ROBOTIC SURFACE-CLEANING ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS

• US 20160214144A1
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Swanberg, Jeffery P., Bell, Kevin Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,040,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 1/14 using a travelling band
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/143 Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/30 by movement of cleaning members over a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning

Abstract

Robotic surface-cleaning assemblies include a base configured to be operatively coupled to a robotic arm; a supply of cleaning fabric supported relative to the base; an applicator supported relative to the base, wherein the applicator is configured to support a portion of cleaning fabric from the supply of cleaning fabric and operatively and selectively position the portion into engagement with a surface to be cleaned; and a source of cleaning fluid supported relative to the base, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively (i) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator and/or (ii) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned. Methods of cleaning a surface with a robotic surface-cleaning assembly also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A robotic surface-cleaning assembly, the assembly comprising:

a base configured to be operatively coupled to a robotic arm;

a supply of cleaning fabric supported relative to the base;

an applicator supported relative to the base, wherein the applicator is configured to support a portion of cleaning fabric from the supply of cleaning fabric and operatively and selectively position the portion into engagement with a surface to be cleaned; and

a source of cleaning fluid supported relative to the base, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively (i) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator and/or (ii) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the supply of cleaning fabric includes a supply spool of clean cleaning fabric for delivery of the cleaning fabric to the applicator and a take-up spool for receiving soiled cleaning fabric from the applicator, and wherein the cleaning fabric includes a length of cleaning fabric that extends from the supply spool, across the applicator, and to the take-up spool.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the supply spool and the take-up spool is configured to be selectively translated relative to the applicator to operatively maintain a desired tension of the cleaning fabric at the applicator.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the supply spool and the take-up spool is spring-biased relative to the applicator to operatively maintain a desired tension of the cleaning fabric at the applicator.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the applicator defines an applicator surface, wherein the portion of cleaning fabric extends across the applicator surface, wherein the applicator surface is positioned to selectively position the portion into engagement with the surface to be cleaned, and wherein the applicator includes a supply-side guide and a take-up-side guide configured to position the cleaning fabric relative to the applicator surface and guide the cleaning fabric across the applicator surface.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the applicator defines an applicator surface, wherein the portion of cleaning fabric extends across the applicator surface, wherein the applicator surface is positioned to selectively position the portion into engagement with the surface to be cleaned, and wherein the applicator includes a supply-side clamp and a take-up-side clamp configured to selectively secure the cleaning fabric relative to the applicator surface.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the applicator defines an applicator surface, wherein the portion of cleaning fabric extends across the applicator surface, wherein the applicator surface is positioned to selectively position the portion into engagement with the surface to be cleaned, and wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator via the applicator surface.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein source of cleaning fluid includes one or more nozzles configured to spray cleaning fluid on the surface to the cleaned.

11. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a scanner supported relative to the base, wherein the scanner is configured to detect a cleanliness of the surface to be cleaned.

12. The assembly of claim 1,

wherein the assembly has:

(i) a readying configuration, in which the applicator and a first portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator are spaced away from the surface to be cleaned, and in which at least one of (a) the source of cleaning fluid is delivering cleaning fluid directly to the first portion, and (b) the source of cleaning fluid is delivering cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned;

(ii) a wet cleaning configuration that occurs following the readying configuration, in which the first portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator is engaged with the surface to be cleaned, and in which the applicator is moving the first portion in a first predefined motion across the surface to be cleaned;

(iii) a transition configuration that occurs following the wet cleaning configuration, in which the applicator is spaced away from the surface to be cleaned, and in which the supply of cleaning fabric provides a second portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the second portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned;

(iv) a dry cleaning configuration that occurs following the transition configuration, in which the second portion of the cleaning fabric is engaged with the surface to be cleaned, and in which the applicator is moving the second portion in a second predefined motion across the surface to be cleaned.

13. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

a scanner supported relative to the base, wherein the scanner is configured to detect a cleanliness of the surface to be cleaned;

wherein the assembly further has;

(v) a scanning configuration, in which the scanner is scanning the surface to be cleaned.

14. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller programmed to;

(i) at least one of (a) deliver cleaning fluid from the source of cleaning fluid directly to a first portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, and (b) deliver cleaning fluid directly to a first region of the surface to be cleaned;

(ii) following (i), move the applicator to position the first portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a first predefined motion across the first region;

(iii) following (ii), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a second portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the second portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned;

(iv) following (iii), move the applicator to position the second portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a second predefined motion across the first region;

(v) following (iv), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a third portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the third portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned; and

(vi) following (iv) and optionally following (v), move the applicator relative to the surface to be cleaned and repeat (i)-(v) with respect to a second region of the surface to be cleaned and with the third portion and a fourth portion of the cleaning fabric, wherein the second region is different than the first region.

15. The assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a scanner supported relative to the base, wherein the scanner is configured to detect a cleanliness of the surface to be cleaned;

wherein the controller is further programmed to;

(vii) receive cleanliness data from the scanner and, based at least in part on the cleanliness data, one or more of;

(a) modify a volume of cleaning fluid delivered during (i);

(b) modify a length of time that the applicator is moved in the first predefined motion during (ii);

(c) modify the motion of the first predefined motion;

(d) modify a length of time that the applicator is moved in the second predefined motion during (iv);

(e) modify the motion of the second predefined motion;

(f) repeat at least a subset of (i)-(v) one or more times prior to performing (vi); and

(g) send a signal to an operator, wherein the signal is indicative of the cleanliness data.

16. A robotic surface-cleaning assembly, the assembly comprising:

a robotic arm;

a base operatively coupled to the robotic arm;

a supply of cleaning fabric supported relative to the base, wherein the supply of cleaning fabric includes a supply spool of clean cleaning fabric, a take-up spool, and a length of cleaning fabric that extends from the supply spool to the take-up spool;

an applicator supported relative to the base, wherein the applicator supports a portion of cleaning fabric between the supply spool and the take-up spool and is configured to operatively and selectively position the portion into engagement with a surface to be cleaned, wherein the applicator defines an applicator surface, wherein the portion extends across the applicator surface, and wherein the applicator includes a supply-side guide and a take-up-side guide configured to position the cleaning fabric relative to the applicator surface and guide the cleaning fabric across the applicator surface;

a source of cleaning fluid supported relative to the base, wherein the source of cleaning fluid is configured to operatively and selectively (i) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator and/or (ii) deliver cleaning fluid directly to the surface to be cleaned; and

a controller programmed to;

(i) at least one of (a) deliver cleaning fluid from the source of cleaning fluid directly to a first portion of the cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, and (b) deliver cleaning fluid directly to a first region of the surface to be cleaned;

(ii) following (i), move the applicator to position the first portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a first predefined motion across the first region;

(iii) following (ii), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a second portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the second portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned;

(iv) following (iii), move the applicator to position the second portion of the cleaning fabric into engagement with the surface to be cleaned and move the applicator in a second predefined motion across the first region;

(v) following (iv), move the applicator away from the surface to be cleaned and provide by the supply of cleaning fabric a third portion of cleaning fabric supported by the applicator, with the third portion having not engaged the surface to be cleaned; and

(vi) following (iv) and optionally following (v), move the applicator relative to the surface to be cleaned and repeat (i)-(v) with respect to a second region of the surface to be cleaned and with the third portion and a fourth portion of the cleaning fabric, wherein the second region is different than the first region.

17. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a scanner supported relative to the base, wherein the scanner is configured to detect a cleanliness of the surface to be cleaned;

wherein the controller is further programmed to;

(vii) receive cleanliness data from the scanner, and based at least in part on the cleanliness data, one or more of;

(a) modify a volume of cleaning fluid delivered during (i);

(b) modify a length of time that the applicator is moved in the first predefined motion during (ii);

(c) modify the motion of the first predefined motion;

(d) modify a length of time that the applicator is moved in the second predefined motion during (iv);

(e) modify the motion of the second predefined motion;

(f) repeat at least a subset of (i)-(v) one or more times prior to performing (vi); and

(g) send a signal to an operator, wherein the signal is indicative of the cleanliness data.

18. A method of cleaning a surface with a robotic surface-cleaning assembly, the method comprising:

(i) delivering cleaning fluid to (a) a first portion of a cleaning fabric and/or (b) a first region of the surface;

(ii) following step (i), engaging the first region with the first portion and moving the first portion in a first predefined motion across the first region;

(iii) following step (ii), disengaging the first portion from the first region;

(iv) following step (iii), replacing the first portion with a second portion of the cleaning fabric;

(v) following step (iv), engaging the first region with the second portion and moving the second portion in a second predefined motion across the first region;

(vi) following step (v), disengaging the second portion from the first region;

(vii) following step (vi), replacing the second portion with a third portion of the cleaning fabric;

(viii) following step (vi), moving the assembly relative to the surface and/or moving the surface relative to the assembly; and

(ix) following step (viii), repeating steps (i)-(viii) with respect to a second region of the surface and with the third portion and a fourth portion of the cleaning fabric, wherein the second region is different than the first region.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

(x) scanning the surface and acquiring cleanliness data; and

(xi) responsive to step (x) and based on the cleanliness data, one or more of;

(a) modifying a volume of cleaning fluid delivered during step (i);

(b) modifying a length of time that the applicator is moved during step (ii);

(c) modifying the motion of the first predefined motion;

(d) modifying a length of time that the applicator is moved during step (v);

(e) modifying the motion of the second predefined motion;

(f) repeating at least a subset of (i)-(vii) one or more times prior to performing step (viii); and

(g) sending a signal to an operator, wherein the signal is indicative of the cleanliness data.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

following step (ix), painting, coating, or otherwise applying a material to the surface.