Running robot carrying out prescribed work using working member and method of working using the same

• US 5,720,077 A
• Filed: 05/26/1995
• Issued: 02/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Oyokota, Shigeru, Kawakami, Yuichi, Kawagoe, Nobukazu, Nakanishi, Hideaki, Nakamura, Kyoko
• Primary Examiner(s): TILL, TERRENCE R
• Application Number:
  US08/452,280
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 134/21, 134/22.1, 134/42, 15/319, 15/325, 15/339, 15/340.1, 15/354, 180/168, 180/169, 180/204, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/685, 318/696, 364/424.02, 364/449, 901/1
• US Class Current: 15/340.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use

Abstract

A running member is attached rotatably to a body member, and a working member is attached movably to the body member. Therefore, in a large area, a work can be carried out efficiently even in a corner portion, and a desired work can be implemented even in a narrowed portion by shifting the working member to a working area and directly operating the working member in the narrowed portion.

Claims

1. A running robot, comprising:

a running member having a driving mechanism and a wheel;

a body member being rotatably coupled with said running member; and

a working member projecting from said body member along a projected direction, said working member being shiftable with respect to said body member in a shifting direction that is perpendicular to the projected direction and is parallel to a floor on which the running robot is used.

2. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein said working member is elongate in a direction perpendicular to the shifting direction.

3. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein said working member is elongate in a direction parallel to the shifting direction.

4. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein said running member is equipped with a pair of drive wheels which are arranged on a first line and which are rotated independently on a central axis.

5. The running robot as claimed in claim 4, wherein said running member is further equipped with a steering wheel for changing a moving direction of said running robot.

6. The running robot as claimed in claim 4, wherein said running member is further equipped with a pair of steering wheels which are arranged on a second line perpendicular to the first line, and are turned oppositely each other in a plane parallel to a floor.

7. The running robot as claimed in claim 6, further comprising means for holding the pair of steering wheels in a direction orthogonal to the second line and for rotating the pair of drive wheels in an opposite direction for turning the running robot around its central axis.

8. The running robot as claimed in claim 6, further comprising means for holding the pair of steering wheels in a direction parallel to the second line and for rotating the pair of drive wheels in a same direction when the running member advances the running robot straight.

9. The running robot as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a suspension mechanism which supports at least one drive wheel.

10. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein said working member cleans a floor on which said running robot stands.

11. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body member is rotated with respect to the running member by means of a bearing mechanism and a motor.

12. The running robot as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a potentiometer which detects a rotation angle of the body member with respect to the running member.

13. The running robot as claimed in claim 11, wherein the motor is a stepping motor.

14. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working member has at least one contact sensor on its outer surface, said contact sensor sensing contact of the working member with an obstacle.

15. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working member has at least one distance sensor on its outer surface, said distance sensor measuring a distance to an obstacle.

16. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working member is a cleaner.

17. The running robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body member has almost the same size in length and width as the running member.

18. The running robot as claimed in claim 17, wherein the working member is a cleaner.

19. A running robot, comprising:

a running member having a driving mechanism and means for moving the running member along a floor;

a body member being rotatably coupled with said running member; and

a working member projecting from said body member along a projected direction, said working member being shiftable with respect to the body member in a shifting direction that is perpendicular to the projected direction and is parallel to the floor.