Robot cleaner

• US 9,622,633 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jongsu, Kim, Hwang, Park, Sungil
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/952,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20160143499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• 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 5/22 with rotary fans
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1616 Multiple arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1633 Concentric cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles

Abstract

A cleaner body forms an outer appearance of a robot cleaner. A suction module provided in the cleaner body, and configured to suck dust on a surface to be cleaned. A first guiding member and a second guiding member communicate with the suction module, and spaced apart from each other, and a cyclone unit is configured to separate dust from air sucked through the first and second guiding members, using a centrifugal force. A fan module is connected to the cyclone module, and includes a motor module, and a first fan module and a second fan module connected to two sides of the motor module and configured to generate a suction force. A noise reducing cover is provided over an upper side of the fan module so as to reduce noise, and extends toward two sides of the motor module to cover the first and second fan modules.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner, comprising:

a cleaner body;

a suction module provided in the cleaner body, and configured to suck dust on a surface to be cleaned;

a first guiding member and a second guiding member communicated with the suction unit, and spaced apart from each other;

a cyclone module configured to separate dust from air sucked through the first and second guiding members;

a fan module connected to the cyclone module, and including a motor module, and a first fan module and a second fan module connected to two sides of the motor module and configured to generate a suction force; and

a noise reducing cover provided over an upper side of the fan module so as to reduce noise, and extending toward two sides of the motor module to cover the first and second fan modules.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein a noise absorbent configured to absorb at least part of noise is attached to an inner side of the noise reducing cover, the inner side facing the fan module.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the noise absorbent is a sponge.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cyclone module is connected to a front upper side of the fan unit, and

wherein the noise reducing member is installed at the fan unit so as to cover a rear upper side of the fan unit.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the fan module further includes:

a first communication member configured to communicate the first fan module with a first cyclone provided at the cyclone module; and

a second communication member configured to communicate the second fan module with a second cyclone provided at the cyclone module, and

first and second elastic rings mounted in the first and second communication members, respectively.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 5, wherein a coupling boss, configured to fix the noise reducing cover to a position spaced from the fan unit, protrudes from each of the first and second communication members.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 6, wherein a fastener is coupled to the coupling boss via a coupling hole of the noise reducing cover.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 5, wherein the noise reducing member includes:

a base plate mounted to the first and second communication members; and

an extending plate downward extending from the base plate in a bent manner, and disposed to cover a rear upper side of the fan module.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the noise reducing cover has a contour corresponding to appearance of the fan unit so as to cover at least part of the fan module.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a support provided between an inner bottom surface of the cleaner body and the fan unit, configured to support the fan module, and formed of an elastic material so as to absorb vibrations generated from the fan module,

wherein the support includes:

a motor support provided on an inner bottom surface of the cleaner body, and formed to enclose at least part of the motor module; and

first and second fan supports provided at two sides of the motor support, and configured to support the first and second fan modules, respectively.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 10, wherein the motor support includes:

a base provided on an inner bottom surface of the cleaner body; and

an extension part upward extending from the base, and having an inner contour to correspond to an outer circumference of the motor module so as to enclose at least part of the motor module.

12. The robot cleaner of claim 11, wherein the motor includes:

a motor; and

a first motor housing and a second motor housing coupled to each other to accommodate the motor therein, each motor housing provided with a plurality of ribs protruding from an outer circumference thereof,

wherein the ribs of one of the first motor housing are provided with protrusions, and

wherein the ribs of the second motor housing is provided with accommodation grooves for accommodating the protrusions therein.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 11, wherein at least one opening is formed between the base and the extension to reduce vibrations from being transmitted to the base from the extension.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 10, wherein coupling holes are formed at the motor support, and

wherein fasteners are coupled to the inner bottom surface of the cleaner body through the coupling holes to attach the motor support to the cleaner body.

15. The robot cleaner of claim 10, wherein the first and second fan modules include:

first and second fans configured to be rotated by the motor; and

first and second fan covers configured to accommodate the first and second fans therein, and having first and second protrusions, respectively, formed to face the inner bottom surface of the cleaner body, and

wherein the first and second fan supports are provided between the inner bottom surface of the cleaner body and the first and second protrusions.

16. The robot cleaner of claim 15, wherein a vertical protrusion is formed to protrude from each of the first and second protrusions, toward the inner bottom surface of the cleaner body, and

wherein an insertion groove configured to receive the vertical protrusion therein is formed at each of the first and second fan supports.

17. The robot cleaner of claim 10, wherein the fan module further includes:

a first communication member configured to connect the first fan module with a first cyclone of the cyclone module; and

a second communication member configured to connect the second fan module with a second cyclone of the cyclone module;

a first elastic ring disposed between the first fan module and the first communication member, and configured to absorb vibrations generated from the first fan module; and

a second elastic ring disposed between the second fan module and the second communication member, and configured to absorb vibrations generated from the second fan module.

18. The robot cleaner of claim 17, wherein the first connection member is formed to have a ring shape so as to enclose a first air inlet provided on a rotation shaft of the first fan, and

wherein the second connection member is formed to have a ring shape so as to enclose a second air inlet provided on a rotation shaft of the second fan.

19. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cyclone module is coupled to the fan module, and is spaced apart from an inner bottom surface of the cleaner body.

20. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a dust box coupled through a dust discharge opening formed in front of the cyclone module so as to collect dust separated from the cyclone module, at least part of the dust box is accommodated between the first and second guiding members.