Supply and/or disposal system for autonomous deep cleaner
A system for refilling, emptying and/or recharging of an autonomous floor cleaner includes a docking station adapted to be coupled with a household plumbing infrastructure. The docking station can be provided on a household appliance, which may be a toilet, a dishwasher, or another appliance coupled with the plumbing infrastructure.
1. A supply and disposal system, comprising:
a toilet forming a docking station for docking an autonomous floor cleaner, the docking station comprising:
a liquid supply system configured to fill a supply tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a supply conduit and a supply coupling configured to couple with a corresponding receiver coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner;
a disposal system configured to empty a recovery tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a waste receiver coupling configured to couple with a corresponding waste disposal coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner; and
a charging system configured to recharge the autonomous floor cleaner;
wherein the docking station is configured to be fluidly coupled to a plumbing infrastructure, and to fill the supply tank and to empty the recovery tank via the plumbing infrastructure.
2. The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , wherein the supply conduit is in fluid communication with one of a toilet tank of the toilet or a water supply line of the toilet.
3. The supply and disposal system of claim 2 , wherein the docking station further comprises an intermediate reservoir with a float-style shut-off valve, wherein the intermediate reservoir fluidly couples the supply conduit with the supply coupling.
4. The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , wherein the toilet comprises a handle in communication with the docking station, wherein the docking station is configured to send a signal to the handle to flush the toilet.
5. The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , wherein the toilet comprises a siphon and a drain, and wherein the disposal system comprises:
a disposal conduit plumbed to the toilet downstream from the siphon and upstream of the drain; and
a disposal pump mounted to the toilet and comprising:
an inlet side fluidly coupled to the waste receiver coupling; and
an outlet side fluidly coupled to the disposal conduit.
6. The supply and disposal system of claim 1 , further comprising an autonomous floor cleaner comprising:
an autonomously moveable housing:
a fluid delivery system comprising a supply tank and a receiver coupling in fluid communication with the supply tank; and
a fluid recovery system comprising a recovery tank and a waste disposal coupling in fluid communication with the recovery tank:
wherein the fluid delivery system and the fluid recovery system are carried on the autonomously moveable housing.
7. The supply and disposal system of claim 6 , wherein the autonomous floor cleaner comprises a fill pump between the receiver coupling and the supply tank for drawing liquid into the supply tank via the receiver coupling.
8. A supply and disposal system, comprising:
a dishwasher forming a docking station for docking an autonomous floor cleaner, the docking station comprising:
a liquid supply system configured to fill a supply tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a supply conduit and a supply coupling configured to couple with a corresponding receiver coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner;
a disposal system configured to empty a recovery tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner, the disposal system including a dishwasher pump and an evacuation conduit in fluid communication with the dishwasher pump and a waste receiver coupling configured to couple with a corresponding waste disposal coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner;
a diverter valve configured to divert a fluid pathway to the dishwasher pump between either of a sump of the dishwasher and the waste receiver coupling; and
a charging system configured to recharge the autonomous floor cleaner;
wherein the docking station is configured to be fluidly coupled to a plumbing infrastructure, and to fill the supply tank and to empty the recovery tank via the plumbing infrastructure.
9. A supply and disposal system, comprising:
an autonomous floor cleaner, comprising:
an autonomously moveable housing:
a fluid delivery system comprising a supply tank and a receiver coupling in fluid communication with the supply tank;
a fluid recovery system comprising a recovery tank and a waste disposal coupling in fluid communication with the recovery tank wherein the fluid delivery and the fluid recovery systems are carried on the autonomously moveable housing; and
a fill pump between the receiver coupling and the supply tank for drawing liquid into the supply tank via the receiver coupling; and
a docking station for docking the autonomous floor cleaner wherein the docking station is configured to be fluidly coupled to a plumbing infrastructure, and to fill the supply tank and to empty the recovery tank via the plumbing infrastructure, the docking station comprising:
a liquid supply system configured to fill the supply tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a supply conduit and a supply coupling configured to couple with the receiver coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner;
a disposal system configured to empty the recovery tank onboard the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a waste receiver coupling configured to couple with the waste disposal coupling on the autonomous floor cleaner; and
a charging system configured to recharge the autonomous floor cleaner;
further comprising.
10. The supply and disposal system of claim 9 , wherein the docking station further comprises a shut-off valve for closing a fluid pathway through the supply conduit when the autonomous floor cleaner is not docked with the docking station, and wherein the shut-off valve is configured to automatically open when the autonomous floor cleaner docks with the docking station.
11. The supply and disposal system of claim 9 , wherein the disposal system comprises a disposal conduit and a disposal pump having an outlet side coupled with the disposal conduit and an inlet side coupled with the waste receiver coupling.
12. The supply and disposal system of claim 9 , wherein the docking station comprises a power cord, and the docking station is configured to be connected to a power supply by the power cord.
13. The supply and disposal system of claim 9 , wherein the docking station comprises a converter for converting AC voltage into DC voltage.
14. The supply and disposal system of claim 9 , further comprising a dishwasher, wherein the dishwasher comprises the docking station.
15. The supply and disposal system of claim 14 , wherein the disposal system comprises a dishwasher pump and an evacuation conduit in fluid communication with the dishwasher pump and the waste receiver coupling.
16. The supply and disposal system of claim 15 , further comprising a diverter valve configured to divert a fluid pathway to the dishwasher pump between either of a sump of the dishwasher and the waste receiver coupling.
17. The supply and disposal system of claim 9 , further comprising an appliance, wherein the docking station is provided at a front side of the appliance.
18. The supply and disposal system of claim 17 , wherein the appliance comprises a door and the docking station is provided below the door.
19. The supply and disposal system of claim 17 , wherein the appliance comprises one of a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a humidifier, or a clothes dryer.
20. The supply and disposal system of claim 17 , further comprising an autonomous floor cleaner comprising an autonomously moveable housing and a trim piece on the autonomously moveable housing that matches the portion of the appliance surrounding the docking station for an integrated appearance.