U.S. patent application number 13/608648 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-14 for autonomous surface treating appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to Dyson Technology Limited. The applicant listed for this patent is Paul Joshua Bott, James DYSON, Peter David Gammack, Mark Stamford Vanderstegen-Drake. Invention is credited to Paul Joshua Bott, James DYSON, Peter David Gammack, Mark Stamford Vanderstegen-Drake.
Application Number | 20130061416 13/608648 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44908312 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130061416 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DYSON; James ; et
al. |
March 14, 2013 |
AUTONOMOUS SURFACE TREATING APPLIANCE
Abstract
An autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a chassis
having a drive arrangement and a control system interfaced to the
drive arrangement so as enable control of the appliance across a
surface to be treated, wherein the drive arrangement comprises at
least one traction unit, each traction unit comprising a
surface-engaging track constrained around a leading wheel and a
trailing wheel, the leading wheel and the trailing wheel being
arranged so that a track portion opposing the floor surface and
extending between the leading and trailing wheels defines a ramped
climbing surface.
Inventors: |
DYSON; James; (Malmesbury,
GB) ; Gammack; Peter David; (Malmesbury, GB) ;
Vanderstegen-Drake; Mark Stamford; (Malmesbury, GB) ;
Bott; Paul Joshua; (Malmesbury, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DYSON; James
Gammack; Peter David
Vanderstegen-Drake; Mark Stamford
Bott; Paul Joshua |
Malmesbury
Malmesbury
Malmesbury
Malmesbury |
|
GB
GB
GB
GB |
|
|
Assignee: |
Dyson Technology Limited
Malmesbury
GB
|
Family ID: |
44908312 |
Appl. No.: |
13/608648 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/319 ;
180/167 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L 2220/44 20130101;
B60L 2260/32 20130101; Y02T 10/7072 20130101; B60L 2240/421
20130101; A47L 2201/04 20130101; B60L 58/12 20190201; B60L 2240/423
20130101; B62D 55/075 20130101; B60L 50/52 20190201; Y02T 10/72
20130101; Y02T 10/64 20130101; A47L 9/009 20130101; B60L 15/2036
20130101; B60L 1/003 20130101; B60L 2200/40 20130101; Y02T 90/14
20130101; Y02T 10/70 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/319 ;
180/167 |
International
Class: |
B62D 55/06 20060101
B62D055/06; A47L 5/00 20060101 A47L005/00; G05D 1/02 20060101
G05D001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 9, 2011 |
GB |
1115603.1 |
Claims
1. An autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a chassis
having a drive arrangement and a control system operatively
connected to the drive arrangement so as enable control of the
appliance across a surface to be treated, wherein the drive
arrangement comprises at least one traction unit, the at least one
traction unit comprising a surface-engaging track constrained
around a leading wheel and a trailing wheel so as to define a track
portion extending between the leading and trailing wheels that
opposes a floor surface, the leading wheel and the trailing wheel
being arranged so that the track portion defines a ramped climbing
surface.
2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the traction unit includes a
single trailing wheel.
3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the trailing wheel has a
greater diameter than that of the leading wheel.
4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drive arrangement includes
a motor to drive the leading wheel in response to commands from the
control system.
5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the motor is a brushless DC
electric motor.
6. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the at least one traction unit
further comprises a transmission unit extending between the motor
and the leading wheel.
7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the trailing wheel is mounted
to a first end of a linkage member and wherein a second end of the
linkage member is pivotable about an axis of the leading wheel.
8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the linkage member includes a
guard member that at least partially fills a volume bounded by the
leading wheel, the trailing wheel and the track.
9. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the linkage member is
pivotably mounted to the transmission unit about the leading wheel
axis, and wherein the transmission unit is mounted to the
chassis.
10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein a biasing element is provided
between the transmission unit and the linkage member so as to urge
the trailing wheel into contact with the surface to be treated.
11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the trailing wheel includes a
track engaging face and a rim portion adjacent to and having a
greater diameter than the track engaging surface.
12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the rim portion extends to
the same radial position as the outer surface of the track.
13. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the rim portion has a
serrated profile.
14. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising an airflow
generator for generating a flow of air between a dirty air inlet
and a clean air outlet, and a separating apparatus disposed in the
airflow path between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet
so as to separate dirt from the airflow.
15. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the chassis includes a
supporting arrangement that bear the chassis on a floor surface in
a generally parallel orientation.
16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the supporting arrangement
includes wheels, rollers or skids.
17. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the trailing wheel is mounted
to a first end of a linkage member and wherein a second end of the
linkage member is pivotable about an axis of the leading wheel.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of United Kingdom
Application No. 1115603.1, filed Sep. 9, 2011, the entire contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to an autonomous surface treating
appliance, such as a mobile robotic vacuum cleaner, and also to a
drive arrangement for such a machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Mobile robots are increasingly commonplace and are used in
such diverse fields as space exploration, lawn mowing and floor
cleaning. The last decade has seen particularly rapid advancement
in the field of robotic floor cleaning devices, especially vacuum
cleaners, the primary objective of which is to navigate a user's
home autonomously and unobtrusively whilst cleaning the floor. The
invention will be described in the context of a robotic vacuum
cleaner but it is also applicable in general to any type of mobile
robot platform, such as robotic lawn mowers.
[0004] Common to all mobile robots is the requirement for a drive
system. In the context of robotic floor cleaners, a popular
approach is to provide the robot body with wheel on each side, each
wheel being drivable independently. Therefore, the robot can move
linearly by driving both wheels in the same direction at the same
speed or can turn by varying the relative rotation of the wheels.
Driving both wheels in opposite direction enables the robot to
rotate on the spot. Such a system usually will also include a third
wheel positioned towards the rear of the robot body which acts as a
caster, passively rolling along whilst providing a support for one
side of the body. A significant advantage of such a system is that
it makes the robot highly maneuverable and also avoids the need for
an additional steering mechanism. Examples of autonomous robotic
vacuum cleaners using such a drive arrangement are Roomba.TM. by
iRobot and Trilobite.TM. by Electrolux.
[0005] A disadvantage of the wheeled mobile robot as described
above is its limited ability to climb over objects, or even over or
onto floor coverings such as cables or rugs.
[0006] An alternative approach is to equip an autonomous floor
cleaner with a tracked drive arrangement, as shown in European
patent application no. EP1582132. Such an arrangement tends to
improve grip due to the larger contact patch inherent with a track
and so it may be better at negotiating obstacles such as rugs and
cables. However, due to the increased contact patch the robot drive
system is more susceptible to slippage which is a disadvantage
because it introduces inaccuracies into the navigation system of
the robot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Against this background, the invention provides an
autonomous surface treating appliance comprising a chassis having a
drive arrangement and a control system interfaced to the drive
arrangement so as enable control of the appliance across a surface
to be treated, wherein the drive arrangement comprises at least one
traction unit, each traction unit comprising a surface-engaging
track constrained around a leading wheel and a trailing wheel, the
leading wheel and the trailing wheel being arranged so that a track
portion opposing the floor surface and extending between the
leading and trailing wheels defines a ramped climbing surface.
[0008] Expressed another way, the invention resides in a drive
arrangement for a mobile robot comprising a transmission unit for
transmitting drive from a motor unit to a drive shaft extending
from the transmission unit along a drive shaft axis, a swing arm
coupled to the transmission unit so as to swing angularly about an
axis of the drive shaft, a sprocket mounted to the drive shaft and
a pulley mounted on a portion of the swing arm remote from the
drive shaft and being rotatable about an axis parallel to the drive
shaft axis, a track constrained around the sprocket and the pulley,
wherein the sprocket and the pulley are arranged such that the
track presents an inclined driving surface.
[0009] This ramped climbing surface relative to the adjacent
surface to be treated improves the ability of the robot to climb
over imperfections in the surface to be treated, as well as over
raised obstacles such as electrical cables/flexes or edges of rugs
for example. Moreover, due to the portion of the track forward of
the trailing wheel, which is inclined relative to the horizontal, a
small contact patch is maintained which provides a maneuvering
benefit since it does not suffer the extent of slippage that would
be experienced if a significant portion of the track was in contact
with the floor surface. This is particularly true on carpeted
surfaces where an elongate contact patch as exemplified by known
tank-track configurations makes it difficult for a robot to turn on
the spot. In contrast to this, the mobile robot of the invention is
provided with the climbing advantages of a tracked climbing surface
and the maneuvering advantages of a small contact patch in the same
way as a plain wheel.
[0010] In order to drive the traction units, there may be provided
a motor that, in one embodiment, drives the leading wheel in
response to commands from the control system. However, it should be
appreciated that the trailing wheel may also be the driven
wheel.
[0011] For simplicity and cost, the motor is an electric motor and,
more specifically, a brushless DC motor. Other motor drives are
possible such as a hydraulic motor drive, albeit at increased cost
and weight.
[0012] Although the leading wheel may be driven directly by the
motor, in the exemplary embodiment a transmission unit is provided
to transmit drive from the motor to the leading wheel. The enables
the speed of the motor to be down-geared whilst increasing torque
and ensuring control accuracy.
[0013] The transmission also provides a mounting portion by which
the traction unit may be mountable to the chassis of the appliance
whilst also providing a fixed point on which a linkage member may
be pivotably mounted at one end, and having a second end to which
the trailing wheel is mounted. The trailing wheel may therefore
swing angularly about the drive axis of the leading wheel.
[0014] When travelling over rough surfaces, for example thick pile
carpet, improved traction is required. Thus, in an enhancement of
the drive arrangement, biasing means is provided intermediate the
transmission case and the linkage member which urges the trailing
wheel towards the surface to be treated. Thus, if the chassis is
cause to raise due to contact with an obstacle or surface feature,
the trailing wheel will be urged into contact with the surface
therefore maintaining strong traction.
[0015] In order to prevent objects from fouling the tracks the
linkage member may include a guard member that at least partially
fills a volume bounded by the leading wheel, the trailing wheel and
the inner surfaces of the track. This reduces the likelihood that
objects such as grit or stones will enter the nip between the track
and the wheels, therefore improving the reliability of the traction
units.
[0016] A further traction enhancement is provided by the
configuration of the trailing wheel. The trailing wheel may rim
portion adjacent to and having a larger diameter than a track
engaging surface of the trailing wheel. Optionally, the rim portion
may extend to the same radial position as the outer surface of the
track and may be provided with a smooth or serrated profile. In
this embodiment, since the rim portion extends to a radium
comparable with the track radius, in circumstances in which robot
is travelling over a soft surface such as a rug or carpet, the
track will tend to sink into the pile of the carpet whereby the
serrated edge of the rim portion will tend to engage the carpet and
provide the robot with increased traction. However, on hard
surfaces, only the track will contact the floor surface which will
benefit the maneuvering ability of the robot.
[0017] Although the invention applies to mobile robots and
autonomous floor treating appliances in general, is has
particularly utility in robotic vacuum cleaners comprising an
airflow generator for generating a flow of air between a dirty air
inlet and a clean air outlet, and a separating apparatus disposed
in the airflow path between the dirty air inlet and the clean air
outlet so as to separate dirt from the airflow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] In order that the invention may be more readily understood,
reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a mobile robot in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a view from beneath of the mobile robot in FIG.
1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mobile robot
of the invention showing its main assemblies;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the chassis of the
mobile robot;
[0023] FIGS. 5a and 5b are perspective views from either side of a
traction unit of the mobile robot;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a side view of the traction unit in FIGS. 5a and
5b and it orientation relative to a surface;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a section view of the traction unit in FIG. 6
along the line A-A;
[0026] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the traction unit
in FIGS. 5a, 5b and 6;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a side view of the traction unit in FIG. 6, but
shown in three swing arm positions;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a front view of the chassis of the mobile
robot;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a rear view of the chassis of the mobile
robot;
[0030] FIG. 12 is a view from underneath of the main body of the
mobile robot; FIGS. 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d are schematic views of
the robot in various `bump` conditions; and
[0031] FIG. 14 is a schematic systems view of the mobile robot.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, an
autonomous surface treating appliance in the form of a robotic
vacuum cleaner 2 (hereinafter `robot`) comprises has a main body
having four principal assemblies: a chassis (or sole plate) 4, a
body 6 which is carried on the chassis 4, a generally circular
outer cover 8 which is mountable on the chassis 4 and provides the
robot 2 with a generally circular profile, and a separating
apparatus 10 that is carried on a forward part of the body 6 and
which protrudes through a complementary shaped cut-out 12 of the
outer cover 8.
[0033] For the purposes of this specification, the terms `front`
and `rear` in the context of the robot will be used in the sense of
its forward and reverse directions during operation, with the
separating apparatus 10 being positioned at the front of the robot.
Similarly, the terms `left` and `right` will be used with reference
to the direction of forward movement of the robot. As will be
appreciated from FIG. 1, the main body of the robot 2 has the
general form of a relatively short circular cylinder, largely for
maneuverability reasons, and so has a cylindrical axis `C` that
extends substantially vertically relative to the surface on which
the robot travels. Accordingly, the cylindrical axis C extends
substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the robot `L` that
is oriented in the fore-aft direction of the robot 2 and so passes
through the centre of the separating apparatus 10. The diameter of
the main body is preferably between 200 mm and 300 mm, and more
preferably between 220 mm and 250 mm. Most preferably, the main
body has a diameter of 230 mm which has been found to be a
particularly effective compromise between maneuverability and
cleaning efficiency.
[0034] The chassis 4 supports several components of the robot 2 and
is preferably manufactured from a high-strength injection moulded
plastics material, such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene),
although it could also be made from appropriate metals such as
aluminium or steel, or composite materials such a carbon fibre
composite. As will be explained, the primary function of the
chassis 4 is as a drive platform and to carry cleaning apparatus
for cleaning the surface over which the robot travels.
[0035] With particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a front portion
14 of the chassis 4 is relatively flat and tray-like in form and
defines a curved prow 15 that forms the front of the robot 2. Each
flank of the front portion 14 of the chassis has a recess 16, 18 in
which recesses a respective traction unit 20 is mountable. Note
that FIGS. 2 and 3 shows the chassis 4 with the traction units 20
attached and FIG. 4 shows the chassis 4 without the traction units
20 attached.
[0036] The pair of traction units 20 are located on opposite sides
of the chassis 4 and are operable independently to enable to robot
to be driven in forward and reverse directions, to follow a curved
path towards the left or right, or to turn on the spot in either
direction, depending on the speed and direction of rotation of the
traction units 20. Such an arrangement is sometimes known as a
differential drive, and detail of the traction units 20 will be
described more fully later in the specification.
[0037] The relatively narrow front portion 14 of the chassis 4
widens into rear portion 22 which includes a cleaner head 24 having
a generally cylindrical form and which extends transversely across
substantially the entire width of the chassis 4 relative to its
longitudinal axis `L`.
[0038] With reference also to FIG. 2, which shows the underside of
the robot 2, the cleaner head 24 defines a rectangular suction
opening 26 that faces the supporting surface and into which dirt
and debris is drawn into when the robot 2 is operating. An elongate
brush bar 28 is contained within the cleaner head 24 and is driven
by an electric motor 30 via a reduction gear and drive belt
arrangement 32 in a conventional manner, although other drive
configurations such as a solely geared transmission are also
envisaged.
[0039] The underside of the chassis 4 features an elongate sole
plate section 25 extending forward of the suction opening 26
defining a ramped nose at its forward edge. A plurality of channels
33 (only two of which are labeled for brevity) on the sole plate
provide pathways for dirty air being drawn towards the suction
opening 26. The underside of the chassis 4 also carries a plurality
(four in the illustrated embodiment) of passive wheel or rollers 31
which provide further bearing points for the chassis 4 when it is
at rest on or moving over a floor surface. It should be noted that
the rollers 31 support the chassis such that the underside thereof
is in a parallel orientation relative to a floor surface.
Furthermore, although wheels or rollers are preferred, they could
also be embodied as hard bearing points such as skids or
runners.
[0040] In this embodiment, the cleaner head 24 and the chassis 4
are a single plastics moulding, thus the cleaner head 24 is
integral with the chassis 4. However, this need not be the case and
the two components could be separate, the cleaner head 24 being
suitably affixed to the chassis 4 as by screws or an appropriate
bonding technique as would be clear to the skilled person.
[0041] The cleaner head 24 has first and second end faces 27, 29
that extend to the edge of the chassis 4 and which are in line with
the cover 8 of the robot. Considered in horizontal or plan profile
as in FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the end faces 27, 29 of
the cleaner head 24 are flat and extend at a tangent (labeled as
`T`) to the cover 8 at diametrically opposed points along the
lateral axis `X` of the robot 2. The benefit of this is that the
cleaner head 24 is able to run extremely close to the walls of a
room as the robot traverses in a `wall following` mode therefore
being able to clean right up to the wall. Moreover, since the end
faces 27, 29 of the cleaner head 24 extend tangentially to both
sides of the robot 2, it is able to clean right up to a wall
whether the wall is on the right side or the left side of the robot
2. It should be noted, also, that the beneficial edge cleaning
ability is enhanced by the traction units 20 being located inboard
of the cover 8, and substantially at the lateral axis `X` meaning
that the robot can maneuver in such a way that the cover 8 and
therefore also the end faces 27, 29 of the cleaner head 24 are
almost in contact with the wall during a wall following
operation.
[0042] Dirt drawn into the suction opening 26 during a cleaning
operation exits the cleaner head 24 via a conduit 34 which extends
upwardly from the cleaner head 24 and curves towards the front of
the chassis 4 through approximately 90.degree. of arc until it
faces in the forwards direction. The conduit 34 terminates in a
rectangular mouth 36 having a flexible bellows arrangement 38
shaped to engage with a complementary shaped duct 42 provided on
the body 6.
[0043] The duct 42 is provided on a front portion 46 of the body 6,
and opens into a forward facing generally semi-cylindrical recess
50 having a generally circular base platform 48. The recess 50 and
the platform 48 provide a docking portion into which the separating
apparatus 10 is mounted, in use, and from which it can be
disengaged for emptying purposes.
[0044] It should be noted that in this embodiment the separating
apparatus 10 consists of a cyclonic separator such as disclosed in
WO2008/009886, the contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference. The configuration of such separating apparatus is well
known and will not be described any further here, save to say that
the separating apparatus may be removably attached to the body 6 by
a suitable mechanism such as a quick-release fastening means to
allow the apparatus 10 to be emptied when it becomes full. The
nature of the separating apparatus 10 is not central to the
invention and the cyclonic separating apparatus may instead
separate dirt from the airflow by other means that are known in the
art for example a filter-membrane, a porous box filter or some
other form of separating apparatus. For embodiments of the
apparatus which are not vacuum cleaners, the body can house
equipment which is appropriate to the task performed by the
machine. For example, for a floor polishing machine the main body
can house a tank for storing liquid wax.
[0045] When the separating apparatus 10 is engaged in the docking
portion 50, a dirty air inlet 52 of the separating apparatus 10 is
received by the duct 42 and the other end of the duct 42 is
connectable to the mouth 36 of the brush bar conduit 34, such that
the duct 42 transfers the dirty air from the cleaner head 24 to the
separating apparatus 10. The bellows 38 provide the mouth 36 of the
duct 34 with a degree of resilience so that it can mate sealingly
with the dirty air inlet 52 of the separating apparatus 10 despite
some angular misalignment. Although described here as bellows, the
duct 34 could also be provided with an alternative resilient seal,
such as a flexible rubber cuff seal, to engage the dirty air inlet
52.
[0046] Dirty air is drawn through the separating apparatus 10 by an
airflow generator which, in this embodiment, is an electrically
powered motor and fan unit (not shown), that is located in a motor
housing 60 located on the left hand side of the body 6. The motor
housing 60 includes a curved inlet mouth 62 that opens at the
cylindrical shaped wall of docking portion 50 thereby to match the
cylindrical curvature of the separating apparatus 10. Although not
seen in FIG. 4, the separating apparatus 10 includes a clean air
outlet which registers with the inlet mouth 62 when the separating
apparatus 10 is engaged in the docking portion 50. In use, the
suction motor is operable to create low pressure in the region of
the motor inlet mouth 62, thereby drawing dirty air along an
airflow path from the suction opening 26 of the cleaner head 24,
through the conduit 34 and duct 42 and through the separating
apparatus 10 from dirty air inlet 52 to the clean air outlet. Clean
air then passes through the motor housing 60 and is exhausted from
the rear of the robot 2 through a filtered clean air outlet 61.
[0047] The cover 8 is shown separated from the body 6 in FIG. 3 and
fixed to it in FIG. 1. Since the chassis 4 and body 6 carry the
majority of the functional components of the robot, the cover 8
provides an outer skin that serves largely as a protective shell
and to carry a user control interface 70.
[0048] The cover 8 comprises a generally cylindrical side wall 71
and a flat upper surface 72 which provides a substantially circular
profile corresponding to the plan profile of the body 6, save for
the part-circular cut-out 12 shaped to complement the shape of the
docking portion 50, and the cylindrical separating apparatus 10.
Furthermore, it can be seen that the flat upper surface 72 of the
cover 8 is co-planar with an upper surface 10a of the separating
apparatus 10, which therefore sits flush with the cover 8 when it
is mounted on the main body.
[0049] As can be seen particularly clearly in FIGS. 1 and 3, the
part-circular cut-out 12 of the cover 8 and the semi-cylindrical
recess 50 in the body 6 provides the docking portion a horseshoe
shaped bay defining two projecting lobes or arms 73 which flank
either side of the separating apparatus 10 and leave between
approximately 5% and 40%, and preferably 20%, of the apparatus 10
protruding from the front of the docking portion 50. Therefore, a
portion of the separating apparatus 10 remains exposed even when
the cover 8 is in place on the main body of the robot 2, which
enables a user ready access to the separating apparatus 10 for
emptying purposes.
[0050] Opposite portions of the side wall 71 include an arched
recess 74 (only one shown in FIG. 3) that fits over a respective
end 27, 29 of the cleaner head 24 when the cover 8 is connected to
the body 6. As can be seen in FIG. 1, a clearance exists between
the ends of the cleaner head 24 and the respective arches 74 order
to allow for relative movement therebetween in the event of a
collision with an object.
[0051] On the upper edge of the side wall 71, the cover 8 includes
a semi-circular carrying handle 76 which is pivotable about two
diametrically opposite bosses 78 between a first, stowed position,
in which the handle 76 fits into a complementary shaped recess 80
on upper peripheral edge of the cover 8, and a deployed position in
which it extends upwardly, (shown ghosted in FIG. 1). In the stowed
position, the handle maintains the `clean` circular profile of the
cover 8 and is unobtrusive to the use during normal operation of
the robot 2. Also, in this position the handle serves to lock a
rear filter door (not shown) of the robot into a closed position
which prevents accidental removal of the filter door when the robot
2 is operating.
[0052] In operation, the robot 2 is capable of propelling itself
about its environment autonomously, powered by a rechargeable
battery pack (not shown). To achieve this, the robot 2 carries an
appropriate control means which is interfaced to the battery pack,
the traction units 20 and an appropriate sensor suite 82 comprising
for example infrared and ultrasonic transmitters and receivers on
the front left and right side of the body 6. The sensor suite 82
provides the control means with information representative of the
distance of the robot from various features in an environment and
the size and shape of the features. Additionally the control means
is interfaced to the suction fan motor and the brush bar motor in
order to drive and control these components appropriately. The
control means is therefore operable to control the traction units
20 in order to navigate the robot 2 around the room which is to be
cleaned. It should be noted that the particular method of operating
and navigating the robotic vacuum cleaner is not material to the
invention and that several such control methods are known in the
art. For example, one particular operating method is described in
more detail in WO00/38025 in which navigation system a light
detection apparatus is used. This permits the cleaner to locate
itself in a room by identifying when the light levels detected by
the light detector apparatus is the same or substantially the same
as the light levels previously detected by the light detector
apparatus.
[0053] Having described the chassis 4, body 6 and cover 8, the
traction units 20 will now be described in further detail with
reference to FIGS. 5 to 9 which show various perspective,
sectional, and exploded views of a single traction unit 20 for
clarity.
[0054] In overview, the traction unit 20 comprises a transmission
case 90, a linkage member 92 or `swing arm`, first and second
pulley wheels 94, 96, and a track or continuous belt 98 that is
constrained around the pulley wheels 94, 96.
[0055] The transmission case 90 houses a gear system which extends
between an input motor drive module 100 mounted on an in-board side
of one end of the transmission case 90, and an output drive shaft
102 that protrudes from the drive side of the transmission case 90,
that is to say from the other side of the transmission case 90 to
which the motor module 100 is mounted. The motor module 100 in this
embodiment is a brushless DC motor since such a motor is reliable
and efficient, although this does not preclude other types of
motors from being used, for example brushed DC motors, stepper
motors or even hydraulic drives. As has been mentioned, the motor
module 100 is interfaced with the control means to receive power
and control signals and is provided with an integral electrical
connector 104 for this purpose. The gear system in this embodiment
is a gear wheel arrangement which gears down the speed of the motor
module 100 whilst increasing available torque, since such a system
is reliable, compact and lightweight. However, other gearing
arrangements are envisaged within the context of the invention such
as a belt or hydraulic transmission arrangement.
[0056] The traction unit 20 therefore brings together the drive,
gearing and floor engaging functions into a self-contained and
independently driven unit and is readily mounted to the chassis 4
by way of a plurality of fasteners 91 (four fasteners in this
embodiment), for example screws or bolts, that are received into
corresponding mounting lugs 93 defined around the recess of the
chassis 4.
[0057] The traction unit 20 is mountable to the chassis so that the
first pulley wheel 94 is in a leading position when the robot 2 is
traveling forwards. In this embodiment, the lead wheel 94 is the
driven wheel and includes a centre bore 104 which is receivable
onto the drive shaft 102 by way of a press fit. The leading wheel
94 may also be termed a sprocket since it is the driven wheel in
the pair. In order to improve the transfer of drive force from the
drive shaft 102 to the lead wheel 94, the centre bore 104 of the
pulley wheel may be internally keyed to mate with a corresponding
external key on the drive shaft. Alternative ways of securing the
pulley wheel to the shaft are also envisaged, such as a
part-circular clip (`circlip`) attached to the shaft.
[0058] The swing arm 92 includes a leading end that is mounted to
the transmission case 90 between it and the lead wheel 94 and is
mounted so as to pivot about the drive shaft 102. A bush 106
located in a mounting aperture 108 of the swing arm 92 is received
on an outwardly projecting spigot 110 of the transmission case 90
through which the drive shaft 102 protrudes. The bush 106 therefore
provides a bearing surface intermediate the spigot 110 and the
swing arm 92 to allow the swing arm 92 to pivot smoothly and to
prevent splaying relative to the transmission case 90. The bush 106
is made preferably from a suitable engineering plastics such as
polyamide which provides the required low friction surface yet high
strength. However, the bush 106 may also be made out of metal such
as aluminum, steel, or alloys thereof, which would also provide the
necessary frictional and strength characteristics.
[0059] As shown in the assembled views, the swing arm 92 is mounted
on the spigot 110 and the lead wheel 94 is mounted to the drive
shaft 102 outboard of the leading end of the swing arm 92. A stub
axle 112 is press fit into a bore located on the opposite or
`trailing` end of the swing arm 92 and defines a mounting shaft for
the rear pulley wheel 96, or `trailing wheel` along a rotational
axis parallel to the axis of the drive shaft 102. The trailing
wheel 96 includes a centre bore 113 in which a bearing bush 114 is
received in a press fit. The bush 114 is received over the axle 112
in a sliding fit so that the bush, and therefore also the trailing
wheel 96, are rotatable relative to the swing arm 92. A circlip 116
secures the trailing wheel to the axle 112.
[0060] The continuous belt or track 98 provides the interface
between the robot 2 and the floor surface and, in this embodiment,
is a tough rubberized material that provides the robot with high
grip as the robot travels over the surface and negotiates changes
in the surface texture and contours. Although not shown in the
figures, the belt 98 may be provided with a tread pattern in order
to increase traction over rough terrain.
[0061] Similarly, although not shown in the figures, the inner
surface 98a of the belt 98 is serrated or toothed so as to engage
with a complementary tooth formation 94a provided on the
circumferential surface of the leading wheel 94 which reduces the
likelihood of the belt 98 slipping on the wheel 94. In this
embodiment, the trailing wheel 96 does not carry a complementary
tooth formation, although this could be provided if desired. To
guard against the belt 98 slipping off the trailing wheel 96,
circumferential lips 96a, 96b are provided on its inner and outer
rims. As for the leading wheel 94, a circumferential lip 94b is
provided on only its outer rim since the belt 98 cannot slip off
the inner rim due to the adjacent portion of the swing arm 92.
[0062] As will be appreciated, the swing arm 92 fixes the leading
and trailing wheels 94, 96 in a spaced relationship and permits the
trailing wheel 96 to swing angularly about the leading wheel 94.
The maximum and minimum limits of angular travel of the swing arm
92 are defined by opposed arch-shaped upper and lower stop members
122a, 122b that protrude from the drive side of the transmission
case 90. A stub or pin 124 extending from the in-board side of the
swing arm 92 is engagable with the stops 122a, 122b to delimit the
travel of the swing arm 92.
[0063] The traction unit 20 also comprises swing arm biasing means
in the form of a coil spring 118 that is mounted in tension between
a mounting bracket 126 extending upwardly from the leading portion
of the swing arm 92 and a pin 128 projecting from the trailing
portion of the transmission case 90. The spring 118 acts to bias
the trailing wheel 96 into engagement with the floor surface, in
use, and this improves traction when the robot 2 is negotiating an
uneven surface such as a thick-pile carpet or climbing over
obstacles such as electrical cables. FIG. 9 shows three exemplary
positions of the traction unit 20 throughout the range of movement
of the swing arm 92.
[0064] In the exemplary embodiment, when the robot 2 is sitting on
a surface the swing arm 92 is in its `minimum travel position` such
that the pin 124 is engaged with the upper stop 122a and the spring
118 acts in tension so as to urge the trailing wheel 96 downwards
purely to improve traction. However, it should be appreciated that
a stronger spring 118 could also be used such that the robot would
be suspended on the traction units when placed on a surface.
[0065] FIG. 6 shows the relative position of the wheels 94, 96 with
respect to the floor surface F when the robot 2 is at rest, and in
which position the swing arm 92 is at its minimum limit of travel,
the pin 124 being engaged with the upper stop 122a. In this
position, a portion of the track 98 around the trailing wheel 96
defines a contact patch 130 with the floor surface whereas a
portion of the track 98 forward of the contact patch and extending
to the leading wheel is inclined relative to the floor surface F
due to the larger radius of the trailing wheel 96 compared to the
leading wheel 94. This provides the traction unit 20 with a ramped
climbing surface which improves the ability of the robot 2 to climb
over imperfections in the floor surface, as well as over raised
obstacles such as electrical cables/flexes or edges of rugs for
example. It should be noted that the ramped climbing surface is
provided particularly when the underside of the chassis of the
robot is in an orientation parallel to the surface over which is
travelling and is supported in this orientation by the plurality of
rollers 31.
[0066] Although in this embodiment, the inclined track surface is
largely the result of the trailing wheel 96 having a greater
diameter than the leading wheel 94, it should be appreciated that a
comparable result would be obtained if the wheels were of the same
diameter, but the swing arm 92 was configured to be angled more
steeply downward when in the minimum travel position. Also, it
should be noted that although the swing arm 92 provides the
trailing wheel 96 with the ability to push down on the floor
surface when travelling over a variety of terrain, the inclined
track surface could also be provided with the leading and trailing
wheels 94, 96 in fixed positions relative to the chassis 4. To
provide the inclined track, the trailing wheel could be a larger
diameter than the leading wheel. Alternatively, or in addition, the
centre axis of the trailing wheel could lie in a lower horizontal
plane compared to the centre of the leading wheel.
[0067] In addition to the improvement in climbing ability of the
inclined track 98 compared to a simple wheel, the traction unit 20
maintains a small contact patch 130 by virtue of its single
trailing wheel 96 which provides a maneuvering benefit since it
does not suffer the extent of slippage that would be experienced if
a significant portion of the track 98 was in contact with the floor
surface.
[0068] A further traction enhancement is provided by the outer lip
96b of the trailing wheel 96 which extends radially outwards
further than the lip 96a on the inboard side of the wheel 96. As
shown clearly in FIG. 6, the outer lip 96b extends almost to the
same radius as the outer surface of the track 98 and its edge is
provided with a toothed or serrated formation. A benefit of this is
that, in circumstances in which the robot is travelling over a soft
surface such as a rug or carpet, the track 98 will tend to sink
into the pile of the carpet whereby the serrated edge of the outer
lip 96b will engage the carpet and provide the robot with increased
traction. However, on hard surfaces, only the track 98 will contact
the floor surface which will benefit the maneuvering ability of the
robot.
[0069] A still further benefit is that the track arrangement
provides the climbing ability of a much larger single wheel, but
without the large dimension which allows the brush bar to be
positioned very near to the lateral axis of the robot which is
important in providing full width cleaning. As seen in this
embodiment, the rotational axis of the trailing wheel 96 is
substantially in line with the lateral axis of the robot which
benefits maneuverability. The cleaner head is able to be positioned
very close to the traction units 20, and in this embodiment the
axis of the cleaner head is spaced approximately 48 mm from the
lateral axis of the robot, although it is envisaged that a spacing
of up to 60 mm would be acceptable in order to minimise the amount
that the cleaner head projects from the outer envelope of the main
body.
[0070] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the depth and the
thickness of the outer lip 96b is increased such that the surface
of the lip 96b lies side by side with the outer surface of the
track 98 surrounding the trailing wheel 96, in effect providing a
transverse extension of the surface of the track 98. This increases
the area of the contact patch 130 also on hard surfaces which may
be desirable in some circumstances. In this embodiment, it should
be appreciated that the climbing ability is also retained by the
inclined track surface without increasing the contact patch in the
longitudinal direction of the track 98.
[0071] As has been explained, the traction units 20 of the robot 2
provide an improved ability to travel over deep pile rugs and
carpets, and also to negotiate obstacles such as electrical cables
lying on the floor and also small steps between floor surfaces.
However, `caterpillar` type drive units can be vulnerable to
ingress of debris in the nip between the wheels and the belt. To
guard against this, the swing arm 92 further includes a raised
block-like portion 132 that extends outwardly from the swing arm 92
in the space bounded by the opposing parts of the leading and
trailing wheels 94, 96 and the inner surface of the track 98. Side
surfaces 132a, 132b, 132c, 132d of the debris guard block 132 are
shaped to sit closely next to the adjacent surfaces of the wheels
94, 96 and the belt 98 whilst an outboard surface 134 of the block
132 terminates approximately in line with the outer faces of the
wheels 94, 96. The block 132 is therefore shaped to accommodate
substantially all of the volume between the wheels 94, 96 and so
prevents debris such as grit or stones from fouling the drive
arrangement. Although the block 132 could be solid, in this
embodiment the block 132 includes openings 136 which reduce the
weight of the spring arm 92 and also its cost. Although the block
132 preferably is integral with the swing arm 92, it could also be
a separate component fixed appropriately to the swing arm, for
example by clips, screws or adhesive. Optionally, the block could
carry a plate member shaped like the boundary defined by the belt.
This would further reduce the likelihood of dirt ingress into the
drive arrangements.
[0072] Referring now to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, these illustrate how
the body 6 is attached to the chassis 4 to enable relative sliding
movement between one another and how this relative moment is used
by the robot 2 to gather information about collisions with objects
in its path.
[0073] To enable relative sliding movement between the chassis 4
and the body 6, front and rear engagement means fix the chassis 4
and the body 6 together so that they cannot be separated in the
vertical direction, that is to say in a direction normal to the
longitudinal, axis L of the robot 2, but are permitted to slide
with respect to one another by a small amount.
[0074] Turning firstly to the front portions of the main body, as
best illustrated in FIG. 11, a front engagement means includes a
centrally located elongate slot-like opening 140 shaped like an
oval, a racetrack/stadium or a para-truncated circle that is
defined in the front portion of the body 6, specifically in a
central position in the platform 48. A slidable pivoting member in
the form of a gudgeon pin 142 is received through the opening and
includes a sleeve section 142a that extends a short way below the
opening 140 and an upper flange 142b.
[0075] The engagement means also includes a complementary structure
on the forward portion of the chassis 4 in the form of a
walled-recess 144, which is also racetrack/stadium shaped to
correspond to the shape of the opening 140 in the platform 48. The
body 6 is mountable on the chassis 4 so that the opening 140 on the
platform 140 body 6 overlies the recess 144 in the chassis 4. The
gudgeon pin 142 is then secured to the floor of the recess 144 by a
suitable mechanical fastener such as a screw; the gudgeon pin 142
is shown ghosted in its position in the recess 144 in FIG. 10. The
body 6 is therefore joined to the chassis 4 against vertical
separation. However, since the gudgeon pin 142 is fixed immovably
to the chassis 4 whilst being held slidably in the opening 140, the
body 6 can slide relative to the gudgeon pin 142 and can pivot
angularly about it due to its rounded shape.
[0076] The forward portion of the chassis 4 also includes two
channels 145, one located on either side of the recess 144, which
serve as a supporting surface for respective rollers 147 provided
on the underside of the body 6 and, more specifically, on the
platform 48 either side of the opening 140. The rollers 147 provide
support for the body 6 on the chassis 4 and promote smooth sliding
movement between the two parts and are shown in ghosted form in
FIG. 10.
[0077] The rear engagement means constrains movement of a rear
portion 150 of the body 6 relative to the chassis 4. From a
comparison between FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, it can be seen that a rear
portion 146 of the chassis 4 behind the cleaner head 24 includes a
bump detection means 148 which also serves as a secure mounting by
which means the rear portion 150 of the body 6 is connected to the
chassis 4.
[0078] Each side of the bump detection means includes a body
support means; both body support means are identical and so only
one will be described in detail for brevity. The body support means
comprises a sleeve-like tubular supporting member 152 that sits in
a dished recess 154 defined in the chassis 154. In this embodiment,
the dished recess 154 is provided in a removable chassis portion in
the form of a plate member 155 that is fixed across the rear
portion 146 of the chassis 4. However, the recesses 154 could
equally be an integral part of the chassis 4.
[0079] A spring 156 is connected to the chassis 154 at its lower
end and extends through the sleeve member 152, wherein the end of
the spring terminates in an eyelet 158. The sleeve 152 and the
spring 156 engage with a complementary socket 160 on the underside
of the body 6, which socket 160 includes a raised wall 160a with
which the upper end of the sleeve 152 locates when the body 6 is
mounted onto the chassis 4. When mounted in this way, the spring
156 extends into a central opening 162 in the socket 160 and the
eyelet 158 is secured to a securing pin within the body 6. Note
that the securing pin is not shown in the figures, but may be any
pin or suitable securing point to which the spring can attach.
[0080] Since the supporting sleeve members 152 are movably mounted
between the chassis 4 and the body 6, the sleeve members 152 can
tilt in any direction which enables the body 6 to `rock` linearly
along the longitudinal axis `L` of the robot, but also for the rear
portion of the body 6 to swing angularly, pivoting about the
gudgeon pin 142 by approximately 10 degrees as constrained by the
rear engagement means as will now be explained further. In this
embodiment, the springs 156 provide a self-centering force to the
supporting sleeve members 152 which urge the sleeves members 152
into an upright position, this action also providing a resetting
force for the bump detection system. In an alternative embodiment
(not shown), the supporting sleeve members 152 could be solid, and
a force to `reset` the position of the body relative to the chassis
could be provided by an alternative biasing mechanism.
[0081] Although the sleeve members 152 allow the body 6 to `ride`
on the chassis 4 with a certain amount of lateral movement, they do
not securely connect the rear portion 150 of the body 6 to the
chassis 4 against vertical separation. For this purpose, the bump
detection means 148 includes first and second guiding members in
the form of posts or rods 160, 162 provided on the body 6 which
engage with respective pins 164, 166 provided on the chassis 4. As
can be seen in FIG. 12, the pins 164, 166 extend through respective
windows 168, 170 defined in the plate member 155 and are retained
there by a respective washer 172, 174. In order to mount the rear
portion 150 of the body 6 onto the rear portion 146 of the chassis
4, the guiding members 160, 162 are push fit onto the pins 164, 166
until they contact their respective washer 172, 174. The movement
of the rear portion 150 of the body 6 is therefore constrained to
conform to the shape of the windows 168, 170 such that the windows
serves as a guiding track. In this embodiment, the windows 168, 170
are generally triangular in shape and so this will permit the body
6 to slide linearly with respect to the gudgeon pin 142 but also to
swing angularly about it within the travel limits set by the
windows 168, 170. However, it should be noted that the permitted
movement of the body 6 can be altered by appropriate re-shaping of
the windows 168, 170.
[0082] The bump detection means 148 also includes a switching means
180 to detect movement of the body 6 relative to the chassis 4. The
switching means 180 includes first and second miniature snap-action
switches 180a, 180b (also commonly known as `micro switches`)
provided on the underside of the rear portion 150 of the body 6
that, when the body 6 is mounted to the chassis 4, are located
either side of an actuator 182 provided in a central part of the
rear portion 146 of the chassis 4. In this embodiment, the actuator
182 takes the form of a wedge-shape having angled leading edges for
activating the switches 180a, 180b. Although not shown in the
Figures, the switches 180a, 180b are interfaced with the control
means of the robot. The location of the switches 180a, 180b
relative to the wedge-shaped actuator 182 is shown in FIG. 12;
[0083] note that the switches 180a, 180b are shown in dotted lines.
As can be seen, the switches 180a, 180b are positioned such that
their activating arms 183 are positioned directly adjacent and
either side of the angled forward edges of the wedge-shaped
actuator 182.
[0084] The switches 180a, 180b are activated in circumstances where
the robot 2 collides with an obstacle when the robot is navigating
around a room on cleaning task. Such a bump detection facility is
desirable for an autonomous vacuum cleaner since sensing and
mapping systems of such robots can be fallible and sometimes an
obstacle will not be detected in time. Other robotic vacuum
cleaners operate on a `random bounce` methodology in which a means
to detect a collision is essential. Therefore, a bump detection
facility is needed to detect collisions so that a robot can take
evasive action. For example the control means may determine simply
to reverse the robot and then to resume forward movement in a
different direction or, alternatively to stop forward movement, to
turn 90.degree. or 180.degree. and then to resume forward movement
once again.
[0085] Activation of the switches 180a, 180b will now be explained
with reference to FIGS. 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d, which show a
schematic representation of the chassis 4, body, 6 and bump
detection means in different bump situations. In the following
figures, the parts common with the previous figures are referred to
with the same reference numerals.
[0086] FIG. 13a shows the relative positions of the body 6, the
chassis 4, the gudgeon pin 142, the body pivot opening 140, the
switches 180a, 180b and the wedge-shaped actuator 182 in a
non-collision position. As can be seen, neither switch 180a, 180b
has been activated as indicated by the reference `X`.
[0087] FIG. 13b shows the robot 2 in a collision with an obstacle
in the `dead ahead` position, as indicated by the arrow C. The body
6 is caused to move backward linearly, that is to say along its
longitudinal axis L and, accordingly, the two switches 180a, 180b
are moved backwards with respect to the wedge-shaped actuator 182
thereby triggering the switches 180a, 180b substantially at the
same time as indicated by the check marks.
[0088] Alternatively, if the robot 2 collides with an obstacle on
its right hand side, as indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 13c, the
body 6 will be caused to swing about the gudgeon pin 142 to the
left and, in these circumstances, the switches 180a, 180b will move
to the left with respect to the actuator 182 with the result that
the right hand switch 180b is activated before activation of the
left hand switch 180a as indicated by the check mark for switch
180b.
[0089] Conversely, if the robot 2 collides with an obstacle on its
left hand side, as indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 13d, the body 6
will be caused to swing to the right, in which case the switches
180a, 180b will move to the right with respect to the actuator 182,
which therefore triggers the left hand switch 180a before the right
hand switch 180b as indicated by the check mark for switch
180a.
[0090] Although in the oblique angle collisions shown in FIGS. 13c
and 13d only one of the switches 180a, 180b is shown as activated,
it should be appreciated that such a collision may also activate
the other one of the switches, albeit at a later time than the
first activated switch.
[0091] Since the switches 180a, 180b are interfaced to the control
means of the robot, the control means can discern the direction of
impact by monitoring the triggering of the switches 180a, 180b, and
the relative timing between triggering events of the switches.
[0092] Since the robot 2 is able to detect collisions by sensing
relative linear and angular movement between the body 6 and the
chassis 4, the invention avoids the need to mount a bump shell onto
the front of the robot as is common with known robotic vacuum
cleaners. Bump shells can be fragile and bulky so the invention
increases the robustness of the robot and also makes possible a
reduction in size and complexity.
[0093] For completeness, FIG. 14 shows schematically the control
means of the robot and its interfaces with the components described
above. Control means in the form of a controller 200 includes
appropriate control circuitry and processing functionality to
process signals received from its various sensors and to drive the
robot 2 in a suitable manner. The controller 200 is interfaced into
the sensor suite 82 of the robot 2 by which means the robot gathers
information about its immediate environment in order to map its
environment and plan an optimum route for cleaning. A memory module
201 is provided for the controller to carry outs its processing
functionality and it should be appreciated that the memory module
201 could alternatively be integrated into the controller 200
instead of being a separate component as shown here.
[0094] The controller 200 also has suitable inputs from the user
interface 204, the bump detection means 206 and suitable rotational
sensing means 208 such as rotary encoders provided on the traction
units 20. Power and control inputs are provided to the traction
units 20 from the controller 200 and also to the suction motor 210
and the brush bar motor 212.
[0095] Finally, a power input is provided to the controller 200
from the battery pack 214 and a charger interface 216 is provided
by which means the controller 200 can carry out charging of the
battery pack 214 when the battery supply voltage has dropped below
a suitable threshold.
[0096] Many variations are possible without departing from the
inventive concept. For example, although the traction units 20 have
been described as having a continuous rubberized belt or track, the
invention could also be performed with a track that comprises
numerous discrete track or tread sections linked together to form a
chain.
[0097] In the embodiment above, the body 6 has been described as
being able to move linearly as well as angularly about the chassis.
However, it should be appreciated that this is such that collisions
can be detected from a wide range of angles and that the invention
resides also in a bump detection system in which the body moves
linearly or angularly to the chassis instead of a combination of
such movement.
[0098] The sensing means has been described as comprising
snap-action switches disposed either side of a wedge-shaped
actuator and that such an arrangement conveniently enables the
switches to be activated when the body moves linearly (both
switches activated simultaneously) or angularly (one switch
activated before the other). However, the skilled person will
appreciate that other switch mechanisms are possible, for example
contactless switches such as a light-gate switch, or a
magnetic/Hall effect switch.
* * * * *