IP Library Granted Patent US 12690737
Granted Patent B2
US 12690737 · App. 17/949,295 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Cleaning robot

Inventor: Hakbong Lee (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
A47L11/283A47L11/4038A47L11/4069A47L11/4072A47L11/4083A47L2201/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12690737
App. No.
17/949,295
Filed
Sep 21, 2022
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3723
USPC
15/61
Abstract

A cleaning robot includes a main body having an exterior portion extending along a perimeter of the main body; wheels that are drivable to move the robot; a rotation shaft; and a holder coupled to the rotation shaft to support a cleaning pad. The rotation shaft and the holder are rotatable along a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned, and the rotation shaft is laterally movable in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis to: a pop-in position in which the rotation shaft and the holder are under the main body and not protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body, and a pop-out position in which the rotation shaft is under the main body and not protruding beyond the exterior portion and the holder is partially under the main body and partially protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body.

Claims (60)

1 . A cleaning robot comprising:

a main body having an exterior portion extending along a perimeter of the main body;

wheels that are drivable to move the cleaning robot on a surface to be cleaned;

a first rotation shaft;

a first motor configured to rotate the first rotation shaft;

a first holder coupled to the first rotation shaft and configured to support a first cleaning pad; and

a frame, supported by the main body so as to be slidable in a straight movement, and supporting the first motor and the first holder,

wherein the first rotation shaft, the first motor, the first holder, and the frame are configured such that, when the cleaning robot is on the surface to be cleaned and the first cleaning pad is supported by the first holder:

the first rotation shaft is rotatable by the first motor along a first rotation axis that is perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned to cause the first holder to rotate and thereby rotate the first cleaning pad to clean the surface, and

the first rotation shaft is laterally movable in a direction perpendicular to the first rotation axis, and the frame is slidable in the straight movement in the direction perpendicular to the first rotation axis, to:

a pop-in position in which the first rotation shaft and the first motor are under the main body and not protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body, and

a pop-out position in which the first rotation shaft and the first motor are under the main body and not protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body and the first holder is partially under the main body and partially protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body.

2 . The cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the exterior portion of the main body has a circular shape.

3 . The cleaning robot of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second rotation shaft; and

a second holder coupled to the second rotation shaft and configured to support a second cleaning pad,

wherein the second rotation shaft and the second holder are configured such that, when the cleaning robot is on the surface to be cleaned and the second cleaning pad is supported by the second holder, the second rotation shaft is rotatable along a second rotation axis that is perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned to cause the second holder to rotate and thereby rotate the second cleaning pad to clean the surface.

4 . The cleaning robot of claim 3 , wherein:

the wheels comprise a pair of driving wheels in which the wheels of the pair of the driving wheels are parallel to one another on a first center line of the main body, and

the first holder and the second holder are symmetric with respect to a second center line perpendicular to the first center line.

5 . The cleaning robot of claim 4 , further comprising:

a front roller in front of the pair of driving wheels.

6 . The cleaning robot of claim 5 , wherein the front roller is on the second center line perpendicular to the first center line.

7 . The cleaning robot of claim 5 , wherein the front roller is adjacent to the first holder.

8 . The cleaning robot of claim 1 , further comprising:

a rear wheel to a rear of the wheels.

9 . The cleaning robot of claim 8 , further comprising:

a rear cleaning pad to the rear of the wheels.

10 . The cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the wheels include a pair of wheels, and the cleaning robot further comprising:

a water tank between the wheels of the pair of wheels and configured to store water to be supplied to the first cleaning pad when the first cleaning pad is supported by the first holder.

11 . The cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the first holder is movable to the pop-in position and the pop-out position along a straight moving route.

12 . The cleaning robot of claim 11 , further comprising:

a rack gear extending from the frame;

a pinion gear engaged with the rack gear; and

a second motor configured to rotate the pinion gear.

13 . The cleaning robot of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one fall prevention sensor in front of the wheels and configured to sense the surface.

14 . A cleaning robot comprising:

a main body including an exterior portion of a circular shape;

a pair of driving wheels on a first center line at a bottom portion of the main body;

a movable cleaning portion in front of the pair of driving wheels and including:

a first holder configured to support a first cleaning pad,

a frame rotatably supporting the first holder, and

a first motor supported by the frame and configured to rotate the first holder; and

a second holder configured to support a second cleaning pad and being symmetrical with the first holder with respect to a second center line perpendicular to the first center line,

wherein the frame is supported by the main body so as to be slidable in a straight movement to allow a straight movement of the first holder and the first motor to:

a pop-in position in which the first motor is under the main body and not protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body, and

a pop-out position in which the first holder is partially protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body from the pop-in position and the first motor is under the main body and not protruding beyond the exterior portion of the main body.

15 . The cleaning robot of claim 14 , further comprising:

a front roller on the second center line between the first holder and the second holder.

16 . The cleaning robot of claim 14 , further comprising:

a rear wheel on the second center line at a rear of the first center line.

17 . The cleaning robot of claim 16 , further comprising:

a rear cleaning pad between the first center line and the rear wheel.

18 . The cleaning robot of claim 14 , further comprising:

a water tank between driving wheels of the pair of driving wheels and configured to store water to be supplied to the first cleaning pad.

19 . The cleaning robot of claim 14 , further comprising:

a rack gear extending from the frame;

a pinion gear engaged with the rack gear; and

a second motor.