Wheel for autonomous cleaning robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027580-B2
Application number	US-201916239018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2019
Priority date	Jan 5, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A wheel for an autonomous cleaning robot that maneuvers the robot on a floor surface includes a tire having first and second opposing outer edges and a middle portion having a tread pattern between the first and second outer edges, the tread pattern comprising a plurality of raised tread having trenches therebetween. Each of the plurality of raised tread includes a first raised tread portion extending from the first outer edge to the middle portion and substantially perpendicular to the first and second outer edges; a second raised tread portion extending at an angle away from the first raised tread portion; and a third raised tread portion extending from the second raised tread portion to the second outer edge and substantially perpendicular to the first and second outer edges, the third raised tread portion being laterally offset from the first raised tread portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel for an autonomous cleaning robot that maneuvers the robot on a floor surface, the wheel comprising:
a tire having a circular shape, having first and second opposing outer edges and a middle portion having a tread pattern between the first and second outer edges and including an interior surface having raised features and hub trenches configured to engage a hub, the tread pattern comprising a plurality of raised treads having trenches therebetween, each of the plurality of raised treads comprising:
a first raised tread portion extending from the first outer edge to the middle portion and perpendicular to the first and second outer edges;
a second raised tread portion extending at an angle away from the first raised tread portion; and
a third raised tread portion extending from the second raised tread portion to the second outer edge and perpendicular to the first and second outer edges, the third raised tread portion being laterally offset from the first raised tread portion.

2. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the third raised tread portion is laterally offset from the first raised tread portion by a distance equal to a width of one of the plurality of raised tread.

3. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the plurality of raised tread is less than a width of the trenches between each of the plurality of raised tread.

4. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein a length of the first raised tread portion is equal to a length of the third raised tread portion.

5. The wheel of claim 4 , wherein a length of the second raised tread portion is longer than the length of the first or third raised tread portion.

6. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third raised tread portion form a continuous lug configured to have continuous radial contact with the floor surface during use.

7. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the tire is formed of a material having a durometer range of between about 35 to about 60 Shore A.

8. The wheel of claim 1 , wherein the tire is formed of a polymeric material.

9. The wheel of claim 8 , wherein the polymeric material comprises Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR), Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) or combinations thereof.

10. An autonomous cleaning robot, comprising:
a robot body comprising a forward portion and an aft portion;
a cleaning assembly on the robot body;
a drive system to maneuver the robot body across a floor surface, the drive system comprising:
a hub; and
a wheel mounted on the hub, the wheel configured to maneuver the robot on a floor surface, the wheel comprising:
a tire having a circular shape, having first and second opposing outer edges and a middle portion including an interior surface having raised features and trenches configured to engage the wheel, and the middle portion having a tread pattern between the first and second outer edges, the tread pattern comprising a plurality of raised treads having trenches therebetween, each of the plurality of raised treads comprising:
a first raised tread portion extending from the first outer edge to the middle portion and perpendicular to the first and second outer edges;
a second raised tread portion extending at an angle away from the first raised tread portion; and
a third raised tread portion extending from the second raised tread portion to the second outer edge and perpendicular to the first and second outer edges, the third raised tread portion being laterally offset from the first raised tread portion.

11. The robot of claim 10 , wherein the third raised tread portion is laterally offset from the first raised tread portion by a distance equal to a width of one of the plurality of raised tread.

12. The robot of claim 10 , wherein a width of each of the plurality of raised tread is less than a width of the trenches between each of the plurality of raised tread.

13. The robot of claim 10 , wherein a length of the first raised tread portion is equal to a length of the third raised tread portion.

14. The robot of claim 13 , wherein a length of the second raised tread portion is longer than the length of the first or third raised tread portion.

15. The robot of claim 10 , wherein the first, second and third raised tread portion form a continuous lug configured to have continuous radial contact with the floor surface during use.

16. The robot of claim 10 , wherein the tire is formed of a material having a duronieter range of between about 35 to about 60 Shore A.

17. The robot of claim 10 , wherein the tire is formed of a polymeric al.

18. The robot of claim 17 , wherein the polymeric material comprises Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR), Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) or combinations thereof.

19. The robot of claim 10 , wherein the cleaning assembly is affixed to the forward portion of the robot body, the cleaning assembly comprising a pad holder; and
a cleaning pad affixed to the pad holder of the cleaning assembly.

20. The robot of claim 19 , wherein the cleaning pad comprises:
a core of one or more absorbent layers for absorbing liquid through capillary action and for distributing the liquid within a cleaning pad;
a wrap layer around the core, the wrap layer comprising a fibrous layer that is flexible and absorbent, the fibrous layer configured to absorb liquid through capillary action and transfer the liquid to the core; and
one or more transition regions spanning a cleaning width of the cleaning pad, the transition regions dividing the cleaning pad into at least two segments,
wherein a forward positioned segment, of the at least two segments, has a lesser thickness compared to a thickness of an aft positioned segment of the at least two segments.

Assignees

• Irobot Corp

Inventors

• Grace Christopher Robin
• Wright Lindsay Louise
• Haughton Timothy James
• Williams Marcus R
• Reimels John
• Fleck Timothy William

Classifications

• B60C2011/0016

  Physical properties or dimensions · CPC title

• B60C7/24

  characterised by means for securing tyres on rim or wheel body · CPC title

• A47L2201/00

  Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation · CPC title

• A47L11/28

  Floor-scrubbing machines, motor-driven (A47L11/29 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60C2007/005

  made by casting, e.g. of polyurethane · CPC title