ROBOT CLEANER AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20190328197A1
• Filed: 07/09/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Jae Young, Lee, Sahng Jin, Jung, Hyun Soo, Kim, Dong Won, Lee, Dong Hoon
• Granted Patent: US 11,324,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation

Abstract

A robot cleaner may include a main body; a traveling assembly moving the main body; a cleaning tool assembly installed in the lower part of the main body, and contacting a floor to clean the floor; a water-feeding unit supplying water to the cleaning tool assembly; and a capacitance measurer contacting the cleaning tool assembly, and measuring capacitance of the cleaning tool assembly in order to calculate an amount of water of the cleaning tool assembly. Accordingly, by measuring an amount of water of a cleaning tool installed in a robot cleaner based on capacitance, it is possible to accurately measure an amount of water absorbed in a cleaning tool.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaning tool assembly which cleans a floor with water;

a capacitance measurer to measure capacitance of the cleaning tool assembly; and

a controller to calculate an amount of water of the cleaning tool assembly based on the measured capacitance, and to control cleaning of the cleaning tool assembly based on the calculated amount of water.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool assembly comprises a drum removably coupled to a main body, a drum-type pad member having a pad removably attached on the drum, and a gear member which rotates the drum-type pad member.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising a water-feeder which supplies water to the cleaning tool assembly,

wherein the controller controls the water-feeder based on an amount of water of the cleaning tool assembly to supply water to the cleaning tool assembly during cleaning.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising:

a user interface which receives a user'"'"'s selection for a driving mode, and which outputs driving information; and

a water-feeder to supply water to the cleaning tool assembly,

wherein the controller checks a first reference amount of water of the cleaning tool assembly corresponding to the driving mode, and controls a second water-feeding time period of the water-feeding unit based on the first reference amount of water during cleaning.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the controller compares the amount of water of the cleaning tool assembly to a second reference amount of water, and stops cleaning if the amount of water of the cleaning tool assembly is less than the second reference amount of water.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the controller controls revolutions per minute (rpm) of the drum-type pad member based on the first reference amount of water.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, wherein:

the water-feeder comprises a water tank which stores water, a pump which pumps water stored in the water tank, a channel member which guides the pumped water to the drum-type pad member of the cleaning tool assembly, and a water level measurer which measures a water level of the water tank, and

the controller compares the measured water level to a reference water level, and controls the user interface to output information representing a lack of water of the water tank if the measured water level is lower than the reference water level.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines whether cleaning has been completed, and controls a drying mode if the cleaning has been completed.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the controller controls rotation of the cleaning tool assembly for a predetermined time period in the drying mode.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 8, further comprising a main body and a traveling assembly which moves the main body,

wherein the controller controls the traveling assembly in the drying mode such that the main body moves back and forth.

11. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein:

the capacitance measurer comprises a housing;

a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) substrate disposed in the housing;

a first sensor which is disposed on a first surface of the PCB substrate toward the cleaning tool assembly, and which measures capacitance; and

a second sensor mounted on a second surface of the PCB substrate, the second surface being opposite to the first surface of the PCB substrate on which the first sensor is disposed, the second sensor contacting no medium and measuring capacitance, and

wherein the controller compensates for the capacitance measured by the first sensor using the capacitance measured by the second sensor when calculating the amount of water of the cleaning tool assembly.