Robotic vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A robotic vacuum cleaner having a nozzle inlet arranged in a portion of a housing of the vacuum cleaner. The nozzle inlet has a frame structure forming an opening. The frame structure has a base portion extending substantially in parallel with a surface to be cleaned, the base portion extending at a first level. A leading edge portion has at least two distance members forming there between a channel to the opening. The channel has a delimiting surface extending at a second level substantially in parallel with the first level. The first level is arranged closer to the surface to be cleaned than the second level. Each distance member has a substantially triangular cross section. At least a portion of side surfaces of the distance members extend substantially perpendicularly to the base portion.

Description

This application is a U.S. National Phase application of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2014/069073, filed Sep. 8, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a robotic vacuum cleaner.

BACKGROUND

A robotic vacuum cleaner forms of a self-propelling unit provided with a drive arrangement comprising a control system configured to control a movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner along a surface to be cleaned. The control system may comprise one or more sensors providing input to assist in controlling the movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner. A vacuum producing unit of the robotic vacuum cleaner is arranged in fluid communication with an opening of a nozzle inlet facing the surface to be cleaned. Debris sucked or otherwise propelled into the opening is directed into a debris receptacle of the robotic vacuum cleaner. The debris receptacle is emptied, or replaced, when filled with debris to a certain degree.

Since a robotic vacuum cleaner is to move freely about a surface to be cleaned it would be limited in its movements by an electric cord. Thus, a robotic vacuum cleaner is battery powered and the cleaning capability of a robotic vacuum cleaner has to be designed with the capacity of the on-board battery in mind. Accordingly, the drive arrangement, the capacity of the vacuum producing unit, the use of various rotating brushes, etc. affect consumption of electric power and thus, the design of a robotic vacuum cleaner.

Thus, the vacuum, or suction, produced by the vacuum producing unit should be produced with as low electric energy consumption as possible while maintaining good cleaning efficiency.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a robotic vacuum cleaner having potential to produce a suction force sufficient to draw also larger debris than dust, such as sand and small stones, into the robotic vacuum cleaner with low energy consumption.

According to an aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a robotic vacuum cleaner comprising a housing, a drive arrangement being configured to drive the vacuum cleaner along a surface to be cleaned, a vacuum producing unit, a debris receptacle, and a nozzle inlet arranged in a portion of the housing facing the surface to be cleaned. The nozzle inlet comprises a frame structure forming an opening, the opening being arranged in fluid communication with the debris receptacle and the vacuum producing unit being arranged in in fluid communication with the opening. The frame structure has a leading edge portion and opposite thereto a trailing edge portion, the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion border to the opening. The frame structure comprises a base portion extending substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned, the base portion extending at a first level. The leading edge portion comprises at least two distance members forming there between a channel to the opening, the channel having a delimiting surface extending at a second level substantially in parallel with the first level. The first level is arranged closer to the surface to be cleaned than the second level. Each distance member has a substantially triangular cross section extending substantially in parallel with the first plane, the distance member extending between the first level and the second level with a top of the substantially triangular cross section facing outwardly from the opening and a base of the substantially triangular cross section extending in parallel with the opening. Side surfaces of the distance member extend substantially from the top to the base of the substantially triangular cross section, at least a portion of the side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the base portion.

Since the nozzle inlet comprises the base portion extending at the first level and the channel formed between the distance members has the delimiting surface extending at the second level, a larger air flow is produced in the channel by the vacuum producing unit than at the base portion and the distance members at the first level. The larger airflow and space provided in the channel assists in drawing debris larger than dust into the opening while at the base portion the airflow is lower thus, saving electric energy. Moreover, the substantially triangular cross section of the distance members reduces the cross section of the channel towards the opening thus inducing an air speed, which gradually increases towards the opening. Further, due to the portion of the side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the base portion, larger debris than dust such as sand and small stones, in the channel will be directed through the channel to the opening, and will not be caught between a top of an adjacent distance member, or between the base portion, and the surface to be cleaned, which could increase the distance between the robotic vacuum cleaner and the surface to be cleaned and disturbing the suction created around the nozzle inlet. As a result, the above mentioned object is achieved.

It is understood that the first level is arranged closer to the surface to be cleaned than the second level in use of the robotic vacuum cleaner. The robotic vacuum cleaner may be a self-propelling unit. The drive arrangement may comprise one or more wheels, of which at least one wheel is directly or indirectly driven by an electric drive motor. The drive arrangement may further comprise a control system configured to control the electric drive motor to move the robotic vacuum cleaner about the surface to be cleaned. The control system may comprise one or more sensors to provide input assisting in controlling the movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner. The at least one sensor may be of one or more different kinds, such as e.g. an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a contact sensor. The vacuum producing unit may comprise a fan driven by an electric fan motor. The opening may be arranged in fluid communication with the debris receptacle via a debris conduit system. The vacuum producing unit may be arranged in fluid communication with the opening via the debris conduit system and optionally also the debris receptacle, i.e. the vacuum producing unit in some embodiments may create a suction from the opening of the nozzle inlet via the debris conduit system to the debris receptacle. In use of the robotic vacuum cleaner the leading edge portion of the frame structure travels ahead of the trailing edge portion in most cleaning situations. The robotic vacuum cleaner may comprise one or more rotatable brushes assisting in propelling debris towards, or into, the opening of the nozzle inlet. The rotatable brushes may be driven by one or more electric brush motors. Besides controlling the drive motor, the control system may also control the fan motor and/or the one or more brush motors. The robotic vacuum cleaner may comprise one or more rechargeable batteries configured to power the drive arrangement including the control system and the various electric motors.

According to embodiments, the first level may extends at distance of less than 2 mm from the surface to be cleaned. In this manner the vacuum producing unit may produce a substantial suction force in an area around the base portion of the frame structure, which base portion is arranged at the first level, and no protruding element, such as a resilient ridge, extending along a portion of the opening may be required to reduce the amount of air flowing into the opening. Moreover, with the first level extending at a distance of less than 2 mm from the surfaced to be cleaned, the larger air flow in the channel may be attained. It is understood that the first level may extend at a distance of less than 2 mm from the surface to be cleaned in use of the robotic vacuum cleaner. The distance between the first level and the surface to be cleaned is measured when the robotic vacuum cleaner is standing on a firm surface such as a hardwood flooring.

Mentioned purely as an example, a distance between the first and second levels may be between 1-8 mm.

According to embodiments, the base portion may be that part of the nozzle inlet which extends closest to the surface to be cleaned. In this manner the nozzle inlet may not require any protruding element, such as a resilient ridge, extending along a portion of the opening to produce sufficient suction in an area around the base portion.

According to embodiments, the nozzle inlet may form part of the housing or alternatively, may be attached to the housing, and wherein the base portion may extend closest to the surface to be cleaned of the nozzle inlet and the housing.

According to embodiments, a bottom surface of each of the distance members may form a smooth transition between the second level and the first level. Since the distance members are comprised in the leading edge portion of the frame structure, in this manner the leading edge portion may slide over a vertical transition of the surface to be cleaned, such as when the robotic vacuum cleaner transits from a bare floor surface onto a carpet or over a doorsill.

According to embodiments, the nozzle inlet may comprise at least one cross brace extending from at least one of the distance members to the trailing edge. In this manner elongated objects, such as cables, may be prevented from being caught in the opening.

According to embodiments, the at least one cross brace forms part of the base portion and extends at the first level. In this manner the cross brace may prevent the trailing edge from abutting, in the opening, against a vertical transition of the surface to be cleaned, such as a carpet edge. This could otherwise prevent the robotic vacuum cleaner from continuing traveling forwardly.

According to embodiments, the robotic vacuum cleaner may comprise a rotatable elongated brush roll arranged inside the housing and extending along the nozzle inlet, the rotatable elongated brush roll comprising radially extending members extending from inside the housing at least to the first level. In this manner the elongated brush roll may assist in propelling in particular larger debris, such as sand and small stones, into the opening.

According to embodiments, a first radially extending member of the radially extending members may comprise a resilient lip and a second radially extending member of the radially extending members may comprise bristles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of the invention, including its particular features and advantages, will be readily understood from the example embodiments discussed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a top view and a perspective bottom view of a robotic vacuum cleaner according to embodiments,

FIG. 3 illustrates a nozzle inlet of the robotic vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 illustrates a partial enlargement of the nozzle inlet shown in FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 illustrates a partial enlargement of an area of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present invention will now be described more fully. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Well-known functions or constructions will not necessarily be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a top view and a perspective bottom view of a robotic vacuum cleaner 2 according to embodiments. The robotic vacuum cleaner 2 comprises a housing 4, a drive arrangement 6 configured to drive the vacuum cleaner 2 along a surface to be cleaned, a vacuum producing unit 8 (schematically illustrated), a debris receptacle 10, and a nozzle inlet 12 arranged in a portion of the housing 4 facing the surface to be cleaned.

The drive arrangement 6 ensures that the robotic vacuum cleaner is a self-propelling unit. The drive arrangement 6 comprises two wheels 18 driven by electric drive motors 20, (schematically illustrated). The drive arrangement 6 comprises non-driven supporting wheels 22. The drive arrangement 6 also comprises a control system 24 (schematically illustrated) configured to control the electric drive motors 20. The control system 24 comprises sensors 26 assisting in controlling the movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner 2.

The debris receptacle 10 is arranged in the housing 4. One side portion 32 of the debris receptacle 10 forms an outer surface portion of the robotic vacuum cleaner 2. Thus, the debris receptacle 10 is easily accessible and removable by a user for emptying thereof. The nozzle inlet 12 is elongated and extends in parallel with a rotation axis of the two driven wheels 18. Thus, the nozzle inlet extends across a travelling direction of the robotic vacuum cleaner 2 for broad cleaning coverage.

The nozzle inlet 12 comprises a frame structure 28 forming an opening 30. The opening 30 is arranged in fluid communication with the debris receptacle 10 and the vacuum producing unit 8 is arranged in fluid communication with the opening 30. Thus, the vacuum producing unit 8 may produce a suction force at the opening 30 to transport debris from an area around the opening 30 via a debris conduit system to the debris receptacle 10.

The robotic vacuum cleaner 2 comprises a rotatable side brush 14 comprising bristles 34 extending radially to a rotation axis 16 of the rotatable side brush 14 and extending substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned. The bristles 34 extend to, and beyond, a lateral portion 35 of the housing 4 and over a side portion 36 of the nozzle inlet 12. The bristles 34 have been illustrated schematically in FIG. 2. In practice the bristles 34 may be considerably thinner than illustrated and the rotatable side brush 14 may be provided with a considerably larger number of bristles 34 than illustrated. The robotic vacuum cleaner 2 comprises a rotatable elongated brush roll 38 arranged inside the housing 4 and extending along the nozzle inlet 12 including the side portion 36 of the nozzle inlet 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates the nozzle inlet 12 of the robotic vacuum cleaner 2 shown in FIG. 2 in greater detail. In these embodiments, the nozzle inlet 12 is comprised in a removable lid 40 configured to be positioned in the housing of the robotic vacuum cleaner 2. In alternative embodiments, the nozzle inlet 12 may be formed directly in the housing.

As mentioned above, the nozzle inlet 12 comprises a frame structure 28 forming an opening 30. The frame structure 28 has a leading edge portion 42 and opposite thereto a trailing edge portion 44. The leading edge portion 42 and the trailing edge portion 44 border to the opening 30. The frame structure 28 comprises a base portion 46, which in use of the robotic vacuum cleaner extends substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned at a first level. The leading edge portion 42 comprises at least two distance members 48 forming there between a channel 50 to the opening 30. In these embodiments the leading edge portion 42 comprises five distance members 48, 48′. In alternative embodiments the leading edge portion may comprise less than five distance members, e.g. three or four distance members, or more than five distance members, e.g. 6-10 distance members.

FIG. 4 illustrates a partial enlargement of the nozzle inlet 12 shown in FIG. 3. The channel 50 has a delimiting surface 52 extending at a second level substantially in parallel with the first level. In use of the robotic vacuum cleaner the first level is arranged closer to the surface to be cleaned than the second level. Each distance member 48 has a substantially triangular cross section extending substantially in parallel with the first plane. Each distance member 48 extends between the first level and the second level with a top 54 of the substantially triangular cross section facing outwardly from the opening 30 and a base 56 of the substantially triangular cross section extending in parallel with the opening 30. Side surfaces 58 of the distance members 48 extend substantially from the top 54 to the base 56 of the substantially triangular cross section. At least a portion of the side surfaces 58 extend substantially perpendicularly to the base portion 46 and to the delimiting surface 52 of the channel 50.

The trailing edge portion 44 forms part of the base portion 46 and part of the side portion 36 of the nozzle inlet 12. In these embodiments the side portion 36 extends at the second level. Accordingly, at the base portion 46 the trailing edge portion 44 extends at the first level and at the side portion 36 the trailing edge portion 44 extends at the second level. In alternative embodiments the entire trailing edge portion 44 may extend at the first level.

It is clearly visible in FIGS. 3 and 4 that the delimiting surface 52 extends at a different level than the base portion 46, i.e. at the second level. Also at a lateral end 47 of the nozzle inlet 12 and at the trailing edge portion 44 of the side portion 36, the side portion 36 may extend at the second level. Alternatively, the lateral end 47 and the trailing edge portion 44 of the side portion 36 may extend at the first level. As also clearly visible in FIGS. 3 and 4, the leading edge portion 42 comprises a number of portions extending at the second level, namely delimiting surfaces 52 of channels formed between the distance members 48 as well at end portions of the opening 30 next to the outer distance members 48′.

The nozzle inlet 12 comprises at least one cross brace 62 extending from at least one of the distance members 48 to the trailing edge 44. The at least one cross brace 62 forms part of the base portion 46 and extends at the first level.

The substantially triangular cross section of two adjacent distance members 48 reduce the cross section of the channel 50 formed there between towards the opening 30. Thus, one of the side surfaces 58 of a first of the at least two distance members 48 and one thereto opposing side surface 58 of a second of the at least two distance members 48 forms a funnel towards the opening 30.

A bottom surface 60 of each of the distance members 48 forms a smooth transition between the second level and the first level.

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlargement of the encircled area V of FIG. 2 with the rotatable side brush removed for the sake of clarity. As discussed in connection with FIG. 2, the robotic vacuum cleaner 2 comprises a rotatable elongated brush roll 38 arranged inside the housing 4 and extending along the nozzle inlet 12. The rotatable elongated brush roll 38 comprises radially extending members 64′, 64″ extending from inside the housing 40 at least to the first level. In these embodiments, a first radially extending member 64′ of the radially extending members comprises a resilient lip and a second radially extending member 64″ of the radially extending members comprises bristles. Alternatively, all radially extending members 64′, 64″ may comprise resilient lips or bristles.

In use of the robotic vacuum cleaner 2, the base member 46 at the first level may extend at a distance of less than 2 mm from the surface to be cleaned. In use of the robotic vacuum cleaner 2, the base portion 46 may be that part of the nozzle inlet 12 which extends closest to the surface to be cleaned. In use of robotic vacuum cleaner 2, the nozzle inlet 12 may form part of the housing 4 or alternatively, may be attached to the housing 4, and wherein the base portion 46 may extend closest to the surface to be cleaned of the nozzle inlet 12 and the housing 4.

This invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. A person skilled in the art will realize that different features of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined to create embodiments other than those described herein, without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. Although the invention has been described with reference to example embodiments, many different alterations, modifications and the like will become apparent for those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments and that the invention is defined only by the appended claims.

As used herein, the term “comprising” or “comprises” is open-ended, and includes one or more stated features, elements, steps, components or functions but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, components, functions or groups thereof.

Claims

1. A robotic vacuum cleaner comprising: a housing;a drive arrangement being configured to drive the vacuum cleaner along a surface to be cleaned;a vacuum producing unit;a debris receptacle; anda nozzle inlet arranged in a portion of the housing facing the surface to be cleaned, the nozzle inlet comprising a frame structure having: an opening in fluid communication with the debris receptacle and the vacuum producing unit;a leading edge portion bordering on a first side of the opening;a trailing edge portion bordering on a second side of the opening, the second side being opposite the first side;a base portion extending substantially in parallel with the surface to be cleaned, the base portion extending at a first level;at least two distance members located on the leading edge portion and forming there between a channel to the opening, the channel having a delimiting surface extending at a second level substantially in parallel with the first level, the first level being arranged closer to the surface to be cleaned than the second level; andat least two cross braces each extending straight along the first level from a first end to a second end,wherein each distance member has a substantially triangular cross section extending substantially in parallel with the first level, the distance member extending between the first level and the second level with a top of the substantially triangular cross section facing outwardly from the opening and a base of the substantially triangular cross section extending in parallel with the opening,wherein the first end of each the at least two cross braces connects to the base of the substantially triangular cross section of a respective one of the at least two distance members, and the second end of each the at least two cross braces connects to the trailing edge portion of the frame structure,wherein side surfaces of the distance member extend substantially from the top to the base of the substantially triangular cross section, at least a portion of the side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the base portion,wherein the channel is formed between and outside of the substantially triangular cross sections of the at least two distance members, andwherein one of the side surfaces of a first of the at least two distance members and one thereto opposing side surface of a second of the at least two distance members form a funnel to direct debris through the channel towards the opening.

2. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first level extends at distance less than 2 mm from the surface to be cleaned.

3. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the base portion is that part of the nozzle inlet which extends closest to the surface to be cleaned.

4. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the nozzle inlet forms part of the housing or is attached to the housing, and wherein the base portion extends closest to the surface to be cleaned of the nozzle inlet and the housing.

5. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of each of the distance members forms a smooth transition between the second level and the first level.

6. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle inlet comprises at least one cross brace extending from at least one of the distance members to the trailing edge portion.

7. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cross brace forms part of the base portion and extends at the first level.

8. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a rotatable elongated brush roll arranged inside the housing and extending along the nozzle inlet, the rotatable elongated brush roll comprising radially extending members extending from inside the housing at least to the first level.

9. The robotic vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein a first radially extending member of the radially extending members comprises a resilient lip and a second radially extending member of the radially extending members comprises bristles.