Application of localization, positioning and navigation systems for robotic enabled mobile products

• US 10,730,397 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2017
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Romanov, Nikolai, Dooley, Michael J., Pirjanian, Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): Moyer, Dale
• Application Number:
  US15/642,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20170297455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• 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 11/4036 Parts or details of the 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• 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 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/32 Driving direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/463 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/106 : for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 : ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 : using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• 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

Abstract

A robotic cleaner includes a cleaning assembly for cleaning a surface and a main robot body. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and a width of the cleaning assembly is greater than a width of the main robot body. A robotic cleaning system includes a main robot body and a plurality of cleaning assemblies for cleaning a surface. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and each of the cleaning assemblies is detachable from the main robot body and each of the cleaning assemblies has a unique cleaning function.

Claims

1. A robotic cleaner comprising:

a motorized drive assembly comprising two wheels and configured to move the robotic cleaner, the two wheels configured to rotate about a first axis that is substantially perpendicular to a forward direction of travel of the robotic cleaner;

a microcontroller operatively coupled to the motorized drive assembly for controlling movement of the robotic cleaner;

a cleaning assembly configured to clean a floor surface, the cleaning assembly configured to hold a cleaning cloth, the cleaning assembly being positioned along a second axis substantially parallel to and ahead of the first axis in the forward direction of travel of the robotic cleaner;

a holding tank configured to hold a cleaning solution, wherein the robotic cleaner is configured to spray the cleaning solution onto the floor surface with a sprayer; and

charging contacts for charging a battery onboard the robotic cleaner, the charging contacts positioned on a bottom portion of the robotic cleaner, the charging contacts configured to engage charging connections of a charging docking station, the charging contacts being positioned behind the first axis and the second axis.

2. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the charging contacts are positioned along a third axis substantially parallel to and behind the first axis.

3. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured to cause the robotic cleaner to drive onto a docking ramp of the charging docking station and stop over a pattern on the docking ramp.

4. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, further comprising an optical navigation sensor positioned on a top portion of the robotic cleaner for detecting an alignment beacon signal emitted from the charging docking station.

5. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause the robotic cleaner to back onto the charging docking station.

6. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cleaning cloth is removably coupled to the cleaning assembly for removal from the cleaning assembly upon the robotic cleaner undocking from the charging docking station.

7. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a bump sensor positioned to extend along a front edge of the robotic cleaner, wherein the bump sensor is configured to detect a contact at a point on the front edge of the robotic cleaner while the robotic cleaner is being directed to move in the forward direction of travel.

8. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the sprayer is a forward spraying jet that dispenses the cleaning solution in an area in front of the robotic cleaner.

9. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is configured to drive the robotic cleaner to a point, and then back away a fixed distance before spraying the cleaning solution.

10. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a collision of the robotic cleaner with an overhanging obstacle, wherein the microcontroller is configured to reverse a direction of travel of the robotic cleaner in response to the sensor detecting the collision with the overhanging obstacle.

11. A robotic cleaner kit comprising:

a charging docking station comprising;

a plug, and

charging connections connected to the plug for recharging a rechargeable battery; and

a robotic cleaner, comprising;

a motorized drive assembly comprising two wheels and configured to move the robotic cleaner, the two wheels configured to rotate about a first axis that is substantially perpendicular to a forward direction of travel of the robotic cleaner,

a microcontroller operatively coupled to the motorized drive assembly for controlling movement of the robotic cleaner,

a cleaning assembly configured to clean a floor surface, the cleaning assembly configured to hold a cleaning cloth, the cleaning assembly being positioned along a second axis substantially parallel to and ahead of the first axis in the forward direction of travel of the robotic cleaner,

a holding tank configured to hold a cleaning solution, wherein the robotic cleaner is configured to spray the cleaning solution onto the floor surface with a sprayer, and

charging contacts for charging a battery onboard the robotic cleaner, the charging contacts positioned on a bottom portion of the robotic cleaner, the charging contacts configured to engage the charging connections of the charging docking station, the charging contacts being positioned behind the first axis and the second axis.

12. The robotic cleaner kit of claim 11, wherein the charging docking station comprises a new cleaning cloth storage well.

13. The robotic cleaner kit of claim 11, wherein the charging docking station comprises an emitter for emitting an alignment beacon signal and wherein the robotic cleaner comprises an optical navigation sensor positioned on a top portion of the robotic cleaner for detecting the alignment beacon signal emitted from the emitter.

14. The robotic cleaner kit of claim 13, wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause the robotic cleaner to back into the charging docking station in response to the optical navigation sensor detecting the alignment beacon signal emitted from the emitter.

15. The robotic cleaner kit of claim 11, wherein the charging docking station includes a ramp portion.

16. The robotic cleaner kit of claim 11, where the charging docking station includes an area marked with a pattern, wherein the robotic cleaner includes at least one sensor configured to cause the robotic cleaner to drive onto a docking ramp of the charging docking station and stop over the area marked with the pattern.

17. The robotic cleaner kit of claim 11, wherein the charging docking station comprises a cleaning cloth catch for removing a cleaning cloth from the robotic cleaner.

18. A robotic cleaner comprising:

a motorized drive assembly to move the robotic cleaner across a floor surface;

a microcontroller operatively coupled to the motorized drive assembly for controlling movement of the robotic cleaner across the floor surface;

a fluid dispenser configured to apply fluid to the floor surface;

a bottom portion configured to receive a cleaning pad to absorb the fluid applied to the floor surface; and

charging contacts for charging the robotic cleaner, the charging contacts positioned on the bottom portion of the robotic cleaner, the charging contacts configured to engage charging connections of a docking station.

19. The robotic cleaner of claim 18, wherein the charging contacts are positioned on a rear portion of the robotic cleaner.

20. The robotic cleaner of claim 18, further comprising a battery, wherein the charging contacts are for charging the battery of the robotic cleaner, wherein the battery is positioned on a front portion of the robotic cleaner.

21. The robotic cleaner of claim 18, wherein the charging contacts are configured to engage with the charging connections of the docking station as the robotic cleaner moves rearwardly onto the docking station.

22. The robotic cleaner of claim 18, wherein the charging contacts are rearward of the cleaning pad when received by the bottom portion of the robotic cleaner.