Autonomous surface cleaning robot for dry cleaning

A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis, the chassis being supported for transport over the surface along the fore-aft axis, the chassis comprising:
• a rotary fan motor having a fixed housing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom;
• a fan impeller configured to move air when rotated about a rotation axis, said fan impeller being fixedly attached to the rotating shaft for rotation about the rotation axis by the fan motor;
• a housing for housing the fan impeller in a hollow cavity formed therein and for fixedly supporting the motor fixed housing thereon, the housing being further configured with an air intake port through which air is drawn in to the cavity, and an air exit port through which air is expelled out of the cavity when the impeller is rotated;
• a first fluid conduit fluidly connected between the fan air intake port and the air intake port of said first collecting apparatus;
• and
• a first collecting apparatus attached thereto and configured to collect loose particulates from the surface over a cleaning width disposed generally parallel with the transverse axis, the first collecting apparatus comprising:
• an air jet port configured to expel a jet of air across the cleaning width;
• and
• an air intake port configured to draw air and loose particulates in, wherein the air jet port and the air intake port are disposed at opposing ends of the cleaning width with the air jet port expelling the jet of air generally parallel with the surface and generally directed toward the air intake port.

A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis, the chassis being supported for transport over the surface along the fore-aft axis, the chassis including a first collecting apparatus attached thereto and configured to collect loose particulates from the surface over a cleaning width disposed generally parallel with the transverse axis, the first collecting apparatus comprising an air jet port configured to expel a jet of air across the cleaning width and an air intake port configured to draw air and loose particulates in, wherein the air jet port and the air intake port are disposed at opposing ends of the cleaning width with the air jet port expelling the jet of air generally parallel with the surface and generally directed toward the air intake port;
• and
• a second collecting apparatus attached to the chassis and disposed aft of the first collecting apparatus for collecting liquid from the surface over the cleaning width, wherein the second collecting apparatus comprises:
• a squeegee fixedly attached to the chassis aft of the first collecting apparatus and extending from a bottom surface of the chassis to the surface across the cleaning width for collecting liquid in a liquid collection volume formed between the squeegee and the surface, the squeegee further forming a vacuum chamber and providing a plurality of suction ports disposed across the cleaning width and fluidly connecting the vacuum chamber and the liquid collection volume;
• and,
• a vacuum for generating a negative air pressure inside the vacuum chamber to thereby draw liquid into the vacuum chamber through the plurality of suction ports fluidly connected with the collection volume.

A surface cleaning apparatus according to 21 further comprising:

• a sensor module configured to sense conditions and to generate electrical sensor signals in response to sensing said conditions;
• a signal line for communicating the electrical sensor signals to the master control module;
• and,
• a controller incorporated within the master control module for implementing predefined operating modes in response to sensing said conditions.

A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis, the chassis being supported for transport over the surface along the fore-aft axis, the chassis including a first collecting apparatus attached thereto and configured to collect loose particulates from the surface over a cleaning width disposed generally parallel with the transverse axis, the first collecting apparatus comprising:
• an air jet port configured to expel a jet of air across the cleaning width;
• an air intake port configured to draw air and loose particulates in, wherein the air jet port and the air intake port are disposed at opposing ends of the cleaning width with the air jet port expelling the jet of air generally parallel with the surface and generally directed toward the air intake port;
• a motive drive subsystem controlled by a master control module and power by a power module, each attached to the chassis, for autonomously transporting the surface cleaning apparatus over the surface;
• a sensor module configured to sense conditions and to generate electrical sensor signals in response to sensing said conditions;
• a signal line for communicating the electrical sensor signals to the master control module;
• and,
• a controller incorporated within the master control module for implementing predefined operating modes in response to sensing said conditions.

A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

• an autonomous transport drive subsystem controlled by a master control module, a sensor module for sensing conditions, a power module and cleaning elements all supported on a chassis and powered by the power module for moving the chassis over the surface in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module, the elements being configured with a cleaning width disposed generally orthogonal to a forward transport direction and wherein the cleaning elements comprise:
• a first collecting apparatus for collecting loose particulates from the surface across the cleaning width, said first collecting apparatus being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface first as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;
• a cleaning fluid applicator for applying cleaning fluid onto the surface across the cleaning width, said cleaning fluid applicator being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface second as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;
• a smearing element for smearing the cleaning fluid applied onto the surface across the cleaning width, said smearing element being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface third as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;
• an active scrubbing element for actively scrubbing the surface across the cleaning width, said active scrubbing element being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface fourth as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;
• a second collecting apparatus for collecting waste liquid from the surface, said second collecting apparatus being positioned on the chassis to advance over the surface fifth as the chassis is transported in a forward transport direction;
• and,
• an integrated storage container module comprising a waste storage container for storing loose particulates collected by said first collecting apparatus and waste liquid collected by said second collecting apparatus, a cleaning fluid supply container for storing a supply of the cleaning fluid, and wherein the integrated storage container module is configured to be removed from the chassis by a user, filled with cleaning fluid and emptied of waste and then reinstalled onto the chassis by the user.