Autonomous floor-cleaning robot
First Claim
1. An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising:
- first and second wheel assemblies configured to propel the robot along a cleaning surface;
a brush assembly comprising a motor and a brush, the motor arranged to rotate the brush as the first and second wheel assemblies propel the robot across the cleaning surface;
a plurality of control sensors operative to regulate the normal operation of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, the plurality of control sensors comprising a proximity sensor, a prohibited area entry prevention sensor, and a wheel rotation sensor;
a plurality of emergency sensors operative to detect situations adverse to the normal operation of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, the plurality of emergency sensors comprising a cliff detector array, a first and a second wheel drop sensor, and a stall sensor; and
a controller configured to control the first and second wheel assemblies based upon signals from the plurality of control sensors and the plurality of emergency sensors, wherein the first and second wheel assemblies each comprise a wheel and a tension spring, each tension spring biasing pivotal movement of a respective wheel through an arc to a position in which an axis of rotation of each respective wheel lies below a bottom plane of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, and the first and second wheel drop sensors each comprise a contact switch configured to transmit a signal to the controller when an axis of rotation of a wheel of each respective wheel assembly lies below the bottom plane of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a housing infrastructure including a chassis, a power subsystem; for providing the energy to power the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, a motive subsystem operative to propel the autonomous floor-cleaning robot for cleaning operations, a command and control subsystem operative to control the autonomous floor-cleaning robot to effect cleaning operations, and a self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem that includes a deck mounted in pivotal combination with the chassis, a brush assembly mounted in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations, a vacuum assembly disposed in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to ingest particulates during cleaning operations, and a deck adjusting subassembly mounted in combination with the motive subsystem for the brush assembly, the deck, and the chassis that is automatically operative in response to an increase in brush torque in said brush assembly to pivot the deck with respect to said chassis. The autonomous floor-cleaning robot also includes a side brush assembly mounted in combination with the chassis and powered by the motive subsystem to entrain particulates outside the periphery of the housing infrastructure and to direct such particulates towards the self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising:
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first and second wheel assemblies configured to propel the robot along a cleaning surface; a brush assembly comprising a motor and a brush, the motor arranged to rotate the brush as the first and second wheel assemblies propel the robot across the cleaning surface; a plurality of control sensors operative to regulate the normal operation of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, the plurality of control sensors comprising a proximity sensor, a prohibited area entry prevention sensor, and a wheel rotation sensor; a plurality of emergency sensors operative to detect situations adverse to the normal operation of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, the plurality of emergency sensors comprising a cliff detector array, a first and a second wheel drop sensor, and a stall sensor; and a controller configured to control the first and second wheel assemblies based upon signals from the plurality of control sensors and the plurality of emergency sensors, wherein the first and second wheel assemblies each comprise a wheel and a tension spring, each tension spring biasing pivotal movement of a respective wheel through an arc to a position in which an axis of rotation of each respective wheel lies below a bottom plane of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, and the first and second wheel drop sensors each comprise a contact switch configured to transmit a signal to the controller when an axis of rotation of a wheel of each respective wheel assembly lies below the bottom plane of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification