Drive-wheel suspension mechanism for smart movable device and smart movable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10736479-B2
Application number	US-201816121661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Dec 27, 2017
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A drive-wheel suspension mechanism for a smart movable device and a smart movable device, include a drive wheel bracket, a gearbox and a resilient reset member. The drive wheel bracket is provided with at least one set of sliding slot assembly arranged oppositely. The sliding slot assembly includes two first sliding slots arranged opposite to each other, and the first sliding slot extends rearward and an included angle between the first sliding slot and a horizontal plane is greater than or equal to 0 degree.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive-wheel suspension mechanism for a smart movable device, the drive-wheel suspension system comprising a drive wheel, a drive wheel bracket, a gearbox and a resilient reset member, wherein
the drive wheel is arranged partially within the drive wheel bracket;
the drive wheel bracket is provided with a first sliding slot assembly arranged at a lower end of the gear box and a second sliding slot assembly arranged at an upper end of the gear box, wherein the first sliding slot assembly comprises a first down sliding slot and a first upper sliding slot, and the second sliding slot assembly comprises a second down sliding slot and a second upper sliding slot, wherein the drive wheel is mounted to an axle disposed at the lower end of the gear box, and the axle is configured to slide in the first sliding slot assembly;
the gearbox is located in the drive wheel bracket, and is provided with at least one sliding shaft configured to slide within the second sliding slot assembly; and
the resilient reset member has a first end fixed to the gearbox and a second end fixed to the drive wheel bracket; and, wherein
when the drive wheel is rotating on a flat surface, the axle is located at a juncture of the down and upper sliding slots of the first sliding slot assembly, the shaft is located at a juncture of the down and upper sliding slots of the second sliding slot assembly, and the resilient reset member is in a non-elastic position; and
when the drive wheel encounters an obstacle, the axle slides across the upper sliding slot of the first sliding slot assembly, the shaft slides across the upper sliding slot of the second sliding slot assembly, and the resilient reset member stretches into an elastic position.

2. The drive-wheel suspension mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the gearbox is further provided with a drive motor configured to control a movement of the axle, the gearbox is arranged obliquely upwards and rearwards, the axle is disposed at a lower end of the gearbox, and the drive motor is disposed at an upper end of the gearbox.

3. The drive-wheel suspension mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the drive wheel bracket comprises a side plate disposed at a front end of the drive wheel bracket, the second end of the resilient reset member is fixed to the side plate, and the resilient reset member is a tension spring.

4. The drive-wheel suspension mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the down sliding slot of the first sliding slot assembly is arranged angularly and downwardly with respect to the front end of the upper sliding slot of the first sliding slot assembly, wherein an angle between the upper sliding slot and the down sliding slot is greater than or equal to 90 degrees.

5. The drive-wheel suspension mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the down sliding slot is not parallel to the horizontal plane, and the angle between the down sliding slot and the upper sliding slot is greater than or equal to 90 degrees.

6. The drive-wheel suspension mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the down sliding slot extends rearwards and the angle between the down sliding slot and the horizontal plane is greater than 0 degree, and the upper sliding slot extends forwards and an included angle between the down sliding slot and a vertical plane is greater than 0 degree.

7. The drive-wheel suspension mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the down sliding slot of the second sliding slot assembly is arranged angularly and downwardly with respect to the front end of the upper sliding slot of the second sliding slot assembly, wherein an angle between the upper sliding slot and the down sliding slot is greater than or equal to 90 degrees.

8. A smart movable device, comprising a main frame and a drive-wheel suspension mechanism connected to the main frame, the drive-wheel suspension system comprising a drive wheel, a drive wheel bracket, a gearbox and a resilient reset member, wherein
the drive wheel is arranged partially within the drive wheel bracket;
the drive wheel bracket is provided with a first sliding slot assembly arranged at a lower end of the gear box and a second sliding slot assembly arranged at an upper end of the gear box, wherein the first sliding slot assembly comprises a first down sliding slot and a first upper sliding slot, and the second sliding slot assembly comprises a second down sliding slot and a second upper sliding slot, wherein the drive wheel is mounted to an axle disposed at the lower end of the gear box, and the axle is configured to slide in the first sliding slot assembly;
the gearbox is located in the drive wheel bracket, and is provided with at least one sliding shaft configured to slide within the second sliding slot assembly; and
the resilient reset member has a first end fixed to the gearbox and a second end fixed to the drive wheel bracket; and, wherein
when the drive wheel is rotating on a flat surface, the axle is located at a juncture of the down and upper sliding slots of the first sliding slot assembly, the shaft is located at a juncture of the down and upper sliding slots of the second sliding slot assembly, and the resilient reset member is in a non-elastic position; and
when the drive wheel encounters an obstacle, the axle slides across the upper sliding slot of the first sliding slot assembly, the shaft slides across the upper sliding slot of the second sliding slot assembly, and the resilient reset member stretches into an elastic position.

9. The smart movable device according to claim 8 , further comprising a front wheel disposed to the main frame.

10. The smart movable device according to claim 9 , wherein the smart movable device is a robot vacuum cleaner.

11. The smart movable device according to claim 8 , wherein the gearbox is further provided with a drive motor configured to control a movement of the axle, the gearbox is arranged obliquely upwards and rearwards, the axle is disposed at a lower end of the gearbox, and the drive motor is disposed at an upper end of the gearbox.

12. The smart movable device according to claim 11 , wherein the drive wheel bracket comprises a side plate disposed at a front end of the drive wheel bracket, the second end of the resilient reset member is fixed to the side plate, and the resilient reset member is a tension spring.

13. The smart movable device according to claim 8 , wherein the down sliding slot of the first sliding slot assembly is arranged angularly and downwardly with respect to the front end of the upper sliding slot of the first sliding slot assembly, wherein an angle between the upper sliding slot and the down sliding slot is greater than or equal to 90 degrees.

14. The smart movable device according to claim 13 , wherein the down sliding slot is not parallel to the horizontal plane, and the angle between the down sliding slot and the upper sliding slot is greater than or equal to 90 degrees.

15. The smart movable device according to claim 14 , wherein the down sliding slot extends rearwards and the angle between the down sliding slot and the horizontal plane is greater than 0 degree, and the upper sliding slot extends forwards and an included angle between the down sliding slot and a vertical plane is greater than 0 degree.

16. The smart movable device according to claim 8 , wherein the down sliding slot of the second sliding slot assembly is arranged angularly and downwardly with respect to the front end of the upper sliding slot of the second sliding slot assembly, wherein an angle between the upper sliding slot and the down sliding slot is greater than or equal to 90 degrees.

Assignees

• Jiangsu Midea Cleaning Appliances Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wei Xianmin
• Xuan Xiaogang

Classifications

• A47L9/2852 Primary

  Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles · CPC title

• A47L2201/04

  Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection · CPC title

• A47L2201/00

  Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation · CPC title

• B60G2300/00

  Indexing codes relating to the type of vehicle · CPC title

• B60G11/14

  having helical, spiral or coil springs only {(B60G11/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title