Washable bin for a robot vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A cleaning bin mountable to an autonomous cleaning robot operable to receive debris from a floor surface includes an inlet positioned between lateral sides of the cleaning bin and an outlet configured to connect to a vacuum assembly, the vacuum assembly operable to direct an airflow from the inlet of the cleaning bin to the outlet of the cleaning bin. The cleaning bin also includes a debris chamber to receive debris from the airflow, an airflow chamber separated from the debris chamber by a prefilter, the prefilter forming at least a portion of a top surface of the debris chamber and at least a portion of a bottom surface of the airflow chamber, and a filter socket configured to receive a filter and provide the airflow to through the filter to the outlet of the cleaning bin, wherein the filter is positioned substantially perpendicular to the prefilter when the filter is positioned in the filter socket.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A cleaning bin securable to a mobile cleaning robot operable to receive debris from a floor surface, the cleaning bin comprising:
 a body including:
 an inlet located between a first lateral side and a second lateral side of the cleaning bin; 
 an outlet located on the first lateral side, the outlet configured to connect to a vacuum assembly to direct an airflow from the inlet of the cleaning bin to the outlet of the cleaning bin; 
 a debris chamber to receive debris from the airflow; and 
 an airflow chamber separated from the debris chamber by a prefilter, the prefilter configured to receive the airflow therethrough; 
   a filter socket located at the outlet of the cleaning bin and configured to receive a filter and provide the airflow to flow through the filter to the outlet of the cleaning bin; and   a hook connected to the first lateral side and configured to interface with a socket of the mobile cleaning robot when inserting to releasably secure cleaning bin to the mobile cleaning robot.   
     
     
         3 . The cleaning bin of  claim 2 , wherein the hook is configured to provide a pivot axis of the cleaning bin relative to the mobile cleaning robot that is outside a body of the mobile cleaning robot when the hook is secured to the mobile cleaning robot. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning bin of  claim 3 , comprising:
 a rail located on the second lateral side; and   a notch located on the second lateral side, the notch and the rail together configured to interface with a bin release mechanism of the mobile cleaning robot to releasably secure the cleaning bin to the mobile cleaning robot.   
     
     
         5 . The cleaning bin of  claim 4 , comprising:
 a door connected to the body between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the door at least partially defining the inlet, and the door pivotably coupled to the body to move between a closed position and an open position.   
     
     
         6 . The cleaning bin of  claim 5 , comprising:
 a door actuator connected to the body between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the door actuator operable to release the door from the closed position.   
     
     
         7 . The cleaning bin of  claim 6 , comprising:
 a door seal connected to the door and configured to form a seal between the door and the body when the door is in the closed position; and   a cleaning head seal connected to the door opposite the door seal, the cleaning head seal configured to form a second seal between the cleaning bin and the mobile cleaning robot when the cleaning bin is secured to the mobile cleaning robot.   
     
     
         8 . The cleaning bin of  claim 6 , wherein the door includes one or more catches extending away from the inlet. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning bin of  claim 8 , comprising:
 one or more latches connected to the body and configured to engage with respective ones of the one or more catches to lock the door in the closed position, the door actuator operable to move the one or more latches to disengage the one or more catches to allow the door to move out of the closed position.   
     
     
         10 . The cleaning bin of  claim 9 , wherein the body includes a side compartment that at least partially encloses the door actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning bin of  claim 2 , wherein the cleaning bin is absent exposed metallic components. 
     
     
         12 . A cleaning bin securable to a mobile cleaning robot operable to receive debris from a floor surface, the cleaning bin comprising:
 a body including:
 an inlet located between a first lateral side and a second lateral side of the cleaning bin; and 
 an outlet located on the first lateral side, the outlet configured to connect to a vacuum assembly to direct an airflow from the inlet of the cleaning bin to the outlet of the cleaning bin; 
   a prefilter located between the inlet and the outlet and configured to receive the airflow therethrough;   a filter socket located at the outlet of the cleaning bin and configured to receive a filter and provide the airflow to flow through the filter to the outlet of the cleaning bin; and   a hook connected to the first lateral side and configured to interface with a socket of the mobile cleaning robot when inserting to releasably secure cleaning bin to the mobile cleaning robot.   
     
     
         13 . The cleaning bin of  claim 12 , wherein the hook is configured to provide a pivot axis of the cleaning bin relative to the mobile cleaning robot that is outside a body of the mobile cleaning robot when the hook is secured to the mobile cleaning robot. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning bin of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a rail located on the second lateral side; and   a notch located on the second lateral side, the notch and the rail together configured to interface with a bin release mechanism of the mobile cleaning robot to releasably secure the cleaning bin to the mobile cleaning robot.   
     
     
         15 . The cleaning bin of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a door connected to the body between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the door at least partially defining the inlet, and the door pivotably coupled to the body to move between a closed position and an open position.   
     
     
         16 . The cleaning bin of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a door actuator connected to the body between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the door actuator operable to release the door from the closed position.   
     
     
         17 . The cleaning bin of  claim 16 , wherein the door includes one or more catches extending away from the inlet. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning bin of  claim 17 , comprising:
 one or more latches connected to the body and configured to engage with respective ones of the one or more catches to lock the door in the closed position, the door actuator operable to move the one or more latches to disengage the one or more catches to allow the door to move out of the closed position.   
     
     
         19 . A cleaning bin securable to a mobile cleaning robot operable to receive debris from a floor surface, the cleaning bin comprising:
 a body including:
 an inlet located between a first lateral side and a second lateral side of the cleaning bin; 
 an outlet located on the first lateral side, the outlet configured to connect to a vacuum assembly to direct an airflow from the inlet of the cleaning bin to the outlet of the cleaning bin; and 
 a debris chamber to receive debris from the airflow; 
   a prefilter located downstream of the debris chamber, the prefilter configured to receive the airflow therethrough;   a filter socket located at the outlet of the cleaning bin and configured to receive a filter and provide the airflow to flow through the filter to the outlet of the cleaning bin; and   a hook connected to the first lateral side and configured to interface with a socket of the mobile cleaning robot when inserting to releasably secure cleaning bin to the mobile cleaning robot.   
     
     
         20 . The cleaning bin of  claim 19 , comprising:
 a rail located on the second lateral side; and   a notch located on the second lateral side, the notch and the rail together configured to interface with a bin release mechanism of the mobile cleaning robot to releasably secure the cleaning bin to the mobile cleaning robot;   wherein the hook is configured to provide a pivot axis of the cleaning bin relative to the mobile cleaning robot that is outside a body of the mobile cleaning robot when the hook is secured to the mobile cleaning robot.   
     
     
         21 . The cleaning bin of  claim 20 , comprising:
 a door connected to the body between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the door at least partially defining the inlet, and the door pivotably coupled to the body to move between a closed position and an open position; and   a door actuator connected to the body between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the door actuator operable to release the door from the closed position.