Robot cleaner system having robot cleaner and docking station

Abstract

A robot cleaner system having an improved docking structure to allow a dust discharge port of a robot cleaner to come into close contact with a dust suction port of a docking station without an additional drive device. The robot cleaner system includes a robot cleaner having a dust discharge port, a docking station having a dust suction port to suction dust collected in the robot cleaner, and a docking device to perform a seesaw movement as it comes into contact with the robot cleaner when the robot cleaner docks with the docking station, so as to allow the dust suction port to come into close contact with the dust discharge port. The docking device further includes a link member installed in the docking station in a pivotally rotatable manner. The link member has one end provided with a contact portion to come into contact with the robot cleaner, and the other end provided with a docking portion defining the dust suction port therein.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2007-0085304, filed on Aug. 24, 2007 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]Embodiments relate to a robot cleaner system, and, more particularly, to a robot cleaner system having a docking station installed to suction and remove dust collected in a robot cleaner.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]A cleaner is an appliance to remove dirt and clean a room. A vacuum cleaner is generally used to suction dirt by use of a suction force generated from a low-pressure unit. Recently, the development of a robot cleaner is underway. The robot cleaner removes dirt from the floor by a self-running function thereof without a user's labor.[0006]Generally, the robot cleaner is used together with a station (hereinafter, referred to as a “docking station”), to constitute a sin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]Accordingly, it is an aspect of embodiments to provide a robot cleaner system having an improved docking structure, in which a dust discharge port of a robot cleaner can come into close contact with a dust suction port of a docking station without an additional drive device.

[0029]In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention embodiments, there is provided a docking device for allowing a dust suction port of a docking station to move into close contact with a dust discharge port of a robot cleaner, including a link member having a first end with a contact portion to contact the robot cleaner and a second end with a docking portion defining the dust suction port therein, wherein the robot cleaner has a slope to guide the docking device to move the dust suction port into close contact with the dust discharge port as the robot cleaner moves into the docking station to prevent leakage of dust during transfer of dust from the robot cleaner to the docking station.

[0034]In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention embodiments, there is provided a robot cleaner to dock with a docking device of a docking station having a dust suction port so as to discharge dust collected therein, the robot cleaner including a dust discharge port; and a slope to guide the docking device to move the dust suction port into close contact with the dust discharge port as the robot cleaner moves into the docking station to prevent leakage of dust during transfer of dust from the robot cleaner to the docking station.

Problems solved by technology

However, this system has problems including a great loss of a suction force generated from the suction unit and leakage of dust, which was to be moved from the robot cleaner into the docking station, into a room having the conventional robot cleaner system.

However, to move the connector, it is necessary to provide a drive device for the connector within the dust-removal device, and this has a problem of complicating the configuration of the dust-removal device.

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