Robot surface cleaning systems

Abstract

A docking station 12 suitable for a robot surface cleaner 14 having a housing 16 defining an opening. A lift assembly 26 is moveable between a lowered position and a raised position. There is also a door (Figure 6 – 68) moveable between an open position and a closed position. When the lift assembly is in the raised position, the door is restricted from moving to the open position. One or more sensors detect when the door is restricted from moving to the open position due to the position of the lift assembly; and when the door is in the open position, and a controller (Figure 5 - 56) for controlling the lift assembly. The controller is configured to cause the lift assembly to stop movement towards the lowered position when the one or more sensors detect neither: the door being restricted from moving to the open position due to the position of the lift assembly nor the door being in the open position. The one or sensors may be contained within the housing. The one or more sensors may be a single sensor. The door may be biased to the open position. [Figure 1]