AUTOMATED CLEAN MACHINE WITH A STEERING MECHANISM

• US 20140231154A1
• Filed: 02/20/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jason Yan
• Original Assignee: Jason Yan
• Inventors: Yan, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,827,012 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/6.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/30 the ultimate propulsive elements, e.g. ground wheels, being steerable

Abstract

The present invention provides an automated clean machine with a steering mechanism wherein the steering mechanism of the automated clean machine which gets held up restricts one of conjoint wheels not to synchronously rotate in contrast to the other one during a steering process, minimizing wheel wear, and resuming the wheels'"'"' synchronous running in next normal movement.

Claims

1. An automated clean machine with a steering mechanism, comprising:

a base with a recess externally;

a retarding mechanism installed at an inner side of said base, corresponding to said recess and comprising a spindle passing through said recess;

a steering mechanism held in said recess, coupled with said spindle, and driven by said retarding mechanism through said conjoint spindle; and

a plurality of wheels connected to said steering mechanism wherein one of said wheels is not driven synchronously during a steering process.

2. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of wheels consists of a rim and a cover tire binding said rim'"'"'s edge;

said steering mechanism further comprises;

a first driving component coupled with said spindle;

a limiting base installed between said first driving component and said recess;

a steering shaft coupled with said two rims at its both ends and a second driving component which is situated between said steering shaft'"'"'s both ends and engages said first driving component at an eccentric position of said steering shaft and comprising a steering disc at one end on which a plurality of braking grooves are opened;

a limiting cap connected to said limiting base, encasing said steering shaft, said first driving component and said second driving component in a space located between said limiting cap and limiting base and passed through by said steering shaft, and keeping said steering disc outside said limiting cap and said limiting base; and

at least a brake unit held between one of said rims and said steering disc and restricting one of said rims, which corresponds to said brake unit, as well as a conjoint wheel not to synchronously rotate during a steering process of said steering mechanism.

3. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said steering disc has a plurality of braking grooves, said rim corresponding to said brake unit has a plurality of permanent grooves at its inner side, and said brake unit comprises:

a brake pin with a shank and a top whose one end resisting one of said braking grooves and the other end linking said shank; and

a spring externally surrounding said shank and jointly inserted into one of said permanent grooves.

4. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said steering disc has a plurality of braking grooves, one of said rims corresponding to said brake unit has a permanent groove at its inner side, and said brake unit comprises:

a brake disc with a plurality of bumps at one side corresponding to and resisting said braking grooves; and

a spring contacting said brake disc'"'"'s other side and held in said permanent groove.

5. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said retarding mechanism and said spindle create a torsional moment in between by which said retarding mechanism drives and rotates said first driving component through said spindle, and said first driving component and said second driving component generate an engaging force which is applied on an eccentric position at said steering shaft and makes said steering shaft rotate about its own axis and revolve around said spindle.

6. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 5 wherein said automated clean machine presses said wheels on a floor firmly under effect of gravity, which causes friction applied on said wheels and obstructing revolution of the steering shaft around said spindle, and said steering shaft driven by said spindle still actuate said wheels to rotate and said automated clean machine to move forward.

7. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 6 wherein said spindle of said automated clean machine getting held up due to any barrier still keeps running, increases torsional moment output which contributes to a yawing moment for revolution of said steering shaft about said spindle greater than friction on said wheels firmly pressing said floor, allows said steering shaft to revolve around said spindle for completion of one automatic turning, and makes said automated clean machine resume its rectilinear motion with drags disappearing.

8. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said brake unit separates said rim and its conjoint wheel, both of which face said steering disc, from said steering disc due to stronger friction applied on said wheel'"'"'s cover tire and restricts said wheel not to rotate with said steering shaft when said automated clean machine changes its direction of movement to avoid any barrier by revolving said steering shaft around said spindle.

9. The automated clean machine with a steering mechanism according to claim 1 further comprises an untangling collar which is held in said recess, surround said steering mechanism, and comprises at least a clamping hook peripherally that extends toward an inner side of said base and said recess comprises indentations opposite to said clamping hooks.