Evacuation Dock With Fluid Management

Abstract

A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot can include a canister and a base configured to receive the mobile cleaning robot thereon, where the base can include a front portion and a back portion opposite the front portion. The base can include a vacuum port extending at least partially through the base. The canister can be connected to the back portion of the base and can be located at least partially above the base. The canister can include a debris bin connected to the vacuum port to receive debris therefrom and a fan compartment connected to a side wall of the debris bin and including a fan system operable to draw debris through the vacuum port and the debris bin.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot, the docking station comprising:
 a base configured to receive the mobile cleaning robot thereon, the base comprising a front portion and a back portion opposite the front portion;   a vacuum port extending at least partially through the base;   a canister connected to the back portion of the base and located at least partially above the base, the canister comprising:
 a debris bin connected to the vacuum port to receive debris therefrom, the debris bin including a floor and a wall; 
 a weep hole extending through the floor and the canister; and 
 a fan compartment separated from the debris bin by the wall, the fan compartment including a discharge; 
   a fan system operable to generate air flow to draw debris through the vacuum port and the debris bin, the fan system configured to discharge the air flow through the discharge; and   a lid configured to open from a top portion of the canister to provide access to both the fan compartment and the debris bin.   
     
     
         3 . The docking station of  claim 2 , wherein the weep hole is sized to allow fluid to drain from the debris bin without impacting pneumatic action of drawing debris from the mobile cleaning robot through the debris bin using the fan system. 
     
     
         4 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the weep hole has a diameter between 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the weep hole has a diameter of 3 millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the weep hole includes a fluid trap. 
     
     
         7 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the debris bin includes a boss extending up from the floor, the boss including a bore extending through the boss and the floor, the bore configured to receive a fastener to secure the debris bin to the base. 
     
     
         8 . The docking station of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener is threadably secured to the boss. 
     
     
         9 . The docking station of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener includes a tapered portion engageable with the boss, and wherein the tapered portion is secured to the boss using a resin. 
     
     
         10 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the canister includes an outer wall at least partially defining the debris bin and the fan compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The docking station of  claim 2 , wherein the fan compartment is offset from a central axis of the base. 
     
     
         12 . A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot, the docking station comprising:
 a base configured to receive the mobile cleaning robot thereon, the base comprising a front portion and a back portion opposite the front portion;   a vacuum port extending at least partially through the base;   a canister connected to the back portion of the base and located at least partially above the base, the canister comprising:
 a debris bin connected to the vacuum port to receive debris therefrom, the debris bin including a floor and a wall; and 
 a fan compartment separated from the debris bin by the wall, the fan compartment including a discharge; 
   a fan system located at least partially in the fan compartment, the fan system including:
 a fan operable to generate air flow to draw debris through the vacuum port and the debris bin, the fan configured to discharge the air flow through the discharge; 
 a motor operable to drive the fan to rotate; 
 a fan housing at least partially surrounding the fan; and 
 a plate connected to the fan housing and the fan compartment to secure the fan system to the fan compartment; and 
   a lid configured to open from a top portion of the canister to provide access to both the fan compartment and the debris bin.   
     
     
         13 . The docking station of  claim 12 , wherein the fan housing includes an annular wall and wherein the plate is connected to the annular wall. 
     
     
         14 . The docking station of  claim 13 , wherein the fan housing includes an upper wall forming a lap joint with at least a portion of the annular wall to form a seal between the upper wall and the annular wall. 
     
     
         15 . The docking station of  claim 12 , wherein the debris bin includes a boss extending up from the floor, the boss including a bore extending through the boss and the floor, the bore configured to receive a fastener to threadably secure the debris bin to the base. 
     
     
         16 . The docking station of  claim 15 , wherein the fastener includes a tapered portion engageable with the boss, and wherein the tapered portion is secured to the boss using a resin. 
     
     
         17 . The docking station of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a weep hole extending through the floor and the canister.   
     
     
         18 . The docking station of  claim 17 , wherein the weep hole is sized to allow fluid to drain from the debris bin without impacting pneumatic action of drawing debris from the mobile cleaning robot through the debris bin using the fan system. 
     
     
         19 . The docking station of  claim 18 , wherein the weep hole has a diameter between 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters. 
     
     
         20 . The docking station of  claim 18 , wherein the weep hole has a diameter of 3 millimeters. 
     
     
         21 . The docking station of  claim 20 , wherein the canister includes an outer wall at least partially defining the debris bin and the fan compartment.