IP Library Granted Patent US 12,740,683
Granted Patent B2
US 12,740,683 · App. 18/140,313 · Granted Sep 22, 2026

Recovery tank

Inventor: Lee Michael Cottrell (Kent, GB)
Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
A47L11/4027A47L7/0009A47L7/0023A47L7/0038A47L7/0042A47L9/0477A47L11/302A47L11/4016A47L11/4025B01D21/0042B01D29/01B01D29/56B01D35/30B01D2201/184B01D2201/302B01D2201/305B01D2201/316
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,740,683
App. No.
18/140,313
Filed
Apr 27, 2023
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3723
USPC
15/353
Abstract

A cleaning device and methods for cleaning are provided. In one embodiment, the cleaning device includes a head assembly, a body assembly, and a handle assembly. The cleaning device also includes components that enable the cleaning device to operate in dry cleaning modes and wet cleaning modes. Dry cleaning modes can employ a vacuum assembly, including a motor, tubing, and a fluid recovery tank in order to draw in debris and waste into a fluid recovery tank. Wet cleaning modes can further employ a fluid supply tank, a pump, and tubing in order to supply fluid to a brushroll to aid in a cleaning process.

Claims (26)

1 . A fluid recovery tank for use in a cleaning device, comprising:

a container having a bottom wall and sidewalls defining an inner chamber therein, a top of the container being open, the bottom wall including a fluid inlet therein;

a separator fixedly and immovably disposed within the chamber, the separator separating the chamber into an upper portion and a lower portion, and the separator being configured to retain solid debris within the upper portion while allowing liquid to flow therethrough into the bottom portion;

a removable lid disposed within the open top; and

a hollow standpipe extending from the fluid inlet in the bottom wall toward the lid and through an opening in the separator for delivering fluid and debris to the upper portion of the chamber.

2 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall include a removable portion.

3 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 2 , wherein the hollow standpipe is fixed to and removable with the removable portion.

4 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 1 , wherein the separator includes a lower surface that is spaced from the lid and from the bottom wall of the container, the lower surface of the separator having an opening formed therein to allow fluid to pass there through while substantially preventing solid debris from passing therethrough.

5 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 1 , further comprising a pour spout in the lid configured to allow fluid from the lower portion to pass therethrough.

6 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 5 , wherein the separator includes a sidewall having a channel formed therein and aligned with the pour spout to allow fluid to flow from the container out the pour spout.

7 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 5 , wherein the pour spout is configured to be in an open position when the lid is in an open position and a closed position.

8 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a removable filter disposed therein and configured to allow a suction force to be applied therethrough.

9 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 1 , further comprising a spring-biased latch movably mounted on an exterior surface of the container.

10 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 1 , wherein the container is transparent.

11 . A fluid recovery tank, comprising:

a container having a bottom wall with a fluid inlet therein, at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall and together with the bottom wall defining an inner chamber, and a separator immovably fixed to the at least one sidewall and extending across the inner chamber such that the separator divides the inner chamber into an upper portion and a lower portion;

a lid removably disposed within an open top of the container; and

a base removably disposed within the bottom wall and having a hollow standpipe extending upward therethrough, the hollow standpipe extending through an opening in the separator when the base is disposed within the bottom wall.

12 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 11 , wherein the separator is monolithic with the container.

13 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 11 , wherein the separator includes a lower surface that is spaced from the lid and from the bottom wall of the container, the lower surface of the separator having an opening formed therein to allow fluid to pass therethrough while substantially preventing solid debris from passing there through.

14 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 11 , further comprising a pour spout in the lid configured to allow fluid from the lower portion to pass therethrough.

15 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 14 , wherein the separator includes a sidewall having a channel formed therein and aligned with the pour spout to allow fluid to flow from the container out the pour spout.

16 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 14 , wherein the pour spout is configured to be in an open position when the lid is in an open position and a closed position.

17 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 11 , wherein the lid includes a removable filter disposed therein and configured to allow a suction force to be applied there through.

18 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 11 , further comprising a spring-biased latch movably mounted on an exterior surface of the container.

19 . The fluid recovery tank of claim 11 , wherein the container is transparent.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2023
From: COTTRELL, LEE MICHAEL
To: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
Reel/Frame 065157/0180 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 20, 2023
From: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 064600/0098 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 17950942 · Sep 22, 2022
Continuation 17832136 · Jun 3, 2022
Provisional Application 63285867 · Dec 3, 2021
Related Publication 20230337884A1 · Oct 26, 2023
References Cited (137)
US 4041569A · Petersen · 1977 [cited by examiner]
US 4894882A · Toya · 1990 [cited by examiner]
US 7491005B2 · Blom · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 9131824B2 · Crawford et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9320406B2 · Irwin et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9408517B2 · Fitzpatrick et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9661975B2 · Charlton · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9687133B2 · Zhu et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9833117B2 · Ludtke et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10092155B2 · Xia et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10182697B2 · Schultheis et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10478038B1 · Gardner · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10512383B2 · Luyckx · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10631702B2 · Xia et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10682034B2 · Ribbe et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10820769B2 · Xia et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US D908994S · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US D908995S · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10925455B1 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10966586B2 · Luyckx et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10973383B1 · Nguyen et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11006809B2 · Li · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11013389B2 · Resch et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11013392B2 · Mcdonnell · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11071428B2 · Resch et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11076735B2 · Resch et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11089933B2 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11096539B2 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11096540B2 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11096541B2 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11096542B2 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11096543B2 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11096544B2 · Nguyen et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11122949B2 · Xia et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11122956B2 · Harrington et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11147426B2 · Nguyen et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11147428B2 · Metzel et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11147429B2 · Mcdonnell · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11185205B2 · Luyckx et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11202549B2 · Krebs et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11241134B2 · Xia et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11304581B2 · Resch et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11375868B2 · Zhu et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11484172B1 · Lampard et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20050273969A1 · Watson et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060150364A1 · Morgan · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20080216278A1 · Krebs · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20170119225A1 · Xia et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20190082925A1 · Conrad et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190125156A1 · Gunter et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200060498A1 · Bradley et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200214527A1 · Resch et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200253447A1 · Wang et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210022581A1 · Piksa · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210113047A1 · Zhao et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210169294A1 · Pruiett et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210228046A1 · Nguyen et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210267428A1 · Scholten et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210298554A1 · Resch et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210321849A1 · Resch et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210338033A1 · Nguyen et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220015597A1 · Nguyen et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220061622A1 · Luyckx et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220071466A1 · Xia et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
AU 2019101774A4 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CA 3025513A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CA 3028214A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CA 3104286A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CA 3104290A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CA 3123772A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CA 3104494A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CA 3104496A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CA 3104499A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CA 3104501A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CA 3066796C · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 105816120A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 106108810A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 206434268U · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 107348918A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 108720754A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108903859A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 108937750A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109124511A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 105816120B · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 109431401A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 109938647A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 209463915U · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 108720754B · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 211933874U · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 112469319A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112512394A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 109124511B · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112806900A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112842164A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112914441A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112932324A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112956946A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112971589A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 113057539A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 213850446U · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 213883040U · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 213883041U · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 113455960A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
CN 112469319B · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 8491991A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
EP 3466311B1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 3491986B1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 3501363B1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
EP 3763269A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3162262B1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3785594A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3787468A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3788922A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3793420A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3834689A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3834690A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3766397B8 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3838096B1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3788932B1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3847940B1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 3888519B1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 3679845B1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 3815592B1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 3875013B1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
IN 106108810B · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019246476A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019246492A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022116343A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022116344A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion in PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/074361, filed on Jan. 8, 2022, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
Invitation to Pay Additional Fees for Application No. PCT/US2022/074361, mailed on Dec. 9, 2022, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]
Lechler USA, “Flat Fan Nozzels”, https://web.archive.org/web/20211130173710/https://www.lechlerusa.com/en/products/product-by-type/flat-fan-nozzles, 2021, pp. 1-5. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/832,136, filed Jun. 3, 2022, Wet Dry Appliance. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/832,155, filed Jun. 3, 2022, Wet Dry Appliance. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/832,192, filed Jun. 3, 2022, Wet Dry Appliance. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/950,942, filed Sep. 22, 2022, Wet Dry Appliance. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion received for PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2024/024011, mailed on Aug. 9, 2024, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]