# US 2019/0167060 A1 · Coverage robots and associated cleaning bins

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- Number: US 2019/0167060 A1
- Document ID: US20190167060A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/269,251
- Filed: 2019-02-06
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2006-05-19
- Assignees: iRobot Corporation
- Applicants: iRobot Corporation
- Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman; Daniel N. Ozick; Gregg W. Landry
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167060A1

## CPC

- A47L 11/4013: {Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like}
- A47L 9/0477: {Rolls}
- A47L 9/106: {Dust removal}
- A47L 9/108: {Dust compression means}
- A47L 9/19: Means for monitoring filtering operation
- A47L 9/281: {the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust}
- A47L 11/24: Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
- A47L 11/33: having means for storing dirt
- A47L 11/4002: {Installations of electric equipment}
- A47L 11/4008: {Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like}
- A47L 11/4011: {Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor}
- A47L 11/4025: {Means for emptying}
- A47L 11/4041: {Roll shaped surface treating tools}
- A47L 11/4044: {Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees}
- A47L 11/4066: {Propulsion of the whole machine}
- A47L 11/4069: {Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools}
- A47L 11/4091: {Storing or parking devices, arrangements therefor; Means allowing transport of the machine when it is not being used}
- A47L 11/4097: {Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Exhaust-air treatment, e.g. air purification; Means for sound or vibration damping}
- A47L 2201/00: Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
- A47L 2201/02: Docking stations; Docking operations
- A47L 2201/024: Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
- A47L 2201/028: Refurbishing floor engaging tools, e.g. cleaning of beating brushes
- 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 autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An autonomous coverage robot comprising:
a chassis;
a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot;
a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis and comprising:
a cleaning assembly housing; and
at least one driven sweeper brush rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing;
a controller carried by the chassis;
a removable sweeper bin attached to the chassis and configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush, the removable sweeper bin comprising:
an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin; and
a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive a signal emitted by the emitter, the emitter and the receiver disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emissions from the emitter; and
a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a signal from the detector and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.