Autonomous coverage robot

• US 8,726,454 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Gilbert, Duane L. Jr., Williams, Marcus R., Okerholm, Andrea M., Kristant, Elaine H., Longo, Sheila A., Kee, Daniel E., Strauss, Marc D.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US12/118,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,202 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/20, 153/39, 154/01, 154/03
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/125 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/145 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/161 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/201 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/282 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/292 having rotary tools A47L11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• 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 11/4025 Means for emptying
• 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 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
• 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 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 : Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 : Parameters or conditions being sensed
• 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 2220/44 : Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 : Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• 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 1/0242 : 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: 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

Abstract

A surface treatment robot includes a chassis having forward and rear ends and a drive system carried by the chassis. The drive system includes right and left driven wheels and is configured to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface. The robot includes a vacuum assembly, a collection volume, a supply volume, an applicator, and a wetting element, each carried by the chassis. The wetting element engages the cleaning surface to distribute a cleaning liquid applied to the surface by the applicator. The wetting element distributes the cleaning liquid along at least a portion of the cleaning surface when the robot is driven in a forward direction. The wetting element is arranged substantially forward of a transverse axis defined by the right and left driven wheels, and the wetting element slidably supports at least about ten percent of the mass of the robot above the cleaning surface.

Claims

1. A surface treatment robot comprising:

a chassis having forward and rear ends;

a drive system carried by the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface, the drive system comprising right and left driven wheels;

a vacuum assembly carried by the chassis, the vacuum assembly comprising a collection region engaging the cleaning surface, a suction region in fluid communication with the collection region, the suction region configured to suction waste from the cleaning surface through the collection region, a squeegee attached to the chassis and formed with a longitudinal ridge disposed proximate to the cleaning surface and extending across a cleaning width for providing a liquid collection volume at a forward edge of the ridge, and a vacuum chamber partially formed by the squeegee disposed proximate to the longitudinal ridge and extending across the cleaning width, the vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the liquid collection volume by a plurality of suction ports defined by the squeegee, above the longitudinal ridge;

a collection volume carried by the chassis and in fluid communication with the vacuum assembly for collecting waste removed by the vacuum assembly;

a supply volume carried by the chassis and configured to hold a cleaning liquid;

an applicator carried by the chassis and in fluid communication with the supply volume, the applicator configured to dispense the cleaning liquid onto the cleaning surface substantially near the forward end of the chassis; and

a wetting element carried by the chassis and engaging the cleaning surface to distribute the cleaning liquid along at least a portion of the cleaning surface when the robot is driven in a forward direction, the wetting element arranged substantially forward of a transverse axis defined by the right and left driven wheels, and the wetting element slidably supporting at least about ten percent of the mass of the robot above the cleaning surface.

2. The surface treatment robot of claim 1, wherein the collection region of the vacuum assembly is arranged substantially rearward of the transverse axis defined by the right and left drive wheels, the vacuum assembly slidably supporting at least about twenty percent of the mass of the robot above the cleaning surface.

3. The surface treatment robot of claim 1, wherein a forward portion of the collection region of the vacuum assembly is configured to pass a point on the cleaning surface about 0.25 s to about 0.6 s after a forward portion of the applicator has passed the point on the cleaning surface when the robot is driven at a maximum speed in the forward direction.

4. The surface treatment robot of claim 1, further comprising a navigation system in communication with the drive system and configured to navigate the robot, wherein the vacuum assembly is configured to collect a portion of the cleaning liquid dispensed onto the cleaning surface and the navigation system is configured to navigate the robot to return to collect the cleaning liquid remaining on the surface.

5. The surface cleaning robot of claim 4, wherein the navigation system is configured to navigate the robot along a pseudo-random path to return to collect the cleaning liquid remaining on the surface.

6. The surface treatment robot of claim 1, wherein the drive system is configured to maneuver the robot within a volume of less than about 3 L.

7. The surface treatment robot of claim 6, wherein the supply volume is configured to hold about 600 mL or greater of cleaning liquid.

8. The surface treatment robot of claim 1, wherein the drive system is configured to provide between about 100 grams-force and about 700 grams-force at each wheel to propel the robot at a maximum forward rate of between about 200 mm/s and about 400 mm/s.

9. The surface treatment robot of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the robot is substantially along a transverse axis defined by the right and left wheels.

10. The surface treatment robot of claim 1, further comprising an extension element carried by the chassis, the extension element extending transversely from the chassis and configured to guide debris toward the chassis.

11. The surface treatment robot of claim 10, wherein the extension element includes a spring detent configured to allow the extension element to flex upon contact with an obstacle and to return to a substantially original position upon disengagement from the obstacle.

12. The surface treatment robot of claim 11, wherein the extension element is in fluid communication with the vacuum assembly and configured to suction debris toward the vacuum assembly.