AUTONOMOUS SURFACE TREATING APPLIANCE

• US 20130061416A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: DYSON, James, Gammack, Peter David, Vanderstegen-Drake, Mark Stamford, Bott, Paul Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/608,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061416A1
• 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: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/075 Tracked vehicles for ascending or descending stairs, steep slopes or vertical surfacesmagnetic or pneumatic ground-engaging parts B62D55/265; chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a chassis having a drive arrangement and a control system interfaced to the drive arrangement so as enable control of the appliance across a surface to be treated, wherein the drive arrangement comprises at least one traction unit, each traction unit comprising a surface-engaging track constrained around a leading wheel and a trailing wheel, the leading wheel and the trailing wheel being arranged so that a track portion opposing the floor surface and extending between the leading and trailing wheels defines a ramped climbing surface.

Claims

1. An autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a chassis having a drive arrangement and a control system operatively connected to the drive arrangement so as enable control of the appliance across a surface to be treated, wherein the drive arrangement comprises at least one traction unit, the at least one traction unit comprising a surface-engaging track constrained around a leading wheel and a trailing wheel so as to define a track portion extending between the leading and trailing wheels that opposes a floor surface, the leading wheel and the trailing wheel being arranged so that the track portion defines a ramped climbing surface.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the traction unit includes a single trailing wheel.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the trailing wheel has a greater diameter than that of the leading wheel.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drive arrangement includes a motor to drive the leading wheel in response to commands from the control system.

5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the motor is a brushless DC electric motor.

6. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the at least one traction unit further comprises a transmission unit extending between the motor and the leading wheel.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the trailing wheel is mounted to a first end of a linkage member and wherein a second end of the linkage member is pivotable about an axis of the leading wheel.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the linkage member includes a guard member that at least partially fills a volume bounded by the leading wheel, the trailing wheel and the track.

9. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the linkage member is pivotably mounted to the transmission unit about the leading wheel axis, and wherein the transmission unit is mounted to the chassis.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein a biasing element is provided between the transmission unit and the linkage member so as to urge the trailing wheel into contact with the surface to be treated.

11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the trailing wheel includes a track engaging face and a rim portion adjacent to and having a greater diameter than the track engaging surface.

12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the rim portion extends to the same radial position as the outer surface of the track.

13. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the rim portion has a serrated profile.

14. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising an airflow generator for generating a flow of air between a dirty air inlet and a clean air outlet, and a separating apparatus disposed in the airflow path between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet so as to separate dirt from the airflow.

15. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the chassis includes a supporting arrangement that bear the chassis on a floor surface in a generally parallel orientation.

16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the supporting arrangement includes wheels, rollers or skids.

17. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the trailing wheel is mounted to a first end of a linkage member and wherein a second end of the linkage member is pivotable about an axis of the leading wheel.