Mobile cleaning robot with variable cleaning features

Abstract

A mobile cleaning robot can include a body movable within an environment and can define a suction duct. The cleaning assembly can be connected to the body and can be configured to at least partially define, together with a floor surface of the environment, a debris port connected to the suction duct. The cleaning assembly can be engageable with a surface of the environment to direct debris through the debris port, and the cleaning assembly can include a guide adjustable to alter suction through the debris port.

1 . A mobile cleaning robot comprising:
 a body movable within an environment and defining a suction duct; and   a cleaning assembly connected to the body and configured to at least partially define, together with a floor surface of the environment, a debris port connected to the suction duct, the cleaning assembly engageable with a surface of the environment to direct debris through the debris port, and the cleaning assembly including a guide adjustable to alter suction through the debris port.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of debris guides connected to the body forward of the cleaning assembly and extending downward from the body to at least partially define, together with the floor surface and the cleaning assembly, the debris port.   
     
     
         3 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 2 , wherein the guide includes a plurality of flaps, each flap extendable between adjacent debris guides of the plurality of debris guides to at least partially define, together with the floor surface and the debris guides, the debris port. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 3 , wherein the guide is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a drive assembly operable to move the guide between the extended position and the retracted position.   
     
     
         6 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 3 , wherein the guide is releasably connectable to the cleaning assembly to alter the debris port. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 1 , wherein the guide is a bristle guide connected to a rear portion of the cleaning assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 7 , wherein the bristle guide extends along lateral sides of the cleaning assembly from the rear portion. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 7 , wherein the guide is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a drive assembly operable to move the guide between the extended position and the retracted position.   
     
     
         11 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 10 , wherein the guide increases suction through the suction port when the guide is in the extended position and decreases suction through the suction port when the guide is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 7 , wherein the guide is releasably connectable to the cleaning assembly to alter the debris port. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a mobile cleaning robot, the method comprising:
 determining a floor type of a floor surface of an environment;   determining a location of the mobile cleaning robot within the environment; and   adjusting a position of a guide of a cleaning assembly of the mobile cleaning robot to adjust a debris port defined, at least in part, by the guide and the floor surface.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein adjusting the position of the guide includes extending the guide toward the cleaning surface or retracting the guide away from the cleaning surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 detecting debris on the floor surface of the environment;   determining a debris type of the detected debris; and   adjusting the position of the guide based on the debris type.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 adjusting a rotational speed of one or more rollers of the cleaning assembly based on the position of the guide.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining a drive speed of the robot; and   adjusting the drive speed of the mobile cleaning robot based on the determined drive speed and the position of the guide.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining a number of passes performed in a designated space of the environment; and   adjusting a drive direction of the mobile cleaning robot based on the determined number of passes.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions, for pre-operatively operating a mobile cleaning robot, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
 determine a floor type of a floor surface of an environment;   determine a location of the mobile cleaning robot within the environment; and   adjust a position of a guide of a cleaning assembly of the mobile cleaning robot to adjust a debris port defined, at least in part, by the guide and the floor surface.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , the instructions to further cause the machine to:
 detect debris on the floor surface of the environment;   determine a debris type of the detected debris; and   adjust the position of the guide based on the debris type.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein adjusting the position of the guide includes extending the guide toward the cleaning surface or retracting the guide away from the cleaning surface.