Automatic working system, charging station and method for returning robotic mower to charging station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11171497-B2
Application number	US-201916360887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Nov 9, 2021
Grant date	Nov 9, 2021

Abstract

An automatic working system includes a robotic mower automatically moving and mowing in a working area, and a charging station for docking and charging of the robotic mower; the charging station includes: a charging support and a charging contact mounted on the charging support; and the robotic mower includes a housing, and a charging connector disposed on a lateral side of the housing and connected to the charging contact to receive electric energy when the robotic mower is in a docking position where the robotic mower is docked with the charging station. When the robotic mower is in the docking position, the charging support is located on a lateral side of the robotic mower, and the charging station is open in a front and back direction of the robotic mower to form a passage for the robotic mower to enter and exit the charging station approximately along a same direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic working system, comprising:
a robotic mower automatically moving and mowing in a working area, and a charging station for docking and charging of the robotic mower, wherein
the charging station comprises:
a charging support; and
a charging contact mounted on the charging support;
the robotic mower comprises:
a housing; and
a charging connector, disposed on a lateral side of the housing, and connected to the charging contact to receive electric energy when the robotic mower is in a docking position in which the robotic mower is docked with the charging station;
when the robotic mower is in the docking position, the charging support is located on a lateral side of the robotic mower, and the charging station is open in a front and back direction of the robotic mower to form a passage for the robotic mower to enter and exit the charging station approximately along a same direction;
wherein at least one of the charging contact and the charging connector is movable between an extending-out position and a retreating position, and in the retreating position, the robotic mower continues to move along a moving direction of entering the docking position to depart from the charging station; and
wherein at least one of the charging contact and the charging connector is mounted by an elastic connection portion, so as to elastically move between the extending-out position and the retreating position.

2. The automatic working system according to claim 1 , wherein the charging contact is mounted on the charging support by the elastic connection portion, and the charging contact telescopically moves or rotates relative to the charging support.

3. The automatic working system according to claim 2 , wherein single charging contact is disposed to form an acute angle or right angle with a direction of the robotic mower entering the charging station, and rotates to a direction of decreasing the acute angle or right angle.

4. The automatic working system according to claim 2 , wherein single charging contact is disposed to form an approximate right angle with a direction of the robotic mower entering the charging station, and rotates to a direction of decreasing or increasing the right angle.

5. The automatic working system according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic mower reaches the docking position from an advancing direction and a retreating direction.

6. The automatic working system according to claim 5 , wherein the charging contact moves to a direction of the robotic mower entering the charging station and a direction opposite to the entering direction.

7. The automatic working system according to claim 1 , wherein the charging connector is mounted on the housing by using the elastic connection portion, and the charging contact telescopically moves or rotates relative to the robotic mower.

8. The automatic working system according to claim 7 , wherein the robotic mower further comprises a housing, a charging slot is disposed on a lateral side of the housing, the charging slot is open in a front and back direction of the robotic mower entering the charging station, and is open in at least one lateral side of the charging slot, and the charging connector is disposed on a lateral side of the charging slot.

9. The automatic working system according to claim 1 , wherein the charging support is located outside the working area.

10. The automatic working system according to claim 9 , wherein the charging station is open in another lateral side opposite to the charging support.

11. A charging station for a robotic mower, comprising
a charging support;
a charging contact mounted on the charging support, wherein the charging contact provides a charging voltage for the robotic mower when the robotic mower is in a docking position in which the robotic mower is docked with the charging station, wherein
when the robotic mower is in the docking position, the charging support is located on a lateral side of the robotic mower, and the charging station is open in a front and back direction of the docking position of the robotic mower to form a passage for the robotic mower to enter and exit the charging station along a same direction;
wherein the charging contact is movable between an extending-out position and a retreating position, and in the retreating position, the robotic mower continues to move along a moving direction of entering the docking position to depart from the charging station; and
wherein the charging contact is mounted by an elastic connection portion, so as to elastically move between the extending-out position and the retreating position.

12. The charging station according to claim 11 , wherein another lateral side of the charging station opposite to the charging support is open.

13. The charging station according to claim 11 , wherein single charging contact is disposed to form an acute angle or right angle with a direction of the robotic mower entering the charging station, and rotates to a direction of decreasing the acute angle or right angle.

14. The charging station according to claim 11 , wherein single charging contact is disposed to form an approximate right angle with a direction of the robotic mower entering the charging station, and rotates to a direction of decreasing or increasing the right angle.

15. The charging station according to claim 11 , further comprising a bottom plate, wherein the charging support projects upwardly from at least one lateral side of the bottom plate.

16. A method for returning a robotic mower to a charging station, wherein the robotic mower automatically moves and mows in a working area, the charging station allows docking and charging of the robotic mower,
the charging station comprises:
a charging support; and
a charging contact mounted on the charging support; and
the robotic mower comprises:
a housing; and
a charging connector disposed on a lateral side of the housing and connected to the charging contact to receive electric energy when the robotic mower is in a docking position in which the robotic mower is docked with the charging station, the robotic mower also has a guiding control module controlling the robotic mower to return to the charging station, and the method comprises the following steps:
S 1 : the robotic mower returns to a vicinity of the charging station by using the guide control module;
S 2 : after reaching the vicinity of the charging station, continue to advance according to a control signal of the guide control module, and detect whether the charging contact and the charging connector are successfully connected;
S 3 : if a judgment result of S 2 is yes, the robotic mower reaches the docking position, and the robotic mower executes braking for charging;
S 4 : if the charging of the robotic mower is completed or a signal of departing from the charging station is received, the robotic mower departs from the charging station approximately along a direction of entering the charging station.

17. The method for returning to the charging station according to claim 16 , wherein if the judgment result of S 2 is no, the method further comprises S 5 : the robotic mower executes retreating or returns to an initial position of entering the charging station and continues to execute step S 2 .

Assignees

• Positec Power Tools Suzhou Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jiao Shiping
• Du Jiang
• Ran Yuanzhong
• Jiang Huihui

Classifications

• H02J7/751 Primary

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/685

  using connection detecting circuits (H02J7/68 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A01D34/00 Primary

  Mowers (combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing A01D37/00 - A01D41/00, A01D43/00; convertible to apparatus for purposes other than mowing or capable of performing operations other than mowing A01D42/00); Mowing apparatus of harvesters · CPC title

• H01R13/631

  for engagement only · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title