Robot cleaner and robot cleaner system including the same

• US 10,188,255 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Chang Wook, Kim, Sang Hak, Kim, Bo Kyung, Seo, Ji Ho, Choi, Sang Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Binh B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burtner, Douglas R
• Application Number:
  US14/864,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20160088755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4094 Accessories to be used in combination with conventional vacuum-cleaning devices
• 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 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 13/00 Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0035 Dancing, executing a choreography
• 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 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/10 Plug-in assemblages of components , e.g. IC sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14 Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

Modules with various functions may be mounted on a robot cleaner, such that the robot cleaner can perform various additional functions other than cleaning while moving. The robot cleaner cleans a floor surface while moving on the floor surface. At the robot cleaner, a module mounting unit on which at least one module capable of performing a function other than cleaning is able to be mounted is disposed.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner configured to clean a floor surface while moving on the floor surface, the robot cleaner comprising:

a module mounting unit on which at least one module capable of performing a function other than cleaning is able to be mounted, and

a plurality of ports,

wherein;

at the module mounting unit, an opening is formed and provided at one side of a housing that forms an exterior of the robot cleaner,

at the module mounting unit, fixing devices configured to fix the at least one module inserted into the module mounting unit are disposed, and the fixing devices comprise;

a first fixing device including a rectangular frame; and

a second fixing device including a circular frame,

a connection unit connected to at least one of the plurality of ports is disposed at the at least one module, and

a function of the at least one module is recognized in accordance with at least one of positions and a number of the positions at which the connection unit is connected to the at least one of the plurality of ports.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the module is at least one of an air purification module, a humidifier module, a dehumidifier module, a bug repellence module, a speaker module, a lighting module, and a sleep induction module.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein, if the at least one module is mounted on the module mounting unit, a control unit recognizes the at least one module and controls the at least one module to perform the function.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of ports is a power port configured to provide a driving force to the module.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the fixing devices comprise frames formed to correspond to a shape of the opening.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 5, wherein:

at least one fixing unit is provided at the frames; and

the at least one module is fixed by the at least one fixing unit when the at least one module is inserted into inner portions of the frames.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the at least one fixing unit fixes the at least one module via hooking.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the second fixing device is able to be inserted into the first fixing device and fixed.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 8, wherein:

at least one fixing unit is provided at the first fixing device; and

an interference unit capable of interfering with the at least one fixing unit is provided at the second fixing device.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein:

a rectangular parallelepiped module is inserted into the first fixing device and fixed; and

a cylindrical module is inserted into the second fixing device and fixed.

23. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein when the robot cleaner performs the cleaning function without mounting the at least one module on the module mounting unit, the module mounting unit is configured to be covered by a module cover.

11. A robot cleaner system comprising:

a robot cleaner configured to clean a floor surface while moving on the floor surface, and having;

a module mounting unit on which at least one module capable of performing a function other than cleaning is able to be mounted, and

a plurality of ports; and

a remote controller provided to remotely control the robot cleaner,

wherein;

at the module mounting unit, an opening is formed and provided at one side of a housing that forms an exterior of the robot cleaner,

at the module mounting unit, fixing devices configured to fix the at least one module inserted into the module mounting unit are disposed, and the fixing devices comprise;

a first fixing device including a rectangular frame; and

a second fixing device including a circular frame,

a connection unit connected to at least one of the plurality of ports is disposed at the at least one module, and

a function of the at least one module is recognized in accordance with at least one of positions and a number of the positions at which the connection unit is connected to the at least one of the plurality of ports.

12. The robot cleaner system according to claim 11, wherein:

the remote controller transmits a signal related to a position of the remote controller; and

the robot cleaner receives the signal, such that the robot cleaner moves in accordance with the signal generated from the remote controller.

13. The robot cleaner system according to claim 12, wherein the robot cleaner is Bluetooth-paired to the remote controller.

14. The robot cleaner system according to claim 12, wherein the robot cleaner moves in accordance with the remote controller by a radar transceiver module.

15. The robot cleaner system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one module is at least one of an air purification module, a humidifier module, a dehumidifier module, a bug repellence module, a speaker module, a lighting module, and a sleep induction module.

16. The robot cleaner system according to claim 11, wherein, when the at least one module is mounted on the module mounting unit, the connection unit disposed at the at least one module is connected to at least one of the plurality of ports provided at the module mounting unit, a driving force is transmitted to the at least one module, and a function of the at least one module is executed.

17. The robot cleaner system according to claim 11, wherein, when a speaker module is mounted on the robot cleaner, the robot cleaner performs a preset dance move.

18. The robot cleaner system according to claim 17, wherein the preset dance move is formed of a combination of rotating and rapidly reciprocating in front and rear directions and in left and right directions.

19. The robot cleaner system according to claim 11, wherein:

the first fixing device is capable of fixing a rectangular parallelepiped module; and

the second fixing device is capable of fixing a cylindrical module.

20. The robot cleaner system according to claim 19, wherein the second fixing device is detachably disposed at the first fixing device.

24. The robot cleaner system according to claim 11, wherein when the robot cleaner performs the cleaning function without mounting the at least one module on the module mounting unit, the module mounting unit is configured to be covered by a module cover.

26. The robot cleaner system according to claim 24, wherein:

the opening is covered by the module cover when the at least one module is not mounted on the module mounting unit; and

the module cover is removable to expose the opening.

21. A robot cleaner system comprising:

a robot cleaner configured to clean a floor surface while moving on the floor surface, and having a module mounting unit on which at least one module capable of performing a function other than cleaning is able to be mounted; and

a remote controller provided to remotely control the robot cleaner,

wherein;

at the module mounting unit, an opening is formed and provided at one side of a housing that forms an exterior of the robot cleaner,

at the module mounting unit, fixing devices configured to fix the at least one module inserted into the module mounting unit are disposed, and the fixing devices comprise;

a first fixing device including a rectangular frame; and

a second fixing device including a circular frame,

a plurality of ports are provided at the module mounting unit and a connection unit connected to at least one of the plurality of ports is disposed at the at least one module mounted on the module mounting unit, such that, when the connection unit is connected to the at least one of the plurality of ports, the at least one module is recognized and a driving force is supplied to the at least one module to execute a function of the at least one module, and

the function of the at least one module is recognized in accordance with at least one of positions and a number of the positions at which the connection unit is connected to the at least one of the plurality of ports.

22. The robot cleaner system according to claim 21, wherein a movement of the robot cleaner and the function of the at least one module are controlled by the remote controller.

25. The robot cleaner system according to claim 21, wherein when the robot cleaner performs the cleaning function without mounting the at least one module on the module mounting unit, the module mounting unit is configured to be covered by a module cover.