Mobile cleaning robot with a spacer

Abstract

A roller for a mobile cleaning robot can include a roller core, a first elongated member, a second elongated member, and a spacer. The roller core can extend along a longitudinal axis of the roller. The first elongated member can be engageable with a floor surface. The first elongated member can at least partially surround a first portion of the roller core. The second elongated member can also be engageable with the floor surface. The second elongated member can at least partially surround a second section of the roller core. The spacer can at least partially surround the roller core between the first elongated member and the second elongated member. The spacer can be engageable with the floor surface and can be configured to prevent debris collection between the first elongated member and the second elongated member.

1 . A roller for a mobile cleaning robot, the roller comprising:
 a roller core extending along a longitudinal axis of the roller;   a first elongated member engageable with a floor surface, the first elongated member at least partially surrounding a first portion of the roller core;   a second elongated member engageable with a floor surface, the second elongated member at least partially surrounding a second portion of the roller core; and   a spacer at least partially surrounding the roller core between the first elongated member and the second elongated member, the spacer engageable with the floor surface and configured to prevent debris collection between the first elongated member and the second elongated member.   
     
     
         2 . The roller of  claim 1 , wherein the first elongated member comprises:
 a first shell;   a first fletch extending radially outward from the first shell and extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis; and   a second fletch extending radially outward from the first shell and extending at least a portion of the longitudinal axis, wherein the first fletch and the second fletch are circumferentially spaced from one another to define a first fletch gap therebetween.   
     
     
         3 . The roller of  claim 2 , wherein the second elongated member further comprises:
 a second shell;   a third fletch extending radially outward from the second shell and extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis; and   a fourth fletch extending radially outward from the second shell and extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis, wherein the third fletch and the fourth fletch are circumferentially spaced from one another to define a second fletch gap therebetween.   
     
     
         4 . The roller of  claim 3 , wherein the first fletch and the second fletch extend around the first elongated member in a first helical pattern, the third fletch and the fourth fletch extend from the spacer in a second helical pattern, and wherein the second helical pattern is symmetric to the first helical pattern about the spacer. 
     
     
         5 . The roller of  claim 3 , wherein the spacer comprises:
 a base connected to the roller core and extending circumferentially around the roller core and extending radially outward from the roller core; and   a body extending circumferentially around the base and radially outward from the base.   
     
     
         6 . The roller of  claim 5 , wherein the body of the spacer further comprises:
 a first wing extending axially from a first surface of the body, the first wing also extending axially from a second surface of the body such that the first wing extends at least partially into the first fletch gap from the first surface and the second surface; and   a second wing circumferentially spaced from the first wing and extending axially from the first surface, the second wing also extending axially from the second surface such that the second wing extends at least partially into the second fletch gap from the first surface and the second surface.   
     
     
         7 . The roller of  claim 6 , wherein the first fletch and second fletch of the first elongated member and the third fletch and the fourth fletch of the second elongated member compress radially inward on condition that the first elongated member or the second elongated member contacts a flooring, the first fletch, the second fletch, the third fletch, and the fourth fletch together defining a deflected diameter at a position of maximum deflection when any of the first fletch, the second fletch, the third fletch, and the fourth fletch deflect from engagement with the floor surface. 
     
     
         8 . The roller of  claim 7 , wherein the spacer comprises a major diameter such that the spacer is within the major diameter, and wherein the major diameter of the spacer is less than or equal to the deflected diameter. 
     
     
         9 . The roller of  claim 5 , wherein the spacer comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are removably coupled to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The roller of  claim 5 , wherein the body of the spacer comprises a plurality of bristles extending radially outward from the body of the spacer. 
     
     
         11 . A mobile cleaning robot comprising:
 a body including a suction duct; and   a cleaning assembly operable to ingest debris from a surface of an environment, the cleaning assembly comprising:
 a roller rotatable with respect to the body and engageable with the surface to direct debris toward the suction duct, the roller including:
 a roller core extending along a longitudinal axis of the roller; 
 a first elongated member circumferentially surrounding a first portion of the roller core; 
 a second elongated member circumferentially surrounding a second portion of the roller core; and 
 a spacer at least partially circumferentially surrounding the roller core between the first elongated member and the second elongated, the spacer engageable with the surface and configured to prevent debris collection between the first elongated member and the second elongated member. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 11 , wherein the first elongated member comprises:
 a first shell;   a first vane extending radially outward from the first shell and extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis; and   a second vane extending radially outward from the first shell and extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis, wherein the first vane and the second vane are circumferentially spaced from one another to define a first vane gap therebetween.   
     
     
         13 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 12 , wherein the first vane and the second vane extend around the first elongated member in a helical pattern. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 13 , wherein the second elongated member further comprises:
 a second shell;   a third vane extending radially outward from the second shell and extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis; and   a fourth vane extending radially outward from the second shell and extending at least a portion of the longitudinal axis, wherein the third vane and the fourth vane are circumferentially spaced from one another to define a second vane gap therebetween.   
     
     
         15 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 14 , wherein the spacer comprises:
 a base connected to the roller core and extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the roller core and extending radially outward from the roller core; and   a body extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the base and radially outward from the base, and wherein the body comprises:
 a first surface extending circumferentially around the body; and 
 a second surface extending circumferentially around the body opposite the first surface. 
   
     
     
         16 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 15 , wherein the body of the spacer further comprises:
 a first wing extending axially from the first surface, the first wing also extending axially from the second surface such that the first wing extends at least partially into the first vane gap from the first surface and the second surface; and   a second wing circumferentially spaced from the first wing and extending axially from the first surface, the second wing also extending axially from the second surface such that the second wing extends at least partially into the second vane gap from the first surface and the second surface.   
     
     
         17 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 16 , wherein the first vane and the second vane of the first elongated member and the first vane and second vane of the second elongated member compress radially inward on condition that the first elongated member or the second elongated member contacts a surface of an environment, the first vane, the second vane, the third vane, and the fourth vane together defining a deflected diameter at a position of maximum deflection when any of the first vane, the second vane, the third vane, and the fourth vane deflect from engagement with the surface of the environment. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 17 , wherein the spacer comprises a major diameter at a periphery of the spacer, wherein the major diameter of the spacer is less than or equal to the deflected diameter of the first elongated member and the second elongated members. 
     
     
         19 . A method of operating a mobile cleaning robot comprising:
 operating a drive wheel of the mobile cleaning robot to navigate the mobile cleaning robot about an environment; and   operating a cleaning assembly to ingest debris from a surface of the environment, to operate the mobile cleaning robot in a cleaning mode, the cleaning assembly including:
 a roller rotatable with respect to a body of the mobile cleaning robot and engageable with the surface to direct debris toward a suction duct, the roller including:
 a roller core extending along a longitudinal axis of the roller; 
 a first elongated member circumferentially surrounding a first portion of the roller core; 
 a second elongated member circumferentially surrounding a second portion of the roller core; and 
 a spacer at least partially circumferentially surrounding the roller core between the first elongated member and the second elongated, the spacer engageable with the surface of the environment and configured to prevent debris collection between the first elongated member and the second elongated member. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 blocking debris within the first elongated member and within the second elongated member from collecting between the first elongated member and the second elongated member;   directing debris wrapped around the first elongated member to the second elongated member; and   directing debris wrapped around the second elongated member to the first elongated member.