ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20170273521A1
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
• Original Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
• Inventors: Klintemyr, Andreas, Haegermarck, Anders, Kastensson, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,729,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0472 Discs
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools

Abstract

A robotic vacuum cleaner having a nozzle inlet facing a surface to be cleaned, and a rotatable side brush. The rotatable side brush has bristles extending substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned, and the nozzle inlet includes a frame structure forming an opening, the opening being arranged in fluid communication with a debris receptacle. The bristles extend over a side portion of the nozzle inlet. The frame structure has a base portion extending substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned. The base portion extends at a first level. The frame structure at the side portion extends substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned at a second level. The first level is arranged closer to the surface to be cleaned than the second level.

Claims

1. A robotic vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a drive arrangement configured to drive the vacuum cleaner along a surface to be cleaned;

a vacuum producing unit;

a debris receptacle;

a nozzle inlet facing the surface to be cleaned, the nozzle inlet comprising a frame structure having;

an opening in fluid communication with the debris receptacle;

a base portion extending at a first level substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned; and

a side portion located at a lateral end of the opening and extending at a second level substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned, the first level being closer to the surface to be cleaned than the second level;

a rotatable side brush having a rotation axis, the rotatable side brush comprising bristles extending in a direction substantially outwardly from the rotation axis and substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned, and wherein during rotation of the rotatable side brush the bristles extend to a lateral portion of the housing and over the side portion of the nozzle inlet.

2. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the side portion extends from the lateral end of the nozzle inlet towards a center of the nozzle inlet.

3. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first level extends at a distance of less than 2 mm from the surface to be cleaned.

4. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the base portion is that part of the nozzle inlet which extends closest to the surface to be cleaned.

5. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the frame structure comprises a leading edge portion, and wherein at least a portion of the leading edge portion provides a smooth transition between the second level and the first level.

6. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the frame structure comprises at least one cross brace extending from the leading edge portion to a trailing edge portion of the frame structure.

7. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cross brace forms part of the base portion and extends at the first level.

8. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a rotatable elongated brush roll arranged inside the housing and extending along the nozzle inlet including the side portion, the elongated brush roll comprising radially extending members, wherein during rotation of the elongated brush roll a first radially extending member of the radially extending members extends from inside the housing at least to the first level.

9. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the bristles of the rotatable side brush extend at least partially at the second level or at least partially between the second level and the first level.

10. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the first radially extending member comprises a resilient lip.

11. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein a first brush motor drives the rotatable side brush and a second brush motor drives the rotatable elongated brush roll, and wherein a rotation of the rotatable side brush is individually controllable of a rotation of the rotatable elongated brush roll.

12. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable side brush is rotatable in two directions.

13. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the bristles of the rotatable side brush extend beyond the side portion of the nozzle inlet during rotation of the side brush.

14. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to any one of the claim 1, wherein and the vacuum producing unit is arranged in fluid communication with the opening.

15. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the first radially extending member cleans the bristles of the side brush during rotation of the elongated brush roll and the side brush.