REMOVING DEBRIS FROM CLEANING ROBOTS

• US 20090044370A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Svendsen, Selma, Won, Chikyung, Schnittman, Mark, Devlin, John, Hickey, Stephen A., Lowry, Jed, Dubrovsky, Zivthan A., Swett, David
• Application Number:
  US11/751,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044370A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4025 Means for emptying
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• 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 11/4091 Storing or parking devices, arrangements therefor; Means allowing transport of the machine when it is not being used
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4097 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Exhaust-air treatment, e.g. air purification; Means for sound or vibration damping
• 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 2201/024 Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/028 Refurbishing floor engaging tools, e.g. cleaning of beating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 : Dust compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 : Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 : the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust

Abstract

A cleaning robot system includes a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller, and a cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing and a driven cleaning roller. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing and a docking platform configured to support the robot when docked. A mechanical agitator engages the roller of the robot with the robot docked. The agitator includes an agitator comb having multiple teeth configured to remove accumulated debris from the roller as the agitator comb and roller are moved relative to one another. The robot maintenance station includes a collection bin arranged to receive and hold debris removed by the mechanical agitator.

Claims

1. A cleaning robot system comprising:

a robot comprising;

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller in communication with the drive system; and

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising;

a cleaning assembly housing; and

a driven cleaning roller rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing; and

a robot maintenance station comprising;

a station housing;

a docking platform carried by the station housing and configured to support the robot when docked;

a mechanical agitator that engages the roller of the robot with the robot docked, the agitator comprising an agitator comb having multiple teeth configured to remove accumulated debris from the roller as the agitator comb and roller are moved relative to one another; and

a collection bin arranged to receive and hold debris removed by the mechanical agitator.

2. The cleaning robot system of claim 1 wherein the robot maintenance station further comprises:

a station evacuation port configured to mate with the robot when the robot is received in the robot maintenance station for maintenance; and

a motorized vacuum pump in fluid communication with the collection bin and the station evacuation port, the motorized vacuum pump configured to draw air into the vacuum pump and to evacuate accumulated debris removed by the mechanical agitator into the collection bin.

3. The cleaning robot system of claim 1 wherein robot further comprises a downward facing cleaning agitator, and the docking platform further comprises a locking assembly configured to secure the received robot to the platform so that the mechanical agitator does not force the robot from the platform.

4. The cleaning robot system of claim 1 wherein the mechanical agitator further comprises one or more blades configured to cut accumulated filaments off the roller.

5. The cleaning robot system of claim 1 wherein the mechanical agitator further comprises an actuator configured to move the agitator of the docked robot.

6. The cleaning robot system of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum assembly configured to evacuate cut filaments off the mechanical agitator.

7. A cleaning robot system comprising:

a robot comprising;

a chassis,

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller in communication with the drive system;

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising;

a cleaning assembly housing; and

a driven cleaning roller rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing; and

a robot cleaning bin carried by the chassis; and

a robot maintenance station comprising;

a station housing configured to receive the robot for maintenance, the station housing defining a blower port and an evacuation port spaced from the blower port, the station blower port and the evacuation port both arranged to be exposed to the robot cleaning bin when the robot is received in the maintenance station for maintenance;

a collection bin carried by the station housing and in fluid communication with the evacuation port; and

an air pump that blows air through the station blower port into the cleaning bin while drawing air through the station evacuation port and evacuating debris from the robot cleaning bin into the collection bin.

8. The cleaning robot system of claim 7 wherein the robot maintenance station comprises a mechanical agitator cleaning assembly arranged to engage a driven cleaning agitator of the cleaning head and comprising an agitator comb comprising multiple teeth configured to remove accumulated debris from the driven cleaning agitator as the agitator comb and driven cleaning agitator are moved relative to one another, wherein a collection bin receives accumulated debris from the agitator removed by the mechanical agitator cleaning assembly.

9. The cleaning robot system of claim 7 wherein the robot cleaning bin is removable from the robot and the collection bin is removable from the maintenance station.

10. The cleaning robot system of claim 7 wherein the cleaning head comprises a vacuuming cleaning head configured to evacuate debris from a floor into the cleaning bin.

11. The cleaning robot system of claim 7 wherein the cleaning head comprises a sweeping cleaning head configured to agitate debris from the floor and sweep the debris into the cleaning bin.

12. The cleaning robot system of claim 7 wherein the maintenance station further comprises a locking assembly configured to secure the robot to the station blower port and the station evacuation port, the station blower port and the station evacuation port being substantially sealed to the cleaning bin when the robot is received in the maintenance station for maintenance.

13. The cleaning robot system of claim 7 wherein the robot further comprises an internal bin maintenance sensor that monitors the contents of the robot cleaning bin for a maintenance condition, and wherein the controller of the robot causes the robot to begin seeking the maintenance station in order to dock and evacuate the robot cleaning bin in response to the maintenance condition.

14. A cleaning robot system comprising:

a robot comprising;

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller in communication with the drive system;

a cleaning head carried by the chassis and including a mechanical agitator; and

a cleaning bin carried by the chassis; and

a robot maintenance station comprising;

a docking platform configured to support the robot with the robot docked for maintenance,

an agitator comb arranged to engage the agitator of the docked robot and configured to remove accumulated debris from the agitator as the agitator comb and agitator are moved relative to one another;

a collection bin disposed more than one foot above the docking platform; and

an air pump that pumps air past the agitator comb, the pumped air motivating debris removed by the agitator comb into the collection bin.

15. The cleaning robot system of claim 14 wherein the air pump also moves a flow of air that evacuates debris from the robot cleaning bin.

16. The cleaning robot system of claim 14 wherein the mechanical agitator of the robot comprises one or both of rotating bristle brush members and a rotating pliable beater members.

17. The cleaning robot system of claim 14 wherein the agitator comb comprises one or both of rotating bristle brush members and a rotating pliable beater members.

18. The cleaning robot system of claim 14 wherein the agitator comb comprises blades for severing filaments among the debris.

20. The cleaning robot system of claim 14 wherein the agitator comb is rotated relative to the mechanical agitator of the robot.

19. (canceled)

21. A cleaning robot system comprising:

a robot comprising;

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller in communication with the drive system;

a driven cleaning head rotatably carried by the chassis; and

a cleaning bin carried by the chassis and configured to receive debris from the cleaning head during cleaning; and

a robot docking station comprising;

a docking station housing configured to receive the robot in a docked configuration for robot maintenance;

a debris collection bin; and

a motorized vacuum pump that draws air and debris from the robot cleaning bin to deposit the debris into the debris collection bin;

wherein the collection bin and vacuum pump are removable from the docking station housing as an assembly that also includes a graspable handle and forms a manually operable vacuum cleaner.

22. The cleaning robot system of claim 21 wherein the housing of the docking station fluidly connects the motorized vacuum pump to the robot cleaning head to evacuate the robot cleaning head into the collection bin of the manually operable vacuum cleaner.

23. The cleaning robot system of claim 21 wherein the housing of the docking station fluidly connects a vacuum cleaner cleaning head of the docking station to the robot cleaning head to evacuate the robot cleaning bin into the collection bin of the manually operable vacuum cleaner.

24. The cleaning robot system of claim 23 wherein the robot cleaning head comprises a mechanical agitator and the station cleaning head comprises at least one agitator comb, the housing of the docking station mechanically connecting the agitator comb of the cleaning head to the mechanical agitator of the robot cleaning head to remove accumulated debris from the mechanical agitator.

25. The cleaning robot system of claim 24 wherein the mechanical agitator comprises one or both of rotating bristle brush members and a rotating pliable beater members.

26. The cleaning robot system of claim 24 wherein the agitator comb comprises one or both of rotating bristle brush members and a rotating pliable beater members.