DOCKING STATION FOR FLOOR CLEANER

BACKGROUND

Autonomous or robotic floor cleaners can move without the assistance of a user or operator to clean a floor. Many autonomous floor cleaners need to return to a docking station to recharge their battery. Docking stations are evolving to become multifunction docking stations that incorporate a number of different features. In order to further automate the cleaning process, some docking stations have been adapted to empty a collection bin on the floor cleaner so that a human user does not have to intervene or service the collection bin on the floor cleaner. However, since autonomous floor cleaners adapted for wet cleaning (i.e. robots that apply and/or extract liquid) typically need at least one mopping element that becomes wet and dirty during use, wet cleaning robots still require frequent intervention/servicing by a human user to clean the mopping element for wet cleaning robots. Often, the human user removes the mopping element from the robot, washes it, dries it, and returns it to the robot after each cleaning operation, which is time-consuming and employs an amount of unpleasant effort that defeats the purpose of an autonomous cleaner.

Previous docking stations that recover both wet and dry debris have two separate collection tanks and include a pump specifically for liquid debris and a separate suction source specifically for dry debris. The number of components used for recovery and the size of those components can create a docking station with a larger footprint and require more effort for the user in emptying the two separate collection tanks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

A docking station for a floor cleaner is provided herein. In one aspect of the disclosure, the docking station can include at least one scrubber configured to engage a mopping pad on the floor cleaner to clean the mopping pad, a reservoir configured to collect liquid and debris from the mopping pad on the floor cleaner, a dry debris conduit including a dry debris inlet and a dry debris outlet, the dry debris conduit configured to be fluidly connected to a collection bin on the floor cleaner, a wet debris conduit including a wet debris inlet and a wet debris outlet, the wet debris conduit fluidly connected to the reservoir, a suction source fluidly connected to the dry debris outlet and the wet debris outlet, the suction source having an on mode and an off mode, and at least one collection tank fluidly connected to the suction source, wherein, in the on mode, the suction source is configured to put the dry debris conduit and the wet debris conduit under negative pressure, and to generate a debris-laden working air stream through the dry debris conduit and a liquid-laden working air stream through the wet debris conduit contemporaneously.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method of servicing an autonomous floor cleaner using a docking station includes docking the autonomous floor cleaner at the docking station, the docking station having a suction source and a collection tank, coupling a collection bin on the floor cleaner to a dry debris conduit of the docking station that is in fluid communication with the suction source, activating the suction source to generate a debris-laden working air stream through the dry debris conduit and a liquid-laden working air stream through a wet debris conduit of the docking station, moving debris from the collection bin through the dry debris conduit in the debris-laden working air stream, depositing debris separated from the debris-laden working air stream in the collection tank, moving liquid and wet debris through the wet debris conduit in the liquid-laden working air stream, and depositing liquid and wet debris separated from the liquid-laden working air stream in the collection tank.

These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, when viewed in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of operation or to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be implemented in various other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways not expressly disclosed herein. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting the invention to any specific order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the scope of the invention any additional steps or components that might be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components. Any reference to claim elements as “at least one of X, Y and Z” is meant to include any one of X, Y or Z individually, and any combination of X, Y and Z, for example, X, Y, Z; X, Y; X, Z; and Y, Z.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a floor cleaning system according to one aspect of the disclosure, the system including at least a floor cleaner and a docking station;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the floor cleaning system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a docking station according to one aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, sectional view taken through line IV-IV of FIG. 3, showing of a pad cleaner of the docking station;

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the docking station of FIG. 3, with a portion of the housing removed to show a dry debris conduit and a wet debris conduit;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, sectional view taken through line VI-VI of FIG. 3, showing inlets to the dry and wet debris conduits;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the collection tank taken through line VII-VII of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the collection tank taken through line VIII-VIII of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the collection tank taken through line IX-IX of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a partial rear perspective view of the docking station of FIG. 3, showing a clean air exhaust;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken through line XI-XI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method of servicing a floor cleaner using a docking station according to another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a collection tank of a docking station according to yet another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a collection tank of a docking station according to still another aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a recovery system of a docking station according to a further aspect of the disclosure; and

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a recovery system of a docking station according to yet a further aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure generally relates to docking stations that remove debris from a floor cleaner. More specifically, the disclosure relates to docking stations for removing both wet and dry debris from autonomous floor cleaners.

As used herein, the term “debris” includes dirt, dust, soil, hair, and other debris, unless otherwise noted. As used herein, the term “cleaning fluid” primarily encompasses liquids, and may include steam unless otherwise noted. Such liquids may include, but are not limited to, water or solutions containing water (like water mixed with a cleaning chemistry, fragrance, etc.).

FIG. 1 is a floor cleaning system 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. The floor cleaning system 10 includes a floor cleaner 12 and a docking station 14 for the floor cleaner 12. The floor cleaner 12 as described herein is an autonomous floor cleaner, also referred to herein as a robot, but it will be noted that the docking station 14 can be used with essentially any type of floor cleaner, for example, a semi-autonomous, non-autonomous, or manual floor cleaner. The robot 12 can clean various floor surfaces, including bare floors such as hardwood, tile, and stone, and soft surfaces such as carpets and rugs.

In some embodiments, the robot 12 includes at least one mopping pad 16. As depicted, the robot 12 includes two mopping pads 16, although only one pad 16 is visible in FIG. 1. The mopping pads 16 can comprise one or more agitation or cleaning elements configured to mop the surface to be cleaned. Some non-limiting examples of cleaning elements for the mopping pads 16 comprise a microfiber pad or a wet scrubbing pad. The mopping pads 16 can work by absorbing water, debris, and organic matter into the fibers of the cleaning elements. The pads 16 therefore become dirty during use. To prolong the useful life of the mopping pads 16, the robot 12 can be docked with the docking station 14, and the docking station 14 can clean the pads 16, as described in further detail below.

In some embodiments, the robot 12 includes at least one collection bin 20 adapted to hold liquid and/or debris collected from the surface during a cleaning operation. As depicted, the collection bin 20 is adapted to hold debris collected from the surface during a cleaning operation. The collection bin 20 referenced throughout may be referred to as a dry debris collection bin, but the collection bin 20 may collect debris that is not entirely dry. The robot 12 can be docked with the docking station 14, and the docking station 14 can empty the collection bin 20, as described in further detail below.

In one embodiment, the robot 12 is a wet mopping and sweeping robot including a fluid delivery system for storing cleaning fluid in a supply tank 18 on board the robot 12 and delivering the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, a mopping system for removing cleaning fluid and debris from the surface to be cleaned via absorption by the mopping pads 16, and a sweeping system for collecting cleaning fluid and debris from the surface to be cleaned in the collection bin 20 without the use of suction. The fluid delivery system may be configured to deliver liquid, steam, mist, or vapor to the surface to be cleaned.

In yet another embodiment, the robot 12 can be a deep cleaning robot including a fluid delivery system, a mopping system, and a recovery system for removing liquid and/or debris from the surface to be cleaned and storing the recovered cleaning liquid and/or debris. The recovery system can include a suction source for creating a partial vacuum to suck up liquid and/or debris from the surface.

The docking station 14 can be configured to dock, recharge, and/or service any of the aforementioned robot types. It is noted that the robot 12 shown in FIG. 1 is but one example of an autonomous floor cleaner that is usable with the system 10 and with the docking station 14, and that other autonomous floor cleaners can be used with the system 10 and docking station 14.

The robot 12 may be docked with the docking station 14 for recharging of the robot 12 and for servicing of the robot 12, e.g., performing maintenance, in tandem with or separately from recharging the robot 12, thereby greatly extending the time between interventions by a human user. Some non-limiting examples of service functions that the docking station 14 can perform on the robot 12 include recharging a battery (not shown) of the robot 12, cleaning the mopping pads 16 of the robot 12, refilling the supply tank 18 of the robot 12, emptying the collection bin 20 of the robot 12, and/or providing diagnostic checks on the robot 12.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the floor cleaning system 10. The docking station 14 can include a recovery system 182 that is configured to remove liquid and debris from the robot 12 and store the liquid and debris on the docking station 14 for later disposal and can include an evacuation pathway. The recovery system 182 may alternately be referred to as an evacuation system. The evacuation pathway can include a dirty air inlet, a dirty liquid inlet, and a clean air outlet 180. The evacuation pathway can be formed by, among other elements, a collection tank 184 and a single suction source 186 in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet for generating a debris-laden working fluid stream to empty the robot's collection bin 20 and with the dirty liquid inlet for generating a liquid-laden working fluid stream to empty a pad cleaning reservoir 150, described in further detail below.

It is noted that the debris-laden working air stream, also referred to herein as a dry debris stream, may include dry or substantially dry debris entrained in a working air stream generated by the suction source 186. In other embodiments, the debris-laden working air stream may include at least some liquid, for example in cases where the robot 12 is configured to collect liquid in an onboard tank.

It is noted that the liquid-laden working air stream, also referred to herein as a wet debris stream, may include liquid and debris entrained in a working air stream generated by the suction source 186.

In one aspect, the recovery system 182 includes a wet debris conduit 174 that can define or be in fluid communication with the dirty liquid inlet, and which conveys the wet debris stream to the collection tank 184 and a dry debris conduit 194 that can define or be in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet, and which conveys the dry debris stream to the collection tank 184. Put another way, the dry debris conduit 194 empties the robot's collection bin 20 and the wet debris conduit 174 empties the pad cleaning reservoir 150.

The single suction source 186 is fluidly coupled to both conduits 174, 194, and may put the wet debris conduit 174 and the dry debris conduit 194 under negative pressure. The collection tank 184 is coupled to both conduits 174, 194, and can hold debris and liquid separated from the working air streams until it is emptied. The dry and wet debris streams may merge at or within the collection tank 184, fluidly upstream of the suction source 186. Accordingly, the single suction source 186 generates the working fluid streams to collect liquid and “dry” debris, and the docking station 14 may be referred to as a “single suction source” docking station. The capacity of the collection tank 184 may be sufficient to empty the robot's collection bin 20 and the reservoir 150 at least once, and preferably multiple times.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the docking station that can embody the recovery system 182 of FIG. 2. The docking station 14 includes a controller 102 operably coupled with the various functional systems of the docking station 14 for controlling its operation. The controller 102 can be a microcontroller unit (MCU) that contains at least one central processing unit (CPU). The docking station 14 can include various sensors and emitters for monitoring a status of the robot 12, enabling auto-docking functionality, communicating with the robot 12, as well as features for network and/or Bluetooth connectivity.

The docking station 14 includes a housing 100 that at least partially supports the robot 12 while servicing the robot 12, and the housing 100 can include a base or platform 104 and a backstop 106. The platform 104 can extend generally horizontally to be disposed on a floor surface. The backstop 106 is generally perpendicular to the floor surface on which the platform 104 rests. Other shapes and configurations for the housing 100 are possible.

The platform 104 can as large as, or larger than, the footprint of the robot 12, so that the robot 12 rests entirely on the platform 104 when docked. This elevates the robot 12 off the floor and can protect the floor from damage, particularly if components of the robot 12 remain wet after use. As depicted, the platform 104 includes a ramp 116 to enable the robot 12 to drive up and onto the platform. The ramp 116 also permits the robot 12 to be further elevated off the floor than a platform 104 on its own. The ramp 116 may comprise a forward edge of the platform 104 that slopes downwardly.

The robot 12 can dock by driving onto the platform 104 until the robot 12 meets the backstop 106. The platform 104 may be substantially planar to support the robot 12 in a horizontal orientation with respect to the floor surface on which the docking station 14 rests.

The docking station 14 can recharge a power supply of the robot 12 (e.g. battery). Electrical contacts or charging contacts 112 (FIG. 4) are disposed on the housing 100 and are adapted to mate with the charging contacts (not shown) on the robot 12 to charge its battery. In one example, the docking station 14 can be connected to a household power supply, such as an A/C power outlet, and can include a converter for converting the AC voltage into DC voltage for recharging the power supply on-board the robot 12. The charging contacts 112 may be disposed on the platform 104, backstop 106, or elsewhere on the housing 100.

The charging contacts 112, reservoir 150, and/or dry debris conduit 194 can have a spatial arrangement such that electrical and fluid connections are made automatically upon the docking of the robot 12 with the docking station. Preferably, the autonomous action of docking the robot 12 with the docking station 14 automatically mates the charging contacts 112 with the charging contacts (not shown) on the robot 12, automatically aligns the mopping pads 16 with the reservoir 150, and automatically fluidly couples the collection bin 20 with the dry debris conduit 194.

The collection tank 184 and suction source 186 can be located in the housing 100. The collection tank 184 may be emptied by any means known in the art, including, but not limited to, being removable from the housing 100 for emptying, or being lined with a plastic bag that is removed and disposed of when full.

The collection tank 184 can be covered by an openable or removable tank cover 183 coupled to the tank 184. The tank cover 183 can prevent debris collected in the collection tank 184 from escaping into the room, while allowing access to the interior of the tank 184 by opening or removing the cover 183. The tank cover 183 may permit the suction source 186 to put the collection tank 184, the dry debris conduit 194, and the wet debris conduit 174 under negative pressure, as described in more detail below, by sealing the collection tank 184 from the outside air and, thus, atmospheric pressure. The tank cover 183 can be retained in the closed position by any means known in the art, such as by a releasable latch 181.

For refilling the robot's supply tank 18 and cleaning the mopping pads 16, the docking station 14 can include a storage tank 120 configured to hold a supply of cleaning fluid, and a refilling mechanism that refills the robot's supply tank 18 with cleaning fluid from the storage tank 120. The cleaning fluid can be a liquid such as water or a cleaning solution specifically formulated for cleaning the mopping pads 16. The storage tank 120 can be removable from the docking station 14 for refilling or have a fill opening to be refillable on the docking station 14. The capacity of the storage tank 120 may be sufficient to refill the robot's supply tank 18 at least once, and preferably multiple times. One example of a multifunction dock with a refilling mechanism is disclosed in WIPO Publication No. WO2022/133174, published Jun. 23, 2022, and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The docking station 14 can include a pad cleaner to clean at least one mopping pad 16 on the robot 12 when docked. The pad cleaner can include at least one scrubbing feature for physically scrubbing or agitating the mopping pads 16 on the robot 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the docking station 14 can comprise scrubbers 136, which can be provided on the platform 104 in a position to engage the mopping pads 16 on the underside of the robot 12 when the robot 12 is docked with the docking station 14. In another embodiment, for example when a pad or other agitation element to be cleaned extends from a lateral side of the robot 12, a scrubbing feature can be provided on the backstop 106.

Referring to FIG. 4, in one non-limiting example, the scrubbers 136 can comprise a plurality of raised elements 138, such as nodules, nubs, bristles, paddles, blades, textured pattern, and the like, on a nominal supporting surface or base 140. The size, shape, density, and distribution of the raised elements 138 provides a highly favorable texture for scrubbing the mopping pads 16. Rotation of the mopping pads 16 over the scrubbers 136 exposes the pad material to the raised elements 138 and improves the scrubbing action, resulting in more efficient removal of debris and dirt from the pads 16.

As noted above, the docking station 14 can include a reservoir 150 on the platform 104 that is below the scrubbers 136 for collecting the cleaning fluid used to clean the mopping pads 16 and the debris removed from the mopping pads 16. The cleaning fluid is dispensed from the robot's supply tank 18 in connection with a pad cleaning cycle, additional details of which are described below. The base 140 can define a plurality of drain openings 148 that allow liquid to drain into the reservoir 150. In addition to receiving cleaning fluid dispensed for pad cleaning, the reservoir 150 may retain cleaning fluid that drips off the mopping pads 16 or otherwise from the robot 12 while the robot 12 is docked with the docking station 14.

The scrubbers 136 can be disposed within and surrounded by the reservoir 150. The reservoir 150 can be basin-shaped to collect cleaning fluid within the confines of the reservoir 150. A bottom wall 151 of the reservoir 150 can slope toward an inlet 170 to the wet conduit 174 to encourage liquid to flow toward the conduit 174. One reservoir 150 for both scrubbers 136 and mopping pads 16 can be provided. Alternatively, individual reservoirs 150 for each scrubber 136 and mopping pad 16 can be provided.

The reservoir 150 can have a raised lip or edge 152 around the perimeter thereof to define the confines of the reservoir 150. As depicted, the raised elements 138 can terminate below the top of the raised edge 152. In some embodiments, the raised elements 138 may be substantially even with the raised edge 152 of the reservoir 150. In other embodiments, the raised elements 138 may project beyond the raised edge 152.

The docking station 14 can include a mechanism (not shown) for removing and/or installing the mopping pads 16 on the robot and includes lowering and raising of the scrubbers 136. One suitable mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0190062, published Jun. 22, 2023, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one embodiment, the scrubbers 136 are formed as a platform 160 that can be raised or lowered relative to the reservoir 150. The platform 160 can include one or more handles 164 that may allow a user to lift the platform 160 out of the reservoir 150 for cleaning.

Referring to FIG. 1, when the robot 12 is docked at the docking station 14, a pad cleaning cycle can be executed. During the pad cleaning cycle, the robot 12 dispenses cleaning fluid onto the mopping pads 16 while the pads 16 rotate for a period of time to wash the pads 16. The cleaning fluid rinses the mopping pads 16 and flows through the drain openings 148 to collect in the reservoir 150. After a predetermined period of time, such as 1-3 minutes or when it is determined that the pads 16 are sufficiently cleaned, the cleaning cycle may end. Alternatively, the pads 16 can continue to rotate every once-in-a-while to facilitate drying. The docking station 14 may refill the supply tank 18 on the robot 12 during the cleaning cycle in order to replenish the cleaning fluid dispensed for pad cleaning. In some embodiments, a pad cleaning cycle can be run at predetermined intervals during a wet cleaning operation by the robot 12. For example, the mopping pads 16 may be cleaned twice per wet cleaning operation.

In one embodiment, the pad cleaning cycle can last a predetermined time or until a predefined criterion is met. This can prevent a user from trying to use the robot 12 when the mopping pads 16 are too dirty to be effective. Instead, the pad cleaning cycle encourages the user to wait for the pads 16 to be clean before starting another floor cleaning cycle.

The reservoir 150 can have a capacity sufficient to receive a volume of liquid recovered during at least one typical pad cleaning cycle, and in some embodiments multiple pad cleaning cycles. In one embodiment, a pad cleaning cycle dispenses 15-60 mL of cleaning fluid, and the reservoir 150 has a capacity to receive 30-120 mL of cleaning fluid.

Any embodiment of a pad cleaning operation disclosed herein can include drying of the mopping pads 16 as part of pad cleaning. In one embodiment, after dispensing cleaning fluid onto the mopping pads 16 while they rotate for a period of time to wash the pads 16, the pads 16 may continue to rotate to facilitate drying the pads 16. The pads 16 may be rotated every once-in-a-while or continuously for a period of time to dry the pads 16. In another embodiment, a forced air flow is applied to the pads 16, for example by a separate pad drying fan on the docking station 14. In yet other embodiment, heat can be applied to the pads 16. To further encourage rapid drying, more than one of the aforementioned active drying processes may be used, e.g., pad rotating, forced air flow, and application of heat, in any combination.

After the pad cleaning cycle, wastewater remains in the reservoir 150. The wastewater may include spent cleaning fluid, or liquid, and debris, and may alternatively be referred to herein as wet debris. This wastewater can become malodorous if left on the docking station 14. Therefore, it is advantageous to remove the wastewater from the reservoir 150. The docking station 14 is configured to remove the wastewater from the reservoir 150 automatically to minimize the amount of human user intervention with the docking station 14.

Referring FIGS. 5-6, the wet debris conduit 174 can be used to remove the wastewater or wet debris from the reservoir 150. The wet debris conduit 174 may include a wet debris inlet 170 fluidly connected to the reservoir 150 and a wet debris outlet 176 fluidly connected to the collection tank 184.

The dry debris conduit 194 can include a dry debris inlet 190 configured to be fluidly connected to a dry debris source and a dry debris outlet 196 fluidly connected to the collection tank 184. As shown in FIG. 2, the dry debris conduit 194 may be removably fluidly connected to the collection bin 20 on the robot 12 through the dry debris inlet 190. The dry debris inlet 190 can be positioned to couple with a bin port 192 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1) on the collection bin 20. Debris in the collection bin 20 may exit through the bin port 192 and be conveyed through the conduit 194 to the collection tank 184. In another embodiment, the dry debris conduit 194 can be fluidly connected to another dry debris source, such as a hose connected to the docking station 14 for general manual cleaning of the robot 12 or the docking station 14 itself.

The bin port 192 may be provided on a lateral side of the robot 12, with the dry debris inlet 190 engaging the bin port 192 from the back side of the robot 12. In other embodiments, the bin port 192 may be provided on a top side, an underside, or another location on a lateral side of the robot 12, with the dry debris inlet 190 positioned accordingly to engage the bin port 192.

Referring to FIG. 7, the suction source 186 according to one embodiment is shown. The suction source 186 can include a vacuum motor 188 and a fan 185 driven by the motor 188 and can define a portion of the evacuation pathway downstream of the collection tank 184.

As depicted, the suction source 186 is located within or is covered by the collection tank 184. This may allow the docking station 14 to have a smaller footprint. In one embodiment, wherein the tank 184 is removable from the docking station 14 for emptying, the tank 184 is removable without removing the suction source 186. In another embodiment, the suction source 186 may be located outside of the collection tank 184 while still being fluidly connected to the collection tank 184.

The suction source 186 can have an “on” mode and an “off” mode. In the “on” mode, power is supplied to the vacuum motor 188 to drive the fan 185, and negative pressure is formed in the conduit 174, 194 (FIG. 2), thereby inducing a working fluid stream through each conduit 174, 194. In the “off” mode, no power is supplied to the vacuum motor 188, and the fan 185 is not driven.

In one embodiment, when the robot 12 is docked at the docking station 14, an evacuation process can be executed. During evacuation, the suction source 186 is powered, (i.e., is in the “on” mode). The suction source 186 may turn off when the collection bin 20 and reservoir 150 are empty or may turn off after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the suction source 186 was turned on, for example 1-3 minutes. It is noted that, since the evacuation process empties the reservoir 150, a pad cleaning cycle may be executed prior to, or at least partially contemporaneously with, the evacuation process.

Referring to FIGS. 6-7, during evacuation, the negative pressure on the wet debris conduit 174 pulls the liquid and debris out of the reservoir 150 and through the wet debris inlet 170. The wet debris stream is conveyed along the wet debris conduit 174 to the wet debris outlet 176. The wet debris stream enters the collection tank 184, whereupon wet debris separates from the working air steam and is deposited in the collection tank 184. In one embodiment, debris-laden liquid may drip directly from the wet debris outlet 176 into the collection tank 184. In another embodiment, a filter (not shown) may be used to separate larger debris from the liquid, and the liquid (which may include finer debris) may drip to the bottom of the collection tank 184.

During evacuation, negative pressure on the dry debris conduit 194 pulls debris out of the collection bin 20 on the robot 12 and through the dry debris inlet 190. The dry debris stream is conveyed along the dry debris conduit 194 to the dry debris outlet 196. The dry debris stream enters the collection tank 184, whereupon debris separates from the working air steam and is deposited in the collection tank 184. Exemplary separation assemblies are described below.

The suction source 186 is configured to evacuate the collection bin 20 on the robot and the reservoir 150 contemporaneously. In particular, the suction power of the suction source 186 and the size of the inlets 170, 190 can be configured to allow contemporaneous evacuation, with appropriate pressures generated at the inlets 170, 190 to successfully draw debris and/or liquid through the conduits 174, 194. In one embodiment, the dry debris inlet 190 may be larger than the wet debris inlet 170. Preferably, the dry debris inlet 190 is about 17× to 35× larger than the wet debris inlet 170. Also, using separate conduits 174, 194 permits each conduit 174, 194 to be individually sized more effectively control their respective working air stream than if the working air streams were combined upstream of the collection tank 184. In one embodiment, the wet debris inlet 170 may be sized to accept sand or sub-millimeter scale particles.

Preferably, the wet and the dry debris outlets 176, 196 are spaced away from a collection region 195 in the tank 184. In one embodiment, the outlets 176, 196 are disposed at an upper end of the collection tank 184, as liquid and debris collects at the bottom of the tank 184.

It is noted that after evacuation of the collection bin 20 and the reservoir 150 by the docking station 14, some debris and/or liquid may remain therein. However, it has been found that a majority of the debris collected by the bin 20 and a majority of the wastewater in the reservoir 150 is removed by the recovery system 182.

In one embodiment, in order to prevent overflow in case multiple pad cleaning cycles are run and the capacity of the reservoir 150 is exceeded because the recovery system 182 is not functioning correctly, a sensor 191 (FIG. 6) can detect when the reservoir 150 is at or near capacity and send a signal to the robot 12 and/or to the docking station 14 that prevents another pad cleaning cycle from running. The sensor 191 can be disposed on the robot 12 or on the docking station 14.

In one embodiment, the docking station 14 can comprise an overflow portion in fluid communication with the reservoir 150, the overflow portion being configured to fill with wastewater when the reservoir 150 is at or near capacity, and the sensor 191 can detect the presence or absence of wastewater in the overflow portion. A pad cleaning cycle can accordingly be prevented if wastewater is present in the overflow portion and enabled if wastewater is absent in the overflow portion. In another example, the robot 12 can comprise an ultrasonic sensor for detecting floor type (e.g., carpet or hard floor), and this sensor can be used to additionally detect when the overflow portion contains wastewater.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the robot 12 docks with the docking station 14, a flow connection can be established between the dry debris inlet 190 and the bin port 192. This connection can be made automatically, e.g., without user intervention. In one embodiment, the bin port 192 may be covered by a hinged flap that the suction at the dry debris inlet 190 can pull open when the suction source 186 is on. In another embodiment, the connection may be passively made between the docking station 14 and robot 12, such as during the driving action of the robot 12 onto the docking station 14, and the aforementioned hinged flap covering the inlet 190 can be pushed open by the robot 12. In yet another embodiment, the connection may be actively made, such by using motors, solenoids, and the like, to move one or both of the dry debris inlet 190 and the bin port 192 into engagement, and/or to open the aforementioned hinged flap covering the inlet 190. The docking station 14 can include features that assist in alignment of the bin port 192 to the dry debris inlet 190, either through mechanical or electrical means. The dry debris conduit 194 can include an automatic alignment and coupling system to align and couple the dry debris inlet 190 and the bin port 192. In another embodiment, the robot 12 may include the automatic alignment and coupling system.

Referring to FIG. 7, one embodiment of a separation assembly for the collection tank 184 is shown. The dry debris outlet 196 outputs the debris-laden working air stream into the tank 184, and preferably into a separation assembly that separates debris form the working air stream and deposits it in the collection region 195 within the tank 184. A variety of methods can be used to separate the entrained debris from the working air stream. Exemplary separation methods include cyclonic separation, filtration separation, a bulk separator, a filter bag, a water-bath separator, or any combination thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 7-9, the collection tank 184 shown uses cyclonic separation via a cyclonic separator including a cyclone chamber 218 in the collection tank 184. In the illustrated embodiment, the cyclone chamber 218 is bounded by a sidewall 222, a first end wall 224, and a second end wall 226 that are configured to preferably provide an inverted cyclone configuration, with the working air stream entering at or near a bottom of the cyclone chamber 218 and separated debris exiting at or near a top of the cyclone chamber 218. As depicted, the first end wall 224 is a portion of the tank cover 183. In another embodiment, the first end wall 224 may be its own separate component. The dry debris outlet 196 can be provided in the sidewall 222 and facilitates fluid communication between the dry debris conduit 194 and the cyclone chamber 218.

Air flowing into the cyclone chamber 218 via the dry debris outlet 196 can circulate around the interior of the cyclone chamber 218 and debris can become separated from the circulating air and exits the cyclone chamber via a debris outlet 232. It will be appreciated that the cyclone chamber 218 may be of any configuration and that one or more cyclone chambers 218 may be utilized. In the example illustrated, cyclone chamber 218 is arranged in a generally vertical, inverted cyclone configuration. Alternatively, the cyclone chamber 218 can be provided in another orientation, including, for example, as a vertical, non-inverted cyclone or a horizontal cyclone.

The cyclone chamber 218 may be in communication with the collection tank 184 by any means known in the art. As depicted, the collection tank 184 is exterior to cyclone chamber 218. In one embodiment, the collection tank 184 at least partially surrounds the cyclone chamber 218. In another embodiment, the collection tank 184 completely surrounds the cyclone chamber 218. Accordingly, cyclone chamber 218 is in communication with collection tank 184 via the debris outlet 232. As depicted, the debris outlet 232 is a slot 232 formed between the sidewall 222 and the first end wall 224. Slot 232 includes a gap between an upper portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall 222 and the lower surface of the first end wall 224. As depicted, the slot 232 extends only part way around the sidewall 222. In another embodiment, the slot 232 may extend further around the sidewall 222 or be narrower in the sidewall 222. Debris separated from the working air stream in the cyclone chamber 218 can travel from the cyclone chamber 218, through the debris outlet 232, and into the collection tank 184. The separation debris tends to fall toward the bottom of the tank 184, away from the debris outlet 232 and away from the wet debris outlet 176.

Air can exit the cyclone chamber 218 via a cyclone air outlet 234. Optionally, a removable screen 236 can be positioned over the cyclone air outlet 234 to help prevent debris from exiting the cyclone chamber 218 via the cyclone air outlet 234. A mesh or other filtration material (not shown) may cover the screen to prevent debris not cyclonically separated from the working air stream from exiting the cyclone chamber 218.

As noted above, liquid and wet debris enters the tank 184 via the wet debris outlet 176. Suction is drawn at the outlet 176 through the debris slot 232 and the cyclone air outlet 234. Therefore, separated debris is exiting through debris slot 232 while working air flowing from outlet 176 enters through debris slot 232 in order to exit through cyclone air outlet 234. This has been found to have a negligible effect on cyclone separation because the of the smaller size of the conduit 174 and outlet 176, the position of the outlet 176 relative to the cyclone chamber 218 and the cyclone debris outlet 232, the flow rate of liquid through the conduit 174, or any combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the wet debris outlet 176 is positioned such that the direction of the liquid and wet debris entering the tank 184 has momentum moving it away from the cyclone chamber 218 and the cyclone debris outlet 232, thus making it difficult or near-impossible for the liquid and wet debris to reach the cyclone debris outlet 232. For example, the wet debris outlet 176 can be physically spaced away from the cyclone chamber 218 and the cyclone debris outlet 232, including being positioned below the cyclone debris outlet 232 and/or positioned on one side of the tank 184, with the cyclone debris outlet 232 opening toward a different side of the tank 184. The entry of liquid and wet debris at such a location does not significantly interfere with the cyclonic separation taking place in the tank 184.

A pre-motor filter 235 may be disposed in the flow path between the cyclone air outlet 234 and an intake of the suction source 186 to further prevent fine debris that may remain in the working air stream from entering the suction source 186. For example, the filter 235 can be configured to separate fine dust from the air flow. In another embodiment, the filter 235 may be disposed within the cyclone chamber 218, such as at or upstream of the outlet 234.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 10, after the filter 235, working air passes through the fan 185 and exits a housing of the suction source 186 to flow through a motor exhaust path 238, with may be formed by or within the housing 100 of the docking station 14, to the clean air outlet 180. As shown in FIG. 10, the clean air outlet 180 may be formed as a vent or exhaust grill in the housing 100.

Referring to FIG. 7, opening the removable tank cover 183 can allow a user to empty debris from the collection tank 184 and clean the screen 236. In one embodiment, where the tank 184 is removable from the docking station 14 for emptying, the cyclone chamber 218 is removed within the tank 184 and without removing the suction source 186. Optionally, the screen 236 may be removable from the cyclone chamber 218 for easier cleaning. The filter 235 is also preferably removable for cleaning or replacement. For example, removal of the tank 184 may expose the filter 235, whereupon on the user can then remove the filter 235 from a filter housing 237. The conduits 174, 194, or a portion thereof, may be removable with the tank 184, or may remain with the docking station 14.

Referring to FIG. 11, the housing 100 of the docking station can have a tank receiver 239 for receiving the collection tank 184. As shown herein, in one embodiment the tank receiver 239 can be defined by portions of the housing 100 and can comprise a socket having a complementary shape to a portion of the collection tank 184. The action of installing the tank 184 in the tank receiver 239 may fluidly couple the tank 184 with the dry debris conduit 194 and with the suction source 186. The action of installing the tank 184 in the tank receiver 239 may fluidly couple the tank 184 with the wet debris conduit 174, or a user may have to separately manually connect the conduit 174 to the outlet 176 or tank 184.

While it is referred to throughout as a “dry debris conduit,” in other embodiments, the conduit 194 can be used to remove wet debris or liquid collected by the robot 12. For example, for a deep cleaning robot, the conduit 194 can be used to remove recovered liquid from a recovery bin on the robot 12. In this case, the conduit 174 may simply empty into the collection tank 184 or the tank 184 can have an appropriate separation assembly for separating liquid and debris from a liquid-and-debris laden fluid stream exiting the conduit 174.

Referring to FIG. 1, when the robot 12 is docked at the docking station 14, a robot servicing function can be executed by either, or a combination of, a controller 30 of the robot 12 and the controller 102 on the docking station 14. For example, when the robot 12 is properly docked, the docking station 14 can issue a command to the robot 12 to execute a pad cleaning, execute evacuation of the bin 20 and reservoir 150, execute refilling the supply tank 18, execute recharging the battery, and the like, or any combination thereof. In some examples, the controller 102 sends a communication to the robot 12 and will only initiate a robot servicing function if the controller 102 receives a response to this communication from the robot 12. In other examples, when the robot 12 is properly docked, the robot 12 can issue a command to the docking station 14 to initiate a robot servicing function. The robot 12 can transmit the command to the docking station 14 through electrical signals, optical signals, or other appropriate signals.

In one embodiment, the docking station 14 may automatically execute a servicing function. In another embodiment, the docking station 14 can execute a servicing function when the docking station 14 receives a manual input from a user. In some embodiments, to execute a servicing function can be manually initiated. For example, input controls 158, 159 can be provided on the robot 12, the docking station 14, and/or on a smart device application executed on a mobile or remote device. Input control 158 can initiate pad cleaning, and input control 159 can initiate evacuation, including switching the suction source 186 to the on mode. Another input control (not shown) may be provided for initiating refilling the robot 12. For some embodiments of the system 10, a combination of automatic and manual initiation options for a serving function may be provided.

In some embodiments, the robot 12 can determine that servicing is required, and then return to the docking station 14 to be serviced. This can prevent the robot 12 from continuing to clean when the mopping pads 16 are too dirty to be effective, when the supply tank 18 is empty or near-empty, when the collection bin 20 is full or near-full, or when the battery is low. Input from sensors on the robot 12 may be used to determine that servicing is required, and to return the robot 12 to the docking station 14 for servicing. In another embodiment, the robot 12 returns to the docking station 14 for servicing after a predetermined operating time has been surpassed.

In some embodiments, at least one, and optionally multiple, servicing function can be initiated each time the robot 12 docks with the docking station 14. As shown in FIG. 6, an activating switch 156 for controlling at least one servicing function can be provided and can be operable to move between an on and off position. When the activating switch 156 is “on”, the servicing function begins. The activating switch 156 is configured to be actuated (i.e. moved to the on position) when the robot 12 docks with the docking station 14. In one embodiment, the activating switch 156 can comprise an optical switch on the docking station 14 that is occluded by the robot 12 to indicate that the robot 12 is present.

In some embodiments, an override control can be provided on the robot 12, the docking station 14, and/or on a smart device application executed on a mobile or remote device for stopping or pausing a servicing function.

FIG. 12 depicts a method 600 of servicing the robot 12 using the docking station 14. Additional references is made to the schematic system shown in FIG. 2. The method starts at step 602. At step 604, the robot 12 docks at the docking station 14. From there, the contemporaneous evacuation procedures are executed: a dry debris evacuation 610 and a wet debris evacuation 620.

The dry debris evacuation 610 begins at step 612. At step 612, the robot 12 is coupled to the dry debris conduit 194. The robot 12 can be coupled to the dry debris conduit 194 through any suitable method, as described above. Optionally, at step 606, the suction source 186 can be turned on. In other embodiments, the suction source 186 may already be on. At step 614, the docking station 14 removes the debris from the collection bin 20 on the robot 12. As described above, the suction source 186 generates a working air stream through the dry debris conduit 194, and the dry debris conduit 194 conveys the debris-laden air stream to the collection tank 184. At step 616, the debris can be separated from the working air stream through any suitable method, for example cyclonic separation and/or filtration separation. At step 618, the separated debris is deposited in the collection tank 184.

The wet debris evacuation 620 begins at step 622. At step 622, pad cleaning of the mopping pads 16 on the robot 12 is initiated. Aspects of the pad cleaning are described in more detail above, but generally includes applying cleaning fluid to the mopping pads and scrubbing the mopping pads 16 using scrubbers 136 to remove debris. At step 624, debris and liquid collects in the reservoir 150 on the docking station 14. Optionally, at step 606, the suction source 186 can be turned on by the docking station 14. In other embodiments, the suction source 186 may already be on. At step 626, the docking station 14 removes debris and liquid stream from the reservoir 150. As described above, the suction source 186 generates a working air stream through the wet debris conduit 174, and the wet debris conduit 174 conveys the liquid-and-debris laden air stream to the collection tank 184. At step 628, the liquid and debris are deposited in the collection tank 184.

After steps 618, 628, the relatively clean working air, which contains a combination or mixture of the working air streams from both conduits 174, 194, exits the collection tank 184, passes through the suction source 186, and is exhausted from the docking station 14 through the clean air outlet 180.

Optionally, at step 608, the suction source 186 is turned off after both evacuation processes 610, 620 have been completed. In another embodiment, the suction source 186 can remain on while the robot 12 is docked. Optionally, a user may be notified that the evacuation process of the method 600 is complete at step 630. The robot 12, the docking station 14, and/or a smart device application executed on a mobile or remote device can alert the user that the evacuation process is complete, such as by providing a visual and/or audible user notification. At step 632, the method 600 ends. After evacuation, a human user can empty or wipe out the debris and/or liquid in the collection tank 184. The human user may empty the collection tank 184 after one evacuation process, or after multiple evacuation processes.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a collection tank 184 according to another aspect of the disclosure. The collection tank 184 may be substantially similar to the tank 184 described above, save for including a debris strainer 187. The debris strainer 187 may comprise a perforated panel or other structure configured to strain at least some debris out of the collected liquid in the tank 184 when the tank 184 is inverted for emptying. The debris strainer 187 can be positioned near or at the top of the collection tank 184. The debris strainer 187 may be configured to collect large debris and permit liquid and smaller debris to flow through the debris strainer 187 as the collection tank 184 is emptied. This may be useful depending on what receptacle the user is emptying the collection tank 184 into, such as when the user is emptying the collection tank 184 into a sink or toilet. After pouring out the liquid, the user can remove and clean the strainer 187.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of a collection tank 384 using filtration separation to separate the debris from the debris laden air stream according to another aspect of the disclosure. The collection tank 384 may be substantially similar to the tank 184 described above, including having or being in fluid communication with a wet debris outlet 376 and dry debris outlet 396. The dry debris outlet 396 can be coupled to a filter 318 configured to capture debris and allow air to pass through, thereby separating debris entrained in the working air stream exiting the outlet 396. As depicted, the filter 318 is a filter bag that surrounds the dry debris outlet 396.

The filter 318 may be removed from the collection tank 384 to be cleaned or disposed of. The size of particle captured by the filter 318 can be configured based on the application to balance the debris exiting the outlet 396 with the air flow and negative pressure applied to the conduits by the suction source.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a recovery system 410 for the docking station according to another aspect of the disclosure. The recovery system 410 includes a first collection tank 484 and a second collection tank 485. As depicted, the dry debris conduit 494 is fluidly connected to the first collection tank 484 through the dry debris outlet 496 and the wet debris conduit 474 is fluidly connected to the second collection tank 485 through the wet debris outlet 476. The suction source 486 places both the tanks 484, 485 under negative pressure. The suction source 486 can be located in or be covered by one of the tanks 484, 485 or may be external to both tanks 484, 485.

In one embodiment, the second collection tank 485 may be fluidly connected to the suction source 486 through the first collection tank 484. As depicted, the second collection tank 485 comprises an air outlet 432 in fluid communication with the first collection tank 484. The first collection tank 484 has an air outlet 434 through which relatively clean working air, which contains a combination or mixture of the working air streams from both tanks 484, 485 exits to the suction source 486.

As depicted, debris is separated from the working air stream in the first collection tank 484 using a cyclone separator 418. In another embodiment, any suitable filtration separation or other separation method can be used.

In one embodiment, the tanks 484, 485 may be emptied separately. The tanks 484, 485 can be separately removable from the docking station, and may have a side-by-side, stacked, nested, or other relative orientation to each other. In another embodiment, one of the tanks 484, 485 can reside within and be removable from the other tank. In yet another embodiment, the tanks 484, 485 can be emptied contemporaneously.

Using two collection tanks 484, 485 in the recovery system 410 permits different cleanout schedules for dry debris and wet debris. The different cleanout schedules can be accommodated with minimal effort by the user. This may be advantageous when the volume of wet debris and dry debris collected from a given run of the recovery system are different. Additionally, using two tanks 484, 485 eliminates having to strain large debris from the liquid during emptying, as large debris will be collected in the first tank 484 and the liquid collected in the second tank 485 will include finer debris.

While described herein as separate tanks 484, 485, it is understood that the tanks 484, 485 may be separate chambers or collection regions of one tank container.

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a recovery system 510 for the docking station 14 according to another aspect of the disclosure. The recovery system 510 of FIG. 16 may be substantially similar to the recovery system 410 shown in FIG. 15, with the exception that the first collection tank 484 includes a filter 518 to separate debris.

There are several advantages of the present disclosure arising from the various aspects or features of the apparatus, systems, and methods described herein. For example, aspects described above provide a docking station 14 that requires less frequent interaction between the user and the robot 12 which saves the user time. Cleaning the mopping pads 16 using the docking station 14 and automatically removing the liquid and debris from the pad cleaning reservoir 150 can ensure an improved level of cleaning efficacy, saves the user from interacting with the dirty mopping pads 16, which can be unpleasant, and/or can reduce unpleasant odors at the docking station 14.

Another advantage of aspects of the present disclosure relates to evacuation of robots by a docking system. Collecting debris from the robot 12 and liquid from pad cleaning separately may allow debris and liquid to more easily be separated and collected. Using a single suction source 186 to collect both debris and liquid may also reduce overall cost, complexity, and/or size of the docking station 14, and may maximize the amount of available space for recovery and supply storage on the docking station 14.

Yet another advantage of the present disclosure is that, by collecting debris and liquid in a single collection tank 184, the user only empties one tank to maintain the docking station 14, and thus the robot 12. This makes maintenance easier for the user.

To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments of the invention, may be used in combination with each other as desired, or may be used separately. That one autonomous floor cleaning system, robot, or docking station is illustrated herein as having the described features does not mean that all of these features must be used in combination, but is done here for brevity of description. Any of the disclosed docking stations may be utilized independently of any of the disclosed robots, and vice versa. Further, while multiple methods are disclosed herein, one of the disclosed methods may be performed independently, or more than one of the disclosed methods, including any combination of methods disclosed herein may be performed by one robot or docking station. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments may be mixed and matched in various cleaning apparatus configurations as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described.

All directional references (e.g., radial, axial, proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, front, back, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, counterclockwise, upstream, downstream, etc.) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of aspects of the disclosure described herein. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, secured, fastened, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and can include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to one another. The exemplary drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order, and relative sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto can vary.

The terms “comprising” or “comprise” are used herein in their broadest sense to mean and encompass the notions of “including,” “include,” “consist(ing) essentially of,” and “consist(ing) of. The use of “for example,” “e.g.,” “such as,” and “including” to list illustrative examples does not limit to only the listed examples. Thus, “for example” or “such as” means “for example, but not limited to” or “such as, but not limited to” and encompasses other similar or equivalent examples.

The above description relates to general and specific embodiments of the disclosure. However, various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. As such, this disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the disclosure or to limit the scope of the claims to the specific elements illustrated or described in connection with these embodiments. Any reference to elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

DOCKING STATION FOR FLOOR CLEANER

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