DRY DOCKING STATION

• US 20170043966A1
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Original Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Inventors: witelson, Shay
• Granted Patent: US 10,703,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/06 with rotary cylindrical filtering surfaces, e.g. hollow drums B01D33/044 takes precedence ; rotating drums for paper-making D21B
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/37 in parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/04 Loading land vehicles loading or unloading boats to or from land vehicles B60P3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/24 Unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1672 Connections to the pool water circulation system
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A dry docking station that may include an interface that comprises an interface portion for contacting a self-propelled debris collecting robot when the self-propelled debris collecting robot is positioned at a container replacement position; a container manipulator that is arranged to assist, while the self-propelled solid debris collecting robot is contacted by the interface, in positioning a new debris collecting container into a debris collection position within the self-propelled debris collecting robot and to extract from the self-propelled debris collecting robot a used debris collecting container; a used container storage module for storing the used debris collecting container after the used debris collecting contains is extracted from the self-propelled debris collecting robot; and a new container storage module for storing the new debris collecting container before the new debris collecting container is positioned in the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

Claims

1. A dry docking station, comprising:

an interface that comprises an interface portion for contacting a self-propelled debris collecting robot when the self-propelled debris collecting robot is positioned at a container replacement position;

a container manipulator that is arranged to assist, while the self-propelled solid debris collecting robot is contacted by the interface, in positioning a new debris collecting container into a debris collection position within the self-propelled debris collecting robot and to extract from the self-propelled debris collecting robot a used debris collecting container;

a used container storage module for storing the used debris collecting container after the used debris collecting container is extracted from the self-propelled debris collecting robot; and

a new container storage module for storing the new debris collecting container before the new debris collecting container is positioned in the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

2. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the container manipulator is configured to assist in the positioning of the new debris collecting container into the debris collection position while extracting from the self-propelled debris collecting robot the used debris collecting container.

3. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the container manipulator comprises a new container manipulator unit and a used container manipulator unit.

4. The dry docking station according to claim 3 wherein the interface portion is positioned between the new container manipulator unit and the used container manipulator unit.

5. The dry docking station according to claim 3 wherein new container manipulator unit is configured to push the new container towards the self-propelled debris collecting robot while the used container manipulator unit is configured to evacuate a space within the used container storage module for receiving the used debris container from the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

6. The dry docking station according to claim 3 wherein the used container manipulator unit is configured to evacuate the space within the used container storage module by elevating one or more used debris collecting containers already stored at the used container storage unit.

7. The dry docking station according to claim 6 wherein the used container manipulator unit comprises a lifting element that is configured to elevate the one or more used debris collecting containers already stored at the used container storage unit.

8. The dry docking station according to claim 7 wherein the lifting element is positioned within the used container storage module.

9. The dry docking station according to claim 7 wherein the lifting element is positioned at a center of the used container storage module.

10. The dry docking station according to claim 7 wherein the lifting element at least partially extends outside sidewalls of the collecting container storage module.

11. The dry docking station according to claim 3 wherein the new container manipulator unit comprises a first piston that is configured to move beneath an upper surface of the interface portion, and a container interfacing part that is mechanically coupled to the first piston and extends above the upper surface of the interface portion.

12. The dry docking station according to claim 11;

wherein the container interfacing part is configured to contact the new debris collecting container while forcing the new debris collecting container to move towards the self-propelled debris collecting robot when the self-propelled debris collecting robot is positioned at the container replacement position.

13. The dry docking station according to claim 11 wherein the container interfacing part is a plate.

14. The dry docking station according to claim 3 wherein the used container manipulator unit comprises a second piston that is configured to move outside a sidewall of the used container storage module;

and a lifting element that is mechanically coupled to the second piston and extends within an opening formed in the sidewall of the of the used container storage module.

15. The dry docking station according to claim 14, wherein the lifting element is configured to elevate one or more used debris collecting containers already stored at the used container storage unit.

16. The dry docking station according to claim 3 wherein the used container storage module comprises a first opening for outputting the new debris collecting container into the self-propelled debris collecting robot;

wherein the new container storage module comprises a second opening for receiving the used debris collecting container from the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

17. The dry docking station according to claim 16 wherein the first opening faces the second opening.

18. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the container manipulator is configured to assist in the positioning of the new debris collecting container into the debris collection position after extracting from the self-propelled debris collecting robot the used debris collecting container.

19. The dry docking station according to claim 1 further comprising a stopper for preventing the self-propelled debris collecting robot from exiting the container replacement position.

20. The dry docking station according to claim 1 comprising at least one radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation.

21. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the container manipulator is further configured to assist, while the self-propelled solid debris collecting robot is contacted by the interface, in positioning at least one other new debris collecting container into the self-propelled debris collecting robot and to extract from the self-propelled debris collecting robot at least one other used debris collecting container.

22. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the container manipulator comprises a container storage module that is arranged to store multiple debris collecting containers and a movement mechanism.

23. The dry docking station according to claim 22 wherein the movement mechanism is arranged to move at least one of the container storage modules and the debris collecting container in order to input the debris collecting container into the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

24. The dry docking station according to claim 22 wherein the movement mechanism is further arranged to assist in moving the debris collecting container within the housing thereby placing another debris collecting container of the multiple debris collecting containers at the debris collecting position.

25. The dry docking station according to claim 22 wherein the container storage module has a radial symmetry.

26. The dry docking station according to claim 22 wherein the movement mechanism comprises (a) a rotation unit that is arranged to rotate the container storage module thereby positioning the debris collecting container in front of a debris collecting container opening formed in the self-propelled debris collecting robot, and (b) an insertion and ejection module that is arranged to cause the debris collecting container to pass through the debris collecting container opening.

27. The dry docking station according to claim 26 wherein the debris collecting container opening is formed at the bottom of the self-propelled debris collecting robot and wherein the insertion and ejection module is arranged to lift the debris collecting container through the debris collecting container opening.

28. The dry docking station according to claim 27 wherein the movement mechanism is arranged to input the debris collecting container in the self-propelled debris collecting robot by moving the debris collecting container without moving the storage module.

29. A method for replacing a used debris collecting container by a new debris collecting container, the method comprises:

storing in a new container storage module the new debris collecting container;

determining that a self-propelled debris collecting robot is positioned at a container replacement position;

assisting, by a container manipulator in positioning the new debris collecting container into a debris collection position within the self-propelled debris collecting robot;

extracting from the self-propelled debris collecting robot the used debris collecting container; and

storing the used debris collecting container in a used container storage module.