ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20180103812A1
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Byoung In, Ko, Young Ho, Choi, Ji Won, Lee, Hak Bong, Han, Seung II, Kim, Myeong Ho
• Granted Patent: US 10,918,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 5/22 with rotary fans
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0653 with mechanical actuation, e.g. using a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/066 with adjustably mounted brushes, combs, lips or pads; Height adjustment of nozzle or dust loosening tools for suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casing A47L5/34
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0673 with removable brushes, combs, lips or pads
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2847 Surface treating elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93

Abstract

A robot vacuum cleaner that may increase cleaning efficiency around obstacles includes a main body having an intake to suck in dust and air while the main body is driven on a floor, a shutter installed in front of the intake to be able to move from the main body toward the floor, and a shutter driver configured to supply power to move the shutter.

Claims

1. A robot vacuum cleaner comprising:

a main body configured to be driven on a surface, and having an intake configured to suck in debris from the surface;

a shutter installed further from a center of the robot vacuum cleaner than the intake, and configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position, such that in the extended position, the shutter is configured to contact debris on the surface outside a reachable area of the intake; and

a shutter driver configured to move the shutter between the retracted position and the extended position.

2. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a power transfer link movably connecting the shutter driver to the shutter.

3. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further comprising:

a shaft configured to transfer a rotational force from the shutter driver to the power transfer link.

4. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the shutter is provided on a hinge.

5. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 3, further comprising:

a driving gear configured to be rotated by the shutter driver;

a first gear formed on the shaft to be interlocked with the driving gear; and

a second gear formed to be interlocked with the first gear to rotate the power transfer link.

6. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the second gear is formed in the power transfer link.

7. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor installed in the main body and configured to detect an obstacle,

wherein the shutter is configured to extend from the main body to a position adjacent to the obstacle when the sensor detects the obstacle.

8. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 7, further comprising:

a controller installed in the main body,

wherein the controller is configured to drive the main body away from the obstacle with the shutter extended from the main body and then move the main body toward the obstacle with the shutter retracted into the main body, when the sensor detects the obstacle.

9. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 3, further comprising:

a connection link connecting the shutter to the shaft,

wherein the connection link is rotatably connected to the shutter.

10. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the power transfer link comprises

a timing belt configured to connect the shutter driver to the shutter.

11. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the shutter is configured to contact the surface at the position adjacent to the obstacle while the main body is being driven.

12. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein at least a part of the shutter is formed of a soft material.

13. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the shutter is configured to contact the surface and is formed of a soft material.

14. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to repeat a cleaning process when the obstacle detected by the sensor is a corner.

15. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further comprising:

an anti-lifter configured to guide the power transfer link.

16. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein

the intake includes a plurality of nozzle blades arranged to form a suction path, and

the plurality of nozzle blades are detachably mounted on the intake.

17. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein the plurality of nozzle blades comprise:

a main fluid path former configured to form a first suction path connected to the intake from a front of the intake; and

a flank fluid path former configured to form a second suction path connected to the intake from a flank of the intake.

18. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the main fluid path former comprises a plurality of main fluid path blades configured to guide air flowing in through the first suction path to the intake.

19. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the flank fluid path former comprises a flank fluid path blade slantingly arranged to a flank of the intake to guide air into the second suction path.

20. The robot vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein at least a part of the flank fluid path blade includes an elastic material.