DEBRIS SENSOR FOR CLEANING APPARATUS
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. An autonomous cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a side brush; a main brush; a debris bin; a chassis carrying the side brush, the main brush, and the debris bin, the side brush operative to direct particulates from a cleaning surface toward the main brush, and the main brush operative to direct the particulates toward the debris bin; and a piezoelectric sensor disposed between the main brush and the debris bin, wherein impact of the particulates moving from the main brush toward the debris bin is detectable by the piezoelectric sensor. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An autonomous cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a drive system comprising a right wheel assembly and a left wheel assembly, each wheel assembly comprising a respective motor; a side brush; a main brush; a debris bin; a chassis carrying the drive system, the side brush, the main brush, and the debris bin, the side brush operative to direct particulates from a cleaning surface toward the main brush, and the main brush operative to direct the particulates toward the debris bin; and a debris sensor disposed between the main brush and the debris bin, wherein the particulates directed by the main brush toward the debris bin are detectable by the debris sensor, and the drive system is configured to adjust movement of the cleaning apparatus based at least in part on a signal representative of the particulates detected by the debris sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification