# US 11,026,551 B2 · Suspension system, methods, and applications

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- Number: US 11,026,551 B2
- Document ID: US11026551B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/164,871
- Filed: 2018-10-19
- Published: 2019-04-25
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-19
- Assignees: Maidbot, Inc.
- Applicants: Maidbot, Inc.
- Inventors: Steve Supron; Steven Whitehead; David Moroniti; Micah Green
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026551B2

## CPC

- A47L 11/40: Parts or details of machines not {provided for in} groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, {or not restricted to one of these groups}, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
- A47L 9/009: {Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles}
- A47L 11/24: Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
- A47L 2201/00: Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
- A47L 2201/04: Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)

## Abstract

An independent suspension system for a robot vacuum cleaner with a hinge component attached to an L-shaped bracket having a horizontal flange portion and a vertical flange portion. The vertical flange portion is attached to a wheel assembly of the robot vacuum cleaner and a spring is coupled to the horizontal flange portion. A pin is attached to and extends from the vertical flange portion. A holding component is within a wheel well of the robot vacuum cleaner and is movable between an engaged configuration with the pin and a disengaged configuration with the pin.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An independent suspension system for a robot vacuum cleaner, comprising:
a. a hinge component attached to an L-shaped bracket having a horizontal flange portion and a vertical flange portion;
b. wherein the vertical flange portion is attached to a wheel assembly of the robot vacuum cleaner;
c. a spring coupled to the horizontal flange portion;
d. a pin attached to and extending from the vertical flange portion;
e. a holding component within a wheel well of the robot vacuum cleaner; and
f. wherein the holding component is movable between an engaged configuration with the pin and a disengaged configuration with the pin.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The independent suspension system of claim 1, wherein the wheel assembly is rotatable approximately 180 degrees about the hinge component.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The independent suspension system of claim 1, wherein the spring is one of a leaf spring, a compression spring, and a torsion spring.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The independent suspension system of claim 3, wherein the bumpers are composed of resilient material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The independent suspension system of claim 1, further comprising one or more bumpers attached to at least one of the horizontal flange portion and the vertical flange portion.

### Claim 6

An independent suspension system for a robot vacuum cleaner, comprising:
a. a hinge component attached to an L-shaped bracket having a horizontal flange portion and a vertical flange portion;
b. wherein the vertical flange portion is attached to a motor pod of the robot vacuum cleaner, the motor pod housing the drive motor and motor controller of the robot vacuum cleaner;
c. a clip mounted to the motor pod;
d. a suspension pin mounted between two springs in a spring holster in a wheel well of the robot vacuum cleaner; and
e. wherein the motor pod is rotatable about the hinge component between an open position wherein the suspension pin does not engage the clip and a closed position wherein the suspension pin engages the clip.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The independent suspension system of claim 6, wherein gussets extend between the horizontal flange portion and the vertical flange portion of the L-shaped bracket.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The independent suspension system of claim 6, wherein the two springs are compression springs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The independent suspension system of claim 6, further comprising a receptacle configured for connection to a wheel motor controller.