Charger system for an automatic cleaner

• US 9,420,923 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Woo, Tae-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): PELTON, NATHANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US13/808,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/03 cleaning both sides of a window simultaneously
• 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Provided is a charging system of an automatic cleaner. The charging system includes an automatic cleaner performing cleaning while being moved in a state the automatic cleaner is attached on a target surface inclined with respect to the ground, the automatic cleaner comprising at least one battery and a charger configured to charge the at least one battery in a state where the at least one battery are physically spaced from the automatic cleaner. Here, the automatic cleaner includes first and second moving parts moved together with each other along the target surface, a moving unit disposed on at least one of the first and second moving parts, and a cleaning member for cleaning the target surface. Also, the automatic cleaner receives a charging-related signal to charge the battery using the signal.

Claims

1. A charging system comprising:

an automatic cleaner performing cleaning while moving in a state in which the automatic cleaner is attached to a target surface inclined with respect to the ground, the automatic cleaner including at least one battery; and

a charger configured to charge the at least one battery in a state in which the automatic cleaner is physically spaced apart from the charger,

wherein the automatic cleaner includes;

first and second moving parts that move together with each other along the target surface;

a moving unit provided on at least one of the first or second moving parts; and

a cleaning member that cleans the target surface,

wherein the automatic cleaner receives a charging related signal to charge the battery using the signal,

wherein when charging of the battery is needed during the cleaning by the automatic cleaner, the automatic cleaner transmits an operation signal to the charger regardless of a location of the automatic cleaner, the charger generates the charging related signal when the charger receives the operation signal, the automatic cleaner determines whether the automatic cleaner is within a predetermined area in which the charging related signal is received from the charger, and when the automatic cleaner is within the predetermined area, a movement of the automatic cleaner stops and the charging of the battery starts.

2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the charging related signal is a magnetic field generated by current flowing into the charger.

3. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the charger includes a signal generator for transmitting the charging related signal to charge the battery, and the automatic cleaner includes a charging current generator for charging the battery according to the charging related signal.

4. The charging system according to claim 3, wherein the signal generator includes a first coil part generating a magnetic field when a predetermined current flows, and the charging current generator includes a second coil part generating current by the magnetic field, wherein the charger applies current to the first coil part to generate the magnetic field when the charger receives the operation signal from the automatic cleaner.

5. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the charger includes a converter converting power into a radio frequency and a first communication part receiving a signal converted in the converter, and the automatic cleaner includes a second communication part receiving the radio frequency transmitted from the first communication part and a converter converting the received radio frequency into power.

6. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein, when the automatic cleaner is not within the predetermined area, an alarm part provided in the automatic cleaner generates a message that requests the charging of the battery.

7. The charging system according to claim 1, further including an attachment maintaining unit for maintaining a state in which the first and second moving parts are attached to the target surface.

8. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit includes at least one absorption part for maintaining a state in which the first and second moving parts are attached to the target surface.

9. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the automatic cleaner further includes a solar cell module for charging the battery.

10. The charging system according to claim 9, wherein the solar cell module includes an installation part separably installed on at least one of the first or second moving parts and a solar cell installed on the installation part.

11. The charging system according to claim 9, further including a switching part for selecting one of a power of the battery and an external commercial power.

12. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein the charger includes a solar cell, a storage battery for storing energy generated in the solar cell, and a switching part for selecting one of a power of the storage battery and an external commercial power.