Autonomous cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11547263-B2
Application number	US-202117162899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2021
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A robot cleaner comprising: a cleaner body including a controller, the cleaner body having a dust container accommodation part formed therein; a wheel unit mounted in the cleaner body, the wheel unit of which driving is controlled by the controller; and a dust container detachably coupled to the dust container accommodation part, wherein a first opening and a second opening are disposed at the same height in an inner wall of the dust container accommodation part, wherein the dust container includes: an entrance and an exit, disposed side by side along the circumference of the dust container, the entrance and the exit, respectively communicating with the first opening and the second opening when the dust container is accommodated in the dust container accommodation part; and a flow separating part extending downwardly inclined along the inner circumference of the dust container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot cleaner comprising:
a cleaner body including a dust container dock formed as a recess in the cleaner body;
a dust container that is set in the dust container dock;
a dust container cover rotatably provided at the cleaner body to be positioned over the dust container;
a display provided at the dust container cover;
a sensor provided at the dust container cover and configured to detect vibration of the dust container cover; and
a controller that determines a state of the dust container cover based on information detected by the sensor.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines whether the dust container cover is touched based on the information detected by the sensor, and switches the display ON or OFF according to whether the dust container cover is touched.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller provides an input interface through the display based on the information detected by the sensor.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines whether the dust container cover is rotated to be opened or closed based on the information detected by the sensor.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 4 , wherein, when the dust container cover is opened, the controller controls the robot cleaner to stop driving.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls a state of the display based on the vibration sensed by the sensor.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a change in a vector value to determine a state of the dust container cover.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor, and
wherein the controller switches the display to an OFF state or an ON state based on a movement of the dust container cover detected by the sensor.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the dust container cover includes a top cover and a bottom cover forming an appearance of the dust container cover.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the top cover is transparent or translucent, and
the display is visible through the top cover.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 9 , wherein the sensor includes a touch sensor to detect a touch input, and
the touch sensor is mounted to a rear surface of the top cover.

12. The robot cleaner of claim 9 , wherein the dust container cover includes a hinge portion rotatably coupled to the cleaner body and coupled to at least one of the top cover or the bottom cover.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising an input device provided on the dust container cover.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the dust container cover is provided to protrude from an upper surface of the cleaner body.

15. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the dust container cover protrudes from a rear end of the cleaner body when closed to be positioned over the dust container mounted in the dust container dock.

16. A robot cleaner comprising:
a cleaner body including a dust container dock formed as a recess in the cleaner body;
a dust container that is set in the dust container dock;
a dust container cover rotatably provided at the cleaner body to be positioned over the dust container;
a sensor provided at the dust container cover and configured to detect vibration of the dust container cover; and
a controller that determines a state of the dust container cover based on information detected by the sensor.

17. The robot cleaner of claim 16 , wherein, when the dust container cover is opened, the controller controls the robot cleaner to stop moving.

18. The robot cleaner of claim 16 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor.

19. The robot cleaner of claim 16 , wherein the dust container cover includes a hinge portion rotatably coupled to the cleaner body.

20. The robot cleaner of claim 16 , wherein the dust container cover protrudes from a rear end of the cleaner body when closed.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Nam Bohyun
• Shim Inbo
• Sung Jihoon
• Park Sojin
• Song Seunghyun
• Lee Sangkyu
• Jun Woochan

Classifications

• A47L2201/06

  Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning · CPC title

• A47L9/1633

  Concentric cyclones · CPC title

• A47L11/33 Primary

  having means for storing dirt · CPC title

• A47L9/1691

  Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles · CPC title

• A47L9/122

  flat · CPC title