Agitator and robot cleaner including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016278595-A1
Application number	US-201614994769-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An agitator and a robot cleaner including an agitator. The agitator includes a body configured to be rotated, a plurality of couplers formed at the body and arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and a first member and a second member coupled to any one of the couplers and configured to contact a surface to be cleaned during rotation of the body. The first member and the second member extend different lengths from the body in a radial direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An agitator comprising:
a body; a plurality of couplers provided on an outer circumferential surface of the body and extending axially along the body and circumferentially spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; and a first floor cleaner and a second floor cleaner coupled to at least one of the plurality of couplers and extending axially along the body, wherein the first floor cleaner protrudes further from the body than the second floor cleaner in a radial direction.

2 . The agitator according to claim 1 , wherein the first floor cleaner is made of a different material from the second floor cleaner.

3 . The agitator according to claim 2 , wherein the first floor cleaner is an elastic blade extending from one end of body to an opposite end of the body, and the second floor cleaner is a brush having a plurality of bristles.

4 . The agitator according to claim 3 , wherein the brush protrudes radially from the body further than the blade.

5 . The agitator according to claim 4 , wherein a first portion of the blade protrudes further from the body in the radial direction than a second portion of the blade.

6 . The agitator according to claim 1 , wherein the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner are made of the same material.

7 . The agitator according to claim 6 , wherein the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner are brushes, each having a plurality of bristles.

8 . The agitator according to claim 7 , wherein each of the couplers includes a recess concavely formed in the body into which the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner are inserted, and a fixing piece for fixing the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner in the recess.

9 . The agitator according to claim 8 , wherein the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner are integrally formed using at least one group of bristles.

10 . The agitator according to claim 1 , wherein each of the couplers includes a protruding portion protruding from the body, and at least one of the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner protrudes from the protruding portion obliquely with respect to the radial direction of the body.

11 . An agitator comprising:
a rotatable body; a plurality of couplers provided on an outer circumferential surface of and extending axially along the body and circumferentially spaced apart from each other; a first floor cleaner and a second floor cleaner coupled to a first coupler; and a third floor cleaner and a fourth floor cleaner coupled to a second coupler, wherein the first floor cleaner, the second floor cleaner, the third floor cleaner and the fourth floor cleaner protrude from the body in a radial direction, and wherein the second floor cleaner protrudes further than the fourth floor cleaner, the fourth floor cleaner protrudes further than the first floor cleaner, and the first floor cleaner protrudes further than the third floor cleaner.

12 . The agitator according to claim 11 , wherein the first coupler and the second coupler are arranged alternately along the outer circumferential surface of the body.

13 . The agitator according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first floor cleaner, the second floor cleaner, the third floor cleaner, and the fourth floor cleaner is made of a different material.

14 . The agitator according to claim 11 , wherein the floor cleaners coupled to the same coupling unit have different protruding lengths from each other.

15 . The agitator according to claim 11 , wherein any one of the first floor cleaner, the second floor cleaner, the third floor cleaner. and the fourth floor cleaner protrudes obliquely with respect to the radial direction of the body.

16 . A robot cleaner comprising:
a main body; a suction device provided in the main body; wheels provided in the main body that move the robot cleaner; and an agitator provided in the main body, wherein the agitator includes:
a body configured to be rotated;
a plurality of couplers circumferentially arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the body and extending axially along the body; and
a first floor cleaner and a second floor cleaner coupled to each of the plurality of couplers extending axially along the body and configured to contact a surface to be cleaned during rotation of the body, wherein the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner protrude different lengths from the body in a radial direction.

17 . The robot cleaner according to claim 16 , wherein the agitator rotates independently of a rotation of the wheels.

18 . The robot cleaner according to claim 16 , wherein the agitator rotates while the suction device generates suction force.

19 . The robot cleaner according to claim 16 , wherein the first floor cleaner is made of a differential material from the second floor cleaner.

20 . The robot cleaner according to claim 16 , wherein the first floor cleaner and the second floor cleaner are made of the same material.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Shim Inbo
• Shin Yonggil

Classifications

• A47L9/0477 Primary

  Rolls · CPC title

• A47L9/0466

  Rotating tools · CPC title

• A46B9/028 Primary

  Bristle profile, the end of the bristle defining a surface other than a single plane or deviating from a simple geometric form, e.g. cylinder, sphere or cone · CPC title

• A47L11/24 Primary

  Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven · CPC title

• A46B13/001

  Cylindrical or annular brush bodies · CPC title