Autonomous cleaning device

• US 9,615,714 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Hwi Chan, Lee, Won Min, Choi, Sang Hwa, Hyun, Du Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Scruggs, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/033,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20140131123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• 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 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• 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 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection

Abstract

Provided is an autonomous cleaning device that is capable of embodying various travelling motions, improving an obstacle avoidance capability, and stably travelling, the autonomous cleaning device including: a case in which an accommodation part and a hole are formed; and a wheel assembly accommodated in the accommodation part, wherein the wheel assembly includes: one wheel, of which part is exposed to an outside through the hole; a first motor that drives and travels the wheel; and a second motor that rotates the wheel so as to change a travelling direction.

Claims

1. An autonomous cleaning device comprising:

a case in which an accommodation part and a hole are formed;

a wheel assembly accommodated in the accommodation part, the wheel assembly comprising;

a wheel, of which part is exposed to an outside through the hole,

a first motor that drives the wheel to, while the autonomous cleaning device is disposed on a first floor, cause the autonomous cleaning device to travel along the first floor, and

a second motor that rotates the wheel so as to change a travelling direction of the autonomous cleaning device; and

a fall prevention sensor comprising;

a switch, and

a movable body having a latch extending from the movable body,

wherein the movable body is positioned with respect to the switch, and a downward force is applied to the movable body, so that,

when the autonomous cleaning device travels along the first floor, with a pad contacting the first floor and the movable body pressurizing the pad, to a second floor lower than the first floor so that the movable body is above the second floor, the movable body descends downward toward the second floor to cause the latch to contact the switch, which thereby causes the second motor to be driven to rotate the wheel to change the travelling direction, and

when the traveling direction is changed so that the movable body is above the first floor, the movable body is lifted by the first floor so that the latch no longer contacts the switch.

2. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an elastic member interposed between a bottom surface of the case and a top surface of a pad part.

3. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bumper at outer sides of the case, wherein the bumper covers all outer sides of the case.

4. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a sensor coupling part provided at the case, and

a sensor, capable of detecting an external obstacle, mounted on the sensor coupling part.

5. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of inwardly-protruding arms at the bumper and configured so that, when the bumper is pressurized by an external shock, the plurality of arms to pressurize the sensor.

6. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a protruding coupling rib on a bottom of the case,

wherein a coupling hole is formed in each of the arms, and the coupling rib is inserted into the coupling hole so that a bumper body is movably mounted on the case.

7. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of sensor coupling parts provided at the case; and

a plurality of sensors mounted on the plurality of sensor coupling parts, respectively, to detect obstacles positioned in an omni-direction.

8. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the pad is a replaceable pad, and the autonomous cleaning device further comprises:

a pad part to which the pad is attachable and detachable.

9. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wheel case accommodating the wheel assembly and having a hole formed in a bottom of the wheel case through which the wheel passes.

10. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein

the pad is a replaceable pad,

the autonomous cleaning device further comprises a pad part to which the pad is attachable and detachable, and having a hole formed therein, and

the hole formed in the bottom of the wheel case, the hole formed in the case, and the hole formed in a pad part communicate with one another so that the wheel passes through each of the holes to contact the first floor when the autonomous cleaning device is disposed on the first floor.

11. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 9, further comprising:

legs are formed on a bottom surface of the wheel case, and

grooves corresponding to the legs formed in a top surface of the case so that the legs are inserted into the grooves and the wheel case is fixed to the top surface of the case.

12. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pad part, wherein the wheel is exposed to an outside through a center of the pad part.

13. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mass applying the downward force to the movable body as the autonomous cleaning device travels along the first floor so that the movable body pressurizes the pad.

14. An autonomous cleaning device comprising:

a base having a first hole formed in a center of the base;

a pad part, which is mounted on a bottom surface of the base and in which a second hole corresponding to the first hole is formed;

a wheel that is accommodated in the base and is exposed to an outside through the first hole formed in the base and the second hole formed in the pad part;

a first motor that drives the wheel to, while the autonomous cleaning device is disposed on a first floor, cause the autonomous cleaning device to travel along the first floor;

a second motor that controls the wheel to change a travelling direction of the autonomous cleaning device; and

a fall prevention sensor comprising;

a switch, and

a movable body partially extending through the base and having a latch extending from the movable body,

wherein the movable body is positioned with respect to the switch, and a downward force is applied to the movable body, so that,

when the autonomous cleaning device travels along the first floor, with a pad coupled to the pad part contacting the first floor and the movable body pressurizing the pad, to a second floor lower than the first floor so that the movable body is above the second floor, the movable body descends downward toward the second floor to cause the latch to contact the switch, which thereby causes the second motor to be driven to control the wheel to change the travelling direction, and

when the traveling direction is changed so that the movable body is above the first floor, the movable body is lifted by the first floor so that the latch no longer contacts the switch.

15. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a wheel cover mounted on the base, wherein the first motor and the second motor are mounted on the wheel cover.

16. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein the first motor is connected to the wheel, and the second motor rotates the first motor and the wheel together to thereby control the wheel.

17. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 16, further comprising:

first and second gears, wherein

the second motor is connected to the first gear and rotates the first gear,

the first motor and the wheel are connected to the second gear, and

the second gear rotates while interlocking with the first gear.

18. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a supporter mounted on the base, wherein the wheel cover is mounted on the supporter.

19. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 18, further comprising:

an elastic member provided at the supporter, wherein the elastic member alleviates a shock applied to the wheel cover when the wheel travels on an uneven floor.

20. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a front sensor, provided at one side of the base, that detects whether there is an obstacle in front of the travelling direction.

21. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 20, wherein the front sensor comprises a pressurizing part that directs toward outer sides of the base, and when the pressurizing part is pressurized by the obstacle during travel, the front sensor detects that there is an obstacle in front of the travelling direction.

22. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 14, wherein the movable body of the fail prevention sensor passes through a hole in the base to thereby partially extend through the base and be exposed to an outside of the base.

23. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 14, further comprising the pad, wherein the pad is a replaceable pad.

24. The autonomous cleaning device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a cover that covers an upper part of the base, and

a bumper at outer sides of the base and outer sides of the cover.

25. An autonomous cleaning device comprising:

a base;

a case in which an accommodation part and a hole are formed;

a wheel assembly accommodated in the accommodation part, the wheel assembly comprising;

a single wheel, of which part is exposed to an outside of the case through the hole,

a first motor that drives the wheel to, while the autonomous cleaning device is disposed on a first floor, cause the autonomous cleaning device to travel along the first floor, and

a second motor that rotates the wheel to thereby cause a travelling direction of the autonomous cleaning device to be changed while maintaining the orientation of the autonomous cleaning device; and

a fall prevention sensor comprising;

a switch, and

a movable body having a latch extending from the movable body,

wherein the movable body is positioned with respect to the switch, and a downward force is applied to the movable body, so that,

when the autonomous cleaning device travels along the first floor, with a pad contacting the first floor and the movable body pressurizing the pad, to a second floor lower than the first floor so that the movable body is above the second floor, the movable body descends downward toward the second floor to cause the latch to contact the switch, which thereby causes the second motor to rotate the wheel to change the travelling direction, and

when the traveling direction is changed so that the movable body is above the first floor, the movable body is lifted by the first floor so that the latch no longer contacts the switch.