Obstacle sensing system for an autonomous cleaning apparatus

• US 7,647,144 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
• Original Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
• Inventors: Haegermarck, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US10/469,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,878 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 153/58, 15319-320, 153/401, 153/83, 180/65.1, 180/167
• US Class Current: 701/23
• 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 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

An obstacle-sensing system for carriers, particularly autonomous carriers such as robot vacuum cleaners, enables the carriers to disengage themselves from any obstacle or obstruction with which they come into physical contact and proceed past the obstacle or obstruction. The obstacle-sensing system is established by constructing a carrier to have front and rear sections which, normally, are in a neutral relationship with respect to one another but which move relative to one another when the front section physically engages an obstacle or obstruction. The relative movement activates a guidance and control system that maneuvers the carrier around the obstacle or obstruction.

Claims

1. A carrier, including motive means, for traversing a surface, the carrier having a front section and a rear section arranged movably in relation to each other, means for normally supporting the front and rear sections in a neutral relationship in which the front and rear sections are in initial relative positions spaced away from each other but allowing for their movement in relation to one another when the front section comes into physical contact with an obstacle, control means for controlling the operation of the carrier and actuating means for activating the control means when the front and rear sections move in relation to one another.

2. The carrier of claim 1 including surface-conditioning means mounted on the carrier for conditioning the surface over which the carrier traverses.

3. The carrier of claim 2 wherein the surface-conditioning means comprises elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses.

4. The carrier of claim 3 including self-contained power means for driving the motive means such that the carrier may traverse a surface autonomously.

5. The carrier of claim 4 wherein the motive means comprises wheels.

6. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the control means comprises more than one control unit and the actuating means comprises a corresponding number of actuating units, each actuating unit being located so as to activate a respective control unit, the supporting means allowing for both separate and coincidental activation of the control units by the actuating units.

7. The carrier of claim 6 including surface-conditioning means mounted on said carrier for conditioning the surface over which the carrier traverses.

8. The carrier of claim 7 wherein the surface-conditioning means comprises elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses.

9. The carrier of claim 8 including self-contained power means for driving the motive means such that the carrier may traverse a surface autonomously.

10. The carrier of claim 9 wherein the motive means comprises wheels.

11. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the supporting means includes a flexible coupling means having a cross-piece and two depending legs fixed to the cross-piece, the coupling means being rotatably attached to the rear section along the cross-piece and to the front section by the legs.

12. The carrier of claim 11 wherein the supporting means includes means for continually urging the front section in one direction in relation to the rear section.

13. The carrier of claim 12 wherein the urging means comprises a spring.

14. The carrier of claim 13 wherein the surface-conditioning means comprises elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses and the carrier includes self-contained power means for driving the motive means such that the carrier traverses the surface autonomously.

15. The carrier of claim 11 wherein the coupling means is rotatably attached to the front section by the depending legs along an axis which defines the center of gravity for the front section when it is in its operative position with relation to the rear section.

16. The carrier of claim 15 wherein the supporting means includes means for continually urging the front section in one direction in relation to the rear section.

17. The carrier of claim 16 wherein the urging means comprises a spring.

18. The carrier of claim 17 wherein the surface-conditioning means comprises elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses and the carrier includes self-contained power means for driving the motive means such that the carrier traverses the surface autonomously.

36. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the means for normally supporting but allowing movement includes a flexible coupling having a cross-piece and two depending legs fixed to the cross-piece, the coupling being rotatably attached to the rear section along the cross-piece and to the front section by the legs.

19. A carrier, including motive means, for traversing a surface, the carrier including a front section and a rear section, means for normally supporting the front and rear sections in a neutral relationship in which the front and rear sections are in initial relative positions spaced away from each other but allowing for their movement relative to one another when the front section comes into physical contact with an obstacle, the supporting means including a flexible coupling means having a cross-piece and two depending legs fixed to the cross-piece, the coupling means being rotatably attached to the rear section along the cross-piece and to the front section by the legs.

20. The carrier of claim 19 including surface-conditioning means mounted on the carrier for conditioning the surface over which the carrier traverses.

21. The carrier of claim 20 wherein the surface-conditioning means comprises elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses.

22. The carrier of claim 21 including self-contained power means for driving the motive means such that the carrier may traverse a surface autonomously.

23. The carrier of claim 22 wherein the motive means comprises wheels.

24. The carrier of claim 19 wherein the supporting means includes means for continually urging the front section in one direction in relation to the rear section.

25. The carrier of claim 24 wherein the urging means comprises a spring.

26. The carrier of claim 25 wherein the surface-conditioning means comprises elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses and the carrier includes self-contained power means for driving the motive means such that the carrier traverses the surface autonomously.

27. The carrier of claim 19 wherein the coupling means is rotatably attached to the front section by the depending legs along an axis which defines the center of gravity for the front section when it is in its operative position with relation to the rear section.

28. The carrier of claim 27 wherein the supporting means includes means for continually urging the front section in one direction in relation to the rear section.

29. The carrier of claim 28 wherein the urging means comprises a spring.

30. The carrier of claim 29 wherein the surface-conditioning means comprises elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses and the carrier includes self-contained power means for driving the motive means such that the carrier traverses the surface autonomously.

31. A carrier, including motive means for moving the carrier, for traversing a surface, the carrier having a front section and a rear section, structure of the carrier movably supports the front section and the rear section with the structure being constructed and connected to support in a neutral relationship in which the front and rear sections are in initial relative positions spaced away from each other and to permit relative movement between the front section and the rear section from the neutral relationship when the front section comes into physical contact with an obstacle, a control device that controls operation of the carrier including controlling the motive means, and an actuating device that activates the control device when the front and rear sections move from the neutral relationship because of the physical contract with the obstacle.

32. The carrier of claim 31 including elements for vacuuming the surface over which the carrier traverses.

33. The carrier of claim 31 wherein the structure of the carrier that movably supports the front section on the rear section includes a flexible coupling having a cross-piece and two depending legs fixed to the cross-piece, the coupling being rotatably attached to the rear section along the cross-piece and to the front section by the legs.

34. The carrier of claim 33 wherein the structure of the carrier that movably supports the front section on the rear section includes a spring that continually urges the front section in one direction in relation to the rear section.

35. The carrier of claim 33 wherein the coupling is rotatably attached to the front section by the legs along an axis which defines the center of gravity for the front section when it is in its operative position with relation to the rear section.