ROBOT CLEANER

• US 20180228328A1
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Published: 08/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Hyosung, NAM, Bohyun, PARK, Sojin, KIM, Jin-Ju, BAE, Sehwan
• Application Number:
  US15/749,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20180228328A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/24 Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings hoses or hose joints in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays

Abstract

A robot cleaner includes a main body having a suction motor; a moving unit to automatically move the main body; and a suction module to be in communication with the suction motor and to clean a floor, wherein an accommodating portion in which a part of the suction module is accommodated is provided at a lower portion of a front side of the main body, and while the suction module is located in the accommodating portion, a part of the suction module is disposed to be vertically overlapped with the main body, and another part of the suction module protrudes toward both sides from a front portion of the main body, and still another part of the suction module protrudes to a front of the main body.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body having a suction motor;

a moving unit configured to automatically move the main body; and

a suction module configured to be in communication with the suction motor and to clean a floor,

wherein an accommodating portion in which a part of the suction module is accommodated is provided at a lower portion of a front side of the main body, and while the suction module is located in the accommodating portion, a part of the suction module is disposed to be vertically overlapped with the main body, and another part of the suction module protrudes toward both sides from a front portion of the main body, and still another part of the suction module protrudes to a front of the main body.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a module connection part at which the suction module is separably installed, and

the front of the main body is the module connection part.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the accommodating portion is located under the module connection part.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the suction module comprises a first fastening portion which is fastened to the module connection part, and

the module connection part comprises a second fastening portion which is fastened to the first fastening portion, and

the first fastening portion is one of an operating part operated by a user and a groove in which a part of the operating part is accommodated, and

the second fastening portion is the other one of the operating part and the groove.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 4, wherein the suction module further comprises a first guide portion which guides a fastening operation to the module connection part, and

the module connection part further includes a second guide portion which guides the first guide portion.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the suction module comprises a case which forms an exterior, and a main body connection part which is disposed at an upper side of the case and connected to the module connection part, and

while the main body connection part is coupled to the module connection part, a height of the case is lower than that of the main body.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises a module connection part to which an additional suction module is coupled.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein the main body further comprises a common passage which is in communication with the suction motor, a first suction passage which is in communication with the suction module,

a second suction passage which is in communication with the additional suction module, and

a passage switching unit which allows one of the first suction passage and the second suction passage to be in communication with the common passage.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 8, wherein the passage switching unit allows the first suction passage to be in communication with the common passage when the additional suction module is separated from the module connection part, and allows the second suction passage to be in communication with the common passage when the additional suction module is connected to the module connection part.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 9, wherein the module connection part is rotatably connected to the main body, and the passage switching unit is moved by receiving a rotating force of the module connection part.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 9, wherein the main body comprises a cover member for covering the module connection part, and the passage switching unit is moved by receiving a moving force of the cover member.

12. The robot cleaner of claim 9, further comprising a motor for operating the passage switching unit.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 9, wherein the passage switching unit comprises a switching part which is rotated on the common passage and shields the first suction passage or the second suction passage while being rotated, and a transmission part which transmits power to the switching part.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein the moving unit further comprises a wheel, a motor to rotate the wheel, and a clutch which connects the motor and the wheel or releases a connection therebetween.

15. The robot cleaner of claim 14, further comprising a controller to control the motor,

wherein the controller controls the clutch based on whether the additional suction module is installed on the module connection part.

16. The robot cleaner of claim 15, further comprising an installation detecting part which detects whether the additional suction module is installed on the module connection part,

wherein, when a command for operating the suction motor is input while it is detected that the additional suction module is not installed, the controller controls the clutch to connect the motor with the wheel, and

when the command for operating the suction motor is input while it is detected that the additional suction module is installed, the controller controls the clutch to release a connection between the motor and the wheel.

17. The robot cleaner of claim 14, further comprising an input part which selects an automatic cleaning mode and a manual cleaning mode as a cleaning mode, and a controller which controls the clutch according to the cleaning mode selected by the input part.

18. The robot cleaner of claim 17, wherein the controller controls the clutch to connect the motor and the wheel when the automatic cleaning mode is selected, and controls the clutch to release a connection between the motor and the wheel when the manual cleaning mode is selected.

19. The robot cleaner of claim 7, further comprising an input part which selects an automatic cleaning mode and a manual cleaning mode as a cleaning mode, and a controller which controls the moving unit according to the cleaning mode selected by the input part,

wherein, when the automatic cleaning mode is selected, the controller controls the moving unit so that the main body is moved in a preset traveling pattern, and when the manual cleaning mode is selected, the controller controls the moving unit so that the main body is moved following movement of the additional suction module.

20. The robot cleaner of claim 7, further comprising an installation detecting part which detects whether the additional suction module is installed, and a controller which controls the moving unit based on whether the additional suction module is installed,

wherein, when a command for operating the suction motor is input while it is detected that the additional suction module is not installed, the controller controls the moving unit so that the main body is moved in a preset traveling pattern, and

when the command for operating the suction motor is input while it is detected that the additional suction module is installed, the controller controls the moving unit so that the main body is moved following movement of the additional suction module.