Automatic charging device and method of automatically travelling cleaner

• US 20040130290A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Dan, Byung-Ju
• Granted Patent: US 7,202,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0229 in combination with fixed guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An automatic charging device and method of an automatically traveling cleaner are disclosed. Since a charging terminal unit is installed inside a traveling cleaner and selectively drawn out, the traveling cleaner is prevented from being damaged from collision with an object while being moved forwardly. In addition, because a power source terminal, a contact sensor unit and a charging terminal unit are formed in a shape of a circular arc, the entering angle of the traveling cleaner widens, so that the charging induction time can be much reduced and the charging can be performed easily and quickly.

Claims

1. An automatic charging device of an automatically traveling cleaner comprising:

a charger having a power source terminal;

a contact sensor unit installed at an automatically traveling cleaner so as to be in contact with the power source terminal;

a charging terminal unit for slidably installed at the automatically traveling cleaner and selectively contacting the power source terminal; and

a charging terminal unit driving unit for selectively drawing in and out the charging terminal unit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein an opening is formed at the middle portion of the contact sensor unit, to allow the charging terminal unit to be drawn in and out therethrough.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source unit is formed in a shape of a circular arc at an outer circumferential surface of the charger, and the contact sensor unit is also formed in a shape of a circular arc at an outer circumferential surface of the automatically traveling cleaner so as to correspond to the power source terminal.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the power source terminal and the contact sensor unit are positioned at the same level.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein a front surface of the charging terminal unit has a shape of a circular arc in order to correspond to the power source terminal.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit includes:

a charging terminal main body; and

a charging electrode attached at a front surface of the charging terminal main body.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit is moved in a radial direction of the traveling cleaner.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit driving unit comprises:

a rack formed at one side of the charging terminal unit;

a pinion engaged with the rack; and

a drive motor for rotating the pinion.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit driving unit comprises:

a moving plate made of a steel material and fixed at an end of the charging terminal unit;

an electromagnet fixed inside the automatically traveling cleaner and pulling up the moving plate; and

an elastic member installed between the moving plate and the electromagnet.

10. An automatic charging method of an automatically traveling cleaner, comprising:

a first step in which a traveling cleaner is approached toward a charger;

a second step in which a charging terminal unit is drawn out when a forward object is in contact with a contact sensor unit while the traveling cleaner is being approached;

a third step in which it is determined whether the forward object is the charger;

a fourth step in which if the charging terminal unit is electrically connected with the forward object, the forward object is recognized as a charger, and the traveling cleaner is charged; and

a fifth step in which if the charging terminal unit is not electrically connected with the forward object, the forward object is recognized as an obstacle, the charging terminal unit is returned to its original position, and the traveling cleaner is again approached toward the charger by avoiding the forward object.