Publication number: 20200170470
    Abstract: A beacon for a robotic cleaner may include a housing and an optical indicium having an optical pattern. The optical indicium may be coupled to the housing and be viewable by a camera of the robotic cleaner. After observing the optical indicium, the robotic cleaner may be caused to carry out an action associated with at least a portion of the optical pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Melinda L. LIGGETT, Adam LEECH, Catriona C.A. SUTTER, Isaku D. KAMADA
  • Publication number: 20200138260
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a body and an illuminator assembly. At least a portion of the illuminator assembly may be disposed within the body. The illuminator assembly may include an illuminator optic configured to emit light from an illumination surface and an illumination guide configured to direct light into the illuminator optic. The illumination guide may have a cavity. The cavity may include a reflecting surface and a directing surface, the reflecting surface being positioned opposite the directing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Catriona C.A. SUTTER, Melinda L. LIGGETT, Isaku D. KAMADA, Emily PEARCE
  • Publication number: 20200037843
    Abstract: A robotic vacuum cleaner may include a housing, a displaceable bumper, an emitter/detector pair, and at least one divider. The displaceable bumper may be moveably coupled to the housing and may be configured to be displaced along at least one axis. The emitter/detector pair may have an emitter and a detector, wherein the emitter is configured to emit light through at least a portion of the displaceable bumper. The at least one divider may be disposed between the emitter and the detector of the emitter/detector pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Charles FIEBIG, Isaku D. KAMADA, William WANG, Ming YAO, Rain GU, Melinda L. LIGGETT, Kennedy HUANG, Charles S. BRUNNER
  • Publication number: 20190069744
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a housing, a bumper, driven wheels, and a controller. The bumper can be coupled to a front of the housing. The bumper may include a plurality of projections extending from a top edge of the bumper and above a top surface of the housing. The projections may include at least one leading projection proximate a forward most portion of the bumper and at least two side projections on each respective side of the bumper. The driven wheels may be rotatably mounted to the housing. The controller may be for controlling at least the driven wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Melinda L. LIGGETT, Isaku D. KAMADA, Frederick K. HOPKE, Gan Sin HUAT, Charles FIEBIG, Scott CONNOR, Alan AI
  • Patent number: D948143
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
    Inventors: Emily Pearce, Tyler Nikitas, Isaku D. Kamada, Adam Leech, Melinda L. Liggett, Catriona C. A. Sutter