IP Library Granted Patent US 11,058,275
Granted Patent B2
US 11,058,275 · App. 16/572,471 · Granted Jul 13, 2021

Systems and methods for providing a wand for a floor cleaning apparatus

Inventors: John M. Hopkins (Pleasant Grove, UT); Gaylord M. Karren (Pleasant Grove, UT); James K. Stone (Pleasant Grove, UT); William R. Shupe (Pleasant Grove, UT)
Assignee: Z Intellectual Property Holding Company, LLC
A47L11/4044A47L11/30A47L11/34A47L11/408A47L11/4088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,058,275
App. No.
16/572,471
Granted
Jul 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a wand that is configured to clean a surface, such as carpeting and rugs, are disclosed herein. While the described wand can comprise any suitable component that allows it to be used to clean a surface, in some cases, the wand includes a wand head having a shroud, with a jet orifice and a vacuum port being disposed within the shroud. In some such cases, the vacuum port includes a breaker bar that is recessed within the shroud such that a portion of the shroud extends past the breaker bar. Additionally, in some cases, the shroud further includes one or more rollers that are optionally adjustable in height such that the wand head can is useable by operators of varying heights. In some cases, the wand head is coupled to a vacuum tube that attaches to a vacuum. Additional implementations are also described herein.

Claims (35)

1. A wand head comprising:

a vacuum port defined in a front portion of the wand head;

a first chamber defined in a back portion of the wand head, behind a portion of the vacuum port;

a jet that is configured to spray effluent through the first chamber and to a surface to be cleaned;

one or more lips that extend from a backside of the wand head, wherein the one or more lips substantially extend across a width of the wand head, and

one or more rollers that are disposed behind the one or more lips, wherein the one or more rollers substantially extend across a width of the wand head.

2. The wand head of claim 1 , further comprising a jet manifold that is in fluid communication with the jet and that is selectively and removably coupled to the wand head.

3. The wand head of claim 2 , wherein the jet manifold is selectively and releasably clipped to the wand head.

4. The wand head of claim 1 , further comprising a divider that is disposed between a portion of the vacuum port and a portion of the first chamber, wherein a lower edge of the divider is configured to be at least one of (i) selectively raised and (ii) selectively lowered with respect to a lower edge of the wand head to modify airflow between the lower edge of the divider and the surface to be cleaned.

5. The wand head of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum port is coupled to and is in fluid communication with a vacuum tube, wherein the vacuum tube comprises a first section that couples to the wand head, a second section that couples with a vacuum hose, and a third section that is disposed between the first section and the second section, and wherein a front face of the wand head is swept forward such that the front face runs at an angle that is less than about 90 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first section of the vacuum tube.

6. The wand head of claim 5 , further comprising a handle support that is disposed on the third section, and wherein the handle support extends from the third section at an angle that is acute to a longitudinal axis of the third section.

7. The wand head of claim 1 , further comprising a feedline that couples to the jet, and further comprising a filter that is in fluid communication with the feedline and that is disposed adjacent to a trigger assembly that controls fluid flow through the feedline.

8. The wand head of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rollers are selectively adjustable to at least one of raise and lower the one or more rollers with respect to the wand head.

9. The wand head of claim 1 , further comprising a moisture sensor that is configured to determine a moisture level of the surface to be cleaned.

10. A wand head comprising:

a vacuum port defined in the wand head;

a first chamber defined in the wand head, adjacent to a portion of the vacuum port;

a jet that is configured to spray effluent through the first chamber and to a surface to be cleaned;

one or more lips that extend from a lower portion of the wand head, wherein the one or more lips substantially extend across a width of the wand head, and

one or more rollers that are disposed adjacent to the one or more lips, wherein the one or more rollers substantially extend across a width of the wand head, wherein a vacuum tube extends from a backside of the wand head, and wherein the one or more lips and the one or more rollers are disposed at the backside of the wand head.

11. The wand head of claim 10 , wherein the vacuum tube has an inner diameter of about 4.45 cm±0.5 cm.

12. The wand head of claim 10 , wherein a horizontal distance between a front end of the wand head and a back end of the vacuum tube is between about 96 cm and about 107 cm, and wherein when the wand head forms a seal with the surface to be cleaned, a vertical distance between a bottom-most surface of the wand head and an upper-most end of the vacuum tube is between about 83 cm and about 94 cm.

13. The wand head of claim 10 , wherein the vacuum port is coupled to and is in fluid communication with the vacuum tube, wherein the vacuum tube comprises a first section that couples to the wand head, a second section that couples with a vacuum hose, and a third section that is disposed between the first section and the second section, and wherein a front face of the wand head is swept forward such that the front face runs at an angle that is less than about 90 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first section of the vacuum tube.

14. The wand head of claim 13 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the third section runs at an angle that is between about 41 degrees and about 44 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the second section, and wherein a longitudinal axis of the third section runs at an angle that is between about 40 degrees and about 44 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first section.

15. A wand head comprising:

a vacuum port defined in the wand head;

a first chamber defined in wand head, adjacent to a portion of the vacuum port;

a jet that is configured to spray effluent through the first chamber and to a surface to be cleaned;

one or more lips that extend from a lower portion of the wand head, wherein the one or more lips substantially extend across a width of the wand head, and

one or more rollers that are disposed adjacent to the one or more lips, wherein the one or more rollers substantially extend across a width of the wand head, wherein a vacuum tube extends from a backside of the wand head, and wherein the one or more lips and the one or more rollers are disposed at the backside of the wand head, with the one or more lips being disposed closer to the first chamber than the one or more rollers.

16. The wand head of claim 15 , further comprising a divider that is disposed between a portion of the vacuum port and a portion of the first chamber, wherein a lower edge of the divider is configured to be at least one of (i) selectively raised and (ii) selectively lowered with respect to a lower edge of the wand head to modify airflow between the lower edge of the divider and the surface to be cleaned.

17. The wand head of claim 15 , wherein the one or more lips comprise a single elongated lip, and wherein the one or more rollers comprise a single elongated roller.

18. The wand head of claim 15 , wherein the one or more rollers are selectively adjustable to at least one of (i) raise and (ii) lower the one or more rollers with respect to the lower portion of the wand head.

19. The wand head of claim 15 , further comprising a jet manifold that is in fluid communication with the jet and that is selectively and removably coupled to the wand head.

20. The wand head of claim 15 , wherein the vacuum tube has an inner diameter of about 4.45 cm±0.5 cm, wherein a horizontal distance between a front end of the wand head and a back end of the vacuum tube is between about 96 cm and about 107 cm, wherein when the wand head forms a seal with the surface to be cleaned a vertical distance between a bottom-most surface of the wand head and an upper-most end of the vacuum tube is between about 83 cm and about 94 cm, wherein the vacuum tube comprises a first section that couples to the wand head, a second section that couples with a vacuum hose, and a third section that is disposed between the first section and the second section, wherein a front face of the wand head is swept forward such that the front face runs at an angle that is less than about 90 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first section of the vacuum tube, wherein a longitudinal axis of the third section runs at an angle between about 41 degrees and about 44 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the of the second section, and wherein a longitudinal axis of the third section runs at an angle that is between about 40 degrees and about 44 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first section.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2026
From: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: Z INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 073389/0797 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2025
From: Z INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
To: UMB BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 073311/0490 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2022
From: Z INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
To: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 060810/0596 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2019
From: KARREN, GAYLORD; STONE, JAMES; HOPKINS, JOHN; SHUPE, WILLIAM
To: Z INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 050393/0494 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15448323 · Mar 2, 2017
Provisional Application 62302716 · Mar 2, 2016
Related Publication 20200008640A1 · Jan 9, 2020
Cited By (18)
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