Automatic charging apparatus of autonomous mobile robot and automatic charging method using the same

• US 20080174268A1
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yujin Robot Co., Ltd. (The Miele Group)
• Original Assignee: Yujin Robot Co., Ltd. (The Miele Group)
• Inventors: Shin, Kyung Chul, Koo, Keun Mo
• Application Number:
  US12/005,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174268A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• 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 9/2873 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: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

Disclosed are an automatic charging apparatus of an autonomous mobile robot and an automatic charging method using the same in that a moving robot can automatically detect infrared signals emitted from a charging station and can automatically induce charging station so as to automatically charge a battery of the robot, whereby improving convenience thereof. The automatic charging apparatus of the autonomous mobile robot, comprises a charging station having connecting terminals for charging the battery and an infrared signal generator for emitting infrared signals on a position information thereof; and a moving robot having an infrared receiving apparatus for receiving the infrared signals from the infrared signal generator in a cast that a remnant capacity of the battery is insufficient or a charging order is inputted, a microcomputer for controlling a traveling of the moving robot by using a detected position information of the charging station through the infrared signals received from the infrared receiving apparatus, and charging terminals for charging the battery with electricity through the contact with the connecting terminal.

Claims

1. An automatic charging apparatus of an autonomous mobile robot supplied with a power by docking with a charging station in case of an electric discharge of a battery thereof while at work, comprising:

a charging station having connecting terminals for charging the battery and an infrared signal generator for emitting infrared signals on a position information thereof; and

a moving robot having an infrared receiving apparatus for receiving the infrared signals from the infrared signal generator in a cast that a remnant capacity of the battery is insufficient or a charging order is inputted, a microcomputer for controlling a traveling of the moving robot by using a detected position information of the charging station through the infrared signals received from the infrared receiving apparatus, and charging terminals for charging the battery with electricity through a contact with the connecting terminal.

2. An automatic charging apparatus of an autonomous mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infrared signal generator comprises a first infrared signal generating portion having a plurality of infrared light emitting diodes for minutely inducing the moving robot and formed inside a partition structure respectively in such a manner that the infrared signals thereof are not interfered with each other.

3. An automatic charging apparatus of an autonomous mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infrared signal generator comprises a first infrared signal generating portion having a plurality of infrared light emitting diodes for minutely inducing the moving robot and formed inside an infrared inducing pipe respectively in such a manner that the infrared signals thereof are not interfered with each other.

4. An automatic charging apparatus of an autonomous mobile robot as claimed in claim 3, wherein the infrared signal generator comprises a second infrared signal generating portion having an infrared light emitting diode for a short distance for generating infrared signals toward a region adjacent to the charging station.

5. An automatic charging apparatus of an autonomous mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infrared receiving apparatus comprises a plurality of infrared inducing pipe formed inside a front, left and right side surface of the moving robot and a plurality of infrared receivers formed inside each of the infrared inducing pipes.

6. An automatic charging apparatus of an autonomous mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving robot further comprises a remnant capacity detector of the battery for detecting the remnant capacity of the battery and an operating signal input portion for inputting an operating signal of a user and the microcomputer comprises a memory for storing an operating program for driving the moving robot and a standard value of the remnant capacity of the battery for driving the moving robot, a position detector for detecting the position of the charging station through the signals received by the infrared receiving apparatus, and a traveling controller for controlling the traveling of the moving robot according to the position information of the charging station inputted through the position detector.

7. An automatic charging method of an autonomous mobile robot, comprising the steps of:

performing an operation of a moving robot according to an order of a user;

judging a charging mode of a battery;

rotating the moving robot from a stop position thereof so as to receive infrared signals from a charging station in case of charging mode;

detecting a position of the charging station through the detected infrared signals, controlling a traveling of the moving robot according to the position information of the charging station, and placing the moving robot at a front portion of the charging station; and

docking the moving robot with the charging station so as to automatically charge the a battery of the moving robot.