Roller brush for surface cleaning robots

• US 9,326,654 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Doughty, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US13/835,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20140259475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/282 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/32 Carpet-sweepers combined with suction cleaners A47L7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls

Abstract

A roller brush for a cleaning appliance that includes a brush core defining a longitudinal axis of rotation and three or more dual rows of bristles disposed on and equidistantly spaced along a circumference the brush core. Each dual row of bristles includes a first bristle row of a first bristle composition and having a first height and a second bristle row of a second bristle composition stiffer than the first bristle composition and having a second height. The second bristle row is circumferentially spaced from the first bristle row by a gap less than or equal to 10% of the first height. Also, the first height is less than or equal to 90% of the second height.

Claims

1. A rotatable roller brush assembly for a cleaning appliance, the roller brush assembly comprising:

a first roller brush comprising;

a first brush core defining a longitudinal axis of rotation;

three or more dual rows of bristles disposed on and equidistantly spaced along a circumference of the first brush core, each dual row of bristles comprising;

a first bristle row comprising a first bristle composition and having a first height; and

a second bristle row comprising a second bristle composition and having a second height, the second bristle row circumferentially spaced from the first bristle row by a gap less than or equal to 10% of the second height, the first height being less than or equal to 90% of the second height, wherein the first bristle composition is stiffer than the second bristle composition; and

elastomeric vanes arranged between and substantially parallel to the bristle rows, each vane extending from a first end attached to the first brush core to a second end unattached from the first brush core; and

a second roller brush arranged rotatably opposite the first roller brush, the second roller brush comprising;

a second brush core defining a longitudinal axis of rotation; and

three or more rows of bristles disposed on and circumferentially spaced about the second brush core.

2. The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bristle row of each dual bristle row is forward of the second bristle row in a direction of rotation of the roller brush.

3. The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the vanes have a third height less than the second height of the second bristle row.

4. The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the second brush comprises elastomeric vanes arranged between and substantially parallel to the bristle rows, each vane extending from a first end attached to the second brush core to a second end unattached from the second brush core.

5. The roller brush assembly of claim 4, wherein the vanes are shorter than the bristles of the second roller brush.

6. The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the rows of bristles of each roller brush each define a chevron shape arranged longitudinally along the corresponding brush core.

7. The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the first direction of rotation of the first rotatable brush is a forward rolling direction with respect to a forward drive direction of the rotatable roller brush assembly.

8. The roller brush assembly of claim 1, further comprising a brush bar arranged parallel to and engaging a bristle row by an engagement distance, measured radially with respect to the corresponding brush core, of less than or equal to 0.060 inches, the brush bar interfering with rotation of the engaged roller brush to strip fibers from the engaged bristles.

9. A mobile surface cleaning robot comprising:

a robot body having a forward drive direction;

a drive system supporting the robot body above a floor surface for maneuvering the robot across the floor surface, the drive system comprising right and left drive wheels disposed on corresponding right and left portions of the robot body;

a caster wheel assembly disposed rearward of the drive wheels; and

a cleaning system supported by the robot body forward of the drive wheels, the cleaning system including a rotatably driven roller brush comprising;

a brush core defining a longitudinal axis of rotation;

three or more dual rows of bristles disposed on and equidistantly spaced along a circumference of the brush core, each dual row of bristles comprising;

a first bristle row comprising a first bristle composition and having a first height; and

a second bristle row comprising a second bristle composition and having a second height, the second bristle row circumferentially spaced from the first bristle row by a gap less than or equal to 10% of the second height, the first height being less than or equal to 90% of the second height, wherein the first bristle composition is stiffer than the second bristle composition; and

elastomeric vanes arranged between and substantially parallel to the bristle rows, each vane extending from a first end attached to the brush core to a second end unattached from the brush core.

10. The robot of claim 9, wherein at least 5% of the second height of the second bristle row engages with the floor surface.

11. The robot of claim 9, wherein a center of gravity of the robot is located forward of the drive wheels, allowing the robot body to pivot forward about the drive wheels.

12. The robot of claim 9, wherein the robot body defines a square front profile or a round profile.

13. The robot of claim 9, further comprising at least one clearance regulator roller supported by the robot body and disposed forward of the drive wheels and rearward of the roller brush, the at least one clearance regulator providing a minimum clearance height of at least 2 mm between the robot body and the floor surface.

14. The robot of claim 9, wherein the first bristle row of each dual bristle row is forward of the second bristle row in a direction of rotation of the roller brush.

15. The robot of claim 9, further comprising a second roller brush arranged rotatably opposite the first roller brush, the second roller brush comprising:

a brush core defining a longitudinal axis of rotation; and

three or more rows of bristles disposed on and circumferentially spaced about the brush core.

16. The robot of claim 15, wherein the three or more rows of bristles of the second brush are dual-rows of bristles, each dual row of bristles comprising:

a first bristle row comprising a first bristle composition and having a first height; and

a second bristle row comprising a second bristle composition and having a second height, the second bristle row circumferentially spaced from the first bristle row by a gap less than or equal to 10% of the second height, the first height being less than or equal to 90% of the second height, wherein the first bristle composition is stiffer than the second bristle composition.

17. The robot of claim 15, wherein the cleaning system further comprises:

a collection volume disposed on the robot body;

a plenum arranged over the first and second roller brushes; and

a conduit in pneumatic communication with the plenum and the collection volume.

18. A rotatable roller brush assembly for a cleaning appliance, the roller brush assembly comprising:

a first roller brush comprising;

a first brush core defining a longitudinal axis of rotation;

three or more dual rows of bristles disposed on and equidistantly spaced along a circumference of the first brush core, each dual row of bristles comprising;

a first bristle row comprising a first bristle composition and having a first height; and

a second bristle row comprising a second bristle composition and having a second height, the second bristle row circumferentially spaced from the first bristle row by a gap less than or equal to 10% of the second height, the first height being less than or equal to 90% of the second height, wherein the first bristle composition is stiffer than the second bristle composition; and

elastomeric vanes arranged between and substantially parallel to the bristle rows, each vane extending from a first end attached to the first brush core to a second end unattached from the first brush core; and

a second roller brush arranged rotatably opposite the first roller brush, the second roller brush comprising;

a second brush core defining a longitudinal axis of rotation; and

elastomeric vanes disposed on and circumferentially spaced about the second brush core.

19. The roller brush assembly of claim 18, wherein the first bristle row of each dual bristle row is forward of the second bristle row in a direction of rotation of the roller brush.

20. The roller brush assembly of claim 18, wherein the vanes have a third height less than the second height of the second bristle row.

21. The roller brush assembly of claim 18, wherein the elastomeric vanes of the second brush extend from a first end attached to the second brush core to a second end unattached from the second brush core.

22. The roller brush assembly of claim 18, wherein the rows of bristles of the first roller brush defines a chevron shape arranged longitudinally along the first brush core.

23. The roller brush assembly of claim 18, wherein the elastomeric vanes of the second roller brush each define a chevron shape arranged longitudinally along the second brush core.