# US 2017/0280960 A1 · Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet and dry cleaning

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- Number: US 2017/0280960 A1
- Document ID: US20170280960A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/626,662
- Filed: 2017-06-19
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2005-02-18
- Assignees: iRobot Corporation
- Applicants: iRobot Corporation
- Inventors: Andrew Ziegler; Christopher John Morse; Duane L. Gilbert, JR.; Andrew Jones; Scott Pratt; Paul E. Sandin; Nancy Dussault-Smith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170280960A1

## CPC

- A47L 11/302: {having rotary tools}
- A47L 5/14: cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning
- A47L 7/0028: {Security means, e.g. float valves or level switches for preventing overflow}
- A47L 7/0038: {with means for emptying the tanks}
- A47L 7/0042: {Gaskets; Sealing means}
- A47L 9/009: {Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles}
- A47L 9/10: Filters (in general B01D; cyclones B04C); Dust separators; Dust removal; Automatic exchange of filters {(for machines for cleaning floors A47L11/40)}
- A47L 9/28: Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
- A47L 9/2826: {the condition of the floor}
- A47L 9/2852: {Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles}
- A47L 9/2857: {User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays}
- A47L 9/2873: {Docking units or charging stations (for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02)}
- A47L 9/2884: {Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation}
- A47L 11/02: Floor surfacing or polishing machines (polishing machines in general B24B29/00)
- 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 11/4005: {Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements}
- A47L 11/4011: {Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor}
- A47L 11/4016: {specially adapted for collecting fluids}
- A47L 11/4027: {Filtering or separating contaminants or debris}
- A47L 11/4041: {Roll shaped surface treating tools}
- A47L 11/4044: {Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees}
- A47L 11/4061: {Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated}
- A47L 11/4066: {Propulsion of the whole machine}
- 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}
- B60B 33/001: {by snapping, clicking or latching in}
- B60B 33/0021: {in the form of a mounting pin}
- B60B 33/0028: {Construction of wheels; methods of assembling on axle}
- B60B 33/0039: {Single wheels}
- B60B 33/0049: {the rolling axle being horizontal}
- B60B 33/0057: {the rolling axle being offset from swivel axis}
- B60B 33/0068: {the swivel axis being vertical}
- B60B 33/0073: {the swivel axis being symmetrical to wheel or wheels}
- B60B 33/028: {being actuated automatically}
- B60R 19/483: {with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type}
- F04D 29/4233: {with volutes extending mainly in axial or radially inward direction}
- G05D 1/0219: {ensuring the processing of the whole working surface}
- G05D 1/0225: {involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027)}
- G05D 1/0227: {using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area}
- G05D 1/0272: {comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels (measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00)}
- A47L 2201/00: Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
- A47L 2201/022: Recharging of batteries
- A47L 2201/04: Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
- C11D 1/62: Quaternary ammonium compounds
- C11D 1/75: Amino oxides
- Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot
- Y10S 901/40: Vacuum or mangetic
- 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)
- B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-12. (canceled)

### Claim 13

A robot comprising:
a differential drive system along a lateral axis of the robot;
a supply volume that stores cleaning liquid;
at least one spray nozzle that applies the cleaning liquid to a surface;
a pump assembly that moves the cleaning liquid from the supply volume to the at least one spray nozzle;
a bumper comprising:
a first sensor on a first portion of the bumper, the first sensor being configured to generate a first signal; and
a second sensor on a second portion of the bumper, the second sensor being configured to generate a second signal; and a controller configured to:
operate the differential drive system to maintain contact between the bumper and a wall surface, in response to receiving the first signal, the second signal, or both the first signal and the second signal, while advancing the robot over the surface in a forward direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein maintaining contact between the bumper and the wall surface comprises moving the robot in a first direction in response to receiving the first signal and moving the robot in a second direction in response to receiving the second signal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The robot of claim 14, wherein moving the robot in the first direction comprises turning the robot a first amount, and wherein moving the robot in the second direction comprises turning the robot a second amount that is different than the first amount.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the differential drive system to move the robot in an approximately arc-shaped path relative to the wall surface, comprising turning toward the wall surface.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The robot of claim 16, wherein the approximately arc-shaped path comprises a decreasing radius for turning, and wherein the robot moves in the approximately arc-shaped path until the bumper contacts the wall surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein operating the differential drive system further comprises maintaining a pre-defined distance between the robot and the wall surface while advancing over the surface.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the first sensor comprises a leaf-spring switch.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the first sensor comprises a magnetic proximity switch.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the first portion of the bumper is positioned near a forward-left quadrant of the robot.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the second portion of the bumper is positioned near a forward-right quadrant of the robot.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein operating the differential drive system comprises controlling a velocity of one or more wheels of the differential drive system.

### Claim 24 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to estimate an angle between a fore-aft axis of the robot and the wall surface based on the first signal received from the first sensor, wherein the fore-aft axis is orthogonal to the lateral axis, and wherein the robot turns based on the estimated angle.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The robot of claim 24, wherein the controller is further configured to:
update the estimated angle between the fore-aft axis of the robot and a wall surface based on an additional signal received from the first sensor, the second sensor, or both the first and second sensors; and
operate the differential drive system turn the robot based on the updated estimated angle between the fore-aft axis of the robot and the wall surface.

### Claim 26 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to operate the differential drive system to move the robot away from the wall surface in response to receiving the first signal and the second signal within a predetermined time period.

### Claim 27 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, further comprising a sensor for measuring movement of a wheel of the differential drive system, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the differential drive system based on a measurement of the movement of the wheel.

### Claim 28 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to operate the pump assembly to cause the cleaning liquid to spray from the at least one spray nozzle when the at least one spray nozzle is oriented away from the wall surface.

### Claim 29 (depends on 13)

The robot of claim 13, further comprising a scrubbing pad that is moveable with respect to the surface and with respect to the robot.