Self-running vacuum cleaner

• US 20020138936A1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nemoto, Yasuhiro, Tajima, Taiji, Arai, Yutaka, Takeuchi, Ikuo, Koseki, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle

Abstract

A self-running vacuum cleaner comprises a homing mode of following a back of a user with receiving a signal from a light emitting means or a transmitting means of a position indicator means held by the user, an instruction operation mode, in which the user instructs a cleaning area to the self-running vacuum cleaner, and an execution mode for cleaning up the cleaning area instructed. When the self-running vacuum cleaner operates under the homing mode or the instruction mode, a signal from the light-emitting means or the transmitting means is received by a receiver means attached on a periphery portion of a measuring means, which is provided in an upper portion of the vacuum cleaner. Comparing the signals from the two (2) receiver means in strength thereof determines the distance and the direction from the position indicated by the light-emitting means or the transmitting means up to the vacuum cleaner.

Claims

1. A self-running vacuum cleaner, being able to move by itself, with detecting an instruction signal generated by an indicating means, comprises:

a cleaning portion for cleaning up a floor surface;

a moving means for moving said cleaning portion;

a driving means for driving said moving means; and

a position detecting means for inputting an indication signal generated by the indicating means and for detecting a position of the indicating means, wherein said vacuum cleaner moves to at least one of plural numbers of positions which are indicated by the indicating means.

3. A self-running vacuum cleaner, as described in claim 1, wherein the indicating means comprises a light emitting means, and said indication signal is a light signal.

5. A self-running vacuum cleaner, as described in claim 1, wherein the plural numbers of positions indicated by the indicating means are equal or more than two (2) in number thereof.

2. A self-running vacuum cleaner, being able to move by itself, with detecting an instruction signal generated by an indicating means, comprises:

a cleaning portion for cleaning up a floor surface;

a moving means for moving said cleaning portion;

a driving means for driving said moving means; and

a position detecting means for inputting an indication signal generated by the indicating means and for detecting a position, wherein said vacuum cleaner defines a cleaning area on the floor surface upon basis of plural numbers of positions indicated by the indicating means, thereby moving to said area and making cleaning.

4. A self-running vacuum cleaner, as described in claim 2, wherein the indicating means comprises a light emitting means, and said indication signal is a light signal.

6. A self-running vacuum cleaner, as described in claim 2, wherein the plural numbers of positions indicated by the indicating means are equal or more than two (2) in number thereof.

7. A self-running vacuum cleaner, as described in claim 2, wherein a pattern for moving said vacuum cleaner within the cleaning area is memorized in advance, and said vacuum cleaner is driven in accordance with the pattern, thereby making cleaning.

8. A self-running vacuum cleaner, as described in claim 2, wherein the moving pattern is provided in plural numbers thereof, and a pattern for executing cleaning is made selectable from the plural numbers of moving patterns.

9. A self-running vacuum cleaner, being able to move by itself upon basis of a signal received, comprises:

a cleaning portion for cleaning up a floor surface;

a moving means for moving said cleaning portion;

a driving means for driving said moving means; and

a position detecting means for detecting information of positions which is inputted to said self-running vacuum cleaner by a user in advance, wherein said self-running vacuum cleaner moves to cleaning positions which are determined in advance upon basis of plural numbers of position information detected by said position detecting means, thereby making cleaning.

10. A self-running vacuum cleaner, being able to move by itself, with detecting an instruction signal generated by an indicating means, comprises:

a cleaning portion for cleaning up a floor surface;

a moving means for moving said cleaning portion;

a driving means for driving said moving means; and

a position detecting means for detecting a position by inputting an indication signal generated by the indicating means, wherein said self-running vacuum cleaner is selectable into one of modes, including;

a mode of following the indication signal generated from the indicating means;

a mode of instructing plural numbers of positions from the indicating means; and

a mode of moving to any one of said plural numbers of positions, thereby making cleaning.