Evacuation station with debris separation

Abstract

A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot can include a base configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile cleaning robot thereon, where the base can include a debris port. The docking station can include a canister connected to the base and located at least partially above the base. The canister can include a debris bin to receive debris from the mobile cleaning robot. The canister can include a debris duct connected to the debris port and to the debris bin. The canister can include a debris collector connected to the debris duct upstream of the debris bin, where the debris collector can collect debris from a debris airstream of the debris duct.

1 . A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot, the docking station comprising:
 a base configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile cleaning robot thereon, the base including a debris port;   a canister connected to the base and located at least partially above the base, the canister comprising:   a debris bin to receive debris from the mobile cleaning robot;   a debris duct connected to the debris port and to the debris bin; and   a debris collector connected to the debris duct upstream of the debris bin, the debris collector configured to collect debris from a debris airstream of the debris duct;   a sensor connected to the debris collector and configured to generate a debris signal based on debris in or passing through the debris collector; and   a controller configured to operate the debris collector based on the debris signal.   
     
     
         2 . The docking station of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a debris type based on the debris signal. 
     
     
         3 . The docking station of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit an alert when the detected debris type is a large item. 
     
     
         4 . The docking station of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a damper connected to the debris duct upstream of the debris collector, the damper movable between an open position and a bypass position; and   a damper actuator connected to the canister and operably connected to the damper, the damper actuator user-operable to move the damper between the open position and the bypass position.   
     
     
         5 . The docking station of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a bypass duct connected to the damper, the bypass duct connected to the debris bin, and the bypass duct configured to receive the debris airstream therethrough when the damper is in the bypass position.   
     
     
         6 . The docking station of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to control the damper actuator to move the damper between an open position and a bypass position. 
     
     
         7 . The docking station of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to move the damper between the open position and the bypass position based on the debris signal. 
     
     
         8 . The docking station of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the debris collector is connected to the debris duct based on the debris signal. 
     
     
         9 . The docking station of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the damper based on the determination of whether the debris collector is connected to the debris duct. 
     
     
         10 . The docking station of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the damper based on a second debris signal from the mobile cleaning robot. 
     
     
         11 . A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot, the docking station comprising:
 a base configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile cleaning robot thereon, the base including a debris port;   a canister connected to the base and located at least partially above the base, the canister comprising:   a debris bin to receive debris from the mobile cleaning robot; and   a debris collector connected to the debris bin, the debris collector configured to collect debris from a debris airstream from the mobile cleaning robot;   a sensor connected to the debris collector and configured to generate a debris signal based on debris in or passing through the debris collector; and   a controller configured to operate the debris collector based on the debris signal.   
     
     
         12 . The docking station of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a debris type based on the debris signal. 
     
     
         13 . The docking station of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit an alert when the detected debris type is a large item. 
     
     
         14 . The docking station of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the debris collector based on a second debris signal from the mobile cleaning robot. 
     
     
         15 . The docking station of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a debris type based on the second debris signal. 
     
     
         16 . The docking station of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit an alert when the detected debris type is a large item. 
     
     
         17 . The docking station of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a damper connected to a debris duct upstream of the debris collector, the damper movable between an open position and a bypass position; and   a damper actuator connected to the canister and operably connected to the damper, the damper actuator user-operable to move the damper between the open position and the bypass position.   
     
     
         18 . The docking station of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a bypass duct connected to the damper, the bypass duct connected to the debris bin, and the bypass duct configured to receive the debris airstream therethrough when the damper is in the bypass position.   
     
     
         19 . The docking station of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to control the damper actuator to move the damper between an open position and a bypass position. 
     
     
         20 . The docking station of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to move the damper between the open position and the bypass position based on at least one of the debris signal or the second debris signal.