Coverage Robot Docking Station

• US 20140184144A1
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Geringer, Joseph, Henricksen, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 9,178,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/02 Docking stations; Docking operations
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A coverage robot docking station includes a base having a robot receiving surface. The base defines a power receptacle for receiving a power supply. The base also defines a beacon receptacle for receiving a beacon. A side wall extends from the base, where the side wall and the receiving surface of the base define a robot holder. At least one charging contact is disposed on the robot receiving surface for charging a received robot.

Claims

1. A coverage robot docking station comprising:

a base having a robot receiving surface, the base defining a power receptacle for receiving a power supply, the base defining a beacon receptacle for receiving a beacon;

a side wall extending from the base, the side wall and the receiving surface of the base defining a robot holder; and

at least one charging contact disposed on the robot receiving surface for charging a received robot.

2. The coverage robot docking station of claim 1, wherein the side wall defines an arcuate shape complimenting a shape of the received robot.

7. The coverage docking station of claim 1, wherein the power receptacle releasably retains the power supply.

8. The coverage docking station of claim 7, wherein the power receptacle comprises at least one retaining clip releasably engaging and retaining the received power supply.

9. The coverage docking station of claim 8, wherein the at least one retaining clip is spring biased.

10. The coverage docking station of claim 1, wherein the beacon receptacle releasably retains the beacon.

11. The coverage docking station of claim 10, wherein the beacon receptacle comprises at least one retaining clip releasably engaging and retaining the received beacon.

12. The coverage docking station of claim 11, wherein the at least one retaining clip is spring biased.

13. The coverage docking station of claim 1, further comprising a cover releasably attachable to the side wall, the cover and the robot holder together defining a volume for housing the received robot.

14. The coverage docking station of claim 1, wherein at least one of the base and the side wall is treated with anti-bacterial coating.

15. The coverage docking station of claim 1, wherein at least one of the base and the side all is treated with a superhydrophobic coating.

16. The coverage docking station of claim 1, further comprising a wall mount fixe attached to a hack surface of the side wall for attaching the coverage robot docking station to a wall mount.

17. The coverage docking station of claim 1, further comprising a robot retainer disposed on the robot receiving surface for retaining the received robot in a docked position.

18. The coverage docking station of claim 17, wherein the robot retainer further comprises a nozzle for blowing air into the robot.

19. The coverage robot docking station of claim 1, wherein the side wall is arranged at a 90°

angle with respect to the robot receiving surface.

20. The coverage docking station of claim 19, wherein the robot receiving surface extends along at least a portion of the side wall.

21. The coverage docking station of claim 19, further comprising a band disposed on the side wall, the band and the side wall together defining a robot receiver arranged to receive and support the received robot in a vertical position while resting on the robot receiving surface.

22. The coverage docking station of claim 19, wherein the side wall defining a handle aperture near a distal end of the side wall for carrying the coverage docking station with the received robot in a vertical position.

23. The coverage robot docking station of claim 19, further comprising a wall mount fixture attached to a back surface of the side wall for attaching the coverage robot docking station to a wall mount.

3. The coverage robot docking station of claim wherein the side wall defines a frustoconical shape.

4. The coverage docking station of claim 3, wherein the side wall defining at least one cut-out forming a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion, the first and second side wall portions each defining a handle aperture for carrying the coverage docking station.

5. The coverage robot docking station of claim 4, wherein the base further comprises an annular rim confining the received robot on the robot receiving surface, the side wall extending from the annular rim away from the robot receiving surface.

6. The coverage robot docking station of claim 5, further comprising two or more legs disposed on the side wall and arranged for supporting the coverage robot docking station in a tilted standing position partially resting on the side wall.

24. A coverage robot docking station comprising:

a base having a robot receiving surface, the base defining a power receptacle for receiving a power supply, the base defining a beacon receptacle for receiving a beacon, the base defining a handle aperture for carrying the coverage docking station;

an annular rim protruding from the robot receiving surface; and

at least one charging contact disposed on the robot receiving surface for charging a received robot.

25. The coverage robot docking station of claim 24, wherein the annular rim releasably retains the received robot.

26. The coverage docking station of claim 24, wherein the power receptacle releasably retains the power supply.

27. The coverage docking station of claim 26, wherein the power receptacle comprises at least one retaining clip releasably engaging and retaining the received power supply.

28. The coverage docking station of claim 27, wherein the at least one retaining clip is spring biased.

29. The coverage docking station of claim 24, wherein the beacon receptacle releasably retains the beacon.

30. The coverage docking station of claim 29, wherein the beacon receptacle comprises at least one retaining clip releasably engaging and retaining the received beacon.

31. The coverage docking station of claim 30, wherein the at least one retaining clip is spring biased.

32. The coverage docking station of claim 24, wherein the base is treated with anti-bacterial coating.

33. The coverage docking station of claim 24, wherein the base is treated with a superhydrophobic coating.

34. The coverage docking station of claim 24, further comprising a robot retainer disposed on the robot receiving surface for retaining the received robot in a docked position.

35. The coverage docking station of claim 34, wherein the robot retainer further comprises a nozzle for blowing air into the robot.

36. The coverage robot docking station of claim 24, further comprising a stand disposed on a back surface of the base for supporting the base at an angle relative to a supporting surface.

37. The coverage robot docking station of claim 24, further comprising a wall mount fixture attached to a back surface of the base for attaching the coverage robot docking station to a wall mount.

38. A coverage robot docking station comprising:

a base having a robot receiving surface;

a side wall extending from the base, the side wall and the receiving surface of the base defining a trough sized and shaped for capturing droplets of fluid from wet components of a coverage robot received on the robot receiving surface;

an air mover arranged to move air onto the received coverage robot; and

a robot detector arranged to detect the presence of the received coverage robot, the robot detector activating the air mover upon detecting the presence of the received coverage robot.

39. The coverage robot docking station of claim 38, wherein the air mover is positioned adjacent wet components of the received coverage robot.

40. The coverage robot docking station of claim 39, wherein the air mover comprises a fan having a nozzle disposed in the robot receiving surface to move air onto the wet components of the received coverage robot.

41. The coverage robot docking station of claim 40, wherein the air mover directs a stream of air across the wet components of the coverage robot such that droplets of fluid are moved from the wet components to the trough.

42. The coverage robot docking station of claim 40, wherein the air mover directs a heated stream of air across the wet components of the coverage robot.

43. The coverage robot docking station of claim 38, wherein the air mover is an exhaust fan housed in the coverage robot and the receiving surface directs a heated stream of exhaust air across the wet components of the coverage robot.