Traveling cleaner charging device and method

• US 7,202,630 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Dan, Byung-Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US10/740,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20040130290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/108, 320/109, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/115
• 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 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0229 in combination with fixed guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An automatic charging device and method of an automatically traveling cleaner are disclosed. Since a charging terminal unit is installed inside a traveling cleaner and selectively drawn out, the traveling cleaner is prevented from being damaged from collision with an object while being moved forwardly. In addition, because a power source terminal, a contact sensor unit and a charging terminal unit are formed in a shape of a circular arc, the entering angle of the traveling cleaner widens, so that the charging induction time can be much reduced and the charging can be performed easily and quickly.

Claims

1. A charging device for a traveling cleaner comprising:

a charger having a power source terminal;

a contact sensor unit installed on the traveling cleaner for contacting with an object;

a charging terminal unit slidably installed on the traveling cleaner and determining whether the object is the charger having the power source terminal, and selectively contacting the power source terminal; and

a charging terminal unit driving unit for selectively extending and retracting the charging terminal unit when the contact sensor detects the object.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein an opening is formed at the middle portion of the contact sensor unit, allowing the charging terminal unit to be extended and retracted.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source terminal is formed in a shape of a circular arc at an outer circumferential surface of the charger, and the contact sensor unit is also formed in a shape of a circular arc at an outer circumferential surface of the automatically traveling cleaner so as to correspond to the power source terminal.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source terminal and the contact sensor unit are positioned at the same level.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a front surface of the charging terminal unit has a shape of a circular arc in order to correspond to the power source terminal.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit includes:

a charging terminal main body; and

a charging electrode attached at a front surface of the charging terminal main body.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit is moved in a radial direction of the traveling cleaner.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit driving unit comprises:

a rack formed at one side of the charging terminal unit;

a pinion engaged with the rack; and

a drive motor for rotating the pinion.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein when the contact sensor connects with the object and the charging terminal unit determines the object is not the charger, the charging terminal unit retracts and the traveling cleaner maneuvers around the object.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein when the contact sensor connects with the object and the charging terminal unit determines the object is the charger, the charging unit begins charging from the charger.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the charging terminal unit driving unit comprises:

a moving plate made of a steel material and fixed at an end of the charging terminal unit;

an electromagnet fixed inside the traveling cleaner for selectively attracting the moving plate; and

an elastic member biasing the moving plate from the electromagnet.

12. A method for charging a traveling cleaner, comprising:

approaching an object such that a contact sensor unit on the traveling cleaner senses physical contact with the object;

extending a charger terminal unit when the object is sensed by the contact sensor unit;

determining whether the object is a charger having a power source terminal by sensing electrical contact between the charger terminal unit and the object, and if there is no electrical contact, retracting the charger terminal unit and maneuvering to avoid the object; and

if electrical contact is made with the power source terminal, begin charging the traveling cleaner.