Vacuum cleaner robot

• US 10,470,630 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2015
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eurofilters Holding N.V. (De Meijerij BV)
• Original Assignee: Eurofilters Holding N.V. (De Meijerij BV)
• Inventors: Sauer, Ralf, Schultink, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding, David
• Application Number:
  US15/544,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20180020894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• 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 5/22 with rotary fans
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0494 Height adjustment of dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1445 with closure means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• 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 9/2868 Arrangements for power supply of vacuum cleaners or the accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner robot comprising a suction device mounted on wheels and a power supply device mounted on wheels,

• where the suction device comprises a floor nozzle, a dust separator and a motorized fan unit for suctioning an air stream in through the floor nozzle,
• where the suction device comprises a drive device for driving at least one of the wheels of the suction device, and
• where the power supply device comprises a drive device for driving at least one of the wheels of the power supply device,
• where said power supply device is via a power supply cable connected to said suction device for supplying said suction device with power.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner robot, comprising a suction device mounted on wheels, a power supply device mounted on wheels and a power supply cable,

where said suction device comprises a floor nozzle, a dust separator and a motorized fan unit for suctioning an air stream in through said floor nozzle,

where said suction device comprises a drive device for driving at least one of said wheels of said suction device, and

where said power supply device comprises a drive device for driving at least one of said wheels of said power supply device,

where said power supply device is connected to said suction device via the power supply cable for supplying said suction device with power,

where said motorized fan unit is arranged between said floor nozzle and said dust separator such that an air stream suctioned in through said floor nozzle flows through said motorized fan unit and into said dust separator, the dust separator comprising a vacuum cleaner filter bag, an impact separator, a centrifugal separator or a cyclone separator.

2. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said power supply device comprises a wireless or a wired communication connection to said suction device for exchanging data signals with said suction device.

3. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said motorized fan unit is arranged on or above said floor nozzle.

4. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said suction device comprises a housing, where said motorized fan unit is arranged on, at or in said housing or where said dust separator is arranged on, at or in said housing.

5. The vacuum cleaner robot according claim 1, where said dust separator is arranged to be freely accessible from outside.

6. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where one of said wheels, several or all wheels of said suction device or one of said wheels, several or all wheels of said power supply device are omnidirectional wheels.

7. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said motorized fan unit is configured such that with aperture 8 said motorized fan unit has a volumetric flow of more than 30 I/s at an electrical input power of less than 450 W according to DIN EN 60312-1, with aperture 8 said motorized fan unit has a volumetric flow of more than 25 I/s at an electrical input power of less than 250 W according to DIN EN 60312-1, or with aperture 8 said motorized fan unit has a volumetric flow of more than 10 I/s at an electrical input power of less than 100 W according to DIN EN 60312-1.

8. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said dust separator comprises a vacuum cleaner filter bag.

9. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 8, where said vacuum cleaner filter bag comprises a flat bag or a disposable bag or

where said bag wall of said vacuum cleaner filter bag comprises one or more layers of a nonwoven or one or more layers of nonwoven fabric.

10. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said motorized fan unit comprises a radial fan.

11. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said floor nozzle comprises no rotating brush.

12. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, comprising a control device for controlling said suction device or said power supply device.

13. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, comprising a navigation device for autonomously driving said power supply device or said suction device.

14. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said power supply device or said suction device comprises one or several devices for determining its respective location.

15. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 3, wherein said motorized fan unit is arranged directly on or above said floor nozzle.

16. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 8, wherein said vacuum cleaner filter bag comprises a filter area of at most 2000 cm².

17. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, comprising a control device for controlling said suction device and said power supply device.

18. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, where said power supply device and said suction device comprise one or several devices for determining its respective location.