Irobot Corporation

Daniel E Kee

Marcus R Williams

Marc D Strauss

Elaine H Kristant

Sheila A Longo

Duane Leigh Gilbert, Jr

Andrea M Okerholm

Andrea M Okerholm Huttlin

Duane Gilbert

An autonomous coverage robot detection system includes an emitter configured to emit a directed beam, a detector configured to detect the directed beam and a controller configured to direct the robot in response to a signal detected by the detector. In some examples, the detection system detects a stasis condition of the robot. In some examples, the detection system detects a wall and can follow the wall in response to the detected signal.

Autonomous coverage robot sensing

A surface treatment robot includes a chassis having forward and rear ends and a drive system carried by the chassis. The drive system includes right and left driven wheels and is configured to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface. The robot includes a vacuum assembly, a collection volume, a supply volume, an applicator, and a wetting element, each carried by the chassis. The wetting element engages the cleaning surface to distribute a cleaning liquid applied to the surface by the applicator. The wetting element distributes the cleaning liquid along at least a portion of the cleaning surface when the robot is driven in a forward direction. The wetting element is arranged substantially forward of a transverse axis defined by the right and left driven wheels, and the wetting element slidably supports at least about ten percent of the mass of the robot above the cleaning surface.

Autonomous coverage robot

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Daniel E Kee