ROBOT CLEANER AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130054026A1
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Dong Won, JANG, Hwi Chan, Jung, Hyun Soo, Han, Seung Il, Lee, Jun Hwa
• Granted Patent: US 9,335,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

A robot cleaner having an improved structure which executes a cleaning operation without stoppage of travelling of the robot cleaner due to obstacles present in a space to be cleaned, and a control method thereof. The control method of the robot cleaner which is provided with a main body, driving wheels driving the main body, and driving wheel assemblies, each of which includes each driving wheel, includes detecting displacement of each driving wheel with respect to a reference position by sensing a sensed body provided on each driving wheel assembly, judging whether or not the displacement is within a predetermined reference range, and changing a travelling path of the main body, upon judging that the displacement deviates from the reference range.

Claims

1. A control method of a robot cleaner which is provided with a main body, driving wheels driving the main body, and driving wheel assemblies, each of which includes each driving wheel, the control method comprising:

detecting a displacement of each driving wheel with respect to a reference position by sensing a position of a sensed body provided on each driving wheel assembly;

judging whether or not the displacement is within a predetermined reference range; and

changing a travelling path of the main body, upon judging that the displacement is not within the predetermined reference range.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein each driving wheel assembly includes a sensor to sense the position of the sensed body,

wherein, in sensing the position of the sensed body, the sensor senses a separation distance between the sensor and the sensed body.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein each driving wheel assembly further includes a driving motor to drive each driving wheel,

wherein the sensor senses a rotating angle of the sensed body about a rotation shaft of the driving motor.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the sensed body is each driving wheel.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the travelling path of the main body is changed so that the displacement is within the predetermined reference range, upon judging that the displacement is not within the predetermined reference range.

6. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the change of the travelling path of the main body comprises:

judging that each driving wheel is lifted, when the displacement exceeds an upper threshold value of the predetermined reference range; and

judging that each driving wheel is jammed, when the displacement does not reach a lower threshold value of the predetermined reference range.

7. The control method according to claim 2, wherein the sensed separation distance is converted into a standardized parameter.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein the standardized parameter is voltage, and the predetermined reference range is a range of voltage.

9. A robot cleaner which is provided with a main body, driving wheels driving the main body, and driving wheel assemblies, each of which includes each driving wheel, the robot cleaner comprising

a sensor to detect a displacement of each driving wheel with respect to a reference position by sensing a sensed body provided on each driving wheel assembly;

and

a controller to judge whether or not the displacement is within a predetermined reference range, and to change a travelling path of the main body, upon judging that the displacement is not within the predetermined reference range.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the controller changes the travelling path of the main body so that the displacement is within the reference range, upon judging that the displacement is not within the predetermined reference range.

11. The robot cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the controller judges that each driving wheel is lifted, when the displacement exceeds an upper threshold value of the predetermined reference range, and judges that each driving wheel is jammed, when the displacement does not reach a lower threshold value of the predetermined reference range.

12. The robot cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the sensor senses a separation distance between the sensor and the sensed body.

13. The robot cleaner according to claim 12, wherein:

each driving wheel assembly comprises;

a housing;

a driving motor connected to one side of the housing; and

a gear assembly disposed between the driving motor and each driving wheel, wherein the gear assembly transmits a driving force of the driving motor to each driving wheel; and

the sensed body protrudes from one side surface of the gear assembly.

14. The robot cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the gear assembly is connected to one side of the housing so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft of the driving motor.

15. The robot cleaner according to claim 14, wherein:

a magnet is provided at one end of the sensed body; and

the sensor senses the separation distance between the sensor and the sensed body through magnetic interaction with the magnet.

16. The robot cleaner according to claim 14, wherein:

a guide slot to accommodate the sensed body and to guide the sensed body is provided at one side surface of the housing; and

the sensor is fixed to the guide slot and senses the separation distance between the sensor and the sensed body.

17. The robot cleaner according to claim 10, wherein

each driving wheel assembly comprises:

a housing; and

a driving motor connected to one side of the housing; and

the sensor senses a rotating angle of the sensed body about a rotation shaft of the driving motor.

18. The robot cleaner according to claim 11, wherein the sensed body is each driving wheel.

19. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein each sensor converts the sensed separation distance into a standardized parameter.

20. The control method according to claim 19, wherein the standardized parameter is voltage, and the predetermined reference range is a range of voltage.

21. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body;

driving wheel assemblies, each of which comprises a driving wheel driving the main body, a driving motor generating rotary force to rotate the driving wheel, and a sensed body driven in connection with the driving wheel; and

sensors, each of which detects displacement of the driving wheel with respect to a reference position by sensing a distance between the sensed body and each sensor.

22. The robot cleaner according to claim 21, wherein each driving wheel assembly further includes:

a housing to accommodate and to support various parts therein; and

a gear assembly connected to the driving motor and the driving wheel within the housing, wherein the gear assembly transmits a driving force of the driving motor to the driving wheel.

23. The robot cleaner according to claim 22, wherein the gear assembly is connected to the driving motor and the driving wheel so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft of the driving motor.

24. The robot cleaner according to claim 23, wherein the sensed body protrudes from one side surface of the gear assembly.

25. The robot cleaner according to claim 24, wherein:

the housing includes a guide part accommodating and guiding the sensed body; and

the sensor is fixed to the guide part and senses the distance with the sensed body.

26. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body;

driving wheels driving the main body;

driving motors, each of which generates rotary force to rotate each driving wheel;

gear assemblies, each of which is connected to each driving motor and each driving wheel so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft of each driving motor, and transmits rotary force of each driving motor to each driving wheel; and

sensors, each of which detects displacement of each driving wheel with respect to a reference position by sensing a distance between each sensor and each driving wheel.