Patent ID: 7761954
Filing Date: 2010-07-27
Classification: A47L,B60B,B60R,C11D,F04D,G05D,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A surface treatment robot comprising: a robot body having forward and rear ends; a differential drive system mounted on the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface; a controller in communication with the drive motor and configured to differentially steer the robot and be capable of maneuvering the robot to pivot in place; a proximity sensor responsive to a potential obstacle forward of the robot, wherein the controller is configured to alter a heading setting in response to a signal received from the proximity sensor indicating a potential obstacle; a cliff sensor responsive to a potential cliff forward of the robot, wherein the controller is configured to alter the heading setting in response to a signal received from the cliff sensor indicating a potential cliff; a liquid applicator housed in the robot body and configured to dispense a liquid onto the cleaning surface while the robot is moving in a direction of forward travel of the robot and suspend dispersion of the liquid while moving in a reverse direction of forward travel of the robot; and a squeegee vacuum assembly housed in the robot body and comprising: wherein the cleaning robot has a mass of less than about 10 kg, there is between about 1 cm and about 10 cm of cleaning width for every 1 kg of cleaning robot mass, and the cleaning robot has an average drag force of 30-40% of the thrust provided by the drive system.