Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet cleaning

• US 8,985,127 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Konandreas, Stefanos, Ziegler, Andrew, Morse, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kornakov, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, NATASHA N.
• Application Number:
  US14/044,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 134/56.R, 134/184, 134/198, 15/503, 15/521
• US Class Current: 134/184
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/0013 Boards or blocks for cutting or chopping meat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/28 Floor-scrubbing machines, motor-driven A47L11/29 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/292 having rotary tools A47L11/30 takes precedence
• 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 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• 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 11/4019 Fill level sensors; Security means to prevent overflow, e.g. float valves
• 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 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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 2201/04 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 7/0009 : with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• 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

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 cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis for carrying and transporting cleaning elements along a direction of the fore-aft axis over a work surface supporting the surface cleaning apparatus, the cleaning elements disposed to clean across a cleaning width generally orthogonal to the fore-aft axis;

a scrubbing module carried by the chassis, the scrubbing module comprising a two-part housing having a lower housing element and a mating upper housing element, a smearing element and a rotatable scrubbing brush defining the cleaning width, with the smearing element and scrubbing brush supported by the two-part housing, and, wherein opening the two-part housing exposes one or more interior surfaces of the housing for cleaning; and

a liquid applicator disposed on the chassis and comprising a pump arranged to dispense cleaning fluid from a fluid supply container;

wherein the smearing element extends to reach the work surface across the cleaning width for smearing dispensed cleaning fluid along the work surface;

wherein the scrubbing module is formed as a separate subsystem that is removable as a unit from the chassis; and

wherein the rotatable scrubbing brush is removable mounted between the upper and lower housing elements in a longitudinal cavity, such that opening the two-part housing exposes the scrubbing brush for cleaning.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smearing element comprises a plurality of smearing bristles configured to distribute cleaning fluid evenly on the work surface across the cleaning width.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of smearing bristles comprises bristles with an average bristle diameter between about 0.05 to 0.2 mm.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of smearing bristles comprises bristles arranged with an interference dimension of approximately 0.75 mm.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises water.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a collecting apparatus attached to the chassis aft of the scrubbing brush and extending from the chassis to the surface across the cleaning width for collecting waste liquid from the surface.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the collecting apparatus comprises a squeegee in contact or near contact with the surface to collect waste liquid as the chassis advances in a forward direction.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein the squeegee comprises a vertical element and a horizontal element and at least a portion of the vertical element contacts the surface when the chassis advances over the cleaning surface in the forward direction.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein the squeegee comprises a substantially compliant element disposed across the cleaning width.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scrubbing brush rotates about an axis substantially parallel to the cleaning width.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a diaphragm pump assembly.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an autonomous transport drive subsystem,

a sensor module for sensing conditions, and

a power module;

wherein the drive subsystem, sensor module and power module are all supported by the chassis and controlled by a master control module to autonomously move the cleaning elements substantially over the entire work surface in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12, wherein the transport drive subsystem comprises one or more drive wheels, each drive wheel comprising an annular tire element supported on a cup shaped wheel element.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein the annular tire element comprises a non-slip drive surface for maintaining traction on a wet cleaning surface.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein an outside diameter of the annular tire element defines a pattern of thin angled grooves.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein the grooves are arranged at a selected angle between about 19 and 15 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of the drive wheels.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scrubbing brush comprises a plurality of bristles configured to contact the surface, each bristle having a length greater than the length required to make contact with the work surface.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smearing element is attached to the lower housing element, and extends from the lower housing element to reach the work surface.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower housing elements are attached at a hinge.