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JP-2026514338-A - Integrated discharge station and rubbish bin

JP2026514338AJP 2026514338 AJP2026514338 AJP 2026514338AJP-2026514338-A

Abstract

A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot may include a base and a canister. The base may be configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile cleaning robot on it, and the base may include a debris port. The canister may be connected to the base and positioned at least partially above the base. The canister may include a debris duct, which is connected to the debris port and configured to receive an air stream from the mobile cleaning robot. A lid assembly may be connected to the debris duct and configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream from the mobile cleaning robot. A receiving section may be connected to the lid assembly and configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream or debris from the lid assembly.

Inventors

  • ブライアン・ダブリュー・ドーティ
  • エリク・アマラル
  • アイザック・ファウラー
  • ニコラス・コールマン

Assignees

  • アイロボット・コーポレーション

Dates

Publication Date
20260511
Application Date
20240318
Priority Date
20230329

Claims (20)

  1. A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot, wherein the docking station is A base configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile cleaning robot thereon, the base includes a debris port, A canister, the canister being connected to the base and positioned at least partially above the base, The aforementioned canister is A debris duct, wherein the debris duct is connected to the debris port and is configured to receive an air stream from the mobile cleaning robot, A lid assembly, the lid assembly being connected to the debris duct and configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream from the mobile cleaning robot, A docking station comprising a receiving portion connected to the lid assembly, the receiving portion being configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream or debris from the lid assembly.
  2. The docking station according to claim 1, comprising a debris blower connected to the canister or the base, wherein the debris blower is operable to produce the air stream from the mobile cleaning robot, through the debris port and the debris duct, through the lid assembly, and out of the canister.
  3. A discharge duct connected to the canister, the discharge duct being configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream through it, The docking station according to claim 2, comprising a filter, the filter being connected to the discharge duct and configured at least partially to receive at least a portion of the air stream through it.
  4. A pad cleaning system including an agitator that can engage with the cleaning pad of the mobile cleaning robot, A clean water tank configured to deliver clean liquid to the mobile cleaning robot and the pad cleaning system, The docking station according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a wastewater tank configured to receive wastewater from the pad cleaning system.
  5. A sweep port extending at least partially through the base or the canister, the sweep port being connected to the debris duct, The docking station according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a valve movable to guide at least a portion of the air stream through the sweep port or the debris port.
  6. A docking station according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a lid connected to the receiving portion and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position, the receiving portion is open to the environment.
  7. A discharge duct connected to the lid assembly and the receiving portion, wherein the discharge duct is configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream through it, A first volume connected to the debris duct, wherein the first volume is at least partially defined by the receiving portion, The docking station according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a second volume, the second volume being connected to the debris duct and at least partially fluidly isolated from the first volume, and the second volume being at least partially defined by the canister.
  8. The docking station according to claim 7, comprising a port connected to the discharge duct, wherein the port is configured to fluidly connect the second volume to the discharge duct.
  9. The lid actuator connected to the lid, A lid sensor connected to the canister or the lid, wherein the lid sensor is configured to generate a lid signal, A docking station according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a controller communicating with the lid actuator, the controller being configured to operate the lid actuator based on the lid signal.
  10. The docking station according to claim 9, comprising a deflector connected to the lid, wherein the deflector is configured to interact with at least a portion of the airstream and direct the debris toward the receiving portion.
  11. A discharge duct connected to the canister, the discharge duct being configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream through it, A first volume connected to the debris duct, wherein the first volume is at least partially defined by the receiving portion, The docking station according to claim 1, comprising a second volume at least partially fluidly connected to the first volume, the second volume being at least partially defined by the canister.
  12. The docking station according to claim 11, comprising a lid connected to the receiving portion and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position, the receiving portion is open to the environment.
  13. The docking station according to claim 12, wherein the debris duct includes a fixed portion connected to the canister and a movable portion connected to the underside of the lid, the movable portion being movable together with the lid between the open position and the closed position.
  14. The docking station according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the canister includes a support portion within the canister that is engageable with a portion of the receiving portion to support the receiving portion, and the support portion defines a plurality of ports configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream through it.
  15. A discharge duct connected to the canister, the discharge duct being configured to receive at least a portion of the air stream through it, A first volume connected to the debris duct, wherein the first volume is at least partially defined by the debris duct, The docking station according to claim 1, comprising a second volume at least partially fluidly isolated from the first volume, the second volume being at least partially defined by the receiving portion.
  16. The docking station according to claim 15, comprising a lid connected to the receiving portion and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position, the receiving portion is open to the environment, and the lid forms at least a portion of the lid assembly.
  17. A bin door connected to the lid and the lid assembly, the bin door being operable to move between a closed position for holding debris in the lid and the lid assembly and an open position for dispensing debris from the lid assembly and the lid into the receiving portion, The docking station according to claim 16, comprising a bin door actuator, the bin door actuator being connected to the bin door and operable to move the bin door between an open position and a closed position.
  18. A lid sensor connected to the canister or the lid, wherein the lid sensor is configured to generate a lid signal, The docking station according to claim 17, comprising a controller communicating with the bin door actuator, the controller being configured to operate the bin door actuator based on the lid signal.
  19. The docking station according to any one of claims 17 to 18, wherein the lid and the receiving portion form a seal between them, at least partially fluidly separating the first volume from the second volume.
  20. A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot, wherein the docking station is A base configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile cleaning robot thereon, the base includes a debris port, A canister, the canister being connected to the base and positioned at least partially above the base, The aforementioned canister is A debris duct connected to the aforementioned debris port, A lid assembly connected to the debris duct, A docking station comprising a receiving portion connected to the lid assembly, the receiving portion being configured to receive debris from the lid assembly or the debris duct.

Description

Priority Application This application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 18/127,776, filed on 29 March 2023, claiming priority thereof, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Autonomous mobile robots include autonomous mobile cleaning robots that can autonomously perform cleaning tasks in an environment (e.g., a home). Many types of cleaning robots are autonomous to some extent and autonomous in different ways. Some robots can automatically interface with docking stations or other devices. The docking station can perform maintenance on the robot (e.g., charging the robot's battery and removing debris from the robot's lid assembly). This is a plan view of a mobile cleaning robot in an environmental setting.This is an isometric view of the mobile cleaning robot under the first condition.This is an isometric view of the mobile cleaning robot under the second condition.This is an isometric view of the mobile cleaning robot under the third condition.This is a bottom view of the mobile cleaning robot under the third condition.This is an isometric view of the top of the mobile cleaning robot under the third condition.This is a side cross-section of the mobile cleaning robot under the first condition.This is an isometric view of a mobile cleaning robot and docking station.This diagram illustrates the communication network in which a mobile cleaning robot operates, and provides an example of data transmission within that network.This is a schematic diagram of a docking station.This is a schematic diagram of a docking station.This is a schematic diagram of a docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric cross-sectional view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of a portion of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is an isometric view of the docking station.This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the docking station.This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the docking station.This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a machine on which one or more embodiments may be implemented. Overview of Robot Operation Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of the mobile cleaning robot 100 in an environment 40 according to at least one example of the present disclosure. The environment 40 can be a residence (e.g., a house or apartment) and can include rooms 42a to 42e. Obstacles such as a bed 44, a table 46, and an island 48 can be located within the rooms 42 of the environment. Each of the rooms 42a to 42e can have floor surfaces 50a to 50e, respectively. Some rooms (e.g., room 42d) can include rugs (e.g., rug 52). The floor surfaces 50 can be one or more types such as hardwood, ceramic, low-pile carpet, medium-pile carpet, long (or high)-pile carpet, or stone. The mobile cleaning robot 100 can be operated (for example, by a user 60, etc.) to autonomously clean the environment 40 in a room-by-room manner. In some examples, the robot 100 can clean the floor surface 50a of one room (for example, room 42a, etc.) before moving to the next room (for example, room 42d, etc.) and cleaning the surface of room 42d. Different rooms can have different types of floor surfaces. For example, room 42e (which could be a kitchen) can have a hard floor surface (for example, wood or ceramic tile, etc.), and room 42a (which could be a bedroom) can have a carpeted surface (for example, a medium-pile carpet, etc.). Other rooms (for example, room 42d (which could be a dining room, etc.)) can include multiple surfaces, where a rug 52 is located within room 42d. During cleaning or travel operations, the robot 100 can use data collected from various sensors (e.g., optical sensors) and calculations (e.g., odometry and obstacle detection) to create a map of the environment 40. Once the map is generated, the user 60 can define rooms or zones (e.g., room 42) within the map. The map may be presented to the user 60 on a user interface (e.g., a mo