Mobile apparatus, particularly an autonomously mobile floor cleaning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016007817-A1
Application number	US-201514793821-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mobile apparatus, particularly an autonomously mobile floor cleaning device, has a chassis and wheels, wherein at least one wheel is driven, and the driven wheel is connected to the chassis via a suspension element that supports the wheel and is movable relative to the chassis. In order to create an alternative mobile apparatus for negotiating an obstacle, the wheel for support on a subsurface over which the mobile apparatus can travel is influenced by a spring exerting a spring force and can be retracted and extended relative to the chassis with the aid of the suspension element, wherein the spring force is adjustable independently of an increase or decrease in the spring force caused by such extension or retraction, and in particular may be increased as the wheel is extended farther.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ), particularly an autonomously mobile floor cleaning device, having a chassis ( 2 ) and a plurality of wheels ( 3 ), wherein at least one wheel ( 3 ) is driven, and the driven wheel ( 3 ) is connected to the chassis ( 2 ) via a suspension element ( 5 ) that supports wheel ( 3 ) and is movable relative to the chassis ( 2 ),
wherein the wheel ( 3 ) for support on a subsurface ( 6 ) over which the mobile apparatus ( 1 ) can travel is influenced by a spring ( 7 ) exerting a spring force and can be retracted and extended relative to the chassis ( 2 ) with the aid of the suspension element ( 5 ), wherein the spring force is adjustable independently of an increase or decrease in the spring force caused by such extension or retraction, and in particular may be increased as the wheel ( 3 ) is extended farther.

2 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the spring force is adjustable automatically.

3 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the spring force can be adjusted on the basis of a distance ( 9 ) corresponding to a retraction or extension dimension captured by a sensor ( 8 ), particularly a distance ( 9 ) between chassis ( 2 ) and subsurface ( 6 ).

4 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the spring ( 7 ) is a gas pressure spring.

5 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the spring ( 7 ) is designed as a spring element whose action is determined by elastic deformation.

6 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the spring ( 7 ) has a chassis side connection point ( 10 ) and a wheel side connection point ( 11 ), wherein the distance ( 12 ) between the connection points ( 10 , 11 ) is decisive for the spring force.

7 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the distance between the connection points ( 10 , 11 ) can be changed to adjust the spring force.

8 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension element ( 5 ) is a swing arm that is attached in articulated manner to the chassis ( 2 ) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation ( 13 ), and to which the wheel ( 3 ) is attached at a distance from the axis of rotation ( 13 ).

9 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the wheel side connection point ( 11 ) is arranged on the swing arm.

10 . Mobile apparatus ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein a connection point ( 10 , 11 ) can be shifted relative to the chassis ( 2 ) and/or the suspension element ( 5 ) to change the spring force by altering a distance ( 12 ) between the connection points ( 10 , 11 ), which is decisive for changing the effect of the spring force.

Assignees

• Vorwerk Co Interholding

Inventors

• Schlischka Patrick

Classifications

• A47L11/4066

  Propulsion of the whole machine · CPC title

• A47L11/4061 Primary

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

• A47L2201/04

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

• A47L9/009

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

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title