Autonomous lawn mower and a system for navigating thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11357166-B2
Application number	US-201916360243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A system and method for an autonomous lawn mower comprising a mower body having at least one motor arranged to drive a cutting blade and to propel the mower body on an operating surface via a wheel arrangement, wherein the mower body includes a navigation system arranged to assist a controller to control the operation of the mower body within a predefined operating area.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An autonomous lawn mower comprising:
a mower body having at least one motor arranged to drive a cutting blade and to propel the mower body on an operating surface via a wheel arrangement, wherein the mower body includes a navigation system arranged to assist a controller to control the operation of the mower body within a predefined operating area;
wherein the mower body further includes a height adjustment system arranged to assist the controller to restrict the operation of the cutting blade within a predefined operating height;
wherein the height adjustment system includes one or more sensors arranged to detect the presence of the cutting blade at the predefined operating height;
wherein the height adjustment system further includes a height adjustment motor separate from the at least one motor arranged to drive the cutting blade and to propel the mower body on the operating surface via the wheel arrangement; and
wherein the height adjustment system further includes a worm shaft configured to be driven by the height adjustment motor to adjust a height of the cutting blade with respect to the operating surface.

2. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 1 , wherein the height adjustment system includes a carrier whose motion adjusts the height of the cutting blade and is arranged to communicate with the controller for terminating the motion of the carrier upon the cutting blade reaching the predefined operating height.

3. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 1 , further comprising:
a micro switch located on a blade operating motor and including an elongated portion that extends upward away from the blade operating motor;
wherein the one or more sensors include a first sensor configured to detect a presence of the elongated portion of the micro switch to determine when the height of the cutting blade has reached the predefined operating height, wherein the predefined operating height includes a maximum height with respect to the operating surface.

4. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 3 , wherein the first sensor includes at least one of a group consisting of a hall sensor and a photoelectric sensor.

5. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 3 , further comprising:
a height adjustment motor separate from the at least one motor arranged to drive the cutting blade and to propel the mower body on the operating surface via the wheel arrangement;
wherein the first sensor is located on top of the height adjustment motor.

6. An autonomous lawn mower comprising:
a mower body having at least one motor arranged to drive a cutting blade and to propel the mower body on an operating surface via a wheel arrangement, wherein the mower body includes a navigation system arranged to assist a controller to control the operation of the mower body within a predefined operating area;
a detachable docking module arranged to receive the mower body;
wherein the mower body further includes a sensor arranged to assist the controller to terminate the movement of the mower body upon the mower body being received by the detachable docking module;
wherein the detachable docking module includes a magnetic member arranged to communicate with the sensor;
wherein the mower body includes an opening within which the sensor is positioned; and
wherein the magnetic member is inserted into the opening upon the mower body being received by the detachable docking module.

7. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 6 , wherein the opening within which the sensor is positioned is on a front end of the mower body.

8. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is a hall sensor.

9. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect that the mower body has been received by the detachable docking module despite an absence of power for the detachable docking module when the mower body is received by the detachable docking module.

10. An autonomous lawn mower comprising:
a mower body having at least one motor arranged to drive a cutting blade and to propel the mower body on an operating surface via a wheel arrangement, wherein the mower body includes a navigation system arranged to assist a controller to control the operation of the mower body within a predefined operating area;
wherein the mower body further includes a heat absorbing unit on the outer surface of the mower body for directing the heat generated within the mower body towards the atmosphere;
wherein the controller is attached to the heat absorbing unit; and
wherein the mower body further includes a heat conducting layer positioned between the controller and the heat absorbing unit.

11. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 10 , wherein the heat absorbing unit provides a sealing means for protecting the mower body against moisture of the atmosphere.

12. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 10 , wherein the heat absorbing unit is a heat sink.

13. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 10 , wherein the heat conducting layer is a thermal paste.

14. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 10 , wherein the controller is mounted on a printed circuit board.

15. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 14 , wherein the printed circuit board is attached to the heat absorbing unit.

16. The autonomous lawn mower of claim 10 , wherein the heat absorbing unit is provided on a lateral surface of an inner mower body of the mower body between a rear wheel and a front wheel.

Assignees

• Tti Macao Commercial Offshore Ltd
• Techtronic Outdoor Products Tech Limited

Inventors

• Hahn Klaus
• Rickey Todd Brandon
• Montgomery Benjamin Edgar

Classifications

• B60L50/66

  Arrangements of batteries · CPC title

• A01D34/008 Primary

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title

• A01D34/78

  electric · CPC title

• A01D34/69

  with motor driven wheels · CPC title