Robotic floor cleaning device

• US 6,605,156 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Bisset, David Lindsey, Clark, Alan Gerard, Aldred, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gulakowski, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHRY, SAEED T
• Application Number:
  US10/031,604
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 134/6, 134/21, 134/18, 134/42, 153/19, 153/401, 153/403, 153/404
• US Class Current: 134/6
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2847 Surface treating elements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93

Abstract

A robotic floor cleaning device comprises a chassis (10), motor-driven wheels (11) supporting the chassis (10), a motor-driven suction fan (9), a dirty air inlet (2) and a motor-driven rotatable agitator (4) at the dirty air inlet (2) for agitating the surface. A control system navigates the device around a room and distributes power to the motor-driven wheels (11) and to the agitator (4). The control system detects when the agitator (4) has jammed (100, 102) and, in the event of a jam, attempts to clear the jam (104, 106). After successfully clearing the jam the control system turns the agitator (4) off (114, 116, 118) or navigates the cleaning device around the location at which the jam occurred (119). The cleaning device can store the location of the jam for use in preventing further jams when the cleaning device returns to a similar position in the room.

Claims

1. A robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the control system being arranged to operate the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, the control system further being arranged to detect when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, to attempt to clear the jam and after successfully clearing the jam to proceed in a second mode of operation.

2. A cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein, in the event of a jam, the control system is arranged to disconnect the power to the agitator and to reverse the rotation of the motor-driven wheels of the device to move the device in a reverse direction.

3. A cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the device is arranged to move in a reverse direction over a preset distance.

4. A cleaning device according to claim 3, wherein the preset distance is measured by sensing the change in distance of the device from an object or wall in the room being cleaned while moving the device in a reverse direction.

5. A cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the distance of the device from an object or wall in the room being cleaned is sensed ultrasonically.

6. A cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to reconnect the power to the agitator subsequent to moving in a reverse direction.

7. A cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to move in a forwards direction subsequent to moving in a reverse direction.

8. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to turn off the agitator.

9. A cleaning device according to claim 8 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset distance.

10. A cleaning device according to claim 8 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset period of time.

11. A cleaning device according to claim 8 wherein the control system, in use, stores information representative of positions in the area in which the device is operating and wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation until the cleaning device reaches the next stored position.

12. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to navigate the cleaning device around the location where the agitator jammed.

13. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to memorize the location of the device at which the agitator became jammed.

14. A cleaning device according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to memorize the direction of approach of the device to the location at which the agitator became jammed.

15. A cleaning device according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to subsequently proceed to clean the floor while navigating the device so that the location at which the agitator became jammed is not overrun except from a direction different from the direction of first approach thereto.

16. A cleaning device according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to subsequently proceed to clean the floor while navigating so that, if the location at which the agitator became jammed is overrun, power to the agitator is disconnected just before the device arrives at that location.

17. A cleaning device according to claim 16, wherein the distance before the said location is preset.

18. A cleaning device according to claim 16, wherein the control system is arranged to reconnect power to the agitator after the location at which the agitator became jammed has been overrun.

19. A cleaning device according to claim 18, wherein the control system is arranged to reconnect power to the agitator after the device has overrun the said location by a preset distance.

20. A cleaning device according to claim 19, wherein the preset distance is measured by ultrasonic sensors on the device.

21. A cleaning device according to claim 18, wherein the power to the agitator is reconnected when the device next reaches a way point.

22. A cleaning device according to claim 13, wherein the control system is arranged to proceed to clean the floor whilst navigating the device so that, if the location at which the agitator became jammed is approached, the said location is treated as an obstacle and overrun thereof is avoided.

23. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein, if the agitator becomes jammed a predetermined number of times, the control system is arranged to disconnect power to the agitator and the device continues cleaning the floor while the agitator remains disconnected.

24. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a warning indicator and, if the agitator remains jammed after a predetermined time has elapsed after the first detection of an agitator jam, the warning indicator is activated.

25. A cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the control system is arranged to monitor when the rotational speed of the agitator falls below a threshold indicative of an agitator jam.

26. A cleaning device according to claim 25, wherein the speed of the agitator is sensed by sensing the current drawn by the agitator motor.

27. A method of operating a robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, and a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the method comprising the control system operating the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, detecting when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, attempting to clear the jam and after successfully clearing the jam proceeding to operate in a second mode of operation.

28. A robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the control system being arranged to operate the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, to detect when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, to attempt to clear the jam and to store information representative of the location of the jam, the control system further being arranged to subsequently navigate the cleaning device around the room and to operate the device in a second mode of operation when the device approaches the location of a previous jam.

29. A cleaning device according to claim 28 wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to turn off the agitator.

30. A cleaning device according to claim 29 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset distance.

31. A cleaning device according to claim 29 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset period of time.

32. A cleaning device according to claim 28 wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to navigate the cleaning device around the location where the agitator jammed.

33. A cleaning device according to claim 28, wherein the cleaning device is arranged to also memorize the direction of approach of the device to the location at which the agitator became jammed and wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to navigate the device so that the location at which the agitator became jammed is not overrun except from a direction different from the direction of first approach thereto.