Apparatus for holding a cleaning sheet in a cleaning implement

• US 8,869,338 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Dooley, Michael, Romanov, Nikolai
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENNINGS, MICHAEL DEANGILO
• Application Number:
  US13/685,476
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 15/98, 151/471, 151/50, 152/28, 152/31, 152/32, 451/354, 451/514, 451/515, 451/507, 451/518, 451/523, 451/524, 451/525
• US Class Current: 15/98
• 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 13/256 for mops made of cloth
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts

Abstract

Cleaning devices which use cleaning sheets affixed in traps are disclosed. The traps comprise first and second jaws, each comprising base and forward portions, each forward position having a forward surface. The forward portion of the second jaw is flexible in at least a first direction, such as towards a surface over which the device is configured to move. When the second jaw is relaxed, the forward portion of the second jaw is substantially coplanar with the forward portion of the first jaw and the forward surfaces are proximate or touching. When the second jaw is flexed in the first direction (e.g., by the application of a force from a user), the forward surface of the forward portion of the second jaw moves in the first direction, away from the forward surface of the first jaw. This opens a gap through which a portion of a sheet may be inserted.

Claims

1. A sheet affixing method comprising:

placing a sheet against a first surface of a platform of a robot, the robot configured to move in an environment in accordance with logic contained in an on-board processor;

applying a force in a first direction to a second forward portion of a second jaw of a first trap, wherein the first trap comprises;

a first jaw, comprising a first base portion and a first forward portion, the first forward portion having a first forward surface; and

the second jaw, comprising a second base portion and the second forward portion, the second base portion of the second jaw spaced from the first base portion of the first jaw, and the second forward portion having a second forward surface and flexible in at least a first direction substantially orthogonal to the second forward portion,

and wherein the applied force causes the second jaw to flex in the first direction so as to space the second forward surface, of the second forward portion of the second jaw, further from the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw than prior to the application of the force;

inserting, while applying the force to the second forward portion, a portion of the second portion of the sheet at least into the space between the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw of the first trap and the second forward surface of the second forward portion of the second jaw of the first trap;

removing the applied force from the second forward portion of the second jaw of the first trap, wherein when the second jaw is relaxed, the second forward portion of the second jaw is substantially coplanar with the first forward portion of the first jaw and the second forward surface of the second forward portion of the second jaw faces the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw; and

affixing the third portion of the sheet in a second trap.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing the third portion of the sheet in the second trap comprises:

applying a force in the first direction to a fourth forward portion of a fourth jaw of the second trap, wherein the second trap comprises;

a third jaw, comprising a third forward portion, the third forward portion having a third forward surface; and

the fourth jaw comprising the fourth forward portion, the fourth forward portion having a fourth forward surface,

wherein the applied force to the fourth forward portion causes the fourth jaw to flex in the first direction so as to space the fourth forward surface of the fourth forward portion of the fourth jaw further from the third forward surface of the third forward portion, of the third jaw, than prior to the application of the force to the fourth forward portion;

inserting, while applying the force to the fourth portion, a portion of the third portion of the sheet at least into the space between the third forward surface of the third forward portion of the third jaw of the second trap and the fourth forward surface of the fourth forward portion of the fourth jaw of the second trap; and

removing the applied force from the fourth forward portion of the fourth jaw.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the force is applied using a finger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the second portion of the sheet inserted into the space between the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw of the first trap and the second forward surface of the second forward portion of the second jaw comprises a portion of the sheet proximate to a first edge not including any part of the first edge.

5. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising removing the sheet from the first trap, removing comprising pulling on a portion of the first edge.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising magnetically mounting the platform to a housing.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising mounting the platform to a housing, wherein the platform has at least a first sensor opening, so that a sensor mounted in the housing is in contact with at least one portion of the sheet.

8. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising mounting the platform on a housing, wherein the platform has at least a first sensor opening, so that a drop off sensor mounted in the housing can sense a drop off condition.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first forward surface comprises a scalloped surface opposed to the second forward surface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first forward surface comprises an edge.

11. A method comprising:

placing a sheet against a first surface of a platform of a robot, the robot configured to move in an environment in accordance with logic contained in an on-board processor;

applying a force in a first direction to a second forward portion of a second jaw of a first trap, wherein the first trap comprises;

a first jaw, comprising a first base portion and a first forward portion, the first forward portion having a first forward surface; and

the second jaw, comprising a second base portion and the second forward portion, the second base portion of the second jaw spaced from the first base portion of the first jaw, and the second forward portion having a second forward surface and flexible in at least a first direction,

wherein the applied force causes the second jaw to flex so as to space the second forward surface, of the second forward portion of the second jaw, further from the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw than prior to the application of the force;

inserting, while applying the force to the second forward portion, a first portion of the sheet at least into the space between the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw of the first trap and the second forward surface of the second forward portion of the second jaw of the first trap; and

removing the applied force from the second forward portion of the second jaw of the first trap, wherein when the second jaw is relaxed, the second forward portion of the second jaw is substantially coplanar with the first forward portion of the first jaw and the second forward surface of the second forward portion of the second jaw faces the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw.

12. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising affixing the second portion of the sheet in a second trap.

13. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising affixing the second portion of the sheet in a second trap, wherein affixing the second portion of the sheet in the second trap comprises applying a force to a fourth forward portion of a fourth jaw of the second trap, wherein the second trap comprises:

a third jaw, comprising a third forward portion, the third forward portion having a third forward surface; and

the fourth jaw comprising the fourth forward portion, the fourth forward portion having a fourth forward surface,

wherein the applied force to the fourth forward portion causes the fourth jaw to flex so as to space the fourth forward surface of the fourth forward portion of the fourth jaw further from the third forward surface of the third forward portion, of the third jaw, than prior to the application of the force to the fourth forward portion;

inserting, while applying the force to the fourth portion, the second portion of the sheet at least into the space between the third forward surface of the third forward portion of the third jaw of the second trap and the fourth forward surface of the fourth forward portion of the fourth jaw of the second trap; and

removing the applied force from the fourth forward portion of the fourth jaw.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the force is applied using a finger.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the sheet inserted into the space between the first forward surface of the first forward portion of the first jaw of the first trap and the second forward surface of the second forward portion of the second jaw comprises a portion of the sheet proximate to a first edge not including any part of the first edge.

16. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising removing the sheet from the first trap, removing comprising pulling on a portion of the first edge.

17. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising magnetically mounting the platform to a housing.

18. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising mounting the platform to a housing, wherein the platform has at least a first sensor opening, so that a sensor mounted in the housing is in contact with at least one portion of the sheet.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first forward surface comprises a scalloped surface opposed to the second forward surface.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the first forward surface comprises an edge.