Charging station with magnetic charging contacts for mobile robotic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10986971-B1
Application number	US-201916241436-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 7, 2019
Priority date	Jan 9, 2018
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

Provided is a charging station of a mobile robotic device including: a main housing with an opening; a signal receiver coupled to the main housing for receiving signals from a transmitter of the mobile robotic device; a reel disposed within the main housing; a motor coupled to the reel to drive rotation of the reel in two directions; a charging cable wound around the reel with one or more magnetic charging contacts on a terminal end thereof, the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging cable connecting to corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device for charging of the mobile robotic device; an electrical plug coupled to the main housing to connect to a power supply; and one or more electrical elements electrically coupling the electrical plug to the charging cable and the motor.

First claim

I claim:

1. A charging station of a mobile robotic device comprising:
a main housing with an opening;
a signal receiver coupled to the main housing for receiving signals from a transmitter of the mobile robotic device;
a reel disposed within the main housing;
a motor coupled to the reel to drive rotation of the reel in two directions;
a charging cable wound around the reel with one or more magnetic charging contacts on a terminal end thereof, the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging cable connecting to corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device for charging of the mobile robotic device;
an electrical plug coupled to the main housing to connect to a power supply; and
one or more electrical elements electrically coupling the electrical plug to the charging cable and the motor,

whereby the charging cable extends through the opening of the main housing by rotation of the reel in a first direction upon the signal receiver receiving signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device and retracts through the opening of the main housing by rotation of the reel in a second direction upon the signal receiver detecting the absence of signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device.

2. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the receiver detects signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device when the transmitter is within a predetermined range from the receiver.

3. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter of the mobile robotic device only transmits signals when charging is required.

4. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the charging station extends the charging cable after the receiver receives signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device for a predetermined amount of time.

5. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the charging station retracts the charging cable after the receiver detects the absence of signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device for a predetermined amount of time.

6. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging station and the corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device have opposite poles.

7. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein connection between the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging station and the corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device complete an electrical charging circuit.

8. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein a length that the charging cable extends for charging of the mobile robotic device is adjustable.

9. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the charging cable continues to extend until a connection between the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging station and the corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device is detected by a completed electrical charging circuit.

10. The charging station of claim 1 , wherein the mobile robotic device is a mobile robotic cleaning device.

11. A charging station of a mobile robotic device comprising:
a main housing with an opening;
a signal receiver coupled to the main housing for receiving signals from a transmitter of the mobile robotic device;
a reel disposed within the main housing;
a motor coupled to the reel to drive rotation of the reel in two directions;
a charging cable wound around the reel with one or more magnetic charging contacts on a terminal end thereof, the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging cable connecting to corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device for charging of the mobile robotic device;
an electrical plug coupled to the main housing to connect to a power supply; and
one or more electrical elements electrically coupling the electrical plug to the charging cable and the motor,

whereby the charging cable extends through the opening of the main housing by rotation of the reel in a first direction upon the signal receiver receiving a first unique signal transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device and retracts through the opening of the main housing by rotation of the reel in a second direction upon the signal receiver receiving a second unique signal transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device.

12. The charging station of claim 11 , wherein the transmitter of the mobile robotic device only transmits the first unique signal when the mobile robotic device is approaching for charging and the second unique signal when charging is complete.

13. The charging station of claim 11 , wherein connection between the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging station and the corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device complete an electrical charging circuit.

14. The charging station of claim 11 , wherein the charging cable continues to extend until a connection between the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging station and the corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device is detected by a completed electrical charging circuit.

15. The charging station of claim 11 , wherein the mobile robotic device is a mobile robotic cleaning device.

16. A charging station of a mobile robotic device comprising:
a main housing with an opening;
a signal transmitter coupled to the main housing for transmitting signals to a receiver of the mobile robotic device;
a signal receiver coupled to the main housing for receiving signals from a transmitter of the mobile robotic device;
a reel disposed within the main housing;
a motor coupled to the reel to drive rotation of the reel in two directions;
a charging cable wound around the reel with one or more magnetic charging contacts on a terminal end thereof, the one or more magnetic charging contacts of the charging cable connecting to corresponding one or more magnetic charging contacts of the mobile robotic device for charging of the mobile robotic device;
an electrical plug coupled to the main housing to connect to a power supply; and
one or more electrical elements electrically coupling the electrical plug to the charging cable and the motor,

whereby the signal transmitter of the mobile robotic device transmits return signals to the signal receiver of the charging station upon receiving signals transmitted by the signal transmitter of the charging station when approaching for charging, and whereby the charging station extends the charging cable through the opening of the main housing by rotation of the reel in a first direction upon the signal receiver of the charging station receiving the return signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device and retracts through the opening of the main housing by rotation of the reel in a second direction upon the signal receiver of the charging station detecting the absence of return signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device.

17. The charging station of claim 16 , wherein the charging station extends the charging cable after the receiver receives return signals transmitted from the transmitter of the mobile robotic device for a predetermined amount of time.

18. The charging station of claim 16 , wherein the charging station retracts the charging cable after the receiver detects the absence of return signals transmitted from the transmi

Assignees

• Ebrahimi Afrouzi Ali

Inventors

• Ebrahimi Afrouzi Ali

Classifications

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

  Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title