Autonomous coverage robots

US9320398B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• iRobot Corporation · US

Inventors

• Patrick A. Hussey · Hollis, US
• Robert Paul Roy · Dracut, US
• Rogelio Manfred Neumann · Somerville, US
• Selma Svendsen · Melrose, US
• Daniel N. Ozick · Newton, US
• Christopher M. Casey · Lexington, US
• Deepak Ramesh Kapoor · Cupertino, US
• Tony L. Campbell · Pepperell, US
• Chikyung Won · Tewksbury, US
• Christopher John Morse · Malden, US
• Scott Thomas Burnett · Windham, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 13, 2009
• Grant date: Apr 26, 2016
• Expiry date: May 3, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S901/50
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

An autonomous coverage robot includes a body, a drive system disposed on the body, and a cleaning assembly disposed on the body and configured to engage a floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor surface. The cleaning assembly includes a driven cleaning roller, a cleaning bin disposed on the body for receiving debris agitated by the cleaning roller, and an air mover. The cleaning bin includes a cleaning bin body having a cleaning bin entrance disposed adjacent to the cleaning roller and a roller scraper disposed on the cleaning bin body for engaging the cleaning roller. The cleaning bin body has a holding portion in pneumatic communication with the cleaning bin entrance, and the air mover is operable to move air into the cleaning bin entrance.