Brush entanglement prevention apparatus in autonomous robotic vacuums

Abstract

An apparatus draws or leads hair and other potential entanglement debris away from the hub of a brush assembly in a vacuum as the brush rotates during vacuuming, thus avoiding or reducing entanglement and attendant problems, and obviating or reducing the need for manual removal of the entanglement. The apparatus has a profile which draws hair and other entanglement debris away from a hub of the brush assembly, or prevents it from reaching the hub, thus enabling the brush/brush assembly to continue to rotate freely. In one implementation, the apparatus attaches to a vacuum brush in an autonomous robotic vacuum.

Description

[0001]The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 167,818, filed May 28, 2015, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.BACKGROUND[0002]Aspects of the present invention relate to entanglement prevention in brush assemblies in autonomous robotic vacuums.[0003]Autonomous robotic vacuums often work in rooms on a schedule, when the user is not present. As such a vacuum traverses an environment, the vacuum picks up dirt, dust, lint, hair, and other debris and collects it in an onboard bin. In environments where substantial amounts of hair fall on the ground, brushes on board an autonomous robotic vacuum pick up the hair. Such pick up is known to cause clogging of the brush assembly, and in particular the hub on which the brush(es) is / are mounted, potentially preventing the brush(es) from rotating, and thus keeping the vacuum from operating properly. As such vacuums tend to be battery operated, the battery can run down before the vacuum...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which draws or leads hair and other potential entanglement debris away from the hub of a brush assembly as the brush rotates during vacuuming, thus avoiding or reducing entanglement and attendant problems, and obviating or reducing the need for manual removal of the entanglement.

[0008]In one aspect, an effect of the entanglement prevention apparatus is to enable the brush to be closer to the hub, enabling the brush to clean more effectively.

Problems solved by technology

Such pick up is known to cause clogging of the brush assembly, and in particular the hub on which the brush(es) is / are mounted, potentially preventing the brush(es) from rotating, and thus keeping the vacuum from operating properly.

However, the vacuum will not clean, because the entanglement still is there.

As a result, the user will come home and find that the vacuum has not performed its intended tasks.

However, in some circumstances the user may not see the entanglement, around the hub, very clearly.

Also, even if the user does see the entanglement, it may not be easy to remove.

Over time, the buildup of hair and debris could cause fatal damage to the robotic vacuum.

Images