Robot cleaner system having robot cleaner and docking station

Abstract

A robot cleaner system having an improved docking structure to allow a dust discharge port of a robot cleaner to come into close contact with a dust suction port of a docking station without an additional drive device. The robot cleaner system includes a robot cleaner having a dust discharge port, a docking station having a dust suction port to suction dust collected in the robot cleaner, and a docking device to perform a seesaw movement as it comes into contact with the robot cleaner when the robot cleaner docks with the docking station, so as to allow the dust suction port to come into close contact with the dust discharge port. The docking device further includes a link member installed in the docking station in a pivotally rotatable manner. The link member has one end provided with a contact portion to come into contact with the robot cleaner, and the other end provided with a docking portion defining the dust suction port therein.

1 . A robot cleaner system comprising:
 a robot cleaner having a dust discharge port;   a docking station having a dust suction port to suction dust collected in the robot cleaner; and   a docking device to contact with the robot cleaner to perform a seesaw movement when the robot cleaner docks with the docking station, so as to allow the dust suction port to close contact with the dust discharge port.   
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the docking device comprises a link member rotatably mounted to the docking station. 
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the link member comprises one end having a contact portion to contact with the robot cleaner, and the other end having a docking portion defining the dust suction port therein. 
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the contact portion is provided with a roller to rotate in contact with the robot cleaner. 
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the docking device further comprises an elastic member to elastically bias the link member such that the dust suction port is spaced apart from the dust discharge port. 
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the docking device comprises a flexible joint pipe having one end communicating with the dust suction port and the other end fixed to the docking station. 
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the docking device comprises a sealing member to seal a gap between the dust discharge port and the dust suction port. 
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the robot cleaner comprises a slope to guide the seesaw movement of the docking device when the robot cleaner moves in contact with the docking device. 
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the docking station comprises a suction device to generate a suction force, and a dust-collecting device to collect dust suctioned from the robot cleaner. 
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a manual vacuum cleaner to be connected with the docking station, to suction the dust collected in the robot cleaner through the dust suction port.   
   
   
       11 . A robot cleaner system comprising:
 a robot cleaner having a dust discharge port;   a docking station having a dust suction port to suction dust collected in the robot cleaner and a connecting port communicating with the dust suction port;   a docking device to be pivotally rotated as it comes into contact with the robot cleaner when the robot cleaner docks with the docking station, so as to allow the dust suction port to close contact with the dust discharge port; and   a manual vacuum cleaner having a connecting pipe to be fitted into the connecting port, the manual vacuum cleaner being used to suction the dust from the robot cleaner through the dust discharge port, the dust suction port, and the connecting pipe.   
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein the docking device comprises a link member rotatably mounted to the docking station, and the link member comprises one end having a contact portion to come into contact with an upper surface the robot cleaner, and the other end having a docking portion defining the dust suction port therein. 
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the link member performs a seesaw movement in a first direction when the robot cleaner moves while contacting with the contact portion, so as to allow the dust suction port to come into close contact with the dust discharge port, and also performs a seesaw movement in a second direction when the robot cleaner is separated from the contact portion, so as to space apart the dust suction port from the dust discharge port. 
   
   
       14 . A docking station to dock with a robot cleaner having a dust discharge port, the docking station comprising:
 a frame; and   a link member rotatably coupled to the frame,   wherein the link member comprises a contact portion to be pivotally rotated as it comes into contact with the robot cleaner upon docking of the robot cleaner, and a dust suction port formed at the opposite side of the contact portion about a rotating center of the link member, the dust suction port coming into close contact with the dust discharge port of the robot cleaner by the pivotal rotation of the contact portion.   
   
   
       15 . A docking device for allowing a dust suction port of a docking station to move into close contact with a dust discharge port of a robot cleaner, comprising:
 a link member having a first end with a contact portion to contact the robot cleaner and a second end with a docking portion defining the dust suction port therein,   wherein the robot cleaner has a slope to guide the docking device to move the dust suction port into close contact with the dust discharge port as the robot cleaner moves into the docking station to prevent leakage of dust during transfer of dust from the robot cleaner to the docking station.   
   
   
       16 . The docking device according to  claim 15 , further comprising an elastic member to elastically bias the link member such that the dust suction port is spaced from the dust discharge port as the robot cleaner departs from the docking station. 
   
   
       17 . The docking device according to  claim 15 , further comprising a flexible joint pipe having one end communicating with the dust suction port and the other end fixed to the docking station. 
   
   
       18 . The docking device according to  claim 15 , further comprising a sealing member to seal a gap between the dust discharge port and the dust suction port. 
   
   
       19 . The docking device according to  claim 15 , wherein the link member performs a seesaw movement in a first direction when the robot cleaner moves while contacting with the contact portion, so as to allow the dust suction port to come into close contact with the dust discharge port, and also performs a seesaw movement in a second direction when the robot cleaner is separated from the contact portion, so as to space apart the dust suction port from the dust discharge port. 
   
   
       20 . A robot cleaner to dock with a docking device of a docking station having a dust suction port so as to discharge dust collected therein, the robot cleaner comprising:
 a dust discharge port; and   a slope to guide the docking device to move the dust suction port into close contact with the dust discharge port as the robot cleaner moves into the docking station to prevent leakage of dust during transfer of dust from the robot cleaner to the docking station.