Autonomous Surface Cleaning Robot for Wet Cleaning

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a chassis defined by a fore-aft axis and a perpendicular transverse axis for supporting cleaning elements thereon and for transporting the cleaning elements over the surface along the fore-aft axis and wherein the cleaning elements are disposed to clean across a cleaning width disposed generally orthogonal to the fore-aft axis with a left end and a right end defining opposing edges of the cleaning width; and,   a liquid applicator comprising at least one nozzle disposed at one of said left end and said right end for ejecting cleaning fluid therefrom, said cleaning fluid being ejected with sufficient volume and pressure to distribute cleaning fluid across the cleaning width.   
     
     
         2 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the cleaning fluid comprises water. 
     
     
         3 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the cleaning fluid further comprises any one of soap, solvent, fragrance, disinfectant, emulsifier, drying agent and abrasive particulates. 
     
     
         4 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a smearing element attached to the chassis aft of the position of the at least one nozzle and extending from the chassis to the surface across the cleaning width for smearing the cleaning fluid. 
     
     
         5 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a scrubbing element attached to the chassis aft of the position of the at least one nozzle and extending from the chassis to the surface across the cleaning width for scrubbing the surface. 
     
     
         6 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a scrubbing element attached to the chassis aft of the position of the at least one nozzle and extending from the chassis to the surface across the cleaning width for scrubbing the surface. 
     
     
         7 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a collecting apparatus attached to the chassis aft of the position of the at least one nozzle and extending from the chassis to the surface across the cleaning width for collecting waste liquid from the surface. 
     
     
         8 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the liquid applicator comprises:
 a first nozzle disposed at the left end for ejecting cleaning fluid therefrom, said cleaning fluid being ejected from the first nozzle with sufficient volume and pressure to distribute cleaning fluid across the cleaning width, 
 a second nozzle disposed at the right end for ejecting cleaning fluid therefrom, said cleaning fluid being ejected from the second nozzle with sufficient volume and pressure to distribute cleaning fluid across the cleaning width; and, 
 wherein the first nozzle and the second nozzle are co-located on the fore-aft axis. 
 
     
     
         9 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein each of the first and second nozzles ejects a discrete burst cleaning fluid in accordance with a burst frequency and wherein the burst frequency of the first nozzle is substantially opposite in phase with respect to the burst frequency of the second nozzle. 
     
     
         10 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising an autonomous transport drive subsystem, a sensor module for sensing conditions and a power module all supported by the chassis and controlled by a master control module to autonomously move the cleaning elements substantially over the entire surface over the surface in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module. 
     
     
         11 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 7  further comprising an autonomous transport drive subsystem, a sensor module for sensing conditions and a power module all supported by the chassis and controlled by a master control module to autonomously move the cleaning elements substantially over the entire surface over the surface in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module. 
     
     
         12 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 9  further comprising an autonomous transport drive subsystem, a sensor module for sensing conditions and a power module all supported by the chassis and controlled by a master control module to autonomously move the cleaning elements substantially over the entire surface over the surface in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module. 
     
     
         13 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the master control module is configured to vary the burst frequency in accordance with a desired rate for applying cleaning fluid onto surface. 
     
     
         14 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the master control module is configured to vary the burst frequency to apply cleaning fluid onto the surface at a substantially uniform volume of approximately 2 ml per square foot. 
     
     
         15 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 10  further comprising:
 a liquid storage container, carried on the chassis, for storing a supply of the cleaning fluid therein; 
 a diaphragm pump assembly configured with a first a first pump portion for drawing cleaning fluid from the container and for delivering the cleaning fluid to the at least one nozzle; and, 
 a mechanical actuator for mechanically actuating the first pump portion. 
 
     
     
         16 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 8  further comprising:
 an autonomous transport drive subsystem, a sensor module for sensing conditions and a power module all supported by the chassis and controlled by a master control module to autonomously move the cleaning elements substantially over the entire surface over the surface in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module 
 a liquid storage container, carried on the chassis, for storing a supply of the cleaning fluid therein; 
 a diaphragm pump assembly having a first a first pump portion for drawing cleaning fluid from the container and for delivering the cleaning fluid to the first nozzle and a second pump portion for drawing cleaning fluid from the container and for delivering the cleaning fluid to the second nozzle; and, 
 a mechanical actuator for mechanically actuating the first pump portion and the second pump portion. 
 
     
     
         17 . A surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the diaphragm pump assembly comprises:
 a flexible element mounted between a non-flexible upper chamber element and a non-flexible lower chamber element, said flexible element being formed with a first pump chamber and a first actuator nipple attached thereto and a second pump chamber and a second actuator nipple attached thereto; 
 an actuator link pivotally attached to the pump assembly for pivoting between a first actuator position and a second actuator position, the actuator link being fixedly attached to each of said first and said second actuator nipples and wherein movement of the actuator link toward the first actuator position decreases the volume the first pump chamber and increases the volume of the second pump chamber and further wherein movement of the actuator link toward the second actuator position increases the volume the first pump chamber and decreases the volume of the second pump chamber; 
 a cam element configured with a circumferential cam profile and supported to move the actuator link between the first actuator position and the second actuator position; and, 
 a cam rotary drive, controlled by the master controller, for rotating the cam element in accordance with a cam rotary drive pattern. 
 
     
     
         18 . A method for cleaning a surface with a cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 transporting a chassis over the surface in a forward transport direction defined by a defined by a fore-aft axis, said chassis including cleaning elements supported thereon, and wherein the cleaning elements have a cleaning width disposed generally orthogonal to the fore-aft axis and wherein the cleaning width has a left end and an opposing right end; and,   ejecting a volume of cleaning fluid from a first nozzle attached to the chassis at one of said left end and said right end, said first nozzle being configured to eject cleaning fluid therefrom, said cleaning fluid being ejected with sufficient volume and pressure to distribute cleaning fluid across the cleaning width.   
     
     
         19 . A method for cleaning a surface according to  claim 18  further comprising:
 ejecting a volume of cleaning fluid from a second nozzle attached to the chassis at the other of said left end and said right end and co-located on the fore-aft axis with respect to the first nozzle, said second nozzle being configured to eject cleaning fluid therefrom, said cleaning fluid being ejected with sufficient volume and pressure to distribute cleaning fluid across the cleaning width; and, 
 ejecting cleaning fluid from each of the first nozzle and the second nozzle in discrete bursts of cleaning fluid in accordance with a burst frequency and wherein the burst frequency of the first nozzle is substantially opposite in phase with respect to the burst frequency of the second nozzle. 
 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  further comprising smearing the cleaning fluid across the cleaning width using a smearing element attached to the chassis aft of the co-located position of the first nozzle and the second nozzle, said smearing element extending across the cleaning width. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 19  further comprising scrubbing the surface across the cleaning width using a scrubbing element attached to the chassis aft of the co-located position of the first nozzle and the second nozzle, said scrubbing element extending across the cleaning width. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 19  further comprising collecting waste liquid from the surface across the cleaning width using a collecting apparatus attached to the chassis aft of the co-located position of the first nozzle and the second nozzle, said collecting apparatus extending across the cleaning width. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 19 :
 wherein the chassis further includes an autonomous transport drive subsystem, a sensor module for sensing conditions and a power module all supported thereon and controlled by a master control module and wherein transporting the chassis over the surface further comprises:   controlling the transport drive subsystem in accordance with predefined operating modes and in response to conditions sensed by the sensor module to transport the cleaning elements substantially over the entire surface.