US 11,730,329 B2
Autonomous floor cleaner and docking station
Adam Brown, Holland, MI (US)
Assigned to BISSELL Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed by BISSELL Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/106,243.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/944,602, filed on Dec. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0169291 A1, Jun. 10, 2021
Int. Cl. A47L 9/28 (2006.01); A47L 11/40 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 9/2873 (2013.01) [A47L 9/2852 (2013.01); A47L 11/4011 (2013.01); A47L 11/4013 (2013.01); A47L 11/4083 (2013.01); A47L 2201/022 (2013.01); A47L 2201/04 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous floor cleaning system comprising:
an autonomous floor cleaner comprising a housing, a drive system configured to autonomously move the housing over a surface to be cleaned, a controller, a battery, a first charging contact, interchangeable modules, and a module receiver configured to receive one of the interchangeable modules at a time;
a docking station configured to dock the autonomous floor cleaner and comprising a second charging contact adapted to mate with the first charging contact to charge the battery of the autonomous floor cleaner; and
an interlock feature that physically interlocks the autonomous floor cleaner and the docking station, the interlock feature comprising a lockable member and a lock engageable with the lockable member to interlock the autonomous floor cleaner to the docking station, wherein the autonomous floor cleaner comprises one of the lockable member and the lock, and the docking station comprises the other one of the lockable member and the lock;
wherein the interchangeable modules include at least:
a wet mode module comprising a supply tank configured to hold a liquid, the autonomous floor cleaner operable a wet mode of operation in which cleaning fluid is applied to the floor surface by the autonomous floor cleaner; and
a dry mode module comprising a collection bin configured to hold collected debris, the autonomous floor cleaner operable in a dry mode of operation in which cleaning fluid is not applied to the surface to be cleaned by the autonomous floor cleaner;
wherein the docking station comprises a lock activating switch configured to activate the lock to engage the lockable member, wherein the lock activating switch comprises an optical switch configured to be occluded by the wet mode module and configured to be not occluded by the dry mode module.