DUST BIN FOR A ROBOTIC VACUUM

• US 20120199006A1
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: SWETT, David Orrin, SCHNITTMAN, Mark Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,741,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/417
• 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 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2831 Motor parameters, e.g. motor load or speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0969 Spring projected

Abstract

A dust bin for a robotic vacuum comprises a dust bin frame having a cavity defined therein to receive debris, a filter frame disposed within the dust bin frame and defining two filter openings at opposite sides thereof, and a central impeller disposed adjacent to or under the filter frame to draw air from outside of the dust bin into the dust bin. The dust bin also comprises two air filters, one air filter being located on each side of the central impeller, each air filter being inserted into one of the filter openings, each filter having an overhang around a perimeter thereof that includes a sealing face to form a vacuum-assisted seal with the filter frame when air is drawn into the dust bin.

Claims

1. A dust bin for a robotic vacuum, the dust bin comprising:

a dust bin frame having a cavity defined therein to receive debris;

a filter frame disposed within the dust bin frame and defining two filter openings at opposite sides thereof;

a central impeller disposed adjacent to or under the filter frame to draw air from outside of the dust bin into the dust bin; and

two air filters, one air filter being located on each side of the central impeller, each air filter being inserted into one of the filter openings, each filter having an overhang around a perimeter thereof that includes a sealing face to form a vacuum-assisted seal with the filter frame when air is drawn into the dust bin.

2. The dust bin of claim 1, wherein the air filters comprise pleated filter material.

3. The dust bin of claim 2, wherein the pleated filter material has a depth in a direction of air flow of about 0.5 cm or more.

4. The dust bin of claim 2, wherein each air filter comprises a protection grill having multiple fins arranged in parallel.

5. The dust bin of claim 4, wherein the fins of the protection grill are arranged orthogonal to pleats of the pleated air filter material.

6. The dust bin of claim 1, wherein the air filters are each held within the filter frame by a friction or snap fit.

7. The dust bin of claim 1, further comprising a hinged door configured to be opened to empty the contents of the dust bin.

8. The dust bin of claim 7, wherein the hinged door comprises an outwardly-extending lip to direct debris into the dust bin cavity.

9. The dust bin of claim 1, wherein each air filter comprises a tab configured to assist a user in removal of the air filter from the dust bin.

10. The dust bin of claim 1, wherein each air filter comprises retainers configured to retain the air filter in the filter frame.

11. The dust bin of claim 1, wherein each air filter comprises guides configured to be received into the dust bin and facilitate in proper insertion of the air filter into the dust bin.

12. An air filter for a robotic vacuum including an air filter frame, the air filter comprising:

a housing having a plurality of walls and an overhanging sealing face extending beyond at least one of the walls configured to engage with the air filter frame;

pleated air filter material configured to be held within the housing; and

a cover attached to the housing to retain the pleated air filter material within the housing, the cover comprising at least one retaining spring configured to engage with the air filter frame to retain the air filter within the air filter frame.

13. The air filter of claim 12, wherein the at least one retaining spring is configured to deflect during insertion of the air filter into the air filter frame.

14. The air filter of claim 12, further comprising a tab configured to be engaged by a user to facilitate removal of the air filter from an installed position.

15. The air filter of claim 12, further comprising a circumferential seal around the pleated air filter material, the circumferential seal being configured to seal the pleated air filter material within the housing.

16. The air filter of claim 12, wherein the cover comprises at least one guide configured to be received into the dust bin to facilitate proper insertion of the air filter into the dust bin.

17. The air filter of claim 12, wherein the air filter housing comprises a protection grill having parallel fins.

18. The air filter of claim 14, wherein the fins of the protection grill extend orthogonal to pleats of the pleated filter material.

19. The air filter of claim 12, wherein the pleated filter material has a depth in a direction of air flow of about 0.5 cm or more.

20. A sensor assembly for a robotic vacuum comprising a controller, a power source, a chassis, and a dust bin configured to be installed in the chassis and having at least one pocket defined therein, the sensor assembly being configured to sense when the dust bin is full, the sensor assembly comprising:

at least one sensor mounted on the robotic vacuum chassis and extending into the at least one pocket when the dust bin is installed in the robotic vacuum chassis, the at least one sensor being wired directly to the robotic vacuum controller.

21. The sensor assembly of claim 20, wherein the sensors are optical sensors comprising one or more of infrared sensors, photodetectors, fiberoptic sensors, and interferometers.

22. The sensor assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor is additionally wired directly to the robotic vacuum power source.

23. The sensor assembly of claim 20, wherein the at least one pocket is provided on a side of a throat of the dust bin.

24. A directional locking assembly for a robotic vacuum having a dust bin and a chassis in which the dust bin is installed, the directional locking assembly comprising:

a dust bin locking mechanism of the dust bin comprising

a dust bin release, and

a jam latch directly or indirectly in contact with the dust bin release at the dust bin and configured to engage the robotic vacuum chassis, the jam latch being releasable from the robotic vacuum chassis upon depression of the dust bin release, the jam latch having at least one opening defined therein and comprising resilient material disposed within the at least one opening; and

a detent at the robotic vacuum chassis, the detent engaging the resilient material of the jam latch to maintain the dust bin and the robotic vacuum chassis in an engaged state when the weight of the robotic vacuum chassis is applied to the dust bin locking mechanism.

25. The directional locking assembly of claim 24, wherein when the weight of the robotic vacuum chassis is applied to the dust bin locking mechanism, the detent engages the jam latch in an orthogonal direction with respect to a direction of release of the jam latch.