Self-propelled floor cleaning device comprising a consecutive vehicle, which follows a lead vehicle

• US 9,687,131 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Inventors: Eidmohammadi, Nazli, Hoffmann, Sabrina
• Primary Examiner(s): Kornakov, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLEMAN, RYAN L
• Application Number:
  US14/687,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20150297052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/18 the tools being roll brushes
• 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 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• 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 2201/02 Docking stations; Docking operations
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet

Abstract

A self-propelled floor cleaning device includes a manually controlled or program-controlled first cleaning vehicle, which moves across a treatment path across a surface, which is to be cleaned, including a first cleaning device for carrying out a dry cleaning step. A second cleaning vehicle, including a second cleaning device for carrying out a wet cleaning step, is coupled to the first cleaning vehicle such that the second cleaning vehicle follows the first cleaning vehicle on the treatment path thereof. The second cleaning vehicle can be connected to the first cleaning vehicle via a releasable mechanical coupling. However, it can also be in operative connection with the first cleaning vehicle via only a data transmission path.

Claims

1. A self-propelled floor cleaning device comprising:

a manually controlled or program-controlled first cleaning vehicle, which moves across a treatment path across a surface, which is to be cleaned, the first cleaning vehicle comprising a first cleaner, a first chassis, and a first control device, and

a second cleaning vehicle comprising a second cleaner, a second chassis, and a second control device,

wherein the second cleaning vehicle is coupled to the first cleaning vehicle such that the second cleaning vehicle follows the first cleaning vehicle on the treatment path thereof,

wherein

the second cleaning vehicle is connected to the first cleaning vehicle via a releasable mechanical coupling, and/or

the second cleaning vehicle is logically coupled to the first cleaning vehicle via a direct data transmission path or via an indirect data transmission path,

wherein the first control device is separate from the second control device,

wherein the first control device is configured to generate control instructions for the first vehicle and for the second vehicle, and

wherein the second control device is configured to generate control instructions for the second vehicle.

2. The floor cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the second cleaning vehicle is mechanically unconnected to the first cleaning vehicle and is in operative connection with the first cleaning vehicle via a data transmission path.

3. The floor cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first cleaner and the second cleaner is a dry cleaner.

4. The floor cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first cleaner and the second cleaner is a wet cleaner.

5. The floor cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a wireless data exchange takes place between the first cleaning vehicle and the second cleaning vehicle via a network protocol.

6. A method for operating a self-propelled floor cleaning device according to claim 1, the method comprising steps of:

preparing via the first control device of the first cleaning vehicle first control instructions from control defaults,

moving the first cleaning vehicle across a treatment path according to the first control instructions,

carrying out via the first cleaning vehicle a first cleaning step on the treatment path according to the first control instructions,

transmitting from the first cleaning vehicle the control defaults and/or second control instructions to the second control device of the second cleaning vehicle via a data transmission path,

following via the second cleaning vehicle the first cleaning vehicle on the treatment path according to the transmitted control defaults and/or the transmitted second control instructions, and

carrying out a second cleaning step via the second cleaning vehicle on a path of the second cleaning vehicle and according to the transmitted control defaults and/or the transmitted second control instructions,

wherein the second cleaning vehicle is connected to the first cleaning vehicle via a releasable mechanical coupling,

wherein the second cleaning vehicle is logically coupled to the first cleaning vehicle via a direct data transmission path or via an indirect data transmission path,

wherein the first control device is separate from the second control device,

wherein the first control device is configured to generate control instructions for the first vehicle and for the second vehicle, and

wherein the second control device is configured to generate control instructions for the second vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second cleaning vehicle follows the first cleaning vehicle at a fixed distance.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control device of the second cleaning vehicle uses sensor data and/or position data and/or data relating to a driving strategy, which are obtained from at least one sensor of the first cleaning vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second cleaning vehicle follows the first cleaning vehicle to a base station and docks on the base station.

10. The floor cleaning device according to claim 3, wherein the dry cleaner comprises at least one of a brush and a suction port.

11. The floor cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the wet cleaner comprises a mop.

12. The floor cleaning device according to claim 11, wherein the wet cleaner further comprises a suction port.

13. The floor cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is configured to communicate with a base station,

wherein the second cleaning vehicle is logically coupled to the first cleaning vehicle via an indirect data transmission path, and

wherein the indirect data transmission path includes the base station.