A surface cleaner with a connection to a high-pressure medium, consisting of a pot- shaped housing (11) open on one side, in which at least one rotor arm (6) is rotatably mounted on a swivel joint (5) in the center of the housing, wherein one or more cleaning nozzles (27) are arranged on the rotor arm (6), which are connected in a fluid-conducting manner to the high-pressure medium guided through the swivel joint (5), wherein the housing (11) is designed to be able to turn 180 degrees for a second operating mode, wherein the surface cleaner can be operated in the at least two different operating modes, wherein the first operating mode consists of a surface cleaning operation with the housing (11) and the cleaning nozzles (27) arranged therein pointing downwards toward a floor, and wherein the second operating mode is designed as a cleaning operation in which the housing (11), turned over 180 degrees with the cleaning nozzles (27) pointing upwards, is directed toward a cleaning surface arranged at a distance from the floor, characterized in that the surface cleaner has a chassis (8, 9, 17) for supporting the housing (11) in the first and second operating positions relative to the floor surface.

A dock assembly is provided. The dock assembly is configured for docking with a robot. An alignment platform of said dock assembly is configured to receive a sweeper module from the robot when the robot is docked and said sweeper module disengages from the robot. The alignment platform has a plurality of cones positioned on a top side of the alignment platform. The plurality of cones are configured to engage a plurality of holes positioned on an underside of the sweeper module when the sweeper module becomes disengaged from the robot. The plurality of cones enable self-alignment of the alignment platform to the sweeper module as the plurality of cones engage the plurality of holes. The alignment platform has a plurality of support pads positioned on a bottom side of the alignment platform. The support pads are configured to rest on a plurality of bearings that permit lateral movement of the alignment platform when the plurality of cones engage the plurality of holes and the alignment platform self-aligns to the sweeper module.

An autonomous sweeper is provided, including a sweeper module, and a robot chassis having a length along a pair of sides, a front side, a back side and a top side that define an interior space. The sweeper module is configured to fit within the interior space when the robot chassis moves over the sweeper module. A pair of wheels is disposed proximate to the back side of the robot chassis and a single wheel is disposed proximate to the front side. A pair of scissor lifts is disposed along said pair of sides. A lift frame including alignment pegs that fit into corresponding alignment holes is disposed on the top side of the sweeper module. The lift frame is raised and lowered by said pair of scissor lifts, and said scissor lifts assist in lifting the sweeper module while aligning said sweeper module to the robot chassis using said alignment pegs and alignment holes.

Methods and software for setting parameters for operating a modular robot are disclosed. One method includes receiving, by a server, communications data from a controller of the modular robot. The modular robot has storage for storing program instructions for executing autonomous movement at a location. The method includes sending, by the server, calibrated mapping data for the location. The calibrated mapping data identifies an outline at the location. The method includes sending, by the server, identification of at least two zones at the location, where the at least two zones define different areas at the location. The method includes sending, by the server, a work function to be performed by the modular robot for each of the at least two zones. The work function in each of the at least two zones set to be different at said server. The controller of the modular robot is configured to use the calibrated mapping data for said autonomous movement at the location and the controller is configured to operate said respective work function in each of the at least two zones. The work function can be to sweep, to scrub, to polish, to mow or to perform different work functions over zones of a location, and providing remote access to view real-time operation of the modular robot, and to program zones and other control parameters of the modular robot.

A modular robot is provided. The modular robot includes a sweeper module having a container for collecting debris from a surface of a location. The sweeper module is coupled to one or more brushes for contacting the surface and moving said debris into said container. Included is a robot module having wheels and configured to couple to the sweeper module. The robot module is enabled for autonomous movement and corresponding movement of the sweeper module over the surface. A controller is integrated with the robot module and interfacing with the sweeper module. The controller is configured to execute instructions for assigning of at least two zones at the location and assigning a work function to be performed using the sweeper module at each of the at least two zones. The controller is further configured for programming the robot module to activate the sweeper module in each of the two zones. The assigned work function is set for performance at each of the at least two zones. The work function can be to sweep, to scrub, to polish, to mow or to perform different work functions over zones of a location, and providing remote access to view real-time operation of the modular robot, and to program zones and other control parameters of the modular robot.

A pad particularly adapted for surface cleaning. The pad includes an absorbent core having the ability to absorb and retain liquid material, and a liner layer in contact with and covering at least one side of the absorbent core. The liner layer has the ability to retain and wick liquid material through the liner layer. Cleaning apparatus containing such pads and methods of using such pads are also described.

A floor washing machine includes a handle assembly; a control unit provided at the handle assembly; a power supply unit electrically connected to the control unit; a rod assembly connected to the handle assembly; a base assembly connected to a lower portion of the rod assembly; a sweeping/scrubbing assembly provided at the base assembly and having a motor controlled by the control unit and a scrubbing roller to be driven into forward or reverse rotation by the motor; and a water supply assembly having a water outlet pipe, wherein the water outlet pipe has a water outlet opening and can be rotated in order to point the water outlet opening to a forward-of-roller direction or a rearward-of-roller direction of the sweeping/scrubbing assembly.

A cleaner includes a first cleaning module including a left spin mop and a right spin mop that come into contact with a floor while rotating in a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from an upper side, a second cleaning module that comes into contact with the floor at a position spaced apart from the left spin mop and the right spin mop in a forward-and-backward direction, a body supported by the first cleaning module and the second cleaning module, and a water supply module that supplies water to the first cleaning module. A water tank is disposed inside the body. Water supplied by the water supply module reaches the first cleaning module before reaching the floor.

A robot cleaner includes a main body forming an exterior of the robot cleaner, a driving unit configured to move the main body, a cleaning module coupled to the main body and configured to suction dust from a traveling surface, and a dust collector coupled to the main body and configured to collect the dust suctioned by the cleaning module. The cleaning module includes a cleaning module housing that defines an exterior of the cleaning module that is coupled to the main body. A mopping unit is rotatably coupled in the cleaning module housing. The mopping unit is configured to accommodate water therein and clean the traveling surface. A mop is detachably coupled to the mopping unit, and a pump is disposed in the mopping unit. The pump is configured to guide water to the mop as the main body moves.

A robot cleaner is provided, including a main body forming a robot cleaner exterior, a driver coupled to the main body to move the main body, a cleaning module coupled to the main body to suck dust from a traveling surface, a dust collector removing dust from air suctioned through the cleaning module, and a wet-mop module coupled to the main body to mop the traveling surface, wherein the wet-mop module includes a wet-mop module housing surrounding at least a portion of the main body and accommodating water in an internal space, a wet-mop module wheel disposed in the wet-mop module housing, a mop disposed between the wet-mop module housing and the traveling surface, and a wet-mop pump connected to the wet-mop module wheel to supply water to the mop in response to rotation of the wet-mop module wheel. Mopping may be performed without applying physical force of a person.