Industrial automated vacuum cleaner and method for automated servicing of construction tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11089925-B2
Application number	US-201716089155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Industrial vacuum cleaner configured for servicing at least one construction tool ( 2 ), said vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) comprising a vacuum inlet ( 3 ), wherein said vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) further comprises a controller ( 8 ) and connected to said controller ( 8 ) a wireless transceiver ( 10 ), a memory ( 12 ), and at least one location and/or orientation sensor ( 11 ) configured for detection of vacuum cleaner location and/or localization of other objects in relation to the vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) and wherein the vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) further comprises means for propulsion ( 13 ) controlled by said controller ( 8 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated vacuum cleaner configured for servicing at least one construction tool, said vacuum cleaner comprising:
a vacuum inlet;
a controller;
a wireless transceiver connected to said controller;
a memory connected to said controller;
at least one navigation sensor connected to said controller; and
means for propulsion controlled by said controller;
wherein the automated vacuum cleaner is configured to:
upon receiving a wireless signal from a construction tool, determine a location of said construction tool;
automatically relocate to the location of said construction tool and move, from a disconnected state with the construction tool, to physically connect said vacuum inlet of the vacuum cleaner to the construction tool; and
service the construction tool with the vacuum inlet physically connected to the construction tool.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to relocate by adapting a propulsion of the vacuum cleaner via the means for propulsion and follow the construction tool as the construction tool moves.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to follow the construction tool as the construction tool moves by following behind the construction tool while the vacuum cleaner is physically connected to the construction tool.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum inlet comprises an end portion configured for connection to a dust ejection arrangement on the construction tool, and wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to relocate by attaching the end portion of the vacuum inlet to the dust ejection arrangement on the construction tool.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein the vacuum inlet is an extendable tube, and wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises a tube support and a stop which restricts withdrawal of said tube.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the end portion of the vacuum inlet is positioned at a vertical height that corresponds to a vertical height of the dust ejection arrangement for forming a connection.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one navigation sensor is a location sensor configured to detect a vacuum cleaner location to enable the vacuum cleaner to navigate according to a present location of the vacuum cleaner, or
wherein the at least one navigation sensor is an orientation sensor configured to detect localization of other objects in relation to the vacuum cleaner to enable the vacuum cleaner to navigate according to surrounding objects.

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises a sensor for detecting a level of dust in a dust container of said vacuum cleaner and wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to detect when a dust level exceeds a threshold level and in response thereto move to a dust dumping station.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to approach the construction tool such that the vacuum inlet is connected to a dust ejection arrangement of the construction tool which transmitted a servicing request.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to wirelessly connect to the construction tool upon reception of the servicing request from said construction tool, and wherein said vacuum cleaner continuously monitors and moves in order to essentially maintain a position or orientation of the connected construction tool in relation to the vacuum cleaner.

11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to monitor a level of dust collected in a dust container of said vacuum cleaner, and upon indication of the dust container being filled beyond a threshold value, transmit a wireless signal indicating a full reservoir which, when received by the construction tool, results in that the construction tool stops, whereby the vacuum cleaner is configured to stop suction and physically disconnect from the construction tool.

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to store a position of a dust container emptying position and upon detection of a dust container of said vacuum cleaner being filled, move the vacuum cleaner to said dust container emptying position.

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to:
switch on suction during an approach to said construction tool in order to facilitate connection between the vacuum inlet and a dust ejection arrangement of the construction tool.

14. An automated vacuum cleaner configured for servicing at least one construction tool, said vacuum cleaner comprising:
a vacuum inlet;
a controller;
a wireless transceiver connected to said controller;
a memory connected to said controller;
at least one navigation sensor connected to said controller; and
means for propulsion controlled by said controller;
wherein the automated vacuum cleaner is configured to:
upon receiving a wireless signal from a construction tool, determine a location of said construction tool;
automatically relocate to the location of said construction tool;
record a path traveled by said construction tool based on the signals from the construction tool; and
service the construction tool based on said recorded path.

15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 14 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to follow the construction tool as the construction tool moves by recording a path taken by the construction tool through receiving position information of the construction tool and to cover the same path as the construction tool, or
wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to follow the construction tool as the construction tool moves by recording an area covered by the construction tool through receiving position information of the construction tool and to cover the same area as the construction tool.

16. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 14 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to service the construction tool by moving in accordance with the recorded path.

17. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 14 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to service the construction tool by determining a vacuum cleaner path based on the recorded path and move in accordance with the vacuum cleaner path.

18. An automated vacuum cleaner configured for servicing at least one grinding machine, said vacuum cleaner comprising:
a vacuum inlet;
a controller;
a wireless transceiver connected to said controller;
a memory connected to said controller;
at least one navigation sensor connected to said controller; and
means for propulsion controlled by said controller;
wherein the automated vacuum cleaner is configured to:
upon receiving a wireless signal from a grinding machine, determine a location of said grinding machine;
automatically relocate to the location of said grinding machine; and
service the grinding machine by following a path of said grinding machine based on wireless signals from the grinding machine.

19. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 18 further comprising a location sensor or an orientation sensor to detect and avoid obstacles during movements of said vacuum cleaner.

Assignees

• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Ed Joakim
• Gustafsson Lars
• Andersson Simon
• Mehra Rajinder
• Olsson Tommy
• Petersson Ulf
• Bälter Richard

Classifications

• A47L9/19

  Means for monitoring filtering operation · CPC title

• A47L2201/00

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

• A47L7/0095 Primary

  Suction cleaners or attachments adapted to collect dust or waste from power tools · CPC title

• A47L9/2852

  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