AUTONOMOUS SURFACE TREATING APPLIANCE

• US 20130061420A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Vanderstegen-Drake, Mark Stamford, Dyson, James, Gammack, Peter David
• Granted Patent: US 9,427,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• 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 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators

Abstract

An autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a main body defining an outer plan profile, and having a drive arrangement mounted inboard of the outer plan profile of the main body and configured to propel the appliance in a direction of movement across a surface to be cleaned, a surface treating assembly associated with the main body and carried transversely to the direction of movement, the surface treating assembly being generally elongate in form and having side edges extending substantially at a tangent to respective circular portions of the outer plan profile of the main body.

Claims

1. An autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a main body defining an outer plan profile, and having a drive arrangement mounted inboard of the outer plan profile of the main body and configured to propel the appliance in a direction of movement across a surface to be cleaned, a surface treating assembly associated with the main body and carried transversely to the direction of movement, the surface treating assembly being generally elongate in form and having side edges extending substantially at a tangent to respective circular portions of the outer plan profile of the main body.

2. The surface treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the outer plan profile of the main body is substantially circular.

3. The surface treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the surface treating assembly extends transversely across a rear portion of the main body.

4. The surface treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the side edges of the surface treating assembly extend through respective openings in a side of the main body.

5. The surface treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the surface treating assembly is located behind the drive arrangement.

6. The surface treating appliance of claim 1, wherein the main body includes a chassis, wherein the surface treating assembly is provided on the chassis.

7. The surface treating appliance of claim 6, wherein the surface treating assembly is integral to the chassis.

8. The surface treating appliance of claim 6, wherein the chassis defines an elongate sole plate extending forward of the surface treating assembly along a longitudinal axis.

9. The surface treating appliance of claim 6, wherein the chassis further includes first and second side recesses, and wherein the drive arrangement includes first and second traction units, a respective one of which is receivable in the respective first and second side recesses of the chassis.

10. The surface treating appliance of claim 6, wherein the appliance further comprises a power source operatively connected to a suction generator operable to draw air from a dirty air inlet of the surface treating assembly into a removable dirt and dust separating apparatus.

11. The surface treating appliance of claim 10, wherein the main body includes a front portion defining an open platform within which the removable dirt separating apparatus is receivable.

12. The surface treating appliance of claim 10, wherein the dirt separating apparatus is substantially cylindrical and defines an axis extending substantially parallel to a vertical axis of the main body.

13. The surface treating appliance of claim 10, wherein the dirt separating apparatus is a cyclonic dirt separating apparatus.

14. The surface treating appliance of claim 10, wherein a portion of the dirt separating apparatus forms part of the outer plan profile of the appliance.

15. The surface treating appliance of claim 14, wherein a portion of the dirt separating apparatus protrudes beyond a front portion of the main body in the direction of movement.

16. The surface treating appliance of claim 10, wherein the main body includes a body portion mounted on the chassis and movable relative thereto.

17. The surface treating appliance of claim 16, wherein the power source, the suction generator and the dirt separating apparatus are provided on the body portion.

18. The surface treating appliance of claim 16, wherein a curved duct extends between the surface treating assembly provided on the chassis and an outlet port defined in the open platform of the body portion, the outlet port being adapted for engagement with a respective inlet port provided on the dirt and dust separating apparatus.