US 11,930,991 B2
Evacuation dock with fluid management
Vincent Andrew Wolff, Norfolk, MA (US); Brian W. Doughty, Framingham, MA (US); Leo Torrente, Somerville, MA (US); Travis Gschrey, Billerica, MA (US); Jack Zhang, Guangzhou (CN); Levi Fox, Salem, MA (US); Rogelio Manfred Neumann, Somerville, MA (US); Celerick Stephens, Billerica, MA (US); and James J. Mahoney, Jr., Hyde Park, MA (US)
Assigned to iRobot Corporation, Bedford, MA (US)
Filed by iRobot Corporation, Bedford, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 2, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/009,856.
Application 17/009,856 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CN2020/109188, filed on Aug. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0061612 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. A47L 9/14 (2006.01); A47L 9/28 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 9/149 (2013.01) [A47L 9/1409 (2013.01); A47L 9/2873 (2013.01); A47L 2201/024 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot, the docking station comprising:
a base configured to receive the mobile cleaning robot thereon, the base including a front portion and a back portion opposite the front portion;
a vacuum port extending at least partially through the base;
a canister connected to the back portion of the base and located at least partially above the base, the canister comprising:
a debris bin connected to the vacuum port to receive debris therefrom, the debris bin including a side wall and a floor connected to the side wall, the side wall and the floor together at least partially enclosing the debris bin; and
a fan compartment connected to the side wall of the debris bin and including a fan system operable to draw debris through the vacuum port and the debris bin, the fan compartment including a plurality of discharge openings extending at least partially downward through an outer wall of the fan compartment and configured to discharge air from the fan system at least partially in a downward direction; and
a fan compartment wall located in the fan compartment and above the fan system, the fan compartment wall configured to receive a spare vacuum bag and store the spare vacuum bag between the fan compartment wall and a lid connected to a top of the canister when the lid is closed.