# US 2021/0330846 A1 · Floor cleaning and disinfecting robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0330846 A1 - Document ID: US20210330846A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/241,686 - Filed: 2021-04-27 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-27 - Assignees: Carnegie Robotics, LLC - Applicants: Carnegie Robotics, LLC - Inventors: Daniel King BEAVEN; Coleman Scott KNABE; David LAROSE; Troy Edward TANCRAITOR; David R. WOZNY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210330846A1 ## CPC - A61L 2/24: Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation - 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 9/2894: {Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners} - A47L 11/4011: {Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor} - A47L 11/4036: {Parts or details of the surface treating tools} - G05D 1/0219: {ensuring the processing of the whole working surface} - G05D 1/0223: {involving speed control of the vehicle (vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00)} - A47L 2201/04: Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection - A47L 2201/06: Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning - A61L 2103/75: Room floors or walls - A61L 2202/14: Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs - A61L 2202/16: Mobile applications, e.g. portable devices, trailers, devices mounted on vehicles - A61L 2202/17: Combination with washing or cleaning means - G05D 1/0214: {in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13)} - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - 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) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract An assembly of a self-propelled floor cleaning unit and a floor disinfecting unit. The floor disinfecting unit may be detachably attached to the floor cleaning unit. The areas covered by the floor cleaning unit and floor disinfecting unit may be logged and reported. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, the system comprising a self-propelled unit comprising a surface cleaning element, a surface disinfecting element and a controller, the controller being configured to: determine a first area of a surface cleaned by the surface cleaning element, and determine a second area of the surface disinfected by the surface disinfecting element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is additionally configured to: determine that one portion of the surface disinfecting element moves over a surface with a higher velocity than another portion of the disinfecting element and varying a velocity of the self-propelled unit vis-à-vis the surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the disinfecting element is configured to output information relating to an intensity or amount of disinfecting substance or radiation output, the controller being configured to base the determination of the second area on this information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of cleaning and disinfecting a surface, the method comprising: moving a system according to claim 1 over the surface while the surface cleaning element cleans the surface and the surface disinfecting element disinfects the surface and during the moving step or subsequent thereto: determining a first area of a surface cleaned by the surface cleaning element, and determining a second area of the surface disinfected by the surface disinfecting element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of outputting information relating to an intensity or amount of disinfecting substance or radiation output, wherein the step of determining the second area comprises determining the determination of the second area on this information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of outputting information relating to the first and second areas. ### Claim 7 An assembly comprising: a self-propelled unit having a main direction of movement, a surface cleaning element connected to the self-propelled unit, a surface disinfecting element detachably connected to the self-propelled unit, the surface disinfecting element connected to the self-propelled unit behind the surface cleaning element in the main direction of movement. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the surface disinfecting element is connected to the self-propelled unit behind the self-propelled unit in the main direction of movement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the surface disinfecting element comprises: a frame attachable to the self-propelled unit and a disinfecting portion connected to the frame and configured to disinfect the surface, wherein the disinfecting portion is configured to be translated, relative to the frame, in a direction at an angle to the main direction of movement. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of cleaning and disinfecting a surface, the method comprising moving an assembly according to claim 7 over the surface while the surface cleaning element cleans the surface and the surface disinfecting element disinfects the surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, comprising the initial step of connecting the disinfecting element to the self-propelled unit behind the self-propelled unit in the main direction of movement. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the surface disinfecting element comprises: a frame attachable to the self-propelled unit and a disinfecting portion connected to the frame and configured to disinfect the surface, the method further comprising the step of translating the disinfecting portion, relative to the frame, in a direction at an angle to the main direction of movement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of the surface disinfecting element receiving power from the self-propelled unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of a disinfecting portion of the disinfecting element receiving power from a power source of the disinfecting element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of the surface disinfecting element receiving controlling information from the self-propelled unit and disinfecting the surface accordingly. ### Claim 16 An assembly of a self-propelled unit and a disinfecting element, wherein the assembly comprises a determining element configured to determine a velocity of the disinfecting element over a surface and for controlling the disinfection of the disinfecting element on the basis of a determined velocity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The assembly according to claim 16, wherein the self-propelled unit comprises one or more sensors for detecting obstacles and wherein the determining element is configured to instruct the disinfecting element to stop disinfecting when the self-propelled unit stops due to a detected obstacle. ### Claim 18 A method of operating an assembly of a self-propelled unit and a disinfecting element to disinfect a surface, the method comprising determining a velocity of the disinfecting element over the surface and controlling the disinfection of the disinfecting element on the basis of a determined velocity. ### Claim 19 An assembly comprising: a self-propelled unit having: an instruction outputting element for outputting wireless instructions and a surface cleaning element, a surface disinfecting element detachably connected to the self-propelled unit and comprising: a power source and a receiver for receiving wireless information from the instruction outputting element and for controlling the disinfecting operation of the disinfecting element based on wireless instructions received. ### Claim 20 A method of operating an assembly comprising: a self-propelled unit having: an instruction outputting element for outputting instructions and a surface cleaning element, a surface disinfecting element detachably connected to the self-propelled unit and comprising: a power source and a receiver for receiving information and for controlling the disinfecting operation, the method comprising the steps of: the instruction outputting element outputting wireless instructions, the receiver receiving the wireless instructions and controlling the disinfecting operation in accordance with the instructions.