Brush with pressure sensor

• US 10,278,558 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2017
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ai Incorprated
• Original Assignee: Al, Inc.
• Inventors: Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding, David
• Application Number:
  US15/791,892
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• 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 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Abstract

A rotatable brush with a pressure sensor for detecting entanglements. If the amount of pressure around the brush reaches a predetermined threshold, a toggle extending along the length of the brush shaft switches from a default position to a secondary position and actuates the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is electronically coupled to a processor and/or controller to activate one or more preprogrammed responses when an entanglement is putting pressure on the brush.

Claims

1. A brush of a mobile robotic vacuum comprising:

a rotatable shaft with a plurality of bristles radially protruding therefrom;

at least one toggle extending along the length of the shaft; and

a pressure sensor actuated by the toggle;

wherein the at least one toggle has a first default position and a second position; and

wherein the at least one toggle switches from the first default position into the second position and actuates the pressure sensor if pressure around the brush reaches a predetermined threshold.

2. The brush of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is electronically coupled to a processor and/or controller.

3. The brush of claim 2, wherein a response is programmed to occur either immediately when the pressure sensor is actuated or after the pressure sensor has been actuated for a predetermined amount of time.

4. The brush of claim 3, wherein the response includes any of the following, separately or in combination:

halting the rotation of the brush, reversing the rotation of the brush, temporarily reversing the rotation of the brush, slowing the rotation of the brush, pausing the rotation of the brush, turning off the robotic vacuum, sending and or displaying a notification to a user, and altering the movement and or operation of the robotic vacuum.

5. The brush of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is any of:

a mechanical sensor, an electronic pressure sensor, and a pressure actuated switch.

6. The brush of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of toggles extending along the length of the shaft.

7. A mobile robotic vacuum comprising:

at least one rotatable brush, comprising;

a rotatable shaft with a plurality of bristles radially protruding therefrom;

at least one toggle extending along the length of the shaft; and

,

a pressure sensor actuated by the at least one toggle;

wherein the toggle has a first default position and a second position; and

wherein the toggle switches from the first default position into the second position and actuates the sensor if pressure around the brush reaches a predetermined threshold.

8. The robotic vacuum of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of toggles in extending along the length of the shaft.

9. The robotic vacuum of claim 7, wherein the pressure sensor is electronically coupled to a processor and/or controller.

10. The robotic vacuum of claim 9, wherein a response is programmed to occur either immediately when the pressure sensor is actuated or after the pressure sensor has been actuated for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The robotic vacuum of claim 10, wherein the response includes any of the following, separately or in combination:

halting the rotation of the brush, reversing the rotation of the brush, temporarily reversing the rotation of the brush, slowing the rotation of the brush, pausing the rotation of the brush, turning off the robotic vacuum, sending and or displaying a notification to a user, and altering the movement and or operation of the robotic vacuum.

12. The robotic vacuum of claim 7, wherein the pressure sensor is any of:

a mechanical sensor, an electronic pressure sensor, and a pressure actuated switch.

13. A system for detecting and responding to brush entanglement with an obstruction comprising:

at least one rotatable brush, comprising a rotatable shaft with a plurality of bristles radially protruding therefrom;

at least one toggle extending along the length of the shaft; and

,

a pressure sensor actuated by the toggle;

wherein the at least one toggle has a first default position and a second position; and

wherein the at least one toggle switches from the first default position into the second position and actuates the sensor if pressure around the brush reaches a predetermined threshold.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the actuation of the pressure sensor triggers any of the following responses, separately or in combination:

halting the rotation of the brush, reversing the rotation of the brush, temporarily reversing the rotation of the brush, slowing the rotation of the brush, pausing the rotation of the brush, turning off a device housing the brush, sending and or displaying a notification to a user, and altering the movement and or operation of a device housing the brush, either immediately or after the pressure sensor has been actuated for a predetermined amount of time.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensor is any of:

a mechanical sensor, an electronic pressure sensor, and a pressure actuated switch.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of toggles extending along the length of the shaft.