Cleaning cart with rechargeable power supply

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10611083-B2
Application number	US-201815966617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

A cart that moves through a three-dimensional object printing system includes a platform and a cleaning device configured to remove material from a surface as the platform passes the surface. The cart further includes a rechargeable power supply configured to be connected to the cleaning device. A controller onboard the cart is operatively connected to the rechargeable power supply and the cleaning device. The controller is configured to connect the rechargeable power supply to the cleaning device and operate the cleaning device to clean the surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cart that moves through a three-dimensional object printing system comprising:
a platform having wheels to enable the platform to move along a track;
a cleaning device configured to remove material from a surface as the platform passes the surface;
a rechargeable power supply configured to be connected to the cleaning device;
a motor operatively connected to at least one of the wheels of the cart; and
a controller operatively connected to the rechargeable power supply and the cleaning device, the controller being configured to connect the rechargeable power supply to the cleaning device selectively to operate the cleaning device to clean the surface and to connect the rechargeable power supply to operate the motor to move the platform along the track, the operation of the cleaning device and the operation of the motor being independent of one another.

2. The cart of claim 1 further comprising:
a communications device configured to transmit and receive electrical signals; and
the controller is operatively connected to the communications device, the controller being further configured to operate the cleaning device with reference to data received through the communications device.

3. The cart of claim 2 further comprising:
a sensor mounted to the platform, the sensor being configured to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the surface; and
the controller being operatively connected to the sensor, the controller being further configured to connect the cleaning device to the rechargeable power supply and operate the cleaning device to remove the material from the surface in response to the electrical signal generated by the sensor indicating material on the surface.

4. The cart of claim 3 , the sensor further comprising:
a camera; and
the controller being operatively connected to the camera to receive image data generated by the camera, the controller being further configured to analyze the image data received from the camera to detect material on the surface to be cleaned.

5. The cart of claim 3 , the sensor further comprising:
an accelerometer; and
the controller being operatively connected to the accelerometer to receive data generated by the accelerometer, the controller being further configured to analyze the data received from the accelerometer to detect material on the surface to be cleaned.

6. The cart of claim 3 , the controller being further configured to operate the communications device to send data corresponding to the electrical signal generated by the sensor to the external device.

7. The cart of claim 1 , the rechargeable power supply being further configured to be recharged by an inductive charger.

8. The cart of claim 7 further comprising:
a member configured to contact another cart to enable the wheel to move the other cart along the track as the wheel moves the platform along the track.

9. The cart of claim 1 , the cleaning device further comprising:
an abrasive cleaning surface;
an actuator operatively connected to the abrasive cleaning surface; and
the controller being further configured to connect the actuator to the rechargeable power supply selectively to operate the actuator and move the abrasive cleaning surface into contact with a track along which the platform moves.

10. The cart of claim 9 , the cleaning device further comprising:
a vacuum source;
a receptacle operatively connected to the vacuum source to store debris pulled by the vacuum source; and
the controller being further configured to selectively connect the vacuum source to the rechargeable power supply to operate the vacuum source and move material removed from the surface by the abrasive cleaning surface into the receptacle.

11. The cart of claim 1 , the cleaning device further comprising:
a wiper;
an actuator operatively connected to the wiper; and
the controller being further configured to selectively connect the actuator to the rechargeable power supply to operate the actuator and move the wiper into contact with a surface of an ejector head surface as the platform passes the ejector head.

12. A three-dimensional object printing system comprising:
a track;
a cart that includes:
a platform;
a cleaning device configured to remove material from a surface as the platform passes the surface;
a rechargeable power supply configured to be connected to the cleaning device and configured to be recharged by inductive charging; and
a communications device configured to transmit and receive electrical signals;
a controller operatively connected to the rechargeable power supply, the cleaning device, and the communications device, the controller being configured to connect the rechargeable power supply to the cleaning device and to operate the cleaning device to clean the surface with reference to data received from an external source through the communications device; and

a recharging station positioned opposite the track that is configured to inductively charge the rechargeable power supply when the cart passes by the recharging station.

13. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 12 , the cart further comprising:
a sensor mounted to the platform, the sensor being configured to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the surface; and
the controller being operatively connected to the sensor, the controller being further configured to connect the cleaning device to the rechargeable power supply and operate the cleaning device to remove the material from the surface in response to the electrical signal generated by the sensor indicating material on the surface.

14. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 13 , the sensor further comprising at least one of:
(i) a camera, the controller being operatively connected to the camera to receive image data generated by the camera, the controller being further configured to analyze the image data received from the camera to detect material on the surface to be cleaned; and
(ii) an accelerometer, the controller being operatively connected to the accelerometer to receive data generated by the accelerometer, the controller being further configured to analyze the data received from the accelerometer to detect material on the surface to be cleaned.

15. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 12 , the cart further comprising:
a wheel operatively connected to the platform to move the platform along a track;
an actuator operatively connected to the wheel; and
the controller being further configured to selectively connect the actuator to the rechargeable power supply to operate the actuator and move the platform along the track.

16. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 15 further comprising:
a printing station operable to perform a printing operation; and
another controller that is operatively connected to the printing station, the other controller being configured to operate the printing station and selectively transmit an electrical signal to the communications device to schedule maintenance on the printing station.

17. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 15 , the cart further comprising:
a member configured to contact another cart to enable the wheel to move the other cart along the track as the wheel moves the platform along the track.

18. The three-dimensional object printing system of claim 12 , the cleaning device further comprising:
(i) an abrasive cleaning surface and a first actuator operatively connected to the abrasive cleaning surface,
(ii) a vacuum

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Foley Timothy P
• Crossen Elizabeth M
• Atwood Christopher D

Classifications

• B29C64/112

  using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/35

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B29C64/20 Primary

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title