Autonomous floor mopping apparatus
First Claim
1. A floor mopping assembly, comprising:
- a first roller configured to let out a web mounted on a roll;
a second roller configured to reel in the web;
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the web between the first roller and the second roller;
a pad configured to press the web against a surface; and
a housing to enclose the motor system, the first roller, the second roller and the pad, wherein the motor system, the first and second rollers, and the pad are mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the web between the first and second rollers and between the pad and the surface, and wherein the housing is part of an autonomous cleaning robot, and wherein the autonomous cleaning robot offloads the web after it has been soiled.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A floor mopping assembly finding use in a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot may be remotely controlled or autonomous. In one embodiment, a feed roller lets out a roll of webbing or toweling, a take-up roller reels in the toweling, and a motor system causes transfer of the toweling between the feed roller and the take-up roller. A housing holds the motor system and the rollers, which are mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the webbing between the rollers. One of the rollers is configured to rest on the floor or surface so as to cause the toweling to clean the surface. In an alternative embodiment, the assembly also includes a pad to press the toweling against the surface, where the pad is mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the toweling between the rollers and between the pad and the surface.
282 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A floor mopping assembly, comprising:
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a first roller configured to let out a web mounted on a roll;
a second roller configured to reel in the web;
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the web between the first roller and the second roller;
a pad configured to press the web against a surface; and
a housing to enclose the motor system, the first roller, the second roller and the pad, wherein the motor system, the first and second rollers, and the pad are mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the web between the first and second rollers and between the pad and the surface, and wherein the housing is part of an autonomous cleaning robot, and wherein the autonomous cleaning robot offloads the web after it has been soiled.
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2. A floor mopping assembly, comprising:
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a first roller configured to let out a web mounted on a roll;
a second roller configured to reel in the web;
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the web between the first roller and the second roller;
a pad configured to press the web against a surface, wherein the pad is compliant and non-absorbent; and
a housing to enclose the motor system, the first roller, the second roller and the pad, wherein the motor system, the first and second rollers, and the pad are mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the web between the first and second rollers and between the pad and the surface, and wherein the floor mopping assembly automatically loads or offloads a length of the web.
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3. A floor mopping assembly, comprising:
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a first roller configured to let out a web mounted on a roll, wherein the roll of web is encased in a watertight compartment;
a second roller configured to reel in the web;
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the web between the first roller and the second roller;
a pad configured to press the web against a surface; and
a housing to enclose the motor system, the flrst roller and its watertight compartment, the second roller, and the pad, wherein the motor system, the first and second rollers, and the pad are mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the web between the first and second rollers and between the pad and the surface.
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4. A floor mopping assembly, comprising:
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a first roller configured to let out a web mounted on a roll, wherein the roll of web is encased in a disposable assembly;
a second roller configured to reel in the web;
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the web between the first roller and the second roller;
a pad configured to press the web against a surface; and
a housing to enclose the motor system, the first roller, the second roller and the pad, wherein the motor system, the first and second rollers, and the pad are mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the web between the first and second rollers and between the pad and the surface.
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5. A floor mopping assembly, comprising:
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a computerized mobile chassis;
a first roller configured to let out a roll of moistened webbing, wherein the roll of webbing is encased in a watertight compartment;
a second roller configured to reel in the webbing; and
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the webbing between the first roller and the second roller, wherein the motor system, the first roller and its watertight compartment, and the second roller are conveyed by the chassis. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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6. A floor mopping assembly, comprising:
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a computerized mobile chassis;
a first roller configured to let out a roll of webbing, wherein the roll of webbing is encased in a disposable assembly;
a second roller configured to reel in the webbing; and
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the webbing between the first roller and the second roller, wherein the motor system and the first and second rollers are conveyed by the chassis.
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7. A method of mopping a surface with a floor mopping device, the method comprising:
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a) connecting a roll of webbing on a feed roller to a take-up roller;
b) moving the floor mopping device without human intervention;
c) pressing on a portion of the webbing such that the webbing cleans the surface; and
d) transferring the portion of the webbing to the take-up roller, wherein the transferring includes determining when the webbing is soiled.
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8. A method of mopping a surface with a floor mopping device, the method comprising:
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a) connecting a roll of webbing on a feed roller to a take-up roller;
b) moving the floor mopping device without human intervention;
c) pressing on a portion of the webbing such that the webbing cleans a surface; and
d) transferring the portion of the webbing to the take-up roller, wherein the transferring includes determining when the mopping device has cleaned a predetermined area of the surface.
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9. A floor mopping system, comprising:
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a floor mopping assembly, comprising;
a first roller configured to let out a web mounted on a roll;
a second roller configured to reel in the web;
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the web between the first roller and the second roller;
a pad configured to press the web against a surface; and
a housing to enclose the motor system, the first roller, the second roller and the pad, wherein the motor system, the first and second rollers, and the pad are mounted in the housing such that the motor causes transfer of the web between the first and second rollers and between the pad and the surface; and
a master controller separately housed from the floor mopping assembly, in data communication with the floor mopping assembly, and configured to control the floor mopping assembly, wherein the master controller is an autonomous mobile robot. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A floor mopping system, comprising:
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a floor mopping assembly, comprising;
a computerized mobile chassis;
a first roller configured to let out a roll of webbing;
a second roller configured to reel in the webbing; and
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the webbing between the first roller and the second roller, wherein the motor system and the first and second rollers are conveyed by the chassis; and
a master controller separately housed from the floor mopping assembly, in data communication with the floor mopping assembly, and configured to control the floor mopping assembly, wherein the master controller is an autonomous mobile robot. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A floor mopping system, comprising:
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means for floor mopping, comprising;
a computerized mobile chassis;
first means for letting out a portion of webbing;
second means for taking up the webbing; and
motor means for causing transfer of the webbing between the first means and the second means; and
control means, separately housed from the means for floor mopping, and in communication with the means for floor mopping, for controlling the means for floor mopping, wherein the control means is configured to autonomously navigate through an environment.
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27. A method of mopping a surface with a floor mopping device, the method comprising:
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a) connecting a roll of webbing on a feed roller to a take-up roller;
b) transmitting control signals from an autonomous master controller to the floor mopping device, wherein the autonomous master controller comprises one or more navigation sensors;
c) moving the floor mopping device based on the control signals;
d) sensing the movement of the floor mopping device using the navigation sensors thereby tracking the location of the floor mopping device;
e) pressing on a portion of the webbing such that the webbing cleans a surface; and
f) transferring the portion of the webbing to the take-up roller. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A floor mopping system, comprising:
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a floor mopping assembly, comprising;
a computerized mobile chassis;
a first roller configured to let out a roll of webbing;
a second roller configured to reel in the webbing;
a motor system configured to cause transfer of the webbing between the first roller and the second roller, wherein the motor system and the first and second rollers are conveyed by the chassis; and
a housing to enclose the chassis, the motor system, the first roller and the second roller, wherein the motor system, and the first and second rollers, are mounted such that the motor causes transfer of the webbing between the first and second rollers and one of the rollers is configured to rest on a surface; and
a master controller separately housed from the floor mopping assembly, in data communication with the floor mopping assembly, and configured to control the floor mopping assembly.
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34. A method of mopping a surface with a floor mopping device, the method comprising:
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a) connecting a roll of webbing on a feed roller to a take-up roller;
b) transmitting control signals from an autonomous master controller to the floor mopping device;
c) moving the floor mopping device based on the control signals;
d) pressing on a portion of the webbing such that the webbing cleans a surface; and
e) transferring the portion of the webbing to the take-up roller, wherein the transferring includes determining when the webbing is soiled.
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35. A method of mopping a surface with a floor mopping device, the method comprising:
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a) connecting a roll of webbing on a feed roller to a take-up roller;
b) transmitting control signals from an autonomous master controller to the floor mopping device;
c) moving the floor mopping device based on the control signals;
d) pressing on a portion of the webbing such that the webbing cleans a surface; and
e) transferring the portion of the webbing to the take-up roller, wherein the transferring includes determining when the mopping device has cleaned a predetermined area of the surface.
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Specification