Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the dust removing performance of a docking station by improving the position and structure of coupling of a robot cleaner and the docking station in a cleaning system, and to allow a user to perform the manual cleaning by using the docking station. SOLUTION: The robot cleaner 100 has a dust outlet 115 formed on the top of a robot body 110 for discharging the dust inside a first dust collection device 120 to the docking station 200. The docking station 200 has a coupling hole located at a position corresponding to the dust outlet 115 for receiving the dust transferred from the dust outlet 115. A coupling device 240 for coupling the dust outlet 115 and the coupling hole is set on the robot cleaner 100 or on the docking station 200. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot cleaning system capable of both automatic and manual cleaning using a minimum number of devices and capable of removing dust collected inside a robot cleaner in the manual cleaning. SOLUTION: The robot cleaning system is composed of a first cleaning unit 100 which moves by itself in a cleaning zone for the automatic cleaning and a second cleaning unit 200 which is connected to the first cleaning unit 100 and which is moved in the cleaning zone by a user for the manual cleaning. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charger constituted of a simple mechanism and supplying power only when a charged apparatus has been surely mounted, and to provide a charger for a self-running cleaner. SOLUTION: In the charger 1 for supplying power to the self-running cleaner, a negative electrode terminal 42 among protrusion contactors 4 is always connected electrically to a current carrying section C (a third lead wire 421). A positive electrode terminal 41 is separated from the current-carrying section C (an electrode plate 411), when a terminal moving/turning section 51 moves forward by elastic members 514, 514. One among a plurality of connections (left end 41b and right end 41c) at a back end of the positive electrode terminal 41 is electrically connected to the current-carrying section C (electrode plate 411) by moving backward the terminal moving/turning section 51 by force from the self-running cleaner 8, in cooperation with an operation for mounting the self-running cleaner 8 with respect to the protrusion contactors 4. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot cleaner system which can detect an external charging apparatus provided at a place that cannot be detected by an upper camera to connect it, and a connection method for the external charging apparatus. SOLUTION: The robot cleaner system includes a power supply terminal connected to normal electric power, a terminal stand which is provided with the power supply terminal and fixed to a specified position, the external charging apparatus which includes a charging apparatus recognition sign provided on a floor in front of the terminal stand, a recognition sign detection sensor provided on the floor of the main body so as to sense the charging apparatus recognition sign, a driving part which moves the main body, an upper camera provided on the main body so as to photograph a ceiling, a bumper which is provided surrounding the main body and outputs a collision signal when colliding with an obstacle, a charging terminal provided on the bumper so as to connect the power supply terminal, a charging battery which is provided on the main body and charged with power supply supplied through the charging terminal, and a controller which controls the driving part so as to connect to the external charging apparatus after the charging apparatus recognition sign is detected using the recognition sign detection sensor if a charging command is received. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
A charging apparatus used with a mobile robot (30) has an improved charging structure so that a mobile robot (30) is easily brought into electrical contact with a charging unit (10), thereby reducing manufacturing costs and preventing a charging failure. The charging unit (10) is provided with a plurality of charging terminals (20) which are brought into electrical contact with corresponding ones of contact terminals (33a/b) of the mobile robot (30). Each of the charging terminals (20) includes a body (21) and a head (21a). A contact plate (23) is mounted to a predetermined portion of the head (21a) to be brought into electrical contact with a corresponding one of the contact terminals (33a/b).
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of correcting the coordinates of a robotic cleaner with reference to the absolute coordinates of a charging station in order to improve the pathway follow-up performance of the robotic cleaner traveling using an angle sensor. SOLUTION: This coordinate correction method of a robotic cleaner includes: a step of making the robotic cleaner be on standby at the charging station; a step of moving the robotic cleaner to a work area to perform a predetermined work; a step of suspending the work when the accumulated angle reaches a preset value or more during the work of the robotic cleaner, and returning the robotic cleaner to the charging station; a step of making the coordinates of the robotic cleaner coincide with the reference coordinates of the charging station; and a step of making the robotic cleaner move to the work position before returning to the charging station to continue to work. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging type moving system by which a self-propelled machine is charged reliably. SOLUTION: A charging terminal 27a provided at the rear side of the main body BD of a self-propelled vacuum cleaner is wider in a horizontal direction than the power feeding terminal 101 of a charging device 100. Thus, even in the case of approaching the power feeding terminal 101 in the state of being deviated a little to the right or left from the center of the charging device 27a, the charging apparatus 27a can be connected with the power feeding terminal 101 reliably. As a result of this, the self-propelled vacuum cleaner 10 is charged reliably. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To operate a mobile robot with a high operation rate. SOLUTION: The subject station 1 has a cylinder for concentrically rotating a plurality of pack changing parts 50A and 50B by a turn-cylinder motor 71 on a first horizontal plane parallel to the floor surface on which the station 1 is set when an arrival detection part 72 detects the arrival of a mobile cleaner. A control part 73 activates the pack changing part 50B located by facing the mobile cleaner among a plurality of pack changing parts as a former battery pack 31 detaching part when the mobile cleaner arrives, and after that, by rotating the turn-cylinder motor 71, activates the pack changing part 50A located by facing the mobile cleaner in place of the pack changing part 50B as an attaching part of a new battery pack 41 to the mobile cleaner 2. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI