Robot cleaner

• US 7,474,941 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jung, Ii-du, Kim, Ki-man
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen; Lin B
• Application Number:
  US10/887,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 296 2608- 2609, 296 2611- 2613, 296/26.15, 296/186.4, 296/186.3, 296/186.9, 296/186.13, 296/1.04, 446/486.489, 700/246, 700/258, 701/24, 701/25
• US Class Current: 700/258
• 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 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

A robot cleaner is provided. The robot cleaner comprises a bumper to buffer a shock caused by a sudden collision with an unexpected obstacle and an unexpected obstacle detecting means and a controller to change a running direction of the robot cleaner to avoid the obstacle. Accordingly, when an unexpected obstacle appears in front of the cleaner and the cleaner collides with the obstacle, the bumper buffers and absorbs the shock, thereby preventing damage to a cleaner body and inner parts. Also, the robot cleaner can avoid the obstacle and, thus, complete a cleaning operation without stopping the cleaning operation.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner that removes dirt from a cleaning surface while automatically running along a predetermined path, the robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body having a driving part to drive the robot cleaner and a suction part to remove dirt;

a bumper attached to the cleaner body for protecting the cleaner body from a shock caused by a collision with an unexpected obstacle during the running operation;

a bumper supporting unit for elastically supporting the bumper so that the bumper moves between a first position where the bumper is separated from the cleaner body by a predetermined distance and a second position where the bumper retreats from the first position;

a plurality of micro switches disposed at opposite sides of the cleaner body for detecting the collision with the unexpected obstacle, each micro switch including,

at least one switch portion disposed at the cleaner body, and

at least one plate spring disposed adjacent to the at least one switch portion for switching on/off the switch portion, the plate spring elastically supporting the bumper in the first position and being biased to switch off the switch portion when the bumper is in the first position and elastically deformed to switch on the switch portion when the bumper is displaced to the second position,

wherein the switch portion is switched on when the switch portion contacts the at least one plate spring and the switch portion is switched off when the switch portion is spaced from the at least one spring plate; and

a controller for controlling the driving part and the suction part,

wherein the controller determines that an unexpected obstacle lies in front of the robot cleaner when the at least one switch portion is switched on, the controller thereby changing the predetermined path of the cleaner body to avoid the unexpected obstacle.

3. The robot cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unexpected obstacle sensing means comprises a plurality of micro switches disposed at opposite sides of the cleaner body, each micro switch including:

a switch portion; and

a plate spring disposed at the cleaner body adjacent to the switch portion for switching on/off the switch portion, the plate spring being elastically biased in normal condition when the bumper is in the first position so as to switch off the switch portion, and the plate spring elastically deformed when the bumper is displaced to the second position so as to switch on the switch portion,

wherein the controller determines that an unexpected obstacle lies in front of the robot cleaner when the switching portion is switched on.

4. The robot cleaner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bumper is elastically supported at the first position by the plate spring.

5. The robot cleaner as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a buffering unit for elastically supporting the bumper with respect to the cleaner body to maintain the bumper at the first position and for absorbing the shock to the bumper.

6. The robot cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein the buffering unit comprises:

a first member protruding from an inner side of the bumper toward the cleaner body and having at least one pair of guide recesses positioned opposite each other;

a second member movably disposed in the first member and having a pair of protrusions formed at one end to be inserted into the guide recesses of the first member, the other end of the second member contacting the cleaner body; and

an elastic member disposed in the second member for biasing the second member outwardly away from the first member.

7. The robot cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein the buffering unit comprises:

a first supporting member protruding from an inner side of the bumper toward the cleaner body and having at least one pair of guide recesses positioned opposite each other;

a second supporting member movably disposed in the first supporting member and having a pair of protrusions formed at one end to be inserted in the guide recesses;

a third supporting member protruding from the other end of the second supporting member and having a hook formed at one end; and

a fourth supporting member having a hook hole formed in one side of the cleaner body to receive the third supporting member.

8. The robot cleaner as claimed in claim 7, wherein a fifth supporting member is formed at the other end of the second supporting member and has a front end contacting the fourth supporting member to maintain the third supporting member inserted into the hook hole at a constant position.

2. A robot cleaner which removes dirt from a cleaning surface while automatically running along a predetermined path, the robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body having a driving part to drive the robot cleaner and a suction part to remove dirt;

a bumper attached to the cleaner body for protecting the cleaner body from a shock caused by a collision with an unexpected obstacle during the running operation;

a bumper supporting unit for elastically supporting the bumper so that the bumper moves between a first position where the bumper is separated from the cleaner body by a predetermined distance and a second position where the bumper retreats from the first position, the bumper supporting unit being configured so that the bumper remains in the same horizontal plane as the bumper moves between the first position and the second position, and the bumper supporting unit comprising,

a pair of flanges formed on opposite sides of the bumper each having a slide hole,

a pair of connectors each having a pin formed at one end to be inserted into the slide hole, and

a pair of fixing pieces formed on opposite sides of the cleaner body for fixing the other ends of the connectors at the cleaner body;

an unexpected obstacle sensing means being switched on/off according to the displacement of the bumper and for detecting a collision with the unexpected obstacle; and

a controller for controlling the driving part and the suction part, determining the appearance of the unexpected obstacle in response to a signal from the unexpected obstacle sensing means, and changing a running direction of the cleaner body to avoid the unexpected obstacle.