ROBOT CLEANER AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF
First Claim
1. A robot cleaner comprising:
- a main body; and
a driving unit configured to move the main body, wherein the driving unit comprises;
a plurality of motors configured to generate driving forces;
a driving wheel configured to rotate when receiving a driving force transferred from any one of the plurality of motors; and
a wheel frame configured to rotatably support the driving wheel and configured to rotate to change a position of the driving wheel when receiving a driving force transferred from another one of the plurality of the motors.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Proposed are a robot cleaner having an improved wheel structure to escape from being stuck in various travel conditions, and a control method thereof. The robot cleaner may smoothly escape from a door sill or an obstacle to stably travel irrespective of a state of a floor by providing an optimal frictional force of the floor through the control of an electric current of a motor when the robot cleaner escapes from being stuck. Also, the robot cleaner may stably travel without shaking by controlling an electric current flowing through the motor after the robot cleaner escapes from being stuck and before the driving wheel returns to a normal mode. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent a wheel mechanism such as a gear from being damaged by an external shock (e.g., which is caused by a pet or an object drop) or a shock caused by autonomous vibration when the robot cleaner crosses over an obstacle.
14 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A robot cleaner comprising:
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a main body; and a driving unit configured to move the main body, wherein the driving unit comprises; a plurality of motors configured to generate driving forces; a driving wheel configured to rotate when receiving a driving force transferred from any one of the plurality of motors; and a wheel frame configured to rotatably support the driving wheel and configured to rotate to change a position of the driving wheel when receiving a driving force transferred from another one of the plurality of the motors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A robot cleaner comprising:
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a main body; a driving unit configured to move the main body, the driving unit including a driving wheel, a wheel frame configured to rotatably support the driving wheel, a first driving motor configured to generate a driving force for rotating the driving wheel, and a second driving motor configured to generate a driving force for rotating the wheel frame; an input unit configured to receive a command of the robot cleaner; a current sensor configured to measure an electric current flowing through the second driving motor when the robot cleaner travels according to the received command; and a controller configured to determine whether the robot cleaner is stuck using the electric current measured by the current sensor and control an output of the second driving motor to escape from being stuck when the robot cleaner is stuck. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A control method of a robot cleaner including a main body and a driving unit, the driving unit including a driving wheel, a wheel frame configured to rotatably support the driving wheel, a first driving motor configured to generate a driving force for rotating the driving wheel, and a second driving motor configured to generate a driving force for rotating the wheel frame, the control method comprising:
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measuring, by a current sensor, an electric current flowing through the second driving motor when the robot cleaner travels according to a received command; determining whether the robot cleaner is stuck using the measured electric current; and escaping from being stuck by increasing an output of the second driving motor when the robot cleaner is stuck.
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17. A wheel frame installed in a robot cleaner and configured to rotatably support a driving wheel of the robot cleaner, the wheel frame comprising:
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a gear accommodation part provided inside the wheel frame; and first driving force transfer gears accommodated in the gear accommodation part and configured to transfer a driving force of a first driving motor for rotating the driving wheel to the driving wheel. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification