Surface-traveling mobile apparatus and cleaning apparatus using the same

• US 6,971,141 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2000
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SHT Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: SHT Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Tak, Seung-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahta, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US10/009,336
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 153/02, 153/19, 153/401, 153/402, 153/403, 153/404, 15/491, 15/501, 134/21, 180/901, 180/164
• US Class Current: 15/340.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/02 Power-driven machines or devices
• 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 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/005 mounted on endless tracks or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/024 specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02

Abstract

A surface traveling mobile apparatus which moves by an endless track belt installed to be wrapped around a case from end to end, traveling on a surface by the rotation of wheels driven by a power source is provided. The surface traveling mobile apparatus includes vacuum chambers installed to be attached to the sides of the wheels, a vacuum tube for connecting the vacuum chambers to each other, a vacuum pump formed in part of the vacuum tube, the vacuum pump for inhaling and exhausting air, and suction mechanisms installed along the endless track belt at predetermined intervals, valve driven by contacting the wheels, and vacuum attached to the surface by the vacuum pump inhaling and exhausting air. Also, a cleaning apparatus including a spray unit for spraying water or wash liquid to the surface when the surface traveling mobile apparatus moves, and a rotating brush for washing the surface using the sprayed liquid, are provided. Accordingly, the surface traveling apparatus and the cleaning apparatus using the same can freely travel a plane, an inclined plane, a vertical plane, and a ceiling and thus, can clean areas which are not easily cleaned by people, such as windows or high buildings and high ceilings.

Claims

1. A surface traveling mobile apparatus which moves by an endless track belt trained around a case thereby traveling on a surface by rotation of wheels driven by a power source, the surface traveling mobile apparatus comprising:

vacuum chambers installed to be attached to sides of the wheels;

a vacuum tube connecting the vacuum chambers to each other;

a vacuum pump formed in a part of the vacuum tube for intaking and exhausting air, and suction mechanisms installed along the endless track belt at predetermined intervals, valve driven by contacting the wheels, and vacuum attached to the surface by the vacuum pump intaking and exhausting air

wherein the vacuum pump comprises;

a motor for generating a rotary force;

a rotating magnet, in which the N pole and the S pole are alternately arranged and which is rotated by the rotary force of the motor, the rotating magnet being adapted to generate a varying magnetic field;

a fixed magnet arranged to be opposite to the rotating magnet;

a pump having a diaphragm operating by attraction and repulsion forces between the rotating magnet and the fixed magnet;

a vacuum pump chamber, from which air is pumped outside due to movement of the diaphragm; and

directional valves installed in openings at both ends of the vacuum pump chamber for permitting the pumped air to flow in only one direction.

5. The surface traveling mobile apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a belt tension controlling apparatus for controlling the tension of the endless track belt so that the surface traveling mobile apparatus safely travels on a rugged surface or over an obstacle.

6. The surface traveling mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the wheels comprises:

grooves for preventing the wheel from being separated from the endless track belt when the wheel contacts the endless track belt; and

an opening for letting air flow between the wheel and the suction mechanism to the vacuum chamber.

14. The surface traveling mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the suction mechanisms comprises:

a hollow valve case formed to be integrated with the endless track belt;

a valve driver formed on a part of the valve case and coming in and going out from the valve case by contacting the wheels;

a lever operated by the valve driver coming in and going out from the valve case;

a ball moving up and down in the hollow portion of the valve case by operation of the lever;

a spring for providing an elastic bias, said spring being installed to contact an upper portion of the ball in the hollow portion of the valve case; and

a flexible body formed to be integrated with a lower portion of the valve case and vacuum attached to or detached from the surface when air is evacuated from or supplied into a space between the surface and said flexible body through a lower O ring opening of the valve case due to movement of the ball.

15. The surface traveling mobile apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an articulated apparatus having

a boom, which is telescopically extendable and retractable, and

a further suction mechanism being vacuum attachable to and detachable from the surface, wherein the further suction mechanism is formed at the end of the boom so that the surface traveling mobile apparatus safely travels on a rugged surface or over an obstacle.

2. A surface traveling mobile apparatus which moves by an endless track belt trained around a case thereby traveling on a surface by rotation of wheels driven by a power source, the surface traveling mobile apparatus comprising:

vacuum chambers installed to be attached to sides of the wheels;

a vacuum tube connecting the vacuum chambers to each other;

a vacuum pump formed in a part of the vacuum tube for intaking and exhausting air; and

suction mechanisms installed along the endless track belt at predetermined intervals, valve driven by contacting the wheels, and vacuum attached to the surface by the vacuum pump intaking and exhausting air;

wherein each of the suction mechanisms comprises;

a hollow valve case formed to be integrated with the endless track belt;

a valve driver formed on apart of the valve case and coming in and going out from the valve case by contacting the wheels;

a lever operated by the valve driver coming in and going out from the valve case;

a ball moving up and down in the hollow portion of the valve case by operation of the lever;

a spring for providing an elastic bias, said spring being installed to contact an upper portion of the ball in the hollow portion of the valve case; and

a flexible body formed to be integrated with a lower portion of the valve case and vacuum attached to or detached from the surface when air is evacuated from or supplied into a space between the surface and said flexible body through a lower O ring opening of the valve case due to movement of the ball.

3. The surface traveling mobile apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the suction mechanisms further comprises a separation preventing groove so that the valve driver in the valve case is not separated from the valve case.

4. A surface traveling mobile apparatus which moves by an endless track belt trained around a case thereby traveling on a surface by rotation of wheels driven by a power source, the surface traveling mobile apparatus comprising:

vacuum chambers installed to be attached to sides of the wheels;

a vacuum tube connecting the vacuum chambers to each other;

a vacuum pump formed in a part of the vacuum tube for intaking and exhausting air;

suction mechanisms installed along the endless track belt at predetermined intervals, valve driven by contacting the wheels, and vacuum attached to the surface by the vacuum pump intaking and exhausting air; and

an articulated apparatus having

a boom, which is telescopically extendable and retractable, and

a further suction mechanism being vacuum attachable to and detachable from the surface, wherein the further suction mechanism is formed at the end of the boom so that the surface traveling mobile apparatus safely travels on a rugged surface or over an obstacle.

7. A cleaning apparatus for automatically cleaning a surface by being moved by a surface traveling mobile apparatus which moves by an endless track belt trained around a case thereby traveling on the surface by rotation of wheels driven by a power source, the cleaning apparatus comprising:

vacuum chambers installed to be attached and sealed to the wheels;

a vacuum tube connecting the vacuum chambers to each other;

a vacuum pump formed in a part of the vacuum tube for pumping air;

suction mechanisms installed along the endless track belt at predetermined intervals, valve driven by contacting the wheels, and vacuum attached to the surface by operation of the vacuum pump;

a spraying device for spraying water or a wash liquid on the surface when the surface traveling mobile apparatus moves; and

a rotating brush for washing the surface using the sprayed water or liquid;

wherein the vacuum pump comprises;

a motor for generating a rotary force;

a rotating magnet, in which the N pole and the S pole are alternately arranged and which is rotated by the rotary force of the motor, the rotating magnet being adapted to generate a varying magnetic field;

a fixed magnet arranged to be opposite to the rotating magnet;

a pump having a diaphragm operating by attraction and repulsion forces between the rotating magnet and the fixed magnet;

a vacuum pump chamber, from which air is pumped outside due to movement of the diaphragm; and

directional valves installed in openings at both ends of the vacuum pump chamber for permitting the pumped air to flow in only one direction.

8. The cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the suction mechanisms comprises:

a hollow valve case formed to be integrated with the endless track belt;

a valve driver coming in and going out from at least a part of the valve case by contacting the wheels;

a lever operated by the valve driver coming in and going out from the valve case;

a ball moving up and down in the hollow portion of the valve case by operation of the lever;

a spring for providing an elastic bias, said spring being installed to contact an upper portion of the ball in the hollow portion; and

a flexible body formed to be integrated with a lower portion of the valve case and vacuum attached to or detached from the surface when air is evacuated from or supplied into a space between the surface and said flexible body through a lower O ring opening of the valve case due to movement of the ball.

9. The cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the suction mechanisms further comprises a separation preventing groove so that the valve driver in the valve case is not separated from the valve case.

10. The cleaning apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an articulated apparatus having

a boom, which is telescopically extendable and retractable, and

a further suction mechanism being vacuum attachable to and detachable from the surface, wherein the further suction mechanism is formed at the end of the boom so that the surface traveling mobile apparatus safely travels on a rugged surface or over an obstacle.

11. The cleaning apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a belt tension controlling apparatus for controlling the tension of the endless track belt so that the surface traveling mobile apparatus safely travels on a rugged surface or over an obstacle.

12. The cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the wheels comprises:

grooves for preventing the wheel from being separated from the endless track belt when the wheel contacts the endless track belt; and

an opening for letting air flow between the wheel and the suction mechanism to the vacuum chamber.

13. The cleaning apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a sensing apparatus for sensing a load limit display bar code printed on the surface.