Vertical sensing in an autonomous cleaning robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11330953-B2
Application number	US-201916588575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2019
Priority date	Sep 30, 2019
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

An autonomous mobile cleaning robot can include an outer shell and a bumper. The outer shell can include a rim extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the outer shell and can include a first feature connected to the rim. The bumper can be connected to the outer shell and can movable with respect to the outer shell when the bumper is connected to the outer shell. The bumper can include a second feature connected to the inner surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An autonomous mobile cleaning robot comprising:
an outer shell comprising a first feature connected to the outer shell, the first feature including a ramp angled with respect to a vertical axis of the autonomous mobile cleaning robot; and
a bumper movably connected to the outer shell, the bumper defining an inner surface, and the bumper comprising:
a second feature connected to the inner surface, the second feature engageable with the ramp to cause the bumper to move in a horizontal direction with respect to the outer shell in response to a vertical force applied to a top portion of the bumper.

2. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the second feature of the bumper includes a retaining wall configured to retain a pin of the outer shell to together limit horizontal movement of the bumper with respect to the outer shell.

3. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the second feature of the bumper includes a radially inner lip of the bumper.

4. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim I, wherein the outer shell further comprises a plurality of first features connected to the outer shell, and wherein the bumper further comprises a plurality of second features connected to the inner surface, each second feature of the plurality of second features engageable with one first feature of the plurality of first features to cause the bumper to move in the vertical direction with respect to the outer shell in response to the horizontal force applied to the bumper.

5. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the second features includes a retaining wall configured to retain a pin of the outer shell, and wherein at least another of the second features includes a radially inner lip of the bumper.

6. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first features includes the ramp, and wherein another of the first features includes a second ramp angled with respect to a radial axis of the autonomous mobile cleaning robot to cause a rear portion of the bumper to translate substantially tangentially with respect to the outer shell in response to the vertical force applied to the bumper.

7. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim 6 , wherein the ramp and the second ramp are angled in substantially the same direction.

8. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bumper switch activatable by the bumper, the first feature and the second feature configured to cause the bumper to activate the bumper switch in response to the vertical force applied to the bumper.

9. The autonomous mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , further comprising:
a spring connected to the outer shell and engaged with the bumper to bias the bumper away from the outer shell.

10. An mobile cleaning robot comprising:
an outer shell comprising a first feature connected to the outer shell including a pin; and
a bumper movably connected to the outer shell, the bumper defining an inner surface, and the bumper comprising:
a second feature connected to the inner surface, the second feature including a ramp angled with respect to a vertical axis of the mobile cleaning robot, and the ramp engageable with the pin to cause the bumper to move in a horizontal direction with respect to the outer shell in response to a vertical force applied to a top portion of the bumper.

11. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 10 , wherein the outer shell includes a plurality of pins connected to the outer shell, and wherein the bumper includes a plurality of ramps connected to the inner surface, each ramp of the plurality of ramps engageable with one pin of the plurality of pins to cause the bumper to move in the vertical direction with respect to the outer shell in response to the horizontal force applied to the bumper.

12. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 11 , further comprising:
a bumper switch activatable by the bumper, the first feature and the second feature configured to cause the bumper to activate the bumper switch in response to the vertical force applied to the bumper.

13. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 12 , further comprising:
a spring connected to the outer shell and engaged with the bumper to bias the bumper away from the outer shell.

14. An mobile cleaning robot comprising:
an outer shell including a ramp connected thereto; and
a bumper movably connected to the outer shell, the bumper comprising:
an inner lip engageable with the ramp to cause the bumper to move in a horizontal direction with respect to the outer shell in response to a vertical force applied to a top portion of the bumper.

15. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 14 , wherein the outer shell includes a plurality of ramps connected to the outer shell, the inner lip of the bumper engageable with each ramp of the plurality of ramps to cause the bumper to move in the vertical direction with respect to the outer shell in response to the horizontal force applied to the bumper.

16. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 14 , wherein the inner lip includes a chamfered surface configured to contact the ramp.

17. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 16 , further comprising:
a bumper switch activatable by the bumper, the ramp and the inner lip configured to cause the bumper to activate the bumper switch in response to the vertical force applied to the bumper.

18. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 17 , further comprising:
a spring connected to the outer shell and engaged with the bumper to bias the bumper away from the outer shell.

19. An mobile cleaning robot comprising:
an outer shell including a ramp connected thereto; and
a bumper movably connected to the outer shell, the bumper defining an inner surface, and the bumper comprising:
a pin connected to the inner surface, the pin engageable with the ramp to cause the bumper to move in a horizontal direction with respect to the outer shell in response to a vertical force applied to a top portion of the bumper.

20. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 19 , wherein the outer shell includes a plurality of ramps connected to the outer shell, and wherein the bumper includes a plurality of pins connected to the inner surface, each pin of the plurality of pins engageable with one ramp of the plurality of ramps to cause the bumper to move in the vertical direction with respect to the outer shell in response to the horizontal force applied to the bumper.

21. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 20 , further comprising:
a bumper switch activatable by the bumper, the ramp and the pin configured to cause the bumper to activate the bumper switch in response to the vertical force applied to the bumper; and
a spring connected to the outer shell and engaged with the bumper to bias the bumper away from the outer shell.

Assignees

• Irobot Corp

Inventors

• Pastore Andrew J
• Zhou Pu
• Burbank Eric

Classifications

• A47L2201/04

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• A47L9/2852 Primary

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• A47L11/4061 Primary

  Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated · CPC title

• A47L9/2889

  Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user · CPC title

• A47L9/009

  Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles · CPC title