Bissell Inc.

Bissell Homecare, Inc.

Todd Richard VanTongeren

Matthew Haverkamp

Gary A Kasper

David M Miller

Jason W Pruiett

Kurt E Ashbaugh

Jeffrey A Scholten

Phong Hoang Tran

Jake Andrew Mohan

Steve M Johnson

Steven M Johnson

Nicholas Weigel

The present disclosure provides a surface cleaning apparatus that includes a recovery system that extracts liquid and debris with a drying cycle in which forced air flows through a recovery pathway of the recovery system to dry out components that remain wet and/or retain moisture after normal operation of the apparatus. The post-operation drying cycle can dry out components such as an agitator or brushroll, a brush chamber, a suction nozzle, a recovery tank, a filter, and any of the various conduits, ducts, and/or hoses fluidly coupling components of the recovery system together.

Surface cleaning apparatus with drying cycle

A floor cleaner can include a housing adapted for movement over a surface to be cleaned and at least one edge cleaning brush provided on the housing. The edge cleaning brush includes multiple cleaning implements which rotate on different axes. A gear system, such as a planetary gear system, can drive one cleaning implement at a lower speed than another cleaning implement.

Edge cleaning brushes for floor cleaner

An autonomous floor cleaner can include a housing, a drive system for autonomously moving the housing over the surface to be cleaned, and a controller for controlling the operation of the autonomous floor cleaner. The drive system can include at least one drive wheel for driving the housing across a surface to be cleaned. The drive wheel can be selectively moved from an engaged or in-use position to a disengaged or maintenance position. In the disengaged or maintenance position, the wheel is disengaged from the autonomously moveable housing such that it can be pivoted, extended, removed, or otherwise moved farther away from the autonomously moveable housing.

Autonomous floor cleaner with drive wheel assembly

A vacuum cleaner includes an upright body mounted to a base that moves over a surface to be cleaned. A rotational coupling can be provided between the upright body and the base for coupling the upright body to the base for movement about at least one rotational axis. The rotational coupling can include at least a swivel joint. A cord rewinder can be provided above the swivel joint for storing and dispensing a power cord.

Vacuum cleaner

An autonomous floor cleaner can include a housing, a drive system for autonomously moving the housing over the surface to be cleaned, a controller for controlling the operation of the autonomous floor cleaner, a tank adapted to hold liquid, and a carry handle joined with the tank and/or the housing. The carry handle is movable between different positions, including a position in which the autonomous floor cleaner can be lifted via the carry handle while an inlet and/or outlet of the tank is blocked.

Autonomous floor cleaner with carry handle

A floor cleaner can include a housing adapted for movement over a surface to be cleaned and at least one edge cleaning brush provided on the housing. The edge cleaning brush includes multiple cleaning implements which rotate at different velocities. A gear system, such as a planetary gear system, can drive one cleaning implement at a lower speed than another cleaning implement.

A brushroll for a surface cleaning apparatus includes a brush dowel defining an axis and having opposing bristle supports and a shroud surface between the opposing bristle supports, and a plurality of bristles protruding from the bristle supports. The shroud surface includes opposing convex curved surfaces extending between the bristle supports which intersect the shroud surface at outside corners.

Brushroll for vacuum cleaner

An autonomous floor cleaner can include a housing, a drive system for autonomously moving the housing over the surface to be cleaned, a controller for controlling the operation of the autonomous floor cleaner, a tank adapted to hold liquid, and a carry handle joined with the tank and/or the housing. The carry handle is movable between a stowed position and a carry position. The carry handle can include one or more capturing assemblies such that the carry handle can be selectively rotated between different orientations allowing for one or more of: locking/securing the tank to the housing, activating/deactivating the floor cleaner based on handle position; carrying the entire floor cleaner; ejecting the tank from the housing; carrying the tank separately; and emptying the tank.

A vacuum cleaner includes a suction nozzle defining a nozzle inlet, a manual nozzle height adjustment assembly for adjusting the height of the nozzle inlet relative to a surface to be cleaned, and a bleed valve fluidly connected to a working air path of the vacuum cleaner to selectively open to reduce suction at the nozzle inlet. The bleed valve is incorporated with the nozzle height adjustment assembly such that movement of the nozzle height adjustment assembly between different height settings will automatically open or close the bleed valve.

Vacuum cleaner with height adjustment of suction nozzle

A vacuum cleaner includes an upright body and a base carrying a suction nozzle that is pivotally coupled with the upright body for movement between at least a storage position and a reclined use position. A motor is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and is mounted in the upright body in a configuration that partially offsets the weight-in-hand of the upright assembly as perceived by a user of the vacuum cleaner.

Growing community of inventors

Ada, MI, United States of America

Todd Richard VanTongeren