Robot cleaner with improved dust collector

• US 8,627,542 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Dong Won, Wee, Hoon, Hong, Jun Pyo, Kim, Yong Tae, Chung, Woo Ram
• Primary Examiner(s): Muller, Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US12/076,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/401, 153/53, 153/83
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• 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 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/02 with driven tools for special purposes with floor-polishing tools A47L11/20
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/14 Bags or the like; Rigid filtering receptacles; Attachment of, or closures for, bags or receptacles

Abstract

A robot cleaner having a configuration capable of improving an ability to collect dust, etc. is disclosed. The robot cleaner includes a suction hole to suction dust, a dust collector to receive the dust suctioned through the suction hole, and a rotating brush provided at a side of the suction hole. The robot cleaner is configured to sweep up and collect the dust into the dust collector by a drive force of the rotating brush.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner, comprising:

a suction hole to suction dust;

a blower to generate a suction force;

a rotating brush provided at a side of the suction hole;

a dust collector to receive the dust suctioned through the suction hole, the dust collector including a plurality of collecting regions including a first collecting region defined in a lower part of the dust collector and configured to sweep up and collect heavy dust of the dust by a drive force of the rotating brush, a second collecting region defined in an upper part of the dust collector above the first collecting region and configured to collect light dust lighter than the heavy dust by the suction force of the blower, and a connection passage to communicate the first and second collecting regions; and

a guide portion to guide the dust swept up by the rotating brush into the suction hole,

wherein the first collecting region has a horizontal lower surface, the guide portion extending from the horizontal lower surface and being inclined downward so that the entire guide portion is below the first collecting region, and

wherein the dust collector is partitioned to form the first collecting region and the second collecting region connected by the connection passage by a single dividing member fixed within the dust collector and protruding upward from a bottom of the second collecting region to prevent the dust collected in the second collecting region from flowing backward into the first collecting region through the connection passage, the dividing member being disposed in the internal space of the dust collector.

2. A robot cleaner, comprising:

a body having a suction hole to suction dust;

a blower provided in the body to generate a suction force;

a rotating brush provided at a side of the suction hole;

a dust collector to receive the dust suctioned through the suction hole, the dust collector including at least one first collecting region to receive heavy dust of the dust swept up by the rotating brush, and a second collecting region to receive light dust lighter than the heavy dust introduced by interaction of the rotating brush and the blower above the first collecting region, the first collecting region communicating with the second collecting region via a connection passage; and

a guide portion to guide the dust swept up by the rotating brush into the suction hole,

wherein the first collecting region has a horizontal lower surface, the guide portion extending from the horizontal lower surface and inclined downward so that the entire guide portion is below the first collecting region, and

wherein the dust collector is provided with an internal space, the internal space being partitioned to form the first collecting region, the second collecting region and the connection passage by a single dividing member fixed within the dust collector and protruding upward from a bottom of the second collecting region to prevent the dust collected in the second collecting region from flowing backward into the first collecting region through the connection passage.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the suction hole and a lower surface of the first collecting region are provided at a bottom of the body to be located close to the floor.