COVERAGE ROBOTS AND ASSOCIATED CLEANING BINS

• US 20080047092A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Landry, Gregg, Schnittman, Mark, Ozick, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,528,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4025 Means for emptying
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4091 Storing or parking devices, arrangements therefor; Means allowing transport of the machine when it is not being used
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4097 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Exhaust-air treatment, e.g. air purification; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/02 Docking stations; Docking operations
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/024 Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/028 Refurbishing floor engaging tools, e.g. cleaning of beating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 : Dust compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 : Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 : the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust

Abstract

An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.

Claims

1. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot;

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising;

a cleaning assembly housing; and

at least one driven sweeper brush rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing;

a controller carried by the chassis;

a removable sweeper bin attached to the chassis and configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush, the removable sweeper bin comprising;

an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin; and

a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive a signal emitted by the emitter, the emitter and the receiver disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emissions from the emitter; and

a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a signal from the detector and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.

2. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1 further comprising a diffuser positioned over the emitter to diffuse the emitted signal, the receiver receiving the diffused emissions, wherein accumulation of debris in the bin at least partially blocks the diffused emissions from being received by the receiver.

3. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 2 wherein the emitter comprises an infrared light emitter diffused by a translucent plastic sheet.

4. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1 wherein the emitter is disposed on a first interior lateral surface of the bin and the receiver is disposed on an opposing, second interior lateral surface of the bin.

5. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 4 wherein the emitter and the receiver are arranged for a determination of debris accumulation within substantially an entire volume of the bin.

6. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1 further comprising a human perceptible indicator providing an indication that autonomous operation may be interrupted for bin servicing.

7. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1 wherein the cleaning bin further comprises a vacuum assembly having an at least partially separate entrance path into the bin.

8. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 7 wherein the cleaning bin further comprises a plurality of teeth disposed substantially along a mouth of the bin between a sweeper bin portion and a vacuum bin portion housing the vacuum assembly, the teeth configured to strip debris from the rotating sweeper brush, the debris being allowed to accumulate in the sweeper bin portion.

9. A coverage robot bin-full detection system comprising:

a cleaning bin housing configured to be received by a cleaning robot;

a bin capacity sensor system carried by the cleaning bin housing and comprising;

at least one signal emitter disposed on an interior surface of the cleaning bin housing; and

at least one signal receiver disposed on the interior surface of the cleaning bin housing and configured to receive a signal emitted by the emitter;

a controller monitoring a signal from the detector and determining a cleaning service requirement; and

a remote indicator in wireless communication with the controller and providing an indication of the cleaning service requirement determined by the controller.

10. The coverage robot bin-full detection system of claim 9 wherein the cleaning bin housing defines a sweeper bin portion and a vacuum bin portion.

11. The coverage robot bin-full detection system of claim 10 wherein the cleaning bin housing further comprises a vacuum assembly housed by the vacuum bin portion.

12. The coverage robot bin-full detection system of claim 9 wherein the emitter comprises an infrared light emitter.

13. The coverage robot bin-full detection system of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to determine a robot stuck condition and communicates the robot stuck condition to the wireless remote indicator.

14. The coverage robot bin-full detection system of claim 9 wherein the remote indicator is configured to communicate commands to the bin controller.

15. The coverage robot bin-full detection system of claim 9 wherein the bin controller communicates with a controller of the robot.