Robot cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12419477-B2
Application number	US-202017593795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2020
Priority date	Mar 26, 2019
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a robot cleaner comprising: a cleaner body including a control unit for controlling autonomous travelling; a sensing unit arranged to be inclined to the side surfaces and the upper surface of an upper corner portion of the cleaner body and photographing both the side direction and the upper direction of the cleaner body; and a bumper arranged to cover a first half area of the cleaner body and configured, at the time of coming into contact with an obstacle, to be pressed and absorb impact, wherein the sensing unit is arranged behind the bumper.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A robot cleaner comprising:
a cleaner body including a control unit for controlling autonomous driving;
a sensing unit disposed in an upper edge portion of the cleaner body, the sensing unit being inclined with respect to a side surface and an upper surface of the cleaner body;
an inclined part located on the upper edge portion of the cleaner body, the inclined part being downwardly inclined with respect to the upper surface of the cleaner body;
a bumper disposed to cover at least part of a first half area of the cleaner body including the inclined part of the first half area of the cleaner body, the bumper being configured to be pressed and to absorb impact; and
a front camera located at a front of the cleaner body, the front camera configured to face forward so as to take images toward a front side of the cleaner body,
wherein the sensing unit is located at a position adjacent to a rear area of the bumper and located on the inclined part excluding a portion where the bumper is disposed on the cleaner body,
wherein the sensing unit comprises a first camera part disposed in one side of the upper edge portion of the cleaner body at a first inclination and a second camera part disposed in another side of the upper edge portion of the cleaner body at a second inclination,
wherein the sensing unit is located at a first height from a ground on which the robot cleaner travels, the first height being a height equal to or less than a height at which the highest point of the bumper is located, and
wherein an inclination of the sensing unit is smaller than an inclination of the inclined part.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the inclined part comprises a through portion configured to allow capturing by the sensing unit.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit has an inclination ranging from 25° to 35° with respect to a ground.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first camera part comprises:
a first camera;
a first window disposed to cover the first camera; and
a first case mounted to the cleaner body to fix the first camera and the first window, the first case defining a hermetic space together with the first window to seal the first camera, and
wherein the second camera part comprises:
a second camera;
a second window disposed to cover the second camera; and
a second case mounted to the cleaner body to fix the second camera and the second window, the second case defining a hermetic space together with the second window to seal the second camera.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 4 , wherein the first window comprises a first filter and the second window comprises a second filter, wherein the first filter and the second filter are configured to selectively transmit an infrared area.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first camera part is disposed at a first position towards a left of a front center line of the cleaner body, and the second camera part is disposed at a symmetrical position towards a right of the front center line of the cleaner body.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to detect a current position of the robot cleaner in a traveling area using images captured by the first and second camera parts.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first and second camera parts are each rotatable to adjust an optical axis of a respective one of the first camera and the second camera.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising an ultrasonic sensing unit disposed on a front side surface of the bumper and configured to detect an obstacle located around a front of the cleaner body.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 9 , wherein the ultrasonic sensing unit is disposed at a height lower than a sensing unit height.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit is further configured to capture an image including a ceiling.

12. A robot cleaner comprising:
a cleaner body including a control unit for controlling autonomous driving;
a sensing unit disposed in an upper edge portion of the cleaner body, the sensing unit being inclined with respect to a side surface and an upper surface of the cleaner body;
an inclined part located on the upper edge portion of the cleaner body, the inclined part being downwardly inclined with respect to the upper surface of the cleaner body; and
a bumper disposed to cover at least part of a first half area of the cleaner body including the inclined part of the first half area of the cleaner body, the bumper being configured to be pressed and to absorb impact; and
a front camera located at a front of the cleaner body, the front camera configured to face forward so as to take images toward a front side of the cleaner body,
wherein a highest point of the bumper is located at a first height from a ground on which the robot cleaner travels,
wherein the sensing unit is located at a position adjacent to a rear area of the bumper and located on the inclined part excluding a portion where the bumper is disposed on the cleaner body,
wherein the sensing unit comprises a first camera part disposed in one side of the upper edge portion of the cleaner body at a first inclination and a second camera part disposed in another side of the upper edge portion of the cleaner body at a second inclination,
wherein the sensing unit is located at a height equal to or less than the first height, and
wherein an inclination of the sensing unit is smaller than an inclination of the inclined part.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 12 , wherein the control unit detects a current position of the robot cleaner in a traveling area using images captured by the sensing unit.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 12 , wherein the sensing unit is further configured to capture an image including a ceiling.

15. A robot cleaner comprising:
a cleaner body including a control unit configured to control autonomous driving;
a sensing unit disposed in a rear area of the cleaner body, wherein the sensing unit is directed upward, wherein the sensing unit is configured to capture images from a side direction and an upper direction, wherein the sensing unit is inclined with respect to a side surface and an upper surface of the cleaner body;
an inclined part located on the upper edge portion of the cleaner body, the inclined part being downwardly inclined with respect to the upper surface of the cleaner body;
a bumper disposed to cover at least part of a front area of the cleaner body including the inclined part of the front area of the cleaner body, the bumper being configured to be pressed and to absorb impact; and
a front camera located at a front of the cleaner body, the front camera configured to face forward so as to take images toward a front side of the cleaner body,
wherein a highest point of the bumper is located at a first height from a ground on which the robot cleaner travels,
wherein the sensing unit is disposed at a position adjacent to a rear of the bumper and located on the inclined part excluding a portion where the bumper is disposed on the cleaner body,
wherein the sensing unit comprises a first camera part disposed in one side of the upper edge portion of the cleaner body at a first inclination and a second camera part disposed in another side of the upper edge portion of the cleaner body at a second inclination,
wherein the sensing unit is disposed at a height equal to or less than the first height, and
wherein an inclination of the sensing unit is smaller than an inclination of the inclined part.

16. The robot cleaner of claim 15 , wherein the c

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc
• Makita Corp

Inventors

• Sohn Byungkon
• Koura Kentaro
• Song Youngkouk

Classifications

• G05D1/241

  Means for detecting physical contact, e.g. touch sensors or bump sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• A47L2201/04

  Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection · CPC title

• A47L9/2805

  Parameters or conditions being sensed · CPC title

• A47L9/009

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