Robot cleaner

• US 7,581,282 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Woo, Chun-Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Gary K
• Application Number:
  US11/104,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/401, 153/403, 153/59, 153/62, 153/57, 153/58, 153/39, 318/568.1, 318/568.12, 318/568.18, 318/587, 901/1, 901/46, 901/49, 700/245, 700/247, 700/301, 700/248, 700/259
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• 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

Abstract

A robot cleaner includes: a suction unit installed at a cleaner body, for sucking dirt on a floor; a driving unit for moving the cleaner body; a sensing unit mounted at the cleaner body, for sensing a depressed portion and a stepped portion such as a doorsill of a floor; and a control unit receiving a signal of the sensing unit, for controlling the driving unit to allow the cleaner body to avoid the depressed portion and the stepped portion, thereby correctly sensing the depressed portion or the stepped portion of the floor and avoiding such a portion. Accordingly, the cleaning operation is stably carried out.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body defining an inside and having a suction unit that performs a vacuum cleaning operation;

a driving unit that causes the cleaner body to travel along a surface;

a sensing unit operatively connected with the cleaner body to sense irregularities on the surface the cleaner body travels along; and

a control unit that cooperates with the sensing unit and the driving unit to allow the cleaner body to cope with the irregularities on the surface,

wherein the sensing unit comprises;

a link mechanism that allows a wheel installed at a bottom of the cleaner body to rise or fall with respect to the bottom of the cleaner body due to the irregularities sensed as the cleaner body travels; and

at least one switch which is activated by a movement of the link mechanism, thereby causing the control unit to control the driving unit to allow the cleaner body to travel in a manner that avoids the irregularities,

wherein the link mechanism comprises;

a connection rod connected to the wheel and extended toward the inside of the cleaner body;

a supporter installed at the cleaner body;

a first link member having one end hinge-connected to an upper end of the supporter and another end hinge-connected to an upper end of the connection rod; and

a second link member having one end hinge-connected to the supporter at a predetermined distance from a position of the supporter where the first link member is connected and another end hinge-connected to the connection rod at a predetermined distance from a position of the connection rod where the first link member is connected.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first link member and the second link member are installed to maintain a parallel relationship therebetween.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

first and second contact switches fixed to the cleaner body and respectively coming in contact with the first and second link members pivoted by a displacement in a vertical direction of the wheel.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 3, wherein the first contact switch is installed above the first link member and comes in contact with the first link member pivoted when the wheel and the connection rod move upward, and the second contact switch is installed under the second link member and comes in contact with the second link member pivoted when the wheel and the connection rod move downward.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein an elastic member for providing an elastic force to the first or second link member is installed between the first or second link member and the cleaner body.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is installed near a front side of the cleaner body.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the link mechanism comprises:

a bracket on which the supporter is rotatably installed; and

an elastic member installed between the supporter and the bracket, for providing an elastic force to the supporter.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein a stopper is installed at the bracket, the stopper preventing rotation of the supporter at a predetermined angle or more.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein the elastic member is connected to a lower portion of the rotation center of the supporter.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein the sensing unit comprises:

first and second contact switches installed adjacent to the first and second link members and respectively coming in contact with the first and the second link members pivoted by a displacement in a vertical direction of the wheel.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 10, wherein the first and second contact switches are installed at the supporter.

12. The robot cleaner of claim 10, wherein the first contact switch is installed above the first link member and comes in contact with the first link member pivoted when the wheel and the connection rod move upward, and the second contact switch is installed under the second link member and comes in contact with the second link member pivoted when the wheel and the connection rod move downward.

13. A robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body defining an inside and having a suction unit that performs a vacuum cleaning operation;

a driving unit that causes the cleaner body to travel along a surface;

a sensing unit operatively connected with the cleaner body to sense irregularities on the surface that the cleaner body travels along; and

a control unit cooperating with the sensing unit and the driving unit to allow the cleaner body to travel in a manner that copes with the sensed irregularities on the surface,

wherein the sensing unit comprises;

a wheel installed at a bottom of the cleaner body that physically contacts the surface that the cleaner body travels along, a mechanism supporting said wheel; and

at least one switch which is activated by a movement of the mechanism, thereby causing the control unit to control the driving unit to allow the cleaner body to avoids the irregularities,

wherein the mechanism comprises;

a connection rod connected to the wheel and extended toward the inside of the cleaner body;

a supporter installed at the cleaner body;

a first link member having one end hinge-connected to an upper end of the supporter and another end hinge-connected to an upper end of the connection rod; and

a second link member having one end hinge-connected to the supporter at a predetermined distance from a position of the supporter where the first link member is connected and another end hinge-connected to the connection rod at a predetermined distance from a position of the connection rod where the first link member is connected.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 13, wherein the mechanism is a link mechanism that allows the wheel to rise or fall with respect to the bottom of the cleaner body due to the irregularities sensed as the cleaner body travels.