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 fan with airfoil blades is provided for a regenerative air vacuum street sweeper. The blades are formed using cut and pressed upper and lower panels which are welded at a forward edge to a rod to form the airfoil leading edge and welded at the rear edges to form the airfoil trailing edge. Pins extend laterally outwardly from the rod for mounting each blade in corresponding holes in the front and rear plates of the fan housing. The side edges of the blade are welded to the plates at a 9-11° angle of attack. The airfoil blades allow for reduced size, horse power, noise, and manufacturing and shipping costs.

Robotic systems and methods for collecting trash are provided. The robotic system includes a vehicle, a camera, a trash collection unit, an actuator, and a controller. The vehicle includes a drive. The camera moves with the vehicle to capture images of the trash while the vehicle moves along ground. The trash collection unit is carried by the vehicle to collect the trash. The trash collection unit includes a vacuum pump and a collection conduit. The actuator is operatively coupled to the collection conduit to adjust a position of the collection conduit relative to the vehicle to position the collection conduit adjacent to the trash to collect the trash. The controller is coupled to the drive, the camera, the trash collection unit, and the actuator to coordinate movement of the vehicle, positioning of the collection conduit, and operation of the vacuum pump to collect the trash.

A road debris collection assembly for includes a vehicle that has a storage tank thereon and an engine. A vacuum unit is coupled to the storage tank and the vacuum unit produces vacuum pressure within the storage tank when the vacuum unit is turned on. A pair of shredding units is each coupled to the vehicle and each of the shredding units has an inlet is aligned with a roadway upon which the vehicle is driving. Moreover, each of the shredding units is in fluid communication with the vacuum unit to suctionally collect debris from the roadway. Each of the shredding units has a plurality of blades therein and the blades in each of the shredding units shredding the debris when the shredding units are turned on.

A blower including a housing at least partially defining a chamber, a motor including a drive shaft defining a rotational axis, an impeller driven by the motor to generate an air flow in the chamber, and a coupler operably connected between the drive shaft and the impeller. The chamber may have an axial height which increases from a position proximate a back plate to a position spaced from the back plate. The chamber may have a non-circular cross-section proximate a chamber outlet, and a tube assembly in fluid communication with the chamber may have a tube inlet with a non-circular cross-section. The impeller may define two separate airflow paths each having an inlet and an outlet.

A handheld lawn maintenance tool having a power head to which an adapter is attachable to allow both battery-powered and gasoline-powered working attachments to be attached thereto. The power head includes a power source, integrated first and second handles, a power generator, and a first attachment mechanism to which the adapter and/or working attachments are attachable.

In this portable blower, which has a fan guard (40) attached to the outside of a suction opening (30) formed in a side surface of a volute chamber (24) accommodating a blower fan (20), a concave portion that is recessed from the outside toward the suction opening (30) and is arranged substantially concentrically with the blower fan (20) in the axial direction is formed in the fan guard (40), multiple first air holes (45-48) are formed on the inside of the concave portion, and multiple second air holes (42) are formed on the outside of the concave portion. Even if an obstructing object (X) adheres to the fan guard (40) air flows as in (BA3) and (BA4), and negative pressure in the indented area is dispersed, so the state of clinging can easily be eliminated.

The present invention relates to a blowing-suction device. The blowing-suction device includes: a housing, having a first opening connected to the outside; an air tube, connected to the housing; an air flow generation apparatus that operably generates an air flow, where when the blowing-suction device is in the blowing mode, the air flow is blown out from the air tube, or when the blowing-suction device is in the suction mode, the air flow is sucked from the air tube; and a collection apparatus, configured to collect an object sucked by the blowing-suction device in the suction mode, where the collection apparatus is connected to the first opening both in the blowing mode and in the suction mode, and the collection apparatus further includes an air admission portion, and in the blowing mode, the air admission portion is open; or in the suction mode, the air admission portion is closed.

A cold air blower for removing debris from a ground surface that includes a boom rotatable between multiple operating positions and a stowed position. The boom is mounted to a power unit mounted to the vehicle chassis such that the boom is rotatable between at least a front-facing, operating position and a rear-facing stowed position. The boom includes a top tube and a discharge tube that includes a discharge nozzle. The combination of the top tube and the discharge tube are rotatable about the power unit such that the discharge tube is positioned behind the midpoint of the vehicle chassis in the stowed position. The nozzle on the discharge tube can be operated to automatically and continuously rotate between a first pan position and a second pan position. The boom can be rotated between opposite first and second side positions that extend perpendicular to the vehicle axis in opposite directions.