Mobile robot

• US 9,883,778 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Vanderstegen-Drake, Mark Stamford, Rollo, Adam William
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Karen
• Application Number:
  US14/764,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20160000282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 280 6157
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

A mobile robot including a body having a drive arrangement for driving the body on a surface, the body further including a bias for biasing a rear portion of the body in a direction away from the floor surface. The bias may include a spring-loaded swing arm located on a rear portion of the body and which is movable between stowed and deployed positions.

Claims

1. A mobile robotic vacuum cleaner comprising a body having a drive arrangement for driving the body on a surface, a bias for biasing a rear portion of the body in a direction away from the floor surface, the bias including a floor engaging support member for supporting a rear portion of the body on a floor surface, and a brushbar located between the drive arrangement and the bias, wherein the floor engaging support member rotates relative to the body about a substantially vertical axis, and wherein the floor engaging support member comprises a carrier rotatably mounted to the body and a swing arm pivotally mounted to the carrier, the carrier rotates relative to the body about a substantially vertical axis, and the swing arm pivots relative to the carrier about a substantially horizontal axis.

2. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the floor engaging support member is urged against the floor surface with a predetermined force so as to bias the body away from the floor surface.

3. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the floor engaging support member is movable between a first position in which it is stowed in a recess defined by the body and a second position in which it is deployed from the recess.

4. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the swing arm pivots relative to the body of the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner.

5. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, including a spring member that acts on the floor engaging support member.

6. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the spring member is a torsion spring.

7. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the spring member provides biasing force of approximately 5 Newtons.

8. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the floor engaging support member is deployable to a distance of approximately 20 mm below the body.

9. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the swing arm has a pivotal angular range of movement of approximately 30 degrees.

10. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the floor engaging support member includes a wheel for engaging a floor surface.

11. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the bias is located on a rear portion of the body and aligned on a longitudinal axis.

12. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the bias is located on a rear portion of the body and aligned on a longitudinal axis, and wherein the bias is positioned adjacent a further floor engaging support member.