Patent Application
20160302638
The invention relates to a robotic vacuum cleaner and to a method of operating the robotic vacuum cleaner so that no debris remains on a surface or area to be cleaned after the cleaning.
Robotic vacuum cleaners are known in the art. In general robotic vacuum cleaners are equipped with drive means in the form of a motor for moving the cleaner across a surface to be cleaned. The robotic vacuum cleaners are further equipped with intelligence in the form of microprocessor(s) and navigation and positioning means for causing an autonomous behaviour such that the robotic vacuum cleaners can freely move around and clean a space in the form of e.g. a room.
In many fields of technology, it is desirable to use robots with an autonomous behaviour such that they freely can move around a space without colliding with possible obstacles.
As an a example, robotic vacuum cleaners exist in the art with the capability of more or less autonomously vacuum cleaning a room in which furniture such as tables and chairs and other obstacles such as walls and stairs are located.
Traditionally, these robotic vacuum cleaners have navigated a room by means of using e.g. ultrasound or light waves or laser beams. Such robotic vacuum cleaners usually clean an area or surface by means of parallel strokes or stripes back and forth.
Traditionally, robotic vacuum cleaners have been arranged with circular-shaped main bodies. Such a robot having co-axial drive wheels at the centre of its body has the advantage that it is easy to control and cannot get stuck since it always can rotate 180° and go back the same way it came. However, the circular-shaped main body makes them unsuitable for cleaning corners or edges where a floor meets a wall since these circular vacuum cleaners due to their shape cannot move into a corner or close enough to a wall, or other objects around which cleaning is required such as e.g. chair legs. An example of a robotic vacuum cleaner aiming at solving this problem is disclosed in WO 03/024292, the main body of which at its rear end is circular-shaped, whereas the front end of the main body is substantially rectangular. This is an improvement over the traditional circular-shaped robotic vacuum cleaners in terms of reaching into corners. Further, sweeping brushes are arranged at a bottom side of the main body and disposed such that they are associated with front corner regions of the rectangular-shaped main body front end.
Sweeping, rotating or even steady brushes may further be arranged eccentrically to an opening in the bottom of the main body. The opening may comprise a nozzle or the like to enhance the ability of the robotic vacuum cleaner to reach out into corners and edges and, in some cases, to extend the range or width of the effective cleaning. The brushes may be positioned on the body of the robotic vacuum cleaner similar to the rotating brushes of a machine that is configured to clean streets and other public areas.
In many cases only one brush is arranged on the body of the robotic vacuum cleaner. When the brush is arranged eccentrically or offset of the opening, either on a left or right side thereof, the cleaning movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner should be adapted accordingly. When a stroke or stripe pattern, in which the robotic vacuum cleaner is moving back and forth from stroke to stroke, is used as a cleaning pattern, debris may be pushed off the actual cleaning pattern and thus the cleaning process may not be proper and neat and may leave some debris behind.
For the reasons above there is a need for good planning of the cleaning process and thus the cleaning pattern that is followed by the robotic vacuum cleaner.
An object of the invention is to provide a robotic cleaning device which provides a neat and effective cleaning.
A further object of the invention is to provide a robotic cleaning device, which is easy to handle and independent.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of cleaning with a robotic cleaning device, which improves the result of the cleaning process.
The above mentioned objects are solved by a robotic cleaning device and by a method of operating a robotic cleaning device, as claimed in the independent claims.
Disclosed herein is a robotic cleaning device comprising a main body, an opening arranged in a bottom side of the main body for removing debris from an area to be cleaned, a brush arranged adjacent to the opening and at least one driving wheel. The robotic cleaning device may further comprise a propulsion system configured to move the robotic cleaning device across the area, and a positioning system comprising an obstacle detecting device and a processing unit. The processing unit being arranged to control the driving motor to move across the area to be cleaned, the positioning system may be configured to record positional data for example via the obstacle detecting device, whereby the processing unit is configured to generate a cleaning pattern from said positional data. The cleaning pattern may comprise at least one spiral pattern having an outer periphery, said spiral pattern may be arranged so that, during the cleaning, the robotic cleaning device spirals itself inwards from the outer periphery towards a centre of the spiral pattern. The brush may be arranged to face the outer periphery, while the robotic cleaning device follows the spiral pattern.
The obstacle detecting device may be in the form of a 3D sensor system, which 3D sensor system may be a laser scanner, a camera in combination with line lasers, a radar, etc.
The 3D sensor system may comprise a camera device configured to record images of a vicinity of the robotic cleaning device and a first and second vertical line lasers arranged to illuminate said vicinity of the robotic cleaning device. The processing unit may be configured to derive the positional data from the recorded images.
The positional data may comprise position information of the robotic cleaning device itself and/or mapping information derived from the area to be cleaned. The positional data may be a map, a layout or a floor plan of parts or all of the area to be cleaned.
The term spiral pattern used herein is to be understood in the broadest possible sense and not limited to a continuous curve around a centre point or to the mathematical definition of the term spiral. The spiral pattern may have any shape from circular to elliptical, quadratic, rectangular, or any combinations of these shapes, as partially illustrated in the figures.
The brush is arranged so that it is always on an outer side as seen in the direction of movement of the robotic cleaning device and in relation to the centre of the spiral pattern.
When the robotic cleaning device is following such a cleaning pattern, which it defined itself via the processing unit and the positioning system based on the positional data, the area to be cleaned is cleaned in the best possible manner leaving almost no debris behind. The cleaning pattern and the spiral pattern, respectively, which is followed by the robotic cleaning device, may ensure a neat and tidy cleaning of the area to be cleaned. Such a cleaning process may further enhance efficiency since the robotic cleaning device is planning the cleaning process properly and false moves or inefficiencies, such as double cleaning of regions or overlapping strokes, may be reduced to a minimum.
The robotic cleaning device may be a robotic vacuum cleaner or a robotic floor mop or the like.
In an embodiment the brush may be a rotating brush, which is arranged at a periphery of the body and which extends at least partially outside a periphery of the body.
A rotating brush has the advantage of an effective cleaning. The positioning of the rotating brush so that it at least extends partially outside a periphery of the body may enable the rotating brush to reach into corners and edges.
It may be possible to mount two rotating brushes laterally positioned on either side of the opening, this is however not necessary to achieve a neat and tidy cleaning. However, such an embodiment may extend the range or cleaning width of the opening.
In an embodiment the positional data is recorded, by the positioning system and the processing unit, while the robotic vacuum cleaner is following a boundary of the area to be cleaned.
The positioning system may additionally comprise one or two vertical line lasers to illuminate an angle of vision of the camera device.
The robotic cleaning device is thus configured to work autonomous from the beginning. It gets to know its surroundings or environment by way of moving in it and by way of recording images and extracting characteristics from said images.
The 3D sensor system may further be embodied in the form of a proximity sensor or the like such as infrared (IR) sensors and/or sonar sensors, a microwave radar, a camera device registering its surroundings via the aid of line lasers, a laser scanner, etc. for detecting obstacles and communicating information about any detected obstacle to the processing unit.
The processing unit communicates with the propulsion system to control movement of the robotic cleaning device in accordance with information provided by the obstacle detecting device and the positioning system, respectively, such that the robotic cleaning device can move as desired across the area to be cleaned.
Alternatively a user may show or teach the robotic cleaning device its surroundings, whereby the robotic cleaning device may record and store a positional data accordingly.
Advantageously, the rotating brush is rotating in the same direction as the spiral pattern.
This ensures that no debris is pushed off the cleaning pattern or the range of cleaning of the robotic cleaning device.
In case the spiral pattern is a left-hand spiral pattern, the rotating brush may rotate counter clockwise or, in case the spiral pattern is a right-hand spiral pattern, the rotating brush may rotate clockwise.
The brush may be arranged on a horizontally protruding portion of the body.
This may extend the cleaning range of the robotic vacuum cleaner and improve the ability of the latter to reach into edges and corners.
The spiral pattern may comprise an angular shaped spiral pattern.
The robotic cleaning device is configured to adapt its cleaning pattern on the positional data and thus the layout of the area or room to be cleaned. In some cases the room may be rectangular and in other cases the room may be circular or comprise at least one circular wall.
The spiral pattern may be adapted accordingly and it may thus comprise an angular shaped spiral pattern or a circular- or even oval-shaped spiral pattern, depending on the positional data and/or layout of the area or room to be cleaned.
In an embodiment the brush may be arranged on a right side of the opening as seen in a direction of movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner and the spiral pattern may be a left-hand spiral pattern.
Alternatively, in a further embodiment of the invention the brush may be arranged on a left side of the opening as seen in a direction of movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner and the spiral pattern may be a right-hand spiral pattern.
Thus the brush is always arranged on an outer side as long as the robotic vacuum cleaning device is following the spiral pattern.
The cleaning pattern may comprise a plurality of spiral patterns.
In case the area to be cleaned is a complex area with a lot of edges and corners or with obstacles such as tables or sofas, the robotic cleaning device may be configured to adapt the cleaning pattern accordingly.
The processing unit may be configured to divide or split the cleaning pattern based on the positional data, in a plurality of spiral patterns to provide a good cleaning of the area.
The cleaning pattern may comprise communication paths, which interconnect the plurality of spiral patterns.
The communication paths may ensure that the cleaning pattern is complete and completely covers the area to be cleaned.
Disclosed herein is further a method of operating a robotic cleaning device comprising the steps of generating positional data of an area to be cleaned from images taken by a camera device, defining a cleaning pattern from the generated positional data by a processing unit, said cleaning pattern defining at least one spiral pattern to be followed by the robotic cleaning device. The method may further comprise the step of moving the robotic cleaning device along the spiral pattern, said movement being controlled by the processing unit, so that a side brush of the robotic vacuum cleaner is facing an outer periphery of the spiral pattern, while the robotic cleaning device is moving along said spiral pattern.
Such a method may ensure a neat and tidy cleaning process within the area to be cleaned.
Advantageously the method may further comprise the step of generating positional data by having the robotic cleaning device autonomously following a periphery of the area.
This step may ease up the installation procedure of the robotic cleaning device for the user. The user can position the robotic cleaning device on the floor, preferably in the area to be cleaned and the robotic cleaning device then starts the initial cleaning process by autonomously creating the positional data.
In an embodiment the method may further comprise the step of splitting the cleaning pattern based on the positional data, such a split cleaning pattern comprising at least two spiral patterns.
This may enable to improve the cleaning method by adapting it to the layout of the area or room to be cleaned.
In an advantageous embodiment the method may further comprise the additional step of recognizing obstacles within the area, recording said obstacles and placing them in the positional data and defining a cleaning pattern based on the generated positional data comprising the recorded obstacles.
Thus the obstacles, which are preferably fixed obstacles, may be recorded and considered in the cleaning method. This may further enhance the quality of the cleaning process.
The cleaning pattern may be defined in many possible ways, thus for one and the same layout of an area or room, the cleaning pattern may vary depending on the judgment of the robotic cleaning device.
As an example, the cleaning pattern may comprise one single spiral pattern that covers the area of two adjacent rooms or on the other hand the cleaning pattern for the same two adjacent rooms may comprise two spiral patterns, one for each room, with a communication path that interconnects the two spiral patterns.
It is noted that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features recited in the claims. Further features of, and advantageous with the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. Those skilled in the art realize that different features of the present invention can be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following.
The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.
The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.
Referring now to the figures, which show illustratively embodiments and examples according to the invention, the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B comprises a main body 2A, 2B and a positioning system 4, as best illustrated in
The propulsion system 6 may embodied comprising driving wheels as illustrated in the figures, or it may be a propulsion system comprising crawlers in combination with a drive 8, 7, 7′ or a hovercraft system.
The opening 10 may be part of a cleaning member of the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B, said cleaning member further comprising a suction fan or the like connected to the opening 10.
The positioning system 4 may comprise an obstacle detecting device comprising a 3D sensor system 17, a first vertical line laser 12 and a second vertical line laser 14. The 3D sensor system 17 may comprise a camera device 18 and a first and second vertical line lasers 12, 14. The positioning system 4 may further comprise a processing unit 20, as best illustrated in
As illustrated in
On the main body 2A there is a brush 16, preferably a rotating brush 16, arranged on a protruding portion 15. In the embodiments illustrated in
The brush 16 is positioned on the protruding member 15 so that it extends over the periphery of the main body 2A. This may ensure that the brush 16 can reach into corners and edges without being limited by the exterior periphery of the main body 2A of the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B and further extends the range of the robotic cleaning device 1.
It falls within the scope of the invention to position the brush 16 on the left side of the opening 10 or even have two brushes on either lateral and thus left or right side of the opening 10. It also falls within the scope of the invention to install two brushes 16, namely on the left and the right side of the opening 10, on the robotic cleaning device 1.
When the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B comprises only one brush 16, the cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F has to be adapted, since a simple stroke by stroke movement of the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B may result in pushing some of the debris off the cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F, which may result in a cleaning that is not neat and tidy.
The robotic cleaning device 1A illustrated in
The
The front end portion 13 may additionally comprise a bumper 42. The bumper 42 may be configured to be replaceable. The brush 16 is configured and positioned on the protruding member 15 so that it extends over the periphery of the bumper 42.
The propulsion system 6 of the robotic cleaning device as illustrated in
Alternatively to the solution shown in
Turning now to
From the cleaning pattern 26A illustrated in
The processing unit 20 is programmed and configured to decide itself whether a specific room should be divided or split into a plurality of spiral patterns 27A, 27′A, 27B, 27′B, 27C, 27′C, 27D, 27′D, 27E, 27′E, 27F, 27′F, 27″F. This may depend on the size and/or geometrical shape of the room or area 28A, 28B, 28C, 28D, 28E, 28F to be cleaned. When the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B is finished with the cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F, thus when it arrived on the centre B of the second spiral pattern 27′A, 27′B, 27′C, 27′D, 27′E, 27F, 27′F, 27″F, which is an end point B of the cleaning process, it may go back to a charging station or the like (not shown).
The robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B may begin the cleaning process in a corner of the area 28B to be cleaned and end the cleaning at the centre of the second spiral pattern 27′B, said corner illustrated as the start point A and the centre illustrated as the end point B, in
As an alternative, the area 28C shown in
The brush 16 is arranged to face the outer periphery 30A, 30′A, 30B, 30′B 30C, 30′C, 30D, 30′D, 30E, 30′E of the spiral pattern 27A, 27′A, 27B, 27′B, 27C, 27′C, 27D, 27′D, 27E, 27′E, 27F, 27′F, 27″F as long as the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B is following the spiral pattern 27A, 27′A, 27B, 27′B, 27C, 27′C, 27D, 27′D, 27E, 27′E, 27F, 27′F, 27″F. The brush 16 is thus always arranged on an outer side of the main body 2A, 2B when the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B is following the spiral pattern 27A, 27′A, 27B, 27′B, 27C, 27′C, 27D, 27′D, 27E, 27′E, 27F, 27′F, 27″F.
The processing unit 20 may be configured to decide itself how the cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F should be derived from the positional data and thus how the cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F should be split or divided in order to achieve the best cleaning results. The processing unit 20 may thus comprise a decision module or the like (not shown), which may be a microcontroller or processor in itself.
Turning now to
Alternatively the processing unit 20 may apply and use a cleaning pattern (not shown) comprising one spiral pattern (not shown) to cover the area 28E shown in
The processing unit 20 or the decision module may be configured to decide how to split up the map, layout or floor plan, i.e. positional data and thus the cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F, by checking how many double cleaning movements a certain cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F would cause and choose the most effective cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F, whereby double cleaning movements means that a certain region or surface is cleaned twice or more by the robotic cleaning device 1. The processing unit 20 and the decision module may thus be configured and programmed to limit or reduce such double cleaning movements and to establish and generate the cleaning pattern 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, 26F accordingly.
The invention has been illustrated by illustrating the robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B having the brush 16 arranged on the right side of the opening 10. However all embodiments and cleaning patterns 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 26E, illustrated herein may be easily adapted to a robotic cleaning device 1A, 1B having the brush 16 arranged on a left side of the opening 10.
The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/077378 | 12/19/2013 | WO | 00 |
