Robot cleaner station

Abstract

A robot cleaner station includes a cleaner seating portion including a suction port, a collection device including a collection chamber, and a station suction device configured to generate a suction force such that dirt from the dust collection device is suctioned into the collection chamber, and a connection part having one end connectable to the suction port and another end connectable to the collection chamber. The connection part comprises: a guide unit horizontally extending in the cleaner seating portion, a vortex region, inside the guide unit between one side of the guide unit where the guide unit starts to horizontally extend and the suction port, and where a vortex causing settlement of the dirt is formed, and a ventilation hole configured to allow a flow of external air from the one side of the guide unit at which the guide unit starts to horizontally extend to the vortex region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A robot cleaner station comprising:
 a cleaner seating portion on which a robot cleaner is to be seated, the cleaner seating portion including a suction port through which dirt from a dust collection device of the robot cleaner is suctioned;   a collection device including a collection chamber to collect the dirt from the dust collection device of the robot cleaner that is suctioned through the suction port of the cleaner seating portion while the robot cleaner is seated on the cleaner seating portion, and a station suction device configured to generate a suction force such that the dirt from the dust collection device of the robot cleaner is suctioned into the collection chamber; and   a connection part having one end connectable to the suction port and another end connectable to the collection chamber,   wherein the connection part comprises:
 a guide unit formed in a region of the one end of the connection part that is connectable to the suction port, the guide unit horizontally extending in the cleaner seating portion; 
 a vortex region inside the guide unit between one side of the guide unit where the guide unit starts to horizontally extend in the cleaner seating portion and the suction port, the vortex region being where a vortex that causes settlement of the dirt is formed; and 
 a ventilation hole configured to allow a flow of external air directed from the one side of the guide unit, where the guide unit starts to horizontally extend, to the vortex region. 
   
     
     
         2 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide unit comprises an upper guide housing forming an upper part of the guide unit and a lower guide housing forming a lower part of the guide unit, the upper guide housing being arrangeable to correspond with the lower guide housing, and
 the upper guide housing and the lower guide housing are in close contact with each other to form the guide unit.   
     
     
         3 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 2 , wherein the lower guide housing comprises a guide plate and a fence portion formed along an edge of the guide plate and protruding along an upward direction, and
 the upper guide housing comprises a guide side wall that comes into contact with an outer circumference of the fence portion and forms a side surface of the guide unit.   
     
     
         4 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 3 , wherein the fence portion comprises a hollow portion inside, and
 the hollow portion is open toward a lower region of the guide plate.   
     
     
         5 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 4 , wherein the ventilation hole is formed in the fence portion corresponding to the one side of the guide unit to thereby allow the flow of external air to be introduced through the ventilation hole and the hollow portion toward an inside of the guide unit. 
     
     
         6 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 5 , wherein the fence portion comprises a first fence portion in contact with the guide side wall and a second fence portion inclined with respect to the first fence portion while the hollow portion is interposed therebetween, and
 the ventilation hole is formed in the second fence portion.   
     
     
         7 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 5 , wherein the ventilation hole is formed at a position spaced apart from a lower surface of the guide plate of the fence portion by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         8 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 5 , wherein the fence portion further comprises a recessed portion in which the vortex region is located, and
 the ventilation hole is formed on both sides of the recessed portion.   
     
     
         9 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 4 , wherein the ventilation hole is formed on the guide side wall corresponding to the one side of the guide unit, and
 the flow of external air is formed to pass through the hollow portion and the ventilation hole formed in the guide side wall sequentially, prior to proceeding toward the vortex region.   
     
     
         10 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 9 , wherein the ventilation hole is at a location higher than an upper end of the fence portion. 
     
     
         11 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 2 , further comprising a sealing member along a circumference of the lower guide housing, and
 the upper guide housing and the lower guide housing being in close contact with each other with the sealing member interposed therebetween to form the guide unit.   
     
     
         12 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 2 , wherein the upper guide housing is integrally formed with a base plate that forms the cleaner seating portion and faces a ground on which the robot cleaner station is seated, and
 the upper guide housing comprises a plurality of support members fixable to the base plate while spacing the base plate from the ground by a predetermined distance.   
     
     
         13 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 12 , further comprising a first fastening portion formed on the base plate, a second fastening portion formed on a circumference of the lower guide housing to correspond to the first fastening portion, and a fastening member fixing the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion. 
     
     
         14 . The robot cleaner station according to  claim 1 , wherein the ventilation hole is among a plurality of ventilation holes. 
     
     
         15 . A robot cleaner station comprising:
 a cleaner seating portion on which a robot cleaner is to be seated, the cleaner seating portion including a suction port through which dirt from a dust collection device of the robot cleaner is suctioned;   a collection device including a collection chamber to collect the dirt from the dust collection device of the robot cleaner that is suctioned through the suction port of the cleaner seating portion while the robot cleaner is seated on the cleaner seating portion, and a station suction device configured to generate a suction force such that the dirt from the dust collection device of the robot cleaner is suctioned into the collection chamber; and   a connection part having one end connectable to the suction port and another end connectable to the collection chamber,   wherein the connection part comprises:
 a guide unit formed in a region of the one end of the connection part, that is connectable to the suction port, the guide unit extending in a front-to-rear direction in the cleaner seating portion; 
 a ventilation hole formed on one side of the guide unit where the guide unit starts to extend in the front-to-rear direction in the cleaner seating portion, the ventilation hole being configured to allow a flow of external air along an extension direction of the guide unit from the one side.