Compact autonomous coverage robot

• US 8,347,444 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Schnittman, Mark, Dubrovsky, Zivthan A., Mammen, Jeffrey W., Solochek, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENNINGS, MICHAEL DEANGILO
• Application Number:
  US13/245,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 15/414, 15/46, 15/521, 153/404, 15/42, 15/411, 153/19, 153/25, 15/45, 700/23, 700/258
• US Class Current: 15/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/125 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/145 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/161 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/201 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/282 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/292 having rotary tools A47L11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4025 Means for emptying
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
• 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 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 : Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 : Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 : Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 : Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 : Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 : Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 : involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 : using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 : using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 : using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.

Claims

1. A household autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis having a substantially rectangular forward portion and a substantially semicircular rearward portion, the forward portion having a front edge and the rearward portion defined by a radius of a profile circle;

a robot body contoured substantially along the shape of the chassis and having a curved rearward portion;

a rectangular bumper disposed along a front edge of the robot body and along lateral sides of the robot body such that the rectangular bumper is about three forwardmost sides of the chassis;

a battery carried by the chassis;

a cleaning assembly powered by the battery and mounted forward of the battery, on the forward portion of the chassis, the cleaning assembly comprising a roller brush motor and a roller brush rotatable by the roller brush motor, each of the roller brush and the roller brush motor being between sides of the rectangular bumper, and the roller brush being adjacent the front edge of the chassis and below the roller brush motor;

a bin rearward of the cleaning assembly to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly;

an idler wheel within the profile circle and disposed along a transverse axis; and

a drive system carried by the rearward portion of the chassis and powered by the battery to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface, the drive system comprising right and left drive wheels differentially driven by corresponding right and left motors, the right and left drive wheels defining a drive axis parallel to the transverse axis and substantially along or rearward of a parallel diameter of the profile circle such that

(i) the roller brush and roller brush motor are held above the cleaning surface forward of the idler wheel to clean corners ahead of the robot and

(ii) the center of gravity of the robot is between the drive axis and the idler wheel, the center of gravity of the robot determined by a variable mass of debris within the bin, a mass of the roller brush motor, and a mass of the battery.

2. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the cleaning assembly is cantilevered above the cleaning surface.

3. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 2, wherein the roller brush comprises bristles contacting the cleaning surface beneath the cantilevered cleaning assembly.

4. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the robot is forward of the drive axis.

5. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, wherein a wheelbase is defined between the drive axis and the idler wheel and the wheelbase is substantially equal to or greater than one third of the circular radius defining the profile circle.

6. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the drive axis is equal to or less than 9 cm rearward of the cleaning assembly.

7. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the battery is disposed between the right and left drive wheels.

8. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, further comprising a proximity sensor disposed along the bumper to detect proximity of an object relative to the robot.

9. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 8, wherein the proximity sensor is disposed along the portion of the bumper extending along the front edge of the chassis or along a portion of the bumper extending along lateral sides of the chassis.

10. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the bumper is supported on the chassis and movable in the direction of travel and movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel.

11. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 10, further comprising multidirectional bump sensors disposed along the bumper, each multidirectional bump sensor configured to detect movement of the bumper in the direction of travel and in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel.

12. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 11, further comprising a proximity sensor disposed along the bumper to detect proximity of an object relative to the robot, wherein the proximity sensor and the multidirectional bump sensors are arranged to detect a wall parallel to the lateral side of the chassis when the robot turns about the drive axis.

13. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 12, wherein the robot has a dominant side and only one proximity sensor is provided on the dominant side of the robot.

14. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, further comprising only two cliff sensors disposed along a forward portion of the robot and suspended at respective right and left edges of the bumper.

15. A household autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis having a substantially rectangular forward portion and an arcuate rearward portion, the forward portion having a front edge and the rearward portion defined by a radius of a profile circle;

a robot body contoured substantially along the shape of the chassis and having a curved rearward portion;

a rectangular bumper disposed along a front edge of the robot body and along lateral sides of the robot body such that the rectangular bumper is about three forwardmost sides of the chassis;

a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis such that a substantial portion of the cleaning assembly is outside of the profile circle, the cleaning assembly comprising a roller brush;

an idler wheel within the profile circle and disposed along a transverse axis; and

a drive system carried by the rearward portion of the chassis to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface, the drive system comprising right and left drive wheels defining a drive axis parallel to the transverse axis and substantially along or rearward of a parallel diameter of the profile circle such that the cleaning assembly is cantilevered above the cleaning surface forward of the idler wheel to clean corners ahead of the robot.

16. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 15, wherein the roller brush comprises bristles contacting the cleaning surface beneath the cantilevered cleaning assembly.

17. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 15, wherein the center of gravity of the robot is between the drive axis and the idler wheel.

18. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 15, further comprising a battery rearward of the cleaning assembly and between the right and left drive wheels, the battery powering the cleaning assembly and the drive system.

19. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 15, wherein a wheelbase is defined between the drive axis and the idler wheel, and wherein the wheelbase is substantially equal to or greater than one third of the circular radius defining the profile circle.