Remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner

• US 5,839,156 A
• Filed: 12/18/1996
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Yi Song, No, Young Pung
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US08/769,807
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 15/339, 15/340.1
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

A remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner comprises a body having a separate intake port to intake dust, a powered moving device enabling the body to be moved forward and backward, a powered direction changing device enabling the body to be moved leftward and rightward and a wired or wireless remote control to control the devices in order to freely move the body.

Claims

1. A remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner comprising:

a vacuum cleaner body having an intake port;

a means for intaking dust into the vacuum cleaner body through the intake port;

a means for propelling the vacuum cleaner body across a floor;

a wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body for contacting the floor and enabling the vacuum cleaner body to be propelled across the floor, wherein the vacuum cleaner body moves forward or backward relative to the floor when the wheel rotates forward or backward relative to the body;

a powered steering mechanism for moving the wheel leftward or rightward relative to the vacuum cleaner body to steer the vacuum cleaner body leftward or rightward relative to the floor when the vacuum cleaner body is propelled across the floor; and

a means for controlling the powered steering mechanism at a remote distance.

2. A remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for propelling the vacuum cleaner body across a floor is a powered means controllable at a remote distance.

3. A remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the means for controlling the powered steering mechanism at a remote distance is a wireless controller.

4. A remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum cleaner body comprises at least one roller brush rotatably mounted on the vacuum cleaner body, wherein the brush contacts the floor when the vacuum cleaner body is propelled across the floor.

5. A remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner comprising:

a vacuum cleaner body having a bottom;

a collecting chamber and a vacuuming motor provided in the body;

a pair of rear wheels mounted on both sides of the body;

propelling means provided in the body to propel the rear wheels, the propelling means including a propelling motor, rotating shafts extending from both ends of the propelling motor, respectively, reduction gear assemblies connected to the rotating shafts, pulleys coupled to the rear wheels and the reduction gear assemblies, respectively, and belts wound on the pulleys for each rear wheel;

a pair of front wheels positioned in openings which are formed on the bottom of the body;

direction changing means provided in the body to steer the front wheels, the direction changing means including a wheel fixing portion provided on the bottom of the body, a direction changing motor mounted on the wheel fixing portion, a rotating piece connected to the direction changing motor, links coupled to both sides of the rotating piece, respectively, supporting pieces coupled to the end of each link, shafts connected to the respective front wheels, brackets connecting each shaft to each supporting piece, and a supporting member, both ends of which are fixed to the brackets to unitedly move the front wheels; and

means for controlling the propelling means and direction changing means at a remote distance.

6. The remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 wherein the means for controlling the propelling means and direction changing means at a remote distance is a wireless controller.

7. The remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 wherein the vacuum cleaner body comprises at least one roller brush rotatably mounted on the bottom of the body.

8. A remote controllable automatic moving vacuum cleaner comprising:

a vacuum cleaner body having an intake port for intaking dust into the vacuum cleaner body;

a propelling motor connected to the vacuum cleaner body for propelling the vacuum cleaner body across a floor;

a wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body for contacting the floor and enabling the vacuum cleaner body to be propelled across the floor, wherein the vacuum cleaner body moves forward or backward relative to the floor when the wheel rotates forward or backward relative to the body;

a powered steering mechanism connected to the wheel for moving the wheel leftward or rightward relative to the vacuum cleaner body to steer the vacuum cleaner body leftward or rightward relative to the floor when the vacuum cleaner body is propelled across the floor;

. and

a remote controller for controlling the powered steering mechanism at a remote distance in order to move the wheel leftward or rightward relative to the vacuum cleaner body.

9. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the remote controller for controlling the powered steering mechanism at a remote distance is a wireless controller.

10. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, wherein the propelling motor is controllable at a remote distance by means of the wireless controller.

11. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the powered steering mechanism comprises a steering motor and a rotating piece connected to the steering motor and connected to the wheel, whereby the wheel moves rightward or leftward relative to the vacuum cleaner body when the steering motor rotates the rotating piece.

12. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the remote controller for controlling the powered steering mechanism at a remote distance is a wireless controller.

13. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12, wherein the propelling motor is controllable at a remote distance by means of the wireless controller.

14. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the wheel comprises a first wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body and a second wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body;

and

wherein the powered steering mechanism comprises a steering motor and a rotating piece connected to the steering motor, the rotating piece being connected to the first wheel by a first link, the rotating piece being connected to the second wheel by a second link, whereby the first and second wheels both move rightward or leftward relative to the vacuum cleaner body when the steering motor rotates the rotating piece.

15. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 14, wherein the remote controller for controlling the powered steering mechanism at a remote distance is a wireless controller.

16. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the wheel comprises a first wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body and a second wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body;

and

wherein the powered steering mechanism comprises a steering motor, the steering motor being capable of rotating in a forward direction and in a backward direction, a rotating piece connected to the steering motor, the rotating piece rotating leftward or rightward when the steering motor rotates in the forward direction or in the backward direction, a first link coupled to the rotating piece and to the first wheel, a second link coupled to the rotating piece and to the second wheel, and a shaft with a first end connected to the first wheel and a second end connected to the second wheel, whereby the first and second wheels both move together leftward or rightward relative to the vacuum cleaner body when the steering motor rotates the rotating piece leftward or rightward.

17. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the remote controller for controlling the powered steering mechanism at a remote distance is a wireless controller.

18. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the propelling motor is controllable at a remote distance.

19. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the wheel comprises a first wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body and a second wheel rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body;

and

wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises a third wheel and a fourth wheel, the third and fourth wheels being rotatably attached to the vacuum cleaner body for contacting the floor and enabling the vacuum cleaner body to be propelled across the floor, wherein the vacuum cleaner body moves forward or backward relative to the floor when the third and fourth wheels rotate forward or backward relative to the body, the third or fourth wheel being connected to the propelling motor so that rotational force of the propelling motor is transferred to the third or fourth wheel, whereby the third or fourth wheel rotates forward or backward relative to the vacuum cleaner body and propels the body forward or backward relative to the floor.

20. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the vacuum cleaner body comprises at least one roller brush rotatably mounted on the vacuum cleaner body, wherein the brush contacts the floor when the vacuum cleaner body is propelled across the floor.