Surface cleaning apparatus

Inventors: Mackenzie Leigh Knapp (Saranac, MI); Brian Robert Dexter (Grand Rapids, MI); Tyler Newkirk (Grand Rapids, MI); Churu Yun (Plainwell, MI); Connor Canavan (Kalamazoo, MI); Nicholas Harvey Jobbitt (Kalamazoo, MI)

Assignee: BISSELL Inc.

A47L9/325 A47L7/0023 A47L9/009 A47L9/242 A47L9/248

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12702260
App. No.: 18/080,805
Granted: Aug 11, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus includes a base assembly with a suction nozzle and at least one wheel. A hand-held portion has a hand grip, a recovery container, and a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the recovery container and configured for generating a working airstream. A wand is operably coupled between the base assembly and the hand-held portion and defines at least a portion of a working air path extending from the suction nozzle to an air outlet in the hand-held portion and including the suction source.

Claims (38)

1 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a base assembly including a suction nozzle and at least one wheel;

a hand-held portion having a hand grip, a recovery container, and a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the recovery container and configured for generating a working airstream;

a wand operably coupled between the base assembly and the hand-held portion and defining at least a portion of a working air path extending from the suction nozzle to an air outlet in the hand-held portion and including the suction source;

a swivel joint moveably coupling a lower end of the wand to the base assembly; and

a brake assembly pivotally mounted to the base assembly and configured to be moveable between a first locked position wherein at least a portion of the brake assembly engages the at least one wheel and is configured to prevent rotation of the at least one wheel and wherein at least another portion engages at least one of the wand or the swivel joint to prevent the wand from lateral side-to-side movement relative to the base assembly and a second unlocked position.

2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a gripping assembly moveably mounted to the hand-held portion and moveable between a first position and a second position;

wherein the first position corresponds to a use position of the surface cleaning apparatus and the second position corresponds to a storage position of the surface cleaning apparatus;

wherein at least a portion of the gripping assembly includes a gripping surface configured to engage a surface or object against which the surface cleaning apparatus is leaned;

wherein the gripping assembly is configured such that in the second position, the gripping surface contacts the surface or object to facilitate retaining the surface cleaning apparatus in the storage position; and

wherein the gripping surface is at least one of:

a foam material surface;

a rubber material surface;

a textured surface;

a ribbed texture surface; or

a ridged texture surface.

3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least a portion of the gripping assembly is configured to prevent lateral movement of the hand-held portion relative to the surface or object when the gripping assembly is in the second position.

4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least a portion of the gripping assembly is configured to prevent vertical movement of the hand-held portion relative to the surface or object when the gripping assembly is in the second position.

5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gripping assembly is pivotally mounted to the hand-held portion such that the first position is a first non-rotated position and the second position is a second rotated position.

6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the gripping assembly is moved from the first, non-rotated position to the second, rotated position as the surface cleaning apparatus is leaned against the surface or object.

7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the hand-held portion further comprises a housing, the gripping assembly further comprises a body moveably mounted to the housing and wherein the gripping surface is provided on the body and configured to provide traction to the body relative to the surface or object.

8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the body has a planar portion, the gripping surface is provided on a rear side of the planar portion that faces away from the hand-held portion, and at least a portion of the gripping surface engages the surface or object when the gripping assembly is in the second position.

9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the gripping assembly is pivotally mounted to the hand-held portion about an axis of rotation.

10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the surface cleaning apparatus includes a longitudinal axis, and the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and parallel to the planar portion.

11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 , wherein an additional gripping surface covers at least a bottom surface of the recovery container.

12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gripping assembly includes a front side facing the hand-held portion and a rear side facing away from the hand-held portion; and

the gripping surface is provided on the rear side.

13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the another portion of the brake assembly engages the swivel joint and is configured to prevent the lateral side-to-side movement of the wand relative to the base assembly when the brake assembly is in the first locked position.

14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hand-held portion further comprises a housing, wherein a gripping assembly is moveably mounted to the housing, and wherein the housing forms a portion of an upright portion of the surface cleaning apparatus.

15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least another portion engages a front surface of the at least one of the wand or the swivel joint.

16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a gripping assembly moveably mounted to the hand-held portion at a location opposite from a portion of a handle of the hand-held portion, and wherein the gripping assembly is moveable between a first position and a second position;

wherein at least a portion of the gripping assembly includes a gripping surface configured to provide traction against a surface or object against which the surface cleaning apparatus is leaned;

wherein the first position corresponds to a use position of the surface cleaning apparatus and the second position corresponds to a storage position of the surface cleaning apparatus; and

17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the gripping assembly includes a front side facing the hand-held portion and a rear side facing away from the hand-held portion; and

the gripping surface is provided on the rear side.