Cleaning robot having carpet detector and method of detecting carpet boundary using the same

• US 8,346,389 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Yeon-ho, Bang, Seok-won, Cho, Joon-kee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIGUEROA, JAIME
• Application Number:
  US11/634,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,218 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 153/19, 153/39, 153/401, 318/568.12, 318/568.16
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• 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

Abstract

A cleaning robot having a carpet detector and a method of detecting a carpet boundary using the same, in which the presence of the carpet on a floor is detected. The cleaning robot having a carpet detector includes a main body, a driver fixed to the main body to move the robot, and the carpet detector detecting a carpet when the robot is driven by the driver. The method of detecting a carpet boundary includes detecting a carpet using respective carpet detectors fixed to both wheels of a robot, obtaining a moving distance of the robot for an interval between times at which the respective carpet detectors detect the carpet, and calculating a boundary direction of the carpet with respect to a moving direction of the robot using the moving distance and the interval between the times at which the respective carpet detectors detect the carpet.

Claims

1. A cleaning robot having a single carpet detector to detect a state of a floor, comprising:

a main body;

a driver fixed to the main body to move the robot; and

the single carpet detector detecting a carpet when the robot is driven by the driver, the carpet detector including a single contact part in contact with the carpet when the robot is moving on the carpet, and a single sensing part to sense motion of the contact part generated by the contact with the carpet,

wherein the cleaning robot includes the single carpet detector to determine the state of the floor,

wherein the sensing part includes a rotation sensor sensing rotation of the contact part.

2. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the contact part includes a rotation part rotating in contact with the carpet when the robot is moving on the carpet.

3. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the contact part includes:

a plate lifted by contact with the carpet when the robot is moving on the carpet; and

a support fixing the plate to a lower part of the main body and being moved inside a fixing part of the carpet detector when the plate is lifted.

4. The cleaning robot of claim 3, wherein the sensing part includes an optical sensor sensing lifting of the contact part.

5. The cleaning robot of claim 3, wherein the sensing part includes a limit sensor operated by lifting of the contact part.

6. The cleaning robot of claim 3, wherein the sensing part includes a proximity sensor operated by lifting of the contact part.

7. The cleaning robot of claim 3, wherein the sensing part includes a lead sensor operating by lifting of the contact part to sense a magnetic or metallic portion fixed to an upper part of the contact part.

8. The cleaning robot of claim 3, wherein the fixing part includes an elastic member that resists movement of the contact part by providing a resilient counter-force.

9. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the carpet detector further includes a fixing part connected to the contact part to guide lifting of the contact part due to contact with the carpet when the robot is moving on the carpet and to fix the carpet detector to a lower or lateral surface of the main body.

10. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the carpet detector further includes a bellows about which the contact part is movable, and the contact part is inclined around the bellows when the robot is in contact with the carpet when moving on the carpet.

11. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the carpet detector further includes a joint part about which the contact part is movable, and the contact part is inclined around the joint part when the robot is in contact with the carpet when moving on the carpet.

12. The cleaning robot of claim 10, wherein the sensing part further includes a sensor sensing that an upper sensing part and a lower sensing part are fixed to and/or detached from each other by the motion of the contact part when the robot is moving on the carpet.

13. The cleaning robot of claim 11, wherein the sensing part further includes a sensor sensing that an upper sensing part and a lower sensing part are fixed to and/or detached from each other by the motion of the contact part when the robot is moving on the carpet.

14. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the contact part and the sensing part are assembled vertically as one piece and the assembly is shorter than the driver so that the assembly does not contact a cleaning floor when the driver is moving on a hard floor but contact the carpet when the driver is moving on the carpet.