Roller brush assembly and cleaning device
The roller brush assembly with a mounting bracket and rotatable core addresses the stability issues of conventional cantilever roller brushes, improving debris collection efficiency and reducing power consumption by stabilizing the roller brush during operation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2024/095145
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-08-01
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-24
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-06
AI Technical Summary
Conventional cantilever roller brushes used in cleaning devices are less stable due to their direct coupling with the cleaning device through only one mounting end, leading to inefficiencies in debris collection and increased power consumption.
A roller brush assembly that includes a mounting bracket detachably fixed to the cleaning device, a cantilever roller brush with a free end, and a rotatable core that allows the roller brush to rotate while maintaining stability by coupling the mounting bracket to the cleaning device.
The proposed solution significantly improves the stability of the cantilever roller brush, enhancing its efficiency in debris collection and reducing power consumption by allowing the roller brush to rotate smoothly without compromising stability.
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Figure CN2024095145_06022025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
ROLLER BRUSH ASSEMBLY AND CLEANING DEVICE
[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] The present application claims the benefit of priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202310963236.4, filed on August 1, 2023, Chinese Patent Application No. 202322054732.6, filed on August 1, 2023, Chinese Patent Application No. 202322065518.0, filed on August 1, 2023, and Chinese Patent Application No. 202322072557.3, filed on August 1, 2023, the contents of which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND
[0003] The present disclosure relates to a roller brush assembly for a cleaning device, and a cleaning device. In particular, a roller brush assembly including a roller brush with a free end is disclosed herein.
[0004] Cleaning devices, for example, cleaning robots, can help user clean surfaces in a variety of different environments. With the equipment of a roller brush assembly and a vacuum system, most cleaning devices are able to take in debris and dust from a surface and guide them into a corresponding collector of the cleaning device. A conventional roller brush is fixed inside the cleaning device through its two ends. However, such a roller brush is complex in structure and inefficient in collecting hair or similar waste. In comparison, some cleaning devices use a cantilever roller brush, only one end of which is coupled to the cleaning device, resolving the issues of structural complexity and efficiency. As a trade-off, such a cantilever roller brush is less stable than a conventional roller brush when the device is in operation, as the cantilever roller brush is coupled with the cleaning device through only one mounting end. Thus, improvement of the cantilever roller brush is contemplated.SUMMARY
[0005] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a roller brush assembly and a cleaning device. The roller brush assembly includes a mounting bracket, a roller brush, and a rotatable core. The mounting bracket is detachably fixed to the cleaning device. The roller brush includes a fixing end for fixing the roller brush assembly to the cleaning device through the mounting bracket and a free end extending from the fixing end along a first direction. The rotatable core includes a first end fixedly coupled with the roller brush and a second end rotatably coupled with the mounting bracket. The roller brush includes a connecting slot configured to accommodate the first end of the rotatable core.
[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a cleaning device includes a chassis, a suction chamber coupled to the chassis, and at least one roller brush assembly mounted in the suction chamber. Each roller brush assembly includes a mounting bracket, a roller brush, and a rotatable core. The mounting bracket detachably fix to the cleaning device. The roller brush includes a fixing end for fixing the roller brush assembly to the cleaning device through the mounting bracket and a free end extending from the fixing end along a first direction. The rotatable core includes a first end fixedly coupled with the roller brush and a second end rotatably coupled with the mounting bracket. The roller brush includes a connecting slot configured to accommodate the first end of the rotatable core.
[0007] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure, as claimed.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate aspects of the present disclosure and, together with the description, further explain the present disclosure and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 1A illustrates a diagram of a cleaning device, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 1B illustrates a bottom view of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 1A, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 2A illustrates a roller brush assembly with a suction chamber of the cleaning device in a first state, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 2B illustrates the roller brush assembly with the suction chamber of the cleaning device in a second state, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates the roller brush assembly being outside the suction chamber of the cleaning device, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates the roller brush assembly of the cleaning device, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates a first exploded view of the roller brush assembly, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a second exploded view of the roller brush assembly, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the roller brush assembly, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another roller brush assembly, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of yet another roller brush assembly, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
[0020] Aspects of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Although specific configurations and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purpose only. As such, other configurations and arrangements can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the present disclosure can also be employed in a variety of other applications. Functional and structural features as described in the present disclosures can be combined, adjusted, and modified with one another and in ways not specifically depicted in the drawings, such that these combinations, adjustments, and modifications are within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0022] In general, terminology may be understood at least in part from usage in context. For example, the term “one or more” as used herein, depending at least in part upon context, may be used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in a singular sense or may be used to describe combinations of features, structures or characteristics in a plural sense. Similarly, terms, such as “a, ” “an, ” or “the, ” again, may be understood to convey a singular usage or to convey a plural usage, depending at least in part upon context. In addition, the term “based on” may be understood as not necessarily intended to convey an exclusive set of factors and may, instead, allow for existence of additional factors not necessarily expressly described, again, depending at least in part upon context. Further, the terms “comprises, ” “comprising, ” “including, ” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
[0023] Terms such as “upper, ” “lower, ” “inner, ” “outer, ” “front, ” “rear, ” and variations thereof herein are used for ease of description to explain the positioning of one element relative to a second element, and are not intended to be limiting to a specific orientation or position.
[0024] Terms such as “first, ” “second, ” and variations thereof herein are used to describe various elements, regions, sections, etc. and are not intended to be limiting.
[0025] Terms such as “connect, ” “couple, ” “communication with, ” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, communication and mountings, and are not restricted to electrical, physical, or mechanical attachments, connections, or mountings.
[0026] Now turn to the embodiments of the present disclosure, which teaches a novel way to improve the stability of a cantilever roller brush by providing a mounting bracket to couple the cantilever roller brush with the cleaning device, as opposed to the direct connection between the cantilever roller brush and the cleaning device. The cantilever roller brush is coupled to the mounting bracket through at least one bearing, so that the mounting bracket is fixed to the cleaning device while the cantilever roller brush is able to rotate in a cleaning process. The stability of the cantilever roller brush may be greatly improved by a tailor-made structure of the mounting bracket, as shown in the present disclosure.
[0027] Additional novel features in part will be set forth in the following descriptions, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following descriptions and the accompanying drawings or upon learning by implementing the examples taught herein. The novel features of the present disclosure may be realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the methodologies, instrumentalities, and combinations set forth in the detailed examples discussed below.
[0028] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a roller brush assembly and a cleaning device. The cleaning device may be, for example, a handheld vacuum cleaner, a floor washer, a cleaning robot, a mopping robot, and a robot capable of at least one of mopping, cleaning, and washing. In the present implementation, referring to FIGs. 1A and 1B, a cleaning device 100 is taken as an example to illustrate the structure of the cantilever roller brush assembly provided in the present disclosure. It should be noted that the cantilever roller brush assembly may be used for any suitable vacuum cleaning device with a roller brush.
[0029] Cleaning device 100 can remove debris or dust from a surface by agitating, lifting, and collecting them from the surface by applying a negative pressure above the surface. The debris or dust described herein is not limited to solid waste, and may also include hair, thread, liquid, etc. In some implementations, cleaning device 100 includes a chassis 102 and a main body 101 coupled to chassis 102. Main body 101 is supported by a driving system that can maneuver cleaning device 100 across a floor surface based on a command. The command may be input by a user directly on cleaning device 100 or through a remote control. The command may also be executed by the device itself through preinstalled or downloaded software instructions upon a triggering event, such as detection of a change of environment. The driving system may include a left driving wheel 103-1 and a right driving wheel 103-2 with respective driving motors, and a caster wheel 104 configured to further support cleaning device 100. Cleaning device 100 may further include a sensor system having one or more types of sensors. The sensors may function independently or collectively to create a perception of the environment surrounding cleaning device 100, so that cleaning device 100 can make intelligent decisions about what actions to take in that environment. The sensor system may include one or more of the following: obstacle detection and avoidance sensor, communication sensor, navigation sensor, etc. Cleaning device 100 may include a navigation system configured to maneuver cleaning device 100. In one example, when cleaning device 100 detects obstruction by a wall or a piece of furniture by an obstacle detection and avoidance sensor, the sensor sends a signal to a processor that executes software instructions, and the navigation system is triggered to bypass the obstruction.
[0030] Cleaning device 100 may further include a cleaning system, such as a dry-cleaning system. The dry-cleaning system includes at least one roller brush assembly and at least one side brush assembly. The roller brush assembly is usually mounted within a suction chamber (e.g., suction chamber 10 shown in FIGs. 2A to 3) of cleaning device 100. The suction chamber is provided with an opening and an outlet by which dirt-bearing air can be drawn from outside cleaning device 100, through the suction chamber, and into other components of cleaning device 100. The dirt-bearing air is conveyed to a collector (not shown) of cleaning device 100 so that the dirt, debris, or dust can be separated from the air before the air is expelled out of cleaning device 100. The opening is in the form of an aperture, usually an elongated and rectangular aperture defined by a sole plate located on the bottom of main body 101 of cleaning device 100. The roller brush is exposed from the aperture and can be in contact with the surface to be cleaned through the opening. In some implementations, the outlet is provided between the two mounting ends of the roller brush with equal distance from each mounting end. In some other implementations, the location of the outlet is offset from the center between the two mounting ends of the roller brush when, for example, the roller brush is a cantilever roller brush.
[0031] According to the present disclosure, the roller brush of each roller brush assembly may be driven by an electric motor powered by a power supply of the cleaning device 100. The electric motor may cause the roller brush to rotate at a predetermined speed when cleaning device 100 moves on top of a surface that is to be cleaned. Therefore, cleaning device 100 can sweep the debris or dust scattered on the surface into its collector as it moves along. In occasions where the surface to be cleaned has a large friction coefficient, the cleaning process may consume a significant amount of energy. For example, when cleaning a carpet, the fibers of the carpet are agitated at the same time and thus the rotation of the roller brush and the movement of cleaning device 100 are slowed down.
[0032] During the cleaning process, in some implementations, bristles of the roller brush move from the front edge of the opening towards the rear edge, and sweep the debris or dust rearwardly through the opening and into the suction chamber. The vacuum function of cleaning device 100 causes air to flow underneath the sole plate and around the roller brush, so that the debris or dust is lifted from the surface and then carried from the suction chamber to the collector via the outlet. When the debris or dust passes through the outlet, long strands of the debris (for example, hair, thread, or the like) may become wrapped around the roller brush or accumulated at or near the outlet, especially at the mounting ends of the roller brush. The reason is that the air passing through the suction chamber applies only a relatively minor force to those long strands of the debris, making them less likely to be blown or dragged into the collector, even if the roller brush rotates at a speed capable of sucking in the solid waste. The wrapped hair or thread may lead to an increased torque on the roller brush and slowdown of its rotation speed, and the accumulated hair or thread may partially block the outlet or be ejected out of the suction chamber by turbulent air, resulting in reduced cleaning efficiency and increased power consumption of cleaning device 100.
[0033] The cantilever roller brush may solve the above issues effectively by reducing the mounting ends of the roller brush from two to one and moving the outlet to an end of the suction chamber opposite to the mounting end. Less debris will be wrapped around the roller brush as the number of mounting ends is halved. As the outlet is positioned at an end of the suction chamber, the air pass is formed between the mounting end to the outlet, and the length of the air pass is almost equal to a length of the roller brush. Thus, debris and dust in the suction chamber can be guided to the outlet easily. However, stability of the cantilever roller brush is relatively low since it only has one mounting end.
[0034] The present disclosure provides a different, novel structure to couple the cantilever roller brush with cleaning device 100 in order to maintain its advantages while eliminating its disadvantages. In some implementations, a mounting bracket is configured to couple the cantilever roller brush with cleaning device 100, as opposed to the direct connection between the cantilever roller brush and the cleaning device. The cantilever roller brush is coupled to the mounting bracket through at least one bearing, so that the mounting bracket is fixed to the cleaning device while the cantilever roller brush is able to rotate in a cleaning process. The stability of the cantilever roller brush may be greatly improved by this tailor-made structure of the mounting bracket. Details of the cantilever roller brush and its connection with cleaning device 100 will be described in more detail below.
[0035] In some implementations, referring to FIGs. 1B and 2A, cleaning device 100 includes a suction chamber 10 disposed at a bottom of main body 101 and a roller brush assembly 20 mounted within suction chamber 10. Suction chamber 10 and roller brush assembly 20 are collectively referred to as a cleaning assembly 200, as shown in FIGs. 2A to 3.In some implementations, at least a portion of cleaning assembly 200 can be removed from cleaning device 100 from its bottom side. For example, roller brush assembly 20 can be taken out of cleaning assembly 200, as shown in FIG. 3, and thus removed from cleaning device 100. In another example, the cap (e.g., cap 13 in FIG. 2B) can be detached from the rest of suction chamber 10. This makes it easy to replace or inspect the components of cleaning assembly 200. Suction chamber 10 is provided with an opening 12 through which debris and dust can be picked up and guided to a collector of cleaning device 100 via an outlet 112. At least part of roller brush assembly 20 is exposed through opening 12 and in close proximity to or in contact with the surface to collect the debris and dust from the surface.
[0036] In some implementations, as shown in FIGs. 2B and 3, suction chamber 10 includes a basement 11 coupled to cleaning device 100 and a cap 13 coupled to basement 11. Cap 13 is provided with opening 12 positioned closely towards the surface to be cleaned during a cleaning process so that the debris and dust may be swept into suction chamber 10 through opening 12. The shape of opening 12 may be configured to match a portion of roller brush assembly 20 that faces the surface to be cleaned, so that a portion of roller brush assembly 20 may protrude downward beyond cap 13. By this configuration, the bristles of the roller brush may get closer to the surface than cap 13 or even touch the surface, allowing cleaning device 100 to meander above the debris and dust and sweep them into suction chamber 10, without them being obstructed by cap 13. Basement 11 is provided with outlet 112 coupled to the collector of cleaning device 100 so that the debris and dust swept into suction chamber 10 can be guided into the collector of cleaning device 100 through outlet 112. Cap 13 is detachably coupled with basement 11 and can rotate between a close state (as shown in FIG. 2B) and an opening state (as shown in FIG. 3) . Roller brush assembly 20 can be fixedly coupled with suction chamber 10 when cap 13 is in the close state. Roller brush assembly 20 can be removed from suction chamber 10 when cap 13 is in the opening state.
[0037] In some implementations, referring to FIGs. 2B to 4, roller brush assembly 20 includes a mounting bracket 21 and a roller brush 23. In the present disclosure, roller brush 23 is a cantilever roller brush with a fixing end A coupled with mounting bracket 21 and a free end B extending from fixing end A along a first direction, i.e., a length direction of roller brush 23 corresponding to the X-axis depicted in FIGs. 2B to 4. It is noted that X and Y axes are included in FIGs. 2B to 5 to further illustrate the spatial relationship of the components described herein. X and Y axes are perpendicular to each other and together form a lateral plane which, in some implementations, is parallel to the surface to be cleaned by cleaning device 100. Free end B of roller brush 23 is positioned closer to outlet 112 of suction chamber 10 than fixing end A, as shown in FIG. 3. Mounting bracket 21 is detachably fixed to suction chamber 10, and roller brush 23 is rotatably fixed to mounting bracket 21 through at least one bearing. With this configuration, roller brush assembly 20 can be attached to cleaning device 100 by mounting bracket 21. When roller brush 23 rotates during operation of cleaning device 100, the position of mounting bracket 21 relative to that of cleaning device 100 remains unchanged, thus stabilizing the rotation of roller brush 23. The stabilized rotation also reduces jittering of roller brush 23, thus eliminating unpleasant noises caused by the contact between roller brush 23 and the surface during a cleaning process.
[0038] In some implementations, roller brush 23 is rotatably coupled with mounting bracket 21 through a rotatable core 40, as shown in FIGs. 5 and 7. Rotate coupling, as used herein, indicates that one component rotates relatively to the other while they are coupled together. FIG. 5 illustrates a first exploded view of roller brush assembly 20, and FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of roller brush assembly 20, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. Rotatable core 40 includes a first end 40-1 fixedly coupled with roller brush 23, and a second end 40-2 rotatably coupled with mounting bracket 21. When rotatable core 40 is caused to rotate, it brings roller brush 23 to rotate along while the position of mounting bracket 21 remains unchanged relatively to suction chamber 10. Roller brush 23 includes a connecting slot 30 at fixing end A to accommodate first end 40-1 of rotatable core 40, as shown in FIG. 7. First end 40-1 of rotatable core 40 may be detachably fixed with roller brush 23 or integrally molded with roller brush 23. The detachable fixing may include snap-fit connection, screw, pin, clip, fastener, or the like. Second end 40-2 of rotatable core 40 may be detachably fixed with mounting bracket 21. The detachable fixing may include snap-fit connection, screw, pin, clip, fastener, or the like. In some implementations, either first end 40-1 of rotatable core 40 is detachably fixed with mounting bracket 21, or second end 40-2 of rotatable core 40 is detachably fixed with roller brush 23, or both, so that roller brush 23 may be released from mounting bracket 21 to make it easy to replace roller brush 23.
[0039] In some implementations, connecting slot 30 extends along the length direction of roller brush 23 corresponding to the X-axis depicted in FIG. 5. In some other implementations, connecting slot 30 extends along a direction deviating from the length direction of roller brush 23. Connecting slot 30 can be a well-like cylindrical cavity inside roller brush 23 with an opening at or near one end of roller brush 23, such as fixing end A. In some implementations, first end 40-1 of rotatable core 40 is positioned within connecting slot 30 and extends along the extending direction of connecting slot 30. Second end 40-2 of rotatable core 40 extends beyond fixing end A of roller brush 23. Once assembled, rotatable core 40 can be viewed as being inserted into connecting slot 30 with a portion of rotatable core 40 protruding out of the opening, as shown in FIG. 6. In some implementations, as shown in FIG. 7, connecting slot 30 of roller brush 23 includes a sidewall 30-1 and a bottom 30-2 connected with sidewall 30-1, collectively forming a peripheral of connecting slot 30. First end 40-1 of rotatable core 40 is fixedly coupled with bottom 30-2 of connecting slot 30, and thus with roller brush 23. In some implementations, rotatable core 40 is coupled with a driving unit of cleaning device 100 and may cause roller brush 23 to rotate along with rotatable core 40 when rotatable core 40 is driven by the driving unit, so that the cleaning process can be carried out.
[0040] In some implementations, roller brush 23 is provided with a plurality of bristles or strips to remove debris and dust from the surface during rotation. In some implementations, in order to keep roller brush 23 stable during rotation, rotatable core 40 and mounting bracket 21 may be made of rigid or stiff materials, such as metal, alloy, or the like. In some other implementations, rotatable core 40 and mounting bracket 21 may be made of lighter materials, such as polymer (e.g., plastic) , or carbon fiber, in order to reduce total weight of roller brush assembly 20 and decrease inertia of roller brush assembly 20. The smaller the inertia of roller brush assembly 20, the less likely roller brush 23 breaks apart from cleaning device 100 due to excessive inertia during rotation. In some other implementations, rotatable core 40 and mounting bracket 21 may be made of a combination of materials. For example, mounting bracket 21 is made of metal and rotatable core 40 is made of plastic, or rotatable core 40 is made of metal and mounting bracket 21 is made of plastic. In some implementations, amounting base 212 of mounting bracket 21 is made of carbon fiber to reduce weight while a connector 214 of mounting bracket is made of metal to achieve a stable support.
[0041] In some implementations, rotatable core 40 is detachably coupled with the driving unit of cleaning device 100, and an additional force is necessary in most occasions to detach rotatable core 40 from the driving unit. Therefore, rotatable core 40 may be made of one or more of metal, carbon fiber, high UTS (ultimate tensile strength) polymer materials (such as polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyoxymethylene, etc. ) , or other suitable materials with enough strength to prevent rotatable core 40 from being damaged or deformed during detachment. In some implementations, rotatable core 40 is integrally molded with roller brush 23. First end 40-1 of rotatable core 40 is molded at bottom 30-2 of connecting slot 30 and second end 40-2 of rotatable core 40 extends towards mounting base 212 along the length direction. In some implementations, rotatable core 40 is separately molded with roller brush 23, and first end 40-1 is detachably coupled with connecting slot 30.
[0042] Referring to FIGs. 4 to 6, mounting bracket 21 may include mounting base 212 and connector 214. Mounting base 212 is configured to fix mounting bracket 21 to cleaning device 100, and connector 214 extends from a center of mounting base 212 along the length direction of roller brush 23 and is accommodated by connecting slot 30. In some implementations, the center of mounting base 212 may be one of the following: geometric center, gravity center, or a center of a plane defined by a side of mounting base 212. In some implementations, connector 214 is a hollow cylinder so that second end 40-2 of rotatable core 40 can be positioned within the hollow cylinder. Rotatable core 40 can be viewed as being inserted into connector 214. In some implementations, connector 214 is accommodated by connecting slot 30 of roller brush 23. Mounting bracket 21 may further include at least one supporting arm 216.
[0043] In some implementations, as shown in FIG. 7, mounting base 212 is coupled with fixing end A of roller brush 23 and is positioned outside of connecting slot 30. A cross-sectional shape of mounting base 212 includes, but are not limited to, round, oval, quadrilateral, or pentagonal. Compared with a circular-shaped mounting base, the coupling of a polygonal-shaped mounting base with the cleaning device may be stabler but more complex. With the teaching of the present disclosure, a person skilled in the related art can choose among different shapes of mounting base according to the needs.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 5, mounting base 212 includes a first side 212-1 and a second side 212-2 opposite to first side 212-1. A side surface 212S is positioned between and perpendicular to first side 212-1 and second side 212-2. First side 212-1 is connected with roller brush 23. In some implementations, side surface 212S of mounting base 212 is not required to contact cleaning device 100 in order for mounting base 212 to couple with cleaning device 100. In some implementations, rotatable core 40 passes through connector 214 and mounting base 212 and extends through second side 212-2 of mounting base 212. In some implementations, first side 212-1 of mounting base 212 is pressed against fixing end A of roller brush 23 to reduce space required for assembly. In some other implementations, a gap exists between first side 212-1 of mounting base 212 and fixing end A of roller brush 23 to minimize friction between mounting base 212 and roller brush 23 during a cleaning process.
[0045] In some implementations, referring to FIG. 5, connector 214 is positioned at the geometric center of mounting base 212 and extends away from first side 212-1 of mounting base 212 towards roller brush 23. As shown in FIG. 5, connector 214 extends into connecting slot 30 and accommodates rotatable core 40 at the same time. Rotatable core 40 passes through connector 214 and mounting base 212 so that a second end 40-2 may extend beyond second side 212-2 of mounting base 212 and couple with a connecting cap 35. Connecting cap 35 and second end 40-2 may be directly connected by snap-fit connection, screw, pin, clip, fastener, or the like. Mounting base 212 is sandwiched between connecting cap 35 and roller brush 23. In some implementations, connector 214 is non-removably attached to first side 212-1 of mounting base 212 in a manner including gluing, riveting, welding, or the like. In some implementations, connector 214 and mounting base 212 are separately molded and thus detachable from each other. For example, connector 214 is removably mounted to first side 212-1 of mounting base 212 in a manner including snap-fit connection, screw, pin, clip, fastener, or the like. In some implementations, an end of connector 214 coupled with mounting base 212 extends into mounting base 212. In some other implementations, the end of connector 214 coupled with mounting base 212 stops at and thus positioned outside of first side 212-1 of mounting base 212.
[0046] In some implementations, connecting cap 35 is positioned at second side 212-2 of mounting base 212. Connecting cap 35 is fixedly coupled with rotatable core 40 (for example, by direct connection between connecting cap 35 and second end 40-2, as described above) , and rotatable core 40 is able to rotate along with connecting cap 35. Connecting cap 35 may be coupled between rotatable core 40 and the driving unit to enhance dynamic linkage between them, so that the driving unit may more efficiently drive the rotation of rotatable core 40. Connecting cap 35 may also be able to eliminate wear and tear of rotatable core 40 as a result of direct connection between rotatable core 40 and the driving unit. In some implementations, connecting cap 35 is detachably connected with rotatable core 40 through snap-fit connection, screw, pin, clip, fastener, or the like. In this way, connecting cap 35 can be easily replaced when needed. In some implementations, connecting cap 35 is fixedly connected with rotatable core 40 through gluing, riveting, welding, or the like.
[0047] In some implementations where second end 40-2 of rotatable core 40 does not extend beyond mounting base 212, at least part of connecting cap 35 may extend into mounting base 212 to couple with rotatable core 40. A gap exists between connecting cap 35 and mounting base 212 to avoid wear and tear generated during the rotation of connecting cap 35. In some implementations, at least one bearing is positioned between connecting cap 35 and mounting base 212, so that mounting base 212 would not be rotated or displaced by the rotation of connecting cap 35.
[0048] In some implementations, connector 214 may be coupled with roller brush 23 via a bearing assembly 50, as shown in FIGs. 5 to 7. Bearing assembly 50 includes a first bearing 51 coupled with a first end of connector 214 adjacent to mounting base 212 and a second bearing 53 coupled with a second end of connector 214 away from mounting base 212. During rotation of roller brush 23, mounting base 212 and connector 214 are stationary with respect to suction chamber 10. Bearing assembly 50 is able to separate connector 214 from connecting slot 30 of roller brush 23 and provide a gap between them to reduce friction. Referring to FIG. 7, in some implementations, first bearing 51 and second bearing 53 are positioned at two ends of connector 214 respectively to keep connector 214 stable during operation. With the help of first bearing 51 and second bearing 53, despite having an extended length along the rotating axis of roller brush 23, connector 214 will not deviate from its position, e.g., bumping with connecting slot 30, when roller brush 23 rotates. As a result, the stability of roller brush assembly 20 is improved.
[0049] In some implementations, an inner surface of first bearing 51 is fixedly pressed against connector 214, and an outer surface of first bearing 51 is fixedly pressed against connecting slot 30. The inner surface of first bearing 51 is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of first bearing 51.
[0050] Due to process limitations, connecting slot 30 is subject to certain machining errors. In some implementations, although the errors are within a tolerable range, they cannot be entirely eliminated, such as those between connector 214 and first bearing 51. For example, a diameter of the opening of connecting slot 30 is too small, resulting in first bearing 51 being unable to fit into connecting slot 30; or the diameter is too large, resulting in a gap between first bearing 51 and connecting slot 30 that may not achieve fixed press between first bearing 51 and connecting slot 30. To solve this problem, a plurality of projections 30P are provided on the inner wall of connecting slot 30, as shown in FIG. 6. Projections 30P are provided at intervals along a circumference of connecting slot 30, and the outer surface of first bearing 51 is provided with an interference fit with the plurality of projections 30P, while the relative position between the outer surface of first bearing 51 and the inner wall of connecting slot 30 is unchanged. Due to the dispersed arrangement of the plurality of projections 30P, each of the projections 30P can be separately deformed in order for roller brush assembly 20 to adapt to different machining errors between first bearing 51 and connecting slot 30 within the tolerance range.
[0051] In some implementations, an inner surface of second bearing 53 is fixedly pressed against connector 214, and an outer surface of second bearing 53 is fixedly pressed against connecting slot 30. The inner surface of second bearing 53 is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of second bearing 53. The more bearings bearing assembly 53 has, the smaller friction between connector 214 and connecting slot 30 is. In some implementations, a number of bearings in bearing assembly 53 may be set as needed, for example, three, four, five, or more, which may be disposed circumferentially between connector 214 and connecting slot 30 in a uniform (e.g., equally spaced along the circumference) or nonuniform (e.g., unequally spaced along the circumference) manner.
[0052] In some implementations, as shown in FIGs. 5 and 6, mounting bracket 21 further includes at least one supporting arm 216 extending from an edge of mounting base 212 along the length direction of roller brush 23. The at least one supporting arm 216 is configured to detachably fix mounting bracket 21 to suction chamber 10. In some implementations, a number of the at least one supporting arm 216 is two, and the two supporting arms 216 are symmetrically provided with respect to connector 214, as shown in FIG. 5. An end of each supporting arm 216 is integrally molded with mounting base 212 and the other end of each supporting arm 216 extends along the length direction of roller brush 23. The two supporting arms 216 may be parallel to each other. In some implementations, the lengths of the two supporting arms are equal. A coupling area between mounting bracket 21 and suction chamber 10 is increased with the configuration of the at least one supporting arm 216. Thus, the stability of mounting bracket 21 is enhanced. The length of each supporting arms 216 may not be too long, for example, equal to a length of roller brush 23, which is unnecessary and will make it difficult to mount roller brush 23 with mounting bracket 21. The length of each supporting arms 216 may not be too short, for example, one-tenth of the length of roller brush 23, which may not be able to provide sufficient support to stabilize roller brush 23 and prevent roller brush 23 from deviating from its rotating axis during rotation. In some implementations, a ratio between the length of supporting arm 216 and the length of roller brush 23 is between 1: 3 to 1:8 (both inclusive) . In the example illustrated in FIGs. 5 and 6, the length of supporting arm 216 is one-fifth of the length of roller brush 23.
[0053] In some implementations, referring to FIG. 3, a slot 116 is provided on basement 11 of suction chamber 10 to accommodate supporting arm 216. When cap 13 is coupled with basement 11, supporting arm 216 is positioned inside slot 116 covered by cap 13, and thus fixed inside cleaning assembly 200. When there is more than one supporting arm 216, slot 116 may also be more than one. The number of slots may be equal to the number of supporting arms 216. Moreover, slot 116 may have a shape matching the contours of supporting arm 216, so that supporting arm 216 can be fixed stably within the corresponding slot during rotation. When there are two or more supporting arms 216, their distribution along a circumference of basement 11 may be uniform or nonuniform, depending on the design requirements. Therefore, roller brush 23 is prevented from moving in another direction deviating from the length direction of roller brush 23. Vibration or bumping of roller brush 23 that causes deviation from its rotating axis can also be avoided with the presence of supporting arm 216.
[0054] In some implementations, a concave portion 212C is provided on an edge of mounting base 212 adjacent to main body 101 of cleaning device 100. A depth of concave portion 212C along the length direction of roller brush 23 is smaller than a thickness of mounting base 212. Referring to FIG. 6, concave portion 212C is formed at an intersection between side surface 212S and second side 212-2 of mounting base 212. In some implementations, the intersection between side surface 212S and second side 212-2 of mounting base 212 is beveled to form concave portion 212C. With the configuration of concave portion 212C, an area of second side 212-2 of mounting base 212 is smaller than an area of first side 212-1 of mounting base 212, which facilities alignment between mounting bracket 21 with cleaning device 100. In some implementations, when roller brush assembly 20 is installed in or taken out of basement 11, concave portion 212C serves as a recessed trench that reduces the contact between mounting base 212 and the sidewall of basement 11 adjacent to mounting base 212. Since the contact may squeeze the sidewall and cause wear and tear to basement 11, concave portion 212C helps the two components, mounting base 212 and basement 11, to be more durable and have a longer service life.
[0055] In some implementations, connecting slot 30 includes a first recess 302 configured to accommodate first bearing 51 and prevent first bearing 51 from moving along the length direction of roller brush 23, as shown in FIG. 7. First recess 302 has a circular shape with a diameter larger than a diameter of connecting slot 30. A depth of first recess 302 along the length direction of roller brush 23 is equal to or slightly larger than a thickness of first bearing 51, so that, once mounting base 212 is attached thereon, first bearing 51 may be confined in recess 302 and unable to move up or down along the length direction of roller brush 23. In some implementations, a sub-recess 302-1 is provided adjacent to recess 302 with a depth larger than that of recess 302. A step-shape structure is formed between recess 302 and sub-recess 302-1, as shown in FIG. 7. The step-shape structure creates a gap between a side surface of first bearing 51 and first recess 302, making it easy to release first bearing 51. In some implementations, first recess 302 is provided with a plurality of protrusions distributed on a surface of first recess 302 to tolerate machining errors of first bearing 51 and achieve a stable connection between first bearing 51 and connecting slot 30.
[0056] In some implementations, connecting slot 30 includes a second recess 304 configured to accommodate second bearing 53 and prevent second bearing 53 from deviating from its position when roller brush 23 is rotating. This results in smooth rotation of bearing 53. Second recess 304 may be provided on an inner surface of connecting slot 30 and may have a circular shape around the inner surface, as shown in FIG. 7. In some implementations, each bearing of bearing assembly 50 is provided with a corresponding recess for stability. As discussed above, connector 214 includes a first recess 302 configured to accommodate first bearing 51 and prevent first bearing 51 from moving along the length direction of roller brush 23. In some implementations, connector 214 further includes a third recess 306 configured to accommodate second bearing 53 and prevent second bearing 53 from moving along the length direction of roller brush 23. This results in smooth rotation of bearing 53. Third recess 306 may be provided on an outer surface of connector 214 and may have a wedge-like shape around the outer surface, as shown in FIG. 7. It should be noted that the structure of recesses can be designed as needed and should not be limited to the implementations above.
[0057] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another roller brush assembly 210, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. In some implementations, a connecting slot 301 of roller brush assembly 210 is a pass-through slot formed throughout a fixing end A and a free end B of roller brush 231, as shown in FIG. 8. Connecting slot 301 includes a sidewall 301-1 and two openings at two ends of sidewall 301-1. In some implementations, a rotatable core 401 includes a first end 401-1 and a second end 401-2, and has a length longer than the length of roller brush 231. First end 401-1 is flush with free end B of roller brush 231, and second end 401-2 extends beyond fixing end A of roller brush 231 to couple with a mounting bracket 211. In this example, rotatable core 401 is fixed within connecting slot 301, and an outer surface of rotatable core 401 is closely pressed against the inner surface of connecting slot 301. With the above configuration, when rotating along with roller brush 231, rotatable core 401 remains relatively stationary inside connecting slot 301 with little or none angular displacement between itself and roller brush 231.
[0058] In this implementation, mounting bracket 211 includes a mounting base 217 configured to detachably couple to a main body of a cleaning device, and a mounting cavity 218 disposed at a center of mounting base 217 and coupled with second end 401-2 of rotatable core 401 via a bearing assembly 501. In some implementations, the center of mounting base 217 may be one or the following: geometric center, gravity center, or a center of a plane defined by a side of mounting base 217. Referring to FIG. 8, bearing assembly 50 includes a third bearing 55 and a fourth bearing 57. Third bearing 55 is positioned close to the cleaning device. In some implementations, an inner surface of third bearing 55 is fixedly pressed against the outer surface of rotatable core 401, and an outer surface of third bearing 55 is fixedly pressed against mounting cavity 218. The inner surface of third bearing 55 is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of third bearing 55. Fourth bearing 57 is positioned close to roller brush 231. In some implementations, an inner surface of fourth bearing 57 is fixedly pressed against the outer surface of rotatable core 401, and an outer surface of fourth bearing 57 is fixedly pressed against mounting cavity 218. The inner surface of fourth bearing 57 is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of fourth bearing 57.
[0059] In this implementation, connector 214 is omitted compared to implementations described above to simplify the structure of mounting bracket 21. The cost for fabricating mounting bracket 211 in FIG. 8 is also reduced compared to fabricating mounting bracket 21 as shown in FIGs. 4-7. At the same time, because bearing assembly 501 is positioned closer to mounting bracket 211 in the present implementation, a distance between a pivot point of roller brush assembly 210 and a center of gravity of roller brush assembly 210 is increased, as compared to mounting bracket 21 shown in FIGs. 4-7. Therefore, a lever arm of roller brush assembly 20 during rotation increases in the present implementation, resulting in a corresponding increase in torque of roller brush assembly 20. As a result, a larger driving force output by the driving unit is needed to keep roller brush assembly 20 stable in the present implementation, as compared to the roller brush assembly 20 shown in FIGs. 4-7.
[0060] FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of yet another roller brush assembly 220, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. In some implementations, a connecting slot 302 of roller brush assembly 220 is a pass-through slot formed throughout a fixing end A and a free end B of roller brush 232. In the present implementation, connecting slot 302, as shown in FIG. 9, is enlarged as compared to connecting slots 30 and 301 described above in conjunction with FIGs. 7-8. The larger the connecting slot is, the smaller the weight of the roller brush assembly is. The pivot torque of the roller brush assembly 20 is reduced with the enlarged connecting slot 302 to facilitate the stability of roller brush assembly 220. In some implementations, a shaft sleeve 422 is provided in connecting slot 302 and fixedly mounted to roller brush 232. As shown in FIG. 9, a length of shaft sleeve 422 is shorter than a length of the pass-through connecting slot 30, i.e., the length of roller brush 232.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 9, rotatable core 402 is fixedly positioned within a sub-slot 422-1 of shaft sleeve 422, and connector 219 is accommodated within sub-slot 422-1 of shaft sleeve 422 between an inner surface of sub-slot 422-1 and an outer surface of rotatable core 402. In the present implementation, a mounting bracket 213 is coupled with roller brush 232 through connector 219 and sub-slot 422-1 of shaft sleeve 422 through a bearing assembly 502. Bearing assembly 502 includes a fifth bearing 58 coupled with a first end of connector 219 close to a mounting base 215 and a sixth bearing 59 coupled with a second end of connector 219 close to a first end 402-1 of rotatable core 402. During rotation of roller brush 232, mounting base 215 and connector 219 are stationary with respect to the suction chamber. Bearing assembly 502 is able to separate connector 219 from shaft sleeve 422 and provide a gap between them to reduce friction.
[0062] In some implementations, an end of shaft sleeve 422 close to mounting base 215 extends vertically (i.e., along the length direction of roller brush 232) beyond connecting slot 302 and extends laterally towards a circumference of roller brush 232. The extended portion of shaft sleeve 422 is sandwiched between roller brush 232 and mounting base 215 so that shaft sleeve 422 can be prevented from moving up and down within connecting slot 302. In the present implementation, fifth bearing 58 is positioned beneath the extended portion of shaft sleeve 422 so that fifth bearing 58 may have a larger size than sixth bearing 59 positioned within sub-slot 422-1. In the present implementation, an inner surface of fifth bearing 58 is fixedly pressed against connector 219, and an outer surface of fifth bearing 58 is fixedly pressed against an inner surface of sub-slot 422-1. The inner surface of fifth bearing 58 is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of fifth bearing 58. In some implementations, an inner surface of sixth bearing 59 is fixedly pressed against the outer surface of rotatable core 402, and an outer surface of sixth bearing 59 is fixedly pressed against an inner surface of connector 219. The inner surface of sixth bearing 59 is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of sixth bearing 59.
[0063] Compared to roller brush assembly 20 in which no shaft sleeve is provided, as described with reference to FIGs. 4-7 above, the configuration of shaft sleeve 422 in roller brush assembly 220 has several advantages. First, the weight of the roller brush assembly is greatly reduced with the enlarged pass-through connecting slot. Therefore, the stability of the roller brush assembly is improved as the pivot torque of the roller brush assembly is reduced with a lighter roller brush. Second, the rotatable core may be fabricated integrally or separately with the shaft sleeve, while the rotatable core is fabricated separately from the roller brush. The fabrication difficulty of a roller brush assembly with a shaft sleeve and a rotatable core is less than that of a roller brush assembly with only a rotatable core but not a shaft sleeve, because the former has a smaller volume and a simpler structure than the latter.
[0064] Compared to roller brush assembly 210 in which no shaft sleeve is provided, as described with reference to FIG. 8 above, the application of the shaft sleeve in a roller brush assembly is confined by a diameter of the connecting slot. That is, the shaft sleeve may not be applied to a connecting slot with a small diameter. As a result, roller brush assembly 210 described with reference to FIG. 8 is more suitable for use in a miniaturized cleaning device while roller brush assembly 220 described with reference to FIG. 9 is more suitable for use in a cleaning device with relatively large size.
[0065] The stability of a cantilever roller brush is inversely proportional to the length of the cantilever roller brush. As the cantilever roller brush is fixed through only one end, the longer the cantilever roller brush, the harder to keep the cantilever roller brush stable during its rotation. In some implementations described herein, aim to improve the stability of the cantilever roller brush without compromising its length. In some other implementations, the stability of the cantilever roller brush may be achieved by reducing the length of the cantilever roller brush.
[0066] In some implementations, the cleaning device includes more than one roller brush assembly (not shown in the figures) mounted within a suction chamber. For example, the cleaning device includes a first roller brush assembly and a second roller brush assembly, each coupled with two ends of the suction chamber respectively. A fixing end of a first roller brush of the first roller brush assembly is positioned at a first end of the suction chamber, and a free end of the first roller brush extends along the length direction of the first roller brush and ends at or near a middle portion of the suction chamber. A fixing end of a second roller brush of the second roller brush assembly is positioned at a second end of the suction chamber opposite to the first end, and a free end of the second roller brush extends along the length direction of the second roller brush and ends at or near the middle portion of the suction chamber.
[0067] In some implementations, the outlet of the suction chamber is configured at or near the middle portion of the suction chamber, close to the free ends of the first and second roller brushes. A gap is provided between the free end of the first roller brush and the free end of the second roller brush so that debris and dust agitated by the first and second roller brushes can be guided into the collector of the cleaning device via the outlet. In some implementations, a minimum distance between the free end of the first roller brush and the free end of the second roller brush is equal to or less than a diameter of the outlet. By employing two roller brush assemblies, the length of each cantilever roller brush is halved without hurting the cleaning ability of the cleaning device.
[0068] The present disclosure provides several embodiments of the mounting bracket, each with a different structure to couple the cantilever roller brush with the cleaning device. The cantilever roller brush is coupled to the mounting bracket through at least one bearing, so that the mounting bracket is fixed with the cleaning device when the cantilever roller brush rotates in a cleaning process. The stability of the cantilever roller brush is thus greatly improved by a tailor-made structure of the mounting bracket.
[0069] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a roller brush assembly for a cleaning device is provided. The roller brush assembly includes a mounting bracket, a roller brush, and a rotatable core. The mounting bracket is detachably fixed to the cleaning device. The roller brush includes a fixing end for fixing the roller brush assembly to the cleaning device through the mounting bracket, and a free end extending from the fixing end along a first direction. The rotatable core includes a first end fixedly coupled with the roller brush, and a second end rotatably coupled with the mounting bracket. The roller brush includes a connecting slot configured to accommodate the first end of the rotatable core.
[0070] In some implementations, the first end of the rotatable core is detachably coupled with the connecting slot of the roller brush; or the second end of the rotatable core is detachably coupled with the mounting bracket.
[0071] In some implementations, the mounting bracket includes a mounting base for fixing the mounting bracket to the cleaning device, and a connector extending from a center of the mounting base along the first direction and accommodated by the connecting slot.
[0072] In some implementations, the connector is a hollow cylinder, and the second end of the rotatable core is positioned within the hollow cylinder.
[0073] In some implementations, the connector is coupled with the roller brush via a bearing assembly.
[0074] In some implementations, the bearing assembly includes a first bearing coupled with a first end of the connector adjacent to the mounting base, and a second bearing coupled with a second end of the connector away from the mounting base.
[0075] In some implementations, an inner surface of the first bearing is fixedly pressed against the connector, an outer surface of the first bearing is fixedly pressed against the connecting slot. The inner surface of the first bearing is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of the first bearing.
[0076] In some implementations, an inner surface of the second bearing is fixedly pressed against the connector, an outer surface of the second bearing is fixedly pressed against the connecting slot. The inner surface of the second bearing is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of the second bearing.
[0077] In some implementations, the connecting slot includes a first recess configured to accommodate the first bearing and prevent the first bearing from moving along the first direction.
[0078] In some implementations, the first recess is provided with a plurality of protrusions distributed on a surface of the first recess.
[0079] In some implementations, the connecting slot includes a second recess configured to accommodate the second bearing and prevent the second bearing from deviating from its position when the roller brush is rotating.
[0080] In some implementations, the connector includes a third recess configured to accommodate the second bearing and prevent the second bearing from moving along the first direction.
[0081] In some implementations, the mounting bracket further includes at least one supporting arm extending from an edge of the mounting base along the first direction. The at least one supporting arm is configured to detachably fix the mounting bracket to the cleaning device.
[0082] In some implementations, a number of the at least one supporting arm is two. The two supporting arms are symmetrically provided with respect to the connector.
[0083] In some implementations, a concave portion is provided on an edge of the mounting base adjacent to the main body of the cleaning device. A depth of the concave portion along the first direction is smaller than a thickness of the mounting base.
[0084] In some implementations, the roller brush assembly further includes a shaft sleeve fixedly disposed in the connecting slot and configured to rotate with the roller brush.
[0085] In some implementations, an end of the shaft sleeve adjacent to the mounting bracket extends beyond the connecting slot in a radial direction perpendicular to the first direction.
[0086] In some implementations, the second end of the rotatable core extends through the mounting bracket for coupling to a driving unit of the cleaning device through a connecting cap.
[0087] In some implementations, the connecting cap and the roller brush are positioned at two opposite sides of the mounting bracket; and the roller brush rotates with the connecting cap.
[0088] In some implementations, the mounting bracket includes a mounting base configured to detachably couple to a main body of the cleaning device, and a mounting cavity disposed at a center of the mounting base and coupled with the first end of the rotatable core via a third bearing.
[0089] In some implementations, an inner surface of the third bearing is fixedly pressed against the rotatable core, and an outer surface of the third bearing is fixedly pressed against the mounting cavity. The inner surface of the third bearing is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of the third bearing.
[0090] In some implementations, the rotatable core is integrally molded with the roller brush.
[0091] In some implementations, the rotatable core is molded separately from the roller brush.
[0092] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a cleaning device includes a chassis, a suction chamber coupled to the chassis, and at least one roller brush assembly mounted in the suction chamber is provided. Each roller brush assembly includes a mounting bracket, a roller brush, and a rotatable core. The mounting bracket detachably fixed to the cleaning device. The roller brush includes a fixing end for fixing the roller brush assembly to the cleaning device through the mounting bracket and a free end extending from the fixing end along a first direction. The rotatable core includes a first end fixedly coupled with the roller brush and a second end rotatably coupled with the mounting bracket. The roller brush includes a connecting slot configured to accommodate the first end of the rotatable core.
[0093] In some implementations, a number of the at least one roller brush assembly is one.
[0094] In some implementations, the fixing end of the roller brush is positioned at a first end of the suction chamber, and the free end of the roller brush assembly extends along the first direction and end at a second end of the suction chamber opposite to the first end. The outlet is positioned at the second end of the suction chamber corresponding to the free end of the roller brush assembly.
[0095] In some implementations, a number of the at least one roller brush assembly is two.
[0096] In some implementations, a fixing end of a first roller brush of the two roller brush assemblies is positioned at a first end of the suction chamber, and a fixing end of a second roller brush of the two roller brush assemblies is positioned at a second end of the suction chamber opposite to the first end.
[0097] In some implementations, a free end of the first roller brush extends along the first direction and ends at or near a middle portion of the suction chamber, and a free end of the second roller brush extends along the first direction and ends at or near a middle portion of the suction chamber. A distance between the free end of the first roller brush and the free end of the second roller brush is equal to or less than a diameter of the outlet.
[0098] The foregoing description of the specific implementations can be readily modified and / or adapted for various applications. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed implementations, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein.
[0099] The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary implementations but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1.A roller brush assembly for a cleaning device, comprising:a mounting bracket detachably fixed to the cleaning device;a roller brush comprising:a fixing end for fixing the roller brush assembly to the cleaning device through the mounting bracket; anda free end extending from the fixing end along a first direction; anda rotatable core comprising:a first end fixedly coupled with the roller brush; anda second end rotatably coupled with the mounting bracket;wherein,the roller brush comprises a connecting slot configured to accommodate the first end of the rotatable core.2.The roller brush assembly of claim 1, whereinthe first end of the rotatable core is detachably coupled with the connecting slot of the roller brush; orthe second end of the rotatable core is detachably coupled with the mounting bracket.3.The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket comprises:a mounting base for fixing the mounting bracket to the cleaning device; anda connector extending from a center of the mounting base along the first direction and accommodated by the connecting slot.4.The roller brush assembly of claim 3, whereinthe connector is a hollow cylinder; andthe second end of the rotatable core is positioned within the hollow cylinder.5.The roller brush assembly of claim 3, whereinthe connector is coupled with the roller brush via a bearing assembly.6.The roller brush assembly of claim 5, wherein the bearing assembly comprises:a first bearing coupled with a first end of the connector adjacent to the mounting base; anda second bearing coupled with a second end of the connector away from the mounting base.7.The roller brush assembly of claim 6, whereinan inner surface of the first bearing is fixedly pressed against the connector;an outer surface of the first bearing is fixedly pressed against the connecting slot; andthe inner surface of the first bearing is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of the first bearing.8.The roller brush assembly of claim 6, whereinan inner surface of the second bearing is fixedly pressed against the connector;an outer surface of the second bearing is fixedly pressed against the connecting slot; andthe inner surface of the second bearing is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of the second bearing.9.The roller brush assembly of claim 6, whereinthe connecting slot comprises a first recess configured to accommodate the first bearing and prevent the first bearing from moving along the first direction.10.The roller brush assembly of claim 9, whereinthe first recess is provided with a plurality of protrusions distributed on a surface of the first recess.11.The roller brush assembly of claim 6, whereinthe connecting slot comprises a second recess configured to accommodate the second bearing and prevent the second bearing from deviating from its position when the roller brush is rotating.12.The roller brush assembly of claim 6, whereinthe connector comprises a third recess configured to accommodate the second bearing and prevent the second bearing from moving along the first direction.13.The roller brush assembly of claim 3, the mounting bracket further comprising:at least one supporting arm extending from an edge of the mounting base along the first direction,wherein the at least one supporting arm is configured to detachably fix the mounting bracket to the cleaning device.14.The roller brush assembly of claim 13, whereina number of the at least one supporting arm is two; andthe two supporting arms are symmetrically provided with respect to the connector.15.The roller brush assembly of claim 3, whereina concave portion is provided on an edge of the mounting base adjacent to the main body of the cleaning device; anda depth of the concave portion along the first direction is smaller than a thickness of the mounting base.16.The roller brush assembly of claim 3, further comprising:a shaft sleeve fixedly disposed in the connecting slot and configured to rotate with the roller brush.17.The roller brush assembly of claim 16, whereinan end of the shaft sleeve adjacent to the mounting bracket extends beyond the connecting slot in a radial direction perpendicular to the first direction.18.The roller brush assembly of claim 3, whereinthe second end of the rotatable core extends through the mounting bracket for coupling to a driving unit of the cleaning device through a connecting cap.19.The roller brush assembly of claim 18, whereinthe connecting cap and the roller brush are positioned at two opposite sides of the mounting bracket; andthe roller brush rotates with the connecting cap.20.The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket comprises:a mounting base configured to detachably couple to a main body of the cleaning device; anda mounting cavity disposed at a center of the mounting base and coupled with the first end of the rotatable core via a third bearing.21.The roller brush assembly of claim 20, whereinan inner surface of the third bearing is fixedly pressed against the rotatable core;an outer surface of the third bearing is fixedly pressed against a mounting cavity; andthe inner surface of the third bearing is rotatable with respect to the outer surface of the third bearing.22.The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotatable core is integrally molded with the roller brush.23.The roller brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotatable core is molded separately from the roller brush.24.A cleaning device, comprising:a chassis;a suction chamber coupled to the chassis; andat least one roller brush assembly mounted in the suction chamber;wherein each roller brush assembly comprises:a mounting bracket coupled with the suction chamber;a roller brush comprising:a fixing end coupled with the suction chamber through the mounting bracket; anda free end extending from the fixing end along a first direction; anda rotatable core comprising:a first end coupled with the fixing end of the roller brush; anda second end coupled with the mounting bracket.25.The cleaning device of claim 24, whereina number of the at least one roller brush assembly is one.26.The cleaning device of claim 25, whereinthe fixing end of the roller brush is positioned at a first end of the suction chamber;the free end of the roller brush assembly extends along the first direction and end at a second end of the suction chamber opposite to the first end; andthe outlet is positioned at the second end of the suction chamber corresponding to the free end of the roller brush assembly.27.The cleaning device of claim 24, whereina number of the at least one roller brush assembly is two.28.The cleaning device of claim 27, whereina fixing end of a first roller brush of the two roller brush assemblies is positioned at a first end of the suction chamber; anda fixing end of a second roller brush of the two roller brush assemblies is positioned at a second end of the suction chamber opposite to the first end.29.The cleaning device of claim 28, whereina free end of the first roller brush extends along the first direction and ends at or near a middle portion of the suction chamber;a free end of the second roller brush extends along the first direction and ends at or near a middle portion of the suction chamber; anda distance between the free end of the first roller brush and the free end of the second roller brush is equal to or less than a diameter of the outlet.
Citation Information
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