[0001] The present invention relates to a robot vacuum cleaner comprising: a main body configured
to be driven on a surface and having a suction mouth with a brush roller configured
to suck in debris from the surface; a driving wheels and a mop module having a wiping
pad. The present invention also discloses a method for wiping floor using the robot
vacuum cleaner using the robot vacuum cleaner wherein the cleaning route includes:
an initial phase when the robot vacuum cleaner goes from a docking station to the
starting point, the first working phase when the robot vacuum cleaner goes in first
direction and a second working phase when the robot vacuum cleaner goes back in opposite
direction.
[0002] Robot vacuum cleaners with moping function are known from the state of the art.
[0003] The cleaning methods performed by robot vacuum cleaners are also known from the state
of the art.
[0004] The patent document
WO 2020/103835 A1 discloses a robot cleaner and an automatic cleaning method capable of realizing automatic
cleaning. The robot cleaner comprises a lifting mechanism and a cleaning base. The
cleaning base comprises a base body, a wiper mechanism disposed on the base body,
and a spraying assembly having nozzles. The nozzles are arranged along a mopping component
of the robot cleaner and form a structure used to spray water or mist to the mopping
component. The wiper mechanism comprises a wiper. The wiper contacts the mopping component
and moves with respect thereto so as to squeeze out the water while scraping off the
objects attached on the mopping component. The lifting mechanism controls the mopping
component to contact or separate from the wiper such that the mopping component is
moved up or down.
[0005] The patent document
US 2004/255425 A1 discloses a self-propelled cleaning device having a cylindrical side cover has a
suction body capable of moving transversely to the forward direction. The side cover
is held by a base via a suspension. When cleaning corners of a room, the suction body
moves by a wall and as the suction body moves to a corner, the movement amount of
the suction body is changed. When an obstacle touches the cleaning device, the side
cover moves, and the article touches a side cover switch, and the direction of the
article is detected.
[0006] It is the object of the present invention to provide a robot vacuum cleaner with
mopping function of an improved efficiency by active positioning of the wiping pad.
[0007] It is the object of the present invention to provide a method of wiping the floor
in which the driving wheels does not leave wet track on the cleaning surface.
[0008] These objects are solved by a robot vacuum cleaner in which the wiping pad is movable
sideways. The wiping pad is a rectangular shape element of the robot vacuum cleaner
which is provided for wiping a cleaning surface i.e. floor. The robot vacuum cleaner
can be provided with a spray unit which sprays the water with a detergent into the
floor. The wiping pad is made from fabrics of a good wiping features. The width of
the wiping pad may be matched to the width of the suction mouth to achieve equal areas
of overlap with cleaned areas of previously traveled cleaning route. The wiping pad
is actively moved laterally. The suction mouth is positioned centrally to the longitudinal
axis of the robot vacuum cleaner.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the wiping pad has two working positions.
In a first working position and in a second working position the wiping pad is moved
laterally with respect to the center of the robot vacuum cleaner. The first working
position is when the robot vacuum cleaner travels along a wall of a room. The second
working position is when the robot vacuum cleaner returns back i.e. goes in opposite
direction. The active movement of the wiping pad provides efficient wiping of the
cleaning surface.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention in each working position a side edge of
the wiping pad extends beyond an outer edge of the robot vacuum cleaner. The sideways
movement of the wiping pad that extends beyond the outer edge of the robot vacuum
cleaner also enables the robot to bring the wiping pad right up to the walls when
it travels along the boundaries of a room and thus perform borderless wet cleaning.
The lateral end positions are defined in such a way that the respective outer edge
of the wiping pad protrudes laterally further beyond the driving wheels than the overlap
width provided between adjacent webs. Thus, if the wet-cleaned areas of two meandering
webs are to overlap by 2cm, the wiping pad in the laterally shifted distortion should
protrude more than 2 cm beyond the outer edge of the driving wheel. Thus, the greater
the track width of the driving wheels compared to the overall width of the robot vacuum
cleaner, the more lateral movement must be allowed for the wiping pad. A sideways
movement of the wiping pad that extends beyond the edge of the robot vacuum cleaner
also enables the device to bring the wiping pad right up to the walls when it travels
along the boundaries of a room and thus perform borderless wet cleaning.
[0011] In another embodiment of the invention the wiping pad is placed behind the driving
wheels at a rear side of the robot vacuum cleaner. While the suction mouth is positioned
in front of or between the driving wheels, the wiping pad is usually located at the
rear part of the robot vacuum cleaner and has a greater width than the track width
of the driving wheels. The wiping pad is positioned at the rear of the robot, i.e.
behind a suction mouth and behind driving wheels. The positive effect is that the
driving wheels moves only on a dry surface.
[0012] In another embodiment of the invention the movement of the wiping pad is provided
by a linear drive. The lateral movement of the wiping pad can be actuated for example
by a linear drive, a spindle drive, a rack-and-pinion gear or a belt drive.
[0013] In another embodiment of the invention the wiping pad is rotatable. The wiping pad
can be designed as a round wiping element which is moved sideways. The positive effect
is that the cleaning performance thanks to the rotation of the wiping pad is more
effective in comparison to the standard rectangular wiping pad.
[0014] The objects of the present invention are solved also by a method for wiping floor
using robot vacuum cleaner in which the position of the wiping pad depends on the
phase of the robot vacuum cleaner cleaning route. The method for wiping the floor
is based on a cleaning route which includes: an initial phase when the robot vacuum
cleaner goes from a docking station to the starting point, the first working phase
when the robot vacuum cleaner goes along room walls and a second working phase when
the robot vacuum cleaner goes through a cleaning area in a first direction and an
opposite second direction.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the position of the wiping pad changes
with each direction change of the robot vacuum cleaner. The driving wheels run only
on a dry surface. When traveling along a single straight path, the drive wheels have
no contact with previously wiped cleaning surface. However, since the robot must overlap
its tracks as it travels along the meander pattern in order to safely vacuum and wipe
every area of the floor, the drive wheels do eventually come into contact with surfaces
that have been wet cleaned on the adjacent track. Thanks to the active positioning
of the wiping pad the driving wheels has no contact with previously wiped, wet surfaces.
The positive effect is that the driving wheels do not leave wet tracks on the cleaning
surface which is very important for the user. The robot vacuum cleaner using a laterally
displaceable wiping pad can position itself with respect to already wiped surfaces
in such a way that its drive wheels do not touch the damp areas of the floor and thus
always travels on dry ground.
[0016] When driving on adjacent meander tracks, the wiping pad is shifted alternately with
each change of direction. In this way, the driving wheels never travel over an area
that has previously been wet cleaned. The driving wheels always touch dry ground and
therefore leave no marks on the freshly mopped area.
[0017] When the mop pad width and suction mouth width are suitably matched, similar overlaps
of vacuumed and mopped areas result.
[0018] At the beginning of a cleaning job, the robot moves along the walls of a room. To
do this, the wiping pad is moved sideways in the direction of the wall, ideally pressed
up to the wall. In the next step, the robot begins to systematically sweep the room
along parallel meandering paths. On each of these meandering paths, the wiping pad
is displaced with alternating directions of travel also to alternating sides. Although
both the areas swept by the suction mouth and the areas wiped by the wiping pad overlap
in each case, the outer continues to travel on a dry area.
[0019] The present invention enables a robot vacuum cleaner with a mop function in which
the cleaning is more effective thanks to active positioning of the wiping pad. The
wiping method provides that the driving wheels does not leave wet tracks on the cleaning
surface.
[0020] The construction of the invention, however, together with additional objects and
corresponding advantages will be best understood from the following description of
specific embodiments and in connection with the accompanying drawing.
[0021] In the drawing:
- Fig. 1
- shows a robot vacuum cleaner in isometric view
- Fig. 2
- shows a robot vacuum cleaner bottom side in isometric view
- Fig. 3
- shows bottom side of a robot vacuum cleaner with a wiping pad in a first working position
- Fig. 4
- shows bottom side of a robot vacuum cleaner with a wiping pad in a second working
position
- Fig. 5
- shows a scheme of a method for wiping floor
[0022] In cooperation with attached drawing, the technical contents and detailed description
of the present invention are described thereinafter according to a preferable embodiment
being not used to limit its executing scope. Any equivalent variation and modification
made according to appended claims is all covered by the claims claimed by the present
invention.
[0023] In the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention,
similar identical reference numbers designate identical of comparable components.
[0024] Fig. 1 shows a robot vacuum cleaner 10 in isometric view. The robot vacuum cleaner
10 is a device consist of combination of two features, namely vacuuming and wiping
the floor.
[0025] Fig. 2 shows a robot vacuum cleaner 10 bottom side in isometric view. The robot vacuum
cleaner 10 is equipped with a suction mouth 12 with a brush roller 13. The brush roller
13 helps to pick up the dirt which is sucked by the suction mouth 12. The wiping pad
15 is positioned in its initial position. The wiping pad 15 is in its initial position
when the robot vacuum cleaner 10 is docked with the docking station (not shown on
the figure) or at the beginning of the cleaning route when the robot vacuum cleaner
10 goes from the docking station to the cleaning starting point.
[0026] Fig. 3 shows the robot vacuum cleaner 10 with the wiping pad 15 in the first working
position.
[0027] Fig. 4 shows bottom side of a robot vacuum cleaner 10 with a wiping pad 15 in a second
working position.
[0028] Fig. 5 shows a scheme of a method for wiping floor according the invention. When
driving on adjacent meander tracks, the wiping pad 15 is shifted alternately with
each change of direction. In this way, the driving wheels 14 never travel over an
area that has previously been wet cleaned. The driving wheels 14 always touch dry
ground and therefore leave no marks on the freshly mopped area.
[0029] At the beginning of a cleaning process, the robot cleaner travels to a starting point
of the actual cleaning process. The wiping pad is in its initial position. The initial
position means that the wiping pad is in the middle of the vacuum cleaner body. in
a first direction along the walls of a room. To do this, the wiping pad 15 is moved
sideways in the direction of the wall, ideally pressed up to the wall. In the next
step, the robot goes back in opposite direction and begins to systematically sweep
the room along parallel meandering paths. On each of these meandering paths, the wiping
pad 15 is displaced with alternating directions of travel also to alternating sides.
Although both the areas swept by the suction mouth 12 and the areas wiped by the wiping
pad overlap in each case, the outer continues to travel on a dry area.
[0030] The present invention enables a robot vacuum cleaner with a mop function in which
the cleaning is more effective thanks to active positioning of the wiping pad. The
wiping method provides that the driving wheels does not leave wet tracks on the cleaning
surface.
REFERENCE SIGNS
[0031]
- 10
- robot vacuum cleaner
- 11
- outer edge
- 12
- suction mouth
- 13
- brush roller
- 14
- driving wheels
- 15
- wiping pad
- 16
- side edge
- 18
- linear drive
1. A robot vacuum cleaner (10) comprising: a main body configured to be driven on a surface
and having a suction mouth (12) with a brush roller (13) configured to suck in debris
from the surface; a driving wheels (14) and a mop module having a wiping pad (15)
characterized in that the wiping pad (15) is movable sideways.
2. The robot vacuum cleaner (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wiping pad (15) has two working positions.
3. The robot vacuum cleaner (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in each working position a side edge (16) of the wiping pad (15) extends beyond an
outer edge (11) of the robot vacuum cleaner (10).
4. The robot vacuum cleaner (10) according to any of preceding claims, characterized in that the wiping pad (15) is placed behind the driving wheels (14) at a rear side of the
robot vacuum cleaner (10).
5. The robot vacuum cleaner (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement of the wiping pad (15) is provided by a linear drive (18).
6. The robot vacuum cleaner (10), according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wiping pad (15) is rotatable.
7. A method for wiping the floor using the robot vacuum cleaner (10) disclosed in claims
1 to 6, wherein the cleaning route includes: an initial phase when the robot vacuum
cleaner goes from a docking station to the starting point, the first working phase
when the robot vacuum cleaner (10) goes along room walls and a second working phase
when the robot vacuum cleaner (10) goes through a cleaning area in a first direction
and an opposite second direction characterized in that the position of the wiping pad (15) depends on the phase of the robot vacuum cleaner
(10) cleaning route.
8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the position of the wiping pad (15) changes with each direction change of the robot
vacuum cleaner (10).
9. The method according to any of the preceding claims 7 to 8, characterized in that the driving wheels (14) run only on a dry surface.