Self-moving cleaner

• US 20020189045A1
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Hiroshi, Kayama, Hiroyuki, Haji, Masayo, Kato, Kiminori, Odachi, Toru, Nakayama, Atsushi, Oshima, Yasuo, Yabuuchi, Hidetaka, Fukushima, Masaichi, Imai, Hidetoshi, Ohara, Naoyuki, Yasuno, Miki, Matsuyo, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,901,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00

Abstract

A self-moving cleaner has main body 1 comprising intake opening 9 for suctioning dust, electric blower 7 for generating airflow to suction the dust, dust receiver 10 for collecting the dust suctioned by the electric blower 7, rollers 11 driven by drive motors (3 and 4), power source 8 for supplying electric power to the electric blower 7 and the drive motors (3 and 4), sensors (2 and 12) for optically detecting a distance to an obstacle, and enclosure 16 containing therein the electric blower 7, the dust receiver 9, the power source 8, and the sensors (2 and 12), wherein the enclosure 16 is constructed transparent or semitransparent, and the sensors (2 and 12) transmit and receive light through the enclosure 16. Thus provided is the self-moving cleaner that can accurately detect a position of its own main body even with a reduced cost.

Claims

1. A self-moving cleaner having a cleaner main body, said cleaner main body comprising:

an intake opening for suctioning dust collected on a surface being cleaned;

an electric blower for generating airflow to suction the dust;

a dust receiver for collecting the dust suctioned by said electric blower;

a roller defining moving means driven by a drive motor;

a power source for supplying electric power to said electric blower and said drive motor;

a sensor for optically detecting a distance to an obstacle; and

an enclosure containing therein said electric blower, said dust receiver, said power source, and said sensor,

wherein said enclosure is constructed to be transparent or semitransparent, and

said sensor transmits and receives light through said enclosure.

2. The self-moving cleaner as set forth in claim 1 further comprising indicator for displaying at least one of below:

1) a state of detection of said sensor

2) an operating condition of at least one of said electric blower and said drive motor.

3. The self-moving cleaner as set forth in claim 2, wherein said indicator comprises first indicator for displaying the state of detection of said sensor and second indicator for displaying the operating condition of at least one of said electric blower and said drive motor.

4. The self-moving cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor is mounted to a corner of said cleaner main body as viewed from above said main body.

5. The self-moving cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor is mounted to a forward section of said main body.

6. The self-moving cleaner as set forth in claim 5 further comprising:

a direction sensor for detecting a moving direction of said main body;

another plurality of sensors mounted to the side of said main body for optically detecting a distance to an obstacle; and

travel control means for controlling said moving means according to an output of said direction sensor, said sensor mounted to a forward section of said main body and said sensors mounted to the side of said main body,

wherein said cleaner;

causes said main body to turn and travels alongside of a wall of a room when said sensor mounted to a forward section of said main body detects the wall;

designates as a reference direction a direction of move in progress at a timing when outputs of said sensors mounted to the side of said main body are generally in agreement, and sets as a reference for output of said direction sensor; and

determines that said cleaner has completed a full round alongside of walls of the room, when said cleaner has traveled thereafter for a predetermined time after said direction sensor has detected said cleaner as being in an orientation of the reference direction.

7. The self-moving cleaner as set forth in claim 6, wherein said cleaner:

travels in a predetermined direction in the room according to an output of said direction sensor after determination that said cleaner has completed a full round along the walls of the room;

causes said main body to turn round and travels in a second direction when any of said sensor mounted to the forward section detects an obstacle; and

again causes said main body to turn round when said sensor mounted to the forward section detects another obstacle, and travels back and forth in said predetermined direction and said second direction.

8. The self-moving cleaner as set forth in claim 6, wherein said cleaner:

travels in a predetermined direction in the room according to an output of said direction sensor;

causes said main body to turn round and travels in a second direction when said sensor mounted to the forward section detects an obstacle;

again causes said main body to turn round when said sensor mounted to the forward section detects a wall, and travels back and forth in said predetermined direction and said second direction;

upon completion of the foregoing operating steps, travels again alongside of the walls of the room; and

moves toward an inner area of the room and turns off a load, after determination that said cleaner has completed a full round along the walls of the room.

9. A self-moving cleaner comprising:

a main body;

moving means for moving said main body;

direction sensor for detecting a moving direction of said main body;

distance sensors disposed to a forward section and the side of said main body for measuring a distance to an obstacle around said main body;

travel control means for controlling said moving means according to an output of said direction sensor and any of said distance sensors; and

a battery defining a power source,

wherein said cleaner;

causes said main body to turn, and travels alongside of a wall of a room when any of said distance sensors mounted to the forward section of said main body detects said wall;

designates as a reference direction a direction of move in progress at a timing when outputs of a plurality of said distance sensors mounted to the side of said main body are generally in agreement, and sets as a reference for output of said direction sensor; and

determines that said cleaner has completed a full round alongside of walls of the room, when said cleaner has traveled thereafter for a predetermined time after said direction sensor has detected said cleaner as being in an orientation of the reference direction.