Dust receptacle of robot cleaner and a method for removing dust collected therein

Abstract

A dust receptacle comprises a receptacle body having an air inlet and an air outlet, and detachably mounted in a dust collecting chamber of a robot cleaner, a cover fit in the receptacle body to open and close the air outlet, and a dust outlet formed in the receptacle body. Accordingly, the dust collected in the robot cleaner can be thoroughly and conveniently removed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2004-34150, filed May 14, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a dust receptacle of a robot cleaner. More particularly, the present invention relates to a detachable dust receptacle mounted in a dust collecting chamber of a robot cleaner that automatically travels and cleans dust, and a method for removing dust collected therein. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] In general, dust and an air are sucked into a robot cleaner together. Then, the dust is collected in a dust collecting chamber, and only the air is discharged to the outside. To remove the dust collected in the dust collecting chamber, a user has to open a door exposed outside of the robot cleaner, or take out a dust receptacle whi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] An aspect of the present invention is to solve at least the above problems and / or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a dust receptacle of a robot cleaner which can be facilely emptied, and a method for removing dust collected therein.

[0011] The cover fit in the receptacle body comprises a filter to prevent the collected dust from flowing out through the air outlet. By existence of the filter, suction efficiency can be improved, and further, the dust does not flow into a suction motor disposed behind a discharge port.

[0013] A valve member is formed at an opening of the air inlet pipe unit to cover the opening by its own weight, the valve member being opened by pressure of an air flowed in through the air inlet. A user can conveniently mount or separate the dust receptacle using the handle unit. Further, by inwardly protruding the air inlet pipe unit and providing the valve member, the drawn-in air including dust is prevented from flowing back.

[0016] The sealing member has a flanged handle for easy separation from the dust outlet.

Problems solved by technology

However, such conventional way of removing the collected dust is inconvenient since all the processes are manually performed by the user.

Both cases are troublesome.

Therefore, the user needs to empty the dust receptacle of the robot cleaner frequently.

Therefore, it is hard to remove the dust, and the dust often remains in the dust collecting space even after emptying the dust receptacle.

Such remaining dust may gradually increase adhering inside and getting hard to be removed.

As a result, a suction efficiency is deteriorated.

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