Autonomous surface cleaning robot for dry cleaning

• US 7,620,476 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Gilbert, Duane Jr., Jones, Andrew, Ziegler, Andrew, Morse, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc; Mcdieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/207,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/246, 700/249, 700/250, 700/259, 700/256, 700/261, 318/568.1, 318/568.12, 318/580, 318/581, 318/587, 901/1, 901/46, 901/47, 153/19, 701/23
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• 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 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• 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 5/14 cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0004 Suction cleaners adapted to take up liquids, e.g. wet or dry vacuum cleaners floor-scrubbing machines taking-up dirty liquid by suction A47L11/30
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means

Abstract

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis, the chassis being supported for transport over the surface along the fore-aft axis, the chassis including a first collecting apparatus attached thereto and configured to collect loose particulates from the surface over a cleaning width disposed generally parallel with the transverse axis, the first collecting apparatus comprising;

an air jet port configured to expel a jet of air across the cleaning width;

an air intake port configured to draw air and loose particulates in; and

a channel formed with generally opposed forward and aft edges, extending generally parallel with the transverse axis across the cleaning width, and generally opposed left and right edges, extending generally orthogonal to said forward and aft edges;

wherein the air jet port and the air intake port are disposed at opposing ends of the cleaning width with the air jet port expelling the jet of air generally parallel with the surface and generally directed toward the air intake port, and wherein the air jet port is disposed at one of said left and right edges and the air intake port is disposed at the other of said left and right edges.

2. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a first compliant doctor blade disposed across the cleaning width and fixedly attached to a bottom surface of the chassis proximate to said aft edge and extending from said bottom surface to the surface for guiding the jet of air and loose particulates across the cleaning width.

3. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a second compliant doctor blade fixedly attached to said bottom surface and extending from said bottom surface to the surface, for guiding the jet of air and loose particulates into the air intake port.

4. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a second collecting apparatus attached to the chassis and disposed aft of the first collecting apparatus for collecting liquid from the surface over the cleaning width.

5. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a waste storage container attached to the chassis and configured to store the liquid collected from the surface.

6. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a motive drive subsystem controlled by a master control module and power by a power module, each attached to the chassis, for autonomously transporting the surface cleaning apparatus over the surface.

7. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis, the chassis being supported for transport over the surface along the fore-aft axis, the chassis comprising;

a rotary fan motor having a fixed housing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom;

a fan impeller configured to move air when rotated about a rotation axis, said fan impeller being fixedly attached to the rotating shaft for rotation about the rotation axis by the fan motor;

a housing for housing the fan impeller in a hollow cavity formed therein and for fixedly supporting the motor fixed housing thereon, the housing being further configured with an air intake port through which air is drawn in to the cavity, and an air exit port through which air is expelled out of the cavity when the impeller is rotated;

a first fluid conduit fluidly connected between the fan air intake port and the air intake port of said first collecting apparatus; and

a first collecting apparatus attached thereto and configured to collect loose particulates from the surface over a cleaning width disposed generally parallel with the transverse axis, the first collecting apparatus comprising;

an air jet port configured to expel a jet of air across the cleaning width; and

an air intake port configured to draw air and loose particulates in, wherein the air jet port and the air intake port are disposed at opposing ends of the cleaning width with the air jet port expelling the jet of air generally parallel with the surface and generally directed toward the air intake port.

8. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising a waste storage container attached to the chassis and fluidly interposed within said first fluid conduit between the fan air intake port and the air intake port.

9. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the waste storage container is configured to be removable from the chassis by a user and to be emptied by the user.

10. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising an air filter element interposed within said first fluid conduit between the waste storage container and the fan air intake port for filtering loose contaminates from air being drawn in through the fan air intake port.

11. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a second fluid conduit fluidly connected between the fan exit port and the air jet port of said first collecting apparatus.

12. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis, the chassis being supported for transport over the surface along the fore-aft axis, the chassis including a first collecting apparatus attached thereto and configured to collect loose particulates from the surface over a cleaning width disposed generally parallel with the transverse axis, the first collecting apparatus comprising an air jet port configured to expel a jet of air across the cleaning width and an air intake port configured to draw air and loose particulates in, wherein the air jet port and the air intake port are disposed at opposing ends of the cleaning width with the air jet port expelling the jet of air generally parallel with the surface and generally directed toward the air intake port; and

a second collecting apparatus attached to the chassis and disposed aft of the first collecting apparatus for collecting liquid from the surface over the cleaning width, wherein the second collecting apparatus comprises;

a squeegee fixedly attached to the chassis aft of the first collecting apparatus and extending from a bottom surface of the chassis to the surface across the cleaning width for collecting liquid in a liquid collection volume formed between the squeegee and the surface, the squeegee further forming a vacuum chamber and providing a plurality of suction ports disposed across the cleaning width and fluidly connecting the vacuum chamber and the liquid collection volume; and

,

a vacuum for generating a negative air pressure inside the vacuum chamber to thereby draw liquid into the vacuum chamber through the plurality of suction ports fluidly connected with the collection volume.

13. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising the following elements attached to the chassis:

a rotary fan motor having a fixed housing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom;

a fan impeller configured to move air when rotated about a rotation axis, said fan impeller being fixedly attached to the rotating shaft for rotation about the rotation axis by the fan motor;

a housing for housing the fan impeller in a hollow cavity formed therein and for fixedly supporting the motor fixed housing thereon, the housing being further configured with an air intake port through which air is drawn in to the cavity, and an air exit port through which air is expelled out of the cavity when the impeller is rotated;

a first fluid conduit fluidly connected between the fan air intake port and the air intake port of said first collecting apparatus; and

,

a third fluid conduit fluidly connected between the fan air intake port and the vacuum chamber.

14. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a second fluid conduit fluidly connected between the fan exit port and the air jet port of said first collecting apparatus.

15. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising a waste storage container attached to the chassis and configured to store the liquid collected from the surface, said waste storage container being fluidly interposed within said first and said third fluid conduits.

16. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said waste storage container comprises:

a sealed waste container for storing loose particulates collected by the first collecting apparatus and for storing liquid collected by the second collecting apparatus and having at least one access port formed therein for emptying waste from the container; and

,

a plenum incorporated into a top wall of the sealed container such that the plenum is disposed vertically above the sealed waste container during operation of the cleaning apparatus; and

wherein the plenum is configured with ports for fluidly interposing within each of said first, said second and said third fluid conduits.

17. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the waste storage container is configured to be removable from the chassis by a user and to be emptied by the user.

18. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising:

a cleaning fluid applicator assembly, attached to the chassis between the first collecting apparatus and the second collecting apparatus for applying a cleaning fluid onto the surface across the cleaning width; and

,

a sealed cleaning fluid storage container for holding a supply of the cleaning fluid therein the storage container including at least one access port formed therein for filling the container with the cleaning fluid.

19. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said sealed waste container and said sealed cleaning fluid container are integrated into a liquid storage container module and wherein the integrated liquid storage container module is configured to be removable from the chassis by a user for filling with cleaning fluid and for emptying waste therefrom.

20. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising:

a smearing element attached the chassis aft of the liquid applicator assembly and configured to smear the cleaning fluid across the cleaning width; and

,

a scrubbing element attached to the chassis aft of the smearing element for scrubbing the surface across the cleaning width.

21. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 20 further comprising a motive drive subsystem controlled by a master control module and power by a power module, each attached to the chassis , for autonomously transporting the surface cleaning apparatus over the surface.

23. A surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a waste storage container attached to the chassis and configured to store the liquid collected from the surface, said waste storage container being fluidly interposed within said third fluid conduit.

22. A surface cleaning apparatus according to 21 further comprising:

a sensor module configured to sense conditions and to generate electrical sensor signals in response to sensing said conditions;

a signal line for communicating the electrical sensor signals to the master control module; and

,

a controller incorporated within the master control module for implementing predefined operating modes in response to sensing said conditions.

24. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis, the chassis being supported for transport over the surface along the fore-aft axis, the chassis including a first collecting apparatus attached thereto and configured to collect loose particulates from the surface over a cleaning width disposed generally parallel with the transverse axis, the first collecting apparatus comprising;

an air jet port configured to expel a jet of air across the cleaning width;

an air intake port configured to draw air and loose particulates in, wherein the air jet port and the air intake port are disposed at opposing ends of the cleaning width with the air jet port expelling the jet of air generally parallel with the surface and generally directed toward the air intake port;

a motive drive subsystem controlled by a master control module and power by a power module, each attached to the chassis, for autonomously transporting the surface cleaning apparatus over the surface;

a sensor module configured to sense conditions and to generate electrical sensor signals in response to sensing said conditions;

a signal line for communicating the electrical sensor signals to the master control module; and

,

a controller incorporated within the master control module for implementing predefined operating modes in response to sensing said conditions.

25. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

an autonomous transport drive subsystem controlled by a master control module, a sensor module for sensing conditions, a power module and cleaning elements all supported on a chassis and powered by the power module for moving the chassis over the surface in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module, the elements being configured with a cleaning width disposed generally orthogonal to a forward transport direction and wherein the cleaning elements comprise;

a first collecting apparatus for collecting loose particulates from the surface across the cleaning width, said first collecting apparatus being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface first as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;

a cleaning fluid applicator for applying cleaning fluid onto the surface across the cleaning width, said cleaning fluid applicator being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface second as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;

a smearing element for smearing the cleaning fluid applied onto the surface across the cleaning width, said smearing element being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface third as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;

an active scrubbing element for actively scrubbing the surface across the cleaning width, said active scrubbing element being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface fourth as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;

a second collecting apparatus for collecting waste liquid from the surface, said second collecting apparatus being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface fifth as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction; and

,

an integrated storage container module comprising a waste storage container for storing loose particulates collected by said first collecting apparatus and waste liquid collected by said second collecting apparatus, a cleaning fluid supply container for storing a supply of the cleaning fluid, and wherein the integrated storage container module is configured to be removed from the chassis by a user, filled with cleaning fluid and emptied of waste and then reinstalled onto the chassis by the user.