SIDE BRUSH FOR A ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANER AND ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANER COMPRISING A SIDE BRUSH

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

Priority is claimed to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 116 998.0, filed on Nov. 20, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The invention relates to a side brush for an autonomous, self-propelled vacuum-cleaner system (robotic vacuum cleaner) and to a robotic vacuum cleaner comprising a side brush.

BACKGROUND

Floor care devices, such as floor-type vacuum cleaners, upright vacuum cleaners or robotic vacuum cleaners, have certain shapes in a region in contact with the surface to be cleaned in order to gather and transport the usually solid dust and dirt particles using certain physical principles. An important principle is the pulsed solid contact between the brush filaments and the floor being worked on in each case, as well as the dirt particles found thereon. In this way, said dirt particles are mobilised and transported.

In order to increase the surface-cleaning capacity, it is of particular importance, especially also in robotic vacuum cleaners, for the regions to the right and left of the suction mouth itself to be worked on by assistive side brushes. An essential aim of such side brushes and the brush/filament clusters thereof is to solely mechanically move dirt particles found on the floor using the brush filaments of the filament clusters and to deliver them to the suction mouth.

Such side brushes are known. U.S. Pat. No. 8,656,550 B describes a side brush in the form of a separately driven brush which comprises resilient arms extending from a central middle part, which arms in turn each retain a filament cluster. A folding mechanism in the side-brush construction is described in EP 2 606 798 A2. It should therefore be possible to allow the filament clusters to disappear under the robotic vacuum cleaner when not in use. CN 203380162 U describes a robotic road sweeper comprising side brushes which have a plurality of individual filament clusters on a brush core.

An essential aim of side brushes is sweeping corners and edge regions of the surface to be cleaned. Since robotic vacuum cleaners can otherwise barely reach corners and edge regions because of their usually round shape, side brushes need to have a certain minimum size. The larger the diameter of a side brush, the further the individual filament clusters reach into the corners/edge regions. At the same time however, the side brushes also lose their rigidity as the diameter increases. This has a negative effect on the cleaning effect that can be achieved. In light of this situation, small arms extending from the brush core are often used instead of filament clusters extending directly from a side-brush core, at the free ends of which arms a filament cluster is attached in each case, the filaments of which can then be even shorter so that greater rigidity of the filament cluster results overall.

Such arms extending from the brush core and filament clusters attached thereto lead to impairment of the manoeuvrability and climbing ability of the robotic vacuum cleaner when there is an increased quantity of arms, the climbing ability relating, for example, to the ability to get over ridges, such as those that arise when transitioning from one floor to another floor, such as when transitioning from a smooth floor to a carpet lying on the smooth floor. Because this manoeuvrability and climbing ability is an essential aspect for the intended function of a robotic vacuum cleaner and for a satisfactory cleaning result, the manoeuvrability and climbing ability must not be impaired.

SUMMARY

A side brush for a vacuum cleaner includes a brush core and at least ten filament clusters regularly distributed over a circumferential surface of the brush core. Each filament cluster includes brush filaments having a filament diameter that is greater than or equal to 0.3 millimetres.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. Other features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the following:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a side brush for a floor care device, for example a vacuum cleaner or robotic vacuum cleaner,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a filament cluster of a side brush according to the prior art,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a filament cluster corresponding to the approach proposed here and having the same diameter as the filament cluster in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view of a filament cluster of a side brush according to the prior art,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a filament cluster corresponding to the approach proposed here and having the same diameter as the filament cluster in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a view to illustrate the relationship between a diameter of a filament cluster, a quantity of brush filaments comprised thereby in each case and respective filament diameters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a side brush by means of which an improved cleaning effect results while maintaining good manoeuvrability and climbing ability.

In a side brush for a robotic vacuum cleaner, the following are provided: the side brush comprises a brush core and a plurality of filament clusters that are regularly distributed over a circumferential surface of the brush core, specifically at least ten filament clusters of this type. Each filament cluster comprises a plurality of brush filaments and a diameter of the brush filaments (filament diameter) is greater than or equal to 0.3 millimetres.

Such a diameter of the brush filaments, which is rather large compared with previously standard filament diameters of 0.1 to 0.2 millimetres, of equal to or more than 0.3 millimetres leads to greater rigidity of each individual brush filament and therefore also to greater rigidity of each filament cluster overall. Such greater rigidity of the filament clusters of the side brush leads to corners and edge regions being reached and dirt particles found there being suitably gathered and being able to be moved towards the suction mouth. Arms extending from the brush core and filament clusters attached only thereto are, as an alternative possibility to obtain similarly rigid filament clusters, not necessary in this case and correspondingly such arms also cannot represent any obstruction which influences the manoeuvrability and climbing ability.

The invention also relates to a robotic vacuum cleaner which is distinguished in that said robotic vacuum cleaner comprises at least one side brush of this type in a position that is standard for a side brush, or comprises a side brush of this type in respective positions that are standard for a side brush, that is to say at least two side brushes.

Advantageous configurations and developments of the invention will become apparent from the subsequent dependent claims. References used therein refer to the development of the subject matter of the main claim by means of the features of the respective dependent claims. They are not to be understood as an abandonment of the achievement of independent, objective protection for the combinations of features of the dependent claims to which reference is made. Furthermore, in terms of an interpretation of the claims when a feature is specified in more detail in a dependent claim, it should be assumed that a restriction of this type is not present in the respective preceding claims.

In an embodiment of the side brush, the filament diameters of the brush filaments are the same or at least substantially the same within a filament cluster. Each filament cluster therefore comprises uniformly rigid brush filaments such that the filament clusters fan out less and they retain a cylindrical or cuboid or other polygonal and convex basic shape substantially over the entire length thereof. Retaining the basic shape, which is determined by attaching the filament cluster to the brush core, on the free end of the filament cluster also advantageously leads to substantially one region along a peripheral line of the side brush being brushed when the side brush rotates. When the robotic vacuum cleaner moves forward, a surface which has been brushed results therefrom, sufficient cleaning in any case being ensured there by the defined brushed areas in the region of the peripheral line, and this does not occur when the filament clusters fan out to a great extent at the end. Although a greater surface area of an individual brushed area can then result selectively, uniform gathering of dust or dirt on a particular surface is not ensured.

At different cluster diameters and different filament diameters of greater than 0.3 millimetres, a corresponding quantity of brush filaments in an individual filament cluster and specifically a lower quantity of brush filaments compared with previously used filament clusters results. When a diameter of the filament clusters is two millimetres, each filament cluster comprises, for example, thirty to forty or fewer brush filaments, in particular ten to twenty brush filaments. When a diameter of the filament clusters is three millimetres, each filament cluster comprises eighty to ninety or fewer brush filaments, in particular forty to fifty brush filaments. When a diameter of the filament clusters is four millimetres, each filament cluster comprises one hundred to two hundred or fewer brush filaments, in particular seventy to ninety brush filaments. When a diameter of the filament clusters is five millimetres, each filament cluster comprises two hundred to three hundred or fewer brush filaments, in particular one hundred to two hundred brush filaments, and so on.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in a purely schematic manner in the drawings and will be described in greater detail below. Subjects or elements corresponding to one another are provided with the same reference numerals in all the drawings. The embodiment should not be understood as a restriction of the invention. Instead, amendments are also possible within the scope of the present disclosure, in particular those of the type which can be inferred by a person skilled in the art with regard to solving the problem by combining or amending individual features and elements or method steps in conjunction with all those described in the general or specific part of the description and contained in the claims and/or the drawings, and which lead to new subject matter or new method steps or method step sequences by way of combinable features.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a side brush 10 proposed here for a floor care device, for example a floor care device in the form of a vacuum cleaner, in particular in the form of a robotic vacuum cleaner. The side brush 10 comprises a plurality of filament clusters 12 each fastened to a brush core 14. The brush filaments 16 (FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) comprised by the filament clusters 12 are not shown separately and the cylindrical shape shown is intended to represent the entirety of the respective brush filaments 16.

The views in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 each show, in cross section, a filament cluster 12 comprising the brush filaments 16 comprised thereby. FIG. 2 is an example of a filament cluster 12 comprising a previously standard quantity of brush filaments 16 and FIG. 3 shows, in comparison thereto, a filament cluster 12 according to the approach proposed here. The quantity of brush filaments 16, which is considerably lower in the view in FIG. 3, can be seen easily, although the diameters of the two filament clusters 12 shown are the same size. The different quantity of brush filaments 16 in the two filament clusters 12 is accompanied by a correspondingly different diameter of the individual brush filaments 16. In the case of the filament cluster 12 according to FIG. 2 comprising the high quantity of brush filaments 16 there, each individual brush filament 16 has a relatively small diameter. In contrast, the individual brush filaments 16 have a comparatively large diameter in the case of the filament cluster 12 according to FIG. 3 comprising the rather low quantity of brush filaments 16 there.

The same also applies to the two filament clusters 12 shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Compared with the views in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the filament clusters 12 according to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are filament clusters 12 having a smaller diameter. The total quantity of brush filaments 16 comprised by the two filament clusters 12 is also correspondingly lower. However, as in the case of the filament clusters 12 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a filament cluster 12 according to the previously standard configuration has a considerably higher quantity of brush filaments 16 having a relatively small diameter in each case, while the filament cluster 12 according to the approach proposed here (FIG. 5), at the same diameter, has a considerably lower quantity of brush filaments 16 having a comparatively large diameter in each case.

The filament clusters 12 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 each have, for example, a diameter (cluster diameter) of 5 mm. The diameter of the individual brush filaments 16 (filament diameter) is 0.2 mm in each case for the filament cluster 12 in FIG. 2 and 0.7 mm in each case for the filament cluster 12 in FIG. 3. In contrast, the filament clusters 12 shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 each have, for example, a diameter of 2 mm and the diameter of the individual brush filaments 16 is 0.2 mm in each case for the filament cluster 12 in FIG. 4 as for the filament cluster 12 in FIG. 2, and 0.7 mm in each case for the filament cluster 12 in FIG. 5 as for the filament cluster 12 in FIG. 3.

The view in FIG. 6 shows a relationship between a diameter of a filament cluster 12 and a diameter of the brush filaments 16 grouped together in a filament cluster 12 in each case, on the basis of individual characteristic curves. The cluster diameter in millimetres is plotted on the x-axis. The quantity of the filaments is plotted on the y-axis on a logarithmic scale. The characteristic curves shown relate to individual filament diameters (in mm) and a key is inserted in the upper region of the figure for the symbols used in the individual characteristic curves. The region A represents the ratios in current side brushes and the filament clusters 12 thereof (see also the views in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4). It is therefore a filament cluster 12 comprising a rather high quantity of brush filaments 16 and a small filament diameter. The lower hatched region B represents the ratios from the approach proposed here (see also the views in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5). Therefore, compared with the previous ratios (region A; FIG. 2 and FIG. 4), considerably fewer brush filaments 16 are grouped together in a filament cluster 12 and these brush filaments have a considerably larger diameter compared with the previous ratios, and therefore, for example, filament clusters 12 having a diameter of the individual brush filaments 16 which are comprised thereby result in a range of from 0.4 mm to 0.7 mm.

On account of the approach described here, a clear advantage results when using filament clusters 12 having a reduced quantity of brush filaments 16 which each have a larger diameter in terms of subjectively perceived and measurable cleaning performance of the side brushes 12 of a robotic vacuum cleaner. This results from the fact that a greater rigidity of each individual brush filament 16 and therefore also each filament cluster 12 is produced overall when the diameter of the individual brush filaments 16 is larger. The side brush 10 can therefore be equipped with filament clusters 12 having a length which ensures that the side brush reaches corners and edge regions of the floor being worked on in each case. The rigidity of the filament clusters 12 and the individual brush filaments 16 comprised thereby ensures the desired cleaning effect. The manoeuvrability and climbing ability is not negatively affected because no arms or the like which carry the filament clusters 12 and which extend from the brush core 14 are necessary.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below. Additionally, statements made herein characterizing the invention refer to an embodiment of the invention and not necessarily all embodiments.

The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 side brush

12 filament cluster

14 brush core

16 brush filament

SIDE BRUSH FOR A ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANER AND ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANER COMPRISING A SIDE BRUSH

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Priority Claims (1)