DRIVING UNIT AND ROBOT CLEANER HAVING THE SAME

• US 20160297276A1
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: JEONG, Kyung Han, LEE, Byoung In
• Granted Patent: US 9,758,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a driving unit and a robot cleaner having the same. The robot cleaner has a configuration in which an elastic member is supported so that an angle formed between the elastic member and a rotation shaft of the driving unit is provided in a predetermined range to offset a decrease in an elastic force generated while the robot cleaner is driving on a surface having steps and a driving wheel protrudes downward from the robot cleaner. Accordingly, there is the effect where a traction force is maintained at a predetermined level for maintaining the driving performance of the robot cleaner even while the robot cleaner is driving and the driving wheel is lowered to decrease the elastic force of the elastic member.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body; and

a driving unit including a driving wheel which drives the main body,

wherein the driving unit includes;

a housing;

a driving motor which generates a rotational force for driving the driving wheel;

a driving arm which rotates about a rotation point so that the driving wheel is supported to protrude downward from the main body; and

an elastic member supported between a first support point provided at one side of the driving arm and a second support point provided at the housing,

wherein an angle (θ

) formed at the first support point by the rotation point and the second support point is maintained at an acute angle while the driving arm is rotating.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein:

the driving arm rotates about the rotation point in between a first position and a second position in which the driving wheel protrudes toward the outside of the main body; and

when the angle formed when the driving arm is positioned at the first position is referred to as a first angle, and the angle formed when the driving arm is positioned at the second position is referred to as a second angle, and the first angle is less than the second angle.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the first angle is 50°

or less.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the second angle is 90°

or less.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the driving arm includes a support protrusion which extends from the driving arm to protrude toward the outside of the housing and includes the first support point.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 5, wherein the support protrusion supports one side of the elastic member and changes a displacement of the elastic member in conjunction with the rotation of the driving arm.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein:

the housing includes a support hook having the second support point; and

the support hook supports one side of the elastic member.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein:

the driving wheel has a traction force generated due to a frictional force with a surface when driving; and

the traction force of the driving wheel is maintained at a constant level in all cases where the driving wheel protrudes toward the outside of the main body and the driving wheel is seated inside the main body.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the second support point is always positioned above the first support point or is positioned on at least the same horizontal line.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 9, wherein a height of a position at which the first support point is positioned is raised while the driving wheel is moving downward from the main body.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 9, wherein the first support point is positioned above the rotation point.

12. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body; and

a driving unit including a driving wheel which drives the main body,

wherein the driving unit includes;

a driving motor which generates a rotational force for driving the driving wheel;

a driving arm which rotates about a rotation point so that the driving wheel is supported to protrude downward from the main body; and

an elastic member supported between a first support point which is provided at one side of the driving arm and moves in conjunction with the driving arm and a second support point which is fixed, and

wherein with respect to a first straight line which connects the first support point to the second support point, and a second straight line forms a right angle with the first straight line at the rotation point while in contact with the first straight line,

the second straight line when the driving wheel protrudes downward from the main body has a length greater than a line when the driving wheel is seated in the main body.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 12, wherein the length of the second straight line has a maximum value at a second position when the driving wheel rotates about the rotation point in between a first position and the second position in which the driving wheel protrudes toward an outside of the main body.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 12, wherein the length of the second straight line extends while the driving wheel is protruding downward from the main body.

15. The robot cleaner of claim 12, wherein:

the driving unit further includes a housing in which the driving wheel, a driving motor, and a driving arm are seated; and

the rotation point and the second support point are provided inside the housing.

16. The robot cleaner of claim 15, wherein the driving arm includes a support protrusion which extends from the driving arm to protrude toward the outside of the housing and includes the first support point.

17. The robot cleaner of claim 16, wherein the support protrusion supports one side of the elastic member and changes a displacement of the elastic member in conjunction with rotation of the driving arm.

18. The robot cleaner of claim 15, wherein:

the housing includes a support hook having the second support point; and

the support hook supports one side of the elastic member.

19. The robot cleaner of claim 12, wherein an angle formed around the first support point by the rotation point and the second support point is maintained at an acute angle while the driving arm is rotating.

20. The robot cleaner of claim 12, wherein:

the driving arm rotates about the rotation point in between a first position and a second position in which the driving arm protrudes toward the outside of the main body; and

when the angle formed when the driving arm is positioned at the first position is referred to as a first angle, and the angle formed when the driving arm is positioned at the second position is referred to as a second angle, and the first angle is less than the second angle.