A method for cleaning a workspace, including: autonomously moving, with a mechanism of a robot, a cloth of a mopping assembly of the robot upwards and downwards relative to a work surface of the work space. The cloth is disengaged from the work surface when the cloth is moved upwards relative to the work surface such that the cloth is not in contact with the work surface. The cloth is engaged with the work surface when the cloth is moved downwards relative to the work surface such that the cloth is in contact with the work surface. The mechanism moves the cloth of the mopping assembly upwards and downwards relative to the work surface based on input provided by at least one sensor of the robot.

A gas wiping apparatus includes a pair of wiping nozzles which are disposed so as to face each other and interpose a coated steel sheet therebetween in a thickness direction of the coated steel sheet, and each of which ejects a wiping gas along a width direction of the coated steel sheet; a gas shield plate that is disposed at a position which separates toward an outside from each end portion of the coated steel sheet so that the gas shield plate is interposed between the pair of wiping nozzles; and a side nozzle that ejects a gas to form a gas flow along each surface of the gas shield plate in a direction reverse to a direction in which the coated steel sheet is pulled upward.

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a body, a controller supported by the body, a drive supporting the body to maneuver the robot across a floor surface in response to commands from the controller, and a pad holder attached to an underside of the body to hold a removable cleaning pad during operation of the robot. The pad includes a mounting plate and a mounting surface. The mounting plate is attached to the mounting surface. The robot includes a pad sensor to sense a feature on the pad and to generate a signal based on the feature, which is defined in part by a cutout on the card backing. The mounting plate enables the pad sensor to detect the feature. The controller is response to the signal to perform operations including selecting a cleaning mode based on the signal, and controlling the robot according to a selected cleaning mode.

An adapter box which makes possible a direct connect 110 volt central vacuum system hose to be plugged into a portable vacuum cleaner in the same way that a 110 volt direct connect central vacuum system hose would plug into an in home central vacuum system using direct connect central vacuum system inlets. An adapter box that attaches to the inlet vacuum port of a portable vacuum cleaner (household, commercial, or other) for the purpose of making compatible and possible the plugging in of a direct connect central vacuum system hose in the same way the same hose would be plugged into the direct connect central vacuum system inlet valve of an in house central vacuum system. This type hose allows 110 volts to be available for the operation of a 110 volt powered rug cleaning attachment. An adapter box that allows a direct connect central vacuum system hose to function with a portable vacuum cleaner so that it may function in like fashion to a central vacuum system in a home where the hose simply plugs into a direct connect central vacuum system wall inlet receiving vacuum power from the central vacuum system power unit through pipes installed in the walls and ceilings of the building.

A method for cleaning a workspace, including: autonomously moving, with a mechanism of a robot, a cloth of a mopping assembly of the robot upwards and downwards relative to a work surface of the work space. The cloth is disengaged from the work surface when the cloth is moved upwards relative to the work surface such that the cloth is not in contact with the work surface. The cloth is engaged with the work surface when the cloth is moved downwards relative to the work surface such that the cloth is in contact with the work surface. The mechanism moves the cloth of the mopping assembly upwards and downwards relative to the work surface based on input provided by at least one sensor of the robot.

A method for cleaning a workspace, including: autonomously moving, with a mechanism of a robot, a cloth of a mopping assembly of the robot upwards and downwards relative to a work surface of the work space. The cloth is disengaged from the work surface when the cloth is moved upwards relative to the work surface such that the cloth is not in contact with the work surface. The cloth is engaged with the work surface when the cloth is moved downwards relative to the work surface such that the cloth is in contact with the work surface. The mechanism moves the cloth of the mopping assembly upwards and downwards relative to the work surface based on input provided by at least one sensor of the robot.