Supply and/or disposal system for autonomous deep cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018368646-A1
Application number	US-201816018345-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2018
Priority date	Jun 27, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for refilling, emptying and/or recharging of an autonomous floor cleaner includes a docking station adapted to be coupled with a household plumbing infrastructure. The docking station can be provided on a household appliance, which may be a toilet, a dishwasher, or another appliance coupled with the plumbing infrastructure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A supply and disposal system for an autonomous floor cleaner, comprising:
a docking station for docking an autonomous floor cleaner, the docking station comprising:
a liquid supply system configured to fill a supply tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a supply conduit and a supply coupling configured to couple with a corresponding receiver coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner;
a disposal system configured to empty a recovery tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a waste receiver coupling configured to couple with a corresponding waste disposal coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner; and
a charging system configured to recharge the autonomous floor cleaner;
wherein the docking station is configured to be fluidly coupled to a plumbing infrastructure, and to fill the supply tank and to empty the recovery tank via the plumbing infrastructure.

2 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , wherein the docking station further comprises a shut-off valve for closing a fluid pathway through the supply conduit when the autonomous floor cleaner is not docked with the docking station, and wherein the shut-off valve is configured to automatically open when the autonomous floor cleaner docks with the docking station.

3 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , wherein the disposal system comprises a disposal conduit and a disposal pump having an outlet side coupled with the disposal conduit and an inlet side coupled with the waste receiver coupling.

4 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , wherein the docking station comprises a power cord, and the docking station is configured to be connected to a power supply by the power cord.

5 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , wherein the docking station comprises a converter for converting AC voltage into DC voltage.

6 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , and further comprising a toilet, wherein the toilet comprises the docking station.

7 . The supply and disposal system of claim 6 , wherein the supply conduit is in fluid communication with one of a toilet tank of the toilet or a water supply line of the toilet.

8 . The supply and disposal system of claim 7 , wherein the docking station further comprises an intermediate reservoir with a float-style shut-off valve, wherein the intermediate reservoir fluidly couples the supply conduit with the water supply coupling.

9 . The supply and disposal system of claim 6 , wherein the toilet comprises a handle in communication with the docking station, wherein the docking station is configured to send a signal to the handle to flush the toilet.

10 . The supply and disposal system of claim 6 , wherein the toilet comprises a siphon and a drain, and wherein the disposal system comprises:
a disposal conduit plumbed to the toilet downstream from the siphon and upstream of the drain; and a disposal pump mounted to the toilet and comprising:
an inlet side fluidly coupled to the waste receiver coupling; and
an outlet side fluidly coupled to the disposal conduit.

11 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , and further comprising a dishwasher, wherein the dishwasher comprises the docking station.

12 . The supply and disposal system of claim 11 , wherein the disposal system comprises a dishwasher pump and an evacuation conduit in fluid communication with the dishwasher pump and the waste receiver coupling.

13 . The supply and disposal system of claim 12 , and further comprising a diverter valve configured to divert a fluid pathway to the dishwasher pump between either of a sump of the dishwasher and the waste receiver coupling.

14 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , and further comprising an autonomous floor cleaner comprising:
an autonomously moveable housing: a fluid delivery system comprising a supply tank and a receiver coupling in fluid communication with the supply tank; and a fluid recovery system comprising a recovery tank and a waste disposal coupling in fluid communication with the recovery tank: wherein the fluid delivery and the fluid recovery systems are carried on the autonomously moveable housing.

15 . The supply and disposal system of claim 14 , wherein the autonomous floor cleaner comprises a fill pump between the receiver coupling and the supply tank for drawing liquid into the supply tank via the receiver coupling.

16 . The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , and further comprising an appliance, wherein the docking station is provided at a front side of the appliance.

17 . The supply and disposal system of claim 16 , wherein the appliance comprises a door and the docking station is provided below the door.

18 . The supply and disposal system of claim 16 , wherein the appliance comprises one of a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a humidifier, or a clothes dryer.

19 . The supply and disposal system of claim 16 , and further comprising an autonomous floor cleaner comprising an autonomously moveable housing and a trim piece on the autonomously moveable housing that matches the portion of the appliance surrounding the docking station for an integrated appearance.

20 . A docking station for docking an autonomous floor cleaner, the docking station comprising:
a liquid supply system configured to fill a supply tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a supply conduit and a supply coupling configured to couple with a corresponding receiver coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner; and a disposal system configured to empty a recovery tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a waste receiver coupling configured to couple with a corresponding waste disposal coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner; wherein the docking station is configured to be fluidly coupled to a plumbing infrastructure, and to fill the supply tank and to empty the recovery tank via the plumbing infrastructure.

Assignees

• Bissell Homecare Inc

Inventors

• Buehler Eric Daniel
• Scholten Jeffrey A
• Brown Adam

Classifications

• A47L11/28

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

• A47L11/4083

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

• A47L11/4088 Primary

  Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits · CPC title

• A47L11/4011

  Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor · CPC title

• A47L2201/026

  Refilling cleaning liquid containers · CPC title