Robot Cleaner

• US 20080271278A1
• Filed: 09/04/2006
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyungmin Mechatronics Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kyungmin Mechatronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Seung-Rak
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,666 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 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00

Abstract

A robot cleaner is mainly comprised of a base case whose upper portion is equipped with a driving part for running and a suction part for removing dust or dirt; and a top case covering on top of said base case, wherein said base case is formed at lower portion thereof with an inside vertical wall protruding so as to surround dust suction aperture, and with an outside vertical wall external to said inside vertical wall so that a hollow part may be formed in-between surrounding said inside vertical wall; and an auxiliary suction wall is installed between said inside vertical wall and outside vertical wall in such a manner that said auxiliary suction wall is movable by force of spring external to said inside vertical wall between a No. 1 position locating toward floor (F) and a No. 2 position locating withdrawn from said No. 1 position opposite to floor (F), said auxiliary suction wall being positioned toward floor (F) when no external forces are applied. According to this configuration, it is easy and convenient to install the auxiliary suction wall around dust suction inlet for enhancing easiness in dust suction.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner capable of running around by itself on a prescribed path for removing dust or dirt out of floor (F), the robot cleaner being furnished with a base case 10 whose upper portion is equipped with a driving part for running and a suction part for removing dust or dirt and one side is formed with a dust suction aperture 11 to which a dust suction inlet 18 is inserted for inhaling dust or dirt from floor (F) into said suction part;

and with a top case 20 covering on top of said base case 10, wherein

said base case 10 is formed at lower portion thereof with an inside vertical wall 12 protruding so as to surround said dust suction aperture 11, and with an outside vertical wall 13 external to said inside vertical wall 12 so that a hollow part 14 may be formed in-between surrounding said inside vertical wall 12; and

an auxiliary suction wall 30 is installed between said inside vertical wall 12 and outside vertical wall 13 in such a manner that said auxiliary suction wall 30 is movable by force of spring 34 external to said inside vertical wall 12 between a No. 1 position locating toward floor (F) and a No. 2 position locating withdrawn from said No. 1 position opposite to floor (F), said auxiliary suction wall 30 being positioned toward floor (F) when no external forces are applied.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein

said auxiliary suction wall 30 is formed along periphery thereof with a plurality of catching prominences 31 that are supportable by insertion at the base case 10, and at both sides thereof with guide rods 32 protruding, wherein said guide rod 32 each is inserted by a spring 34 capable of applying force in such a direction that said auxiliary suction wall 30 should get far from said base case 10.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein

said auxiliary suction wall 30 is further formed at the side thereof touching on floor (F), with a flange 33 for increasing contact area with floor (F).