Mobile cleaning robot including scrubbing features

Abstract

A mobile cleaning robot can include a body, a drive system, a mopping pad assembly, and a scrubbing system. The drive system can be connected to the body and can be operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about a floor surface of an environment. The mopping pad assembly can be connected to the body and can be configured to hold a mopping pad that is engageable with the floor surface. The scrubbing system can be connected to the body in front of the mopping pad assembly, The scrubbing system can be operable to engage and scrub the floor surface.

1 . A mobile cleaning robot comprising:
 a body;   a drive system connected to the body and operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about a floor surface of an environment;   a mopping pad assembly connected to the body and configured to hold a mopping pad that is engageable with the floor surface; and   a scrubbing system connected to the body in front of the mopping pad assembly, the scrubbing system operable to engage and scrub the floor surface.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a linkage system connected to the scrubbing system and to the body, the linkage system configured to enable movement of the scrubbing system with respect to the body.   
     
     
         3 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a linkage motor connected to the linkage system, the linkage motor operable to move the scrubbing system relative to the body.   
     
     
         4 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 1 , wherein the scrubbing system includes a scrubbing head engageable with the floor surface. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 4 , wherein the scrubbing system includes a scrubbing motor operable to move the scrubbing head to scrub the floor surface. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 5 , wherein the scrubbing head includes a plurality of brushes, the scrubbing motor operable to rotate each of the plurality of brushes. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 5 , wherein the scrubbing head includes a pair of brushes, the scrubbing motor operable to translate each of the pair of brushes with respect to the body. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 5 , wherein the scrubbing head includes a roller, the scrubbing motor operable to rotate the roller to scrub the floor surface. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 5 , wherein the scrubbing head includes a belt supporting a plurality of bristles, the belt rotatable to move the plurality bristles to scrub the floor surface. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 9 , wherein the belt rotates about a substantially vertical axis of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 9 , wherein the belt rotates about a substantially horizontal axis of the body. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 5 , wherein the scrubbing head includes one or more flexures connected to the scrubbing head to bias the scrubbing head to a neutral position. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vacuum system operable to ingest debris from the floor surface.   
     
     
         14 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 13 , wherein the vacuum system includes a cleaning head operable to engage the floor surface and ingest debris therefrom, and includes a blower operable to produce an air stream to flow into the body through the cleaning head to ingest debris. 
     
     
         15 . A mobile cleaning robot comprising:
 a body;   a drive system connected to the body and operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about a floor surface of an environment;   a mopping pad connected to the body and engageable with the floor surface;   a pad drive system connected to the mopping pad and the body, the pad drive system operable to move the mopping pad with respect to the body between a cleaning position and a stored position;   a cover connected to the body and movable with respect to the body between a first position and a second position; and   a cover drive system connected to the body and the cover, the cover drive system operable to move the cover between the first position to the second position.   
     
     
         16 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 15 , wherein the pad is movable between the cleaning position and the stored position when the cover is in the second position, and wherein the pad is restricted from moving between the cleaning position and the stored position when the cover is in the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 16 , wherein the pad drive system is operable to move the mopping pad vertically with respect to the body. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 17 , wherein the cover drive system is operable to move the cover horizontally with respect to the body. 
     
     
         19 . A mobile cleaning robot comprising:
 a body;   a drive system connected to the body and operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about a floor surface of an environment;   a mopping pad assembly connected to the body and including a mopping pad engageable with the floor surface; and   a pad drive system connected to the mopping pad, the pad drive system operable to move the mopping pad to scrub the floor surface.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 19 , wherein the pad drive system includes a motor operable to move the mopping pad to scrub the floor surface. 
     
     
         21 . The mobile cleaning robot of  claim 20 , wherein the pad drive system includes an eccentric driver connected to the motor and connected to the mopping pad assembly, the eccentric driver configured to move the mopping pad eccentrically when operated to rotate by the motor.