Evacuation station system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cleaning system comprising:
- a portable vacuum including a vacuum motor, a cleaning head, an evacuation port, and a bypass mechanism configured to direct suction from the vacuum motor to either the cleaning head or the evacuation port;
a robotic cleaner including a debris bin and an evacuation port assembly for the debris bin, wherein the evacuation port assembly includes a port door configured to rotate about an axis offset from a centerline of the port door; and
an evacuation station including a vacuum interface configured to mate with the portable vacuum, a cleaner interface configured to mate with the robotic cleaner, and a linkage connecting the evacuation port assembly of the debris bin and the evacuation port of the portable vacuum, wherein the evacuation station is configured to engage the bypass mechanism on mating with the portable vacuum to direct suction from the vacuum motor to the evacuation port, and wherein the port door is configured to rotate about the axis offset from the centerline so that a short section of the port door is configured to rotate into the debris bin and a long section of the port door is configured to swing open to permit debris to flow from the debris bin through the port door and into the evacuation station.
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Abstract
A cleaning system includes a robotic cleaner and an evacuation station. The robotic cleaner can dock with the evacuation station to have debris evacuated by the evacuation station. The robotic cleaner includes a bin to store debris, and the bin includes a port door through which the debris can be evacuated into the evacuation station. The evacuation station includes a vacuum motor to evacuate the bin of the robotic cleaner.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A cleaning system comprising:
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a portable vacuum including a vacuum motor, a cleaning head, an evacuation port, and a bypass mechanism configured to direct suction from the vacuum motor to either the cleaning head or the evacuation port; a robotic cleaner including a debris bin and an evacuation port assembly for the debris bin, wherein the evacuation port assembly includes a port door configured to rotate about an axis offset from a centerline of the port door; and an evacuation station including a vacuum interface configured to mate with the portable vacuum, a cleaner interface configured to mate with the robotic cleaner, and a linkage connecting the evacuation port assembly of the debris bin and the evacuation port of the portable vacuum, wherein the evacuation station is configured to engage the bypass mechanism on mating with the portable vacuum to direct suction from the vacuum motor to the evacuation port, and wherein the port door is configured to rotate about the axis offset from the centerline so that a short section of the port door is configured to rotate into the debris bin and a long section of the port door is configured to swing open to permit debris to flow from the debris bin through the port door and into the evacuation station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification