Retrofit box systems to maximize operational capacity of inaccessible floors are described. The retrofit box system includes a gate complex that provides fluid communication between an inaccessible floor and a box, and a box to deliver a cleaner to the inaccessible floor and adapted for equalizing pressure when the inaccessible floor is under water while minimizing waste seepage from the retrofit box system. The retrofit box system further includes a power system and a control system to deliver the cleaner to the inaccessible floor and remove waste from the inaccessible floor and the box.

A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot can include a base portion configured to receive the mobile cleaning robot. The docking station can include a housing connected to the base portion and a pad cleaning system. The pad cleaning system can be connected to the housing and can include a cleaning head engageable with a cleaning pad of the mobile cleaning robot to remove debris from the cleaning pad, the cleaning head can include a nozzle configured to discharge a fluid onto the cleaning pad.

A surface cleaning device comprises a cleaning head having a housing, a fluid tank configured to store fluid and be in fluid communication with the cleaning head, a cleaning pad coupled to the cleaning head and configured to remove debris from a surface, and a plurality of nozzles distributed along the cleaning pad, wherein the fluid tank is configured to release at least some of the fluid such that the released fluid flows through the plurality of nozzles onto the cleaning pad.

A brush head including a central portion centered respective to a rotation axis, an attachment feature configured to secure the brush head for rotation about the rotation axis, and a plurality of lobes. The plurality of lobes extend radially outwardly from the central portion and the rotation axis. At least one lobe extends along a curvilinear path, the curvilinear path extending through the central portion. The lobe has varying widths along the curvilinear path, the varying widths being perpendicular to the curvilinear path.

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a robot body, a drive supporting the robot body to maneuver the robot across a floor surface, a pad holder attached to an underside of the robot body and configured to receive a removable cleaning pad, and a pad sensor configured to sense a pad type identifier on a central region of the cleaning pad. The pad type identifier includes a marker on the central region of the cleaning pad. The cleaning pad has a mounting card affixed thereto, and the pad type identifier includes an array of apertures that expose selected portions of the marker.

A cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a traveling motor configured to generate a driving force for traveling; a cleaning module changing unit configured to selectively activate any one of at least one cleaning module; a sensing unit configured to sense characteristics of a floor surface; and a processor configured to perform a cleaning operation of cleaning the floor surface by controlling the cleaning module changing unit to activate any one of the at least one cleaning module based on the sensed characteristics of the floor surface, wherein the processor is configured to: sense characteristics of a contaminant present on the floor surface by using the sensing unit while performing the cleaning operation; and control the cleaning module changing unit to change or maintain the activated cleaning module based on the sensed characteristics of the contaminant.

A robot cleaner and a method of controlling the robot cleaner are disclosed. The robot cleaner may include a body, a mop, an actuator, a battery, a tank, and a controller. The controller controls a supply of liquid from the water tank to the mop, and the supply of the liquid may be controlled in consideration of a state of the battery. Water injection may be controlled according to an expected use time of the battery, such that the mop can maintain an appropriate water content, and uniform mopping and cleaning can be performed.

Retrofit box systems to maximize operational capacity of inaccessible floors are described. The retrofit box system includes a gate complex that provides fluid communication between an inaccessible floor and a box, and a box to deliver a cleaner to the inaccessible floor and adapted for equalizing pressure when the inaccessible floor is under water while minimizing waste seepage from the retrofit box system. The retrofit box system further includes a power system and a control system to deliver the cleaner to the inaccessible floor and remove waste from the inaccessible floor and the box.

Devices for moving on substantially vertical surfaces, tools for cleaning substantially vertical surfaces and systems for cleaning substantially vertical surfaces are disclosed.

A vertical surface cleaning device comprising a main body, a cleaning arm, a cleaning head, and leg mechanisms with grippers. The cleaning head applies a cleaning fluid on a surface to carry out a cleaning operation. A waste collector is provided to collect a waste material arising from the cleaning operation. The grippers may remain in a grip or in a release state. The segments of the leg mechanisms are articulatable to configure a first group of the leg mechanisms to stably hold the main body at a first place with the grippers remaining in the grip state. A second group of the leg mechanisms move in a desired direction with their grippers in release state while the first group stably holds the main body. The first group of the leg mechanisms then moves in the same direction while the second group holds the main body at a second place.