Robotic vacuum cleaner with dirt enclosing member and method of using the same

Abstract

An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus has a dirt enclosing member providing a first closed container and a depositing member which deposits the closed container at a location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus.

1 . An autonomous surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet:   (b) a suction motor positioned in the primary flow path;   (c) an air treatment unit positioned in the air flow path, the air treatment unit comprising a dirt collection region in which dirt is collected;   (d) a dirt enclosing member providing a first closed container in which at least some of the dirt that is collected in the dirt collection region is positioned; and,   (e) a depositing member which deposits the closed container at a location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first closed container is a flexible closed container. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dirt enclosing member provides the first closed container and the depositing member subsequently moves the first closed container to the location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus has a storage region in which the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus stores the first closed container as the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus continues a cleaning operation. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the storage region is sized to receive a plurality of closed containers including the first closed container. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dirt enclosing member provides the first closed container as the depositing member moves the first closed container to a location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the dirt collection region comprises a substrate which is used to form the first closed container. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the dirt enclosing member forms the first closed container from the substrate and the depositing member subsequently moves the first closed container to the location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the dirt enclosing member forms the first closed container from the substrate as the depositing member moves the first closed container to the location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . A method of cleaning a floor comprising:
 (a) having an autonomous surface cleaning apparatus clean at least a portion of the floor;   (b) collecting dirt in the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus;   (c) enclosing at least some of the dirt in a first closed container and depositing the first closed container at a location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the location is a corner of a room. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the location is adjacent a garbage can. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first closed container is deposited when the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus docks at a first docking station. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein a plurality of docking stations is provided and the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus deposits the first closed container when the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus docks at one of the docking stations. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein at least some of the dirt is enclosed in the first closed container as the first closed container is deposited at a location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein at least some of the dirt is enclosed in the first closed container and subsequently the first closed container is deposited at a location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the dirt is collected in an open container and the open container is subsequently closed to form the first closed container. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the open container comprises a flexible substrate and an open end of the flexible substrate is sealed to form the first closed container. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10  wherein step (c) comprises enclosing at least some of the dirt in the first closed container and subsequently having an autonomous surface cleaning apparatus clean at least a portion of the floor while the first closed container is stored in the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus and subsequently depositing the first closed container at the location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising enclosing additional collected dirt in a second closed container and depositing the second closed container at the location that is exterior to the autonomous surface cleaning apparatus.