Coverage robot mobility

• US 7,441,298 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Campbell, Tony L., Ozick, Daniel N., Svendsen, Selma, Won, Chikyung, Kapoor, Deepak Ramesh, Casey, Christopher M., Morse, Christopher John, Burnett, Scott Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III; Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OJINI, EZIAMARA ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US11/633,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 15/491, 153/19, 153/39, 342/385, 342/417, 701/23, 701/24, 701/41, 701/300, 701/301, 700/245
• US Class Current: 15/49.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• 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 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/12 Dry filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• 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 1/0227 : using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 : using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 : using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 : using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 : comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 : using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 : using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 : in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/50 : Miscellaneous

Abstract

An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system to maneuver the robot, an edge cleaning head carried, and a controller. The controller is configured to monitor motor current associated with the edge cleaning head and to reverse bias the edge cleaning head motor in response to an elevated motor current, while continuing to maneuver the robot across the floor. In another aspect, an autonomous coverage robot includes a drive system, a bump sensor, and a proximity sensor. The drive system is configured to reduce a speed setting in response to a signal from the proximity sensor indicating detection of a potential obstacle in a forward direction, while continuing to advance the robot according to a heading setting. Furthermore, the drive system is configured to alter the heading setting in response to a signal received from the bump sensor indicating contact with an obstacle.

Claims

1. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot;

an edge cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven by an edge cleaning head motor to rotate about a non-horizontal axis, the edge cleaning head extending beyond a lateral extent of the chassis to engage a floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor;

a controller carried by the chassis;

a motor current sensor in communication with the controller and configured to monitor motor current associated with the edge cleaning head;

wherein the controller is configured to reverse bias the motor current to the edge cleaning head motor, in response to an elevated motor current, sufficient to provide substantially free reverse rotation of the edge cleaning head motor, while continuing to maneuver the robot across the floor.

2. The robot of claim 1 wherein the controller, in response to an elevated edge cleaning head motor current, moves the robot backwards, alters a drive direction, and then moves the robot forward.

3. The robot of claim 1 wherein the edge cleaning head comprises a brush with bristles.

4. The robot of claim 1 wherein the edge cleaning head rotates about a substantially vertical axis.

5. The robot of claim 1 wherein the edge cleaning head comprises at least one brush element having first and second ends and defining an axis of rotation about the first end normal to the work surface.

6. The robot of claim 5 wherein the edge cleaning head comprises three brush elements, each brush element forming an angle with an adjacent brush element of about 120 degrees.

7. The robot of claim 5 wherein the edge cleaning head comprises six brush elements, each brush element forming an angle with an adjacent brush element of about 60 degrees.

8. The robot of claim 1 wherein the edge cleaning head is disposed on a peripheral edge of the robot.

9. The robot of claim 1 wherein the edge cleaning head comprises a rotatable squeegee that extends beyond a peripheral edge of the chassis.

10. The robot of claim 1 wherein the edge cleaning head comprises a plurality of absorbent fibers that extend beyond a peripheral edge of the chassis upon rotation of the cleaning head.

11. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a main cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven to rotate about a horizontal axis to engage a floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor, wherein the controller is configured to reverse bias the motor current to the main cleaning head in response to an elevated main cleaning head motor current, while continuing to maneuver the robot across the floor.

12. The robot of claim 11 wherein the controller, in response to an elevated main cleaning head motor current, moves the robot backwards, alters a drive direction, and then moves the robot forward.

13. A method of disentangling an autonomous coverage robotic, the method comprising:

running the robot to autonomously traverse across a floor surface in a forward direction of the robot while rotating about a non-horizontal axis an edge cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven by an edge cleaning head motor, the edge cleaning head extending beyond a lateral extent of the chassis while engaging the floor surface;

monitoring motor current associated with the edge cleaning head;

reverse biasing the motor current to the edge cleaning head motor, in response to detecting an elevated edge cleaning head motor current, sufficient to provide substantially free reverse rotation of the edge cleaning head motor, while continuing to maneuver across the floor surface.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the robot determines movement of the robot in the forward direction before reverse biasing the motor current to the edge cleaning head in response to an elevated cleaning head motor current.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the robot reverse biases the motor current to the edge cleaning head in response to an elevated edge cleaning head motor current for a period of time.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the period of time is about 2 seconds.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the robot, after reverse biasing the motor current to the edge cleaning head, moves in a reverse direction, alters a drive direction, and then moves in the drive direction.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the edge cleaning head comprises a brush with bristles.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the robot further comprises a main cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven to rotate about a horizontal axis to engage the floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor, wherein the robot reverse biases the motor current to the main cleaning head in response to an elevated main cleaning head motor current while continuing to maneuver across the floor surface.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the robot determines movement of the robot in the forward direction before reverse biasing the motor current to the main cleaning head in response to an elevated main cleaning head motor current.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the robot reverse biases the motor current to the main cleaning head in response to an elevated cleaning head motor current for a period of time.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the robot, after reverse biasing the motor current to the main cleaning head, moves in a reverse direction, alters a drive direction, and then moves in the drive direction.

23. An autonomous robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot;

a floor proximity sensor carried by the chassis and configured to detect an adjacent floor surface, the sensor comprising;

a beam emitter configured to direct a beam toward the floor surface; and

a beam receiver responsive to a reflection of the directed beam from the floor surface and mounted in a downwardly-directed receptacle of the chassis; and

a beam-transparent cover having a forward and rearward edge disposed across a lower end of the receptacle to prohibit accumulation of sediment in the receptacle, the forward edge elevated above the rearward edge;

wherein the cover comprises an anti-static material.

24. The robot of claim 23 wherein the floor proximity sensor comprises at least one infrared emitter and receiver pair.

25. The robot of claim 23 wherein the drive system comprises:

at least one driven wheel suspended from the chassis; and

at least one wheel-floor proximity sensor carried by the chassis and housed adjacent one of the wheels, the wheel-floor proximity sensor configured to detect the floor surface adjacent said one of the wheels.

26. The robot of claim 25 wherein the wheel-floor proximity sensor comprises at least one infrared emitter and receiver pair.

27. The robot of claim 23 wherein the drive system further comprises a controller configured to maneuver the robot away from a perceived cliff in response a signal received from the floor proximity sensor.

28. The robot of claim 23 wherein the drive system further comprises:

a wheel drop sensor housed near one of the wheels and responsive to substantial downward displacement of the wheel with respect to the chassis.

29. The robot of claim 28 wherein the drive system further comprises a validation system that validates the operability of the floor proximity sensors when all wheels drop.

30. The robot of claim 28 wherein the wheel drop sensor comprises at least one infrared emitter and receiver pair.

31. The robot of claim 23 wherein the lower surface of the receptacle is wedge shaped.

32. The robot of claim 23 wherein the cover comprises a lens.