Robot cleaner having dust sensing unit

• US 10,028,631 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Hyun Soo, Kim, Dong Won, Lee, Jun Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Koehler, Christopher M
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, HENRY Y
• Application Number:
  US14/885,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 15319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/024 Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/028 Refurbishing floor engaging tools, e.g. cleaning of beating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2815 using optical detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices

Abstract

A robot cleaner includes a body; a driving unit; at least one sensor configured to detect an obstacle; a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit including a brush unit and a fan unit; a dust box to store dust inside of the dust box, the dust box being detachably mounted to the body; and a dust sensing unit including a light emitting unit to transmit light and a light receiving sensor to sense the light transmitted by the light emitting unit, the light emitting unit and the light receiving sensor being fixed on the body and outside of the dust box, and the light emitting unit being configured to transmit light through the inside of the dust box. The driving unit, the at least one sensor, the cleaning unit, the dust box, and the dust sensing unit are positioned on or in the body of the robot cleaner.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a body;

a driving unit to enable the body to autonomously travel about a region to be cleaned, the driving unit including driving wheels driven by at least one motor;

at least one sensor configured to detect an obstacle;

a cleaning unit to clean the region to be cleaned, the cleaning unit including a brush unit and a fan unit;

a dust box to store dust inside of the dust box, the dust box being detachably mounted to the body; and

a dust sensing unit including a light emitting unit to transmit light and a light receiving sensor to sense the light transmitted by the light emitting unit, the light emitting unit and the light receiving sensor being fixed on the body and outside of the dust box, and the light emitting unit being configured to transmit light through the inside of the dust box,

wherein the driving unit, the at least one sensor, the cleaning unit, the dust box, and the dust sensing unit are positioned on or in the body of the robot cleaner.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust box comprises an inlet through which dust is introduced into the dust box, and

the light emitting unit and the light receiving sensor are positioned at a portion of the body corresponding to the inlet of the dust box, to perform light transmission and light sensing through the inlet of the dust box, respectively.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the light emitted by the light emitting unit travels horizontally across the inlet of the dust box.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein a direction in which light is transmitted from the light emitting unit is substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the inlet.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a direction in which light is transmitted from the light emitting unit is different from a mounting direction of the dust box.

6. A robot cleaner comprising:

a body;

a driving unit to enable the body to autonomously travel about a surface to be cleaned, the driving unit including at least two wheels driven by at least one motor;

at least one sensor configured to detect an obstacle;

a cleaning unit to clean the surface to be cleaned by suction force;

a dust box detachably mounted to the body, the dust box including a housing forming an interior of the dust box where dust is stored; and

a dust sensing unit installed to the body at a region other than the interior of the dust box, the dust sensing unit comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving sensor,

wherein light transmitted from the light emitting unit reaches the light receiving sensor after passing through the interior of the dust box,

wherein the driving unit, the at least one sensor, the cleaning unit, the dust box, and the dust sensing unit are positioned on or in the body of the robot cleaner.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the dust box comprises an inlet through which dust is introduced into the dust box, and

the light emitting unit and the light receiving sensor are positioned at a portion of the body adjacent to the inlet of the dust box, to perform light transmission and light reception through the inlet of the dust box, respectively.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the dust box comprises a transmitted-light passing portion arranged at a position corresponding to the light emitting sensor, to allow the light to enter the dust box, and a received-light passing portion arranged at a position corresponding to the light receiving sensor, to allow the light to emerge from the dust box.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the transmitted-light passing portion and the received-light passing portion are made of a transparent material.

10. An autonomous cleaning apparatus comprising:

a body including an opening formed at a lower portion of the body;

a driving unit including at least two wheels driven by at least one motor to enable the body to travel;

a fan unit to make a suction force;

at least one sensor configured to detect an obstacle;

a dust box mounted to the body to store dust introduced through the opening; and

a dust sensing unit installed to the body and outside of the dust box, the dust sensing unit comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving sensor to receive light transmitted through an interior of the dust box from the light emitting unit,

wherein the dust sensing unit is configured to remain installed to the body when the dust box is detached from the body.

11. The autonomous cleaning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the light emitting unit and the light receiving sensor are installed so as to face each other.

12. The autonomous cleaning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the dust box is mounted to the body in a first direction different from a second direction in which light is transmitted from the light emitting unit.

13. The autonomous cleaning apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

14. The autonomous cleaning apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second direction is substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the opening.

15. The autonomous cleaning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein if the dust box is mounted to the body, a portion of the dust box is positioned between the light emitting unit and the light receiving sensor.

16. The autonomous cleaning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the interior of the dust box is positioned above the opening when the dust box is mounted to the body.

17. An autonomous cleaning apparatus comprising:

a body including an opening;

a driving unit including at least two wheels driven by at least one motor to enable the body to travel;

a fan unit to make a suction force;

at least one sensor configured to detect obstacles;

a dust box detachably mounted to the body to store dust to be introduced through the opening; and

a dust sensing unit comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving sensor to receive light transmitted through an interior of the dust box from the light emitting unit,

wherein when the dust box is detached from the body, the light emitting unit and the light receiving sensor face each other on the body, and

when the dust box is mounted on the body, the light emitting unit faces a portion of the dust box and the light receiving sensor faces another portion of the dust box.

18. An autonomous cleaning apparatus comprising:

a body including an opening;

a driving unit including at least two wheels driven by at least one motor to enable the body to travel;

a fan unit to make a suction force;

at least one sensor configured to detect obstacles;

a dust box detachably mounted to the body to store dust introduced through the opening; and

a dust sensing unit installed to the body and outside of the dust box, the dust sensing unit comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving sensor to receive light transmitted through an interior of the dust box from the light emitting unit,

wherein the light emitting unit is installed at a portion of the body facing a portion of the dust box and the light receiving sensor is installed at another portion of the body facing another portion of the dust box.