Robot cleaner, maintenance station, and cleaning system having the same

• US 20120011677A1
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Hyun Soo, Kim, Dong Won, Lee, Jun Hwa, Hong, Jun Pyo, Yoon, Sang Sik
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,751 B2
• 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 2201/024 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 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 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• 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 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2815 using optical detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices

Abstract

In a cleaning system, dust stored in a dust box is suspended in air introduced into the dust box through a first opening formed through a robot cleaner, and is then discharged to a second opening formed through a maintenance station through the first opening of the robot cleaner.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a body having an opening;

a dust box provided at the body, to store dust; and

a brush unit to sweep dust on a floor into the dust box,

wherein the dust stored in the dust box is caused to be in motion by introducing a flow of air into the dust box, and the dust in motion is discharged from the dust box through the opening of the body by applying suction thereto during a dust discharge operation.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the brush unit is provided at the opening of the body, and

the flow of air is introduced into the dust box through a side region of the opening of the body, and is then outwardly discharged through a central region of the opening of the body.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein, during the dust discharge operation, the brush unit is controlled to allow dust to be more effectively discharged.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the brush unit comprises a roller, and the roller of the brush unit changes a rotation direction at least one time during the dust discharge operation.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein, during the dust discharge operation, the roller of the brush unit rotates slowly in an initial period of time when light dust is discharged, and then rotates rapidly.

6. A robot cleaner system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a maintenance station to generate a flow of discharge air to be introduced into the dust box of the robot cleaner via the side region of the opening of the robot cleaner body, and to generate suction to be applied to the dust box of the robot cleaner via the central region of the opening of the robot cleaner body,

wherein the opening of the body of the robot cleaner communicates with an opening provided at the maintenance station.

7. A cleaning system comprising:

a robot cleaner comprising a first opening, and a first dust box communicating with the first opening; and

a maintenance station comprising a second opening, and a second dust box communicating with the second opening,

wherein dust stored in the first dust box of the robot cleaner is discharged to the second opening of the maintenance station through the first opening of the robot cleaner after the dust is caused to be in motion by introducing a flow of air into the first dust box of the robot cleaner.

8. The cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the air introduced into the first dust box of the robot cleaner passes through the first opening of the robot cleaner.

9. The cleaning system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a dust removal unit to suck air from the first dust box of the robot cleaner through the first opening of the robot cleaner, and to again blow air to the first opening of the robot cleaner.

10. The cleaning system according to claim 9, wherein the dust removal unit sucks air such that the air blown to the first opening of the robot cleaner emerges from the first opening of the robot cleaner after circulating through the first dust box of the robot cleaner.

11. The cleaning system according to claim 10, wherein the dust removal unit blows air in a side region of the first opening of the robot cleaner as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the first opening, and sucks air in a large region of the first opening as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the first opening.

12. The cleaning system according to claim 9, wherein the dust removal unit comprises:

a pump unit; and

a first discharge duct provided at a discharge side of the pump unit,

wherein the first discharge duct has a first discharge port to allow air to be blown into a larger dust box included in the first dust box, and a second discharge port to allow air to be blown into a smaller dust box included in the first dust box.

13. The cleaning system according to claim 12, wherein the dust removal unit further comprises:

a second discharge duct provided at the discharge side of the pump unit,

wherein the second discharge duct has a third discharge port to allow air to be blown into the larger dust box of the first dust box, and a fourth discharge port to allow air to be blown into a smaller dust box included in the first dust box.

14. The cleaning system according to claim 10, wherein the dust removal unit comprises:

a pump unit; and

a suction duct provided at a suction side of the pump unit,

wherein the suction duct has a suction port, which is larger than the opening of the robot cleaner.

15. The cleaning system according to claim 9, wherein the dust removal unit comprises:

a pump unit;

a suction duct provided at a suction side of the pump unit;

first and second discharge ducts provided at a discharge side of the pump unit; and

a port assembly to divide the suction duct into two portions respectively having first and second suction ports, to divide the first discharge duct into two portions respectively having first and second discharge ports, and to divide the second discharge duct into two portions respectively having third and fourth discharge ports.

16. The cleaning system according to claim 15, wherein the port assembly comprises a suction port forming member to form the first and second suction ports, a first discharge port forming member to form the first discharge port, a second discharge port forming member to form the second discharge port, a third discharge port forming member to form the third discharge port, and a fourth discharge port forming member to form the fourth discharge port.

17. The cleaning system according to claim 16, wherein the second suction port surrounds the first suction port, the first discharge port, the second discharge port, the third discharge port, and the fourth discharge port.

18. The cleaning system according to claim 9, wherein the dust removal unit comprises:

a pump unit;

a suction duct provided at a suction side of the pump unit; and

a discharge duct provided at a discharge side of the pump unit,

wherein the suction duct has a suction port arranged in a large region of the first opening of the robot cleaner in a longitudinal direction of the first opening, and the discharge duct has a discharge port arranged at a side region of the first opening as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the first opening.

19. The cleaning system according to claim 18, wherein the suction port of the suction duct has a larger cross-sectional area than the discharge port of the discharge duct.

20. The cleaning system according to claim 19, wherein a cross-sectional area ratio between the suction port of the suction duct and the discharge port of the discharge duct is 7.5:

1.

21. The cleaning system according to claim 18, wherein the suction port of the suction duct and the discharge port of the discharge duct form the second opening of the maintenance system.

22. The cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein:

the robot cleaner further comprises a brush unit provided at the first opening of the robot cleaner; and

the brush unit is controlled to allow dust stored in the first dust box of the robot cleaner to be more effectively discharged to the second opening of the maintenance station.

23. The cleaning system according to claim 22, wherein the maintenance station further comprises a brush cleaning member to clean the brush unit.

24. The cleaning system according to claim 23, wherein the brush cleaning member is arranged adjacent to the second opening of the maintenance station.

25. The cleaning system according to claim 23, wherein the brush cleaning member comprises a guide extending inclinedly with respect to a rotation direction of the brush unit, and at least one hook protruded from a side surface of the guide.

26. The cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein:

the robot cleaner further comprises a dust sensing unit to detect dust stored in the first dust box; and

the dust sensing unit comprises a light emitting unit and a light receiving sensor, which are installed at regions other than the first dust box.

27. The cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein:

the robot cleaner further comprises a dust sensing unit to detect dust stored in the first dust box; and

the robot cleaner is moved to the maintenance station when the dust sensed by the dust sensing unit corresponds to a predetermined amount or more.