Patents by Inventor Thomas K. Ankney

Thomas K. Ankney 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: 11910992
    Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner is provided with a hand-carriable body housing the components of a vacuum collection system, which can include a working air path through the body from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air deflector is positioned in opposition to the air inlet and directs a working airstream from the air inlet downwardly within a debris removal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 11766158
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes an odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system. The odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system delivers a mist to a working air path of the vacuum cleaner, such as at or upstream of a working air treatment assembly defining a portion of the working air path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Publication number: 20210045603
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes an odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system. The odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system delivers a mist to a working air path of the vacuum cleaner, such as at or upstream of a working air treatment assembly defining a portion of the working air path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Publication number: 20210038043
    Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner is provided with a hand-carriable body housing the components of a vacuum collection system, which can include a working air path through the body from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air deflector is positioned in opposition to the air inlet and directs a working airstream from the air inlet downwardly within a debris removal assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 10827892
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes an odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system. The odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system delivers a mist to a working air path of the vacuum cleaner, such as at or upstream of a working air treatment assembly defining a portion of the working air path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 10820767
    Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner is provided with a hand-carriable body housing the components of a vacuum collection system, which can include a working air path through the body from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air deflector is positioned in opposition to the air inlet and directs a working airstream from the air inlet downwardly within a debris removal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: BISSELL Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Publication number: 20190075989
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes an odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system. The odor neutralizer and dust plume abatement system delivers a mist to a working air path of the vacuum cleaner, such as at or upstream of a working air treatment assembly defining a portion of the working air path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Publication number: 20180338658
    Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner is provided with a hand-carriable body housing the components of a vacuum collection system, which can include a working air path through the body from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air deflector is positioned in opposition to the air inlet and directs a working airstream from the air inlet downwardly within a debris removal assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 10064530
    Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner is provided with a hand-carriable body housing the components of a vacuum collection system. The vacuum collection system can include a working air path through the body, and includes a portion which passes through a handle of the hand-carriable body that is adapted to be gripped by a user during operation of the vacuum cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Publication number: 20170071426
    Abstract: A handheld vacuum cleaner is provided with a hand-carriable body housing the components of a vacuum collection system. The vacuum collection system can include a working air path through the body, and includes a portion which passes through a handle of the hand-carriable body that is adapted to be gripped by a user during operation of the vacuum cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Publication number: 20130232724
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner and vacuum cleaner system comprises a dirt separating and collecting system. The dirt separating and collecting system can include a filter module having a filter bag, wherein the inlet to the filter bag is helical and dirt entering the filter bag is visible to the user. Optionally, the filter bag filter module can be interchanged with a bagless filter module, which may include a conventional cyclone separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: BISSELL HOMECARE, INC.
    Inventors: Alan J. Krebs, Joseph A. Fester, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 7774895
    Abstract: An extraction cleaning machine comprising dispensing and recovery systems, the dispensing system including a system for generating heat with an exothermic reaction upon activation for heating the cleaning solution prior to dispensing of the cleaning solution onto a surface. The cleaning solution dispensing system comprises a cleaning solution reservoir to which the heat of the exothermic reaction can be added and a dispenser. The heat of the exothermic reaction can also be added in line to the cleaning solution between the cleaning solution reservoir and the dispenser. The recovery system includes a suction nozzle, a recovery tank and a vacuum source for drawing recovered liquid from the suction nozzle into the recovery tank. A method of cleaning a surface comprises the steps of heating a cleaning solution by an exothermic chemical reaction, applying the cleaning solution to the surface and recovering the cleaning solution from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Hansen, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 7153371
    Abstract: An extraction cleaning machine comprising dispensing and recovery systems, the dispensing system including a system for generating heat with an exothermic reaction upon activation for heating the cleaning solution prior to dispensing of the cleaning solution onto a surface. The cleaning solution dispensing system comprises a cleaning solution reservoir to which the heat of the exothermic reaction can be added and a dispenser. The heat of the exothermic reaction can also be added in line to the cleaning solution between the cleaning solution reservoir and the dispenser. The recovery system includes a suction nozzle, a recovery tank and a vacuum source for drawing recovered liquid from the suction nozzle into the recovery tank. A method of cleaning a surface comprises the steps of heating a cleaning solution by an exothermic chemical reaction, applying the cleaning solution to the surface and recovering the cleaning solution from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Hansen, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Patent number: 6880199
    Abstract: An upright extraction cleaning machine comprises a base module, an upright handle pivotally mounted to the base module, a cleaning solution dispensing system for depositing a cleaning solution on a surface to be cleaned, and a fluid recovery system for recovering expended cleaning solution from the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning solution dispensing system includes at least one tank for holding solution to be dispensed and the recovery system includes a tank for holding recovered solution. Each of the tanks comprises a flexible bladder that is collapsible when empty and will expand as it is filled by the respective fluid. In one embodiment, the upright extraction cleaning machine further comprises additional tanks for holding detergent and carpet treatment to be dispensed. In a further embodiment, the additional tanks for detergent and carpet treatment each comprise a flexible bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Huffman, Thomas K. Ankney, Jonathan L. Miner
  • Patent number: 6868578
    Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner with a small cyclone separator is mounted on and in fluid communication with an elongated rigid tube that forms part of a working air conduit and also forms part of an upright handle that is pivotally mounted to a base module with a suction nozzle upstream from a conventional bag filter in a dirty air or clean air dust collection vacuum cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Kasper, Thomas K. Ankney
  • Publication number: 20030075203
    Abstract: An extraction cleaning machine comprising dispensing and recovery systems, the dispensing system including a system for generating heat with an exothermic reaction upon activation for heating the cleaning solution prior to dispensing of the cleaning solution onto a surface. The cleaning solution dispensing system comprises a cleaning solution reservoir to which the heat of the exothermic reaction can be added and a dispenser. The heat of the exothermic reaction can also be added in line to the cleaning solution between the cleaning solution reservoir and the dispenser. The recovery system includes a suction nozzle, a recovery tank and a vacuum source for drawing recovered liquid from the suction nozzle into the recovery tank. A method of cleaning a surface comprises the steps of heating a cleaning solution by an exothermic chemical reaction, applying the cleaning solution to the surface and recovering the cleaning solution from the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: Eric J. Hansen, Thomas K. Ankney