Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Patent
1997-01-02
1998-08-04
Moore, Chris K.
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
15339, 153401, 15352, A47L 928
Patent
active
057875456
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an arrangement and an automatic system for floor dusting based on a self-contained machine moving over a floor surface.
Preferably, the machine is continuously operative, that is to say that, once the arrangement has been installed, the user must no more intervene for actuating or interrupting the floor dusting operation, these functions being automatic. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the machine is permanently activated. It may be provided with a unit, advantageously a programmable unit, initiating or interrupting the operation according to time-tables or other parameters (noise, luminosity etc . . . ).
The device and the system according to the invention are indeed based on the use of a mobile robot of low power and of small dimensions running over the surface to be dusted in a random or quasi-random way. The robot is associated to a central device for discharging the dust, where the mobile robot will periodically empty itself from the dust. It is also provided, preferably integrated to the central discharging device, with a recharging unit for recharging the battery(ies) of the mobile robot allowing in that way the start of a new operating cycle.
In the following description, the reference to a system or central suction device or a central vacuum cleaner include all equivalent systems or devices, for discharging the dust from the dust collector of the mobile robot, including devices based on the opening of a discharge outlet combined with the simple gravity effect.
According to a embodiment of the invention, the recharging device is a induction based supplying device.
Also, according to another embodiment compatible with the above mentioned one, the device locating the central suction and recharging unit uses an algorithm based on the field gradient.
The fixed station comprises then a central suction device provided with a collecting container of sufficient capacity, a high frequence generator, for example 20 KHz, an induction coil, and an electronic control module.
According to an embodiment, the robot is provided with an external casing in the form of a approximately semi-spherical shell, or in the form of a flattened dome, mounted on springs attached to a internal chassis supporting the other components of the mobile robot. This assembly will lead to a sturdy device since a user may for example step on the casing without damaging the internal components. The casing, under the exerted pressure, will indeed go down and rest on its internal periphery contacting the floor.
The casing has for example a length of 15 cm and a width at the base of 30 cm. It may advantageously be made of polyester. The weight of the device may be less than 2 kilogram, including a battery of approximately 500 g.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the mobile robot comprises a casing and a chassis, the latter supporting, independently or not, at least: driving wheels driven by at least one, preferably two motors, each motor being controlled independently in such a way as to allow for the control the direction of movement of the robot casing said system being comparable to the one described for a robotic lawnmower in patent application WO 92/04817.
For domestic applications, the power of the fan in use may be such that it does not exceed 5 to 10 Watt and the power for the motors actuating the wheels may be such that it does not exceed 2 to 3 Watt. Preferably, the maximum power of the device will not exceed 100 Watt, preferably 50 Watt and will generally be less than 25 Watt.
For more demanding applications, for example the removal of dust on an industrial surface, the power may exceed 800 Watt.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the mobile robot will move continuously over the surface to be cleaned by actuating two wheels, the third supporting point being advantageously the suction inlet located in a off center position with respect to the central vertical axis, rearwards or preferably frontwards with respect to the direction of movement. Bot
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patent: 5497529 (1996-03-01), Boesi
patent: 5568589 (1996-10-01), Hwang
patent: 5634237 (1997-06-01), Paranjpe
"Kitchen of Tomorrow to visit USSR", Washington Post, Feb. 10, 1959, p. B8.
Bloom Leonard
Moore Chris K.
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