Patent Application
20120189507
The present invention relates to a modular automatic traveling apparatus and particularly to a modular automatic traveling apparatus coupled with a detachable external device to automatically perform varying tasks.
Advance of technology has spawned automatic moving devices to automatically perform some tasks, such as cleaning and sweeping, to save manpower and improve life quality in homes.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,880 discloses a cleaning robot that includes a moving unit which moves the main unit, a collecting unit for suctioning dust and particles on the floor into the main unit, and a wiping unit for wiping the floor using detergent, disinfectant, wax, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,201 also discloses an autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem that includes a dual-stage brush assembly having counter-rotating, asymmetric brushes and an adjacent, but independent, vacuum assembly such that the cleaning capability and efficiency of the self-adjustable cleaning head subsystem is optimized while concomitantly minimizing the power requirements thereof. The autonomous floor-cleaning robot further includes a side brush assembly for directing particulates outside the envelope of the robot into the self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,827,654 discloses a self-traveling cleaner including a main body, the main body has a reverse side provided with a pair of driving wheels and a pair of auxiliary wheels. A brush mechanism is horizontally rotatably provided in a depression formed on a part of the reverse side. An inlet is further provided on the reverse side of the main body. A dust collector is connected to the inlet. The brush mechanism includes a rotation axis extending perpendicular to a floor surface, one arm made of elastic resin projecting laterally from a lower end of the rotation shaft, and a brush planted on an end portion of the arm toward the floor surface. The brush projects outwardly from the main body to collect dust near a wall surface, for example, while the arm rotates within the first rotation angle range, and the brush sweeps the collected dust toward the inlet while the arm rotates within the second rotation angle range.
All the aforesaid conventional techniques mainly include an automatic moving robot with a specific cleaning tool mounted thereon to perform cleaning tasks such as dust suction, floor sweeping or wiping, floor waxing and the like while the robot is moving. As the tool held on the robot only has single function, it can perform merely one type of task. Moreover, the robot has size limitation and cannot hold various types of tools. If users want to perform multiple types of tasks, they have to buy other dedicated robots. It becomes an extra burden to the users.
The primary object of the present invention is to solve the aforesaid disadvantages by providing an automatic traveling apparatus that can be coupled with various types of detachable external devices to automatically perform different tasks.
To achieve the foregoing object, the present invention provides a modular automatic traveling apparatus which includes a seat and an external coupling device mounted onto the seat. The seat includes a moving device to allow the seat to move automatically and an assembling passage which has two ends formed respectively an inlet and a holding orifice. The holding orifice has a detent portion on the perimeter thereof. The external coupling device has an installation portion which can be inserted into the assembling passage through the inlet and latched on the detent portion and anchored on the holding orifice, thus is movable automatically with the seat.
In an embodiment of the invention, the seat includes an upper case and a lower case coupled with the upper case to hold a holding barrel between them. The holding barrel is hollow to form the assembling passage and has the inlet and holding orifice at two ends. The upper case and lower case have respectively a first opening and a second opening corresponding to the inlet and the holding orifice. The holding barrel and installation portion of the external coupling device further have respectively a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion to form retaining relationship between them. The holding barrel and lower case also have respectively a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion to form coupling between them. The external coupling device may be an air humidifier, ordorator or vacuum cleaner.
By means of the technique set forth above, the invention can be coupled with various types of external coupling devices to meet modular requirements.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Please refer to
Also referring to
The upper case 11 and lower case 12 have respectively a first opening 111 and a second opening 121 corresponding to each other and hold a holding barrel 20 between them. The holding barrel 20 is hollow and forms an assembling passage 22 which has two ends formed respectively an inlet 23 corresponding to the first opening 111 and a holding orifice 24 corresponding to the second opening 121. The holding orifice 24 has a detent portion 25 on the perimeter thereof. The holding barrel 20 is anchored on the lower case 12 through a first coupling portion 21 and a second coupling portion 122 formed respectively thereon. The first and second coupling portions 21 and 122 are respectively a lug and an insertion trough mating each other to hold the holding barrel 20 securely on the lower case 12.
Referring to
The external coupling device 30 is not limited to the vacuum cleaner, but may also be other devices as shown in
As a conclusion, the invention mainly provides an assembling passage 22 on the seat 10 and external coupling devices 30, 30a and 30b with respectively an installation portion 31, 31a and 31b inserted into the assembling passage 22. Thereby the seat 10 can incorporate with various types of external coupling devices 30, 30a and 30b, such as a vacuum cleaner, air humidifier and odorator mentioned above to form modular configuration. When in use, users can change the external coupling devices 30, 30a and 30b as required to perform varying functions without purchasing other dedicated automatic apparatus for different tasks.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
