Automatic floor cleaner

• US 9,138,120 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yejen Appliances (Shenzhen) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yejen Appliances (Shenzhen) Ltd.
• Inventors: Hsu, Pei-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US14/300,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20140373302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/20 combined with vacuum cleaning devices
• 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 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0606 rigidly anchored brushes, combs, lips or pads
• 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

Abstract

An automatic floor cleaner includes a cover, a base plate, a motive assembly, a driving wheel assembly, and a flat bottom plate. In use, the flat bottom plate can be attached with a dust removal sheet to mop a floor surface. When the floor cleaner hits an object, the driving wheel assembly can rotate about a vertical output axle of the motive assembly to cause the moving direction of the floor cleaner to be changed to a randomly new direction, so that the floor cleaner can escape the object to continue advancing and cleaning the floor surface. Furthermore, the floor cleaner can be mounted with a vacuum cleaning unit, so that the cleaning effect can be improved.

Claims

1. An automatic floor cleaner comprising:

a cover provided with an electrical switch on its top surface;

a base plate affixed to the cover, with the base plate defining a first bottom space near its front side, two second bottom spaces near two lateral sides thereof, and a flat bottom recess between the first bottom space and the second bottom spaces, with the base plate provided thereon with at least one hollow column that defines a central hole communicating with the flat bottom recess, with a through-hole defined in the base plate over the first bottom space, with a rear wheel assembly mounted in each of the second bottom spaces, with a power supply provided on the base plate;

a motive assembly mounted on the base plate, with the motive assembly including a motor and a vertical output axle, wherein the electrical switch, the power supply, and the motor are electrically connected;

a driving wheel assembly mounted in the first bottom space, with the driving wheel assembly including an upper frame, a lower frame, and a driving gear therebetween, with the lower frame mounted with a horizontal axle provided with two wheels at two ends thereof and a driven gear coaxially therewith between the two wheels, with the driving gear defining a hole in its center to be engaged with the vertical output axle of the motive assembly inserted through the through-hole of the first bottom space, with the driving gear being in mesh with the driven gear, wherein the driving wheel assembly is able to rotate about the vertical output axle when hitting a blocking object; and

a flat bottom plate provided with at least one vertical post on its top surface and velcro fasteners at its bottom surface, with the at least one vertical post slidably fitted into the central hole of the hollow column, wherein the flat bottom plate will slide downward by its weight.

2. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein each of the second bottom spaces has a top open end, and a rear wheel assembly is mounted in the corresponding bottom space by a wheel cap over the corresponding bottom space, wherein the wheel cap is fixed to the rear wheel assembly and the base plate.

3. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 1, wherein a dust removal sheet is attached to the bottom surface of the flat bottom plate through the velcro fasteners.

4. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 3, wherein the vertical post of the flat bottom plate has a length greater than the height of the hollow column, with the vertical post provided with a screw at its top end after it is inserted through the hollow column.

5. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a vacuum cleaning unit defining outtakes around its periphery and provided with an attachment lug at its periphery, wherein the base plate has an enclosed inner wall defining a third bottom space and defines inlet ventilation openings around the enclosed inner wall and defines an attachment slot in the enclosed inner wall, the base is provided with a separation wall around the enclosed inner wall, and the cover defines outlet ventilation openings in one side thereof corresponding to the Inlet ventilation opening of the base plate, wherein the vacuum cleaning unit is detachably mounted into the third bottom space from a lower position through engagement between the attachment lug and the attachment slot, wherein the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate face and communicate with the outtakes of the vacuum cleaning unit, and the separation wall guides the air flowing from the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate to the outlet ventilation openings of the cover.

6. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 5, wherein the vacuum cleaning unit is electrically connected with the power supply and the electrical switch.

7. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a vacuum cleaning unit defining outtakes around its periphery and an attachment groove in its periphery, wherein the base plate has an enclosed inner wall defining a third bottom space and defines inlet ventilation openings around the enclosed inner wall and is provided with a separation wall around the enclosed inner wall, and the cover has an enclosed inner wall defining a top space corresponding to the third bottom space and defines outlet ventilation openings in one side thereof corresponding to the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate and is provided with an attachment lug at the enclosed inner wall of the cover, wherein the vacuum cleaning unit is detachably mounted into the top space and the third bottom space from a higher position through engagement between the attachment lug and the attachment groove, wherein the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate face and communicate with the outtakes of the vacuum cleaning unit, and the separation wall guides the air flowing from the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate to the outlet ventilation openings of the cover.

8. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 7, wherein the vacuum cleaning unit is electrically connected with the power supply and the electrical switch.

9. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a vacuum cleaning unit defining outtakes around its periphery and provided with an attachment lug at its periphery, wherein the base plate has an inwardly extending wall, at a rear side thereof, defining a third bottom space with a side opening, the base plates defines inlet ventilation openings around the inwardly extending wall and defines an attachment slot in the inwardly extending wall and is provided with a separation wall around the inwardly extending wall, and the cover defines an entrance opening corresponding to the side opening of the third bottom space and defines outlet ventilation openings being adjacent to the entrance opening and corresponding to the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate, wherein the vacuum cleaning unit is detachably mounted into the third bottom space via the entrance opening through engagement between the attachment lug and the attachment slot, wherein the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate face and communicate with some of the outtakes of the vacuum cleaning unit, and the separation wall guides the air flowing from the inlet ventilation openings of the base plate to the outlet ventilation openings of the cover.

10. The automatic floor cleaner of claim 9, wherein the vacuum cleaning unit is electrically connected with the power supply and the electrical switch.