Dust receptacle of robot cleaner and a method for removing dust collected therein

Abstract

A dust receptacle comprises a receptacle body having an air inlet and an air outlet, and detachably mounted in a dust collecting chamber of a robot cleaner, a cover fit in the receptacle body to open and close the air outlet, and a dust outlet formed in the receptacle body. Accordingly, the dust collected in the robot cleaner can be thoroughly and conveniently removed.

1 . A dust receptacle comprising: 
 a receptacle body having an air inlet and an air outlet, and detachably mounted in a dust collecting chamber of a robot cleaner;    a cover fit in the receptacle body to open and close the air outlet; and    a dust outlet formed in the receptacle body.    
   
   
       2 . The dust receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the cover fit in the receptacle body comprises a filter to prevent the collected dust from flowing out through the air outlet.  
   
   
       3 . The dust receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle body further comprises an air inlet pipe unit which inwardly protrudes from the air inlet, and a handle unit disposed adjacent to the dust outlet.  
   
   
       4 . The dust receptacle of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle body further comprises an air inlet pipe unit which inwardly protrudes from the air inlet, and a handle unit disposed adjacent to the dust outlet.  
   
   
       5 . The dust receptacle of  claim 4 , wherein a valve member is formed at an opening of the air inlet pipe unit to cover the opening by its own weight, the valve member being opened by pressure of an air flowed in through the air inlet.  
   
   
       6 . The dust receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein a sealing member is provided with the dust outlet.  
   
   
       7 . The dust receptacle of  claim 6 , wherein the sealing member is made of an elastic material so as to be tightly fit into the dust outlet.  
   
   
       8 . The dust receptacle of  claim 6 , wherein the sealing member has a flanged handle for easy separation from the dust outlet.  
   
   
       9 . A method for removing dust collected in a robot cleaner, comprising the steps of: 
 collecting dust from an air drawn in through the air inlet, in the dust receptacle of the dust collecting chamber, and discharging the air through the discharge port; and    removing the dust collected in the dust receptacle by tightly contacting an air inlet of a separate discharge unit to the dust outlet of the dust receptacle.