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US 2021/0330156 A1Published application
Robotic vacuum cleaner and docking station for a robotic vacuum cleaner
AssigneeOmachron Intellectual Property Inc.
InventorWayne Ernest Conrad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic vacuum cleaner has a pneumatic transfer mechanism that is used to transfer dirt from the robotic vacuum cleaner to a docking station.
Claims18
An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- (a) a primary air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet:
- (b) a primary suction motor positioned in the primary air flow path;
- (c) an air treatment unit positioned in the primary air flow path, the air treatment unit comprising a dirt collection region wherein, when the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus is positioned on a floor, the dirt collection region has an upper side, a lower side, a first end having a first side positioned between the upper and lower sides and a second end having a second side positioned between the upper and lower sides, the second side is spaced apart from the first side in a first direction, the first side has a dirt collection region air inlet port and the second side has a dirt outlet;
- and,
- (d) a pneumatic dirt transfer member is operable in a dirt emptying mode to produce an air flow which enters the dirt collection region through the dirt collection region air inlet port and whereby dirt collected in the dirt collection region is moved in the first direction through the dirt outlet.
2 more elements
An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- (a) a primary air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet:
- (b) a primary suction motor positioned in the primary air flow path;
- (c) an air treatment unit positioned in the primary air flow path, the air treatment unit comprising a dirt collection region having a dirt inlet, a dirt collection region air inlet port and a dirt outlet;
- and,
- (d) a secondary air flow path extending from a secondary air flow path air inlet to the dirt outlet of the dirt collection region;
- (e) a secondary suction motor positioned in the secondary air flow path,
- wherein the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus is operable in a floor cleaning mode and a dirt emptying mode, in the floor cleaning mode, air travels through the primary air flow path and in the dirt emptying mode the secondary air flow path is in fluid flow communication with the dirt collection region whereby air enters the dirt collection region through the dirt collection region air inlet and dirt collected in the dirt collection region is moved through the dirt outlet.
4 more elements
An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- (a) a primary air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet:
- (b) a suction motor positioned in the primary air flow path;
- (c) an air treatment unit positioned in the primary air flow path, the air treatment unit comprising a dirt collection region having a dirt inlet, a dirt collection region air inlet port and a dirt outlet;
- and,
- (d) a secondary air flow path extending from the suction motor to the dirt outlet of the dirt collection region;
- wherein the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus is operable in a floor cleaning mode and a dirt emptying mode, in the floor cleaning mode, the suction motor drives a fan blade in a first direction of rotation and air travels through the primary air flow path and, in the dirt emptying mode, the suction motor drives a fan blade in a second direction of rotation whereby air enters the dirt collection region through the dirt collection region air inlet and dirt collected in the dirt collection region is moved through the dirt outlet.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.