Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet and dry cleaning

• US 8,670,866 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Ziegler, Andrew, Gilbert, Duane, Morse, Christopher John, Pratt, Scott, Sandin, Paul, Dussault, Nancy, Jones, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US11/359,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,940 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/29, 700/31, 700/37, 700/39, 700/44, 700/46, 700/65, 700/71, 700/72, 700/266, 703/2, 703/16, 703/18, 703/23, 703/37, 703/114.36, 703/41, 703/70, 318/609, 318/798, 318/806, 701/28, 701/41, 701/70, 123/350, 123/478, 123/492, 706/23, 706/25, 706/903, 706/906
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/02 Floor surfacing or polishing machines polishing machines in general B24B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• 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 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• 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 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• 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 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/14 cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0028 Security means, e.g. float valves or level switches for preventing overflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 : Gaskets; Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 : Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/10 : Filters in general B01D; cyclones B04C; Dust separators; Dust removal; Automatic exchange of filters for machines for cleaning floors A47L11/40
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 : the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 : Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 : User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• 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: B60B 33/001 : by snapping, clicking or latching in
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0021 : in the form of a mounting pin
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0028 : Construction of wheels; methods of assembling on axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0039 : Single wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0049 : the rolling axle being horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0057 : the rolling axle being offset from swivel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0068 : the swivel axis being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/0073 : the swivel axis being symmetrical to wheel or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 33/028 : being actuated automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 : with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/62 : Quaternary ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/75 : Amino oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/4233 : with volutes extending mainly in axial or radially inward direction
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 : ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• 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 1/0272 : 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: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/40 : Vacuum or mangetic

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 treatment robot, comprising:

a robot body having an outer perimeter formed substantially as a shape of constant width, driven forward by at least one circulating member;

a dispensed material compartment that holds material to be dispensed by the robot;

a wet cleaning head that employs at least one wet cleaning member to clean along a cleaning width line of the robot with the assistance of dispensed material, the wet cleaning head defining a cleaning width; and

a waste material compartment that holds material picked up by the robot;

each of the dispensed material compartment and waste material compartment being shaped and positioned to place the center of gravity of the dispensed material compartment volume less than ½

of the cleaning width from the center of gravity of the waste material compartment volume.

2. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, each of the dispensed material compartment and waste material compartment being shaped and positioned to place the combined center of gravity of the dispensed material compartment volume and the waste material compartment volume less than ½

the cleaning width from an center of the at least one circulating member.

3. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, each of the dispensed material compartment and waste material compartment being shaped and positioned to place of the center of gravity of the dispensed material compartment volume substantially directly above or below the center of gravity of the waste material compartment volume.

10. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1, wherein the material includes a fluid, further comprising

a powered scrubber that drives at least one scrubbing element to clean, with the assistance of dispensed material, substantially along a line of maximum width of the shape of constant width, the driven scrubbing element extending to substantially within 1 cm of a tangential edge of the robot body.

11. The surface treatment robot according to claim 10, the at least one circulating drive member placed along a line at which the width of the robot is less than the maximum width of the robot.

12. The surface treatment robot according to claim 10, further comprising:

a wet vacuum in the wet cleaning head that picks up the dispensed fluid after the scrubbing element has cleaned with the assistance of the dispensed material; and

a waste material compartment that holds material picked up by the wet vacuum unit, wherein the waste material compartment and dispensed material compartment are integral compartments within a same material tank module that is readily removable as a module from the robot body.

13. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1, the wet cleaning head having a cleaning width with respect to total robot mass of the robot body, dispensed material compartment when empty, wet cleaning head, and waste material compartment when full of waste material picked up by the robot, of more than or equal to three centimeters of cleaning width per kilogram of total robot mass.

14. The surface treatment robot according to claim 13, the wet cleaning head being a powered wet cleaning head, and including a powered circulating scrubber that scrubs the surface to be cleaned along a cleaning width line of the robot with the assistance of dispensed material.

15. The surface treatment robot according to claim 14, the powered wet cleaning head including a powered wet vacuum that picks up the waste material.

4. A surface treatment robot, comprising:

a robot body having an outer perimeter formed substantially as a shape of constant width,

at least two circulating drive members that drive the robot body forward and steer the robot body;

a dispensed fluid compartment that holds fluid to be dispensed by the robot; and

a powered scrubber that drives at least one scrubbing element to clean, with the assistance of dispensed fluid, substantially along a line of maximum width of the shape of constant width, the driven scrubbing element extending to substantially within 1 cm of a tangential edge of the robot body.

5. The surface treatment robot according to claim 4, wherein the at least two circulating drive members are placed along a line at which the width of the robot is less than the maximum width of the robot.

6. The surface treatment robot according to claim 4, further comprising:

a wet vacuum that picks up the dispensed fluid after the scrubbing element has cleaned with the assistance of the dispensed fluid; and

a waste fluid compartment that holds fluid picked up by the wet vacuum unit, wherein the waste fluid compartment and dispensed fluid compartment are integral compartments within a same fluid tank module that is readily removable as a module from the robot body.

7. The surface treatment robot according to claim 4, the powered scrubber including a powered circulating scrubber that scrubs the surface to be cleaned along a cleaning width line of the robot with the assistance of dispensed fluid.

8. The surface treatment robot according to claim 7, further comprising:

a waste fluid compartment that holds waste fluid picked up by the robot;

the powered circulating scrubber having a cleaning width along the cleaning width line of the robot with respect to total robot mass of the robot body, dispensed fluid compartment when empty, wet cleaning head, and waste fluid compartment when full of waste fluid picked up by the robot, of more than or equal to three centimeters of cleaning width per kilogram of total robot mass.

9. The surface treatment robot according to claim 7, further comprising a powered wet vacuum that picks up the waste fluid.

16. A surface treatment robot, comprising:

a robot body having an outer perimeter formed substantially as a shape of constant width, driven forward by at least one rotating member;

a dispensed fluid compartment that holds fluid to be dispensed by the robot;

a powered wet cleaning head that employs at least one powered wet cleaning member to clean a cleaning width along a cleaning width line of the robot with the assistance of dispensed fluid; and

a waste material compartment that holds waste fluid picked up by the robot;

the wet cleaning head having a cleaning width with respect to total robot mass of the robot body, dispensed material compartment when empty, wet cleaning head, and waste material compartment when full of waste fluid picked up by the robot, of more than or equal to three centimeters of cleaning width per kilogram of total robot mass.

17. The surface treatment robot according to claim 16, the powered wet cleaning head including a powered circulating scrubber that scrubs the surface to be cleaned along a cleaning width line of the robot with the assistance of dispensed fluid.

18. The surface treatment robot according to claim 16, the powered wet cleaning head including a powered wet vacuum that picks up the waste fluid.