Robotic floor cleaning apparatus with shell connected to the cleaning assembly and suspended over the drive system

• US 9,725,013 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Pirjanian, Paolo, Romanov, Nikolai, Dooley, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Moyer, Dale
• Application Number:
  US12/976,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: 700245-264
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• 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 11/4036 Parts or details of the 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• 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 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/32 Driving direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/463 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/106 : for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 : ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 : using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• 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

Abstract

A robotic cleaner includes a cleaning assembly for cleaning a surface and a main robot body. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and a width of the cleaning assembly is greater than a width of the main robot body. A robotic cleaning system includes a main robot body and a plurality of cleaning assemblies for cleaning a surface. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and each of the cleaning assemblies is detachable from the main robot body and each of the cleaning assemblies has a unique cleaning function.

Claims

1. A robotic cleaner, comprising:

a body;

a drive assembly comprising two wheels coupled to the body and configured to move the robotic cleaner, wherein the two wheels are configured to rotate about a first axis that is substantially perpendicular to a forward direction of travel of the robotic cleaner;

a microcontroller operatively coupled to the drive assembly for control of movement of the robotic cleaner;

a shell connected to the body;

a cleaning assembly movably connected to the body and configured to clean a floor, the cleaning assembly being positioned along a second axis substantially parallel to and ahead of the first axis in the forward direction of travel of the robotic cleaner, and

a sensor configured to detect a collision of the robotic cleaner with an overhanging obstacle, wherein the microcontroller is configured to reverse the direction of travel of the robotic cleaner in response to the sensor detecting the collision with the overhanging obstacle.

2. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the shell is sloped upwards in a straight line with respect to the floor from the cleaning assembly back towards the one or more wheels such that the shell is pivoted downwards and actuates a switch in response to a collision of the robotic cleaner with the overhanging obstacle.

3. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a switch configured to signal detection of movement of the shell with respect to the one or more wheels by a predefined displacement.

4. The robotic cleaner of claim 3, further comprising a spring configured to bias the shell upward with respect to the one or more wheels.

5. The robotic cleaner of claim 4, wherein the spring exerts a force on the shell at a position vertically aligned with a longitudinal axis of the robotic cleaner, the longitudinal axis centrally traversing the cleaning assembly and drive assembly.

6. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the one or more wheels comprise two wheels sharing the first axis of rotation at all times, thereby allowing the two wheels to pivot together with respect to the shell.

7. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a rubber pad placed along a bottom of the shell and configured to contact the floor when the shell is displaced downward by a first amount.

8. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect when the shell has moved beyond a certain point, wherein the microcontroller is configured to cause the robotic cleaner to reverse course upon a detection by a second sensor that the shell has moved beyond the certain point.

9. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein a second sensor coupled to the microcontroller is configured to detect increases in a motor current of the drive assembly for bump detection.

10. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the sensor configured to detect the collision with the overhanging obstacle detects a vertical force on the robotic cleaner.

11. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to modify the direction of travel of the robotic cleaner in a first avoidance path in response to the sensor detecting the overhanging obstacle and a second avoidance path in response to a second sensor detecting a horizontal collision.

12. The robotic cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a bump sensor positioned to extend along a front edge of the robotic cleaner, wherein the bump sensor is configured to detect a contact at a point on the front edge of the robotic cleaner while the robotic cleaner is being directed to move in the direction of travel.