Robot cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11253126-B2
Application number	US-201716333135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2017
Priority date	Jul 14, 2016
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

A robot cleaner includes a main body, a moving unit for moving the main body, a cleaning module capable of being brought into contact with a floor surface at at least part of a lower surface thereof, and a module drive unit for controlling an angle of inclination of the lower surface of the cleaning module with respect to the floor surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot cleaner comprising:
a main body defining an appearance;
a mover for moving the main body;
a wiper disposed behind the mover and configured to be brought into contact with a floor surface at at least part of a lower surface of the wiper; and
a unit wiper adjuster for controlling an angle of inclination of the lower surface of the wiper with respect to the floor surface,
wherein the mover comprises:
a pair of spin-mops configured to be rotated in a state of being in contact with the floor surface so as to perform a mopping operation;
a spin-mop drive for rotating the pair of spin-mops; and
a water supply for supplying stored liquid to each of the pair of spin-mops,

wherein each of the spin-mops comprises:
a rotating plate;
a mop pad attached to a lower side of the rotating plate;
a rotating shaft protruding upward from the rotating plate and connected to the spin-mop drive;
a suspension base connected to the rotating plate and configured to control an inclination of the rotating plate;
a nozzle connected to the water supply to supply water to the mop pad; and
a water collection guide for collecting the stored water supplied from the nozzle,
wherein the wiper comprises:
a tilting plate to which a mop is attached;
a mop holder for holding the mop to the tilting plate;
a roller connected to the wiper adjuster and configured to control an angle of inclination of the tilting plate; and
a roller-coupling portion projecting from a portion of the tilting plate and connected to the roller,
wherein each of the pair of spin-mops is disposed so that regions of each of the spin-mops located at a distance from each other are inclined to be close to the floor surface,
wherein the tilting plate is disposed to be inclined in the traveling direction of the main body by rotation of the roller, and
wherein the pair of spin-mops is disposed in front of the tilting plate to mop the floor surface.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the tilting plate is convex outwards at one surface thereof that faces the floor surface.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the mop holder is hingedly coupled to a portion of the tilting plate.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper comprises:
a rotational protrusion disposed at a side of the roller and connected to the wiper adjuster; and
a holding protrusion disposed at another side of the roller and configured to support rotation of the roller.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein the wiper further comprises a coupler for coupling the wiper to a side of the main body.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the main body includes a module housing defining a space in which a portion of the wiper is received,
the module housing is provided at a side thereof with a holding-protrusion-fitting groove into which the holding protrusion is fitted, and
the holding-protrusion-fitting groove and the coupler jointly hold the holding protrusion disposed at another side of the roller.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the water supply includes a storage container for storing the stored liquid to be supplied to the spin-mop, and
wherein a flow channel is formed between the storage container and the pair of spin-mops so as to allow the stored liquid to flow therethrough.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the water supply comprises:
a pump for supplying the liquid stored in the storage container to the pair of spin-mops; and
a controller for controlling an amount of the stored liquid, which is supplied to the pair of spin-mops by the pump.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper adjuster is configured to control a direction that a surface of the tilting plate faces, depending on a traveling direction of the robot cleaner.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper adjuster is configured to cause the tilting plate to face the floor surface in a direction opposite to a traveling direction of the robot cleaner.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jang Jaewon
• Park Jeongseop
• Yoon Sungho

Classifications

• A47L2201/00

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

• A47L2201/028

  Refurbishing floor engaging tools, e.g. cleaning of beating brushes · CPC title

• A47L11/4083

  Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices · CPC title

• A47L11/4038 Primary

  Disk shaped surface treating tools · CPC title

• B25J11/0085

  Cleaning · CPC title