Obstacle detection device of autonomous mobile system

• US 7,577,499 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Hsu, Shao-Yu, Sun, Yann-Shuoh, Chung, Yu-Liang, Yu, Hung-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amin; Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US11/537,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20070293995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/258, 700/301, 700/255, 700/19, 700/20, 700/61, 700/64, 700/113, 700/193, 700/195, 700/253, 320/149, 318/580, 153/19, 15/491, 701/23, 701/139, 342/52, 180/271, 250/221, 250/222.1, 340/436
• US Class Current: 700/255
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

The present invention relates to an obstacle detection device, adapted for an autonomous mobile system, which comprises: a conducting wire, a first unit and a second unit. The first unit further comprises a first conducting part, electrically connected to an end of the conducting wire; and the second unit further comprises a second conducting part, electrically connected to another end of the conducting wire other than that connecting to the first conducting part. As an abnormality, such as the autonomous mobile system comes into contact with an obstacle, or misses a step, is happening and detected by the obstacle detection device, a reactive force will be generated to force the two conducting parts to contact with each other so as to enable an electrical conduction for issuing an electrical signal to the control unit of the autonomous mobile system and thus enabling the autonomous mobile system to react with respect to the abnormality.

Claims

1. An obstacle detection device for detecting whether an autonomous mobile system is colliding with an obstacle, consisted of:

a frame;

a front bumper, arranged at outside and front of the frame for colliding the obstacle;

a control unit;

a first spring;

a second spring;

a first pin with a first pin'"'"'s first end and a first pin'"'"'s second end, wherein said first pin is positioned within said first spring;

a second pin with a second pin'"'"'s first end and a second pin'"'"'s second end, wherein said second pin is positioned within said second spring;

a first conducting plate;

a second conducting plate;

a first pin bearer having a first pin hole boring therethrough with a first pin'"'"'s hole'"'"'s first end and a first pin'"'"'s hole'"'"'s second end;

wherein said first pin bearer receives said first pin'"'"'s first end and said first spring at said first pin hole'"'"'s first end, and said first conducting plate is positioned at said first pin hole'"'"'s second end and aligned to said first pin'"'"'s first end;

a second pin bearer having a second pin hole boring therethrough with a second pin'"'"'s hole'"'"'s first end and a second pin'"'"'s hole'"'"'s second end;

wherein said second pin bearer receives said second pin'"'"'s first end and said second spring at said second pin hole'"'"'s first end, and said second conducting plate is positioned at said second pin hole'"'"'s second end and aligned to said second pin'"'"'s first end;

a first conducting wire connecting said first pin'"'"'s second end, said first conducting plate, said control unit, a first voltage source, and a first resistor; and

a second conducting wire connecting said second pin'"'"'s second end, said second conducting plate, said control unit, a second voltage source, and a second resistor;

wherein, as the autonomous mobile system collides with the obstacle by the front bumper, a reactive force will be generated to make the front bumper press against the pin horizontally while causing the conducting plate to contact said pin'"'"'s first end as to enable an electrical conduction for issuing an electrical signal to the control unit of the autonomous mobile system and thus enabling the autonomous mobile system to react with respect to the collision;

wherein the first pin and the second pin are enabled to move reciprocatively inside the first pin hole and the second pin hold while the first pin and the second pin are inserted into the first pin hole and the second pin hold, and the first conducting plate and the second conducting plate are aligned to the first pin hole and the second pin hole for enabling the first pin'"'"'s first end and the second pin'"'"'s first end be moved to come into contact with the first conducting plate and the second conducting plate; and

wherein reaction performed by the autonomous mobile system is selected from a group consisting of;

stopping the moving of the autonomous mobile system, and enabling the autonomous mobile system to turn and head in a random direction.

2. An obstacle detection device, adapted for detecting whether an autonomous mobile system is colliding with an obstacle, comprising:

an insulating plate with an insulating plate'"'"'s first end and an insulating plate'"'"'s second end;

a first conducting part with a first conducting part'"'"'s first end and a first conducting part'"'"'s second end;

a second conducting part with a second conducting part'"'"'s first end and a second conducting part'"'"'s second end;

a control unit;

a first reed connecting said insulating plate'"'"'s first end to said first conducting part'"'"'s first end;

a second reed connecting said insulating plate'"'"'s second end to said second conducting part'"'"'s second end;

a wire connecting said first conducting part'"'"'s second end, said second conducting part'"'"'s first end, a voltage source, and said control unit;

wherein, as the autonomous mobile system collides with the obstacle, a reactive force will be generated to press the first reed while causing the two conducting parts to contact with each other so as to enable an electrical conduction for issuing an electrical signal to the control unit of the autonomous mobile system and thus enabling the autonomous mobile system to react with respect to the collision.

3. The obstacle detection device of claim 2, wherein a resistor are connected to the conducting wire.

4. The obstacle detection device of claim 2, wherein the reaction performed by the autonomous mobile system is selected from a group consisting of:

stopping the moving of the autonomous mobile system, and enabling the autonomous mobile system to turn and head in a random direction.

5. An obstacle detection device, adapted for detecting whether an autonomous mobile system is colliding with an obstacle, comprising:

a first conducting wire, connecting a first voltage source and a first resistor;

a second conducting wire, connecting a second voltage source and a second resistor;

a first spring, having two ends thereof respectively affixed to a front bumper and a frame of the autonomous mobile system;

a second spring, having two ends thereof respectively affixed to the front bumper and the frame of the autonomous mobile system;

a first limit switch, being arranged at the frame of the autonomous mobile system while connecting to two ends of the first conducting wire; and

a second limit switch, being arranged at the frame of the autonomous mobile system while connecting to two ends of the second conducting wire;

wherein, as the autonomous mobile system collides with the obstacle, a reactive force will be generated by the first spring and the second spring to force two protrusions respectively arranged at the front bumper to press the first limit switch'"'"'s reed and the second limit switch'"'"'s reed so as to enable an electrical conduction of the limit switches and thus enable the limit switches to issue an electrical signal to a control unit of the autonomous mobile system for enabling the autonomous mobile system to stop moving backward or turn, and head in a random direction.

6. An obstacle detection device for detecting whether an autonomous mobile system is missing a step, comprising:

a frame;

a first base coupled to the frame;

a second base coupled to the frame;

a first conducting part;

a second conducting part;

a third conducting part;

a fourth conducting part;

a first spring;

a second spring;

a first telescopic rod with a first telescopic rod'"'"'s first end and a first telescopic rod'"'"'s second end, and said first telescopic rod is positioned within said first spring, wherein said first telescopic rod'"'"'s first end and said first spring connect to the first base, said first telescopic rod'"'"'s second end and said first spring connect a the first conducting part, and said first conducting part connects to a first support rod and to a first roller, which said first support rod and said first roller is for the autonomous mobile system so as to be driven to move thereby;

a first sensing seat a coupled to the second conducting part, being arranged on the frame and adjacent to said first conducting part, wherein the second conducting part is directly under the first conducting part;

a second telescopic rod with a second telescopic rod'"'"'s first end and a second telescopic rod'"'"'s second end, and said second telescopic rod is positioned within said second spring, wherein said second telescopic rod'"'"'s first end and said second spring connect to the second base, said second telescopic rod'"'"'s second end and said second spring connect to the third conducting part, and said third conducting part connects to a second support rod and to a second roller, which said second support rod and said second roller is for the autonomous mobile system so as to be driven to move thereby;

a second sensing seat coupled to the fourth conducting part, being arranged on the frame and adjacent to said third conducting part, wherein the fourth conducting part is directly under the second conducting part;

a first conducting wire connecting said first conducting part, said second conducting part, and a first voltage source;

a second conducting wire connecting said third conducting part, said fourth conducting part, and a second voltage source; and

wherein, as the autonomous mobile system misses a step enabling either the first roller or the second roller to hang in the air, the a first telescopic rod or the second telescopic rod is to extend causing the first and second conducting parts to contact with each other, or the third and fourth conducting arts to contact with each other, so as to enable an electrical conduction for issuing an electrical signal to the a control unit of the autonomous mobile system and thus enabling the autonomous mobile system to react with respect to the missing of step.

7. The obstacle detection device of claim 6, wherein a resistor are connected to the first conducting wire or the second conducting wire.

8. The obstacle detection device of claim 6, wherein the first spring or the second spring is an article selected from a group consisting of a compression spring, a tension spring, a plate spring, and a torsion spring.

9. The obstacle detection device of claim 6, wherein the reaction performed by the autonomous mobile system can be one action from a group consisting of:

enabling the autonomous mobile system to start moving backward, and enabling the autonomous mobile system to turn and head in a random direction.

10. The obstacle detection device of claim 6, wherein the first conducting part is separated from the second conducting part for breaking the electrical conduction as the first spring is being pressed by a pressing force, and the first conducting part is driven to contact with the second conducting part for enabling the electrical conduction as the first spring is relieved from the pressing force.