US 11,998,150 B2
Vacuum cleaner and docking station for use with the same
Daniel J. Innes, West Roxbury, MA (US); Andre D. Brown, Natick, MA (US); Jason B. Thorne, Dover, MA (US); Kai Xu, Suzhou (CN); and Sam Liu, Suzhou (CN)
Assigned to SharkNinja Operating LLC, Needham, MA (US)
Filed by SharkNinja Operating, LLC, Needham, MA (US)
Filed on May 1, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/864,538.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/841,548, filed on May 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0345196 A1, Nov. 5, 2020
Int. Cl. A47L 11/40 (2006.01); A47L 9/10 (2006.01); A47L 9/12 (2006.01); A47L 9/14 (2006.01); A47L 9/20 (2006.01); A47L 9/28 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 11/4025 (2013.01) [A47L 9/12 (2013.01); A47L 9/20 (2013.01); A47L 9/2873 (2013.01); A47L 11/4033 (2013.01); A47L 11/4091 (2013.01); A47L 9/106 (2013.01); A47L 9/149 (2013.01); A47L 2201/024 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A docking station for a vacuum cleaner having a cleaner dust cup with a filter, the docking station comprising:
a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner such that, in response to engaging the receptacle, a vacuum cleaner flow path extending within the vacuum cleaner is transitioned from a cleaning flow path to an evacuation flow path, wherein transitioning from the cleaning flow path to the evacuation flow path includes causing an evacuation hatch of the cleaner dust cup to open an evacuation opening of the cleaner dust cup and causing an inlet hatch of the cleaner dust cup to close an inlet of the cleaner dust cup, a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner being configured to urge air along the vacuum cleaner flow path, wherein air flowing along the evacuation flow path flows through the filter in a direction opposite to that of air flowing along the cleaning flow path; and
a docking station dust cup configured to receive debris from the cleaner dust cup through the evacuation opening in response to the suction motor of the vacuum cleaner urging air along the evacuation flow path.