Automatic charging station for autonomous mobile machine

• US 7,430,462 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infinite Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Infinite Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Ting-Yin, Lin, Wen-Hsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/968,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1- 2, 701 22- 25, 336/84.C, 324/96, 318 16- 17, 318/480, 318/581, 398/106, 398/114, 700/245, 700/253, 700/258
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

An automatic charging station for an autonomous mobile machine includes a base, a housing, and a signal transmitter. The base is mounted on the ground or on a planar surface. The housing is rotatably mounted on the base, having at least one guide member and a plurality of electrically conductive members on a surface thereof. The electrically conductive members are located on the housing. The signal transmitter is mounted on the housing for transmitting a signal. When the autonomous mobile machine senses the signal transmitted by the transmitter while moving, the autonomous mobile machine moves along a route towards the housing and then forces the guide member to enable the housing to rotate for facing and accommodating the autonomous mobile machine and to further enable the autonomous mobile machine to contact against the housing to have its electrodes in contact with the electrically conductive members for charging.

Claims

1. An automatic charging station for an autonomous mobile machine, said autonomous mobile machine having a plurality of electrodes, said automatic charging station comprising:

a base;

a housing rotatably mounted on said base for rotation within a predetermined angle when an external force is applied to the housing, said housing having a guide member and a plurality of electrically conductive members on its surface for connecting a power source, said electrically conductive members being exposed outside said surface of said housing to be located on said housing; and

a signal transmitter mounted on said housing for transmitting a signal;

whereby said guide member is arranged such that, when said autonomous mobile machine has approached said housing along a route determined while moving and sensing the signal transmitted from said signal transmitter, said machine engages said guide member and causes said housing to turn and face said autonomous mobile machine enabling said autonomous mobile machine to further contact said housing and said electrodes to contact said electrically conductive members for carrying out a charging operation.

2. The automatic charging station as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said electrically conductive members is a copper sheet.

3. The automatic charging station as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said electrically conductive members comprises a hook-like portion.

4. The automatic charging station as defined in claim 1, wherein said signal transmitted from said signal transmitter is an infrared one.

5. The automatic charging station as defined in claim 1 further comprising a charging circuit electrically connected with said power source;

and said electrically conductive members are electrically connected with said charging circuit.