SELF-PROPELLED ION GENERATOR AND CLEANING ROBOT

• US 20140230179A1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Jitsuo, Matsubara, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US14/240,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20140230179A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4097 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Exhaust-air treatment, e.g. air purification; Means for sound or vibration damping
• 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 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/04 for using the exhaust air for other purposes, e.g. for distribution of chemicals in a room, for sterilisation of the air spraying or atomising in general B05
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1427 Means for mounting or attaching bags or filtering receptacles in suction cleaners; Adapters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled

Abstract

A cleaning robot (1) that is a self-propelled ion generator includes: a main body enclosure (2) to which a suction port (6) and an exhaust port (7) are open and which is self-propelled on a floor surface; an electric blower (22) which is arranged within the main body enclosure (2); an ion generation device (25) which discharges ions into a second exhaust passage (24b) between the electric blower (22) and the exhaust port (7); and environment detection devices which detect the surrounding environment of the main body enclosure (2), where the self-propelled ion generator remains, for a given time, in a specific place specified based on the surrounding environment of the main body enclosure (2) detected by the environment detection device, and feeds out an air current containing the ions through the exhaust port (7) by drive of the ion generation device (25) and the electric blower (22).

Claims

1. A self-propelled ion generator comprising:

a main body enclosure to which a suction port and an exhaust port are open and which is self-propelled on a floor surface;

an electric blower which is arranged within the main body enclosure;

an ion generation device which discharges ions into an exhaust flow passage between the electric blower and the exhaust port; and

an environment detection device which detects a surrounding environment of the main body enclosure,

wherein the self-propelled ion generator remains, for a given time, in a specific place specified based on the surrounding environment of the main body enclosure detected by the environment detection device, and feeds out an air current containing the ions through the exhaust port by drive of the ion generation device and the electric blower.

2. The self-propelled ion generator of claim 1,

wherein the environment detection device is an odor sensor that detects odor in a surrounding area of the main body enclosure, and

the self-propelled ion generator remains, for the given time, regarding, as the specific place, a detection place based on detection of an odor of a predetermined threshold value or more by the odor sensor, and feeds out the air current containing the ions through the exhaust port.

3. The self-propelled ion generator of claim 1,

wherein the environment detection device is a humidity sensor that detects humidity in a surrounding area of the main body enclosure, and

the self-propelled ion generator remains, for the given time, regarding, as the specific place, a detection place based on detection of a humidity of a predetermined threshold value or more by the humidity sensor, and feeds out the air current containing the ions through the exhaust port.

4. The self-propelled ion generator of claim 1,

wherein the environment detection device is a map that describes the specific place in a surrounding area of an installation place of the self-propelled ion generator, and

the self-propelled ion generator remains, for the given time, in the specific place described in the map, and feeds out the air current containing the ions through the exhaust port.

5. The self-propelled ion generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a human detection sensor which detects presence of a person,

wherein the self-propelled ion generator displaces the main body enclosure based on detection information from the human detection sensor such that a direction in which the person is present differs from a direction in which air is exhausted through the exhaust port.

6. The self-propelled ion generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a movable louver which can change the direction in which the air is exhausted through the exhaust port,

wherein the self-propelled ion generator displaces the movable louver so as to change, according to a speed of travel when the main body enclosure is self-propelled, the direction in which the air is exhausted through the exhaust port.

7. The self-propelled ion generator of claim 6,

wherein the self-propelled ion generator displaces the movable louver such that it is possible to exhaust air upward when the main body enclosure travels as compared with when the main body enclosure is stopped.

8. A cleaning robot,

wherein the self-propelled ion generator of claim 1 includes a dust collection portion that collects dust of an air current sucked through the suction port by drive of the electric blower.