A docking station for a robotic vacuum cleaner has a pneumatic transfer mechanism that is used to direct air to the robotic vacuum cleaner to thereby transfer dirt from the robotic vacuum cleaner to a docking station.

A surface cleaning apparatus has a suction motor actuator that is actuatable to actuate the suction motor to operate in a first mode of operation and to operate in a second mode of operation, the first mode of operation defining a first discrete power level for the suction motor and the second mode of operation defining a second discrete power level for the suction motor. The first mode of operation is enabled when the first power pack having a first level of power is provided to power the surface cleaning apparatus and the second mode of operation is not enabled until a second power pack is provided such that the surface cleaning apparatus has a second level of on board power that is greater than the first level of on board power.

A cleaning device having an electrical interface for interacting with an electrical counter-interface and a base station to charge the cleaning device. The cleaning device being configured to move autonomously in a processing environment, to carry out cleaning tasks, and to move into a service position with a base station. The cleaning device determines a range of service functions offered by a base station. When the cleaning device is in the service position, at least one measured value of a voltage or measured value of a voltage curve at the electrical interface provides a means of identification. This identification is used to determine the range of service functions at the base station or to identify a communication interface for use in determining the range of service functions by a data processing device. A cleaning system, a procedure, and a computer program product associated with the cleaning device is provided.

A method of charging a rechargeable battery includes positioning a rail of the rechargeable battery into a groove defined by a housing of a battery charger, and positioning a switch between an ON position and an OFF position. The switch is positioned in the ON position when the rechargeable battery is connected to the charger and in the OFF position when the rechargeable battery is disconnected from the charger. The housing includes a barrier extending across the groove to prevent movement of the switch to the ON position when the rechargeable battery is disconnected from the charger. The method further includes conducting electrical current to the rechargeable battery through an electrical connection interface.

A docking station for a robotic surface cleaning apparatus has a momentum separator. The momentum separator has an upper wall, a lower wall and a first sidewall extending between the upper and lower walls. The first sidewall comprises a side screen and an end wall is spaced from and faces the side screen whereby an up flow chamber is positioned between the end wall and the side screen. The upper wall also comprises an upper screen and an upper end wall is spaced from and faces the upper screen wherein an upper air flow chamber is positioned between the upper end wall and the upper screen.

A charging control method, applicable to a cleaning robot, includes: detecting a charging status of the cleaning robot; braking the cleaning robot in response to detecting that the cleaning robot is being charged, so as to lock a drive wheel of the cleaning robot; monitoring an unlocking trigger operation; and unlocking the cleaning robot in response to detecting the unlocking trigger operation.

A method for operating a base station for a cleaning device is proposed, wherein exclusively by means of a pressure sensor and/or by means of a differential pressure the filling level of the container is determined as state of the base station and additionally at least one further state of the base station is determined and/or wherein on reaching a predefined filling level the maximum number of still possible extraction processes with-out emptying a container is limited.

The present disclosure relates to a cleaner system including: a cleaner; a cleaner station; and an imaginary plane including an imaginary suction flow path through line penetrating a suction flow path in a longitudinal direction and an imaginary suction motor axis defined by extending a rotation axis of a suction motor, in which when the cleaner is coupled to the cleaner station, the plane penetrates at least a part of the cleaner station, such that a center of gravity of the cleaner is disposed to pass through a space for maintaining balance of the station, and as a result, it is possible to stably support the cleaner and the station while preventing the cleaner and the station from falling down.

A cleaning device including a cleaner and a station on which the cleaner is mounted is provided. The cleaner includes a suction head, a dust container to collect dust contained in air vacuumed through the suction head, and an extension tube connecting the suction head with the dust container. The station includes a main body configured to suck dust of the dust container of the cleaner and contain the dust, a support configured to support the main body and guide rotation of the main body, and a rotation driving device disposed in the support and configured to transmit a rotational force to the support.

The present application discloses a cleaning device and a dust box. The cleaning device may comprise a cleaning apparatus and a switching assembly. The cleaning apparatus may be connected to a base station to form a suction channel with the base station. The base station may suction waste inside the cleaning apparatus via the suction channel. The switching assembly may be provided in the cleaning apparatus to intermittently block the suction channel to change the pressure of the suction channel, so that the waste inside the cleaning device can be suctioned out of the cleaning device.