1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a robot cleaner which includes a dust box separably mounted to a body, performs a cleaning operation while traveling autonomously, and docks with an automatic exhaust station to automatically exhaust dust from the dust box to the automatic exhaust station.
2. Description of the Related Art
A robot cleaner includes various sensors, a driving unit, and a cleaning unit to perform cleaning while traveling autonomously.
Generally, in such a robot cleaner, a separable dust box is mounted to a body of the robot cleaner. Accordingly, the user can exhaust dust collected in the dust box after separating the dust box from the body. However, when the separated dust box is shaken or turned over, the dust collected in the dust box may be unintentionally discharged.
To this end, it may be necessary to provide a structure to allow an inlet of the dust box to be opened during a cleaning operation while maintaining the inlet of the dust box in a closed state when the dust box is separated from the body.
Meanwhile, there is a system enabling the robot cleaner to dock with an automatic exhaust station so as to automatically exhaust dust from the dust box to the automatic exhaust station. In such a system, however, it may be difficult to discharge heavy items (including coins and other heavy granules) from the dust box because the heavy items may be trapped by a stepped structure formed at the inlet of the dust box.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds