Vacuum brush

• US 8,800,107 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Blouin, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, ANDREW ALAN
• Application Number:
  US13/028,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20110252594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 153/89, 153/92, 153/83, 153/84, 153/272, 153/91, 151/79, 15/411, 15 42- 46, 151/412, 384/480, 384/465, 384/471
• US Class Current: 15/392
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0427 Gearing or transmission means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0455 Bearing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls

Abstract

A rotating cleaning element configured to be inserted in a cleaning head compartment of a robotic vacuum, the rotating cleaning element including: a drive end including a drive protrusion configured to engage a drive mechanism of the cleaning head compartment; a bearing end and a shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the bearing end to lessen an amount of hair and similar matter that reaches the bearing; and a central member extending between the bearing end and the drive end.

Claims

1. A rotating cleaning element configured to be inserted in a cleaning head compartment of a robotic vacuum, the rotating cleaning element comprising:

a drive end comprising a drive protrusion configured to engage a drive mechanism of the cleaning head compartment and a retention device configured to limit axial motion of the cleaning element, the retention device including interlocking members configured to engage one or more recess in a drive gear that engages the drive protrusion;

a bearing end and a shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the bearing end to lessen an amount of hair and similar matter that reaches the bearing, wherein the shroud comprises;

a first wall disposed generally parallel to a central axis of a central member;

a second wall extending generally perpendicular from the first wall;

a third wall extending generally perpendicular from the second wall; and

a fourth wall extending generally perpendicular from the third wall, the first, second, third and fourth wall defining the interior of the shroud; and

the central member extending between the bearing end and the drive end;

wherein each interlocking member has a proximal end attached to the central member and extends to an unattached distal end defining a retention feature configured to releasably engage a recess defined by the drive end of the cleaning element.

2. The rotating cleaning element of claim 1, wherein the bearing end of the rotating cleaning element further comprises a cylindrical sleeve surrounding a shaft of the rotating cleaning element, a circular flange adjacent the central member of the rotating cleaning element and extending radially outwardly from the sleeve of the central member, and a recess between a portion of the central member and the circular flange.

3. The rotating cleaning element of claim 2, wherein a reservoir into which the hair and similar matter is collected is defined between the circular flange, the first wall of the shroud, the second wall of the shroud, and the sleeve.

4. The rotating cleaning element of claim 3, further comprising a labyrinth passage between the recess and the reservoir, the labyrinth passage being a path between the recess and the reservoir at an outer diameter of the circular flange.

5. The rotating cleaning element of claim 2, further comprising a guard extending outwardly from the sleeve to an interior wall of the shroud.

6. The rotating cleaning element of claim 5, wherein the circular flange, the guard and the shroud define a first reservoir into which the hair and similar matter is collected.

7. The rotating cleaning element of claim 6, wherein the guard extends from the sleeve radially outwardly to the third wall of the shroud, the first reservoir being defined between the circular flange, the first wall of the shroud, the second wall of the shroud, a portion of the third wall of the shroud, the guard, and the sleeve.

8. The rotating cleaning element of claim 6, wherein the guard extends from the sleeve radially outwardly toward the third wall of the shroud, the first reservoir being defined between the circular flange, the first wall of the shroud, the second wall of the shroud, the guard, and the sleeve.

9. The rotating cleaning element of claim 6, further comprising a first labyrinth passage between the recess and the first reservoir, the first labyrinth passage being a path between the recess and the first reservoir at an outer diameter of the circular flange.

10. The rotating cleaning element of claim 9, wherein the guard, the sleeve and the shroud define a second reservoir into which the hair and similar matter is collected.

11. The rotating cleaning element of claim 10, further comprising a second labyrinth passage between the first reservoir and the second reservoir, the second labyrinth passage being a path between the first reservoir and the second reservoir at an outer diameter of the guard.

12. The rotating cleaning element of claim 1, wherein the rotating cleaning element is one of a main brush and a flapper brush.

13. A cleaning head subsystem for a robotic vacuum, the cleaning head subsystem including a cleaning head compartment and at least one cleaning element, the cleaning element comprising:

a bearing end and a first shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the bearing end and a sleeve thereof;

a first reservoir being defined at least between a portion of the first shroud and the sleeve;

a drive end comprising a drive protrusion configured to engage a drive mechanism of the cleaning head compartment and a retention device configured to limit axial motion of the cleaning element, the retention device including interlocking members configured to engage one or more recess in a drive gear that engages the drive protrusion; and

a central member extending between the bearing end and the drive end;

wherein the drive end includes a second shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the drive end and at least one guard extending radially outwardly from a central axis of the central member toward an interior of the second shroud, a second reservoir being defined at least between a portion of the second shroud and the guard; and

wherein each interlocking member has a proximal end attached to the central member and extends to an unattached distal end defining a retention feature configured to releasably engage a recess defined by the drive end of the cleaning element.

14. A cleaning head subsystem for a robotic vacuum, the cleaning head subsystem comprising:

a cleaning head compartment;

a cleaning element assembly disposed within the cleaning head compartment, the cleaning element assembly including a main brush and a flapper brush; and

a gearbox comprising a main brush drive gear to drive the main brush, a flapper brush drive gear to drive the flapper brush, and a first shroud configured to surround at least one of the main brush drive gear and the flapper brush drive gear;

wherein the shroud comprises;

a first wall disposed generally parallel to a central axis of a central member of the cleaning element;

a second wall extending generally perpendicular from the first wall;

a third wall extending generally perpendicular from the second wall; and

a fourth wall extending generally perpendicular from the third wall, the first, second, third and fourth wall define the interior of the shroud.

15. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 14, further comprising a second shroud configured to surround the other of the main brush drive gear and the flapper brush drive gear.

16. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 15, wherein the first shroud is disposed over a drive end of the main brush in an installed position of the main brush, and the second shroud is disposed over a drive end of the flapper brush in an installed position of the flapper brush.

17. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 14, further comprising a motor to drive the gearbox, and a third shroud extending between the motor and the gearbox.

18. The cleaning head subsystem of claim 17, wherein the third shroud cooperates with the gearbox housing to create a recessed collection area for hair and similar matter.