Ground treatment appliance

• US 10,549,646 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Reynolds, David, Armstrong, Gavin Ben, Bolton, Martin, Tonks, Philip, Eagling, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Oh, Harry Y
• Application Number:
  US15/636,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20180001786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/00 Mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing A01D37/00 - A01D41/00, A01D43/00; convertible to apparatus for purposes other than mowing or capable of performing operations other than mowing A01D42/00; Mowing apparatus of harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/01 characterised by features relating to the type of cutting apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 75/00 Accessories for harvesters or mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 75/20 Devices for protecting men or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/14 Vehicles with one wheel only
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• 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: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An autonomous ground treatment appliance, in particular a robotic lawnmower, includes a housing, a running gear, a control unit, at least one wheel unit, and a sensor unit. The control unit is configured to control the autonomous ground treatment appliance. The at least one wheel unit is mounted on the housing so as to be at least partially movable relative to the housing. The sensor unit is configured to ascertain a position of the wheel unit relative to the housing.

Claims

1. An autonomous ground treatment appliance, comprising:

a housing;

a running gear;

a printed circuit board;

a control unit configured to control the appliance;

at least one wheel unit mounted on the housing so as to be at least partially movable relative to the housing between a retracted state and an extended state; and

a sensor unit with at least one sensor element, the sensor unit (i) at least partially positioned on or at least partially integrated into the printed circuit board and (ii) configured to ascertain a position of the at least one wheel unit in the retracted state and the extended state, wherein the at least one sensor element is a sensor coil extending concentrically about a recess in the printed circuit board.

2. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is a component of the control unit.

3. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 1, wherein the sensor coil forms at least a part of a resonant circuit.

4. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is further configured to ascertain a position of a signal transmitter element.

10. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 1, further comprising a seal element configured to at least partially seal off the sensor unit against moisture, at least a portion of the seal element integrally formed with the housing.

11. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 10, wherein the seal element includes at least one protuberance.

12. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 11, wherein the at least one protuberance protrudes through the recess and intersects a plane defined by the printed circuit board.

13. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 10, further comprising a signal transmitter element configured to partially move, in the protuberance, relative to the recess of the printed circuit board, the sensor unit further configured to ascertain a position of the signal transmitter element.

14. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a robotic lawnmower.

5. An autonomous ground treatment appliance, comprising:

a housing;

a running gear;

a control unit configured to control the appliance;

at least one wheel unit mounted on the housing so as to be at least partially movable relative to the housing;

a sensor unit configured to ascertain a position of the at least one wheel unit relative to the housing, the sensor unit including at least one sensor element in the form of a sensor coil; and

a printed circuit board that includes a recess, the sensor coil positioned concentrically about the recess.

6. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 5, further comprising a signal transmitter element configured to partially move relative to the recess of the printed circuit board, the sensor unit further configured to ascertain a position of the signal transmitter element.

7. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 6, wherein the signal transmitter element is a magnetoresistive element.

8. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 6, wherein the signal transmitter element includes a guide rod.

9. The autonomous ground treatment appliance of claim 6, further comprising:

a further wheel unit that includes a further signal transmitter element; and

a further sensor unit configured to ascertain a position of the further signal transmitter element, the further sensor unit at least partially positioned on or integrated into the printed circuit board.

15. An autonomous ground treatment appliance, comprising:

a housing;

a running gear;

a control unit configured to control the appliance;

at least one wheel unit mounted on the housing so as to be at least partially movable relative to the housing;

a sensor unit configured to ascertain a position of the at least one wheel unit relative to the housing, the sensor unit including at least one sensor element in the form of a sensor coil;

a printed circuit board that includes a recess, the sensor coil positioned concentrically about the recess; and

a signal transmitter element configured to partially move relative to the recess of the printed circuit board,

wherein the signal transmitter element is a magnetoresistive element and the sensor unit is configured to ascertain a position of the magnetoresistive element.