Abstract: Vacuum cleaning devices include foldable wands to provide a storage configuration and/or facilitate use. A vacuum cleaning device includes a wand having a first end coupled to a vacuum unit and a second end coupled to a vacuum head or surface cleaning head. The wand defines an air passage allowing air to pass from the surface cleaning head to the vacuum unit and includes a flexible air passage along at least a portion of the wand. The wand also includes a plurality of segments pivotably connected together such that the wand is foldable about 180° in a forward direction until the vacuum unit is positioned proximate a top of the surface cleaning head, thereby providing a storage configuration.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, wheel apparatuses that includes weight sensors. For instance, a wheel apparatus may include at least a hub, a rim located around the hub, a tire located around the rim, weight sensor(s) located within the rim, and a caster that connects the wheel apparatus to a mobile apparatus. In some examples, the wheel apparatus may include additional components, such as one or more batteries, a generator, and/or a wireless communication interface. As such, the mobile apparatus may use the wheel sensors included in the wheel apparatuses to determine weights, such as weights of items added to the mobile apparatus. In some examples, the wheel apparatuses are configured such that the weight sensors remain perpendicular with respect to a ground plane so that the mobile apparatus may use the weight sensors to determine the weights even when the mobile apparatus is moving.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with a leading roller may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The surface cleaning head may have dual agitators—a leading roller and a rotating brush roll—with the leading roller being located in front of the brush roll. The leading roller may have a smaller diameter than the brush roll and may provide a softer cleaning element. The leading roller may also have a bottom portion exposed to the flow path to the suction conduit and at least a top half that is not exposed to that flow path. The leading roller may also float relative to the surface cleaning head and/or may be adjustable relative to the brush roll.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The rotating brush roll may be located in the suction conduit with the leading roller located in front of and spaced from the brush roll, forming an inter-roller air passageway therebetween. The leading roller may provide a softer cleaning element than the brush roll and may also have an outside diameter that is less than the outside diameter of the brush roll. The surface cleaning head may also include debriding protrusions contacting the leading roller and/or a leading bumper that extends in front of the leading roller.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.

Abstract: Vacuum cleaning devices include foldable wands to provide a storage configuration and/or facilitate use. A vacuum cleaning device includes a wand having a first end coupled to a vacuum unit and a second end coupled to a vacuum head or surface cleaning head. The wand defines an air passage allowing air to pass from the surface cleaning head to the vacuum unit and includes a flexible air passage along at least a portion of the wand. The wand also includes a plurality of segments pivotably connected together such that the wand is foldable about 180° in a forward direction until the vacuum unit is positioned proximate a top of the surface cleaning head, thereby providing a storage configuration.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with a leading roller may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The surface cleaning head may have dual agitators—a leading roller and a rotating brush roll—with the leading roller being located in front of the brush roll. The leading roller may have a smaller diameter than the brush roll and may provide a softer cleaning element. The leading roller may also have a bottom portion exposed to the flow path to the suction conduit and at least a top half that is not exposed to that flow path. The leading roller may also float relative to the surface cleaning head and/or may be adjustable relative to the brush roll.

Abstract: Vacuum cleaning devices include foldable wands to provide a storage configuration and/or facilitate use. A vacuum cleaning device includes a wand having a first end coupled to a vacuum unit and a second end coupled to a vacuum head or surface cleaning head. The wand defines an air passage allowing air to pass from the surface cleaning head to the vacuum unit and includes a flexible air passage along at least a portion of the wand. The wand also includes a plurality of segments pivotably connected together such that the wand is foldable about 180° in a forward direction until the vacuum unit is positioned proximate a top of the surface cleaning head, thereby providing a storage configuration.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with a leading roller may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The surface cleaning head may have dual agitators—a leading roller and a rotating brush roll—with the leading roller being located in front of the brush roll. The leading roller may have a smaller diameter than the brush roll and may provide a softer cleaning element. The leading roller may also have a bottom portion exposed to the flow path to the suction conduit and at least a top half that is not exposed to that flow path. The leading roller may also float relative to the surface cleaning head and/or may be adjustable relative to the brush roll.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head includes dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) and a removable cover for covering a top of the agitators and allowing access to the agitators from a top of the surface cleaning head. The dual agitators may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The brush roll may be located in a brush roll chamber and at least partially in an opening to the suction conduit. The leading roller may be positioned adjacent to and in advance of the suction conduit opening such that the leading roller engages debris and moves the debris toward the brush roll and the opening. The leading roller may be removable from the housing and held in place by the removable cover. The cover may be coupled using isolated latching mechanisms.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head includes dual rotating agitators (e.g., a leading roller and a brush roll) and a removable cover for covering a top of the agitators and allowing access to the agitators from a top of the surface cleaning head. The dual agitators may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The brush roll may be located in a brush roll chamber and at least partially in an opening to the suction conduit. The leading roller may be positioned adjacent to and in advance of the suction conduit opening such that the leading roller engages debris and moves the debris toward the brush roll and the opening. The leading roller may be removable from the housing and held in place by the removable cover. The cover may be coupled using isolated latching mechanisms.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner attachment generally includes a cleaning element that floats relative to a suction conduit of the vacuum cleaner attachment. The cleaning element is supported on a support structure that is movably coupled to a housing and is biased towards a floor, for example, as a result of the weight of the cleaning element support structure. The cleaning element may be permanently attached to the support structure or may be a removable or disposable pad or sheet attached to the support structure. The floating cleaning element may be supported between the suction conduit and one or more wheels of the vacuum cleaner attachment. The vacuum cleaner attachment may be removably attached to a vacuum cleaner, for example, to be used interchangeably with other surface cleaning heads.

Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head with a leading roller may be used to facilitate capturing of debris in the air flow into a suction conduit on the underside of the surface cleaning head. The leading roller is generally positioned adjacent to and in advance of the opening of the suction conduit. The surface cleaning head may have dual agitators—a leading roller and a rotating brush roll—with the leading roller being located in front of the brush roll. The leading roller may have a smaller diameter than the brush roll and may provide a softer cleaning element. The leading roller may also have a bottom portion exposed to the flow path to the suction conduit and at least a top half that is not exposed to that flow path. The leading roller may also float relative to the surface cleaning head and/or may be adjustable relative to the brush roll.

Abstract: An autonomous vacuum cleaner comprising a main body defining a first axis and housing a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, an airflow path between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet and a separating apparatus arranged in the air flow path between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet, the separating apparatus defining a second axis, wherein the separating apparatus is oriented so that the second axis is substantially parallel with the first axis of the main body and wherein a portion of the separating apparatus protrudes from a forward portion of the main body of the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A surface cleaning head may be configured to receive a removable rotatable driven agitator, such as a brush roll, or a non-driven agitator. Either of these agitators may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. The non-driven agitator may include an agitator body including a bottom portion supporting one or more cleaning pads. The non-driven agitator body may also define one or more air inlets, an air outlet and an air passageway extending therebetween to facilitate air passage through the surface cleaning head. Different removable agitators with different characteristics may be used interchangeably in the surface cleaning head.