Updated October 15, 2026. Data: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, patent application records, filings 2012–2025. Applications usually become public about 18 months after filing, so 2024 and especially 2025 counts are still filling in. Next update: spring 2027.
Inventors filed 386 U.S. patent applications for robot vacuums, mopping robots and their docks in 2023, up from 149 in 2015. Four companies dominate: LG, Samsung, Roborock and iRobot.
Filings grew fast from 2015 to 2018 and have held near 350 to 400 a year since. Most are for home robots, not the larger machines used in offices and stores.
Applications filed each year
Every year
Click a column to sort.
| Year filed | Applications | From small inventors and small companies | Small share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 79 | 16 | 20% |
| 2013 | 89 | 15 | 17% |
| 2014 | 98 | 13 | 13% |
| 2015 | 149 | 29 | 19% |
| 2016 | 200 | 27 | 14% |
| 2017 | 258 | 39 | 15% |
| 2018 | 351 | 73 | 21% |
| 2019 | 359 | 78 | 22% |
| 2020 | 351 | 77 | 22% |
| 2021 | 358 | 99 | 28% |
| 2022 | 397 | 78 | 20% |
| 2023 | 386 | 67 | 17% |
| 2024 (still filling in) | 350 | 69 | 20% |
| 2025 (still filling in) | 284 | 42 | 15% |
Who files the most
Top filers, 2021–2025, counting each application once under the first company or person named:
- LG ELECTRONICS INC.: 183
- SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.: 144
- Beijing Roborock Technology Co., Ltd.: 140
- iRobot Corporation: 134
- Beijing Roborock Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.: 63
- PixArt Imaging Inc.: 48
- SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC: 43
- BISSELL Inc.: 42
Small inventors and small companies filed 22% of these applications from 2019 to 2023, compared with 30% of all U.S. patent applications.
What it means for cleaning businesses
- Home robots handle floors, not whole jobs. They don’t dust, clean bathrooms or kitchens, which is most of a cleaning visit. See how to start a cleaning business.
- Mostly big companies. Small inventors filed 22% of applications in 2019–2023.
- Clients still ask for insurance. Offices and homeowners usually want proof of coverage before you start, so check what cleaning business insurance covers.
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How we counted
- Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, application records for patent applications filed since 2012, searched 2026-10-15.
- What’s counted: applications tagged as robotic or automatic floor cleaners (code A47L 2201). Each application is counted once, in the year it was filed, even if it is listed in several categories.
- Applications, not granted patents. Many applications are later rejected or dropped.
- Recent years are incomplete. Most applications stay private for about 18 months, and some are never published unless granted. Counts for 2024 and 2025 will grow.
- Small inventors are applicants that paid reduced “small entity” or “micro entity” fees: individuals, companies with fewer than 500 employees, universities and nonprofits.
- Top filers are matched on the first applicant’s name. We merged obvious spelling variants, but related companies (for example a parent and its U.S. arm) are listed separately.
- We checked the category by hand. In a random sample of 15 applications filed in 2024, 14 were robot cleaners, their docks or their navigation; one was a cleaning roller that may also fit hand-held machines.
Sources
Cite this data
Reporters and bloggers may use these numbers and charts. Please credit StartBusinessByState and link to this page.
Source: StartBusinessByState, “Cleaning Robot Patent Filings Have More Than Doubled Since 2015,” https://startbusinessbystate.com/cleaning-robot-patents/ (updated October 15, 2026).
FAQ
How many cleaning robot patents are filed each year?
386 U.S. applications in 2023, up from 149 in 2015, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Will robots replace house cleaners?
These inventions are mostly for vacuuming and mopping floors. Most of a cleaning visit, such as bathrooms, kitchens and dusting, is still done by hand.
Where is this data from?
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publishes records for every published patent application, including the categories examiners assign and whether the applicant paid small-business fees.
Last updated October 15, 2026 by StartBusinessByState.