Robot cleaner and method for sensing dust

• US 9,770,149 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Son, Kuyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Turner, Sonji
• Application Number:
  US14/515,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20150107449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• 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 9/0072 Mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/10 Filters in general B01D; cyclones B04C; Dust separators; Dust removal; Automatic exchange of filters for machines for cleaning floors A47L11/40
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/20 Means for cleaning filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/017 Combinations of electrostatic separation with other processes, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 3/66 Applications of electricity supply techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/22 by investigating capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector

Abstract

A robot cleaner is provided that may include a suction motor installed within a main body to generate a suction force, at least two conductive plates spaced apart from each other to form a flow path for external air introduced by the suction force, and a calculator to measure a capacitance value between the at least two conductive plates. Further, provided is a robot cleaner that may include a suction motor installed within a main body to generate a suction force, a porous structure having at least one through hole, through which external air introduced by the suction force may flow, at least one filter disposed on a surface of the porous structure to filter dust contained in the air, and a power supply configured to apply alternating current (AC) power to at least a portion of the surface of the porous structure.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner, comprising:

a suction motor installed within a main body and configured to generate a suction force;

a dust sensing apparatus comprised of at least two conductive plates spaced apart from each other to form a flow path for external air introduced by the suction force; and

a calculator that measures a capacitance value between the at least two conductive plates;

wherein the at least two conductive plates are disposed substantially parallel to each other, and

wherein a space, which is formed as the at least two conductive plates are spaced apart from each other, forms a flow path for air sucked in by the robot cleaner.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the at least two conductive plates are arranged to extend along of a flow direction of the air introduced from one side thereof.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the calculator senses an amount of dust within a dust container of the robot cleaner based on the capacitance value.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification member to generate sound or light to an exterior of the robot cleaner when the capacitance value exceeds a predetermined value.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising

a porous structure provided with at least one through hole through which external air introduced by the suction force flows;

at least one filter disposed in the flow path of the air, to filter dust contained in the air; and

a power supply configured to apply alternating current (AC) power to at least a portion of a surface of the porous structure.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the at least two conductive plates comprise a plurality of first conductive plates and a plurality of second conductive plates, the plurality of the first and second conductive plates being alternately provided and disposed in parallel.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 6, wherein the plurality of first conductive plates is connected by a first connector and the plurality of second conductive plates is connected by a second connector.