Coverage robot mobility

• US 8,661,605 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Svendsen, Selma, Ozick, Daniel N., Casey, Christopher M., Kapoor, Deepak Ramesh, Campbell, Tony L., Won, Chikyung, Morse, Christopher John, Burnett, Scott Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US12/211,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/403, 153/404, 153/53, 153/272, 153/84, 153/39
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• 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 11/4013 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 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/12 Dry filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 : involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 : using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 : using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 : using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 : using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 : comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 : using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 : using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 : in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/50 : Miscellaneous

Abstract

An autonomous coverage robot includes a body having at least one outer wall, a drive system disposed on the body and configured to maneuver the robot over a work surface, and a cleaning assembly carried by the body. The cleaning assembly includes first and second cleaning rollers rotatably coupled to the body, a suction assembly having a channel disposed adjacent at least one of the cleaning rollers, and a container in fluid communication with the channel. The container is configured to collect debris drawn into the channel. The suction assembly is configured to draw debris removed from the work surface by at least one of the cleaning rollers into the channel, and the container has a wall common with the at least one outer wall of the body.

Claims

1. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a body defining a chamber;

a drive system disposed on the body and configured to maneuver the robot over a work surface; and

a cleaning assembly carried by the body, the cleaning assembly comprising;

first and second cleaning rollers rotatably coupled to the body within the chamber such that a wall of the chamber is positioned above an interface between the cleaning rollers and extends above an adjacent one of the cleaning rollers to define a passage between the chamber wall and the adjacent cleaning roller, wherein a leading portion of the chamber wall, in a direction of forward travel of the body, comprises a curved surface having a substantially constant radius that follows the circumference of the first cleaning roller at a substantially constant clearance;

a suction duct in communication with the passage and disposed adjacent at least one of the cleaning rollers, the suction duct configured to receive debris dynamically lifted from the work surface between the cleaning rollers, through the passage towards the suction duct; and

a container in fluid communication with the suction duct and configured to collect the debris drawn into the suction duct.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein the first and second cleaning rollers are driven in opposite directions of rotation.

3. The robot of claim 2, wherein the first and second cleaning rollers are driven so that debris is agitated upward between the two rollers.

4. The robot of claim 1, wherein the suction duct is disposed above an axis of rotation of each of the first and second cleaning rollers.

5. The robot of claim 4, wherein the suction duct creates an air suction stream that conveys debris from the chamber substantially enclosing a top portion of the first and second cleaning rollers.

6. The robot of claim 1, wherein the suction duct is disposed rearward the first and second cleaning rollers in a direction of travel of the body.

7. The robot of claim 1, wherein the cleaning assembly comprises an air suction motor disposed in the container and in communication with the suction duct to convey debris agitated by the cleaning rollers into the container.

8. The robot of claim 1, wherein the container is disposed rearward of the first and second cleaning rollers.

9. The robot of claim 1, wherein one of the cleaning rollers comprises a bristle brush.

10. The robot of claim 1, wherein one of the cleaning rollers comprises a flapper brush.

11. The robot of claim 1, further comprising an edge cleaning head assembly disposed on the body, the edge cleaning head assembly comprising:

an edge cleaning head housing;

an edge cleaning head rotatably coupled to the edge cleaning head housing and configured to rotate about a non-horizontal axis; and

an edge cleaning head motor coupled to the edge cleaning head;

wherein the edge cleaning head extends beyond a lateral extent of the body to engage a floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor.

12. The robot of claim 11, wherein the edge cleaning head defines an axis of rotation and is configured to tilt the axis of rotation with respect to a vertical position.

13. The robot of claim 12, wherein the axis of rotation of the edge cleaning head is configured to tilt to about 45°

with respect to the vertical position.

14. The robot of claim 11, wherein the edge cleaning head assembly is positioned such that the edge cleaning head a site of contact between the work surface and the forward most cleaning roller of the first and second cleaning rollers, so as to move debris into a cleaning path of the cleaning rollers.

15. The robot of claim 1, wherein a rear wall of the container is positioned behind the first and second cleaning rollers in a direction of travel of the body.

16. The robot of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the chamber wall is positioned directly above the interface between the cleaning rollers.