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Autonomous traveling unit system

  • US 7,423,402 B2
  • Filed: 01/16/2006
  • Issued: 09/09/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An autonomous traveling unit system comprising:

  • an autonomous traveling unit loaded with a battery, the autonomous traveling unit traveling autonomously by receiving supply of electricity from the battery and being provided with charging terminals to charge the battery so as to be exposed outside; and

    a charging unit provided with power supply terminals which make contact with the charging terminals of the autonomous traveling unit, the charging unit charging the battery from the power supply terminals, whereinthe charging unit has a first member which forms a plane provided with the power supply terminals and a second member which forms a plane perpendicular to the plane formed by the first member, the first member being arranged so that the plane provided with the power supply terminal is parallel to a plane located behind the first member,the autonomous traveling unit has;

    distance detecting means for detecting a distance up to an obstacle located in an advancement direction thereof;

    first advancement control means for allowing to advance toward a surface parallel to the plane formed by the first member of the charging unit until a distance to the parallel surface detected by the distance detecting means reaches a predetermined value;

    first rotation control means for, when the distance to the parallel surface reaches the predetermined value, rotating the autonomous traveling unit so that the distance detecting means faces a plane formed by the second member;

    second advancement control means for, when it faces the plane formed by the second member at the right angle, advancing the autonomous traveling unit until the distance to the plane reaches a predetermined value;

    second rotation control means for, when the distance to the plane formed by the second member reaches the predetermined value, rotating the autonomous traveling unit so that the charging terminals face the power supply terminals; and

    contact control means for, when the charging terminals face the power supply terminals, running the autonomous traveling unit so that the charging terminals come into contact with the power supply terminals, andwhen the charging terminals of the autonomous traveling unit come into contact with the power supply terminals, charging to the battery is started.

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