Robotic sweeper cleaner with dusting pad

• US 7,346,428 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Miner, Jonathon L., Huffman, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARC, MCDIEUNEL
• Application Number:
  US10/707,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/246, 700/248, 700/249, 700/250, 700/259, 318/568.1, 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• 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

Abstract

An autonomously movable home cleaning robot that incorporates a sweeper and dust bin as well as a dusting assembly in tandem in the direction of movement of the robot.

Claims

1. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot comprising:

a base housing;

a drive system mounted to said base housing, said drive system adapted to autonomously move said base housing on a substantially horizontal surface having boundaries;

a computer processing unit for storing, receiving and transmitting data, said computer processing unit associated with said base housing;

a sweeper aperture and a rotary driven brush mounted for rotation in the sweeper aperture for removing debris particles from the surface;

a dust bin in close communication with the sweeper aperture for receiving the debris particles removed from the surface and moved into the dust bin by the brush;

a power source connected to said drive system and said computer processing unit whereby said computer processing unit directs horizontal movement of said base housing in a predetermined direction within the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned based upon input data defining said boundaries; and

a dusting assembly for removing dust from the surface to be cleaned and mounted to an underside of the base housing in a rearward position relative to the sweeper aperture with respect to the predetermined direction for removing dust not removed from the surface to be cleaned by the brush.

2. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 1 wherein the dusting assembly comprises a dusting pad removably mounting a dusting cloth for supporting the dusting cloth against the surface to be cleaned and mounted to the base housing for movement away from the base housing for service of the dusting cloth.

3. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 2 wherein the dusting pad is removably mounted to the base housing.

4. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 2 wherein the dusting pad is hinged to the base housing for selectively pivoting the dusting pad between a first, opened position away from the underside of the base housing for removal and mounting of the dusting cloth to the dusting pad and a second, closed position in operative position with the base housing.

5. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 2 and further comprising at least one dusting cloth engagement member mounted to an upper surface of the dusting pad for retaining a first portion of the dusting cloth.

6. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 5 and further comprising at least one second dusting cloth engagement member mounted to an upper portion of the base housing for retaining a second portion of the dusting cloth, whereby the dusting cloth is positioned over a second, lower pad surface to remove dust from the surface as the base housing is maneuvered over the surface.

7. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 6 wherein the dusting pad is at least partially resilient.

8. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 6 wherein there are at least two second cloth engagement members.

9. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 5 wherein there are at least two first cloth engagement members.

10. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 1 wherein the dust bin is removably mounted to the base housing.

11. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 10 wherein the dust bin is removable from the bottom of the base housing.

12. An autonomously movable home cleaning robot according to claim 10 wherein the dust bin is removed from the top of the base housing.