Gutter cleaning robot

• US 8,196,251 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Lynch, James
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US11/847,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20080264456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 151/040.9, 152/360.4, 700/245
• US Class Current: 15/236.04
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/32 using rotary cleaning members
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/024 Cleaning by means of spray elements moving over the surface to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/0765 Cleaning tools

Abstract

A gutter cleaning robot can traverse rain gutters to agitate and remove debris. The gutter cleaning robot is equipped with a debris auger at a front end that contacts and ejects the debris, and has a drive system for propelling the gutter cleaning robot along the rain gutter. The debris auger can include a spiral screw or various other forms of auger, and may be interchangeable by the user so as to enhance the effectiveness of the gutter cleaning robot in various environments or modes of operation.

Claims

1. A gutter cleaning robot, comprising:

a drive system configured to propel the gutter cleaning robot along a rain gutter, the drive system comprising a drive motor;

a debris auger detachably connected to the gutter cleaning robot and configured to agitate debris out of the rain gutter;

a debris auger motor mechanically couplable to the debris auger;

an ammeter configured to monitor an auger current supplied to the debris auger motor; and

a controller configured to receive input from the ammeter and to control the drive motor and the debris auger motor, wherein the controller is further configured to modulate the drive motor when the auger current exceeds a threshold value.

2. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

a main body including a robot connector configured to mechanically drive the debris auger; and

a debris auger connector disposed on the debris auger and configured to interface with the robot connector.

3. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 2, wherein the debris auger connector includes a plurality of connector concavities extending into the debris auger connector, each connector concavity aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the debris auger connector, and wherein the robot connector includes a plurality of tines each configured to extend into a respective connector concavity of the debris auger connector.

4. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 2, wherein the robot connector further includes a locking collar concavity, wherein the debris auger further includes a shroud disposed around the debris auger connector, the shroud configured to envelope the robot connector when the debris auger is attached to the main body of the gutter cleaning robot, wherein the shroud includes a locking protrusion extending from an inner surface of the shroud and configured to engage the locking collar concavity of the robot connector.

5. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 2, wherein the debris auger connector includes a hexagonal concavity extending into the debris auger connector, the hexagonal concavity aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the debris auger connector, and wherein the robot connector includes a hexagonal protrusion configured to extend into the hexagonal concavity of the debris auger connector.

6. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 2, wherein first and second front wheels are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the main body of the gutter cleaning robot and configured to guide the gutter cleaning robot along the rain gutter, and first and second rear wheels disposed on opposite lateral sides of the main body of the gutter cleaning robot and operably connected to the drive motor.

7. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the debris auger is interchangeable with anyone of a plurality of alternative debris augers.

8. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the debris auger includes an auger configured to drill into debris.

9. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 8, wherein the debris auger includes one or more selected from the group consisting of:

a flail-type auger, a bristle-type auger, a flap-type auger, a twisting flap-type auger, an irregular protrusion-type auger, a revolving horizontal tines-type auger, a screw-and-flaptype auger, a plow-type auger, or a pneumatic auger.

10. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 1, further comprising a remote control configured to operate the gutter cleaning robot via a wireless signal transmitted to the gutter cleaning robot.

11. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first light emitting diode disposed on the remote control and configured to blink when the remote control transmits a signal; and

a second light emitting diode disposed on the gutter cleaning robot and configured to blink when the gutter cleaning robot receives a signal.

12. A gutter cleaning robot, comprising:

a drive motor;

a debris auger movable to agitate debris out of a rain gutter;

a debris auger motor mechanically couplable to the debris auger;

an ammeter in electrical communication with the debris auger motor to monitor a current supplied to the debris auger motor; and

a controller in electrical communication with the ammeter to receive a signal representative of the auger current, wherein the controller is configured to control the drive motor and the debris auger motor, and modulate the drive motor based at least in part on a threshold value of the auger current.

13. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 12, wherein first and second front wheels are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the main body of the gutter cleaning robot and configured to guide the gutter cleaning robot along the rain gutter, and first and second rear wheels disposed on opposite lateral sides of the main body of the gutter cleaning robot and operably connected to the drive motor.

14. The gutter cleaning robot according to claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to halt the drive motor and the debris auger motor based at least in part on the signal received from the ammeter.