Automatic cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895038-B2
Application number	US-201414575270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

An automatic cleaner is provided. The automatic cleaner may include a main body, and a wheel assembly disposed in the main body to allow the main body to move. The wheel assembly may include a drive, a first wheel rotated by a power of the drive, and a second wheel rotated by the power of the drive. The second wheel may include a plurality of contact protrusions on an outer circumferential surface thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic cleaner, comprising:
a main body; and
at least one wheel assembly disposed in the main body to allow the main body to move, wherein at least one wheel assembly comprises:
a drive;
a first wheel rotated by a power of the drive; and
a second wheel rotated by the power of the drive, wherein the second wheel includes a plurality of contact protrusions on an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein in a state in which the main body is lifted, a lowest point of the second wheel is lower than a lowest point of the first wheel.

2. The automatic cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the second wheel is elastically deformed by an external force, and wherein the plurality of contact protrusions radially extends from the outer circumferential surface of the second wheel.

3. The automatic cleaner according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of contact protrusions gradually decreases in thickness or diameter in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface of the second wheel.

4. The automatic cleaner according to claim 2 , wherein the second wheel comprises:
a first body;
a second body disposed outside of an outer circumferential surface of the first body; and
at least one connection portion that connects the first body to the second body, wherein the at least one connection portion is elastically deformable, and wherein the plurality of contact protrusions is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the second body.

5. The automatic cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one connection portion connects an outer circumferential surface of the first body to an inner circumferential surface of the second body and is rounded to radially extend from the outer circumferential surface of the first body.

6. The automatic cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein, when an external force is not applied to the second wheel, a center of the first body coincides with a center of the second body, and when an external force is applied to the second wheel, the center of the second body moves and does not coincide with the center of the first body.

7. The automatic cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one wheel assembly further comprises a transmission to transmit a rotational force of the first wheel to the second wheel.

8. The automatic cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the transmission comprises:
a plurality of protrusions, which are disposed on each of the first and second wheels, and
a plurality of links having a plurality of grooves into which the plurality of protrusions of each of the wheels is inserted.

9. The automatic cleaner according to claim 8 , wherein virtual lines that connect the plurality of protrusions disposed on each of the first and second wheels to each other have a polygonal shape.

10. The automatic cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein a rotational center of the second wheel is lower than a rotational center of the first wheel.

11. The automatic cleaner according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one wheel assembly further comprises:
a cover member to cover the second wheel; and
a housing to which the cover member is coupled, wherein a hole is defined in one of the cover member or the first body, and an insertion portion inserted into the hole is disposed on the other of the cover member or the first body.

12. The automatic cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one wheel assembly further comprises:
a first transmission to transmit the power of the drive to the first wheel; and
a second transmission to transmit the power of the drive to second wheel.

13. The automatic cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of first wheels is disposed in the main body, and wherein the second wheel is disposed between the plurality of first wheels.

14. An automatic cleaner, comprising:
a main body;
a plurality of first wheels disposed in the main body to allow the main body to move;
a plurality of drives to drive each of the plurality of first wheels; and
a second wheel disposed between the plurality of first wheels and rotated by a power of one of the plurality of drives, wherein the second wheel comprises a plurality of contact protrusions on an outer circumferential surface thereof, and wherein a rotational center of the second wheel is lower than a rotational center of the first wheel.

15. The automatic cleaner according to claim 14 , wherein the second wheel is elastically deformable by an external force.

16. The automatic cleaner according to claim 14 , wherein the second wheel comprises:
a first body;
a second body disposed outside of an outer circumferential surface of the first body; and
at least one connection portion that connects the first body to the second body, wherein the at least one connection portion is elastically deformable, and wherein the plurality of contact protrusions is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the second body.

17. The automatic cleaner according to claim 14 , further comprising a transmission to transmit a rotational force of one of the plurality of first wheels to the second wheel.

18. An automatic cleaner, comprising:
a main body;
a plurality of first wheels disposed in the main body to allow the main body to move;
a plurality of first drives to drive the plurality of first wheels, respectively;
a second wheel disposed in the main body to allow the main body to move; and
a second drive to drive the second wheel, wherein the second wheel is deformable by an external force and comprises a plurality of contact protrusions on an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the second wheel comprises:
a first body;
a second body disposed outside of an outer circumferential surface of the first body; and
at least one connection portion that connects the first body to the second body, wherein the at least one connection part is elastically deformable, and wherein the plurality of contact protrusions is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the second body.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Jihwan
• Ham Seaunglok
• Woo Jongjin
• Kim Hwang

Classifications

• B60B19/04

  expansible · CPC title

• B60B2200/49

  Domestic appliances, e.g. vacuum cleaners · CPC title

• B60B9/06

  in helical form · CPC title

• B60B11/00

  Units comprising multiple wheels arranged side by side; Wheels having more than one rim or capable of carrying more than one tyre · CPC title

• B60B2900/351

  versatility, e.g. usable for different purposes or different arrangements · CPC title