Robot cleaner system having robot cleaner and docking station

• US 20080201895A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yong Tae, Wee, Hoon, Kim, Dong Won
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• 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 2201/024 Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal

Abstract

Disclosed is a robot cleaner system having superior functions of sucking dust and exhausting dust to a docking station. The robot cleaner includes a dust suction port to suck dust, a dust collecting chamber to collect dust introduced through the dust suction port, a dust exhaust port to exhaust dust collected in the dust collecting chamber to the docking station, a connection path extending from the dust suction port to the dust exhaust port in adjacent to the dust collecting chamber, and a valve device provided between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber, an opening/closing of the valve device allowing the dust collecting chamber to selectively communicate with the dust suction port or the dust exhaust port according to a pressure difference between the dust collecting chamber and the connection path.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner system, comprising:

a robot cleaner; and

a docking station to receive dust collected in the robot cleaner,

wherein the robot cleaner comprises;

a dust suction port to suck dust;

a dust collecting chamber to collect dust introduced through the dust suction port;

a dust exhaust port to exhaust dust collected in the dust collecting chamber to the docking station;

a connection path extending from the dust suction port to the dust exhaust port in adjacent to the dust collecting chamber; and

a valve device provided between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber, an opening/closing of the valve device allowing the dust collecting chamber to selectively communicate with the dust suction port or the dust exhaust port according to a pressure difference between the dust collecting chamber and the connection path.

2. The robot cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the valve device comprises a suction valve, which is opened when dust is sucked through the dust suction port, and an exhaust valve, which is opened when dust is exhausted through the dust exhaust port.

3. The robot cleaner system according to claim 2, further comprising an air guide provided between the suction valve and the exhaust valve to define the dust collecting chamber and the connection path.

4. The robot cleaner system according to claim 2, wherein the exhaust valve is provided at a lower portion of the dust collecting chamber.

5. The robot cleaner system according to claim 2, wherein the exhaust valve is closed when a pressure of the dust collecting chamber is lower than a pressure of the connection path.

6. The robot cleaner system according to claim 2, wherein the suction valve is closed when a pressure of the connection path is lower than a pressure of the dust collecting chamber.

7. The robot cleaner system according to claim 5, wherein the exhaust valve comprises a first valve member having a first side rotatably fixed and a second side pivotably rotated toward the connection path to open/close a path between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber.

8. The robot cleaner system according to claim 6, wherein the suction valve comprises a second valve member having a first side rotatably fixed and a second side pivotably rotated toward the dust collecting chamber to open/close a path between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber.

9. The robot cleaner system according to claim 7, wherein the path between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber is closed in a normal state due to a weight of the first valve member.

10. The robot cleaner system according to claim 8, wherein the path between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber is opened in a normal state due to a weight of the second valve member.

11. The robot cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner further comprises a valve unit that opens the dust exhaust port when the robot cleaner docks with the docking station.

12. The robot cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner further comprises a first dust box to collect dust, the dust collecting chamber, the connection path and the valve device being provided in the first dust box.

13. The robot cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein a check valve, which is opened when a suction force is applied to the connection path, is installed in the dust suction port to prevent dust from flowing back.

14. The robot cleaner system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the check valve comprises a third valve member, an upper portion of the third valve member being rotatably fixed so that the third valve member is able to close the dust suction port due to a weight thereof.

15. A robot cleaner system comprising:

a robot cleaner having a first dust box to collect dust; and

a docking station to receive dust collected in the robot cleaner,

wherein the first dust box comprises;

a dust suction port to suck dust;

a dust collecting chamber to collect dust introduced through the dust suction port;

a dust exhaust port to exhaust dust collected in the dust collecting chamber to the docking station;

a connection path extending from the dust suction port to the dust exhaust port in adjacent to the dust collecting chamber; and

a valve device provided between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber, an opening/closing of the valve device allowing the dust collecting chamber to selectively communicate with the dust suction port or the dust exhaust port according to a pressure difference between the dust collecting chamber and the connection path.

16. A robot cleaner, which docks with a docking station to exhaust dust to the docking station, the robot cleaner comprising:

a dust box to collect dust, comprising;

a dust suction port to suck dust;

a dust collecting chamber to collect dust introduced through the dust suction port;

a dust exhaust port to exhaust dust collected in the dust collecting chamber to the docking station;

a connection path extending from the dust suction port to the dust exhaust port in adjacent to the dust collecting chamber; and

a valve device provided between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber, an opening/closing of the valve device allowing the dust collecting chamber to selectively communicate with the dust suction port or the dust exhaust port according to a pressure difference between the dust collecting chamber and the connection path.

17. The robot cleaner according to claim 16, wherein the valve device comprises a suction valve, which is opened when dust is sucked through the dust suction port, and an exhaust valve, which is opened when dust is exhausted through the dust exhaust port.

18. The robot cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the exhaust valve comprises a first valve member having a first side rotatably fixed and a second side pivotably rotated toward the connection path to open/close a path between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber.

19. The robot cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the suction valve comprises a second valve member having a first side rotatably fixed and a second side pivotably rotated toward the dust collecting chamber to open/close a path between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber.

20. The robot cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the exhaust valve is provided at a lower portion of the dust collecting chamber.

21. The robot cleaner according to claim 16, further comprising a valve unit that opens the dust exhaust port when the robot cleaner docks with the docking station.

22. A robot cleaner system, comprising:

a robot cleaner including;

a first blower,

a dust collecting chamber collecting dust when the first blower is operated,

a connection path selectively communicating with the dust collecting chamber, and

a valve device provided between the connection path and the dust collecting chamber, an opening/closing of the valve device allowing the connection path to selectively communicate with the dust collecting chamber; and

a docking station including a second blower, the docking station receiving dust from the dust collecting chamber when the robot cleaner is docked with the docking station and the second blower is operated.

23. The robot cleaner system according to claim 22, wherein the valve device is opened/closed according to a pressure difference between the dust collecting chamber and the connection path.

24. The robot cleaner system according to claim 23, wherein when the second blower is operated and suction force is applied to the connection path, a valve member of the valve device is closed to close the dust collecting chamber from the connection path.