Coverage robot mobility

• US 8,978,196 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Svendsen, Selma, Casey, Christopher M., Kapoor, Deepak Ramesh, Campbell, Tony L., Won, Chikyung, Morse, Christopher John, Burnett, Scott Thomas, Ozick, Daniel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US13/722,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20130206170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/20, 153/22, 153/403, 154/01, 15/931, 153/39, 153/25, 153/404, 153/64, 153/84
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/12 Dry filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 : using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 : using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 : using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 : using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 : using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 : in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/50 : Miscellaneous

Abstract

An autonomous coverage robot includes a body having at least one outer wall, a drive system disposed on the body and configured to maneuver the robot over a work surface, and a cleaning assembly carried by the body. The cleaning assembly includes first and second cleaning rollers rotatably coupled to the body, a suction assembly having a channel disposed adjacent at least one of the cleaning rollers, and a container in fluid communication with the channel. The container is configured to collect debris drawn into the channel. The suction assembly is configured to draw debris removed from the work surface by at least one of the cleaning rollers into the channel, and the container has a wall common with the at least one outer wall of the body.

Claims

1. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot across a floor surface according to a speed setting and a heading setting provided by a controller;

a cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven by a cleaning head motor to rotate about an axis proximate a forward portion of the chassis, the cleaning head positioned to engage the floor surface while the robot is maneuvered by the drive system;

a bump sensor responsive to a collision of the robot with an obstacle in a forward direction; and

a proximity sensor responsive to a potential obstacle forward of the robot,

wherein the controller is configured to continuously navigate the robot in a cleaning mode while negotiating obstacles by;

reducing the speed setting in response to a signal from the proximity sensor indicating detection of a potential obstacle, and altering the heading setting in response to a signal received from the bump sensor indicating contact with an obstacle; and

in response to determining that the cleaning head is entangled;

altering an angular velocity of the cleaning head; and

controlling the drive system to maneuver the robot to allow the cleaning head to disentangle as the robot moves.

2. The coverage robot of claim 1, further comprising a motor current sensor in communication with the controller and configured to monitor motor current associated with the cleaning head.

3. The coverage robot of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the cleaning head is entangled based on an elevated motor current of the cleaning head motor detected by the motor current sensor.

4. The coverage robot of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to alter the angular velocity of the cleaning head by reverse biasing the motor current of the cleaning head motor.

5. The coverage robot of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to alter the angular velocity of the cleaning head by turning off the cleaning head motor.

6. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the controller, in response to determining that the cleaning head is entangled, controls the drive system to move the robot backwards, altering a drive direction, and subsequently move the robot forward.

7. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the cleaning head comprises a cleaning head body with bristles, rotating about a substantially horizontal axis.

8. The coverage robot of claim 7, wherein the cleaning head further comprises one or more soft flaps disposed along a length of the cleaning head body.

9. The coverage robot of claim 8, wherein the one or more soft flaps are curved lengthwise along the cleaning head body.

10. The coverage robot of claim 1, further comprising an edge cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven by an edge cleaning head motor to rotate about a non-horizontal axis, the edge cleaning head extending beyond a lateral extent of the chassis to engage the floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor.

11. The coverage robot of claim 10, wherein the cleaning head comprises a brush with bristles disposed on a peripheral edge of the robot, rotating about a substantially vertical axis.

12. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein controlling the drive system to maneuver the robot to allow the cleaning head to disentangle as the robot moves comprises maneuvering the robot such that a flexible member entangled on the cleaning head pulls on the cleaning head to unwind the flexible member from the cleaning head.

13. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the drive system is configured to increase the speed setting if the drive system does not receive a subsequent signal indicating the presence of an obstacle while continuing to advance according to the heading setting and the reduced speed setting.

14. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the drive system is configured to maneuver the robot at a torque setting, and wherein the controller is configured to alter the torque setting in response to the signal received from the bump sensor indicating contact with an obstacle.

15. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor comprises at least one infrared emitter and receive pair.

16. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a sonar device.

17. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the bump sensor comprises a switch.

18. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the bump sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

19. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to alter the heading setting in response to a signal received from the bump sensor indicating contact with an obstacle by operating the robot to follow a perimeter of the obstacle.

20. The coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to alter the heading setting in response to a signal received from the bump sensor indicating contact with an obstacle by operating the drive system to direct the robot away from the obstacle.

21. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot across a floor surface according to a speed setting and a heading setting provided by a controller;

a cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven by a cleaning head motor to rotate about an axis proximate a forward portion of the chassis, the cleaning head positioned to engage the floor surface while the robot is maneuvered by the drive system;

a bump sensor responsive to a collision of the robot with an obstacle in a forward direction; and

a proximity sensor responsive to a potential obstacle forward of the robot,

wherein the controller is configured to continuously navigate the robot in a cleaning mode while negotiating obstacles by;

reducing the speed setting in response to a signal from the proximity sensor indicating detection of a potential obstacle, and altering the heading setting in response to a signal received from the bump sensor indicating contact with an obstacle;

altering an angular velocity of the cleaning head; and

controlling the drive system to maneuver the robot to allow the cleaning head to disentangle as the robot moves, in response to determining that the cleaning head is entangled.

22. The coverage robot of claim 21, further comprising a motor current sensor in communication with the controller and configured to monitor motor current associated with the cleaning head.

23. The coverage robot of claim 21, wherein the cleaning head comprises a cleaning head body with bristles, rotating about a substantially horizontal axis,

wherein the cleaning head further comprises one or more soft flaps disposed along a length of the cleaning head body, and

wherein the one or more soft flaps are curved lengthwise along the cleaning head body.

24. The coverage robot of claim 21, further comprising an edge cleaning head carried by the chassis and driven by an edge cleaning head motor to rotate about a non-horizontal axis, the edge cleaning head extending beyond a lateral extent of the chassis to engage the floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor.

25. The coverage robot of claim 21, wherein controlling the drive system to maneuver the robot to allow the cleaning head to disentangle as the robot moves comprises maneuvering the robot such that a flexible member entangled on the cleaning head pulls on the cleaning head to unwind the flexible member from the cleaning head.

26. The coverage robot of claim 21, wherein the drive system is configured to maneuver the robot at a torque setting, and wherein the controller is configured to alter the torque setting in response to the signal received from the bump sensor indicating contact with an obstacle.