STEERING CONTROL SENSOR FOR AN AUTOMATIC VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20070017061A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jason Yan
• Original Assignee: Jason Yan
• Inventors: Yan, Jason
• Application Number:
  US11/161,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017061A1
• 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

Abstract

A steering control sensor installed in an automatic vacuum cleaner for controlling the steering direction of the automatic vacuum cleaner is disclosed to include a LED for emitting light onto the floor to produce a reflected light signal, a photo sensor for receiving the light signal, and a spring-supported contact member, which allows the photo sensor to receive the light signal when the automatic vacuum cleaner encounters no obstacle when moving on the floor, or blocks the light signal from the photo sensor to cause the photo sensor to output a signal to drive the automatic vacuum cleaner to change the steering direction when the automatic vacuum cleaner encounters an obstacle during movement.

Claims

1. A steering control sensor installed in an automatic vacuum cleaner and electrically connected to a central processing unit of said automatic vacuum cleaner for driving said automatic vacuum cleaner to change the steering direction when said automatic vacuum cleaner reaches a floor edge or is stopped against an obstacle or a wall during movement on a floor, the steering control sensor comprising:

a casing mounted in said automatic vacuum cleaner;

a circuit board mounted inside said casing;

a light emitting device installed in said circuit board and adapted to emit light onto the floor on which said automatic vacuum cleaner is placed, thereby producing a light signal;

a photo sensor installed in said circuit board and adapted to detect said light signal; and

a contact member mounted in said casing and movable relative to said casing and said photo sensor between an extended open position where said contact member receives no external pressure, and a retracted close position where said contact member is stopped against an external object;

wherein said photo sensor detects the presence of said light signal and outputs a first signal to the CPU of said automatic vacuum cleaner when said contact member receives no external pressure and is moved to said extended open position; and

said contact member blocks said light signal from said photo sensor and said photo sensor outputs a second signal to the CPU of said automatic vacuum cleaner when said contact member is stopped against an external object and moved to said retracted close position.

2. The steering control sensor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring member mounted in said casing and adapted to support said contact member in said extended open position.