Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an autonomous type cleaning device, capable of controlling an action mode, a moving pattern, or an action to immediately detect collision of debris on a floor surface as a cleaning object, and respond to detected debris to move the device to a more contaminated area.SOLUTION: By means of a piezoelectric debris sensor which responds to the collision of debris, and related signal processors, the autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device detects presence of debris, and responds to select an action mode, an action condition, or moving pattern such as spot coverage. A plurality of sensor channels are usable to enable detection or creation of differential right/left debris signals, so that the autonomous device is moved toward the debris. By positioning the debris sensor to a place where debris swept up by a brush assembly is colliding with each other, collision of the debris can be more properly detected.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface treatment robot for treatment of a floor surface having a configuration element facilitating cleaning in a narrowed space.SOLUTION: The surface treatment robot includes: a chassis; a drive system configured to maneuver the robot over a cleaning surface, including right and left driven wheels; a vacuum region including a collection region and a suction region configured to suction waste liquid from the cleaning surface through the collection region; a collection vessel for collecting the waste liquid removed by the vacuum region; a supply vessel configured to hold a cleaning liquid; and an applicator configured to dispense the cleaning liquid onto the cleaning surface. The supply vessel and the collection vessel are configured to maintain a substantially constant center of gravity along a transverse axis defined by the right and left wheels while at least about 25% of the total volume of the robot shifts from the cleaning liquid in the supply vessel to the waste liquid in the collection vessel as the cleaning liquid is dispensed from the applicator and the waste liquid is collected by the vacuum region.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface cleaning robot performing treatment (cleaning) by applying a cleaning fluid on a floor and capable of performing motor drive and autonomous control or the like.SOLUTION: The surface cleaning robot includes: a robot body having a perpendicular transverse axis defined as a fore-aft ends and thereof; a right and left driving modules; and a scrub element disposed along a cleaning width. Each of right and left driving modules is equipped with a cup-shaped wheel having an outer diameter and an annular-shaped tire having an inner diameter fitted into the outer diameter of the cup-shaped wheel. When the robot moves on a cleaning surface toward the forward direction, the right and left driving modules are disposed at the rear of the scrub element and the total mass of the surface cleaning robot is less than 10 Kg.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mobile robot cleaner, which is designed so that an escape state of the mobile robot cleaner is detected using various sensors, and the robot is turned off upon determination of an escape-impossible situation. SOLUTION: The mobile robot cleaner for cleaning a floor surface having optional size and shape includes: a moving means for moving the mobile robot cleaner on the floor surface; a collision sensor for detecting an obstacle to which the mobile robot cleaner contacts or approaches during movement of the mobile robot cleaner; a cliff sensor for detecting a cliff; and a controller for controlling the moving means based on output signals from the collision sensor and the cliff sensor. The controller stops the movement of the mobile robot cleaner by the moving means when the cliff sensor detects the cliff for more than a predetermined time. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an autonomous cleaning device that is designed and configured to optimize the cleaning capability and efficiency of its cleaning mechanisms while concomitantly minimizing or reducing the power requirements of such cleaing mechanisms. SOLUTION: The autonomous floor-cleaning robot includes a housing infrastructure including a chassis, right and left main wheel assemblies for forward driving the robot, a vacuum system mounted on the chassis to ingest particulates for floor cleaning, and a brush assembly to collect particulates from a floor surface upon floor cleaning. The vacuum system includes a vacuum inlet of constant width and space, separate and independently of a sweep area defined by the brush assembly. A trailing edge of the vacuum system is orientated so that the vacuum inlet is immediately adjacent the brush assembly and forward facing. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an autonomous cleaning device capable of optimizing the cleaning capability and efficiency of a cleaning mechanism. SOLUTION: The autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprises: a housing structure including a chassis; right and left main wheel assemblies for driving the robot forward; a vacuum system disposed in the chassis for cleaning a floor by ingesting particulates; a brush assembly for collecting particulates from the floor surface during the floor cleaning; and a removable dust cartridge communicating with the vacuum system or main brush assembly and removably mounted in the housing structure for storing the particulates ingested by the vacuum system or collected by the brush assembly. The dust cartridge includes a bottom member, a top member, a sidewall member which joins the bottom member and the top member with each other, and a curved arcuate member disposed in combination with the top member and the sidewall member to define an outer sidewall structure in the rear of the autonomous floor-cleaning robot. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a maximum coverage at the most effective processing speed even in an unknown geometric-shaped room by operating a mobile robot in a plurality of modes such as spot processing, obstacle following and bouncing. SOLUTION: A control system for a mobile robot 10 is provided to effectively cover a given area by operating in a plurality of modes, including an obstacle following mode 51 and a random bounce mode 48. In other embodiments, a spot coverage mode, such as spiral movement 45, or other modes are also used to increase efficiency. In addition, a behavior based architecture is used to implement the control system, and various escape behaviors are used to ensure full coverage. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To optimize a cleaning ability, and also to minimize a request for electric power. SOLUTION: An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprises: a housing infrastructure; a power subsystem; a motive subsystem; a command and control subsystem; and a self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem. The self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem includes: a deck mounted in pivotal combination with the chassis; a brush assembly mounted in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations; a vacuum assembly disposed in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to ingest the particulates during the cleaning operations, and a deck adjusting subassembly which is mounted in combination with the motive subsystem, the brush assembly, and the chassis and is automatically operative in response to an increase in brush torque in the brush assembly to pivot the deck with respect to the chassis. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
A method of operating an autonomous cleaning robot is provided. The method includes receiving, at a handheld computing device, data representing a status of a debris collection bin of the autonomous cleaning robot, the status of the bin including a bin 5 fullness reading. The method also includes receiving, at the handheld computing device, data representing a status of a filter bag of an evacuation station, the status of the filter bag including a bag fullness reading. The method also includes presenting, on a display of the handheld computing device, a first status indicator representing the bin fullness reading, and presenting, on the display of the handheld computing device, a second status 10 indicator representing the bag fullness reading.
Abstract:
An autonomous mobile robot includes a body, a drive supporting the body above a floor surface, a light-propagating plate positioned on the body and having a periphery defining a continuous loop, light sources each being positioned to direct light through a portion of the plate to a portion of the continuous loop, and a controller to selectively operate the light sources to provide a visual indicator of a status or service condition of the autonomous mobile robot. The drive is configured to maneuver the mobile robot about the floor surface.