Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet and dry cleaning
An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.
1. A surface treatment robot, comprising:
a differential drive system mounted on the robot and configured to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface, the differential drive having at least two circulating drive members that drive the robot forward and steer the robot;
a controller in communication with the differential drive system and configured to differentially steer the robot and to maneuver the robot to pivot in place;
a robot body having a maximum width along a line perpendicular to a direction of forward travel and a side edge along the line of maximum width;
a cleaning head forward of the circulating drive members in the direction of forward travel and extending substantially along the line of maximum width to the side edge;
a driven scrubbing element extending to substantially within 1 cm of the side edge along the line of maximum width; and
a cleaning width defined by the driven scrubbing element with reference to a total robot mass, the cleaning width being more than or equal to three centimeters of cleaning width per kilogram of total robot mass.
2. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , wherein the driven scrubbing element comprises a rotatable cylindrical holder and stripes of scrubbing material attached along a longitudinal length of a bristle holder.
3. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , wherein a center of gravity of the robot is substantially over the circulating drive members.
4. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , further comprising a set of substantially monocoque structures including a tank having a waste compartment coupled to a housing that accommodates the circulating drive members.
5. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , further comprising a side brush for following walls to bring particulates within a working width of the cleaning head.
6. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , further comprising a space beside the cleaning head configured to contain a gear train for the cleaning head driven scrubbing element.
7. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , further comprising a space beside the cleaning head configured to contain a motor for the cleaning head driven scrubbing element.
8. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head extends to a dominant side of the robot along which the robot follows obstacles and during surface cleaning a robot coverage pattern includes turning away from the dominant side.
9. The surface treatment robot according to claim 8 , wherein the coverage pattern includes a series of overlapping parallel tracks.
10. The surface treatment robot according to claim 8 , wherein the coverage pattern includes right angle differentially steered turns and the coverage pattern is implemented as a series of overlapping squares or rectangles.
11. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to ascertain a floor area of a room to be cleaned.
12. The surface treatment robot according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to maneuver the robot to initially traverse boundaries of the room and the controller is further configured to record the boundaries.
13. The surface treatment robot according to claim 11 , wherein the robot is configured to receive floor area information from a user or computer.
14. The surface treatment robot according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head includes a powered dry vacuum that picks up waste material.
15. The surface treatment robot according to claim 14 , further comprising a waste tank having a compartment coupled to the robot body and being used for waste material deposited by the powered dry vacuum.