Patents by Inventor Mark Schnittman

Mark Schnittman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20120011669
    Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Publication number: 20100107355
    Abstract: A cleaning robot system including a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a robot body, a drive system, a cleaning assembly, and a cleaning bin carried by the robot body and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing configured to receive the robot for maintenance. The station housing has an evacuation passageway exposed to a top portion of the received robot. The robot maintenance station also includes an air mover in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway and a collection bin carried by the station housing and in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway. The station housing and the robot body fluidly connect the evacuation passageway to the cleaning bin of the received robot. The air mover evacuates debris held in the robot cleaning bin to the collection bin through the evacuation passageway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: IROBOT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Swett, John Devlin
  • Publication number: 20100011529
    Abstract: A cleaning robot system includes a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller, and a cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing and a driven cleaning roller. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing and a docking platform configured to support the robot when docked. A mechanical agitator engages the roller of the robot with the robot docked. The agitator includes an agitator comb having multiple teeth configured to remove accumulated debris from the roller as the agitator comb and roller are moved relative to one another. The robot maintenance station includes a collection bin arranged to receive and hold debris removed by the mechanical agitator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Swett, John Devlin
  • Publication number: 20090044370
    Abstract: A cleaning robot system includes a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller, and a cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing and a driven cleaning roller. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing and a docking platform configured to support the robot when docked. A mechanical agitator engages the roller of the robot with the robot docked. The agitator includes an agitator comb having multiple teeth configured to remove accumulated debris from the roller as the agitator comb and roller are moved relative to one another. The robot maintenance station includes a collection bin arranged to receive and hold debris removed by the mechanical agitator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: IROBOT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Swett, John Devlin
  • Publication number: 20080276407
    Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: IROBOT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Publication number: 20080047092
    Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: IROBOT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Schnittman, Daniel Ozick, Gregg Landry