Vacuum Cleaner Robot

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner robot comprising a dust collector arrangement mounted on wheels, a suction hose and a floor nozzle mounted on wheels, where the floor nozzle is fluidically connected to the dust collector arrangement via the suction hose, also comprising a motorized fan unit for suctioning an air stream in through the floor nozzle, where the motorized fan unit is arranged between the floor nozzle and the dust collector arrangement in such a manner that an air stream suctioned in through the floor nozzle flows through the motorized fan unit and into the dust collector arrangement. where the dust collector arrangement comprises a drive device in order to drive at least one of the wheels of the dust collector arrangement, and where the floor nozzle comprises a drive device in order to drive at least one of the wheels of the floor nozzle.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner robot comprising a dust collector arrangement mounted on wheels, a suction hose, a floor nozzle mounted on wheels, wherein said floor nozzle is fluidically connected to said dust collector arrangement via said suction hose, and motorized fan unit for suctioning an air stream in through said floor nozzle, wherein said motorized fan unit is arranged between said floor nozzle and said dust collector arrangement such that an air stream suctioned in through said floor nozzle flows through said motorized fan unit and into said dust collector arrangement, wherein said dust collector arrangement comprises a drive device to drive at least one of said wheels of said dust collector arrangement, and wherein said floor nozzle comprises a drive device in order to drive at least one of said wheels of said floor nozzle.

2. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said motorized fan unit is arranged between said floor nozzle and said suction hose such that the air stream suctioned in through said floor nozzle flows through said motorized fan unit and into said suction hose.

3. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said motorized fan unit is arranged on and/or above said floor nozzle, in particular directly on and/or above said floor nozzle.

4. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said motorized fan unit is arranged between said suction hose and said dust collector arrangement such that an air stream suctioned in through said floor nozzle flows through said suction hose and into said motorized fan unit and through said motorized fan unit into said dust collector arrangement.

5. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said dust collector arrangement comprises a housing and a dust separator arranged in said housing, wherein said motorized fan unit is arranged on, at or in said housing.

6. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein one of said wheels, several or all wheels of said dust collector arrangement or one of said wheels, several or all wheels of said floor nozzle are omnidirectional wheels.

7. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said motorized fan unit is configured such that with aperture 8 the motorized fan unit has a volumetric flow of more than 30 Its at an electrical input power of less than 450 W according to DIN EN 60312-1, with aperture 8 the motorized fan unit has a volumetric flow of more than 25 Its at an electrical input power of less than 250 W according to DIN EN 60312-1, or with aperture 8 the motorized fan unit has a volumetric flow of more than 10 l/s at an electrical input power of less than 100 W according to DIN EN 60312-1.

8. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said suction hose has a diameter in a range from 25 mm to 50 mm and/or a length in a range from 500 mm to 2500 mm.

9. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, comprising a blow-out filter.

10. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum cleaner robot is a bag-type vacuum cleaner.

11. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 10, comprising a vacuum cleaner filter bag, wherein said vacuum cleaner filter bag is flat bag or a disposable bag and/or wherein said bag wall of said vacuum cleaner filter bag comprises one or more layers of a nonwoven or one or more layers of nonwoven fabric.

12. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum cleaner robot is a bagless vacuum cleaner.

13. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 12, wherein said dust collector arrangement comprises an impact separator or a centrifugal separator.

14. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said motorized fan unit comprises a radial fan.

15. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, wherein said floor nozzle comprises no rotating brush.

16. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, comprising a control and navigation device for autonomously driving said floor nozzle or said dust collector arrangement.

17. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 1, comprising one or several devices for determining a location.

18. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 9, wherein the blow-out filter comprises a filter area of at least 800 cm.sup.2.

19. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 10, wherein the bag-type vacuum cleaner comprises a filter area of at least 800 cm.sup.2.

20. The vacuum cleaner robot according to claim 12, therein the bagless vacuum cleaner comprises a blow-out filter having a filter area of at least 800 cm.sup.2.

Description

[0056] Further features are described with reference to the figures, where

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a vacuum cleaner robot,

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a block circuit diagram of a vacuum cleaner robot,

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a vacuum cleaner robot.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a vacuum cleaner robot 1. Vacuum cleaner robot 1 shown comprises a dust collector arrangement 2 and a floor nozzle 3 which is connected to dust collector arrangement 2 via a flexible suction hose 4.

[0061] Dust collector arrangement 2 is mounted on four wheels 5, each of which is formed as an omnidirectional wheel. Each omnidirectional wheel 5 has a plurality of rotatably mounted rollers 6 on its circumference. The rotational axes of rollers 6 are all not parallel to the wheel axis 7 of the respective omnidirectional wheel. For example, the rotational axes of the rollers can assume an angle of 45° relative to the respective wheel axis. The surfaces of the rollers or roller bodies are curved or bent.

[0062] Examples of such omnidirectional wheels are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,255, US 2013/0292918, DE 10 2008 019 976 or DE 20 2013 008 870.

[0063] Dust collector arrangement 2 comprises a drive device for driving wheels 5 of the dust collector arrangement. The drive device can comprise a separate drive unit, for example, in the form of an electric motor, for each wheel 5 so that each wheel 5 can be driven independently of the other wheels. Rollers 6 are rotatably mounted without a drive.

[0064] By suitably driving individual or all wheels 5, dust collector arrangement 2 can be moved in any direction. If, for example, all four wheels 5 are moved at the same speed in the same direction of rotation, then the dust collector arrangement moves straight ahead. With a counter-rotating movement of the wheels on one side, a lateral movement or displacement can be achieved.

[0065] In principle, not all wheels need to be drivable; Individual wheels can also be provided without their own drive. In addition, it is also possible that individual wheels are not driven for certain movements, even if they are basically drivable.

[0066] In alternative embodiments, fewer or more than four wheels can also be formed in the form of omnidirectional wheels. An example with three omnidirectional wheels is described in US 2007/0272463.

[0067] In the example shown, floor nozzle 3 is also equipped with four omnidirectional wheels 5. These wheels are in the embodiment smaller than the wheels of dust collector arrangement 2. In analogous form, floor nozzle 3 also comprises a drive device for wheels 5. Here as well, the drive device for each wheel comprises a single drive unit, for example, in the form of electric motors, in order to drive each wheel separately and independently of the other wheels. In this way, the floor nozzle can also be moved in any direction by suitably driving the wheels.

[0068] Floor nozzle 3 comprises a floor plate with a base surface which, during operation of the vacuum cleaner robot faces the floor, i.e. the surface to be suctioned. In the floor plate, one or more air flow channels are incorporated parallel to the base surface, through which the dirty air is suctioned in. The air flow channel(s) can comprise an opening provided laterally in the floor plate. The air flow channel can be straight or curved, in particular have the shape of a circular ring or a circular ring section. The shape of a circular ring section or of a circular ring can be advantageous in particular for lateral movements of the floor nozzle.

[0069] In the examples shown, dust collector arrangement 2 comprises a housing 8 on which a motorized fan unit 9 is arranged. A tube member 10 leads from motorized fan unit 9 to a vacuum cleaner filter bag which forms a dust separator. The vacuum cleaner filter bag can be removably attached in the interior of housing 8 in a conventional manner, for example, by way of a holding plate.

[0070] In the arrangement shown, a continuous fluidic connection to the dust separator is therefore established by floor nozzle 3, suction hose 4, motorized fan unit 9 and tube member 10. Motorized fan unit 9 is there arranged between suction hose 4 and the dust separator so that dirty air suctioned in through the floor nozzle flows through motorized fan unit 9 (in particular via tube member 10) into the vacuum cleaner filter bag arranged in the interior of housing 8.

[0071] Motorized fan unit 9 is therefore a dirty air motor. This is in particular a motorized fan unit comprising a radial fan.

[0072] The motorized fan unit has a volumetric flow of more than 30 l/s (determined according to DIN EN 60312-1: 2014-01, with an aperture of 8) at an electrical input power of less than 450 W, a volumetric flow rate of more than 25 l/s at an electrical input power of less than 250, and a volumetric flow of more than 10 l/s at an electrical input power of less than 100 W.

[0073] The fan diameter can be 60 mm to 160 mm. A motorized fan unit, for example, from the company AMETEK, Inc. can be used, which is also used in Soniclean Upright vacuum cleaners (e.g. SONICLEAN VT PLUS).

[0074] The motorized fan unit of the SONICLEAN VT PLUS was characterized according to DIN EN 60312-1: 2014-01 as explained above. The motorized fan unit was measured without the vacuum cleaner housing. For possibly necessary adapters for connection to the measuring chamber, the descriptions in section 7.3.7.1 apply. The table shows that high volumetric flows are obtained at low rotational speeds and low input power.

TABLE-US-00001 AMETEK “dirty air” (fan wheel diameter 82 mm) with aperture 8 (40 mm) negative rotational pressure volumetric Input power voltage speed box flow [W] [V] [RPM] [kPa] [l/s] 200 77 15,700 0.98 30.2 250 87 17,200 1.17 32.9 300 95 18,400 1.34 35.2 350 103 19,500 1.52 37.5 400 111 20,600 1.68 39.4 450 117 21,400 1.82 41.0

[0075] Air is during operation sucked in by motorized fan unit 9. The air stream there enters vacuum cleaner robot 1 through an opening of floor nozzle 3 and flows through suction hose 4 into motorized fan unit 9. Due to the arrangement of motorized fan unit 9—in the air stream direction—upstream of the dust separator (in the form of a vacuum cleaner filter bag), there is an overpressure in housing 8 as well as in the dust separator.

[0076] In conventional vacuum cleaners, the motorized fan unit is installed in the dust collector arrangement in the air stream direction downstream of the dust separator, for example, the vacuum cleaner filter bag, which results in particular in that the housing of the dust collector arrangement is subjected to negative pressure. In order to avoid deformation of the housing due to the negative pressure, the latter must typically be reinforced, for example, using respective reinforcement ribs. In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1, this is not required or only to a small degree because of the overpressure in housing 8.

[0077] Vacuum cleaner robot 1 comprises a control and navigation device for autonomously driving dust collector arrangement 2 and floor nozzle 3. For this purpose, a correspondingly programmed microcontroller is arranged in housing 8 of dust collector arrangement 2. The control and navigation device is connected to devices for determining the location. They include cameras 11 and 12 as well as distance sensors 13. The distance sensors can be, for example, laser sensors.

[0078] Navigation of the vacuum cleaner robot occurs in a known manner, as described, for example, in WO 02/074150. The control and navigation device arranged in housing 8 controls both the drive unit of dust collector arrangement 2 as well as the drive unit of floor nozzle 3.

[0079] A device is provided for the latter for transmitting control signals from the control and navigation device in housing 8 of dust collector arrangement 2 to floor nozzle 3, in particular to the drive device of the floor nozzle. For this purpose, wireless transmitters/receivers can be arranged on the part of dust collector arrangement 2 and floor nozzle 3. Alternatively, a wired connection for transmitting control signals can also be provided along the suction hose.

[0080] Floor nozzle 3 can in a supporting manner also comprise one or more devices for determining the location. For example, path sensors and/or distance sensors can be provided on the floor nozzle In order to use the corresponding information for control and navigation, respective signals are transmitted from the floor nozzle to the control and navigation device.

[0081] The power supply for the vacuum cleaner robot can be effected in a wireless manner. Power supply for the floor nozzle, in particular its drive device, is effected by way of a power supply cable in or along suction hose 4.

[0082] Dust collector arrangement 2 can alternatively or additionally comprise rechargeable batteries which can be charged, for example, in a cabled or wireless (inductive) manner. For charging the batteries, vacuum cleaner 1 can move, for example, autonomously to a charging station. If the power supply to the drive device of the floor nozzle is not exclusively effected by a power connection via suction hose 4, then floor nozzle 3 itself can also comprise rechargeable batteries.

[0083] FIG. 2 is a schematic block circuit diagram of a vacuum cleaner robot 1 with a dust collector arrangement 2 and a floor nozzle 3. The drive device for wheels 5 of dust collector arrangement 2 comprises, firstly, four drive units 14 in the form of electric motors and, secondly, a microcontroller 15 for controlling the electric motors.

[0084] A control and navigation device 16 is also provided in dust collector arrangement 2 and serves to control the autonomous driving of the dust collector arrangement and the floor nozzle Control and navigation device 16 is connected both to microcontroller 15 of the drive device as well as to a further microcontroller 17 which is part of the devices for determining the location. Data signals from different sensors and/or cameras are processed in microcontroller 17 and made available to control and navigation device 16.

[0085] Control and navigation device 16 is also connected to motorized fan unit 9 in order to drive it

[0086] In the example illustrated, power supply or voltage supply is effected by way of a rechargeable battery 18, which can be charged wirelessly or in a cabled manner. Charging can be effected at a charging station which is autonomously approached by the robot. At the charging station, the dust collection chamber can also be automatically cleaned (for example, suctioned out) in order to increase the capacity of the device, i.e. to improve the range. In addition, the blow-out filter can also be cleaned at the charging station. This can also lead to an increased service life. In order to minimize the space requirement of the robot at the charging station, the floor nozzle can be positioned beneath the dust collector arrangement during the charging or cleaning operation. For this purpose, the dust collector arrangement is by use of a lifting device automatically raised and ground clearance is thereby increased so that the floor nozzle can drive therebeneath.

[0087] For the sake of clarity, not all power supply connections are shown in the figure.

[0088] The floor nozzle also comprises a drive device for its four wheels 5, where the drive device, like in the case of dust collector arrangement 2, comprises a microcontroller 15 and four electric motors 14. The control signals for the drive device of floor nozzle 3 originate from the control and navigation device 16 which is arranged in dust collector arrangement 2. The signals are transmitted via a communication line 19 which can be arranged, for example, in the wall of the suction hose. Alternatively, however, this signal transmission could also be effected wirelessly.

[0089] Power and voltage supply is effected via rechargeable battery 18 of dust collector arrangement 2. For this purpose, a line 20 is provided which is arranged in the wall of the suction hose.

[0090] The example shown in FIG. 1 is a bag-type vacuum cleaner. This means that, arranged in dust collector arrangement 2 is a vacuum cleaner filter bag 11 in which the suctioned dirt and dust is separated. This vacuum cleaner filter bag can be, in particular, a flat bag, the bag walls of which comprise one or more layers of nonwoven and/or nonwoven fabric. The vacuum cleaner filter bag is embodied as a disposable bag.

[0091] When using in particular single-layer vacuum cleaner filter bags in which the bag wall is composed, for example, of exactly one nonwoven fabric layer in the form of a spunbond, the use of a blow-out filter is advantageous. The dust filter can be used to filter fine dust which has not been separated in the vacuum cleaner filter bag. Such a blow-out filter can have an area of at least 800 cm.sup.2. It can in particular be formed to be pleated or folded in order to have a large surface area at a smaller base area (than the surface area).

[0092] Suction hose 4 typically has a diameter in a range of 25 mm to 50 mm and a length in a range of 500 mm to 2500 mm.

[0093] As an alternative to what is described above, the vacuum cleaner robot can also be a bagless vacuum cleaner in which dust collector arrangement 2 comprises a centrifugal separator or cyclone separator, respectively, in which the dirt and dust particles suctioned in are separated by centrifugal force. Alternatively, the bagless vacuum cleaner can also be designed as an impact separator.

[0094] In particular in the case of bagless vacuum cleaners, the dust collector arrangement comprises a blow-out filter with which fine dust is filtered that has not been separated in the centrifugal separator. This blow-out filter can have an area of at least 800 cm.sup.2. It can in particular be formed to be pleated or folded in order to have a large surface area at a smaller base area. The blow-out filter can there be provided in a holder, as described in European patent application No. 14179375.2.

[0095] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment in which same reference symbols are used as in FIG. 1 for identical elements. In the example shown in FIG. 3, motorized fan unit 3 is arranged directly on floor nozzle 9.

[0096] Motorized fan unit 9 is again a dirty air motor with a radial fan. The motorized fan unit has a fan wheel the axis of which is during intended use parallel to the surface to be suctioned and perpendicular to the intended sliding direction of the floor nozzle.

[0097] Air is during operation sucked in by motorized fan unit 9. The air stream there enters vacuum cleaner robot 1 through an opening of floor nozzle 3 and passes through motorized fan unit 9 and then flows into suction hose 9. Due to the arrangement of motorized fan unit 9 on floor nozzle 3 and—in the direction of air flow—upstream of suction hose 4, an overpressure prevails in suction hose 4 and in dust collector arrangement 2.

[0098] The features described in the context of FIG. 1 further apply also to the example of FIG. 3.

[0099] It is in the embodiments described not necessary that a brush roller (for example a beating brush and/or a rotating brush) be provided on or in floor nozzle 3.