WO2018051010A1

WO2018051010A1 - Floor cleaning robot

Info

Publication number: WO2018051010A1
Application number: PCT/FR2017/052429
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthias PUISSANT
Original assignee: Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2016-09-13
Filing date: 2017-09-12
Publication date: 2018-03-22
Also published as: FR3055788A1; ES2929652T3; FR3055788B1; CN107811579A; EP3512395B1; CN209421837U; EP3512395A1; CN107811579B

Abstract

Floor cleaning robot (100) comprising: - a lower face (20) arranged to face a floor to be cleaned; - a suction slot arranged in the lower face (20); - a rotating brush (30) arranged in the suction slot; - suction means arranged to create a suction flow in the suction slot; characterized in that the cleaning robot (100) comprises sealing means arranged between the lower face (20) and the floor to be cleaned, in an area located between the suction slot and a periphery of the lower face (20), so as to at least partially close off a leakage path of the suction flow, the sealing means comprising flaps (10, 12, 13) defining a plurality of passage openings toward the suction slot, the flaps (10, 12, 13) forming guide walls toward the passage openings to guide impurities resting on the floor to be cleaned toward the passage openings, when the cleaning robot (100) is in motion.

Description

ROBOT OF N ETTOYAG E SOIL

The present invention generally relates to a floor cleaning robot, and in particular a floor cleaning robot equipped with mechanical collection means (such as a rotating brush) waste, and suction means arranged to suck also waste or dust.

It is known in the prior art automated devices for cleaning floors, such as that disclosed in US7059012B2. In return, this system has the particular disadvantage of not being able to clean floors with large impurities, because they are repelled by the flap implanted around the rotating brush device of this document.

An object of the present invention is to meet the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above and in particular, first of all, to propose a floor cleaning robot with mechanical cleaning means and suction means which can effectively clean soil, even if there are large impurities or waste, such as peas for example.

For this, a first aspect of the invention relates to a floor cleaning robot comprising:

- A lower face arranged to be facing a floor to be cleaned;

- a suction slot arranged in the lower face;

a rotary brush arranged in the suction slot;

suction means arranged to create a suction flow in the suction slot;

characterized in that the cleaning robot comprises sealing means arranged between the lower face and the soil to be cleaned, in a zone located between the suction slot and a periphery of the lower face, so as to at least partially close a leakage path of the suction flow,

the sealing means comprising flaps defining a plurality of passage openings towards the suction slot, the flaps forming guide walls towards the passage openings, for guiding impurities lying on the floor to be cleaned towards the openings of passage, when moving the cleaning robot. The mud flaps of the above implementation define openings towards the suction slot, so that large waste (smaller than 010 mm for example) can pass to the suction slot. In addition, the same flaps are arranged to guide the waste (which does not pass under the flaps because of their size) to the passage openings. The bibs therefore form a barrier to the flow of air to prevent leakage, while defining the passage openings for large waste, and guide them during the movement of the cleaning robot.

Advantageously, the movement of the cleaning robot is a forward movement.

Advantageously, the flaps forming the guide walls each have a distal portion of the tip-shaped suction slot, and two proximal portions of the suction slot which move away from one another as the distance with the suction slot decreases. The guide walls are not necessarily straight or straight.

Advantageously, the flanges forming the guide walls are arranged to form guide V, with the tip oriented towards a direction of movement towards the front of the cleaning robot. The bibs that define the passage openings and provide guidance are V-shaped, (or triangle or chevron), with of course the tip forward (pointing in the same direction as the displacement), so that the cleaning robot does not push the big waste forward, but the latter are progressively guided by the edges of the V (inclined or oriented relative to the direction of movement) to the passage openings. V can be provided with curved or curved edges.

Advantageously, the flaps are attached to the underside, and have a length greater than or equal to a ground clearance of the cleaning robot. In other words, the bibs have a size that guarantees permanent contact with the floor to be cleaned. The seal is optimal, and better than if the underside (injection molded plastic) was arranged closer to the ground, but without touching the latter. Advantageously, the flaps defining the plurality of passage openings towards the suction slot are front flaps arranged between a front portion of the suction slot and a front periphery of the cleaning robot,

and the sealing means comprise:

lateral flaps arranged between lateral portions of the suction slot and the periphery of the lower face to at least partially close a lateral leakage path of the suction flow, and / or

- At least one rear flap arranged between a rear portion of the suction slot and the periphery of the lower face to at least partially close a rear leakage path of the suction flow.

In other words, the sealing means are flaps which completely surround the suction slot, to prevent leakage of the suction flow, except at the passage openings (recesses in the front flaps), where the suction flow is then concentrated to suck effectively the waste lying on the floor to be cleaned.

Advantageously, the cleaning robot comprises two lateral flaps arranged on either side of the suction slot, each joining one of the front flaps to said at least one rear flap. In other words, except at the passage openings, the flaps surround the suction slot continuously. Advantageously, the flaps are of flexible material. Silicone, natural rubber or EPDM rubber (acronym for ethylene-propylene-diene monomer), or flexible plastic can be envisaged.

Advantageously, the sealing means surround the suction slot, and the passage openings have a cumulative length of less than 20% of a perimeter of the suction slot. The cumulative length can be easily calculated or measured by projecting the section of the passage openings on the ground plane, in the same way as for the walls or edges of the suction slot, which makes it possible to calculate the above proportion. .

Advantageously, the flaps define at least three passage openings, and preferably five openings passage. The passage openings have a similar section to each other (within ± 10%) and are spaced at regular intervals (± 10%), so that all the waste is sucked similarly along the front face.

Advantageously, the cleaning robot comprises a flaps support, clipable to the lower face. The assembly is then easy.

Advantageously, the flaps defining the plurality of passage openings to the suction slot are arranged all along a front face of the suction slot. Accordingly, the front face of the suction slot is preceded by movement by the flaps, which guide the large waste to the passage openings along the entire length of the suction slot. A succession of V or triangle flaps is arranged between the front face of the suction slot and the periphery of the lower face, to guide all the waste towards the suction slot, while ensuring a good seal around the suction slot.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description. an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the robot according to the present invention; FIG. 2 represents a view from below of the robot of FIG. 1;

- Figure 3 shows the view of Figure 2, but refined and showing only some elements.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a lower face 20 of a cleaning robot 100. The cleaning robot 100 is provided for autonomously cleaning the floors of a dwelling house, for example. For this purpose, it comprises drive wheels 21 and idlers 22 which allow the robot to travel through the soil to be cleaned. An electric motor is provided in the housing, as well as a battery to clean the ground independently. The cleaning robot is intended to pick up the waste that is lying on the floor to be cleaned, and it comprises a rotary brush 30 which is placed in a suction slot 31 (particularly visible in FIG. 3) of the lower face 20. In addition, in order to improve the cleaning performance, the cleaning robot 100 is provided with suction means (for example cyclonic, or with a motor-fan) in its case, which are responsible for creating an air flow in the suction slot 31 where is housed the rotary brush 30. As a result, the waste lifted and picked up by the rotating brush 30 is also sucked by the suction means to be guided in a storage space, a removable tray for example. To ensure good suction of the waste, it is important to avoid air leakage between the floor to be cleaned and the underside 20, to ensure a proper depression in the suction slot 31. For this purpose, sealing means are provided all around the suction slot 31, in the form of bibs. We thus find on the side of a front face 100a of cleaning robot 100 of the front bibs 10 and 13, a rear bib 12 on the other side of the suction slot 31, and possibly side bibs 1 1 (only visible in Figure 3).

All these bibs are arranged to be constantly in contact with the soil to be cleaned, to prevent leaks. As a result, the length (or height) of the flaps is slightly greater than the ground clearance of the cleaning robot 100, and are made of flexible material. Rubber, a flexible polymer such as silicone, polyurethane, or any flexible plastic may be contemplated. According to an alternative embodiment, the flaps are directly fixed by screws on the lower face 20.

Due to the presence of the front bibs 10 and 13 which rub on the ground, large waste (about 10 mm, such as peas or seeds of beans or maize) would simply be pushed by these bibs before 10 and 13. However, the invention proposes to arrange these flaps before 10 and 13 V-shaped or triangle as seen in Figures 2 and 3, and to provide passage openings 15 between these flaps before 10 and 13 As a result, the large size waste can pass to the suction slot 31 and are even guided (during the forward movement of the cleaning robot 100) to the through openings 15 by the front bibs 10 and 13, which form guide walls, as shown by the arrows F of FIG.

Consequently, the sealing means prevent air leakage around the suction slot 31, but define passage openings 15 so that large waste is also removed from the floor to be cleaned.

Each opening of passage has a length d which can be between 13 and 17 mm, and the sum of these lengths (in the case represented in the figures, there are 5 openings of passage thus a cumulated length equal to five times d) is ideally less than 15% of the perimeter of the suction slot 31. To return to FIG. 3, lateral flaps 1 1 are provided for joining the front bibs 13 and the rear bib 12. A good seal is obtained, but it is also possible for the body of the cleaning robot 100, and in particular side bosses provided to receive the pivot connections of the rotary brush, as in Figures 1 and 2, form locally one or more protuberances to the floor to be cleaned to limit air leakage.

It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments of the invention described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. In particular, it refers to bibs, but flaps or flexible walls would have exactly the same function.

Claims

REVE ND ICATIONS

1. A soil cleaning robot (100) comprising:

- A lower face (20) arranged to be facing a floor to be cleaned; - a suction slot (31) arranged in the lower face (20);

- a rotating brush (30) arranged in the suction slot (31);

suction means arranged to create a suction flow in the suction slot (31);

characterized in that the cleaning robot (100) comprises sealing means arranged between the lower face (20) and the soil to be cleaned, in an area between the suction slot (31) and a periphery of the face lower (20), so as to at least partially close a leakage path of the suction flow,

the sealing means comprising flaps (10, 1 1, 12, 13) defining a plurality of passage openings (15) towards the suction slot (31), the flaps (10, 1 1, 12, 13 ) forming guide walls to the passage openings (15), for guiding impurities on the soil to be cleaned to the passage openings (15), during a movement of the cleaning robot (100).

2. Cleaning robot (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the flaps (10, 13) forming the guide walls each have a distal portion of the suction slot (31) shaped tip, and two proximal portions. of the suction slot (31) which move away from each other as the distance with the suction slot (31) decreases.

The cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flaps (10, 13) forming the guide walls are arranged to form guide Vs, with the tip oriented towards a direction of movement towards the before the cleaning robot (100).

4. cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flaps (10, 1 1, 12, 13) are attached to the underside (20), and have a length greater than or equal to a guard on the floor of the cleaning robot (100).

5. cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flaps (10, 13) defining the plurality of openings (15) to the suction slot (31) are front flaps ( 10, 13) arranged between a front portion of the suction slot (31) and a front periphery of the cleaning robot (100),

and wherein the sealing means comprises:

- lateral flaps (1 1) arranged between lateral portions of the suction slot (31) and the periphery of the lower face (20) for closing at least partially a lateral leakage path of the suction flow, and / or

- At least one rear flap (12) arranged between a rear portion of the suction slot (31) and the periphery of the lower face (20) for closing at least partially a rear leakage path of the suction flow.

6. Cleaning robot (100) according to the preceding claim, comprising two lateral flaps (1 1) arranged on either side of the suction slot (31), each joining one of the front flaps (10, 13). ) to said at least one rear flap (12).

7. Cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flaps (10, 1 1, 12, 13) are flexible material.

8. Cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing means surround the suction slot (31), and wherein the passage openings (15) have a cumulative length less than 20. % of a perimeter of the suction slot (31).

9. cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flaps (10, 13) define at least three passage openings (15).

10. Cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a flap support, clipable to the underside (20).

1 1. Cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flaps (10, 13) defining the plurality of passage openings (15) to the suction slot (31) are arranged all along. a front face of the suction slot (31).