CLEANING ROBOT ROLLER PROCESSING

• US 20130205520A1
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Kapoor, Deepak Ramesh, Dubrovsky, Zivthan A.
• Application Number:
  US13/782,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205520A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/52.1
• 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 coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a housing and at least one driven cleaning roller including an elongated core with end mounting features defining a central longitudinal axis of rotation, multiple floor cleaning bristles extending radially outward from the core, and at least one compliant flap extending radially outward from the core to sweep a floor surface. The flap is configured to prevent errant filaments from spooling tightly about the core to aid subsequent removal of the filaments. In another aspect, a coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system, a controller, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a housing and at least one driven cleaning roller. The coverage robot includes a roller cleaning tool carried by the chassis and configured to longitudinally traverse the roller to remove accumulated debris from the cleaning roller.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A floor cleaner comprising:

a chassis;

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis, the cleaning assembly including;

a driven brush including;

an elongated core having an outer surface and end mounting features extending beyond respective axial ends of the outer surface of the core and defining a central longitudinal axis of rotation; and

a compliant portion extending radially outward from the core to sweep a floor surface as the core is rotated about the central longitudinal axis of rotation; and

an axial end guard mountable about one of the end mounting features, the axial end guard configured to prevent spooled filaments from traversing axially beyond the extremity of the mounting feature about which the axial end guard is mounted, and

a cleaning assembly housing including a fender, the fender configured to rotatably support the driven brush and to cooperate with the axial end guard to form a labyrinth seal.

24. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein

the end mounting features include a bushing,

the fender includes an opening configured to receive and support the bushing, and

the labyrinth seal surrounds the opening and is configured to substantially prevent hair and other filaments swept up by the compliant portion from entering the opening.

25. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein the fender includes a hollow portion having a stepped inner surface, the stepped inner surface including a first step portion and a second step portion axially spaced relative to the first step portion, wherein the axial end guard is received within the first step portion and a terminal end of the end mounting features is received in the second step portion.

26. The floor cleaner of claim 25, wherein the terminal end comprises a bushing.

27. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein

the fender includes an axially-extending annular protrusion having an inner dimension,

the axial end guard comprises a flat torus, and the flat torus is disposed within the protrusion and includes an outer dimension that is substantially equal to the inner dimension.

28. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein

the end mounting features include a bushing,

the fender includes

a fender surface,

an opening formed in the fender surface, the opening configured to support the bushing, and

an annular protrusion that extends normal to the fender surface and surrounds the bushing holder, and

the axial end guard includes a flat torus, the torus including a torus surface and a torus edge that surrounds the torus surface, the torus being disposed within the protrusion so that the torus edge faces an inner surface of the protrusion, and the torus surface faces, and is spaced apart from, the fender surface.

29. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein the axial end guard comprises a flat torus and a mounting ring, the mounting ring

extending in a direction away from a surface of the flat torus, and

forming an interference fit with the end mounting feature about which the axial end guard is mounted.

30. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein the axial end guard is removable from a longitudinal end of the core.

31. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the axial end guard forms an interference fit with the end mounting feature about which the axial end guard is mounted.

32. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein the outward radial extent of the compliant portion is greater than the outward radial extent of the axial end guard mounted on the end mounting feature.

33. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein the axial end guard defines a through hole through which extends the end mounting feature about which the axial end guard is mounted.

34. The floor cleaner of claim 23, further comprising a bearing circumscribed by the axial end guard, wherein the core is rotatable relative to the bearing.

35. The floor cleaner of claim 23, wherein the compliant portion further comprises multiple floor cleaning bristles extending radially outward from the core.

36. The floor cleaner of claim 35, wherein the bristles are disposed about the core in multiple rows, each row forming a substantially V-shaped groove configuration along the core.