Robotic extraction cleaner with dusting pad

• US 7,320,149 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Miner, Jonathan L., Huffman, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider; Theresa T.
• Time in patent office: 1523 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/401, 153/403, 153/404, 153/20, 153/93, 154/03
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• 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 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation

Abstract

An vacuum cleaning robot has a drive system adapted to autonomously move a base housing along a horizontal surface and is controlled by a computer processing unit. A dusting assembly is mounted to the base housing and is adapted to selectively rest on a surface to be cleaned. A suction source draws dirt and debris through a suction nozzle and deposits the same in the recovery tank. A power source is connected to the drive system and to the computer processing unit. The computer processing unit is adapted to direct horizontal movement of the base housing within boundaries of the surface to be cleaned based upon input data defining said boundaries.

Claims

1. An autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot comprising:

a) a base housing;

b) a drive system mounted to said base housing, said drive system adapted to autonomously move said base housing on a substantially horizontal surface having boundaries;

c) a computer processing unit for storing, receiving and transmitting data, said computer processing unit attached to said base housing;

d) a dusting assembly positioned at a rearward portion of said base housing, operatively associated with said base housing and adapted to selectively rest on a surface to be cleaned;

e) a suction nozzle positioned at a forward portion of the base housing for withdrawing dirt, debris and liquid from the surface to be cleaned;

f) a squeegee positioned rearwardly of and adjacent to the suction nozzle and adapted to contact the surface to be cleaned and adapted to collect dirt, debris and liquid from the surface to be cleaned for removal by suction through the suction nozzle;

g) a cleaning fluid delivery system having a fluid distributor positioned forwardly of the suction nozzle for depositing of a cleaning fluid on the surface to be cleaned;

h) a recovery tank mounted on the base housing and in fluid communication with the suction nozzle;

i) a suction source mounted to the base housing and in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the recovery tank for drawing dirt, debris and liquid collected by the squeegee through the suction nozzle and depositing the same in the recovery tank; and

j) a power source connected to said drive system and said computer processing unit, whereby said computer processing unit directs horizontal movement of said base housing within the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned based upon input data defining said boundaries.

2. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 and further comprising an agitator mounted on the base housing for agitating contact with the surface to be cleaned.

3. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 2 and further comprising floor condition sensors mounted on base housing for detecting a floor condition and for generating a control signal that forms a part of the input data to the computer processing unit.

4. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 3 wherein the computer processing unit controls at least one of the agitator, the delivery of fluid by the fluid delivery system, the suction source and the drive system in response to the control signal.

5. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 4 and further comprising proximity sensors mounted on base housing for detecting a the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned and for generating a second control signal that forms a part of the input data to the computer processing unit.

6. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 5 wherein the computer processing unit controls the drive system in response to the second control signal to keep the base housing within the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned.

7. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 3 wherein the computer processing unit controls at least one of the agitator, the suction source and the drive system in response to the control signal.

8. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 7 and further comprising proximity sensors mounted on the base housing for detecting the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned and for generating a second control signal that forms a part of the input data to the computer processing unit.

9. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 8 wherein the computer processing unit controls the drive system in response to the second control signal to keep the base housing within the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned.

10. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 wherein the input data is a remote control signal.

11. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 wherein the input data comprises a program that guides the base housing through a predetermined path on the surface to be cleaned.

12. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 wherein the drive system comprises at least one wheel that is driven by a drive motor.

13. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 wherein the dusting assembly is removably mounted to a pad that forms a support for the dusting assembly.

14. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 and further comprising floor condition sensors mounted on the base housing for detecting a floor condition and for generating a control signal that forms a part of the input data to the computer processing unit.

15. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 14 wherein the computer processing unit controls at least one of the suction source and the drive system in response to the control signal.

16. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 and further comprising proximity sensors mounted on the base housing for detecting the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned and for generating a second control signal that forms a part of the input data to the computer processing unit.

17. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 16 wherein the computer processing unit controls the drive system in response to the second control signal to keep the base housing within the boundaries of the surface to be cleaned.

18. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 and further comprising an agitator mounted within the suction nozzle for agitating contact with the surface to be cleaned.

19. The autonomously movable home extraction cleaning robot according to claim 1 wherein the dusting assembly comprises:

a dusting pad attached to a bottom surface of the base housing; and

a removable dusting cloth associated with the dusting pad.