Modular robot

• US 10,070,763 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Won, Chikyung, Burnett, Scott Thomas, Hickey, Stephen A., Kapoor, Deepak Ramesh, Dubrovsky, Zivthan A., Svendsen, Selma, Rizzari, Robert, Sandin, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US15/487,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20170215666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 15319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/12 Dry filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 : User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 : Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 : Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 : Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 : by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 : mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 : Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 : Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 : characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 : to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 : Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 : Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 : by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 : Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/38 : adjustably or movably mounted, e.g. horizontally displaceable for securing a space between parked vehicles adjustably mounted for compensating manufacturing tolerances B60R19/24, B60R19/26
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 : involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 : using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 : using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 : using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 : using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 : comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 : using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 : using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/02 : Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/06 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 : in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/50 : Miscellaneous

Abstract

A coverage robot including a chassis, multiple drive wheel assemblies disposed on the chassis, and a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis. Each drive wheel assembly including a drive wheel assembly housing, a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing, and a wheel drive motor carried by the drive wheel assembly housing and operable to drive the wheel. The cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing, a cleaning head rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing, and a cleaning drive motor carried by cleaning assembly housing and operable to drive the cleaning head. The wheel assemblies and the cleaning assembly are each separately and independently removable from respective receptacles of the chassis as complete units.

Claims

1. A coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

multiple drive wheel assemblies carried by the chassis, each drive wheel assembly comprising;

a wheel; and

a wheel drive motor operable to drive the wheel;

a power connector configured to establish an electric power connection to the drive wheel assembly; and

a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis, the cleaning assembly comprising;

a cleaning brush; and

a cleaning drive motor operable to drive the cleaning brush; and

a power connector configured to establish an electric power connection to the cleaning assembly;

a side cleaning assembly, the side cleaning assembly comprising;

a side brush; and

a side brush drive motor operable to drive the side brush; and

a power connector configured to establish an electric power connection to the side cleaning assembly;

wherein the drive wheel assemblies and the side cleaning assembly are each separately and independently removable from the chassis as complete units.

2. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a removable caster wheel assembly carried by the chassis, the caster wheel assembly including a caster wheel configured to roll about a horizontal axis, wherein the removable caster wheel assembly is separately and independently removable from the chassis as a complete unit.

3. The robot of claim 1 wherein the power connectors of each of the drive wheel assemblies are disposed on an outer surface of a drive wheel assembly housing and configured to mate with a corresponding chassis power connector within a respective receptacle as the drive wheel assembly is placed within the receptacle, to establish an electric power connection to the wheel assembly.

4. The robot of claim 1 wherein the power connector of the cleaning assembly is disposed on an outer surface of a cleaning assembly housing and configured to mate with a corresponding chassis power connector within a respective receptacle as the cleaning assembly is placed within the receptacle, to establish an electric power connection to the cleaning assembly.

5. The robot of claim 1 wherein each drive wheel assembly further comprises a linkage suspending the wheel from a forward portion of the chassis.

6. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a removable cover disposed on an upper portion of the chassis.

7. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a removable bumper disposed on a forward portion of the chassis.

8. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a cleaning bin carried by the chassis and arranged to collect debris removed from a work surface by the cleaning head.

9. The robot of claim 8 wherein the cleaning bin comprises:

a bin housing defining a debris cavity and a filter cavity, the debris cavity configured to collect debris removed from a work surface by the cleaning head, the filter cavity configured to collect debris removed from a work surface by a vacuum fan in fluid communication with the filter cavity;

a bin filter disposed in the filter cavity, the filter configured to substantially inhibit particulate from entering the vacuum fan; and

a bin cover attached to the bin housing and configured to move between a bin closed position and a bin open position, exposing the filter cavity and the bin filter for servicing.

10. The robot of claim 8, wherein the cleaning bin comprises a bin cover spring actuator configured to bias a bin cover in an open position and a latch configured to hold the bin cover in a closed position.

11. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a data module comprising a recording device configured to record a distance driven by the robot.

12. The robot of claim 1, wherein each drive wheel assembly further comprises at least one proximity sensor comprising an infrared emitter and receiver pair, the at least one proximity sensor being configured to detect an absence of an adjacent floor surface when an emitted infrared beam is not received by the receiver.

13. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a segmented maintenance display.

14. The robot of claim 1, wherein the side brush is configured to be tilted with respect to a plane of contact of the wheel and a floor surface.

15. The robot of claim 14, wherein the side brush is configured to be tilted in forward and side to side directions.

16. The robot of claim 14, wherein the side brush is configured to be tilted at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to a direction of travel of the coverage robot.

17. The robot of claim 15, wherein an axis offset of the side brush is configured to be adjustable to change an amount of tilt of the side brush.

18. The robot of claim 17, wherein the axis offset is adjustable based on a floor surface type being cleaned by the robot.

19. The robot of claim 1, wherein the side cleaning assembly is configured to be placed in a corresponding receptacle of the chassis such that the power connector of the side cleaning assembly mates with a corresponding mating connector in the receptacle to provide power to the side cleaning assembly.

20. The robot of claim 19, wherein the receptacle comprises parallel guide walls configured to guide the power connector of the side cleaning assembly to mate with the corresponding mating connector in the receptacle.