Cleaning robot

• US 8,209,053 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Kyoung-woung, Jeung, Sam-jong, Song, Jeong-gon, Kim, Myeong-ho, Lee, Ju-sang, Kim, Heung-yi, Choi, Sam-hyun, Ko, Jang-youn, Kim, Dae-hyung, Lee, Hak-bong, Ryu, Tae-young, Cho, Yoon-kyunh
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/999,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20080300720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/247, 700/248, 700/253, 700/258, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.17, 701/1, 701/23, 701/301, 153/19, 153/401, 180/167, 180/279
• US Class Current: 700/245
• 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: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• 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 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation

Abstract

An improved cleaning robot that uses a simple structure to sense an obstacle is provided. The cleaning robot includes a robot main body comprising a driving unit to drive the cleaning robot, and a cleaning unit to remove dust, a bumper unit which is movably mounted in the robot main body to protect the robot main body from collision with an obstacle, a sensor unit which supports the bumper unit movably in a plurality of directions to sense the collision of the bumper unit and the obstacle, and a control unit which controls the driving unit on the basis of a signal sensed by the sensor to avoid the obstacle.

Claims

1. A cleaning robot comprising:

a robot main body comprising a driving unit to drive the cleaning robot, and a cleaning unit to remove dust;

a bumper unit which is movably mounted in the robot main body to protect the robot main body from a collision with an obstacle;

a sensor unit which supports the bumper unit movably in a plurality of directions including a linear direction and a rotary direction to sense the collision of the bumper unit and the obstacle wherein the sensor unit comprises a supporting member and a sensor which senses movement of the supporting member, wherein the supporting member has a first end that supports the bumper member and a second end that is rotatably inserted into a supporting member holder, the supporting member holder being provided in the robot main body; and

a control unit which controls the driving unit on the basis of a signal sensed by the sensor unit to avoid the obstacle.

2. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the supporting member supports approximately a central part of the bumper unit movably in the plurality of directions.

3. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises a joystick type sensor which is operated by the bumper unit.

4. The cleaning robot of claim 3, wherein the bumper unit comprises:

a bumper member which is mounted in the robot main body; and

a protection member which is made of an elastic material and which surrounds an exterior of the bumper member.

5. The cleaning robot of claim 4, wherein the bumper unit is mounted in the robot main body and protrudes therefrom.

6. The cleaning robot of claim 4, wherein the bumper unit moves about the supporting member between a first position and a second position, upon the collision of the bumper unit with the obstacle.

7. The cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising a running sensor which senses running distance of the robot main body and the obstacle on a running path of the cleaning robot.

8. The cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the cleaning unit on the basis of the signal sensed by the sensor unit.

9. A cleaning robot comprising:

a robot main body comprising a driving unit driving the cleaning robot, and a cleaning unit removing dust;

a bumper unit which is mounted in the robot main body for movement in a plurality of directions including a linear direction and a rotary direction and protects the robot main body from a collision with an obstacle; and

a sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit comprises a supporting member and a sensor which senses movement of the supporting member, wherein the supporting member has a first end that supports the bumper member and a second end that is rotatably inserted into a supporting member holder, the supporting member holder being provided in the robot main body.

10. The cleaning robot of claim 9, wherein the bumper unit comprises:

a bumper member which is mounted in the robot main body; and

a protection member which is made of an elastic material and which surrounds an exterior of the bumper member.

11. The cleaning robot of claim 10, wherein the bumper unit is mounted in the robot main body, and wherein the bumper unit protrudes from an exterior surface of the robot main body.

12. The cleaning robot of claim 10, wherein the supporting member supports approximately a central part of the bumper unit to move in a plurality of directions with respect to the robot main body.

13. The cleaning robot of claim 12, wherein the bumper unit moves between a cleaning position and a colliding position with the obstacle on the basis of the supporting member.

14. The cleaning robot of claim 12, wherein the sensor sensing movement is mounted in the supporting member.

15. A cleaning robot comprising:

a robot main body having a driving unit to drive the cleaning robot and a cleaning unit to remove dust from a surface;

a bumper unit to protect the robot main body from a collision with an obstacle;

a sensor in the robot main body that supports the bumper unit so that the bumper unit protrudes from an exterior surface of the robot main body and moves in both a linear direction and a rotary direction, the sensor senses the collision of the bumper unit with the obstacle, wherein the sensor unit comprises a supporting member and a sensor which senses movement of the supporting member, wherein the supporting member has a first end that supports the bumper member and a second end that is rotatably inserted into a supporting member holder, the supporting member holder being provided in the robot main body; and

a control unit which controls both the driving unit and the cleaning unit on the basis of a signal sensed by the sensor unit.