Robot cleaner

• US 9,924,845 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Dyson, James, Aldred, Michael David, Garner, Leanne Joyce
• Primary Examiner(s): Lawrence, Jr., Frank
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, MINH CHAU THI
• Application Number:
  US14/843,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20160058261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 553851, 55DIG 3, 55DIG 34, 15 491, 15 98, 15319, 15320, 153401, 15228, 15230, 15322, 15 211, 134 18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• 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 2201/00 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 7/00 Suction cleaners adapted for additional purposes suction devices for removing ash F23J1/02; Tables with suction openings for cleaning purposes; Containers for cleaning articles by suction; Suction cleaners adapted to cleaning of brushes; Suction cleaners adapted to taking-up liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A robot cleaner including: a body; and a sensor protruding from a top surface of the body, wherein the body includes a protrusion positioned forward of the sensor relative to a forward driving direction of the robot cleaner, the protrusion extending to a height that is at least equal to the height of the sensor.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a body; and

a sensor protruding from a top surface of the body,

wherein the body comprises a protrusion positioned forward of the sensor relative to a forward driving direction of the robot cleaner, the protrusion extending to a height that is at least equal to the height of the sensor and located on a front portion of the body, the front portion being adjacent to a front edge of the body, wherein the front portion is downwardly sloped towards the front edge of the body, and the protrusion has a forward-facing edge that extends vertically from the sloped front portion, and wherein the protrusion comprises two stages, a lower stage extending to a height that is at least equal to the height of the top surface of the body, and an upper stage extending to a height that is at least equal to the height of the sensor.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the forward facing edge of the upper stage is positioned behind the forward-facing edge of the lower stage.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of an infra-red sensor assembly, a laser distance sensor assembly and a camera assembly.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 3, wherein the camera assembly is a panoramic annular lens camera which comprises a dome-shaped lens protruding from the top surface of the body.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a separating apparatus part that is removable from the remainder of the body and the protrusion is provided on the separating apparatus part.