Mobile work robot system

• US 5,959,423 A
• Filed: 06/03/1996
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moneual Incorporated (Hong-Seok Park, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawagoe, Nobukazu, Nakanishi, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US08/657,174
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 318/568.12, 318/568.24, 318/568.25, 318/587, 15/319, 15/320, 15/323, 15/327.1, 15/340.1-340.4, 15/104.8, 15/104.92, 134/18, 340/679, 340/825.06, 340/825.17, 901/1
• US Class Current: 318/568.12
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/305 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• 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 11/4019 Fill level sensors; Security means to prevent overflow, e.g. float valves
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/403 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/024 Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/026 Refilling cleaning liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/028 Refurbishing floor engaging tools, e.g. cleaning of beating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• 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: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

The system includes a mobile work robot and a separate station. The mobile robot is equipped to perform prescribed tasks, such as cleaning building floors. The station is equipped to remotely control the movement of the mobile work robot and to perform maintenance on the mobile work robot, such as the replacement of parts as well as replenishment of consumable goods necessary for the mobile work robot to move and work. In addition, the cleaning means equipped on the station performs the cleaning and disinfection of the mobile work robot.

Claims

1. A mobile robot control system comprising:

a mobile robot having a moving mechanism for moving said mobile robot, and having a working mechanism which executes a predetermined work;

a station provided separate from said mobile robot, said station having a maintenance portion for maintaining said mobile robot;

detecting means for detecting whether maintenance of working mechanism is necessary; and

control means for controlling said moving mechanism to move said mobile robot to said maintenance portion when said detecting means detects maintenance is necessary.

2. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting means is provided in said mobile robot.

3. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said detecting means includes a sensor.

4. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means is provided in said mobile robot.

5. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said work mechanism includes a storage unit for supplies.

6. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said supplies are consumable goods.

7. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the consumable goods are supplied to said working mechanism at said maintenance portion.

8. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

second detecting means for detecting an absence of the consumable goods in said maintenance portion; and

warning means for warning in response to the detection of said second detecting means.

9. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said warning means includes a display.

10. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said consumable goods are replaceable.

11. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the consumable goods in said working mechanism is replaced with new consumable goods provided in said maintenance portion.

12. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

second detecting means for detecting absence of the new consumable goods in said maintenance portion; and

warning means for warning in response to the detection of said second detecting means.

13. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said warning means includes a display.

14. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said storage unit for storing the consumable goods in said working mechanism is replaced with a new storage unit storing a new supply of consumable goods provided in said maintenance portion.

15. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means controls said moving mechanism after the lapse of a predetermined time from a previous maintenance operation.

16. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising input means for input the predetermined time.

17. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a maintenance mechanism provided in said maintenance portion, said maintenance mechanism executing the maintenance of said mobile robot; and

second control means for controlling said maintenance mechanism so that said maintenance mechanism executes the maintenance after the arrival of said robot to said maintenance portion.

18. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the maintenance executed by said maintenance mechanism is cleaning of said mobile robot.

19. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the maintenance executed by said maintenance mechanism is replacement of a part of said working mechanism with a new part of said working mechanism.

20. A mobile robot control system comprising:

a mobile robot having a moving mechanism by which said mobile robot is moved, said mobile robot further having a first supply which is replaceable;

a station provided separate from said mobile robot;

a second supply provided in said station;

detecting means for detecting whether maintenance of said first supply is necessary; and

control means for controlling said moving mechanism to move said mobile robot to said station when said detecting means detects that maintenance is necessary.

21. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said control means controls said robot to replace said first supply with said second supply.

22. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

second detecting means for detecting absence of said second supply in said station; and

warning means for warning in response to the detection of said second detecting means.

23. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said warning means includes a display.

24. A mobile robot comprising:

a moving mechanism by which said robot is moved;

a working mechanism which executes a predetermined work;

a detector which detects whether maintenance of said working mechanism is necessary; and

a controller which controls said moving mechanism to move said robot to a predetermined portion of a maintenance station in accordance with the detection of said detector.

25. A mobile robot as claimed in claim 24, wherein said working mechanism executes the predetermined work with consuming liquid, and said detector detects an amount of the liquid.

26. A mobile robot as claimed in claim 24, wherein said working mechanism executes the predetermined work with collecting dust in a storage, and said detector detects an amount of the dust in storage.