Sensors for robotic devices

• US 20040117064A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murray Mcdonald
• Original Assignee: Murray Mcdonald
• Inventors: McDonald, Murray
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• 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 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

A robotic device having a body having an upper surface resiliently connected to a lower surface and having a bump sensor including a contact point on the lower surface which contact point is in its normal position centrally located within a sensor device being an aperture having a conducting inner periphery which sensor device is located in the upper surface such that a bump on the upper surface is detected by the robotic device when the contact point abuts the aperture periphery. The robotic device also includes a drop sensor for use in association with a lower surface of a robotic device said lower surface having a periphery around which a plurality of such drop sensors are located, each drop sensor including a body having moveably located therein a vertically oriented member such that when any such member becomes positioned over a drop in terrain the vertically oriented member will drop down and trigger the production of a signal which is sensed by the robotic device.

Claims

1. A robotic device having a body having an upper surface resiliently connected to a lower surface and having a bump sensor including a contact point on the lower surface which contact point is in its normal position centrally located within a sensor device being an aperture having a conducting inner periphery which sensor device is located in the upper surface such that a bump on the upper surface is detected by the robotic device when the contact point abuts the aperture periphery.

2. A robotic device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the robotic device detects a bump by means of an electrical signal generated when the contact point touches the sensor device.

3. A robotic device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the conducting inner periphery of the sensor device consists of a multiplicity of contact points, or switch segments, so that a computer device having a memory, and which computer is located within the robotic device, can determine the location of a bump on the robotic device.

4. A robotic device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the upper surface can move relatively to the lower surface.

5. A robotic device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the upper surface is a plate device which rests on a plurality of ball transfers affixed to a plate device comprising the lower surface.

6. A robotic device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the upper plate can move relatively to the lower plate by a distance equal to any difference in radius of the upper and lower plate.

7. A robotic device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein at least the upper surfaces is rigidly located within a housing said housing having a greater diameter than the lower surface.

8. A robotic device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the lower plate is attached to a drive mechanism which includes a locomotion means.

9. A robotic device having a drop sensor for use in association with a lower surface of a robotic device said lower surface having a periphery around which a plurality of such drop sensors are located, each drop sensor including a body having moveably located therein a vertically oriented member such that when any such member becomes positioned over a drop in terrain the vertically oriented member will drop down and trigger the production of a signal which is sensed by the robotic device.

10. A robotic device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the signal is an interruption to the passage of light between at least one LED and receptor.

11. A robotic device as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the vertically oriented members used in the drop sensors take the form of rod members.

12. A robotic device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the rod member can resume its original position within the drop sensor and signal the robotic device to return to substantially level terrain.

13. A robotic device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the return of the rod member is effected by means of a solenoid.

14. A robotic device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the return of the rod member is effected by pneumatic means.