Vacuum brush
AssigneeiRobot Corporation
InventorMatthew Blouin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotating cleaning element configured to be inserted in a cleaning head compartment of a robotic vacuum, the rotating cleaning element including: a drive end including a drive protrusion configured to engage a drive mechanism of the cleaning head compartment; a bearing end and a shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the bearing end to lessen an amount of hair and similar matter that reaches the bearing; and a central member extending between the bearing end and the drive end.
Claims18
A rotating cleaning element configured to be inserted in a cleaning head compartment of a robotic vacuum, the rotating cleaning element comprising:
- a drive end comprising a drive protrusion configured to engage a drive mechanism of the cleaning head compartment and a retention device configured to limit axial motion of the cleaning element, the retention device including interlocking members configured to engage one or more recess in a drive gear that engages the drive protrusion;
- a bearing end and a shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the bearing end to lessen an amount of hair and similar matter that reaches the bearing, wherein the shroud comprises:
- a first wall disposed generally parallel to a central axis of a central member;
- a second wall extending generally perpendicular from the first wall;
- a third wall extending generally perpendicular from the second wall;
- and
- a fourth wall extending generally perpendicular from the third wall, the first, second, third and fourth wall defining the interior of the shroud;
- and
- the central member extending between the bearing end and the drive end;
- wherein each interlocking member has a proximal end attached to the central member and extends to an unattached distal end defining a retention feature configured to releasably engage a recess defined by the drive end of the cleaning element.
A cleaning head subsystem for a robotic vacuum, the cleaning head subsystem including a cleaning head compartment and at least one cleaning element, the cleaning element comprising:
- a bearing end and a first shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the bearing end and a sleeve thereof;
- a first reservoir being defined at least between a portion of the first shroud and the sleeve;
- a drive end comprising a drive protrusion configured to engage a drive mechanism of the cleaning head compartment and a retention device configured to limit axial motion of the cleaning element, the retention device including interlocking members configured to engage one or more recess in a drive gear that engages the drive protrusion;
- and
- a central member extending between the bearing end and the drive end;
- wherein the drive end includes a second shroud configured to surround at least a portion of the drive end and at least one guard extending radially outwardly from a central axis of the central member toward an interior of the second shroud, a second reservoir being defined at least between a portion of the second shroud and the guard;
- and
- wherein each interlocking member has a proximal end attached to the central member and extends to an unattached distal end defining a retention feature configured to releasably engage a recess defined by the drive end of the cleaning element.
A cleaning head subsystem for a robotic vacuum, the cleaning head subsystem comprising:
- a cleaning head compartment;
- a cleaning element assembly disposed within the cleaning head compartment, the cleaning element assembly including a main brush and a flapper brush;
- and
- a gearbox comprising a main brush drive gear to drive the main brush, a flapper brush drive gear to drive the flapper brush, and a first shroud configured to surround at least one of the main brush drive gear and the flapper brush drive gear;
- wherein the shroud comprises:
- a first wall disposed generally parallel to a central axis of a central member of the cleaning element;
- a second wall extending generally perpendicular from the first wall;
- a third wall extending generally perpendicular from the second wall;
- and
- a fourth wall extending generally perpendicular from the third wall, the first, second, third and fourth wall define the interior of the shroud.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.