CHARGING UNIT AND CHARGING SYSTEM FOR SELF-PROPELLED ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20160352112A1
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: SHUDO, Takumi
• Granted Patent: US 10,199,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0244 using reflecting strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

A charging unit for charging a battery of a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner which runs on a floor based on outputs of an infrared beam reflection-type floor detection sensor and an infrared beam detection sensor, includes an infrared beam-transmitting unit for emitting an infrared beam for indicating a return path and an infrared beam-absorbing part, in which the infrared beam-transmitting unit and the infrared beam-absorbing part are provided such that the infrared beam detected by the infrared beam detection sensor and the infrared beam absorbing part detected by the floor detection sensor allow the vacuum cleaner to return to the charging unit.

Claims

1. A charging unit for charging a battery of a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner which runs on a floor based on outputs of an infrared beam reflection-type floor detection sensor and an infrared beam detection sensor, comprising an infrared beam-transmitting unit for emitting an infrared beam for indicating a return path and an infrared beam-absorbing part, in which the infrared beam-transmitting unit and the infrared beam-absorbing part are provided such that the infrared beam detected by the infrared beam detection sensor and the infrared beam absorbing part detected by the floor detection sensor allow the vacuum cleaner to return to the charging unit.

2. The charging unit of claim 1, wherein the infrared beam-absorbing part includes a plurality of infrared beam-absorbing members disposed near the return path and along the floor.

3. The charging unit of claim 1, wherein the infrared beam-absorbing member includes a plurality of band-shaped infrared beam-absorbing members disposed in parallel to the return path and along the floor.

4. The charging unit of claim 1, wherein the infrared beam-absorbing part includes a band-shaped infrared beam-absorbing member disposed orthogonal to the return path and along the floor.

5. A charging system for a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner, comprising a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner having an infrared beam reflection-type floor detection sensor and a charging unit having an infrared beam-absorbing part, wherein the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner to be charged returns to the charging unit with the floor detection sensor detecting the infrared beam-absorbing part.