# US 12,593,948 B2 · Mobile cleaning robot suspension > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,593,948 B2 - Document ID: US12593948B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/196,648 - Filed: 2025-05-01 - Published: 2025-08-14 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-28 - Assignees: iRobot Corporation - Applicants: iRobot Corporation - Inventors: Timothy R. Ohm; Erik Amaral - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12593948B2 ## CPC - A47L 9/00: Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners - A47L 9/009: {Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles} - B60G 3/00: Resilient suspensions for a single wheel (pivoted suspensions arms per se, attachment thereof to sprung part of the vehicle, buffer means for limiting movement of arms B60G7/00; {rigid axle suspensions B60G9/00;} characterised by arrangement, location or type of springs B60G11/00) - B60G 17/00: Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load {(levelling or stabilising systems for tippers B60P1/045)} - 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 - B60G 2500/30: Height or ground clearance - 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) - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) ## Abstract A mobile cleaning robot can be movable within an environment, the mobile cleaning robot can include a body, a drive wheel arm, a drive wheel, a cam, and a cam follower. The drive wheel arm can be connected to the body and can be movable with respect to the body between an extended position and a retracted position. The drive wheel can be connected to the drive wheel arm and can be movable therewith. The drive wheel can be operable to move the mobile cleaning robot. The cam can be connected to the drive wheel arm and can be movable therewith. The cam follower can be connected to the body and can be engaged with the cam to move the drive wheel arm toward the extended position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobile cleaning robot movable within an environment, the mobile cleaning robot comprising: a body; a drive wheel arm connected to the body and movable with respect to the body between an extended position and a retracted position; a drive wheel connected to the drive wheel arm and movable therewith, the drive wheel operable to move the mobile cleaning robot; a cam connected to the drive wheel arm and movable therewith; a cam follower connected to the body and engaged with the cam to move the drive wheel arm toward the extended position; a biasing member connected to the cam follower to bias the drive wheel arm toward the extended position; and an extension tube connected to the biasing member and the body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1, comprising: a cam arm connected to the cam follower, connected to the body, and connected to the extension tube. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 2, wherein the cam follower is rotatable with respect to the cam arm to rotatably follow the cam. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 3, wherein the cam arm is pivotably connected to the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 4, wherein the cam arm is pivotably connected to the extension tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 5, wherein the biasing member and the extension tube extend beyond a connection point between the extension tube and the cam arm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 2, wherein the body includes a stop engageable with the cam arm to limit application of downward force on the drive wheel arm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the cam is shaped to deliver a non-linear downforce from the drive wheel as the drive wheel moves between the extended position and the retracted position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the cam is shaped to deliver a force corresponding to a specified force profile over a range of movement of the drive wheel arm between the extended position and the retracted position. ### Claim 10 A suspension assembly of a mobile cleaning robot, suspension assembly comprising: a drive wheel arm connectable to a body of the mobile cleaning robot and movable with respect to the body between an extended position and a retracted position; a drive wheel connected to the drive wheel arm and movable therewith, the drive wheel operable to move the mobile cleaning robot; a cam connected to the drive wheel arm and movable therewith; a cam follower connectable to the body and engaged with the cam to move the drive wheel arm toward the extended position; a biasing member connected to the cam follower to bias the drive wheel arm toward the extended position; and an extension tube connected to the biasing member and connectable to the body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The suspension assembly of claim 10, further comprising: a cam arm configured to connect the cam follower to the body, the biasing member connected to the cam arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The suspension assembly of claim 11, wherein the biasing member has a length that is greater than a distance between a connection point of the biasing member to the body and a connection point of the extension tube to the cam arm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The suspension assembly of claim 12, wherein the body includes a stop engageable with the cam arm to limit application of downward force on the drive wheel arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The suspension assembly of claim 11, wherein the cam follower is rotatable with respect to the cam arm to rotatably follow the cam. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The suspension assembly of claim 14, wherein the cam arm is pivotably connected to the body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The suspension assembly of claim 15, wherein the cam arm is pivotably connected to the extension tube. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The suspension assembly of claim 16, wherein the biasing member and the extension tube extend beyond a connection point between the extension tube and the cam arm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The suspension assembly of claim 10, wherein the cam is shaped to deliver a non-linear downforce from the drive wheel as the drive wheel moves between the extended position and the retracted position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The suspension assembly of claim 10, wherein the cam is shaped to deliver a force corresponding to a specified force profile over a range of movement of the drive wheel arm between the extended position and the retracted position.