Carpet Sweeper Patents (Class 15/41.1)
-
Patent number: 11965297Abstract: A self-propelled object-gathering apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system coupled to the chassis and configured to traverse the apparatus over a surface, and a receptacle coupled to the chassis. The apparatus also includes a sweep assembly coupled to the chassis and rotatable with respect to the chassis. The sweep assembly is configured to transfer objects from the surface into the receptacle by mechanical action on the objects, and without the use of negative pressure or vacuum suction acting on the objects during the transfer, in response to rotation of the sweep assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Inventor: Jay Hirshberg
-
Patent number: 11751743Abstract: An autonomous vacuum cleaner includes an autonomously moveable housing carrying a vacuum collection system for generating a working air flow for removing dirt from the surface to be cleaned and storing the dirt in a collection space. Distance sensors for position sensing are mounted to the housing, behind a sensor cover. The distance sensors can be staggered and/or positioned above a brush chamber for a brushroll.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2020Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: BISSELL Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey A. Scholten, Jake Andrew Mohan, Andrew James Brouwers, Eric Daniel Buehler, James Joseph Minnema, Jr., Derek Everett Smith, David VanKampen
-
Patent number: 11641999Abstract: A mobile cleaner includes a dust housing, an agitator, and a dustpan. The dust housing has a collection opening facing a surface. The agitator is rotatably disposed within the dust housing and is exposed to the surface through the collection opening. The agitator is configured to move foreign material from the floor into the dust housing. The dustpan directs the foreign material moved by the agitator into the dust housing. The dustpan extends around a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the agitator and is configured to rotate independent of the agitator.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Minwoo Lee, Jaewon Jang
-
Patent number: 11174899Abstract: The sealing system seals the bearings of a floor machine. The sealing system provides a sealing base and a sealing head. A seal is positioned between the sealing base and the sealing head to seal the bearing. The sealing base secures to the driver plate. The sealing base extends upward above the bearing. The sealing head is positioned above the sealing base. The sealing head is positioned radially inward of the sealing base at the bearing. The sealing head extends upward above the sealing base and extends outward beyond an upper portion of the sealing base to be located radially outward from the sealing base. The seal is located at an upper portion of the sealing base. The seal is located radially outward from the sealing base. The seal is located below the sealing head at a sealing aperture located between a sealing shoulder and a sealing neck.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Inventor: Kevin Douglas Brady
-
Patent number: 11014460Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
-
Patent number: 10959590Abstract: A surface cleaning machine is provided, including a device body having a housing, a suction unit device having a fan, said suction unit device being arranged in the housing, a cleaning head which is arranged at the device body outside of the housing and comprises at least one cleaning roller and is operatively connected to the suction unit device for fluid communication therewith, an air-cooled drive motor for rotatingly driving the at least one cleaning roller, and a process air routing device for process air of the suction unit device, wherein the drive motor is arranged outside of the housing of the device body and wherein a cooling air routing device for cooling air of the drive motor comprises at least one fluid path which is arranged at or in the housing and/or wherein the cooling air routing device is coupled to the process air routing device.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KGInventors: Fabian Moser, Christoph Rufenach, Rainer Kurmann, Andreas Mueller, Manuel Schulze
-
Patent number: 10947685Abstract: A self-propelled object-gathering apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system coupled to the chassis and configured to traverse the apparatus over a surface, and a control system coupled to the chassis. The control system is programmed to detect a bounded operational area, and to guide the apparatus within the bounded operational area. The apparatus also includes a receptacle coupled to the chassis, and a sweep assembly coupled to the chassis and rotatable with respect to the chassis. The sweep assembly is configured to transfer objects from the surface into the receptacle by mechanical action on the objects in response to rotation of the sweep assembly.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Inventor: Jay Hirshberg
-
Patent number: 10827897Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning tool, comprising a hand-push sweeper, wherein the hand-push sweeper comprising a case with a garbage storage space and a garbage inlet; a sweeping roller that rotates with the hand-push sweeper; garbage can be swept into the case when the sweeping roller rotates; and a push rod that connects the case; a shovel blade at the opening of the garbage storage space; the shovel blade comprises a flexible scraper and a mounting base, and the flexible scraper is fixed with the mounting base Connecting, the mounting base is integrated onto the case, and the flexible scraper forms an obtuse angle with the ground on the forward side; the cleaning tool further comprising a mop plate that is removably connected to the hand-push sweeper, the lower portion of the mop plate is connected with the mop cloth; when the mop plate is connected to the hand-push sweeper, the mop plate disengages the sweep roller from the ground; when the mop plate is separated from the hand-push sweeper, theType: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Jiaxing Jackson Travel Products Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jing Li, Hao Chen, Minfeng Wang, Xuan Li
-
Patent number: 10427828Abstract: A corrugated paperboard box is provided in which when flaps are bent, a perforated line along which the flaps can be separated from the box is less likely to break. Such a corrugated paperboard box includes a peripheral wall and top flaps, and is formed, at the boundary area between the peripheral wall and the top flaps, with a groove-shaped reverse scoreline recessed on the side of an outer linerboard, and a pair of groove-shaped recesses recessed on the side of an inner linerboard, and extending in parallel to each other so as to sandwich the area in which the reverse scoreline extends. The corrugated paperboard box is further formed, in one of the groove-shaped recesses, with a perforated line along which the top flaps can be separated from the peripheral wall. The top flaps can be bent along the perforated line toward the inner surface of the peripheral wall.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2016Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: RENGO CO., LTD.Inventors: Taishi Yamada, Takashi Kajizuka, Hidetoshi Tonooka, Eiji Yamahara, Hiromu Ikeda, Taku Furuta, Atsuo Ishikawa, Katsuhiko Yasumoto, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yoichi Nishikawa, Masayoshi Ootani
-
Patent number: 10105029Abstract: A sweeper machine comprises a support frame, a machine body, and a garbage collection case. The support frame includes two fixing arms. The machine body is disposed between and mounted to the two fixing arms. The garbage collection case is inserted to the rear side of the machine body. Each fixing arm includes a driving wheel. The machine body includes a body casing and a roll brush. The roll brush is disposed inside the body casing. The body casing includes an opening. The lower part of the roll brush is exposed from the opening. Two first connection holes are respectively formed on two ends of the body casing. Each driving shaft extends out of the fixing arm and penetrates one connection hole. Two ends of the roll brush are respectively firmly connected with the two driving shafts separately penetrating the two first connection holes.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: JIAXING JACKSON TRAVEL PRODUCTS CO., LTD.Inventor: Xue Lin Zhu
-
Patent number: 9958031Abstract: A vacuum cleaner including a wheel, a driving motor configured to provide the wheel with a driving force, and a clutch configured to connect transfer gears to the wheel or to cancel a connection between the transfer gears and the wheel. A body of the vacuum cleaner is able to actively travel because of the transfer gears are connected to the wheel when power is applied to the driving motor and the wheel smoothly rotates without having a detent torque of the driving motor when power is not applied to the driving motor. The wheel is provided with an internal gear, and one of the transfer gears is configured to transfer the driving force of the driving motor by making contact with the internal gear.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Hyun Uk Park, Seung Il Han, Jun Won Seo, Jea Won Lee
-
Patent number: 9872594Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning robot having an improved driving and cleaning ability. The cleaning robot includes a dust collecting blade. A lower end of the dust collecting blade is bent in a direction opposite to the driving direction of the cleaning robot during operation of the cleaning robot, so that wobbling is not generated even though the ground surface on which the cleaning robot operates has bumps and gaps.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2016Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Inventors: Kyung Chul Shin, Seong Ju Park, Min Chang, Wan Geun Kim, Sang Hyun Kim, No Soo Lee
-
Patent number: 9814364Abstract: New and novel structure(s) for cleaning surfaces have been disclosed. The device may include: a wiping surface, which may be disposable; a brush roll/larger debris gathering mechanism; a local debris storage and/or staging area, and a larger remote debris storage structure. Additionally, there are mechanisms and structures disclosed for powering the brush roll, activating the brush roll from an out of use position to an in use position, and moving the waste from one area to another. The invention at hand uniquely and inventively improves upon the known devices in this field.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2014Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLCInventor: Steven Jerome Caruso
-
Patent number: 9598228Abstract: A carrier, such as a food carrier, may include a single sheet of material having a base section, a first end flap connected to the base section at a first end, the first end flap including first and second slots, a second end flap connected to the base section at a second end, the second end flap including third and fourth slots, a first lower section connected to the base section along a first line and including first and second tabs, a second lower section connected to the base section along a second line and including third and fourth tabs, a first upper section connected to the first lower section along a third line, a second upper section connected to the second lower section along a fourth line, wherein the single sheet of material is configured for arrangement in a flat configuration in which the single sheet of material is a substantially flat layer, and an assembled configuration in which the first and second end flaps are substantially perpendicular to the base section, the first tab engages the firType: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Brothers Donuts LLCInventors: Mitchell P. Magdovitz, Brett N. Magdovitz
-
Patent number: 9462922Abstract: A self-moving dust suction device comprises a body, at least one buffer means and a sticking means. The body includes a top cover, a base, a dust suction operation module, at least two movement wheels and at least one mounting portion. The buffer means is corresponding to the mounting portion and has an installation dock fastened to the mounting portion, a buffer element located on the installation dock to provide an action force in a direction remote from the top cover in normal conditions and a butting dock located at one end of the buffer element remote from the top cover to bear the action force. The sticking means is located at one side of the base and has a connection bracket coupled with the butting dock to receive the action force transmitted by the butting dock and a sticking roller located on the connection bracket.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2015Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Inventor: Joseph Y. Ko
-
Patent number: 9456723Abstract: A surface cleaning head includes an openable agitator chamber to provide access to an agitator, such as a brush roll, for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber is covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. A sealing member may be located between the external cover and a surface cleaning head housing and around a perimeter of the agitator chamber. A surface cleaning head includes a removable rotatable agitator, such as a brush roll, which is driven by a drive mechanism that axially engages the driven end. At least one end of the removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. The surface cleaning head may also include one or more transparent regions (e.g., on the openable cover) to allow visual inspection of the agitator during use.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLCInventors: Jason B. Thorne, Kai Xu, AiMing Xu, Andre David Brown, Courtney J. Hopkins
-
Patent number: 9427875Abstract: Apparatus and methods for carpet drift estimation are disclosed. In certain implementations, a robotic device includes an actuator system to move the body across a surface. A first set of sensors can sense an actuation characteristic of the actuator system. For example, the first set of sensors can include odometry sensors for sensing wheel rotations of the actuator system. A second set of sensors can sense a motion characteristic of the body. The first set of sensors may be a different type of sensor than the second set of sensors. A controller can estimate carpet drift based at least on the actuation characteristic sensed by the first set of sensors and the motion characteristic sensed by the second set of sensors.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Dhiraj Goel, Ethan Eade, Philip Fong, Mario E. Munich
-
Patent number: 9187870Abstract: A sweeping device for a children's vehicle, particularly pedal vehicle, which is detachably connectable to the children's vehicle and is provided underneath a housing with a brush roller which is connected to an axle for rotation therewith, a driver wheel being arranged for driving the axle of the brush roller, the driver wheel lying on the ground in the operative position of the sweeping device and being drivingly connected via a gearing to the axle of the brush roller, is characterized in that the driver wheel has a hollow interior in which the gearing is positioned, and that the interior of the driver wheel is covered at an open side by a separate cover member.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2013Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Franz Schneider GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Frank Schneider, Rainer Luther, Ulrich Ewringmann
-
Patent number: 8925133Abstract: A floor sweeper that picks up large particles without compromising the ability to collect dust. First and second rotary brush parts received in respective concavities in a base of the sweeper, have mouths disposed at different heights.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2010Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Kwonnie Electrical Products LimitedInventors: Wai Cheong Lee, Raymon Wai Man Wong, Kwok Fung Pang
-
Patent number: 8839477Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2012Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
-
Patent number: 8763199Abstract: A robot includes a robot housing having a substantially arcuate forward portion and a motor drive housed by the robot housing and configured to maneuver the robot on a floor surface. At least two independently driven drive wheels are moveably attached to the robot housing and biased toward the floor surface, each of the drive wheels being moveable downwardly in response to the each of the drive wheels moving over a cliff in the floor surface. A plurality of cliff sensors are disposed adjacent a forward edge of the robot housing and spaced from each other, each cliff sensor including an emitter and a detector aimed toward the floor surface and configured to receive emitter emissions reflected off of the floor surface, each cliff sensor being responsive to a cliff in the floor surface and configured to send a signal when a cliff in the floor surface is detected.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2010Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
-
Patent number: 8726441Abstract: A floor sweeper for recovering material from a surface to be cleaned comprises a handle assembly pivotably attached to a foot assembly. The foot assembly comprises a housing forming a brush chamber having a bottom opening. The foot assembly comprises a pair of driving gears and a split brush assembly rotatably mounted within the brush chamber and adapted to contact the surface through the opening. The brush assembly comprises two separately-rotatable halves each corresponding to one of the driving gears, with each half comprising a brush core, brush paddles or bristles affixed to an exterior of the brush core, and a brush gear adapted for rotation with the brush core. Each brush gear is driven by a corresponding driving gear to the corresponding brush core as the floor assembly is moved across the surface in order to drive the brushes to cleaning of the surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.Inventors: John Albert Colasanti, Charles A. Reed, Jr., Mitchell Auerbach, Jonathan L. Miner
-
Patent number: 8695144Abstract: Disclosed herein is an autonomous cleaning machine with a brush cleaning unit to clean a brush unit. The autonomous cleaning machine includes a main body, the brush unit rotatably provided on the main body, first brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to move foreign substances wound on the brush unit in a lengthwise direction of the brush unit, and second brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to remove the foreign substances wound on the brush unit from the brush unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hwi Chan Jang, Dong Won Kim, Woo Ram Chung, Jae Man Joo, Jun Pyo Hong, Jae Young Jung, Kyung Hwan Yoo
-
Publication number: 20140060578Abstract: This invention combines multiple tasks associated with carpet deep cleaning. It includes a self-propelled cleaner and guide system that will dispense, brush and retrieve a dry carpet cleaning pretreatment and powder across the surface of the carpet.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: Milliken & CompanyInventor: Robert C. Tomlinson
-
Patent number: 8656544Abstract: The present invention is a sweeper incorporating multiple rotation elements mounted adjacently in an rotationally offset sequence on a common driven axle. Each rotation element comprises a central shaft support from which extends lightweight extension arms that have laterally elongated spatulate paddles at their ends. The extension arms may be curved so that in operation a terminal edge of each paddle lags the rest of the paddle surface in approaching and sweeping across the floor surface and is quite easily deflected upward from a floor surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Inventor: Kenneth Anderson
-
Patent number: 8621700Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile sweeper comprising a housing, in which a sweeping roller driven by an electric motor is mounted for rotation, and a sweepings container for receiving sweepings, wherein there are mounted on the housing adjacent to the sweeping roller two front supporting wheels and at a distance from these at least one rear supporting wheel, each for rotation about an axis of rotation. In order to further develop the sweeper such that with the occurrence of surface unevennesses, there is no risk of the sweeping roller becoming blocked or of the sweeper tilting, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the axis of rotation of a first front supporting wheel be arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of the sweeping roller and, in relation to the main direction of movement of the sweeper, offset from the axis of rotation of the second front supporting wheel.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2010Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Hans-Peter Wolf, Roland Schick
-
Patent number: 8572800Abstract: A floor cleaner has a base assembly which comprises a body composed of an upper casing and a lower casing, a sweeping member mounted on the front side of the body, a steam generating member mounted at the rear side of the body, a pad tray with protrusions formed thereon to which a pad is attached, the protrusions made of a material that is softer than the material of the pad tray, and an attachment/detachment member that attaches and detaches the pad tray to and from the bottom face of the lower casing.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: HAAN CorporationInventor: Gyung-hee Haan
-
Patent number: 8499398Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus with a removable compartment is provided that allows a dust cup in the removable compartment to be emptied while minimizing handling by the user. The removable compartment is removably secured within the surface cleaning apparatus. The removable compartment can be removed by activating a first trigger device. The dust cup can be emptied by activating a second trigger device.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2011Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Inventors: Chad A. Reese, Mark Rosenzweig
-
Patent number: 8468633Abstract: A cleaning device includes a base body, a rotatable brush roller disposed on the base body, a dirt container disposed on the base body, a cloth holder attached removably to the base body, and a cleaning cloth attachable to the cloth holder.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2008Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Carl FreudenbergInventor: Peter Arnold
-
Patent number: 8443477Abstract: Disclosed herein is an autonomous cleaning machine with a brush cleaning unit to clean a brush unit. The autonomous cleaning machine includes a main body, the brush unit rotatably provided on the main body, first brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to move foreign substances wound on the brush unit in a lengthwise direction of the brush unit, and second brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to remove the foreign substances wound on the brush unit from the brush unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hwi Chan Jang, Dong Won Kim, Woo Ram Chung, Jae Man Joo, Jun Pyo Hong, Jae Young Jung, Kyung Hwan Yoo
-
Patent number: 8443478Abstract: This invention relates to a mechanism for use in a device that comprises a system for collecting dirt and debris from a variety of floor and upholstery surfaces. In particular the mechanism lifts and directs unwanted debris particles to a waste reservoir for the purpose of cleaning and grooming floor surfaces. The debris collection mechanism can be, but is not limited to its use in a handle operated cordless motorized floor sweeper to collect and gather unwanted debris and dust. The device includes a head unit that incorporates two easily removable elongate cylindrical rotating cleaning bars that are driven such that they contra rotate, and are positioned close to one another at the forward region of the head unit. A removable debris reservoir, removable rechargeable power source and handle incorporating a device operation switch are also included.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Dovia International LimitedInventors: James A. West, Mark D. Teucher, Christopher T. Elsworthy
-
Patent number: 8377218Abstract: The present invention is a device for use in cleaning a fabric surface of dust, dirt, pet hair and other debris present on the surface. The device includes a pair of cleaning members or rollers disposed on an underside of the device which can roll with respect to the device and with respect to one another. The rollers are selectively contacted with one another such that each roller can assist in removing debris picked up by the opposite roller and dispensing the debris into a collection chamber releasably positioned within the housing. The removal of the debris from each roller is also facilitated by opposed edges of a central opening in the housing that contact the rollers and direct the debris into the debris collection chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2010Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.Inventors: Jeremy F. Knopow, Chrissie M. Smits
-
Patent number: 8370985Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2011Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
-
Patent number: 8347444Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2011Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
-
Patent number: 8272092Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2011Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
-
Patent number: 8239992Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2008Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
-
Patent number: 8230540Abstract: A floor and carpet sweeper has a pair of side-by-side brush assemblies rotated in opposite rotational directions with a battery operated electric motor operable to pickup dust, dirt and debris materials from a surface and deposit the materials into a replacement filter box.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Inventor: Marc O. Nelson
-
Patent number: 8214960Abstract: A floor sweeper is disclosed having a removable debris compartment. The compartment has a front portion that is at least partially open. A pair of counter-rotating brushes are located forward of the debris compartment for delivering debris directly through the front portion into the debris compartment. A cover that strips debris from the brushes and that also directs stripped debris extends over the brushes. The cover has an air spoiler forward of the brushes. A strip for blocking debris is located opposite of the cover and is located substantially entirely the length of and between the brushes.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2009Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: NSS Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: Mark N. Rupp
-
Patent number: 8186009Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly having a suction inlet and a rotary agitator. A canister assembly is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. The vacuum cleaner also includes a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel. Still further, the vacuum cleaner includes a clutch assembly for controlling power transmission from the drive motor of the suction generator to the rotary agitator. The clutch assembly includes a pulley driven by the drive motor, a first clutch element connected to the pulley, a second clutch element connected to the rotary agitator and an actuator for displacing the second clutch element between a first, engaged position and a second, disengaged position.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2007Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Panasonic Corporation of North AmericaInventors: Shawn M. Smith, Shannon D. Phegley
-
Patent number: 8156596Abstract: A manually propelled, wheeled rotary brush having a handle and two wheels. The brush may have a generally cylindrical configuration which contacts the environmental surface on which the wheels ride, and may rotate about a horizontal axis disposed perpendicularly to the direction of travel as the wheels turn. The brush may be geared to the wheels, and may rotate faster than the wheels. The wheeled rotary brush may have a frame in which the gears are journaled. The handle may be propped in an elevated position by stabilizing legs disposed to engage the environmental surface at a point spaced apart from the brush. The brush may have replaceable brush elements which may be inserted into slots formed in a cylindrical core of the brush.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2009Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Inventor: Brian Rose
-
Publication number: 20120085368Abstract: A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Inventors: Gregg W. Landry, David A. Cohen, Daniel Ozick
-
Patent number: 8132288Abstract: A surface treating head assembly for an appliance such as a vacuum cleaner includes a head and a drivable agitator in the form of a brush bar, rotatably housed in the head. A cam arrangement is rotatably driven in the head. The cam arrangement includes a pair of cams, each having a plurality of cam faces, each cam face corresponding to respective predetermined vertical positions of the brush bar. Thus, the height of the brush bar is selectively controllable between the predetermined positions, such that the depth of penetration of the bristles of the brush bar may be optimized for different types of carpet.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2010Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Dyson Technology LimitedInventors: Paul Dawson, Scott Andrew Maguire, Andrew Martin Mitchell, Spencer James Robert Arthey
-
Patent number: 8091169Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile floor-cleaning appliance having a housing in which a cleaning tool is mounted, and having a handle holder which is mounted on the housing and is adapted to be connected to a handle in order to guide the appliance along a floor surface which is to be cleaned.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2007Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Roland Jeutter, Rainer Engelhardt
-
Patent number: 8032985Abstract: A suction brush for a vacuum cleaner is provided. The suction brush a vacuum cleaner includes a brush main body connected to a cleaner main body and having a dust suction port provided on a bottom surface of the brush main body, first and second wheels rotatably engaged with both sides of the brush main body, and at least one hair removing unit, arranged in front of the suction port of the brush main body, for receiving rotation drive forces from the first and second wheels and raking up hair existing on a surface to be cleaned toward the dust suction port.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ji-Ho Seo
-
Patent number: 8020236Abstract: A light weight floor sweeper having a very low profile sweeper head that uses a sweeping brush and cleaning pad to slide across the surface to be cleaned. The floor sweeper head is mounted to an elongated handle by means of a universal pivot or universal joint which allows the floor sweeper head to easily pivot about the handle in any direction to pick up debris under over hanging cabinets or under furniture. A sweeping brush is mounted on the bottom of the sweeper head to provide sweeping action as the floor sweeper is moved in any direction. Furthermore there is a soft cleaning pad releasably mounted adjacent to the brush to entrap dust and particles that the brush does not pick up. The brush is powered by a small electric motor. A removable dust-receiving tray is mounted in the sweeper head to receive debris swept by the brush.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2007Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Inventors: Bryan Kaleta, Mark Kaleta
-
Publication number: 20110179591Abstract: A surface treating implement (10) according to the invention comprises a body (14) comprising a container receiver (36) and a nozzle assembly (26) comprising a fluid conduit fluidly (72) connected to the container receiver (36). At least one container (16) is selectively mounted to the container receiver (36) and contains a predetermined amount of a treating composition and has a dispensing opening (102) in fluid communication with the fluid conduit (72). A handle (12) is associated with the body (14). The nozzle assembly (26) is mounted to the body (14) for selective displacement a predetermined distance to release the treating composition from the container (16) through the fluid conduit (72) and onto a surface to be treated.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2008Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: BISSELL HOMECARE, INC.Inventors: Joseph P. Perry, Herbert J. Vanderbilt, Kevin Haley, Donald J. Mahaffy, Justin Benacquisto, Kelli A. Cain, Kenneth M. Lenkiewicz, James A. Krzeminski
-
Publication number: 20110154589Abstract: An autonomous cleaning appliance including a housing, a dirt container disposed in the housing, a brushroll disposed in the housing and configured to move dirt into the dirt container, a brush motor disposed in the housing for driving the brushroll, and a power drive assembly mounted in the housing for propelling the appliance. The power drive assembly including a first drive assembly disposed on a first side of the housing, a first drive motor operatively connected to the first drive assembly, a second drive assembly disposed on a second side of the housing (the second side being opposite the first side), and a second drive motor operatively connected to the second drive assembly. A floor sensor system is coupled to the housing for detecting a loss of floor condition and an off edge condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2011Publication date: June 30, 2011Inventor: Mark E. Reindle
-
Publication number: 20110107533Abstract: A dust case is provided for a sweeper that uses a rotary brush to sweep dust particles. The dust case has a casing having a plurality of walls, including a front wall, that together define an interior space, and having an open top and an inlet at a front wall to receive dirt particles. The dust case also includes a cover having a first cover portion for covering the open top of the casing and a second cover portion extending in a forward direction from the first cover portion. A safety bar can be provided extending downwardly from the bottom face of the second cover portion. The dust case can further include a hinge member that connects the cover to the casing in a manner where, when the cover is pivoted so that the first cover portion exposes the interior space, the second cover portion blocks the inlet, and when the cover is pivoted so that the first cover portion covers the interior space, the second cover portion exposes the inlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Inventor: Gyung-hee Haan
-
Patent number: 7900310Abstract: A powered sweeper includes a housing, a brushroll chamber disposed in the housing, a brushroll mounted in a brushroll chamber, a dirt chamber disposed in the housing, a drive motor disposed in the housing, and a driven wheel operatively connected to the drive motor. The brushroll rotates in the brushroll chamber and the dirt chamber communicates with the brushroll chamber such that debris is propelled by the brushroll into the dirt chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2010Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Royal Appliance Mfg. Co.Inventor: Mark E. Reindle
-
Publication number: 20110000037Abstract: In a platform-carried carpet-cleaning machine for facilitating transport of the machine, the platform including a machine-supporting base having upper surface extending between an open entry-end and a closed back-end, the upper surface having an entry portion sloping at no more than about 5° with respect to horizontal such that the machine can be driven on and off the platform with application of about the same amount of user force as during carpet-cleaning operations. Inner surfaces of first and second platform sidewalls both include protrusions frictionally engaging the machine side panels and configured to sandwich the machine therebetween to prevent lateral movement of the machine on the platform. A pair of wheels is mounted with respect to the base for rolling the machine on the platform across a floor, each wheel being secured to its corresponding sidewall by an axle which extends therethrough and is molded in place through the sidewalls to facilitate assembly of the platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2010Publication date: January 6, 2011Applicant: RACINE INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Arthur L. Dominguez, John Kwasniewicz, Geoffrey B. Rench, Jeffrey T. Borowski