# US 11,998,149 B2 · Cleaner

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- Number: US 11,998,149 B2
- Document ID: US11998149B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/943,723
- Filed: 2020-07-30
- Published: 2021-02-04
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-31
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Jaewon Jang; Minwoo Lee; Yeongjae Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998149B2

## CPC

- A47L 11/283: the tools being disc brushes
- A47L 11/4069: {Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools}
- A47L 11/4083: {Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices}
- A47L 11/4088: {Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits}
- A47L 2201/00: Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
- 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

A mobile robot is disclosed, including a body, a mop module installed on the body and being configured to clean using water, a water tank removably disposed in the body and being configured to store water to be supplied to the mop module, and a detachable water tank module installed on the water tank. The water-tank detachable module includes a hook engaged with or coupled to the body and an operation button disposed on a surface of the water tank to operate the hook.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mobile robot, comprising:
a body;
a mop module installed on the body and configured to clean using water;
a water tank removably disposed in the body and configured to store the water to be supplied to the mop module;
a water tank module installed on the water tank, the water tank module comprising:
a hook configured to engaged with the body; and
an operation button disposed on a surface of the water tank, the operation button being configured to operate the hook; and
a detachable seating portion on which the water tank module is seated,
wherein the water tank comprises:
a circumferential surface on an exterior of the body, the circumferential surface forming a surface perpendicular to a horizontal plane when the water tank is coupled to the body; and
a top surface perpendicular to the circumferential surface,
wherein the operation button is disposed on the circumferential surface,
wherein the hook is disposed on the top surface of the water tank,
wherein the detachable seating portion is formed at a point where the circumferential surface and the top surface meet,
wherein the detachable seating portion is a recess forming an opening in the circumferential surface that extends to the top surface,
wherein the water tank module further comprises:
a first return member configured to return the operation button to an initial position;
a second return member configured to return the hook to an initial position; and
a detachable housing configured to accommodate at least a part of the hook, a part of the operation button, and the second return member, and
wherein the detachable housing comprises:
a hook hole formed on a first surface of the detachable housing and being configured to receive the hook; and
a button hole formed on a second surface of the detachable housing and being configured to receive the operation button, the first surface being perpendicular to the second surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the water tank is configured to be removable from the body in the horizontal direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the operation button is configured to move in a direction perpendicular with respect to a movement direction of the hook, and
wherein the operation button is configured to move with the hook and transmits force to the hook.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a water tank accommodating portion configured to accommodate the water tank and being configured to be opened in a horizontal direction,
wherein the water tank accommodating portion comprises:
at least two water tank accommodating surfaces facing each other; and
a hook coupling portion disposed on at least one of the water tank accommodating surfaces and being configured to be coupled to the hook, and
wherein the hook is configured to be released from the body when the operation button is pressed in the horizontal direction,
wherein the operation button comprises:
an exposed portion disposed on an exterior of the detachable housing;
an inclined cam connected to the exposed portion, the cam being configured to pass through the button hole and slide with the hook; and
a restraining portion configured to suppress separation of the operation button, and
wherein the hook comprises:
a body-coupled portion configured to engage with the body and configured to pass through the hook hole;
a cam counterpart portion connected to the body-coupled portion and configured to slide with the cam;
a cam hole defining a space encompassing at least a part of the cam; and
a cam-engaged portion configured to engage with the restraining portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The mobile robot of claim 4, wherein the first return member is disposed between the exposed portion and the detachable housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the water tank module further comprises:
an elastic-force member configured to provide an elastic force on the water tank in along a direction in which the water tank is removed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising:
a water-pipe coupler disposed at the water tank and coupled to the body, the water-pipe coupler being configured to transfer water in the water tank to the mop module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The mobile robot of claim 7, wherein the water-pipe coupler comprises:
a coupler pipe having a space configured to receive at least a portion of a coupling pipe of the body;
a water pipe connection hole formed on the coupler pipe, the water pipe connection hole being configured to communicate with an inside of the water tank;
a moving closure disposed inside the coupler pipe and being configured to open the water pipe connection hole based on a pressure applied by the coupling pipe; and
a coupler spring configured to provide an elastic restoring force on the moving closure to return the moving closure to a position closing the water-pipe connection hole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The mobile robot of claim 8, further comprising:
an inner water pipe comprising a first end connected to the water pipe connection hole and a second end disposed near a lower end of the water tank.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mop module comprises a left rotating plate and a right rotating plate, each of the left rotating plate and the right rotating plate being rotatably attached to the body and having a lower surface attached to a mop portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 4)

The mobile robot of claim 4, wherein the cam is inclined in an upward direction away from the exposed portion.