Debris sensor for cleaning apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An autonomous cleaning apparatus, comprising:
- a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus;
a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus and provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and
a debris sensor responsive to debris impacts thereon for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris;
wherein the processor is responsive to the debris signal to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus into a spiraling pattern of movement having a changing turn radius, to substantially immediately cover an area containing debris corresponding to the debris signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby, enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.
267 Citations
57 Claims
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1. An autonomous cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus; a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus and provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and a debris sensor responsive to debris impacts thereon for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; wherein the processor is responsive to the debris signal to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus into a spiraling pattern of movement having a changing turn radius, to substantially immediately cover an area containing debris corresponding to the debris signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. The apparatus of cairn 4 wherein the subsequent pattern of movement comprises the cleaning apparatus turning right.
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7. An autonomous cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus; a controller communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus and provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and a debris sensor responsive to debris impacts thereon for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; wherein the processor is responsive to the debris signal to select a spot coverage mode front among predetermined operative modes of the cleaning apparatus, the spot coverage mode composing steering movement of the cleaning apparatus to substantially immediately cover an area containing debris corresponding to the debris signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A cleaning apparatus comprising:
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a cleaning pathway for transporting debris; a piezoelectric sensor located proximate to the cleaning pathway and responsive to a debris impact thereon to generate a debris signal indicative of such impact; and a processor responsive to the debris signal indicative of a debris impact thereon to cause the cleaning apparatus to enter a substantially spiral movement mode having a reduced movement speed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A debris sensor for a cleaning apparatus, the debris sensor comprising:
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a piezoelectric element located proximate to a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris impact thereon to generate a first signal indicative of such impact; and a processor operable to process the first signal to generate a second signal representative of a relative debris being encountered by the cleaning apparatus and to cause the cleaning apparatus to enter a substantially spiral movement mode having a reduced movement speed, in response to the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating an autonomous cleaning apparatus, the method comprising:
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steering movement of the cleaning apparatus in at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; generating, with a debris sensor responsive to debris impacts, a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; and steering movement of the cleaning apparatus into a spiraling pattern of movement having a changing turn radius substantially immediately cover an area containing debris corresponding to the debris signal. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method of operating an autonomous cleaning apparatus, the method comprising:
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steering movement to provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; generating, with a debris sensor responsive to debris impacts, a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; and responding to the debris signal to select a spot coverage mode from among predetermined operative modes of the cleaning apparatus, the spot coverage mode comprising steering movement of the cleaning apparatus so that the cleaning apparatus substantially immediately covers a dirty area corresponding to the debris signal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of operating a cleaning apparatus, the method comprising:
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generating, with a piezoelectric sensor located proximate to a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debits impact, a debris signal indicative of such impact; and causing the cleaning apparatus to enter a substantially spiral movement mode having a reduced movement speed in response to the debris signal. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of operating a cleaning apparatus, the method comprising:
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generating, with a piezoelectric element located proximate to a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris impact thereon, a first signal indicative of such impact; processing the first signal to generate a second signal representative of a relative quantity of debris being encountered by the cleaning apparatus; and in response to the second signal, entering a substantially spiral movement mode having a reduced movement speed. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a debris sensor operable to generate a debris pulse and that includes a combination of a metal disk and a piezoelectric material responsive to impact on the disk; a mounting system including an elastomer pad and a plurality of elastomer grommets for providing vibration dampening to the debris sensor, the elastomer pads and grommets mounting the metal disk in place such that the surface area of the metal disk between the grommets is not clamped; and a signal processing circuit connected to the debris sensor and including; a filter circuit that removes acoustic noise and radio interference from the debris pulse, a comparator circuit that compares the debris pulse to a background reference level to verify a debris impact, and an output circuit that outputs a debris strike event signal corresponding to the debris pulse. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of operating a cleaning apparatus, comprising;
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sensing the impact of debris with a debris sensor; generating a debris pulse that corresponds to the impact of debits on a debris sensor; mounting a debris sensor so that vibrations are dampened; and processing the signal from the debris sensor, comprising; filtering acoustic noise and radio interference from the debris pulse, comparing the debris pulse to a background reference level to verify a debris impact, and outputting a debris strike event signal that corresponds to the debris pulse. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
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56. An autonomous cleaning apparatus, comprising:
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a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus; a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus and provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and a debris sensor responsive to debris impacts thereon for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; wherein the processor responds to the debris signal by causing a spot cleaning pattern of movement in an area in which the autonomous cleaning apparatus was operating when the debris signal was generated.
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57. An autonomous cleaning apparatus composing:
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a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus; a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus and provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and a debris sensor responsive to debris impacts thereon for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; wherein the debris signals are processed by the processor to signal the autonomous cleaning apparatus to substantially immediately steer to a debris-containing area in which the autonomous cleaning apparatus was operating when the debris signals were generated.
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Specification