Robot cleaner equipped with negative-ion generator

• US 20050022331A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Song, Jeong-gon, Kim, Ki-man, Hwang, Yun-sup
• Application Number:
  US10/887,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20050022331A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• 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 7/04 for using the exhaust air for other purposes, e.g. for distribution of chemicals in a room, for sterilisation of the air spraying or atomising in general B05
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/22 Ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/125 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/42 Mobile autonomous air conditioner, e.g. robots
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/192 by electrical means, e.g. by applying electrostatic fields or high voltages
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/30 by ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

Disclosed is a robot cleaner which cleans a floor, and generates negative-ions while traveling around a predetermined area. The robot cleaner includes a cleaner body which travels automatically around a cleaning area, a driving unit for driving a plurality of wheels mounted on a lower part of the cleaner body, a suction unit mounted in the cleaner body to draw in dust on a floor, a negative-ion generation unit mounted in the cleaner body to generate a negative-ion, and a control unit. While the robot cleaner travels automatically, it also performs vacuum cleaning using the suction unit, and air cleaning using the negative-ion generation unit, either at the same time or selectively. Accordingly, the floor is cleaned and air is purified by the negative-ion, which enables a hygienic cleansing and a healthy home environment.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body which travels automatically along a cleaning area;

a driving unit to drive a plurality of wheels mounted on a lower part of the cleaner body;

a suction unit mounted in the cleaner body to draw in dust on a floor;

a negative-ion generation unit mounted in the cleaner body to generate a negative-ion; and

a control unit to control the driving unit to drive the robot cleaner according to a pre-stored travel pattern, and to control operation of the negative-ion generation unit, wherein

the robot cleaner while running automatically along the cleaning area, performs vacuum cleaning using the suction unit, and air cleaning using the negative-ion generation units at the same time or selectively.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the negative-ion generation unit comprises:

a flow fan;

a rotation motor for rotating the flow fan using a power supply, and discharging air in the cleaner body;

a discharge duct for discharging air from the cleaner body;

a grill member mounted at one end of the discharge duct, and including a plurality of holes; and

a negative-ion generator mounted in the grill member to generate negative-ions in air which is discharged from the discharge duct.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the negative-ion generation unit further comprises a plurality of filters for collecting dust in air, and

filtered air is discharged to a predetermined space through a discharge port formed accordingly to the position of the grill member at one side of the body cover.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 3, wherein the plurality of filters comprise:

a first filter for filtering out large-particle dust from drawn-in air; and

a second filter for filtering out fine dust particles and distasteful odors.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises:

a pair of driving motors mounted in the cleaner body, and operated by a power source respectively supplied thereto;

a pair of driving wheels rotated by the pair of driving motors;

a pair of secondary wheels rotated in accordance with the pair of driving wheels; and

a driving force transmitting means for causing the driving wheels and the secondary wheels to rotate in association with each other.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 5, wherein the driving force transmitting means is a timing belt.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the grill member is grounded to the cleaner body of the robot cleaner.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the grill member is formed of antistatic resin to avoid being charged with positive electric charge.