According to GlobalData’s company profile on Ecovacs Robotics, Cleaning robots was a key innovation area identified from patents. Ecovacs Robotics's grant share as of September 2023 was 44%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.

Cleaning apparatus with liquid supply and storage tanks

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Credit: Ecovacs Robotics Co Ltd

A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230270310A1) describes a cleaning apparatus that is designed to efficiently clean surfaces. The apparatus includes a liquid supply tank, a liquid storage tank, and a first cleaning component with a first rib. The first rib has two opposite walls that protrude above the top surface of the cleaning component and extend along its length. A liquid supply port supplies cleaning liquid from the supply tank to the cleaning component, and the liquid is injected from the liquid input end of the component towards the surface to be cleaned. The liquid flows along the guidance of the two opposite walls and is collected in the liquid storage tank.

In one embodiment, the area on the cleaning component that is in contact with the surface to be cleaned does not cover the liquid input end. This ensures that the cleaning liquid first contacts the cleaning component before reaching the surface. Additionally, at least part of the first rib may not be in contact with the surface to be cleaned.

The liquid input end of the cleaning component is located in an area surrounded by the first rib, and the height of the surface of the cleaning component between the two opposite walls is reduced from the edge of the surface to be cleaned towards its center. This height reduction may be continuous, and the distance between the two opposite walls may also be reduced continuously in the same direction.

In another embodiment, there are multiple first cleaning components with the first rib, and they extend along directions of at least two radii of a circle. The center of the circle corresponds to the center of the surface to be cleaned. Additionally, there may be at least two first projections disposed between the two opposite walls, which are used for contact with the surface to be cleaned. These projections are spaced along the extension direction of the walls.

The cleaning apparatus may also include a second cleaning component with at least two second projections for contact with the surface to be cleaned. The first and second cleaning components extend along two directions of two radii of the same circle, respectively. The first and second cleaning components intersect at the center of the surface to be cleaned.

Overall, this patent describes a cleaning apparatus with various features that enhance its cleaning efficiency and effectiveness. The apparatus is designed to ensure proper distribution of cleaning liquid and contact with the surface to be cleaned, resulting in improved cleaning performance.

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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.