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Autonomous surface treating appliance

a technology for treating appliances and surfaces, applied in steering controls, non-vehicle mounted steering controls, braking systems, etc., can solve problems such as difficulty in turning a robot on the spot, and achieve the effects of improving traction, maintaining strong traction, and enhancing the drive arrangemen

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-03-14
DYSON TECH LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is for a robot that can better climb over uneven surfaces and maneuver on carpeted floors. It has a special ramped surface that helps it climb over obstacles and a small contact patch that allows it to move around on carpets. The robot uses a brushless DC motor and a transmission to control its speed and torque. It also has a mechanism to push the trailing wheel into contact with the surface, to maintain strong traction. To prevent objects from getting in between the track and the wheel, there is a guard member. The robot's trailing wheel has a larger diameter and a smooth or serrated profile, for better traction on soft surfaces like carpets or rugs. This makes it easier for the robot to move around on different surfaces and avoid obstacles.

Problems solved by technology

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.

Method used

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Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[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...

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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.

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]Co...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B62D55/06A47L5/00G05D1/02
CPCA47L9/009B62D55/075A47L2201/04B60L1/003B60L15/2036B60L2200/40B60L2220/44B60L2240/421B60L2240/423B60L2260/32Y02T10/7072Y02T90/14Y02T10/72B60L50/52B60L58/12Y02T10/64Y02T10/70A01D34/00A01D69/00A47L9/00A47L9/28
Inventor DYSON, JAMESGAMMACK, PETER DAVIDVANDERSTEGEN-DRAKE, MARK STAMFORDBOTT, PAUL JOSHUA
Owner DYSON TECH LTD
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