Automatic veering structure for floor cleaning apparatus

• US 8,532,821 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph Y. Ko
• Original Assignee: Joseph Y. Ko
• Inventors: Ko, Joseph Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US12/881,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 701/26, 700/245, 700/253, 700/255, 700/258, 901/1, 901/46, 901/49, 318/568.12, 153/25
• US Class Current: 700/258
• 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: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• 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

Abstract

An automatic veering structure for a floor cleaning apparatus comprises a driving wheel set to control moving direction of the floor cleaning apparatus, an auxiliary wheel set and a buffer module. It also has a detection module to detect whether the auxiliary wheel set is suspended in the air and whether the buffer module bumps into an obstacle, then output a first detection signal and a second detection signal to a control module to determine whether to trigger the driving wheel set to drive the floor cleaning apparatus to veer to prevent the floor cleaning apparatus from suspending and falling, or stopping moving when encounters the obstacle. Thus the lifespan of the floor cleaning apparatus is lengthened and cleaning efficiency improves.

Claims

1. An automatic veering structure for a floor cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a driving wheel set located on the floor cleaning apparatus to control moving direction of the floor cleaning apparatus;

an auxiliary wheel set including a wheel rack hinged on the floor cleaning apparatus, the wheel rack including a wheel rolling on a floor and a first actuation portion, and the wheel rack driving the wheel and the first actuation portion to generate a swivel displacement against the floor cleaning apparatus;

a buffer module including a buffer member at a front side of the floor cleaning apparatus, the buffer member including a second actuation portion extended therefrom and being pushed by an obstacle to drive the second actuation portion to generate a moving displacement against the floor cleaning apparatus;

a detection module to detect the swivel displacement of the first actuation portion and the moving displacement of the second actuation portion and output a corresponding first detection signal and a corresponding second detection signal; and

a control module which is electrically connected to the detection module and receives the first detection signal and the second detection signal to determine whether to trigger the driving wheel set to drive the floor cleaning apparatus to veer,

wherein the buffer member includes a movable board located in the floor cleaning apparatus and a blocking board located on the movable board, the movable board and the floor cleaning apparatus being interposed by a bracing member to brace the blocking board at a front position in a normal condition,

wherein the floor cleaning apparatus and the movable board include corresponding holding troughs to hold two ends of the bracing member, and

wherein the floor cleaning apparatus and the movable board include respectively an insertion portion in the holding troughs to be inserted by the bracing member.

2. The automatic veering structure of claim 1, wherein the floor cleaning apparatus includes a cap corresponding to the wheel rack, the cap including a housing space to hold an elastic element which includes two ends butting the cap and the wheel rack to press the wheel downwards in a normal condition.

3. The automatic veering structure of claim 1, wherein the floor cleaning apparatus includes a holding strut and the movable board includes a movable hole to hold the holding strut.

4. The automatic veering structure of claim 1, wherein the movable board includes an anchor hole and the blocking board includes an anchor strut held in the anchor hole.

5. The automatic veering structure of claim 1, wherein the detection module includes a baseboard which includes a first detector to detect the first actuation portion and a second detector to detect the second actuation portion.

6. The automatic veering structure of claim 5, wherein the first detector and the second detector are optical sensors.

7. The automatic veering structure of claim 1, wherein the control module is a circuit board.