Cleaning robot roller processing

• US 8,087,117 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Kapoor, Deepak Ramesh, Dubrovsky, Zivthan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWTON, STEPHANIE R
• Application Number:
  US11/751,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 15/211, 15/3, 15/971, 153/19, 153/78, 153/83, 153/92, 153/93, 154/03, 15/38, 901/1
• 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. A coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot; and

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising;

a cleaning assembly housing; and

at least one driven flapper brush rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing and comprising;

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

a compliant flap extending radially outward from the core to sweep a floor surface as the roller is driven to rotate, the flap configured to prevent errant filaments from spooling tightly about the core to aid subsequent removal of the filaments; and

axial end guards mounted on the core adjacent the ends of the outer core surface and configured to prevent spooled filaments from traversing axially from the outer core surface onto the mounting features, wherein the end guard is removable from each longitudinal end of the core.

2. The coverage robot of claim 1 wherein the flapper brush further comprises multiple floor cleaning bristles extending radially outward from the core, wherein a diameter of the compliant flap about the core is less than a diameter of the bristles about the core.

3. The coverage robot of claim 1 wherein the end guard is compliant, elastically deforming for removing accumulated errant filaments off of the flaps.

4. A coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot; and

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising;

a cleaning assembly housing; and

at least one driven sweeper brush rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing and comprising;

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

multiple floor cleaning bristles extending radially outward from the core; and

axial end guards mounted on the core adjacent the ends of the outer core surface and configured to prevent spooled filaments from traversing axially from the outer core surface onto the mounting features, wherein the end guard is removable from each longitudinal end of the core.

5. The coverage robot of claim 4 wherein the bristles are disposed about the core in multiple rows, each row forming a substantially V-shaped groove configuration along the core.

6. The coverage robot of claim 4 wherein the end guard is compliant, elastically deforming for removing accumulated errant filaments off of the bristles.

7. A coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot;

a controller carried by the chassis;

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising;

a cleaning assembly housing; and

at least one driven cleaning roller rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing; and

a roller cleaning tool carried by the chassis and comprising;

a body configured to longitudinally traverse the roller; and

protrusions extending outward from the body and configured to remove debris from the roller while passing over the cleaning roller.

8. The coverage robot of claim 7 wherein the roller cleaning tool further comprises a linear drive configured to drive the cleaning tool across the cleaning roller.

9. The coverage robot of claim 7 wherein the roller cleaning tool is substantially tubular.

10. The coverage robot of claim 7 wherein the roller cleaning tool includes a depth adjustor configured to control a depth of interference of the housing into the cleaning roller.

11. A robot roller maintenance system comprising:

a coverage robot comprising;

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot;

a controller carried by the chassis;

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising;

a cleaning assembly housing; and

at least one driven cleaning roller rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing and comprising;

a rotatable, 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 and configured to prevent errant filaments from spooling tightly about the core; and

a filament stripping tool for the roller comprising;

a substantially tubular housing defining first and second openings configured to receive the cleaning roller; and

protrusions extending from an interior surface of the housing toward a central longitudinal axis defined by the housing to a depth that interferes with the compliant flap, the protrusion configured to remove accumulated filaments spooled about the roller passing through the housing.

12. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 11 wherein at least two of the protrusions of the filament stripping tool extend toward the central longitudinal axis at different heights.

13. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 11 wherein at least one of the first and second openings of the tubular housing is sized larger than a diameter of the cleaning roller and larger than a diameter of a middle region between the first and second openings.

14. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 11 wherein a deforming portion of the housing is sized smaller than a diameter of the cleaning roller to deform peripheral longitudinal edges of the roller as the cleaning roller passes through the housing.

15. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 14 wherein the deforming portion of the filament stripping tool is sized smaller than a diameter of the bristles and a diameter of the compliant flap about the cleaning roller, wherein the bristles and compliant flap elastically deform to comply with the deforming portion of the housing when the cleaning roller passes through the housing.

16. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 11 wherein the filament stripping tool further comprises a trailing comb disposed on the interior surface of the housing and including tines configured to remove debris from a cleaning roller passing through the housing.

17. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 11 wherein the filament stripping tool further comprises a guide ring disposed on the interior surface of the housing and configured to support the housing substantially concentrically on a cleaning roller while permitting rotation of the housing relative to the cleaning roller.

18. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 11 wherein the filament stripping tool further comprises a filament blade disposed on the housing.

19. The robot roller maintenance system of claim 11 wherein the filament stripping tool further comprises a fuzz comb extending from the housing in the longitudinal direction and comprising multiple rows of tines.