Robotic surface-cleaning assemblies and methods
First Claim
1. A robotic surface-cleaning assembly, the assembly comprising:
- a robotic arm;
an end effector, comprising;
a base operatively coupled to the robotic arm;
a supply of cleaning fabric supported relative to the base;
an applicator supported relative to the base, wherein the applicator is configured to support a portion of cleaning fabric from the supply of cleaning fabric and operatively and selectively position the portion into engagement with a surface to be cleaned; and
a source of cleaning fluid supported relative to the base, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively (i) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator and/or (ii) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned; and
a controller programmed to;
(i) at least one of (a) deliver cleaning fluid from the source of cleaning fluid directly to a first portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, and (b) deliver cleaning fluid directly to a first region of the surface to be cleaned;
(ii) following (i), move the applicator to position the first portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a first predefined motion across the first region;
(iii) following (ii), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a second portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the second portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned; and
(iv) following (iii), move the applicator to position the second portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a second predefined motion across the first region;
wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the end effector in at least three degrees of freedom relative to the surface to be cleaned.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Robotic surface-cleaning assemblies include a base configured to be operatively coupled to a robotic arm; a supply of cleaning fabric supported relative to the base; an applicator supported relative to the base, wherein the applicator is configured to support a portion of cleaning fabric from the supply of cleaning fabric and operatively and selectively position the portion into engagement with a surface to be cleaned; and a source of cleaning fluid supported relative to the base, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively (i) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator and/or (ii) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned. Methods of cleaning a surface with a robotic surface-cleaning assembly also are disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A robotic surface-cleaning assembly, the assembly comprising:
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a robotic arm; an end effector, comprising; a base operatively coupled to the robotic arm; a supply of cleaning fabric supported relative to the base; an applicator supported relative to the base, wherein the applicator is configured to support a portion of cleaning fabric from the supply of cleaning fabric and operatively and selectively position the portion into engagement with a surface to be cleaned; and a source of cleaning fluid supported relative to the base, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively (i) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator and/or (ii) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned; and a controller programmed to; (i) at least one of (a) deliver cleaning fluid from the source of cleaning fluid directly to a first portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, and (b) deliver cleaning fluid directly to a first region of the surface to be cleaned; (ii) following (i), move the applicator to position the first portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a first predefined motion across the first region; (iii) following (ii), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a second portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the second portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned; and (iv) following (iii), move the applicator to position the second portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a second predefined motion across the first region; wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the end effector in at least three degrees of freedom relative to the surface to be cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20)
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16. A robotic surface-cleaning assembly, the assembly comprising:
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a robotic arm; and an end effector, wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the end effector in at least three degrees of freedom relative to a surface to be cleaned, and wherein the end effector comprises; a base operatively coupled to the robotic arm; a supply of cleaning fabric supported relative to the base, wherein the supply of cleaning fabric includes a supply spool of clean cleaning fabric, a take-up spool, and a length of cleaning fabric that extends from the supply spool to the take-up spool; an applicator supported relative to the base, wherein the applicator supports a portion of cleaning fabric between the supply spool and the take-up spool and is configured to operatively and selectively position the portion into engagement with the surface to be cleaned, wherein the applicator defines an applicator surface, wherein the portion extends across the applicator surface, and wherein the applicator includes a supply-side guide and a take-up-side guide configured to position the cleaning fabric relative to the applicator surface and guide the cleaning fabric across the applicator surface; a source of cleaning fluid supported relative to the base, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively (i) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator and/or (ii) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned; and a controller programmed to; (i) at least one of (a) deliver cleaning fluid from the source of cleaning fluid directly to a first portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, and (b) deliver cleaning fluid directly to a first region of the surface to be cleaned; (ii) following (i), move the applicator to position the first portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a first predefined motion across the first region; (iii) following (ii), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a second portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the second portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned; (iv) following (iii), move the applicator to position the second portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a second predefined motion across the first region; (v) following (iv), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a third portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the third portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned; and (vi) following (iv) and optionally following (v), move the applicator relative to the surface to be cleaned and repeat (i)-(v) with respect to a second region of the surface to be cleaned and with the third portion and a fourth portion of the cleaning fabric, wherein the second region is different than the first region. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification