Autonomous planar surface cleaning robot

• US 9,655,484 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics, Inc. (Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics, Inc. (Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Qian, Dongqi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US14/968,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20160095481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/02 Power-driven machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/38 Machines, specially adapted for cleaning walls, ceilings, roofs, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• 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 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• 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 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• 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: B62D 11/04 by means of separate power sources
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/06 with tracks without ground wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/16 comprising worm and worm-wheel
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/28 with gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/041 for conveying rotary motion with constant gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles

Abstract

Autonomous planar surface cleaning robots are disclosed. The robot includes a main body having a bottom portion defining an outer portion defining a surface area about a perimeter thereof and an inner portion defining a cavity formed within the outer portion. The main body supports a driving mechanism, a vacuum source, a vacuum sensor, and a control unit. The vacuum source, cavity, and vacuum sensor are in fluid communication. The control unit is electrically coupled to the driving mechanism, the vacuum source, and the vacuum sensor, and is configured to control the robot to turn direction when the control unit receives a signal from the vacuum sensor indicating that a degree of vacuum pressure within the cavity is below a predetermined vacuum pressure. Also disclosed is robot that includes multiple vacuum sources. Also disclosed is an apparatus that includes a connector pole.

Claims

1. An autonomous planar surface cleaning robot, comprising:

a main body having a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion defining an outer portion defining a surface area about a perimeter thereof and an inner portion defining a cavity formed within the outer portion;

a driving mechanism supported by the main body;

a first vacuum source supported by the main body and in fluid communication with the cavity;

a second vacuum source supported by the main body and fluidically isolated from the cavity;

a vacuum sensor supported by the main body and in fluid communication with the second vacuum source through a fluid channel; and

a control unit supported by the main body and electrically coupled to the driving mechanism, the first and second vacuum sources, and the vacuum sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to control the robot to turn direction when the control unit receives a signal from the vacuum sensor indicating that a degree of vacuum pressure within the fluid channel is below a predetermined vacuum pressure.

2. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising at least one aperture formed in the outer portion of the bottom portion of the main body, wherein the at least one aperture is in fluid communication with the fluid channel and the vacuum sensor and is in fluid isolation with the cavity.

3. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising another vacuum sensor supported by the main body and in fluid communication with the cavity.

4. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising a cleaning component disposed over the surface area defined on the outer portion of the bottom portion of the main body.

5. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 4, wherein the cleaning component is removably connected to the outer portion of the bottom portion of the main body.

6. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 4, wherein the cleaning component extends outwardly beyond the driving mechanism and the first vacuum source to provide a vacuum seal.

7. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 6, wherein the cleaning component provides the vacuum seal between a planar surface and the cavity when the cleaning component is applied against the planar surface.

8. An autonomous planar surface cleaning robot, comprising:

a main body having a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion defining an outer portion defining a surface area about a perimeter thereof and an inner portion defining a cavity formed within the outer portion;

a driving mechanism supported by the main body;

at least one vacuum source;

a vacuum sensor supported by the main body and in fluid communication with the at least one vacuum source through a fluid channel; and

a control unit supported by the main body and electrically coupled to the driving mechanism, the at least one vacuum source, and the vacuum sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to control the robot to turn direction when the control unit receives a signal from the vacuum sensor indicating that a degree of vacuum pressure within the fluid channel is below a predetermined vacuum pressure.

9. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 8, further comprising at least one aperture formed in the outer portion of the bottom portion of the main body, wherein the at least one aperture is in fluid communication with the fluid channel and the vacuum sensor and is in fluid isolation with the cavity.

10. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 8, further comprising another vacuum sensor supported by the main body and in fluid communication with the cavity.

11. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 8, further comprising a cleaning component disposed over the surface area defined on the outer portion of the bottom portion of the main body.

12. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 11, wherein the cleaning component is removably connected to the outer portion of the bottom portion of the main body.

13. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 11, wherein the cleaning component extends outwardly beyond the driving mechanism to provide a vacuum seal.

14. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 13, wherein the cleaning component provides the vacuum seal between a planar surface and the cavity when the cleaning component is applied against the planar surface.

15. An autonomous planar surface cleaning robot, comprising:

a body;

a driving mechanism supported by the body;

a vacuum sensor supported by the body and in fluid communication with a fluid channel; and

a control unit supported by the body and electrically coupled to the driving mechanism and the vacuum sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to control the robot to turn direction when the control unit receives a signal from the vacuum sensor indicating that a degree of vacuum pressure within the fluid channel is below a predetermined vacuum pressure.

16. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 15, further comprising at least one aperture formed in the body, wherein the at least one aperture is in fluid communication with the vacuum sensor.

17. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 15, further comprising another vacuum sensor supported by the body.

18. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 15, further comprising a cleaning component disposed over a surface area defined by the body.

19. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 18, wherein the cleaning component is removably connected to the body.

20. The autonomous planar surface cleaning robot of claim 18, wherein the cleaning component provides a vacuum seal.