Autonomous traveling body and vacuum cleaner

• US 10,416,673 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Syu
• Primary Examiner(s): Carlson, Marc
• Application Number:
  US15/503,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20170235309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• 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 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner capable of smoothly traveling along an obstacle. A control unit has modes of travel control and directional change control. In the travel control, while a distance between a main casing and a sideward obstacle detected by a distance measuring sensor is kept within a specified distance range, a motor is driven so as to make the main casing travel along the obstacle. In the directional change control, when an obstacle forward of the main casing is detected by a contact sensor during the travel control, the motor is driven so as to make the main casing change in advancing direction along the detected forward obstacle. The directional change control includes at least swing control for driving the motor so as to make the main casing swing to a specified swing angle while disregarding a distance detected by the distance measuring sensor.

Claims

1. An autonomous traveling body comprising:

a main casing;

a driving wheel for making the main casing travel;

a motor for driving the driving wheel;

a distance measuring sensor for detecting a distance to an object located sideward of the main casing;

an object sensor for detecting an object located forward of the main casing; and

a control unit for controlling drive of the motor to make the main casing autonomously travel, wherein

the control unit has modes of;

travel control for, while a distance between the main casing and a sideward object detected by the distance measuring sensor is kept within a specified distance range, driving the motor so as to make the main casing travel along the object; and

directional change control for, when an object forward of the main casing is detected by the object sensor during the travel control, driving the motor so as to make the main casing change in advancing direction along the detected forward object, and wherein

the directional change control includes at least swing control for driving the motor so as to make the main casing swing to a specified swing angle while disregarding a distance detected by the distance measuring sensor and in the state, when a distance detected by the distance measuring sensor is not a specified constant value driving the motor to make the main casing further swing until the distance becomes the specified constant value.

2. The autonomous traveling body according to claim 1, wherein

the directional change control includes retreat control for, when the distance between the main casing and the forward object has become a specified distance or less during the travel control, driving the motor so as to make the main casing retreat relative to the object.

3. The autonomous traveling body according to claim 1, wherein

the object sensor is a contact sensor for detecting an object by making contact with the object.

4. The autonomous traveling body according to claim 1, wherein

the swing angle in the swing control is an angle set in accordance with a position of the distance measuring sensor in the main casing.

5. The autonomous traveling body according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit detects a contact angle of the object sensor with an object based on detection by the object sensor, and

the swing angle in the swing control is set in accordance with the contact angle.

6. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

the autonomous traveling body according to claim 1; and

a side brush provided on the main casing of the autonomous traveling body and serving for cleaning dust and dirt at least on a cleaning-object surface located sideward of the main casing.

7. A travel control method for an autonomous traveling body for making a main casing autonomously travel, the method including modes of:

travel control for, while a distance between a main casing and a sideward object detected by a distance measuring sensor is kept within a specified distance range, making the main casing travel along the object; and

directional change control for, when an object forward of the main casing is detected by an object sensor during the travel control, making the main casing change in advancing direction along the detected forward object,

wherein the directional change control includes swing control for making the main casing swing to a specified swing angle while disregarding a distance between the main casing and the sideward object detected by the distance measuring sensor and in the state, when a distance detected by the distance measuring sensor is not a specified constant value, making the main casing further swing until the distance becomes the specified constant value.