Robot cleaner and control method thereof

• US 9,532,690 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Jae Hwi, Park, Young Jae, Kim, Sin Ae, Kim, Won Kuk, Sin, Hyo Won
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US14/560,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20150208891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• 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 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• 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: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A robot cleaner capable of vacuuming foreign materials on a floor includes a main body to which a dust collector is mounted and a vacuuming unit provided at a front portion of the main body to clean a floor. The vacuuming unit is configured to move relative to the main body. If it is determined that the robot cleaner is located near a wall or an obstacle, the vacuuming unit moves to the wall or the obstacle. Since the vacuuming unit contacts the wall or the obstacle, a region of a floor near the wall or the obstacle may be cleaned. Further, a manual cleaner may be selectively connected to a channel connector of the robot cleaner so that a user may choose automatic or manual cleaning of a floor at the user'"'"'s convenience.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a dust collector;

a main body mounted to the dust collector;

a vacuuming unit provided at a front portion of the main body, the vacuuming unit being configured to clean a floor; and

a movement device including a pinion gear and a rack gear, the movement device being configured to move the vacuuming unit with respect to the main body,

wherein the pinion gear is provided on one of the main body and the vacuuming unit, and the rack gear is provided on another one of the main body and the vacuuming unit, and

wherein the vacuuming unit is configured to move relative to the main body.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the main body includes an extension part comprising a straight part at a front portion thereof, and the vacuuming unit is mounted to the extension part.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the vacuuming unit includes

a vacuuming port configured to suction foreign materials from the floor and

a connection part communicating with the vacuuming port, and

wherein the connection part and the dust collector are connected by a vacuuming channel.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the vacuuming channel is made of a flexible rubber material.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the main body is formed with a guide recess which extends longitudinally in a left direction and a right direction and along which the vacuuming channel moves left or right.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the vacuuming unit is provided with a brush assembly configured to pick up foreign materials off of the floor and to send the foreign materials to the vacuuming port.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the vacuuming unit is provided with a damper at a left end portion or a right end portion thereof.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 7, wherein the damper is a flexible tube made of a rubber material.

9. A robot cleaner comprising:

a dust collector;

a main body mounted to the dust collector;

a vacuuming unit provided at a front portion of the main body, the vacuuming unit being configured to clean a floor and being configured to move relative to the main body, the vacuuming unit including

a vacuuming port configured to provide suction to remove foreign materials off of the floor,

a connection part communicating with the vacuuming port, and

a vacuuming channel connecting the connection part and the dust collector; and

a channel connector mounted to the vacuuming channel, the channel connector configured to cause the vacuuming channel to selectively communicate with the connection part or an extension hose provided with a vacuuming head.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the channel connector comprises a valve provided with an elastic member configured to apply elastic force to the valve to block communication with the extension hose.

11. The robot cleaner according to claim 10, wherein when the extension hose is inserted into the channel connector, the valve is rotated so that the vacuuming channel communicates with the extension hose and blocks communication with the connection part.

12. The robot cleaner according to claim 11, wherein:

the main body further comprises a torque sensor and a controller to control movement of the main body,

the torque sensor senses information, which corresponds to a direction and a magnitude of force applied to the extension hose, and transmits the sensed information to the controller, and

the controller drives wheels mounted on the main body to move the main body based on the sensed information transmitted from the torque sensor.

13. A robot cleaner comprising:

a dust collector;

a main body mounted to the dust collector;

a vacuuming unit provided at a front portion of the main body, the vacuuming unit being configured to clean a floor;

a movement device including a pinion gear and a rack gear, the movement device being configured to move the vacuuming unit with respect to the main body, the pinion gear being provided on one of the main body and the vacuuming unit and the rack gear being provided on another one of the main body and the vacuuming unit;

a vacuuming channel connecting the vacuuming unit and the dust collector; and

a channel connector mounted to the vacuuming channel, the channel connector being configured to cause the vacuuming channel to selectively communicate with the connection part or an extension hose.

14. The robot cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the channel connector comprises a valve provided with an elastic member configured to apply elastic force to the valve to block communication with the extension hose.

15. The robot cleaner according to claim 14, wherein when the extension hose is inserted into the channel connector, the valve is rotated so that the vacuuming channel communicates with the extension hose and blocks communication with the connection part.