IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,357,138
Granted Patent B2
US 12,357,138 · App. 17/837,676 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Cleaning pad assembly for mobile robot

Inventors: Brian Cleve Benson, Jr. (Chelmsford, MA); Russell Walter Morin (Burlington, MA); Robert Sasena (Boston, MA)
Assignee: iRobot Corporation
A47L9/0673A47L9/2805A47L11/4036B32B3/04B32B3/085B32B7/09A47L2201/00B32B2432/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,357,138
App. No.
17/837,676
Filed
Jun 10, 2022
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Examiner
SHUM, KENT N
Art Unit
3723
USPC
15/4
Abstract

A cleaning pad for a mobile cleaning robot can include a backing layer, a cleaning layer, and a card. The backing layer can be user-releasably securable to a pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot. The cleaning layer can be affixed to the backing layer and engageable with a floor surface. The card can be connected to at least one of the backing layer and the cleaning layer and can be engaged with the backing layer. The card can be slidably insertable into a retainer of the pad tray to align the cleaning pad with the pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot.

Claims (40)

1. A cleaning pad for a mobile cleaning robot, the cleaning pad comprising:

a backing layer user-releasably securable to a pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot, the backing layer including a plurality of loop fasteners configured to engage a plurality of corresponding hook fasteners of the pad tray to secure the backing layer to the pad tray;

a cleaning layer affixed to the backing layer and engageable with a floor surface, wherein the backing layer is sewn to the cleaning layer;

a card connected to at least one of the backing layer and the cleaning layer and engaged with the backing layer, the card securable to a retainer of the pad tray to align the cleaning pad with the pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot; and

a border covering a perimeter edge of the cleaning layer and a perimeter edge of the backing layer, the border secured to the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

2. The cleaning pad of claim 1 , wherein the border is sewn to the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

3. The cleaning pad of claim 1 , wherein the card is sewn to one or more of the backing layer, the border, and the cleaning layer.

4. The cleaning pad of claim 1 , wherein the card is at least partially defined by four edges connected by a pair of rear corners and a pair of front corners, and wherein the front corners are each defined by a front radius of curvature that is larger than a rear radius of curvature that defines the rear corners.

5. The cleaning pad of claim 1 , wherein the card is at least partially defined by four edges connected by a pair of rear corners and a pair of front corners, and wherein the card includes a pair of detents extending from opposing side edges of the four edges, the detents engageable with recesses of the retainer of the pad tray to secure the cleaning pad to the pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot.

6. The cleaning pad of claim 5 , wherein the card includes a pair of slots located near the detents, the slots configured allow the detents to reversibly deflect laterally inward when the detents engage the retainer and to extend outward when the detents align with the recesses of the retainer.

7. The cleaning pad of claim 5 , wherein the backing layer includes a pair of cutouts located at least partially between the card and the cleaning layer, the pair of cutouts configured to receive the retainer of the pad tray therein, when the cleaning pad is connected to the pad tray.

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

an identification chip connected to one or more of the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

9. The cleaning pad of claim 8 , wherein the identification chip is located between the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

10. The cleaning pad of claim 9 , wherein the identification chip is sewn into the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

11. The cleaning pad of claim 8 , wherein the identification chip is an RFID chip or an NFC chip.

12. The cleaning pad of claim 8 , further comprising:

a magnetically-attractable feature connected to the backing layer, the magnetically-attractable feature attractable with a magnet of the pad tray to retain the cleaning pad on the pad tray.

13. The cleaning pad of claim 8 , wherein the card includes a bore configured to receive a boss of the pad tray to limit lateral movement of the cleaning pad with respect to the pad tray when the cleaning pad is secured to the pad tray.

14. The cleaning pad of claim 8 , wherein the card includes a boss insertable into a bore of the pad tray to limit lateral movement of the cleaning pad with respect to the pad tray when the cleaning pad is secured to the pad tray.

15. A cleaning pad for a mobile cleaning robot, the cleaning pad comprising:

a backing layer user-releasably securable to a pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot;

a cleaning layer affixed to the backing layer and engageable with a floor surface;

a card connected to at least one of the backing layer and the cleaning layer and engaged with the backing layer, the card securable to a retainer of the pad tray to align the cleaning pad with the pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot;

an identification chip connected to one or more of the backing layer and the cleaning layer; and

a magnetically-attractable feature connected to the backing layer, the magnetically-attractable feature attractable with a magnet of the pad tray to retain the cleaning pad on the pad tray.

16. The cleaning pad of claim 15 , comprising:

a border covering a perimeter edge of the cleaning layer and a perimeter edge of the backing layer, the border sewn to the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

17. The cleaning pad of claim 16 , wherein the card is sewn to one or more of the backing layer, the border, and the cleaning layer.

18. The cleaning pad of claim 15 , wherein the card is at least partially defined by four edges connected by a pair of rear corners and a pair of front corners, and wherein the front corners are each defined by a front radius of curvature that is larger than a rear radius of curvature that defines the rear corners.

19. A cleaning pad for a mobile cleaning robot, the cleaning pad comprising:

a backing layer user-releasably securable to a pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot;

a cleaning layer affixed to the backing layer and engageable with a floor surface;

a card connected to at least one of the backing layer and the cleaning layer and engaged with the backing layer, the card securable to a retainer of the pad tray to align the cleaning pad with the pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot, the card including a bore configured to receive a boss of the pad tray to limit lateral movement of the cleaning pad with respect to the pad tray when the cleaning pad is secured to the pad tray; and

an identification chip connected to one or more of the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

20. The cleaning pad of claim 19 , wherein the card is at least partially defined by four edges connected by a pair of rear corners and a pair of front corners, and wherein the card includes a pair of detents extending from opposing side edges of the four edges, the detents engageable with recesses of the retainer of the pad tray to secure the cleaning pad to the pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot.

21. The cleaning pad of claim 20 , wherein the card includes a pair of slots located near the detents, the slots configured allow the detents to reversibly deflect laterally inward when the detents engage the retainer and to extend outward when the detents align with the recesses of the retainer.

22. The cleaning pad of claim 20 , wherein the backing layer includes a pair of cutouts located at least partially between the card and the cleaning layer, the pair of cutouts configured to receive the retainer of the pad tray therein, when the cleaning pad is connected to the pad tray.

23. The cleaning pad of claim 19 , wherein the identification chip is located between the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

24. The cleaning pad of claim 23 , wherein the identification chip is sewn into the backing layer and the cleaning layer.

Assignments (5)
NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Nov 25, 2025
From: TCG SENIOR FUNDING L.L.C., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SANTRUM HONG KONG CO., LIMITED, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073707/0516 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2023
From: IROBOT CORPORATION
To: TCG SENIOR FUNDING L.L.C., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064532/0856 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: IROBOT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064430/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: IROBOT CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061878/0097 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2022
From: BENSON, BRIAN CLEVE, JR.; MORIN, RUSSELL WALTER; SASENA, ROBERT
To: IROBOT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060323/0618 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230397785A1 · Dec 14, 2023
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