Cleaner system

• US 7,779,504 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Joo, Jae Man, Lee, Jun Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; David B
• Application Number:
  US11/501,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/401, 153/402, 153/28, 700/245
• US Class Current: 15/319
• 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/024 Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Abstract

A cleaner system having an improved connecting position and structure between a robot cleaner and a docking station for achieving an improvement in dust removal performance of the docking station. The docking station performs manual cleaning. The robot cleaner has a dust outlet at a top wall of the robot body to discharge the dust collected in the first dust collector into the docking station, and the docking station has a connection port at a position thereof corresponding to the dust outlet to receive the dust discharged from the dust outlet. The robot cleaner or docking station includes a connector to connect the dust outlet to the connection port. The docking station includes a suction part, suction pipe, and suction hole for manual operation. A channel switching member is mounted in the docking station to selectively apply power required to suck dust to the connection port or suction hole.

Claims

1. A cleaner system comprising:

a robot cleaner comprising;

a robot body having an inlet to receive dust,

a first dust collector mounted in the robot body to collect the dust received, and

a dust outlet formed at a top wall of the robot body to discharge the dust collected in the first dust collector; and

a docking station removing the dust collected in the first dust collector when the docking station is connected with the robot cleaner, the docking station comprising;

a connection port formed at a position thereof corresponding to the dust outlet to receive the dust discharged from the dust outlet,

a station body including a blower and a second dust collector mounted in the station body to suck and collect dust, and a suction hole,

a suction pipe connected with the station body to enable manual cleaning using the docking station, the suction hole communicating with the suction pipe,

a first suction channel defined between the suction hole and the connection port, and

a channel switching member provided in the station body vertically movable between a first position in the first suction channel allowing the suction hole to communicate with the second dust collector and a second position in the first suction channel allowing the connection port to communicate with the second dust collector to selectively apply a force generated by the blower to the connection port or to the suction hole.

2. The cleaner system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connector mounted in the robot cleaner or the docking station to connect the dust outlet to the connection port when the robot cleaner is coupled with the docking station.

3. The cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the dust outlet comprises an opening/closing member to close the dust outlet when the robot cleaner performs automatic cleaning.

4. The cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner further comprises a rechargeable battery, and the docking station comprises a charger to be electrically connected with the rechargeable battery when the robot cleaner is coupled to the docking station, to charge the rechargeable battery.

5. The cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein a second suction channel is defined between the first suction channel and the second dust collector to communicate with the first suction channel.

6. The cleaner system according to claim 5, wherein, the first suction channel is divided into a first channel portion in the proximity of the suction hole and a second channel portion in the proximity of the connection port, depending on a position where the first suction channel communicates with the second suction channel, and

wherein the first suction channel comprises a channel switching member to selectively communicate the second suction channel with one of the first and second channel portions.

7. The cleaner system according to claim 6, wherein the channel switching member is vertically movable in the first suction channel.

8. The cleaner system according to claim 7, wherein the channel switching member comprises a first connection channel to connect the first channel portion to the second suction channel when the channel switching member moves downward, and a second connection channel to connect the second channel portion to the second suction channel when the channel switching member moves upward.

9. The cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner further comprises a rechargeable battery, and the docking station further comprises a charger to be electrically connected with the rechargeable battery when the robot cleaner is coupled to the docking station, to charge the rechargeable battery.

10. A cleaner system comprising a robot cleaner having a first dust collector, and a docking station to remove dust collected in the first dust collector,

wherein the robot cleaner comprises a dust outlet to discharge the dust into the docking station, and

wherein the docking station comprises:

a station body having a connection port to receive the dust discharged from the dust outlet,

a suction hole to receive dust sucked from the floor into the station body,

a second dust collector to collect the dust delivered from the connection port and the suction hole,

a blower to generate a suction force required for the suction of dust,

a first suction channel defined between the suction hole and the connection port, and

a channel switching member provided in the station body vertically movable between a first position in the first suction channel allowing the suction hole to communicate with the second dust collector and a second position in the first suction channel allowing the connection port to communicate with the second dust collector to selectively apply the suction force generated by the blower to the connection port or suction hole.

11. The cleaner system according to claim 10, wherein a second suction channel is defined between the first suction channel and the second dust collector to communicate with the first suction channel, the channel switching member selectively providing communication between the suction hole of the docketing station and the second suction channel and between the connection port receiving dust from the robot cleaner and the second suction channel.

12. The cleaner system according to claim 11, wherein the first suction channel is divided into a first channel portion in the proximity of the suction hole and a second channel portion in the proximity of the connection port depending on a position where the first suction channel communicates with the second suction channel, and the channel switching member selectively communicates the second suction channel with one of the first and second channel portions.

13. A cleaner system, comprising:

a robot cleaner to automatically clean and collect dust, comprising;

an inlet to receive the dust,

a first dust collector to collect the dust received via the inlet,

a dust outlet positioned on a top portion thereof, to discharge dust therefrom, and

a suction part to suction dust; and

a docking station to remove the dust from the robot cleaner, comprising;

a station body including a blower,

a protruding portion,

a connection port corresponding to the dust outlet of the robot cleaner and coupled with the dust outlet via a connector to receive the dust discharged from the dust outlet

a suction pipe to connect the suction part of the robot cleaner with the docking station and to receive the dust suctioned by the suction part, to thereby enable a user to perform manual cleaning via the docking station,

a suction hole communicating with the suction pipe,

a first suction channel defined between the suction hole and the connection port, and

a channel switching member provided in the station body vertically movable between a first position in the first suction channel allowing the suction hole to communicate with the second dust collector and a second position in the first suction channel allowing the connection port to communicate with the second dust collector to selectively apply a force generated by the blower to the connection port or to the suction hole, and

a second dust collector to collect the dust received via the connection port,

wherein the robot cleaner is received under the protruding portion of the docking station and coupled with the docking station at the suction part to perform a dust removal operation.

14. The cleaner system of claim 13, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a second suction channel formed between the first suction channel and the second dust collector, wherein the dust collected by the suction part travels through the suction pipe into the first suction channel, and into the second dust collector via the second suction channel,

wherein the suction hole is formed through the protruding portion and corresponding to the connection port, to receive the suction pipe therein.

15. The cleaner system of claim 13, wherein when the dust collected by the first dust collector of the robot cleaner while automatically cleaning and collecting dust, exceeds a predetermined level, the robot cleaner returns to the docking station for removal of the dust collected, and the docking station performs the dust removal operation.

16. The cleaner system of claim 15, wherein the robot cleaner further comprises a dust quantity sensor to sense a quantity of the dust collected in the first dust collector and to determine whether the dust collected exceeds the predetermined level.