Autonomous cleaner

• US 10,441,128 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Nam, Bohyun, Shim, Inbo, Sung, Jihoon, Park, Sojin, Song, Seunghyun, Lee, Sangkyu, Jun, Woochan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, Joseph J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brady, Timothy Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/599,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20170332864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 15319, 15347, 15352, 15353, 403321, 4033221, 403325, 403326, 403328
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• 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 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• 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 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 9/0072 Mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0494 Height adjustment of dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1616 Multiple arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor

Abstract

A robot cleaner comprising: a cleaner body; a suction unit sucking air containing dust to be introduced into the cleaner body; and a dust container detachably coupled to the cleaner body, the dust container collecting dust filtered from the air introduced into the cleaner body, wherein the dust container includes: an external case including at least one cyclone filtering dust in air introduced into the dust container; an upper case coupled to an upper portion of the external case, the upper case including an upper opening corresponding to a space into which air passing through the cyclone is discharged; an upper cover detachably coupled to the upper case to open/close the upper opening; and a filter mounted on a rear surface of the upper cover, the filter covering the discharged space of the air passing through the cyclone when the upper cover is coupled to the upper case, to filter dust in the air passing through the cyclone.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body;

a suction inlet to suction air containing foreign substances into the cleaner body; and

a dust container docked to the cleaner body, the dust container collecting foreign substances filtered from the air introduced into the cleaner body,

wherein the dust container includes;

an external case including at least one cyclone filtering foreign substances in air introduced into the dust container;

an upper case coupled to an upper portion of the external case, the upper case including an upper opening corresponding to a discharge space into which filtered air from the at least one cyclone is discharged;

an upper cover detachably coupled to the upper case to open/close the upper opening;

an inclined guide extending in a spiral shape along an inner circumferential surface of the external case to separate the flow of air introduced into an entrance from the flow of air discharged toward an exit; and

a filter mounted on a rear surface of the upper cover, the filter covering the discharged space when the upper cover is coupled to the upper case and further filtering the air exiting from the at least one cyclone,

wherein the entrance and the exit are formed adjacent to each other at a same height at an upper end of the external case,

wherein the entrance is provided under the inclined guide, and the exit is provided above the inclined guide, and

wherein a guide part is formed to extend obliquely from one side of the entrance to the inclined guide, and is located between the entrance and the exit to block a gap between the entrance and the exit.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter is fitted to a top surface of the inclined guide.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the at least one cyclone includes:

a first cyclone to filter dust from air introduced through the entrance; and

a second cyclone provided within the first cyclone to filter fine dust,

wherein the second cyclone is provided with a cover provided thereon to cover an introduction opening of the second cyclone with a predetermined interval, the cover having a communication hole corresponding to a vortex finder of the second cyclone, and

wherein the filter is fitted to a top surface of the cover.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein a mounting rib to mount the filter is provided at a rear surface of the upper cover,

wherein the mounting rib includes:

a band formed to protrude from the rear surface of the upper cover; and

a mount formed at an end portion of the band, the filter being coupled to the mount.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 4, wherein the filter includes:

a filter part provided over the at least one cyclone; and

a sealing part mounted to the mount to surround the filter part such that the filter is sealed against a top surface of the inclined guide.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 5, wherein the mount is inserted into a groove formed in the sealing part.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 5, wherein an air flow passage is provided between the upper cover and the mount such that air passing through the filter part is discharged to the exit over an upper surface of the inclined guide.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein pressure switches configured to be press in directions toward each other are provided in the upper cover to fasten the upper cover to the upper case or release the upper cover from upper case.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 8, wherein at least one fixing groove or at least one fixing slot is formed at an inner surface of the upper case, and a fixing projection provided at a circumference of the upper cover, the fixing projection being movable into or out of the outer circumference of the upper cover by pressing or releasing the pressure switches.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the fixing groove or the fixing slot is formed to extend along the inner surface of the upper case.

11. A robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body having a plurality of wheels and a controller controlling driving of at least one of the wheels; and

a dust container coupled to the cleaner body, the dust container being removable from the cleaner body,

wherein the dust container includes;

an entrance and an exit, which are formed adjacent to each other at a same height along the outer circumference of the dust container;

an inclined guide extending in a spiral shape along an inner circumferential surface of the dust container to separate the flow of air introduced into the entrance from the flow of air discharged toward the exit;

at least one cyclone provided below the inclined guide to filter foreign substances in the air introduced into the dust container; and

a filter over the at least one cyclone to filter dust in air flowing out of the at least one cyclone,

wherein the entrance is provided below the inclined guide, and the exit is provided above the inclined guide,

wherein a guide part is formed to extend obliquely from one side of the entrance to the inclined guide, and is located between the entrance and the exit to block a gap between the entrance and the exit.

12. The robot cleaner of claim 11, wherein the filter is sealed against a top surface of the inclined guide.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 12, wherein the dust container includes an upper cover provided over the at least one cyclone, the upper cover having a rear surface at which a mounting rib for mounting the filter is provided, wherein an air passage is provided between the upper cover and the mounting rib such that air passing through the filter is introduced into an upper surface of the inclined guide.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 11, wherein the at least one cyclone includes:

a first cyclone to filter dust from air introduced through the entrance; and

a second cyclone provided within the first cyclone to filter fine dust,

wherein the second cyclone is provided with a cover provided thereon to cover an introduction opening of the second cyclone with a predetermined interval, the cover having a communication hole corresponding to a vortex finder of the second cyclone, and

wherein the filter is sealed against a top surface of the cover.