Automatic vacuum cleaner sweeping system

Abstract

The cleaning system may have a brush roller that moves toward the duct opening to collect dust and debris. The cleaning system may be or include an automatic vacuum cleaner robot. The cleaning system may include a guard that reduces the likelihood of fibrous debris wrapping around rotating parts of the brush roller (e.g., a drive pinion). A buffer zone within the brush roller may receive fibrous debris that would otherwise wrap around the brush roller during operation, increasing undesirable friction. The brush roller is configured to be unlocked from contact with an inner surface of a cleaning head of the cleaning system. Fibrous debris stored in the buffer zone may be sucked into a dirt collection compartment of the cleaning system after the brush roller is unlocked. The cleaning system includes a wedge that seals a debris-capturing cavity within the cleaning head from the environment.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to automatic cleaning systems. More particularly, the present disclosure describes components of automatic cleaning systems used to clean debris from an environment. [Background technology]

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 396,887, filed August 10, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] Conventional vacuum cleaner systems can use brush rollers to help move dust and debris that is sucked up by the vacuum cleaner. However, brush rollers in conventional vacuum cleaner systems have various problems, including cleaning efficiency, noise, and power consumption. Hair can wrap around and accumulate on the outside of the brush roller, degrading cleaning performance. Hair can also clog or dislodge the rotating brush roller, causing cleaning action to stop completely until the brush roller is unclogged or reinstalled. Brush roller flaps can be noisy as they continuously strike the ground during cleaning. Conventional vacuum cleaner systems also consume additional power to rotate the brush roller against the additional friction caused by hair that can accumulate around the brush roller and wrap around the rotating parts of the brush roller (e.g., the drive pinion). Cleaning fibrous debris from conventional vacuum cleaner systems can be inconvenient for the user and is often difficult because removing or inserting the vacuum cleaner's brush roller requires complicated procedures, additional tools, or excessive force that can damage the vacuum or brush roller. Additionally, large debris may not be captured by conventional vacuum cleaner systems due to insufficient clearance or because the large debris enters from the edges of the brush roller.

[0004] Conventional vacuum cleaner systems sometimes use wedges to seal cavities that capture debris from the floor over which the vacuum cleaner moves. These conventional wedges can have skirted leading edges, which cause debris to accumulate at the base of the vacuum cleaner and drag along the floor rather than encouraging the movement of debris from the environment into the opening for vacuuming. To move this accumulated debris, conventional cleaning systems apply greater airflow and brush roller rotational speed, both of which create greater noise, consume excessive power, and require expensive motor systems.

[0005] Finally, conventional vacuum cleaner systems may include side brushes for cleaning vertical surfaces (e.g., walls). To clean a wall, the vacuum cleaner uses the side brushes to closely follow the wall. To determine the distance between the side brushes and the wall, conventional vacuum cleaner systems may use a laser-based sensor to detect when a wall is in the vacuum cleaner's vicinity and move the vacuum cleaner closer to the detected wall. However, the laser-based sensor may be sufficient to accurately measure smaller distances (i.e., with finer resolution) when the vacuum cleaner is closer to the wall. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The cleaning system may include a brush roller that allows dust and debris to be moved toward the duct opening for collection. The cleaning system may be or include an automatic vacuum cleaner robot. The brush roller's flaps are configured to contact debris and move it toward the duct opening. The material and structure of the flaps may allow them to operate quieter and move debris more effectively than the flaps of conventional brush rollers. The cleaning system includes a guard that reduces the likelihood of fibrous debris wrapping around rotating parts of the brush roller (e.g., the drive pinion). A buffer zone within the brush roller may receive fibrous debris that would otherwise wrap around the brush roller during operation, increasing undesirable friction. The brush roller is configured to be unlocked from contact with the inner surface of the cleaning head of the cleaning system without applying excessive force or requiring the user to follow a complicated disassembly process. The brush roller can be unlocked without turning the robot vacuum cleaner over (e.g., without inverting the vacuum cleaner so that the brush roller is facing upward). Fiber debris stored in the buffer zone may be sucked into the dirt collection compartment of the cleaning system after the brush roller is unlocked.

[0007] In one embodiment, the brush roller includes an outer core, an inner core, and a flap connected to the outer core. The outer core may include a first tube. The inner core may be concentric with the outer core and configured to be positioned within the outer core. The inner core may include a second tube. The inner core may be configured to house a spring and a ball bearing. The spring may be configured to contact an inner surface of the cleaning head (e.g., an inner surface of the second tube). The ball bearing may be configured to contact the spring. The inner core may be configured to house at least a portion of the pin and the end tip. The pin may be configured to contact the ball bearing on a first side of the pin. The end tip may include a locking mechanism. The end tip may be connected to the pin on a second side of the pin. The locking mechanism may be configured to secure the end tip to the inner surface of the second tube. The pin and the end tip may be connected to remain stationary during rotation of the ball bearing and the inner core.

[0008] The plurality of flaps may comprise an elastomer having one or more of the following characteristics: a hardness in the range of 40 to 80 Shore A, a Bayshore rebound resilience in the range of 5% to 50%, an elongation at break in the range of 50% to 900%, and a tear strength in the range of 75 to 250 kilonewtons (kN) per meter (m). The flaps may be staggered. The combined length of two or more of the plurality of flaps may extend along the entire length of the outer core. A first flap of the plurality of flaps may overlap a second flap of the plurality of flaps by an overlap length of 5 to 50 mm. The brush roller may have 2 to 12 flaps. Each flap may include a trailing edge and a leading edge, and the trailing edge may be proximate the center of the outer core. The outer core may include bases at both ends of the outer core. Each leading edge may form an angle in the range of 1 to 60 degrees with one of the bases of the outer core.

[0009] The flap may have a length in the range of 5 to 35 millimeters. The flap may include a root portion and a tapered portion. The root portion may have a uniform thickness. The tapered portion may have a gradually decreasing thickness. The ratio between the uniform thickness of the root portion and the height of the flap may be in the range of 1:5 to 1:25. The inner surface of the inner core may include a recess that allows linear movement of the pin and end tip in the range of 0.5 to 30 mm. The linear movement may be parallel to the central axis of the inner core. The outer radius of the outer core may be in the range of 8 to 50 mm. The overall length of the outer core may be in the range of 50 to 500 mm. The outer core may further include an air passage configured to allow airflow along the length of the outer core.

[0010] The brush roller may further include one or more buffer zones. Each buffer zone may include an annular cavity configured to receive and store hair. The annular cavity may be located between an inner surface of the first tube and an outer surface of the second tube. The one or more buffer zones may be located proximate to an end of the brush roller. The inner core may further include a drive coupler configured to couple to a drive pinion. The drive pinion may be attached to a cleaning head configured to house the brush roller. The inner core may be attached to the outer core.

[0011] In one embodiment, a method includes providing a cleaning system including a dirt intake opening, a brush roller, a flap, one or more buffer zones, and a duct opening. Debris is received at the dirt intake opening, the dirt including hair. The hair is moved into a buffer zone of the one or more buffer zones. The buffer zone may be located proximate an end of the brush roller. In response to the end of the brush roller being positioned proximate the duct opening, the hair may be sucked from the buffer zone.

[0012] The features and advantages described herein are not exhaustive, and many additional features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, especially in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that the language used herein has been selected primarily for ease of reading and educational purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or limit the subject matter of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of an automatic vacuum cleaner according to one exemplary embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates a spatial arrangement of components of an automatic vacuum cleaner according to one exemplary embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a sensor system for an automatic vacuum cleaner according to one exemplary embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates a dirt capture area of ​​a cleaning system according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the cleaning head of FIG. 4 according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the brush roller of FIG. 4 according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 illustrates an inner core of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross section of the inner core of FIG. 6 according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the inner core of FIG. 6 according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] 10A-10C illustrate contact between a locating notch and a side plate according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a side view of a brush roller including a positioning notch according to one embodiment. [Figure 14]FIG. 2 is a side view of a brush roller from the side including a drive coupler according to one embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a front view of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a top view of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 17] 10A-10C illustrate flaps of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 illustrates the direction of dirt flow during rotation of the brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 19] 10A-10C illustrate flaps of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a brush roller coupled to a cleaning head according to one embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 illustrates a buffer zone in cross section of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 illustrates the direction in which fibrous debris may move toward the buffer zone, according to one embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 illustrates a buffer zone of a brush roller according to one embodiment. [Figure 24] 1A-1C illustrate unlocked and removed configurations of a brush roller according to some embodiments. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 illustrates a brush roller positioned to remove fibrous debris from a buffer zone, according to one embodiment. [Figure 26] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a brush roller configured to remove debris (e.g., hair) from a buffer zone, according to one embodiment. [Figure 27] FIG. 1 illustrates a process for cleaning fibrous debris from an environment according to one embodiment. [Figure 28] FIG. 1 illustrates a wedge in a cleaning system according to one embodiment. [Figure 29] FIG. 1 illustrates a wedge according to one embodiment. [Figure 30] 10A-10C illustrate the movement of debris in contact with a wedge-shaped leading edge according to one embodiment. [Figure 31] 10 illustrates the accumulation of debris adjacent to a skirted leading edge according to one embodiment. FIG. [Figure 32] FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a wedge according to one embodiment. [Figure 33] FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment wedge. [Figure 34] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a wedge according to one embodiment. [Figure 35A] FIG. 1 illustrates a side brush of a cleaning system according to one embodiment. [Figure 35B] FIG. 1 illustrates a side brush of a cleaning system according to one embodiment. [Figure 36A] FIG. 10 shows a side brush coupled to an interior surface of a cleaning head according to one embodiment. [Figure 36B] FIG. 10 shows a side brush coupled to an interior surface of a cleaning head according to one embodiment. [Figure 37A] FIG. 10 illustrates angled teeth configured to contact a side brush according to one embodiment. [Figure 37B] FIG. 10 illustrates angled teeth configured to contact a side brush according to one embodiment. [Figure 38A] FIG. 10 illustrates a cleaning head configured to implement side brush homing techniques via ratchet teeth according to one embodiment. [Figure 38B] FIG. 10 illustrates a cleaning head configured to implement side brush homing techniques via ratchet teeth according to one embodiment. [Figure 39] FIG. 38C is an isometric view of the cleaning head of FIGS. 38A and 38B according to one embodiment. [Figure 40] FIG. 10 illustrates a motor clamp with ratchet teeth used in implementing a side brush homing technique according to one embodiment. [Figure 41] FIG. 10 illustrates a drive pinion used in implementing a side brush homing technique according to one embodiment. [Figure 42]FIG. 10 illustrates a passive coupler used in implementing a side brush homing technique according to one embodiment. [Figure 43] 10A-10C illustrate a process for operating a side brush against a wall surface according to one embodiment.

[0014] These drawings depict various embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods shown herein may be utilized without departing from the inventive principles described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The drawings (figures) and the following description, while relating to preferred embodiments, are for purposes of illustration only. It should be noted from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods disclosed herein will be readily recognized as possible alternatives that may be utilized without departing from the principles of the claims.

[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, wherever possible, like or similar reference numerals may be used in the drawings to indicate like or similar functionality. The drawings depict embodiments of the disclosed systems (or methods) for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be utilized without departing from the principles described herein.

[0017] overview The cleaning system may include a brush roller that allows it to move toward the duct opening to collect dust and debris. The cleaning system may be or include an automatic vacuum cleaner robot. A flap of the brush roller is configured to contact debris and move the debris toward the duct opening. The brush roller is configured to unlock from contact with the inner surface of the cleaning head of the cleaning system without excessive force or user disassembly.

[0018] Furthermore, the cleaning system avoids increased friction caused by the entrapment of fibrous debris that wraps around the brush roller. In conventional cleaning systems with brush rollers, fibrous debris wraps around the brush roller, causing increased friction at one or more contact points between the rotating brush roller and the stationary surface of the cleaning system. In particular, fibrous debris becomes entangled in the rotating position of the brush roller, thereby increasing the likelihood that the brush roller will fall off or become jammed. The cleaning head can include one or more guards configured to prevent fibrous debris from contacting the stationary surface of the cleaning system, thereby preventing increased friction at one or more contact points with the stationary surface. Furthermore, the brush roller can also include one or more buffer zones configured to receive and store fibrous debris prevented by the guards from contacting the stationary surface of the cleaning system.

[0019] Additionally, the cleaning head and brush roller enable removal of fibrous debris. For example, the cleaning head and brush roller are configured to allow fibrous debris to be sucked from the one or more buffer zones into a dirt collection duct opening. The brush roller can be unlocked from the cleaning position to allow the fibrous debris in the one or more buffer zones to be exposed to suction airflow into the dirt removal duct opening (e.g., into a dirt storage compartment of the cleaning system).

[0020] The wedge of the cleaning system allows debris to be directed by the brush roller into the duct opening (e.g., rather than accumulating in the space within the cleaning head that contacts the surface being cleaned). The wedge seals the cleaning head's dirt-capturing cavity (e.g., the space where the brush roller operates to move debris into the duct opening) from the surface being cleaned. The wedge has a sharp leading edge, where the leading edge is the front-most part of the cleaning system that contacts the surface being cleaned. Conventional cleaning systems can have improperly angled leading edges that tend to dig into carpets or pass over debris from the surface rather than allowing it to enter the duct opening of the cleaning head. Furthermore, conventional cleaning systems can have wedges that cause debris to accumulate and be dragged across surfaces as the cleaning system moves through the environment. To move this accumulated debris, conventional cleaning systems can add even greater airflow and brush roller rotational speed, both of which create significant noise, consume excessive power, and require expensive motor systems. The wedge is shaped like a plow to prevent this debris buildup. Additionally, the wedge includes a strip of compliant material (eg, fine bristles, sponge strips, elastomeric structures, etc.) that reduces the likelihood of damage from rough floor textures (eg, carpet or pebbles).

[0021] The cleaning system may include side brushes for cleaning vertical surfaces (e.g., walls) as the cleaning system moves through an environment. The cleaning system may perform a homing process to stop rotation of the side brushes and retract the side brushes. Additionally, the cleaning system may perform a wall-following process to control the distance between the side brushes and the vertical surface. For example, the cleaning system may use a laser-based sensor to determine a first distance from the vertical surface. In response to determining that the first distance is within a threshold distance range corresponding to the side brush's proximity to the vertical surface, the cleaning system may use a torque measure associated with the side brush to determine a second distance from the side brush to the vertical surface, where the second distance is less than the first distance. In this manner, the cleaning system's wall-following process involves multiple granular distance measurements, and the second distance measurement may improve the measurement of how closely the cleaning system follows the vertical surface (e.g., compared to using a laser-based sensor without torque measurements).

[0022] System Architecture Drawing (FIG.) 1 is a block diagram of an automatic vacuum cleaner 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 in this example may include a chassis 110, a connection assembly 130, and a cleaning head 140. These components of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 enable the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 to clean intelligently as the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 traverses areas in an environment.

[0023] In overview, the chassis 110 is a rigid body that serves as the base frame of the automatic vacuum cleaner. The chassis 110 includes multiple powered wheels for driving the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The chassis 110 hosts a suite of other components for steering the automatic vacuum cleaner 100, communicating with external devices, and providing notifications, among other operations. The connection assembly 130 serves as the connection point between the cleaning head 140 and the chassis 110. The connection assembly 130 includes at least multiple channels used to transfer solvent, water, waste, or some combination thereof between the cleaning head 140 and the chassis 110. The connection assembly 130 also includes an actuator assembly 138 that controls the movement of the cleaning head 140. The cleaning head 140 may include one or more brush rollers used to perform the cleaning operation. In some embodiments, the architecture of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 includes more components for automatic cleaning. Some examples include wiping rollers, a solvent spray system, a waste container, and multiple solvent containers for different types of cleaning solvents. The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may accommodate a variety of cleaning functions, such as, for example, vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, wiping, and / or deep cleaning.

[0024] The chassis 110 is a rigid base frame for the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. In one or more embodiments, the chassis 110 may include at least a waste bag 112, a solvent tank 114, a water tank 116, a sensor system 118, a vacuum pump 120, a display 122, a controller 124, and a battery 126. In other embodiments, the chassis 110 may include additional components relative to those listed herein, fewer components than those listed herein, or different components than those listed herein. For example, one embodiment of the chassis 110 omits the display 122. Another embodiment includes an additional output device, such as a speaker. In yet another embodiment, the solvent tank 114 and the water tank 116 may be combined into a single tank.

[0025] The waste bag 112 collects waste accumulated from performing the cleaning routine. The waste bag 112 may be configured to collect solid and / or liquid waste. In one or more embodiments, there may be two separate waste bags 112, one for solid waste and one for liquid waste. The waste bag 112 may be removably secured within the chassis 110. When the waste bag 112 is full, the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may alert the user to empty the waste bag 112 and / or to replace the waste bag 112. In other embodiments, the waste bag 112 may be left within the chassis 110 when emptied. In such embodiments, the chassis 110 may further comprise a drain channel connected to the waste bag 112 for draining collected waste. The waste bag 112 may further comprise an absorbent material to absorb liquid, for example, to prevent liquid from splashing out of the bag during operation of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100.

[0026] The solvent tank 114 contains a solvent used for cleaning. The solvent tank 114 may include at least a chamber and one or more valves for dispensing from the chamber. A solvent is a chemical formulation used for cleaning. Examples of solvents include dish detergent, soap, bleach, other organic and / or inorganic solvents, etc. In some embodiments, the solvent tank 114 contains a dry solvent that is mixed with water from the water tank 116 to form a cleaning solution. The solvent tank may be removable so that a user can refill the solvent tank 114 when it is empty.

[0027] The water tank 116 stores water used for cleaning. The water tank 116 may include at least a chamber and one or more valves for dispensing water from the chamber. The water tank 116 may also be removable so that a user can refill the water tank 116 when it is empty. In one or more embodiments, the water tank 116 may include a valve located at the bottom of the water tank 116 when the water tank 116 is secured within the chassis 110. The weight of the water applies a downward force through gravity, a spring mechanism, or some combination thereof, keeping the valve closed. To open the valve, some protrusion on the chassis 110 applies a counteracting upward force that opens the valve, for example, by pushing the valve toward the interior of the chamber and exposing an outlet to allow water to escape from the water tank 116.

[0028] The sensor system 118 comprises a suite of sensors for guiding operation of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The sensor system 118 uses sensor data to map the environment and determine and execute cleaning tasks to address various soils. The sensor system 118 is further illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0029] The vacuum pump 120 generates a vacuum force that aids in the uptake of waste material by the cleaning head 140. In one or more embodiments, to generate the vacuum force, the vacuum pump 120 may include one or more fans that rotate to rapidly move air. The vacuum force flows through the waste bag 112, through the connection assembly 130, and to the cleaning head 140.

[0030] The display 122 is an electronic display capable of presenting visual content. The display 122 may be positioned on an upper side of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The display may be configured to notify the user regarding the operation of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. For example, the notification may describe an action being performed by the automatic vacuum cleaner 100, an error message, a service request, or the status of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The display 122 may be an output device that drives (e.g., provides a display for) the presentation of visual information and / or includes a driver and / or a screen for presenting visual information. The display 122 may include a user interface that allows a user to interact with and control the automatic vacuum cleaner. In some embodiments, the display may additionally or alternatively include physical interface buttons along with a touch-sensitive interface. The display 122 may receive data from the sensor system 118 and display the data. The data may include a view (actual or virtual) of the physical environment, a representation of the path of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 through the environment, obstacles in the environment, and soils encountered in the environment. The data may also include alerts, analytics, and statistics about the cleaning performance of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 and the dirt and obstacles detected in the environment.

[0031] The controller 124 is a general computing device that controls the operation of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. As a general computing device, the controller 124 includes one or more processors and a computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions executable by the processors. Operations of the controller 124 include steering the automatic vacuum cleaner 100, simultaneously locating and mapping the automatic vacuum cleaner 100, controlling the operation of the cleaning head 140, generating notifications to provide to the user via one or more output devices (e.g., the display 122, a speaker, or notifications transmittable to the user's client device), performing operational quality checks on various components of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100, controlling docking of the docking station 190, etc.

[0032] The controller 124 may control the movement of the automatic vacuum cleaner. In various embodiments, the controller 124 also monitors and manages environment mapping, sensors, detection of items and users in the environment, task listing and assignment, steering, surface detection, user interface, and other logic related to the operation of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The controller 124 connects to one or more motors connected to one or more wheels that may be used to move the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 based on sensor data captured by the sensor system 118 (e.g., indicating the location of soils to target). The controller 124 may cause the motors to rotate the wheels back and forth or turn to move the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 through the environment. Based on surface type detection by the sensor system 118, the controller 124 may modify or alter the steering of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100.

[0033] The controller 124 of the actuator assembly 138 may also control the cleaning operations, which may include rotating the brush roller, positioning or orienting the cleaning head 140 via the actuator assembly 138, controlling the dispensing of solvent, operating the vacuum pump 120, monitoring the sensor system 118, and any combination of other functions of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100.

[0034] In controlling the rotation of the brush roller, the controller 124 may be connected to one or more motors (e.g., sweeping motor 146, wiping motor 150, and side brush motor 156) positioned at the end of the brush roller. The end of the brush roller may also refer to the base of the brush roller, which has a cylindrical shape. The controller 124 may switch the rotation of the brush roller between rotating back and forth with the motor or not rotating at all. In some embodiments, the brush roller may be connected to the housing of the cleaning head 140 via a rotating assembly that includes one or more direct drive assemblies, geared assemblies, or belt-based drive assemblies that connect to the motors and control the rotation of the brush roller. The controller 124 rotates the brush roller based on instructions needed to clean dirt or move components of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100.

[0035] In some embodiments, the sensor system 118 determines the amount of pressure needed to clean the stain (e.g., more pressure for a stain than for a spill), and the controller 124 varies the rotation of the brush roller to match the determined pressure. In some examples, the controller 124 may be coupled to a load cell at each brush roller that is used to detect the pressure being applied by the brush roller. In another example, the sensor system 118 may be able to determine the amount of current needed to rotate each brush roller at a set revolutions per minute (RPM), which may be used to determine the pressure being applied by the brush roller. The sensor system 118 may also determine whether the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 is able to achieve the desired movement (e.g., if the brush roller is clogged) and, if not, adjust its rotation via the controller 124. Thus, the sensor system 118 may optimize the load being applied by each brush roller in a feedback control loop to improve cleaning effectiveness and maneuverability within the environment. The controller 124 may also control the distribution of the solvent during the cleaning operation by controlling the on / off combinations of the sprayer 152, the liquid channel 134, the solvent tank 114, the water tank 116, and the vacuum pump 120.

[0036] The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 is powered by an internal battery 126. The battery 126 stores and provides power for the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. In some embodiments, the battery 126 consists of multiple smaller batteries that charge specific components of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The battery 126 may implement a battery optimization scheme to efficiently distribute power among the various components. The battery 126 may be rechargeable and may be charged when the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 is docked in the docking station 190.

[0037] The docking station 190 may be connected to an external power source to provide power to the battery 126. The external power source may include a household power source and one or more solar panels. The docking station 190 may also include processing, memory, and communication components that may be used to communicate with the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 and / or a cloud computing infrastructure (e.g., via wired or wireless communication). These computing components may be used for firmware updates and / or maintenance status communication. The docking station 190 may also include other components, such as a cleaning station for the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. In some embodiments, the cleaning station includes a solvent tray into which the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 sprays solvent and rolls the roller 144 or side brush roller 154 to clean. In other embodiments, the automatic vacuum cleaner may discharge the waste bag 112 into a container located on the docking station 190 for removal by a user.

[0038] The connection assembly 130 is a rigid body that connects the cleaning head 140 to the chassis 110. A four-bar linkage may couple the cleaning head 140 to the connection assembly 130. In some embodiments, the connection assembly 130 comprises a dry channel 132, one or more liquid channels 134, one or more pressure sensors 136, and an actuator assembly 138. Channels generally refer to either dry channels or liquid channels. The connection assembly 130 may include additional components to those listed herein, may include fewer components than those listed herein, or may include different components than those listed herein. For example, one or more sensors of the sensor system 118 may be disposed on the connection assembly 130.

[0039] The dry channel 132 is a conduit that transports dry waste from the cleaning head 140 to the waste bag 112. The dry channel 132 is fairly large in diameter to allow most household waste to travel through it.

[0040] One or more liquid channels 134 are conduits that transport liquid between the cleaning head 140 and the chassis 110. There is at least one liquid channel 134 (liquid waste channel) that transports liquid waste from the cleaning head 140 to the waste bag 112. In some embodiments, the liquid channel 134 that transports liquid waste may be smaller in diameter than the dry channel 132. In such embodiments, the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 sweeps (collects dry waste) before wiping (collecting liquid waste). There is at least one other liquid channel 134 (liquid solution channel) that transports water, solvent, and / or cleaning solution (a combination of water and solvent) from the chassis 110 to the cleaning head 140 for application to the cleaning environment.

[0041] One or more pressure sensors 136 measure the pressure within one or more of these channels. The pressure sensors 136 may be positioned at various locations along the connection assembly 130. The pressure sensors 136 provide the pressure measurements to the controller 124 for processing.

[0042] The actuator assembly 138 controls the movement and position of the cleaning head 140 relative to the chassis 110. The actuator assembly 138 comprises one or more actuators configured to generate linear and / or rotational movement of the cleaning head 140. Linear movement may include the vertical height of the cleaning head 140. Rotational movement may include tilting the cleaning head 140 to various angles, for example, to switch between sweeping and mopping modes, or to adjust cleaning by the cleaning head 140 based on detected feedback signals. The actuator assembly 138 may include a series of joints that help impart movement to the cleaning head 140.

[0043] The actuator assembly 138 includes one or more actuators (hereinafter simply referred to as actuators) and one or more controllers and / or processors (hereinafter simply referred to as controllers) that cooperate with the sensor system 118 to control the movement of the cleaning head 140. The sensor system 118 collects sensor data and uses the sensor data to determine the optimal height of the cleaning head 140 for a given surface type, surface height, and soil type.

[0044] Soil types are forms of dirt (or waste) in an environment. Examples of dirt (or waste) include mud, garbage, dust, smudges, stains, and spills. They also include the type of stage the dirt manifests in, such as liquid, solid, semi-solid, or a combination of liquid and solid. Some examples of waste include pieces of paper, popcorn, leaves, and particulate dust. Dirt typically has a relatively small size / shape factor compared to obstacles in the environment. For example, spilled dry cereal may be a stain, but the bowl it was in is an obstacle. Spilled liquid may be a stain, but the glass it was in may be an obstacle. However, if the glass breaks into small pieces, those pieces of glass are dirt rather than an obstacle. Furthermore, if the sensor system 118 determines that the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 cannot properly clean the glass, the glass may again be considered an obstacle, and the sensor system 118 may send a notification to the user indicating that there is a stain that needs to be cleaned by the user. In some embodiments, dirt may be defined visually, e.g., by a visual characteristic. In other embodiments, dirt may be defined by particle size or configuration. When defined by size, dirt and obstacles may coincide in some embodiments. For example, small interlocking building blocks may be the size of a dirt and the size of an obstacle.

[0045] The actuator assembly 138 automatically adjusts the height of the cleaning head 140 for surface type, surface height, and soil type. The surface type may be the flooring used in the environment and may include surfaces of various characteristics (e.g., surface texture, material, absorbency), such as carpet, wood, tile, rug, laminate, marble, and vinyl. In particular, the actuator controls the vertical movement and rotational tilt of the cleaning head 140. The actuator may actuate the cleaning head 140 vertically based on commands from the sensor system 118. For example, the actuator may adjust the cleaning head 140 to a higher height if the sensor system 118 detects a thick carpet in the environment, or may adjust the cleaning head 140 to a lower height if the sensor system 118 detects a thin carpet. Additionally, the actuator may adjust the cleaning head 140 to a higher height for solid waste spills than for liquid waste spills.

[0046] The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may detect obstacles and / or the height of the obstacle, and if the height of the obstacle or obstacle exceeds a threshold size, the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may use the collected visual data to determine whether to climb over or go around the obstacle or obstacle by adjusting the height of the cleaning head 140 using the actuator assembly 138. In some embodiments, the actuator may set the height of the cleaning head 140 to push larger debris out of the path of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. For example, if the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 is obstructed by a pile of books, the sensor system 118 may detect the obstacle (i.e., the pile of books), and the actuator may move the cleaning head 105 to the height of the lowest books, and the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may move the books aside and continue cleaning the area.

[0047] The cleaning head 140 performs a cleaning action to clean an environment. The cleaning head 140 is a rigid body that defines a cleaning cavity 142 in which a sweeping roller 144 and a wiping roller 148 are disposed. The cleaning head 140 further includes a sweeping motor 146, a wiping motor 150, a sprayer 152, a side brush roller 154, and a side brush motor 156. The cleaning head 140 is sometimes referred to as a "roller housing." The sweeping roller 144, the wiping roller 148, and the side brush roller 154 are collectively referred to as "brush rollers." Similarly, the "brush motor" includes the sweeping motor 146, the wiping motor 150, and the side brush motor 156. In some embodiments, each brush roller may be constructed of different materials and operate at different times and / or speeds depending on the cleaning task being performed by the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The cleaning head 140 may include additional components to those listed herein, may include fewer components than those listed herein, or may include different components than those listed herein.

[0048] The sweeping roller 144 sweeps dry waste into the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The sweeping roller 144 generally comprises one or more brushes attached to a cylindrical core. The sweeping roller 144 rotates to collect and sweep dirt. The sweeping roller 144 may be used to handle large particulate dirt, such as food spills or small items like plastic bottle caps. When the sweeping roller 144 is activated by the sweeping motor 146, the brushes cooperate to sweep the dry waste toward the drying inlet connected to the drying channel 132. The brushes may be constructed of a compliant material for sweeping mostly dry waste. In some embodiments, the sweeping roller 144 may be constructed of multiple materials for collecting various waste, such as synthetic bristle material, microfiber, wool, or felt.

[0049] The wiping roller 148 wipes the cleaning environment and captures liquid waste within the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The wiping roller 148 generally comprises fabric bristles attached to a cylindrical core. With the aid of a cleaning solution, the fabric bristles act to scrub away dirt, grease, or other contaminants that may be caked on to the cleaning surface. A wiping motor 150 provides rotational force to the wiping roller 148. In some embodiments, the wiping roller 148 may be constructed of multiple materials to collect various waste materials, such as synthetic bristle material, microfiber, wool, or felt.

[0050] In normal sweeping mode, as air flows from the drying channel 132 and the drying inlet toward the vacuum pump 120, the sweeping roller 144 rotates, moving dry waste from the cleaning environment toward the inlet and forcing the dry waste into the waste bag 112. In normal wiping mode, the cleaning head 140 sprays a cleaning solution (water, solvent, or water-solvent mixture) into the cleaning environment or onto the wiping roller 148 itself. The wiping roller 148 contacts the sprayed surface and scrubs the surface with fabric bristles. The vacuum force draws or captures liquid waste, forcing it into the waste bag 112.

[0051] The side brush rollers 154 sweep away debris near the sides of the cleaning head 140. The side brush rollers 154 may rotate along an axis that is perpendicular or perpendicular to the ground. The side brushes are controlled by a side brush motor 156. The side brush rollers 154 may be in the form of a disk or radial bristles that can push debris into the path of the sweeping roller 144. In some embodiments, the side brush rollers 154 are constructed of a different material than the sweeping roller 144 to handle different types of waste and dirt. The side brush rollers 154 may also be retracted to minimize the profile of the cleaning head 140 when the side brush rollers 154 are not in use.

[0052] The sprayer 152 sprays liquid into the cleaning environment. The sprayer 152 is connected to a liquid solution channel 134 that is connected to the solvent tank 114 and / or water tank 116. A pump on the chassis 110 can dispense the solvent and / or water from the solvent tank 114 and / or water tank 116. The liquid travels to the sprayer 152, which has a nozzle that sprays the liquid into the cleaning environment. The sprayer 152 may include multiple nozzles, for example, two located on either side of the cleaning head 140.

[0053] As the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 cleans using the sweeping roller 144 and side brush roller 154, the cleaning head 140 takes in waste 170 and sends it to the waste bag 112. The waste bag 112 collects the waste 170, filters the waste 170 from the air, and sends the filtered air 175 out of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 through the vacuum pump 120 as exhaust air 180. The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may also use a solvent 160 in combination with pressure from the cleaning head 140 to clean various surface types. The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may also dispense solvent 160 from the solvent tank 114 onto an area to remove soiling, such as dust, stains, and solid waste, and / or to clean liquid waste. The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 may also dispense solvent 160 into a separate solvent tray, which may be part of a charging station (e.g., docking station 190), to clean the rollers 144 and side brush roller 154.

[0054] In other embodiments, any of the components of the automatic vacuum cleaner may be distributed differently among the chassis 110, the connection assembly 130, and the cleaning head 140.

[0055] 2 shows the spatial arrangement of components of an automatic vacuum cleaner 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. The automatic vacuum cleaner 100 includes a cleaning head 140 (described above in connection with FIG. 1) at a front portion 200 and a chassis 110 at a rear portion 205. The cleaning head 140 may be connected to the chassis 110 via a connection assembly 130 (e.g., a four-bar linkage system). The connection assembly 130 may be connected to one or more actuators of an actuator assembly 138 such that the actuators can control movement of the cleaning head 140 via the four-bar linkage.

[0056] The chassis 110 includes a frame, a plurality of wheels 210, a cover 220, an opening flap 230, and a display 122. The cover 220 is a sealed hollow structure that covers a container inside the base that contains solvent and waste (e.g., in a waste bag 112). The opening flap 230 can be opened and closed by a user to access the container (e.g., to add solvent, remove the waste bag 112, or install a new waste bag 112). The cover may also house some of the sensors and actuator assembly 138 of the sensor system 118, which may be configured on the front of the cover 220 for connection to the cleaning head 140. The display 122 is embedded in the cover 220 of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 and may include physical interface buttons and a touch-sensitive interface.

[0057] 3 is a block diagram of the sensor system 118 of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. The sensor system 118 may receive sensor data (e.g., ambient or environmental sensor data) from one or more cameras (video / visual), microphones 330 (audio), lidar sensors, infrared (IR) sensors, and / or inertial sensors that capture inertial data about the environment for cleaning. The sensor system 118 uses the sensor data to map the environment and determine and execute cleaning tasks to address various soils. The controller 124 manages the operation of the sensor system 118 and its various components. The controller 124 may communicate with one or more client devices 310 via the network 300 to transmit sensor data, alert the user to soiling, or receive cleaning tasks to add to a task list.

[0058] Network 300 may include any combination of local and / or wide area networks using wired and / or wireless communication systems. In one embodiment, network 300 uses standard communication technologies and / or protocols. For example, network 300 includes communication links using technologies such as Ethernet, 802.11 (WiFi), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), 3G, 4G, 5G, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), Universal Serial Bus (USB), or any combination of protocols. In some embodiments, all or a portion of the communication links of network 300 may be encrypted using any suitable technology or technologies.

[0059] The client devices 310 are computing devices capable of accepting user input and transmitting and / or receiving data over the network 300. While only two client devices 310 (i.e., 310A and 310B) are shown in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, more or fewer client devices 310 may be connected to the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. In one embodiment, the client devices 310 are conventional computer systems, such as desktop or laptop computers. Alternatively, the client devices 310 may be devices with computing capabilities, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, or other suitable devices. The client devices 310 are configured to communicate over the network 300. In one embodiment, the client devices 310 run applications that enable a user of the client devices 310 to interact with the sensor system 118 to view sensor data, receive alerts, set cleaning settings, and add cleaning tasks to a list of tasks to be completed by the automatic vacuum cleaner 100, among other interactions. For example, client device 310 executes a browser application using an application program interface (API) that enables interaction between client device 310 and automatic vacuum cleaner 100 over network 300. In another embodiment, client device 310 interacts with automatic vacuum cleaner 100 through an application running on a native operating system of client device 310, such as iOS® or ANDROID™.

[0060] In some embodiments, the sensor system 118 includes a camera system 320 , a microphone 330 , an inertial measurement device (IMU) 340 , a glass detection sensor 345 , a lidar sensor 350 , and lighting 355 .

[0061] Camera system 320 comprises one or more cameras that capture visual data about the environment (e.g., in the form of images and / or video signals). In some embodiments, camera system 320 includes an IMU (separate from IMU 340 of sensor system 118) that cooperates with the cameras to capture visual inertial data. The visual data captured by camera system 320 may be used for image processing.

[0062] The microphone 330 captures audio data by converting sound into electrical signals that can be stored or processed by other components of the sensor system 118. The audio data may be processed to identify voice commands for controlling functions of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. In one embodiment, the sensor system 118 uses multiple microphones 330, such as an array of microphones.

[0063] The IMU 340 captures inertial data representative of the forces, angular velocity, and attitude of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100. The IMU 340 may include one or more accelerometers, gyroscopes, and / or magnetometers. In some embodiments, the sensor system 118 utilizes multiple IMUs 340 to capture a set of inertial data that can be combined to determine a more precise measurement of the position of the automatic vacuum cleaner 100 within an environment.

[0064] Glass detection sensor 345 detects glass in the environment. Glass may be a transparent material that may be tinted, framed, laminated, etc., and may also be part of furniture, floorboards, or other objects in the environment (e.g., cups, mirrors, candlesticks, etc.). Glass detection sensor 345 may be an infrared sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor. In some embodiments, glass detection sensor 345 is coupled to camera system 320 to remove glare from the visual data when glass is detected. For example, camera system 320 may have an integrated polarizing filter that can be applied to the camera of camera system 320 to remove glare. In some embodiments, the glass sensor is a combination of an IR sensor and a neural network that determines whether an obstacle in the environment is transparent (e.g., glass) or opaque.

[0065] The lidar sensor 350 emits pulses of light into the environment and detects reflections of the pulsed light by objects (e.g., obstacles or obstructions) in the environment. The lidar data captured by the lidar sensor 350 may be used to determine a 3D representation of the environment.

[0066] Lights 355 are one or more lighting sources that may be used by automatic vacuum cleaner 100 to illuminate the area around automatic vacuum cleaner 100. In some embodiments, the lights may be LEDs having a fixed color, such as white or green, or a variable color (such as green when moving, red when stopped, and yellow to indicate slowdown).

[0067] Figure 4 shows the dirt capture area of ​​a cleaning system according to one embodiment. The cleaning system may include an automatic vacuum cleaner. The cleaning system includes a cleaning head 400, a brush roller 410, and a wedge 420. The brush roller 410 is described in more detail with reference to Figures 6-27. In particular, the general structure of the brush roller 410 is described with reference to Figures 6-19, and the hair removal structure of the brush roller 410 and the process for removing hair from the brush roller are described with reference to Figures 20-27. The wedge 420 is described in more detail with reference to Figures 28-34. Although not shown, the cleaning head 400 may include side brushes, which are described in more detail with reference to Figures 35 and 43.

[0068] The cleaning head 400 travels along the ground plane 440 in a cleaning direction 470 and encounters debris 450 from the environment. The debris 450 enters the cleaning head 400 at an intake opening 460 near the brush roller 410. The intake opening 460 has an above-floor clearance 470 corresponding to the maximum height that the debris 450 can fit through to enter the cleaning head 400. The outer diameter (e.g., measured at the tip of the flap) and inner core diameter (e.g., measured at the outer radius of the body of the inner core) of the brush roller 410 may correspond to the maximum vertical gap that the debris 450 (e.g., solid, non-malleable debris) can fit through to enter the cleaning head 400. The debris is moved by the rotating brush roller 410 and transported along a path 430 to a debris container within the cleaning system. This container is not shown in FIG. 4 , but this container may be a component of the cleaning system described herein.

[0069] The cleaning head 400 may be coupled to a brush roller 410 that allows debris 450 to move through the channel 430. A flap on the brush roller 410 is configured to move debris 450 toward the opening of the channel 430. The brush roller 410 is configured to be unlocked from the cleaning position without excessive force or disassembly by the user. The brush roller 410 is in the cleaning position when it is locked at two or more contact points between the brush roller and the interior surface of the cleaning head. For example, Figures 4 and 5 show the brush roller 410 in the cleaning position.

[0070] Furthermore, the cleaning system avoids increased friction caused by the entrapment of fibrous debris that wraps around the brush roller 410. In conventional cleaning systems with brush rollers, fibrous debris wraps around the brush roller, causing increased friction at one or more contact points between the rotating brush roller and the stationary surface of the cleaning system. In particular, fibrous debris becomes entangled in the rotating position of the brush roller 410, thereby increasing the likelihood that the brush roller 410 will become dislodged or jammed. The cleaning head 400 includes one or more guards configured to prevent fibrous debris from contacting the stationary surface of the cleaning system, thereby preventing increased friction at one or more contact points with the stationary surface. The guards may also be referred to herein as "hair guards" or "fiber guards." Furthermore, the brush roller 410 may include one or more buffer zones configured to receive and store fibrous debris prevented by the guards from contacting the stationary surface of the cleaning system.

[0071] Additionally, the cleaning head 400 and brush roller 410 enable the removal of fibrous debris. For example, the cleaning head 400 and brush roller 410 are configured to allow fibrous debris to be sucked from one or more buffer zones into the channel 430. The brush roller 410 can be unlocked from the cleaning position to allow the fibrous debris from the one or more buffer zones to be exposed to the channel 430 for debris removal (e.g., to a dirt storage compartment of the cleaning system).

[0072] The wedge 420 of the cleaning head allows debris to be directed by the brush roller 410 into the duct opening (e.g., rather than accumulating in the space within the cleaning head 400 that contacts the surface being cleaned). The wedge 420 seals the debris capture cavity of the cleaning head 400 (e.g., the space where the brush roller 410 operates to move debris into the duct opening) from the surface being cleaned. The wedge 420 has a sharp leading edge, where the leading edge is the front-most part of the cleaning system that contacts the surface being cleaned. Conventional cleaning systems can have improperly angled leading edges that tend to dig into carpets or pass over debris rather than allowing it to enter the duct opening of the cleaning head from the surface. Furthermore, conventional cleaning systems can have wedges that cause debris to accumulate and be dragged across surfaces as the cleaning system moves through the environment. To move this accumulated debris, conventional cleaning systems can apply higher airflow and brush roller rotational speeds, both of which create more noise, consume excessive power, and require expensive motor systems. Wedge 420 is shaped like a plow to avoid this debris buildup, and further includes a strip of compliant material (e.g., fine bristles, a sponge strip, an elastomeric structure, etc.) that reduces the likelihood of damage from rough floor textures (e.g., carpet or pebbles).

[0073] Figure 5 is an isometric view of the cleaning head 400 of Figure 4 according to one embodiment. The top portion of the cleaning head 400 is shown in an elevated position, clearly showing the brush roller 410 and the duct opening 500 where the path 430 begins. When the cleaning head 400 is in operation (i.e., when the suction motor of the cleaning system is running and the cleaning head is picking up debris), the top portion of the cleaning head 400 may be closed to allow debris to enter the duct opening 500. The brush roller 410 is shown in Figure 5 in a cleaning position where the brush roller 410 is locked within the cleaning head 400. For example, the two bases of the cylindrical brush roller 410 may contact opposing inner surfaces of the cleaning head 400. The two bases may be locked to the inner surface of the brush roller 410 with magnetic assistance, mechanical assistance, spring force assistance, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0074] 6 is an isometric view of the brush roller 410 of FIG. 4 according to one embodiment. The brush roller 410 includes an inner core 600, an outer core 610, and flaps 620. The inner core 600 and the outer core 610 may both be cylindrical. For example, the inner core 600 and the outer core 610 may comprise respective tubes. The inner core 600 may be concentric with and located within the outer core 610.

[0075] The surface of the outer core 610 includes a length, a first end, and a second end. The flap 620 can include a first length and a second length. The first length is along the outer surface of the outer core 610. For example, the flap 610 can be joined at a first edge (e.g., a leading edge) to the first end of the surface of the outer core 610, and the flap's second edge (e.g., a trailing edge) can be joined approximately in the center of the surface of the outer core 610. Furthermore, the second edge of one flap 620 can overlap the second edge of another flap 620 in a central region of the outer surface of the outer core 610. Furthermore, each flap 620 can be positioned such that the first edge of that flap 610 is offset from the second edge of that flap 620, and this offset can create a wavy pattern. The second length of each flap is opposite the first length and extends outward such that the second length of the flap 620 may approach the surface during operation of the brush roller 410. The flaps 620 may be a unitary part extending from the surface of the outer core 610. Alternatively, or in addition, the flaps 620 may be a second part securely coupled (e.g., glued or cast) to the outer surface of the outer core. The second length of the flaps 620 on the brush roller 410 may direct debris toward the duct opening 500 when the cleaning system is in an operational state to clean an environment.

[0076] FIG. 7 illustrates the inner core 600 of the brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. The inner core 600 includes a body 700 and has a first end and a second end. The body 700 of the inner core 600 is cylindrical. In some embodiments, the body 700 can be insertable within the outer body 620, securing the inner core 600 to the outer core 610. The first end of the inner core 600 can include a tip 710. The second end of the inner core 600 can include a drive coupler 720. The body 700 can have a larger radius than the tip 710. The tip 710 can be a spring-loaded, freely rotating tip configured to fit at least partially within the body 700. The drive coupler 720 can be an extension of the body 700 (e.g., manufactured as a single component) or can be an attachment to the body 700. Tip 710 may be referred to interchangeably as the "end tip."

[0077] The first and second ends of the inner core 600 may mate with respective structures on the cleaning head 400. For example, a tip 710 on the first end of the inner core 600 may mate with a recess on the inner surface of the cleaning head 400. A user can couple and / or detach the tip 710 to the cleaning head 400. This coupling is further described with reference to FIG. 10 . Furthermore, a drive coupler 720 on the second end of the inner core 600 may mate with a drive pinion on the cleaning head 400. A user can couple and / or detach the drive coupler 720 to the drive pinion. This coupling is further described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 24 .

[0078] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross section of the inner core 600 of FIG. 6 according to one embodiment. The inner core 600 is configured to at least partially house a pin 800, a ball bearing 810, a spring 820, and a locking mechanism 830. The pin 800, ball bearing 810, spring 820, and tip 710 may be coaxial with the body 700 along a central axis 860. The ball bearing 810, spring 820, and locking mechanism 830 may be completely housed within the inner core 600. A first end of the pin 800 is coupled to the tip 710 and configured to contact the ball bearing 810. The pin 800 may be cylindrical in shape. The locking mechanism 830 may be attached toward a generally central region of the pin 800. The inner surface of the inner core 600 may include a recess that allows linear movement of the pin 800 and end tip 710 within a range 870 of 0.5 millimeters (mm) to 30 millimeters. This linear motion may be parallel to the central axis of the inner core 600. When the brush roller 410 is positioned in the cleaning position, the end tip 710 may be pressed by the inner surface of the cleaning head 400 to perform linear motion in range 870, preventing the locking mechanism 830 from rubbing against the inner surface of the body 700.

[0079] The ball bearing 810 may be configured to contact the spring 820. The ball bearing 810 may be located between the spring 820 and the pin 800. In an alternative embodiment, bearing spikes may be used instead of the ball bearing 810. The ball bearing 810 may provide low-friction point contact with the pin 800. The ball bearing 810 may rotate relative to the pin 800 along with other components of the brush roller 410 (e.g., the spring 820). In some embodiments, the pin 800 and the tip 710 may move independently of one another when the brush roller 410 is rotated by a force provided by the drive pinion. For example, the drive pinion may rotate the outer core 610, the flap 620, the body 700 of the inner core 600, the spring 820 (due to contact between the spring 820 and the inner surface of the body 700), and the ball bearing 810 (due to contact between the ball bearing 810 and the spring 820). However, the force applied by the drive pinion may not be exerted through contact between the ball bearing 810 and the pin 800, allowing the pin 800 to rotate freely relative to the ball bearing 810, or the pin 800 may be stationary relative to the ball bearing 810.

[0080] The spring 820 is configured to contact the inner surface of the inner core 600 (e.g., the inner core 600 comprises a tube and the spring 820 contacts the inner surface of the tube). The spring 820 may be configured to be located near the center of the inner core 600. Further, the spring 820 may be configured to be the innermost component housed in the inner core 600. The spring 820 may be a helical wire, a molded metal or plastic component, a magnet pair, any suitable compressible element, or a combination thereof. The spring 820 may provide sufficient force to bias the spring 820 toward the outer end of the linear range 870 when the brush roller 410 is not inserted between the inner surfaces of the cleaning head 400. The spring 820 may also be sufficiently flexible to reduce the force required to insert the brush roller 410 (e.g., by a user) between the inner surfaces of the cleaning head 400.

[0081] One end of the tip 710 may include a locating notch 850, where the locating notch 850 is configured to mate with the inner surface of the cleaning head 400 and engage the tip 710 therewith. The locating notch 850 may also be a rotational locating notch (e.g., the notch 850 is configured to rotate about the central axis of the inner core 600 when the tip 710 and pin 800 are coupled to the body 700 via the locking mechanism 830). For example, the locating notch 850 may fit into a recess in the inner surface of the cleaning head 400 such that the tip 710 is fixed against the inner surface unless sufficient force is applied to pull the locating notch 850 out of contact with the inner surface. In some embodiments, the tip 710 may be fixed against the inner surface such that it cannot be displaced horizontally or vertically without sufficient force, but is free to rotate about the central axis of the inner core 600.

[0082] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the inner core 600 of FIG. 6 according to one embodiment. The tip 710 and pin 800 may be connected to form a pin-tip assembly 900. In some embodiments, the assembly process for the inner core 600 includes manufacturing a body 700 that includes a cavity into which the spring 820, ball bearing 810, and pin-tip assembly 900 are inserted. In some embodiments, the pin-tip assembly 900 may only contact the ball bearing 810 and body 700 (e.g., at the tip 710 and locking mechanism 830), and the inner surface of the cleaning head 400 when the brush roller 410 is in the cleaning position. The drive coupler 720 couples with the drive pinion of the cleaning head 400 and may allow for a misalignment of 2 to 20 degrees from the central axis 860. This misalignment may be achieved by clearance, traction, and bow, or by the compliance of the material of the drive coupler 720. This misalignment may facilitate the removal and insertion of the brush roller 410 within the intake cavity of the cleaning head 400 (i.e. the space within the cleaning head 400 where debris is entrained).

[0083] FIG. 10 illustrates the contact between the locating notch 850 and the side plate 1000 according to one embodiment. The side plate 1000 may include a recess configured to mate with the locating notch 850. This contact may be magnetic, spring-assisted, or a combination thereof. The side plate 1000 may be included in the cleaning head 400. The end tip 710 may be housed within the outer core 610. The inner surface of the outer core 610 may be recessed to allow for one or more buffer zones 1010 in the brush roller 410. The one or more buffer zones 1010 may be shaped as cylindrical rings such that the buffer zones 1010 are positioned around the pin 800 and the end tip 710. The cylindrical rings of the one or more buffer zones 1010 may be coaxial with the cylindrical shape of the pin 800 and the end tip 710. The buffer zones 1010 may be used to receive and store fibrous debris that the cleaning head 400 picks up from the environment. The process of using brush roller 410 to clean fibrous debris from the environment is further described in the description of Figures 20-27.

[0084] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. The brush roller 410 may include buffer zones 1010 at both ends. A drive coupler 720 may be located at a first end of the brush roller 410. The drive coupler 720 may contact a drive pinion, and force from the drive pinion may cause the body 700 of the brush roller 410 to rotate about the central axis of the brush roller 410. The spring 820 and ball bearing 810 may also rotate due to force from the drive pinion. The length 1100 of the end tip 710 may be in the range of 3 to 40 mm. The buffer zone 1010 adjacent to the end tip 710 may have a length equal to the length 1100. The buffer zones 1010 located at both ends of the brush roller 410 may be of different lengths.

[0085] The pin / tip assembly 900 may be stationary or free to rotate relative to the rotating components of the brush roller 410 (e.g., the drive coupler 720, the body 700, the spring 820, the ball bearings 810, the outer core 610, and the flag 620). The pin-tip assembly 900 allows for reduced rotational friction during operation of the brush roller 410. When fibrous debris wraps around the rotating brush roller 410, the debris wraps around a small portion of the diameter of the brush roller 410. The end tip 710 has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer core 610. If the end tip 710 is also rotating, the debris will likely wrap around and pinch around the end tip 710, causing increased friction. Alternatively, if the end tip 710 is rotating, the debris may clump into small balls and become lodged between the end tip 710 and the side plate. In these cases, fibrous debris may cause the brush roller to separate from the side plate, disrupting the automatic vacuum cleaner's cleaning session. However, because the end tip 710 does not rotate, the end tip 710 does not provide a driving force for the fibrous debris to clamp around the end tip 710. Thus, the stationary end tip 710 reduces friction during operation of the brush roller 410. Furthermore, the stationary end tip 710 reduces the likelihood that fibrous debris will become trapped between the end tip 710 and the side plate 1000, thereby reducing the friction caused by the fibrous debris at that point.

[0086] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of a brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. The illustrated cross section is taken at the center of the brush roller 410. The cross section shows the inner core region 1200, the outer core inner dimension 1210, the outer core outer dimension 1220, the overall brush roller outer dimension 1230, the air passage 1240, and the flap 620. The illustrated cross section of the inner core region 1200 includes cross sections of the body 700 and the spring 820. In some embodiments, the nominal rigid core diameter is 23.6 mm. The innermost surface of the outer core 610 can have the outer core inner dimension 1210, and the outermost surface of the outer core 610 can have the outer core outer dimension 1220. The radial difference between the outer core inner dimension 1210 and the outer core outer dimension 1220 can be in the range of 2 to 30 mm.

[0087] The air passages 1240 may be located in the region between the inner dimension 1210 of the outer core and the outer dimension 1220 of the outer core. While six air passages 1240 are shown, there may be more or fewer air passages 1240 in alternative embodiments. The air passages 1240 may be cavities within the body of the outer core 610, and these cavities extend along the length of the outer core 610. The radius of the brush roller 410 at the outer dimension 1220 of the outer core may be in the range of 8 to 50 mm. The flaps 620 are connected to the outer core 610 at their outer surfaces (i.e., corresponding to the outer dimension 1220 of the outer core). The length of the flaps 620 may be in the range of 5 to 35 mm. Further dimensions of the flaps 620 are described with reference to FIG. 19. The total outer dimension 1230 of the brush roller may be in the range of 13 to 85 mm.

[0088] 13 is a side view of the brush roller 410 from the side including the locating notches 850 according to one embodiment. The side view shows the inner core 600, the locating notches 850 on the surface of the end tip 710, the outer core 610, the air passages 1240 within the outer core 610, and the flaps 620.

[0089] 14 is a side view of the brush roller 410 from the side including the drive coupler 720 according to one embodiment. The side view shows the inner core 600, the drive coupler 720 on the surface of the body 700 of the inner core 600, the outer core 610, the air passages 1240 within the outer core 610, and the flaps 620. The drive coupler 720 may have a hexagonal or other suitable coupling interface for coupling to a drive pinion.

[0090] FIG. 15 is a front view of a brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. FIG. 16 is a top view of a brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. Due to the symmetrical shapes of the cylindrical inner core 600 and outer core 610 and the repeating configuration of flaps 620 on the outer surface of the outer core 610, the front view of FIG. 15 may be the same as the top view of FIG. 16. The flaps 620 are configured to direct debris toward the center of the brush roller 410. For example, the flaps 620 may be connected in a pattern resembling a chevron or herringbone, which funnels debris from the outer edges of the pattern toward the arrow-like tip formed by the pattern. The configuration of the flaps 620 is further described with reference to FIG. 17.

[0091] FIG. 17 illustrates flaps 620 of a brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. The brush roller 410 may have between 2 and 12 flaps connected to the outer surface of the outer core 610. The flaps 620 may span the entire length 1700 of the brush roller 410. That is, the combined length of two or more of the flaps 620 may extend along the entire length of the outer core 610. This length may range from 50 to 500 mm. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, there is at least one flap located on any given cylindrical surface of the outer core 610 (e.g., any given cross section perpendicular to the length of the brush roller 410 intersects at least one flap). In some embodiments, the flaps 620 may not extend the entire length of the brush roller 410 (e.g., the cylindrical surfaces of the outer core 610 near the base of the brush roller 410 do not have flaps protruding therefrom, or the cylindrical surfaces of the outer core 610 near the center of the brush roller 410 do not have flaps protruding therefrom).

[0092] The flaps 620 may be staggered toward the center of the brush roller 410. The flaps 620 may be staggered with an overlap length 1710 ranging from 5 to 50 mm. In some embodiments, the flaps 620 may be formed along the length of the outer surface of the outer core 610 without overlapping (e.g., the flaps 620 form a pattern that looks more like a chevron than a herringbone). The flaps 620 may be positioned with a twist angle 1720 such that they are not positioned straight along the length of the outer core 610. While the term "twist angle" is used to refer to the helical appearance of the flaps 620, the flaps 620 do not necessarily form a true spiral (i.e., they may take the form of a parabola, spline, or other suitable arc to move debris toward the center of the brush roller 410 in response to debris contacting the flaps 620). The twist angle 1720 may be the angle between one edge of the flap 620 and the base of the outer core 610. The flap 620 may be tapered with a twist angle 1720 ranging from 1 to 60 degrees. The flap 620 may be comprised of an elastomer. Properties of the elastomer may include one or more of a Shore A hardness ranging from 40 to 80, a Bayshore resilience ranging from 5 to 50%, an elongation, and a tear strength ranging from 75 to 250 kiloNewtons (kN) per meter (m).

[0093] FIG. 18 illustrates the direction of debris flow during rotation of the brush roller 410, according to one embodiment. The flaps 620 include a leading edge 1800 and a trailing edge 1810. The trailing edge 1810 may be proximate the center of the outer core 610. The outer core 610 may include bases at opposite ends of the outer core 610. Each leading edge 1800 may form an angle (e.g., twist angle 1720) with one of the bases of the outer core 610 ranging from 1 to 60 degrees. During operation of the cleaning system, the brush roller 410 may rotate in a rotational direction 1820 (e.g., clockwise from the side view of FIG. 13 ). As the brush roller 410 rotates in the rotational direction 1820, the flaps 620 may move debris entering the cleaning head 400 in an axial direction 1830 toward the center of the brush roller 410. Debris flowing in the axial direction 1830 may be sucked into the duct opening 500.

[0094] FIG. 19 illustrates a flap 620 of a brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. The flap 620 may have a flap length 1930 ranging from 5 to 35 mm. The flap 620 may include a root portion and a tapered portion. The tapered portion may include a tip portion. The root portion may have a uniform thickness. The tapered portion may have a gradually decreasing thickness. The ratio between the uniform thickness of the root portion and the height of the flap 620 may range from 1:5 to 1:25. The ratio of the tip thickness 1940 to the root thickness 1910 may be within a range of 1:1 to 1:5. This ratio may be designed to make the tip end less stiff than the root, thereby reducing the noise of the flap 620 when it strikes the ground. The tapered portion may be angled in either direction relative to the direction of rotation. During operation of the brush roller 410, the flap 620 may move in the direction of rotation 1950. The ratio of the root length to the tapered length can be anywhere between 1:2 and 2:1. In some embodiments, the flap 620 can have dimensions that increase its stiffness (i.e., the flap can not wiggle or ripple along its length).

[0095] The properties of the flaps 620 described with reference to Figures 17 to 19 enable the brush roller 410 to last a long time, operate quietly, capture debris at least as large as the length of the flaps, and prevent fibrous debris from wrapping around the outer core 610 (e.g., the shape of the flaps 620 directs fibrous debris into the buffer zone 1010 toward the edges of the brush roller 410).

[0096] 20 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a brush roller 410 coupled to a cleaning head 400 according to one embodiment. As the cleaning system operates, debris may collect within the cleaning head 400 and progress into the buffer zone 2100. For example, the cleaning head 400 receives fibrous debris (e.g., hair) and moves the fibrous debris to the ends of the brush roller 410 (e.g., from the center of the brush roller 410 toward one of the buffer zones 2100 at the base of the brush roller 410). In some embodiments, fibrous debris may cake around the brush roller 410 during operation of the cleaning system (e.g., instead of passing through the intake zone of the cleaning head 400 and into the duct opening 500). After the fibrous debris passes through the intake zone, the fibrous debris may cake around the brush roller 410 in the hair wrap zone 2200. As the brush roller 410 rotates, the rotational force and the tendency of fibrous debris to pack around smaller diameters may cause the fibrous debris to move toward either end of the brush roller 410, which may have a smaller diameter than other areas of the brush roller 410 (e.g., due to the flaps 620 extending the diameter of the outer core 610 to the tips of the flaps 620). After leaving the hair winding zone 2200, the fibrous debris may enter the buffering zone 1010.

[0097] As fibrous debris moves into the buffer zone 1010 adjacent the drive coupler 720, the guard 2010 may prevent the fibrous debris from wrapping around the drive pinion 2000. The drive pinion 2000 may be a component of the cleaning head 400. A distance 2020 between a surface of the guard 2010 and a surface of the drive pinion 2000 ranges from 0 to 10 mm. This surface of the guard 2010 is the surface adjacent to the center of the brush roller 410, perpendicular to the length of the brush roller 410 when the brush roller 410 is in the cleaning position. This surface of the drive pinion 2000 may be parallel to this surface of the guard 2010. The guard 2010 may be coupled to the body 700 of the inner core 600 (e.g., coupled so that the gap between the guard 2010 and the body 700 is minimized to reduce the possibility of fibrous debris getting between these surfaces). In some embodiments, the guard 2010 is located at the end of the brush roller 410 that has a free-spinning or stationary tip 710 .

[0098] Figure 21 shows the buffer zones 1010 in cross section of the brush roller 410, according to one embodiment. The buffer zones 1010 are located at both ends of the brush roller 410. Fibrous debris received through the intake zones of the cleaning head 400 may be stored in the buffer zones 1010. Figure 22 shows the direction in which fibrous debris may travel towards the buffer zones 1010 (e.g., during a nominal cleaning operation), according to one embodiment. Fibrous debris may travel away from the center of the brush roller 410 towards one of the buffer zones 1010.

[0099] FIG. 23 illustrates a buffer zone 1010 of a brush roller 410 according to one embodiment. The buffer zone 1010 is configured to receive fibrous debris during operation of the brush roller 410. The buffer zone 1010 may be a cavity within the outer core 610 in the shape of a cylindrical ring. The inner core 600 may be coaxial with the cylindrical ring shape of the buffer zone 1010. The buffer zone 1010 may have a length ranging from 3 to 40 mm. The difference between the inner and outer diameters of the cylindrical ring may range from 0.5 to 20 mm. While FIG. 23 illustrates a single buffer zone 1010, the brush roller 410 may have multiple buffer zones 1010 with the same function and dimensions.

[0100] 24 illustrates a locked configuration 2400 and a disengaged configuration 2420 of the brush roller 410 according to some embodiments. The locked configuration 2400 is sometimes referred to as the "engaged configuration" or "cleaning position." As the brush roller 410 operates to clean an environment, fibrous debris may accumulate in one or more buffer zones 1010 of the brush roller 410. As the fibrous debris accumulates, the rotational friction may increase, although this is relatively less than if the fibrous debris were not collected in the buffer zones 1010.

[0101] A controller for the cleaning system may be coupled to the brush roller 410, where the controller is configured to monitor the motor current draw required to power the brush roller 410. The controller may determine whether the motor current draw exceeds a threshold current. In response to determining that the motor current draw exceeds the threshold current, the controller may generate a notification that accumulated fibrous debris should be removed from one or more of the buffer zones 1010. The notification may include a light (e.g., illuminating an LED on the cleaning head 400), a sound, a message (e.g., a short message service (SMS) text to the user's phone), any suitable notification informing the user of the status of the buffer zones 1010, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the motor current draw exceeds the threshold current, the controller may pause or stop the motor from running (e.g., until the fibrous debris is emptied and the motor current draw no longer exceeds the threshold current).

[0102] To remove fibrous debris from the buffering zone 1010, the user simply unlocks the brush roller 410 from the cleaning position. The contact between the notches 850 in the brush roller 410 and the inner surface of the cleaning head 400 can be released by the user. For example, this contact may be maintained by a spring force exerted by the spring 820 on the ball bearing 810 and thence on the pin-tip assembly 900, which contacts the inner surface of the cleaning head 400. The user applies a pulling force on the brush roller 410 in the direction 2410 such that contact at the notches 850 is released. Once this contact is released and / or the drive coupler 720 of the brush roller 410 is also disengaged from the drive pinion 2000, the brush roller 410 can be in the detached configuration 2420.

[0103] FIG. 25 shows the brush roller 410 in a position to remove fibrous debris from the buffer zone, according to one embodiment. After the brush roller 410 is unlocked from the cleaning position, the brush roller 410 may be placed in the buffer zone suction position. In the buffer zone suction position, the central axis of the brush roller 410 is substantially aligned with the center of the duct valve opening 500. In one example, substantially aligned may refer to a deviation from the center of the duct valve opening of a distance of ±10% of the radius of the duct valve opening. For example, a user may unlock the brush roller 410 from the cleaning position and position the brush roller 410 in the buffer zone suction position. In some embodiments, the top portion of the cleaning head 400 is configured to open to receive the brush roller 410 in the buffer zone suction position. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 shows the top portion of the cleaning head 400 in the open position.

[0104] 26 is a cross-sectional view of a brush roller configured to remove debris (e.g., hair) from a buffer zone 2100, according to one embodiment. The cleaning system may apply suction through a passage 430 in the duct opening 500 to suck debris in the buffer zone 2100 proximate the duct opening 500.

[0105] In response to the brush roller 410 being positioned in the buffer zone suction position, the cleaning system may suction debris from the buffer zone proximate the duct opening 500 through the path 430 and into the debris receptacle. The cleaning system flows air through the air path 1300, and the debris in the buffer zone proximate the duct opening 500 is sucked into the duct opening 500 by the airflow, suction, or a combination thereof. After debris is sucked from one of the buffer zones 2100, the brush roller 410 may be rotated so that the other buffer zone 2100 is positioned proximate the duct opening 500 and debris is sucked from the other buffer zone. For example, a user may rotate the brush roller 410 approximately 180 degrees to position the other buffer zone proximate the duct opening 500. Similarly, the air flow through the air path 1300 may also assist in moving debris from the other buffer zone through the path 430.

[0106] FIG. 27 illustrates a process 2700 for cleaning fibrous debris from an environment according to one embodiment. In particular, process 2700 uses a buffer zone of a brush roller described herein to temporarily store fibrous debris for ejection and reduce friction that can be caused by fibrous debris wrapping around the brush roller and creating resistance to the rotational force of the brush roller. Process 2700 may be performed by a cleaning system described herein. Process 2700 may include additional operations relative to those shown in FIG. 27, fewer operations than those shown in FIG. 27, or different operations than those shown in FIG. 27.

[0107] The cleaning system provides a cleaning head 2710. The cleaning head includes a dirt intake opening (e.g., intake opening 460 in FIG. 4), a brush roller (e.g., brush roller 410 in FIG. 4), and a duct opening (e.g., duct opening 500 in FIG. 5). The brush roller 410 includes one or more buffer zones (e.g., buffer zone 1010 in FIG. 10).

[0108] The cleaning system receives debris at the debris intake opening (2720). The debris may include fibrous debris such as hair. For example, as the cleaning system moves through the dining room, food and hair on the floor are collected into intake opening 460 and moved by brush roller 410. Intake opening 460 may have an intake zone floor clearance 470 that is tall and / or wide enough to receive larger debris such as food crumbs. Larger debris may be swept into duct opening 500 by brush roller 410. Fibre debris may wrap around brush roller 410 as it continues to rotate while cleaning the dining room.

[0109] The cleaning system moves the hair into one or more of the buffer zones (2730). Following the example above, a hair wrapped around the brush roller 410 may move away from the center of the brush roller 410 toward one or more of the buffer zones 1010 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 22). The hair may continue to move into the buffer zone 1010 due to its natural tendency to wrap around objects with smaller radii (e.g., the inner core 600 has a smaller radius than the outer core 610 combined with the flap 620). Additionally, a guard (e.g., guard 2010) may prevent the hair from wrapping around the drive pinion or the contact point between the drive coupler and the drive pinion. The guard 2010 may prevent the hair from wrapping around the drive pinion and moving into the buffer zone 1010.

[0110] The cleaning system may suck 2750 hair from the buffer zone or maintain 2760 hair in the buffer zone depending on the condition 2740 of the brush roller's position. In particular, condition 2740 may be that an end of the brush roller is positioned proximate to a duct opening. For example, a user applies force to move notch 850 out of contact with the inner surface of the cleaning head 400 and rotate the brush roller 410 so that one end of the brush roller 410 is positioned proximate to the duct opening 500. In response to this condition 2740 that the brush roller is positioned proximate to the duct opening, the cleaning system sucks 2750 hair from the buffer zone proximate to the duct opening. Alternatively, condition 2740 may be that the end of the brush roller is not positioned proximate to the duct opening. For example, the brush roller may be in a cleaning position, or the brush roller may be in a transitional position between the cleaning position and a buffer zone suction position in which the buffer zone is not yet close to the duct opening to suck debris in the buffer zone through the duct opening.

[0111] FIG. 28 illustrates a wedge 420 in a cleaning system according to one embodiment. The wedge 420 includes a body 2800, a strip 2810, and a tip 2820. The wedge 420 may be coupled to the cleaning head 400. The wedge 420 may contact debris moved by the brush roller 410. The wedge 420 may act as a seal between the cavity of the cleaning head 400 in which the brush roller 410 rotates and the floor of the environment being cleaned by the cleaning system. This sealing function assists the cleaning system in using airflow to move debris from a surface into a duct opening (e.g., duct opening 500). The wedge 420 may function as a "leading edge" because it is the first part of the cleaning head 400 that contacts a surface as the cleaning head 400 moves forward. A "leading edge" in the context of the wedge 420 is different from a "leading edge" in the context of the flap 620. Reference to a particular "leading edge" can be inferred from the context in which the term is used. The wedge 420 may contact the surface more closely than various portions of the cleaning head 400 contact the surface.

[0112] The cleaning system may capture large debris (e.g., approximately 20-30 mm in width, length, diameter, etc.). The intake opening 460 may have a minimum height in the range of 20-30 mm to capture large debris. Thus, the front face of the cleaning head 400 (i.e., the forward side of the cleaning head 400 as the head moves forward) may be off the floor by at least this minimum height, so that debris may not come into contact with the front face as it is captured by the cleaning head 400. Thus, the wedge 420 of the cleaning head 400 may be a surface along which debris is lifted and directed into the duct opening 500. The surface of the wedge 420 may be configured to follow the path of the flap 620 of the brush roller 410. For example, the surface of the wedge 420 may be curved such that a longitudinal cross-section (i.e., perpendicular to the base of the wedge 420 configured to contact the surface to be cleaned) resembles an arc that is tangent to the floor. In Figure 28 this is shown as the surface of the wedge 420 closest to the brush roller 410, aligned with the circular area through which the flap 620 of the brush roller 410 passes. The wedge 420 may be coupled to the cleaning head 400 such that the arcuate surface of the wedge 420 forms a continuous arc with the surface of the cleaning head 400 that it is adjacent to.

[0113] FIG. 29 shows a wedge 420 according to one embodiment. The base of the wedge 420 can move along a ground plane 2940, which may be the surface of the environment to be cleaned. The wedge 420 can be attached to the base of the cleaning head 400. The base of the wedge 420 can be flush or substantially flush with the ground plane 2940 (e.g., within 1-2 mm of the ground plane 2940). The body 2800 is coupled to the strip 2810 and the tip 2820. The wedge 420 can be made of an elastomeric material. In some embodiments, the body 2800 is made of a rigid material.

[0114] The strip 2810 of the wedge 420 may be comprised of an arrangement of fine bristles, foam or sponge strips, elastomeric structures, filled structures, other passive spring-damper-like materials, or combinations thereof. The material of the strip 2810 may be configured to conform to the surface texture of the floor and reduce sliding friction and scuffing of the cleaning head 400 against the ground plane 2940. The material of the strip 2810 may be compliant over a Z compliance distance ranging from 0.5 to 55 mm. The tip 2820 may be bonded to the body 2800 to provide a continuous surface. The tip 2820 may have a radius 2910 or similar arc-like feature ranging from 0.15 to 3 mm. The tip depth 2920 may be in the range of 1 to 8 mm. The tip 2820 may be attached to the body 2800 by a mechanical, chemical, or molecular bond, or a combination thereof. The tip 2820 may be constructed of an elastomeric material having a hardness in the range of 40 to 80 Shore A. The wedge angle 2930 may be in the range of 5 to 60 degrees.

[0115] Figure 30 illustrates the movement of debris against a wedge-shaped leading edge 3000 according to one embodiment. Debris 3010 may be moved against the wedge-shaped leading edge 3000 by a brush roller 3020, which may move counterclockwise as shown in the orientation of Figure 30. The wedge occupies a space that could otherwise be a space for debris accumulation. This space for debris accumulation is shown in Figure 31. The wedge-shaped leading edge 3000 may be a component of a wedge 420.

[0116] FIG. 31 illustrates the accumulation of debris against the skirted leading edge 3100 according to one embodiment. The debris 31110 may be moved towards the skirted leading edge 3100 by the brush roller 3120, which allows space for the debris 3110 to accumulate. Within this space, the debris may be pushed along the ground in the environment being cleaned rather than being trapped in a duct opening (e.g., duct opening 500). For example, rather than being trapped in the duct opening, the debris may be pushed along the ground to accumulate at the base of the cleaning head near the edge. The brush roller 3120 may move counterclockwise as shown in the orientation of FIG. 31 .

[0117] Figure 32 is an isometric view of a wedge 420 according to one embodiment. Figure 33 is a top view of an embodiment wedge 420. Figure 34 is a bottom view of a wedge 420 according to one embodiment. The wedge 420 includes a body 2800, a strip 2810, a tip 2820, and an attachment element 3200. The attachment element 3200 attaches the wedge 420 to the cleaning head 400. The attachment element 3200 can be a mechanical mechanism, a chemical mechanism, a magnetic mechanism, any suitable attachment mechanism, or a combination thereof.

[0118] Figures 35A and 35B show a side brush 3500 of a cleaning system according to one embodiment. Figure 35A is a front view of the side brush 3500, and Figure 35B is a side view of the side brush 3500. The side brush 3500 includes a base 3510 and whiskers 3520. The whiskers 3520 can be attached to the surface of the cleaning head or any external surface of the cleaning system via the base 3510. The attachment at the base 3510 includes a rotation mechanism configured to allow the whiskers 3520 to rotate around the base 3510. The whiskers 3520 can be positioned within a range of 30 to 90 degrees, and the whiskers 3520 can remain in that position as the whiskers 3520 rotate (i.e., the angle difference between successive whiskers is consistent). For example, three whiskers may be positioned with differences of 45 degrees, 45 degrees, and 270 degrees between consecutive whiskers, and this angular difference may be maintained as the whiskers 3520 rotate. Each whisker 3520 may have a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 3 mm. The whiskers 3520 may have a length in the range of 15 to 50 mm. The whiskers 3520 may have an angular deviation from horizontal of 5 to 30 degrees. The whiskers 3520 may be constructed of a plastic material suitable for minimizing hair wrap and noise as they move within their rotational range. The side brush 3500 may include 3 to 7 whiskers.

[0119] A controller for the cleaning system may be coupled to the side brush 3500 to control the operation of the side brush 3500 (e.g., the speed of whisker movement, the duration of movement, etc.). The cleaning system may use the side brush 3500 to clean a wall or other vertical surface. The controller may decide to activate whisker movement and / or modify parameters of the whisker movement (e.g., the speed, duration, etc.) based on the distance between the side brush 3500 and the vertical surface of interest. This wall-following process is further described in connection with the description of FIG. 43.

[0120] The controller may determine to position the side brush 3500 in an active position or a stowed position. The controller may perform a homing process to position the side brush 3500 from the active position to the stowed position. In some embodiments, when the cleaning system determines to stop cleaning, the controller may perform a homing process to stow the side brush 3500. In one embodiment of the homing process, the side brush 3500 may be positioned in proximity to pegs or tines that the side brush 3500 may contact during rotation. When moving in a first direction (e.g., counterclockwise), the whiskers 3520 may rotate past the tines, and when moving in a second direction (e.g., clockwise), the whiskers 3520 may hit the tines and stop (e.g., the whiskers 3520 may stop if there is insufficient rotational force). The tines may be angled. An example of tines used in the homing process is shown in Figures 36A-36B and 37A-37B. In another embodiment of the homing process, the side brush 3500 may be coupled to a drive pinion and drive coupler, where ratchet teeth can contact the drive coupler to stop the motor powering the side brush 3500. An example of a ratchet tooth for this homing process is shown in Figures 38A-38B and 39.

[0121] The controller may command the whisker 3520 to rotate in the second direction at a high duty setting (e.g., a frequency in revolutions per minute (RPM) sufficient to prevent the whisker 3520 from hitting the peg and stopping). The controller may then command the whisker 3520 to rotate in the second direction at a lower RPM, repeatedly slowing the RPM until the force is sufficient to cause the whisker 3520 to rotate but to stop the whisker if it comes into contact with the peg. In some embodiments, the duration of the homing process (e.g., from the time the controller commands rotation in the second direction at the high duty setting until the whisker is stopped by the peg) is about 1 second.

[0122] Figures 36A and 36B show side brushes 3520 coupled to the interior surface of the cleaning head 400 according to one embodiment. Figure 36A is a front view of a portion 3600 of the cleaning head 400 as seen from the interior surface of the cleaning head 400. Figure 36B is a side view of the portion 3600 of the cleaning head 400. The portion 3600 of the cleaning head 400 includes a base 3510 and side brushes 3520. The motor that drives the side brushes 3520 may be coupled to a motor clamp 3620. The motor clamp 3620 may house and secure the position of the motor (e.g., during operation of the motor to rotate the side brushes 3520). The motor clamp 3620 may be oriented so that the motor clamp 3620 is parallel to the vertical surface the side brushes 3520 are cleaning. The motor clamp 3620 may be cylindrical, rectangular, or any suitable shape that houses the motor that rotates the side brushes 3520. One end of the motor clamp 3620 may be coupled to the base 3510 .

[0123] The angled tines 3610 may be constructed to contact the side brush 3620. The structure of the angled tines 3610 is described in further detail with reference to FIGS. 37A and 37B, which are views similar to FIGS. 36A and 36B, but omitting the side brush 3520 and base 3510, which obscure the angled tines 3610. In response to the side brush 36520 rotating in one direction (e.g., clockwise), the angled tines 3610 may stop the motion of the side brush 3520 such that the rotation of the side brush 3520 slows to a stop. In response to the side brush 3520 rotating in another direction (e.g., counterclockwise), the angled tines 3610 may have a relatively small effect on the rotation of the side brush 3520 such that the side brush 3520 does not slow to a stop.

[0124] 37A and 37B show angled tines configured to contact side brushes according to one embodiment. FIG. 37A is a front view of a portion 3700 of the cleaning head 400, as viewed from the interior surface of the cleaning head 400. FIG. 37B is a side view of the portion 3700 of the cleaning head 400. The portion 3700 of the cleaning head 400 does not include the base 3510 and side brushes 3520 to better illustrate the angled tines 3610. The angled tines 3610 may be coupled to the cleaning head 400 and located on the cleaning head 400 in close proximity to the side brushes 3520 (e.g., within a distance from the base 3510 substantially equal to or less than the whisker length of the side brushes 3520). The angled tines 3610 may be constructed of polycarbonate / acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC / ABS), spring steel, aluminum, or any suitable material that provides compliance and a high fatigue life (e.g., hundreds of cycles). The angled teeth 3610 may be angled in a direction extending away from the inner surface of the cleaning head 400 and towards the side brush 3520. The angled teeth 3610 may taper in width as the angled teeth 3610 extend from the cleaning head 400 towards the side brush 3520.

[0125] 38A and 38B show a cleaning head 3840 configured to implement a homing technique for the side brush 3520 via ratchet teeth 3820 according to one embodiment. FIG. 38A is a front view of a portion 3800 of the cleaning head 3840 as viewed from the interior surface of the cleaning head 3840. FIG. 38B is a side view of the portion 3800 of the cleaning head 3840. The structure and function of the cleaning head 3840 may be similar to the cleaning head 400. The cleaning head 3840 may be coupled to a motor clamp 3810 on the interior surface of the cleaning head 3840. The motor clamp 3810 and the ratchet teeth 3820 are further described with reference to FIG. 40 . The motor may be housed in a sleeve (e.g., a cylindrical sleeve) secured in place by the motor clamp 3810. The motor may drive a drive pinion as described with reference to FIG. 41 . The ratchet teeth 3820 are configured to contact a driven coupler as described with reference to FIG. 42 .

[0126] FIG. 39 is an isometric view of the cleaning head 3840 of FIGS. 38A and 38B according to one embodiment. The controller of the cleaning system described herein may implement a homing technique for the side brush 3520 using ratchet teeth 3820. In one embodiment, the motor or a portion of the motor (e.g., the motor shaft) that drives the side brush 3520 slides within a cylindrical sleeve. The motor or portion of the motor may be coupled to a drive pinion 3910. The drive pinion 3910 may transmit torque to a driven coupler 3920, which is rotatably coupled to the side brush 3520. The ratchet teeth 3820 may be constructed of polycarbonate / acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC / ABS), spring steel, aluminum, or any suitable material that provides compliance and a high fatigue life (e.g., hundreds of cycles). One advantage of constructing the motor so that it is indirectly coupled to the driven coupler 3920 is that it makes the cleaning system more tolerant of manufacturing variations. For example, manufacturing variations may result in radial misalignment between the driven coupler 3920 and the axis of rotation of the drive pinion 3910, and indirectly coupling the motor to the driven coupler 3920 may prevent this radial misalignment from becoming exacerbated.

[0127] As the drive pinion 3910 rotates, the ratchet teeth 3820 may contact the driven coupler 3920. In response to the side brush 3520 rotating in a first direction (e.g., counterclockwise), the ratchet teeth 3820 may slide over the angled features on the driven coupler 3920 (i.e., so as not to stall the motor due to the force of the ratchet teeth 3820 contacting the driven coupler 3920). In response to the side brush 3520 rotating in a second direction (e.g., clockwise), the driven coupler 3920 may push against the driven coupler 3920 (e.g., against the angled features of the driven coupler 3920), in turn stalling the motor. The controller may then turn off the motor. In response to turning off the motor, the controller may move the side brush to a hidden position (e.g., a position where the whiskers of the side brush are not visible to a user looking towards the exterior surface of the cleaning head 3840).

[0128] FIG. 40 illustrates a motor clamp 3810 with ratchet teeth 3820 for use in implementing a side brush homing technique according to one embodiment. The motor clamp 3810 may be constructed to accommodate a cylindrical sleeve that houses a motor or portion of a motor that rotates the side brush. The motor clamp 3810 may include a body coupled to the cylindrical sleeve housing and the ratchet teeth 3820. The body of the motor clamp 3810 may include one or more attachment elements (e.g., threaded holes) that attach the motor clamp 3810 to an interior surface of the cleaning head. The motor clamp 3810 may be coupled to the ratchet teeth 3820 at one end of the motor clamp 3810, and the ratchet teeth 3820 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the orientation of the portion of the motor clamp 3810 that is constructed to accommodate the cylindrical sleeve. The ends of the ratchet teeth 3820 distal from the body of the motor clamp 3810 may be constructed to contact a driven coupler 3920 (eg, as shown in FIGS. 38A and 39).

[0129] 41 illustrates a drive pinion 3910 used in implementing a side brush homing technique according to one embodiment. The drive pinion 3910 may include prongs 4110 for torque transmission to a driven coupler 3920. Although four prongs are shown, various embodiments of the drive pinion 3910 may have fewer or more prongs.

[0130] FIG. 42 illustrates a driven coupler 3920 used in implementing a side brush homing technique according to one embodiment. The driven coupler 3920 includes mating teeth 4200 that mate with the ratchet teeth 3820. The mating teeth 4200 may also be referred to as "angled features." The driven coupler 3920 may include a body that mates with the base 3510 and a head that receives the drive pinion 3910. The mating teeth 4200 may be located on an exterior surface of the head. The head may be shaped like a cylinder with an increasing radial thickness where mating occurs at 4200, resulting in a maximum thickness. The head may include a region that receives the drive pinion 3910, where the region is constructed to receive several prongs 4110 of the drive pinion 3910. Although the area shown in FIG. 42 is constructed to receive four prongs, the driven coupler 3920 may receive a drive pinion 3910 with more or fewer prongs.

[0131] FIG. 43 illustrates a process 4300 for moving a side brush against a wall surface according to one embodiment. Process 4300 may be referred to as a "wall following process." In particular, process 4300 uses current measured at the rotating side brush to determine motor control that modifies the distance between the side brush and the wall surface. Process 4300 may be performed by a cleaning system described herein (e.g., a controller for the cleaning system). Process 4300 may include additional operations relative to those shown in FIG. 43, fewer operations than those shown in FIG. 43, or different operations than those shown in FIG. 43.

[0132] The cleaning system detects 4310 a first distance between the cleaning head and a wall surface. A controller of the cleaning system may use a laser-based sensor to detect 4310 a first distance between the cleaning head 400 and a wall surface of the environment into which the cleaning head 400 is picking up debris. The cleaning system may use one or more cameras, which may be mounted on a motorized robot as it moves through the environment, may be stationary in the environment (e.g., coupled to a wall surface), or a combination thereof. The controller may receive image data from the one or more cameras to detect the wall surface and determine the first distance.

[0133] The cleaning system determines whether the first distance is within a threshold proximity range relative to the wall surface 4320. A controller of the cleaning system may compare the first distance to the threshold proximity range to determine whether the first distance is within the threshold proximity range 4320. The threshold proximity range may be in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 meters.

[0134] The cleaning system measures 4330 the current related to the torque of the side brushes. The side brushes are configured to rotate about a base (e.g., base 3510 shown in FIGS. 35A and 35B). The cleaning system's controller may measure the current draw (e.g., amperes) related to the force from the motor rotating the side brushes 3510.

[0135] The cleaning system determines (4340) whether the measured current exceeds an upper threshold current and determines (4360) whether the measured current falls below a lower threshold current. Exemplary current values ​​may range from 22 to 28 mA when the automatic vacuum cleaner is in an unloaded state (e.g., no resistance is applied due to contact between the side brush 3510 and the surface) and 90 to 100 mA when the automatic vacuum cleaner is in a fully engaged state (e.g., resistance is applied due to contact between the side brush 3510 and the surface). In response to determining (4340) that the measured current does not exceed the upper threshold current and determining (4360) that the measured current does not fall below the lower threshold current, the cleaning system continues to measure (4330) a current related to the torque of the side brush.

[0136] In response to determining 4340 that the measured current exceeds the upper threshold current, the cleaning system generates 4350 a first command to move the cleaning head away from the wall surface. In some embodiments, in response to determining 4340 that the measured current exceeds the upper threshold current, the cleaning system steers the cleaning head away from the wall surface. In response to determining 4360 that the measured current falls below the lower threshold current, the cleaning system generates 4370 a second command to move the cleaning system closer to the wall surface. In some embodiments, in response to determining 4340 that the measured current falls below the lower threshold current, the cleaning system steers the cleaning head towards the wall surface.

[0137] Benefits and Further Considerations The cleaning system described herein includes a brush roller that reduces friction caused by entrapping fibrous debris compared to conventional brush rollers. A buffer zone in the brush roller also collects fibrous debris as the brush roller's structure directs the fibrous debris toward the buffer zone. In this way, fibrous debris is less likely to wrap around the brush roller and cause friction while the brush roller is rotating. The brush roller also reduces friction in the rotating portions of the brush roller by including a guard that prevents fibrous debris from contacting the rotating drive pinion. Another aspect of the brush roller that reduces friction is the pin-tip assembly, which may be stationary or freely rotating relative to the other components of the brush roller. Fibrous debris is more likely to wrap around the rotating portions of the brush roller and less likely to wrap around the stationary or freely rotating pin-tip assembly. This reduces friction caused by fibrous debris at the pin-tip assembly.

[0138] Additionally, the brush roller is removable to facilitate removal of fibrous debris from the buffer zone. The buffer zone can be positioned at a duct opening to allow fibrous debris to be sucked out of the buffer zone with minimal or no user contact, which can make operation more hygienic than conventional brush rollers that require a user to manually grab the fibrous debris from the brush roller. The brush roller is configured to be unlocked from contact with the inner surface of the cleaning system's cleaning head without applying excessive force or requiring a user to follow a complicated disassembly process. The brush roller can be unlocked without turning the robotic vacuum cleaner upside down (e.g., without inverting the vacuum cleaner so that the brush roller is facing up).

[0139] The cleaning system also includes side brushes that clean vertical surfaces (e.g., walls) using a torque-based technique for following the vertical surface. By measuring the current draw associated with the torque of the rotating side brushes and steering the wheels of the cleaning system toward or away from the vertical surface based on the measured current draw, the cleaning system is able to follow the vertical surface with the side brushes with greater accuracy than conventional cleaning systems that may only use laser-based sensors.

[0140] The cleaning system further includes a wedge that acts as a seal between the dirt capture cavity of the cleaning head of the cleaning system and the environment. The wedge is constructed to reduce the likelihood of dirt accumulation in the space between the wedge and the brush roller. Wedges in conventional cleaning systems can allow dirt to accumulate therein (e.g., at a skirted leading edge). Additionally, the wedge can include a strip that is constructed to conform to the surface texture of the floor, reducing sliding friction and scuffing of the cleaning head against the surface being cleaned.

[0141] The foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.

[0142] In some portions of this specification, embodiments of the present invention are described in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described as functions, calculations, or logic, will be understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Further, it has proven convenient at times to refer to arrangements of these operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof.

[0143] When values ​​are described as "about" or "substantially" (or derivatives thereof), those values ​​are to be construed as accurate to ±10% unless a different meaning is clear from the context. For example, "about 10" is to be understood to mean "within the range of 9 to 11."

[0144] Terms referring to orientations, such as "top" and "bottom," are used for convenience and do not necessarily refer to the orientation of components described herein (e.g., the orientation of the cleaning head).

[0145] Any step, operation, or process described herein may be performed or implemented by one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, the software modules are implemented in a computer program product with a computer-readable medium containing computer program code, which can be executed by a computer processor to perform any or all of the steps, operations, or processes described.

[0146] Embodiments may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes and / or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing system referred to herein may include a single processor or may be an architecture utilizing a multiple processor design for greater computing power.

[0147] Embodiments may also relate to products produced by the computing processes described herein. Such products may include information resulting from the computing processes, which information is stored on a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage medium, and may include any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein.

[0148] Finally, the language used herein has been selected primarily for ease of reading and educational purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or limit the disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, the scope is not intended to be limited by this detailed description, but rather by any claims issuing in an application based thereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments is intended to be illustrative and not limiting, the scope being as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A brush roller, an outer core comprising a first tube; an inner core concentric with and constructed within the outer core, the inner core comprising a second tube; a spring within the inner surface of the second tube; and A ball bearing in contact with the spring Built to accommodate a pin contacting the ball bearing on a first side of the pin; and an end tip including a locking mechanism connected to the pin on a second side of the pin, the locking mechanism securing the end tip to the inner surface of the second tube; constructed to accommodate at least a portion of the pin and the end tip are connected such that the pin and the end tip are stationary during rotation of the ball bearing and the inner core; An inner core; a plurality of flaps connected to the outer core; A brush roller comprising:

2. The plurality of flaps include: hardness in the range of 40 to 80 Shore A; Bayshore resilience in the range of 5% to 50%; an elongation at break in the range of 50% to 900%, and Tear strength ranging from 75 to 250 kilonewtons (kN) / meter (m) 10. The brush roller of claim 1, comprising an elastomer having one or more of:

3. 3. The brush roller of claim 1 or 2, wherein the combined lengths of two or more of the plurality of flaps extend along the entire length of the outer core.

4. 4. The brush roller of claim 1, wherein a first flap of the plurality of flaps overlaps a second flap of the plurality of flaps by an overlap length of 5 to 50 millimeters (mm).

5. 5. The brush roller of claim 1, wherein each flap of the plurality of flaps comprises a trailing edge and a leading edge, the trailing edge being proximate a center of the outer core.

6. 6. The brush roller of claim 5, wherein the outer core includes bases at opposite ends of the outer core, each leading edge forming an angle in the range of 1 to 60 degrees with one of the bases of the outer core.

7. 7. The brush roller of claim 1, wherein a flap of the plurality of flaps has a length in the range of 5 to 35 millimeters.

8. 8. The brush roller of claim 1, wherein a flap among the plurality of flaps has a root portion and a tapered portion, the root portion having a uniform thickness and the tapered portion having a gradually decreasing thickness.

9. 9. The brush roller of claim 8, wherein the ratio between the uniform thickness of the root portion and the height of the flaps ranges from 1:5 to 1:

25.

10. 10. The brush roller of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the inner core comprises recesses that allow linear movement of the pins and end tips within a range of 0.5 to 30 mm, the linear movement being parallel to a central axis of the inner core.

11. 11. A brush roller according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the outer radius of the outer core is in the range of 8 to 50 mm and the overall length of the outer core is in the range of 50 to 500 mm.

12. 12. The brush roller of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the outer core further comprises a plurality of air passages configured to allow air flow along the length of the outer core.

13. 13. The brush roller of claim 1, further comprising one or more buffer zones, each buffer zone comprising an annular cavity configured to receive and store hair, the annular cavity being located between the inner surface of the first tube and the outer surface of the second tube.

14. 14. A brush roller according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the inner core further comprises a drive coupler configured to couple to a drive pinion, the drive pinion being attached to a cleaning head configured to house the brush roller.

15. A cleaning system comprising: Garbage intake opening, a brush roller configured to receive debris from the debris intake opening, an outer core comprising a first tube; an inner core concentric with and configured to be positioned within the outer core, the inner core comprising a second tube; a spring configured to contact an inner surface of the second tube; and a ball bearing configured to contact the spring configured to accommodate a pin configured to contact the ball bearing on a first side of the pin; and an end tip comprising a locking mechanism connected to the pin on a second side of the pin, the locking mechanism configured to secure the end tip to the inner surface of the second tube; configured to accommodate at least a portion of the pin and the end tip are connected such that the pin and the end tip are stationary during rotation of the ball bearing and the inner core; An inner core; a plurality of flaps connected to the outer core; one or more buffer zones, each buffer zone comprising an annular cavity configured to receive and store hair, the annular cavity being located between an inner surface of the first tube and an outer surface of the second tube; a brush roller comprising: a duct opening configured to receive debris moved by the brush roller, the debris including hair that is directed into a buffer zone of the one or more buffer zones within the duct opening, the buffer zone being located proximate to an end of the brush roller, the brush roller being positioned proximate to the duct opening for suction of the hair from the buffer zone; A cleaning system comprising:

16. The plurality of flaps include: hardness in the range of 40 to 80 Shore A; Bayshore resilience in the range of 5% to 50%; an elongation at break in the range of 50% to 900%, and Tear strength ranging from 75 to 250 kilonewtons (kN) / meter (m) 16. The cleaning system of claim 15, comprising an elastomer having one or more of:

17. 17. A cleaning system according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the inner surface of the inner core comprises recesses that allow linear movement of the pins and end tips within a range of 0.5 to 30 mm, the linear movement being parallel to a central axis of the inner core.

18. A brush roller, an outer core comprising a first tube; an inner core concentric with and constructed within the outer core, the inner core comprising a second tube; a spring within the inner surface of the second tube; and A ball bearing in contact with the spring Built to accommodate a pin in contact with the ball bearing; and the end tip connected to the pin constructed to accommodate at least a portion of An inner core; a plurality of flaps connected to the outer core, the flaps among the plurality of flaps comprising: having a length in the range of 5 to 35 millimeters; a root portion and a tapered portion, the root portion having a uniform thickness and the tapered portion having a gradually decreasing thickness; hardness in the range of 40 to 80 Shore A; Bayshore resilience in the range of 5% to 50%; an elongation at break in the range of 50% to 900%, and Tear strength ranging from 75 to 250 kilonewtons (kN) / meter (m) [0033] comprising an elastomer having one or more of: Multiple flaps and A brush roller comprising:

19. 20. The brush roller of claim 18, wherein the outer core further comprises a plurality of air passages configured to allow air flow along the length of the outer core.

20. 20. The brush roller of claim 18 or 19, wherein the brush roller further comprises one or more buffer zones, each buffer zone comprising an annular cavity configured to receive and store hair, the annular cavity being located between the inner surface of the first tube and the outer surface of the second tube.

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