Blade guard for a robot lawnmower

• US 9,807,930 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Lydon, Peter J., Doughty, Brian W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, ALICIA M
• Application Number:
  US15/246,947
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 56 174, 563201, 56DIG 24
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/66 with two or more cutters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/81 Casings; Housings A01D34/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/828 Safety devices

Abstract

An autonomous robot lawnmower includes a chassis, a drive supporting the chassis above a lawn and configured to maneuver the robot lawnmower about the lawn, and a motorized lawn cutting assembly including one or more blades. The robot lawnmower further includes a first blade guard movably mounted to a first lateral side of the chassis and extending from the chassis toward the lawn, and a second blade guard movably mounted to a second lateral side of the chassis and extending from the chassis toward the lawn.

Claims

1. An autonomous robot lawnmower comprising:

a chassis;

a drive supporting the chassis above a lawn and configured to maneuver the robot lawnmower about the lawn;

a motorized lawn cutting assembly comprising one or more blades;

a first blade guard spring-mounted to a first lateral side of the robot lawnmower and extending toward the lawn, the first blade guard being movable toward the one or more blades of the cutting assembly such that a portion of the first blade guard is positioned between a first portion of the one or more blades of the cutting assembly and the lawn when an inwardly directed force is applied to the first blade guard; and

a second blade guard spring-mounted to a second lateral side of the robot lawnmower and extending toward the lawn, the second blade guard being movable toward the one or more blades of the cutting assembly such that a portion of the second blade guard is positioned between a second portion of the one or more blades of the cutting assembly and the lawn when an inwardly directed force is applied to the second blade guard.

2. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the first blade guard comprises a pair of extension springs rotatably and translatably mounting the first blade guard to the first lateral side of the robot lawnmower such that

(i) the extension springs are twisted in a first direction when the first blade guard is rotated toward the one or more blades of the cutting assembly,

(ii) the extension springs are twisted in a second direction when the first blade guard is rotated away from the one or more blades of the cutting assembly, and

(iii) the extension springs are bent when the first blade guard translates away from the lawn.

3. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first blade guard positioned between the first portion of the blade and the lawn when the inwardly directed force is applied to the first blade guard is positioned within a vertical projection of a cutting circumference, the cutting circumference being defined by rotation of an outer tip of the one or more blades.

4. The robot lawnmower of claim 3, wherein the outer tip of the one or more blades is positionable between 2 and 7 centimeters from an external surface of the first lateral side, and a length between a proximal end and a distal end of the first blade guard is less than 3 centimeters.

5. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the first blade guard is movable away from the blade of the cutting assembly when an outwardly directed force is applied to the first blade guard.

6. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, further comprising a bumper movably mounted to the chassis, the first blade guard and the second blade guard each being movably mounted to the bumper.

7. The robot lawnmower of claim 6, wherein:

the bumper comprises a bump sensor responsive to a bump force, and

the first blade guard is spring-mounted to the bumper such that rotation of the first blade guard does not activate the bump sensor.

8. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the cutting assembly comprises a housing to hold the one or more blades of the cutting assembly, the housing having a height above the lawn adjustable relative to a height of the chassis above the lawn.

9. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, further comprising a frame, wherein the first blade guard is rotatably mounted to the frame such that the first blade guard moves towards the one or more blades of the cutting assembly by rotating relative to the frame.

10. The robot lawnmower of claim 9, wherein the first blade guard is rotatable between a first position and a second position, the first blade guard in the first position, the first blade guard in the second position, and a rotational center of the first blade guard define an angle between 170 degrees and 190 degrees.

11. The robot lawnmower of claim 9, wherein an inward rotation limit of the first blade guard is defined by contact between an inward facing surface of the first blade guard and the frame.

12. The robot lawnmower of claim 9, further comprising an extension spring having a first end coupled to the frame and a second end coupled to the first blade guard, wherein the first blade guard is translatable relative to the frame such that the first blade guard recedes into the frame and bends the extension spring when the first blade guard contacts an object.

13. The robot lawnmower of claim 9, further comprising an extension spring having a first end coupled to the frame and a second end coupled to the first blade guard, the extension spring being twistable when the first blade guard rotates relative to the frame.

14. The robot lawnmower of claim 13, wherein the first end of the extension spring is coupled to a threaded portion of the frame, and the second end of the extension spring is coupled to a threaded portion on the first blade guard.

15. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the drive comprises wheels supporting the chassis above the lawn, and a lower edge of the first blade guard is positioned at a height between 0 and 3 centimeters above the lawn.

16. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the first blade guard has a front facing surface being angled away from an outward facing surface of the first blade guard such that a rearward directed force on the front facing surface moves the first blade guard towards the one or more blades of the cutting assembly.

17. The robot lawnmower of claim 16, wherein the first blade guard has a rear facing surface being angled away from the outward facing surface of the first blade guard.

18. The robot lawnmower of claim 16, wherein the front facing surface of the first blade guard is angled away from a lower edge of the first blade guard.

19. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein an outward facing surface of the first blade guard includes a recessed portion and a raised portion surrounding the recessed portion.

20. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein a cutting area is defined by operation of the one or more blades, the cutting area having a width between 75% and 95% of a distance between the first and second lateral sides.

21. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the first blade guard is movable from a first position to a second position, and the robot lawnmower further comprises a spring to return the first blade guard to the first position when the first blade guard is moved to the second position.

22. The robot lawnmower of claim 1, wherein the first blade guard is configured to translate away from the lawn when the first blade guard contacts an obstacle.

23. The robot lawnmower of claim 9, further comprising a bumper movably mounted to the chassis, the bumper comprising the frame.

24. The robot lawnmower of claim 9, wherein the chassis comprises the frame.