Robot cleaner

Abstract

Provided is a robot cleaner including a main body including a suction portion disposed thereon, main wheels for moving the main body, and a side brush assembly disposed on the main body and rotating with a rotation shaft perpendicular to a rotation shaft of the main wheels, the side brush assembly includes a housing for forming an exterior of the side brush assembly, a first force transmitter disposed in the housing and rotating by receiving a driving force, a belt connected to the first force transmitter, a second force transmitter connected to the first force transmitter by the belt to receive a rotational force of the first force transmitter, and a side brush coupled to the second force transmitter.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A robot cleaner comprising:
 a main body including a suction portion disposed thereon;   main wheels for moving the main body; and   a side brush assembly disposed on the main body, the side brush including:
 a housing forming an exterior of the side brush assembly; 
 a first force transmitter disposed in the housing, the first force transmitter being configured to rotate by receiving a driving force; 
 a belt connected to the first force transmitter; 
 a second force transmitter connected to the first force transmitter by the belt, the second force transmitter being configured to receive a rotational force of the first force transmitter; and 
 a side brush coupled to the second force transmitter, 
   wherein the first force transmitter, the belt and the second force transmitter are configured to permit slip between the belt and one of the first force transmitter and the second force transmitter so that when slip occurs, a rotational angular speed of the first force transmitter and a rotational angular speed of the second force transmitter become different from each other.   
     
     
         17 . The robot cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the first force transmitter includes a first coupling groove defined therein, and
 wherein the belt is coupled to the first coupling groove.   
     
     
         18 . The robot cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the first force transmitter further includes first coupling ribs respectively arranged on a top face and a bottom face of the first coupling groove for preventing the belt from being decoupled from the first coupling groove. 
     
     
         19 . The robot cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the second force transmitter includes a second coupling groove, and
 wherein the belt is coupled to the second coupling groove.   
     
     
         20 . The robot cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the second force transmitter further includes second coupling ribs respectively arranged on a top face and a bottom face of the second coupling groove for preventing the belt from being decoupled from the second coupling groove. 
     
     
         21 . The robot cleaner of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an agitator disposed in the main body; and   a motor assembly for generating a rotational force for rotating the agitator.   
     
     
         22 . The robot cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the side brush assembly rotates about a first rotation axis,
 wherein the main wheels rotate about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis, and   wherein the agitator rotates about a third rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis.   
     
     
         23 . The robot cleaner of  claim 21 , further comprising a gear box for simultaneously transmitting the rotational force of the motor assembly to the side brush assembly and the agitator. 
     
     
         24 . The robot cleaner of  claim 23 , wherein the side brush assembly further includes a reduction gear connected to a gear of the gear box, and
 wherein the reduction gear reduces a rotational speed of the gear of the gear box and transmits the reduced rotational speed to the first force transmitter.   
     
     
         25 . The robot cleaner of  claim 24 , wherein the reduction gear and the first force transmitter are gear-coupled to each other. 
     
     
         26 . The robot cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the second force transmitter includes:
 a pulley coupled with the belt; and   a rotation shaft coupled to a rotation center of the pulley, and   wherein the side brush is rotated at a same rotational angular speed with the rotation shaft of the second force transmitter.   
     
     
         27 . The robot cleaner of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an agitator disposed in the main body;   a motor assembly provided between the side brush assembly and the agitator for generating a rotational force for rotating the agitator; and   a gear box provided between the side brush assembly and the agitator for simultaneously transmitting the rotational force of the motor assembly to the side brush assembly and the agitator.   
     
     
         28 . A robot cleaner comprising:
 a suction portion including:
 an agitator configured to contact a floor and to rotate; and 
 a suction hole configured to suck external foreign substances from the floor; 
   main wheels for moving the robot cleaner; and   a side brush assembly including:
 a first force transmitter configured to rotate by receiving a driving force; 
 a belt connected to the first force transmitter; 
 a second force transmitter connected to the first force transmitter by the belt to receive a rotational force of the first force transmitter; and 
 a side brush coupled to the second force transmitter, 
   wherein the first force transmitter, the belt and the second force transmitter are configured to permit slip between the belt and one of the first force transmitter and the second force transmitter so that when slip occurs, a rotational angular speed of the first force transmitter and a rotational angular speed of the second force transmitter become different from each other.   
     
     
         29 . The robot cleaner of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a motor assembly for generating a rotational force for rotating the agitator; and   a gear box coupled between the side brush assembly and the motor assembly.   
     
     
         30 . The robot cleaner of  claim 29 , wherein the side brush assembly further includes a reduction gear connected to a gear of the gear box, and
 wherein the reduction gear reduces a rotational speed of the gear of the gear box and transmits the reduced rotational speed to the first force transmitter.   
     
     
         31 . The robot cleaner of  claim 30 , wherein the side brush assembly further includes a housing, and
 wherein the reduction gear, the first force transmitter and the second force transmitter are disposed within the housing.   
     
     
         32 . The robot cleaner of  claim 29 , wherein the side brush assembly rotates about a first rotation axis,
 wherein the main wheels rotate about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis, and   wherein the agitator rotates about a third rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis.   
     
     
         33 . The robot cleaner of  claim 28 , wherein the first force transmitter includes a first coupling groove defined therein, and
 wherein the belt is coupled to the first coupling groove.   
     
     
         34 . The robot cleaner of  claim 33 , wherein the first force transmitter further includes first coupling ribs respectively arranged on a top face and a bottom face of the first coupling groove for preventing the belt from being decoupled from the first coupling groove. 
     
     
         35 . The robot cleaner of  claim 33 , wherein the second force transmitter includes:
 a pulley coupled with the belt; and   a rotation shaft coupled to a rotation center of the pulley, and   wherein the side brush is rotated at a same rotational angular speed with the rotation shaft of the second force transmitter.