SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLEANING INTERIOR PORTIONS OF A VEHICLE

• US 20170283092A1
• Filed: 06/07/2016
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Brown, Douglas Alan, Hills, Karen L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,793,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/02 Toilet fittings of general application A47K
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/30 Cleaning aircraft

Abstract

A vehicle includes an internal cabin, and an autonomous cleaning system located within an interior chamber of the internal cabin. The autonomous cleaning system includes a cleaning robot configured to clean a portion of the interior chamber.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an internal cabin; and

an autonomous cleaning system located within an interior chamber of the internal cabin, wherein the autonomous cleaning system comprises a cleaning robot configured to clean a portion of the interior chamber.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the autonomous cleaning system further comprises a docking station within the interior chamber, wherein the cleaning robot is configured to be housed within the docking station, and wherein the cleaning robot is configured to be deployed from the docking station during a cleaning cycle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the docking station comprises a charger that is configured to charge a battery of the cleaning robot when the cleaning robot is housed within the docking station.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the interior chamber comprises a lavatory.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a presence sensor that is configured to detect a presence of an individual within the interior chamber, wherein the cleaning robot is deployed to clean the portion of the interior chamber when the interior chamber is unoccupied.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot comprises a debris collector configured to collect debris from the interior chamber during a cleaning cycle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot comprises an agitator configured to agitate the portion of the interior chamber during a cleaning cycle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot comprises a dispenser in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir, wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense fluid onto the portion of the interior chamber during a cleaning cycle.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the cleaning robot comprises the fluid reservoir.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot comprises an ultraviolet light that is configured to irradiate the portion of the interior chamber with ultraviolet light during a cleaning cycle.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot comprises a conveyance sub-system and a navigation sub-system, wherein the conveyance sub-system is configured to move the cleaning robot within the interior chamber based on signals received from the navigation sub-system.

12. A method of cleaning an interior chamber of an internal cabin of a vehicle, the method comprising:

locating an autonomous cleaning system within the interior chamber of the internal cabin;

deploying a cleaning robot within the interior chamber during a cleaning cycle; and

cleaning a portion of the interior chamber with the cleaning robot during the cleaning cycle.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising housing the cleaning robot within a docking station before and after the cleaning cycle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising charging a battery of the cleaning robot within the docking station.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the interior chamber comprises a lavatory.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting a presence of an individual within the interior chamber, and wherein the deploying and cleaning operations occur when the interior chamber is unoccupied.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the cleaning comprises collecting debris from the interior chamber during a cleaning cycle.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the cleaning comprises agitating the portion of the interior chamber during a cleaning cycle.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the cleaning comprises:

dispensing fluid onto the portion of the interior chamber during a cleaning cycle.

irradiating the portion of the interior chamber with ultraviolet light during the cleaning cycle; and

moving the cleaning robot within the interior chamber based on signals received from a navigation sub-system.

20. A vehicle comprising:

an internal cabin; and

an autonomous cleaning system located within a lavatory of the internal cabin, wherein the autonomous cleaning system comprises;

a cleaning robot configured to clean a floor of the lavatory, wherein the cleaning robot includes;

(a) a conveyance sub-system in communication with a navigation sub-system, wherein the conveyance sub-system is configured to move the cleaning robot within the lavatory based on signals received from the navigation sub-system, (b) a debris collector configured to collect debris from the lavatory during a cleaning cycle, (c) an agitator configured to agitate a portion of the lavatory during a cleaning cycle, (c) a dispenser in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir, wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense fluid onto the portion of the lavatory during a cleaning cycle, and (e) an ultraviolet light that is configured to irradiate the portion of the lavatory with ultraviolet light during a cleaning cycle;

a docking station within the lavatory, wherein the cleaning robot is configured to be housed within the docking station, and wherein the cleaning robot is configured to be deployed from the docking station during a cleaning cycle, wherein the docking station comprises a charger that is configured to charge a battery of the cleaning robot when the cleaning robot is housed within the docking station; and

a presence sensor that is configured to detect a presence of an individual within the lavatory, wherein the cleaning robot is deployed to clean the floor of the lavatory when the lavatory is unoccupied.