STAIR CLIMBING AID (RAMP) FOR SELF-MOVING VACUUM ROBOTS

Abstract

The present invention comprises a novel stair climbing device for self-moving robots that allows moving between dwelling levels using existing straight as well curved stairs. The straight ramp is attached to the stair's wall in a folded state and placed on the stair in the unfolded state. The curved ramp is stored in a folded state and is placed in the stair in unfolded state. When a vacuum robot comes close to the ramp, it can be unfolded automatically or manually and allows the robot to go up or downstairs to the next level of the dwelling. When the ramp is not in use, it can be folded into a stored state or/and be removed. The stairclimbing aide's dovetail ramp allows a robot to climb on the ramp due to its lower approach angle.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an aide device for a self-moving vacuum robot.

BACKGROUND

In today's world, self-moving and self-navigating vacuums have gained wide popularity thanks to their usability, simplicity in use, the possibility of self-navigation, and relatively low costs. There is a wide range of manufacturers and models, as well as robot features and prices. However, all robot types have one huge drawback. They hardly overcome obstacles.

Modern homes have a lot of such obstacles as rugs, doorsteps, floor levels, steps, and stairs. The robot's engineers have met the challenge and successfully implemented solutions that allow the robots to transition over the maximum threshold height of about one inch. This threshold has allowed the robots to vacuum around relatively even levels, but the task fails if the dwelling has more than one floor. In this case, the user would have to relocate a vacuum robot from one-floor level to another manually.

The latest feature for the robots includes a central base station for the robot to automatically empty its waste into a bin and charge the battery of the unit. This auto charging and waste receptacle base station demands that the robot be able to return to the base station when needed. On a multiple level dwelling, returning to a base station automatically when it is on a different level is currently impossible without aide, as the robot can only traverse a higher elevation of approximately one inch alone. Those models are in the higher price range, so people who own them most likely have two to three-level dwellings. The robot owner would need to move the device between the floors to empty the waste receptacle or recharge the robot in such situations. This action diminishes the robot's automatic advantage when having to be moved to its base station manually. To reduce the need to move the robot, the base stations can be placed on every floor; however, the end price of the solution increases by 30-50% and does not solve the problem completely.

However, to transfer the robot up and downstairs autonomically, the market needs an entirely different solution. An example of an attempt to provide a robot the possibility to climb up a step is a robotic stairlift, which can be seen in U. S. patent application U.S. Ser. No. 11/000,951 B2 (A1) 2021-05-11 by Qualcomm Inc [US]. The patent describes methods, systems, and devices for robotic navigation and references an abstract track #215, #305, which intends to be a path to guide a robot but did not describe it in detail.

While many patents describe vacuum devices that can potentially clean stairs or at least climb them, these are all completely new devices that need further research and development before being manufactured and entering the market. Some of the current patents that include vacuum devices that can clean stairs or climb them are U. S. Patent Applications U.S. Pat. No. 9,657,021 B2 2017-02-14 by Christopher Mailey [US], U.S. Pat. No. 8,958,910 B2 2015-02-17 by Ryoko Ichinose [JP], U.S. Ser. No. 10/908,612 B2 2021-02-02 by Toyota Research Institute Inc [US], U.S. Pat. No. 9,216,781 B2 2015-12-22 by Robot Corporation [US].

Therefore a need for a stair-climbing aid for self-moving vacuum robots exist. The invented device helps robot owners achieve desirable coverage of multiple levels in a dwelling without engaging with the robot. The device allows vacuum robots to move between different dwelling levels using existing stairs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises two types of a novel vacuum robot ramps to climb between levels using existing steps: straight ramp and curved ramp.

The straight ramp is attached to the stair's wall in a folded state. When a vacuum robot comes close to the ramp, it will unfold automatically or manually; this ramp allows the robot to go up or downstairs to the next level in the dwelling. When the ramp is not in use, it can be folded into a store state or be removed. The ramp would contain a dovetailed ramp at the bottom, allowing the robot to climb with a lower approach angle.

The curved ramp is placed on the top of a stair and is pulled out manually. Due to ability to rotate around the pin, the chain of trapezoidal details takes the radius of a curved stair. The ramp would contain a dovetailed ramp at the bottom, allowing the to adjust the approach angle. When the ramp is not in use, it can be pulled together and stored taking up little space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which similar references may indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1-FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of one example of the working position of the present invention when a robot is on a lower level coming to the straight ramp.

FIG. 2 - FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of one example of a storing position of the present invention when the straight ramp is folded, and the stairs are clear.

FIG. 3 - FIG. 3 shows a deconstructed view of all straight ramp parts.

FIG. 4 - FIG. 4 depicts a section view and detail views of significant straight ramp elements.

FIG. 5 - FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view working position curved ramp on a rounded stair.

FIG. 6 - FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view working position curved ramp on a straight stair.

FIG. 7 - FIG. 7 depicts a curved ramp with different radiuses

FIG. 8 - FIG. 8 depicts a section view and detail views of significant curved ramp elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The terminology used herein is to describe embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with the definition in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In describing the invention, it will be understood that several techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefits, and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

The stair climbing aid (ramp) is discussed herein. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be evident to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.

The present invention will now be described by referencing the appended figures representing preferred embodiments. FIG. 1 depicts an example of a straight stair-climbing ramp (3, 4) in a working state. The vacuum robot (8) is intended to climb up from a lower level using stairs (6) to the higher level.

The dovetail ramp (1) is pushed forward to set up into a working position. The angle between the floor level and dovetail ramp (1) and between the dovetailed ramp (1) and ramp (4) allows the robot (8) to overcome the high slope of the stairs.

Referring now FIG. 2, which depicts the storing state of the straight ramp (1, 2, 3, 4) where the dovetail ramp (1) is pushed back, and the device is rotated along an axis (2) against the wall (7). Stair (6) remains clear, and the device does not hinder the traversing of the stairs.

Seen in FIG. 2 again are the reinforcing ribs on detail 3, which add rigidity to the straight ramp, and wall (5), which is covered with details 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 depicts the straight ramp's details in a deconstructed view. The wall (5) and the axis (2) are cut manually during the device installation to the length of the stair or ½-¼ inch of a step height or less depending on the slope of the stair. The ramp parts 3 and 4 overlap, so the length of the entire ramp is adjusted to the wall (5). Axis 2 is cut during the installation to the length of the ramp and the wall (5). The dovetail ramp (1) is inserted into the channels on the lower ramp (4).

FIG. 4 illustrates a section view of the straight ramp in a working state where the ramp is attached to the wall (5) with screws and the ramp parts (3, 4) rotate along axis 2 to the wall or the stairs.

FIG. 4, detailed view A, shows how the wall (5) is connected with the straight ramp part (3). The gap between teeth is for the section of overlapping ramp parts 3 and 4 attached to the wall (5).

FIG. 4, detailed view B, shows how parts 3 and 4 are connected on the overlapping section. The surface of part 4 is pushed into a groove on the ramp (3) and adjusted on the other side after that.

FIG. 4, detailed view C, depicts the channels along which the dovetail slides back and forth to allow the ramp to be folded. The lower part of the channel is intended for the ramp's working state, which allows fixing the dovetail axis using a small bump (9) depicted in detail view E.

FIG. 5 depicts an example of a curved stair-climbing ramp (1, 2, 3) in a working state. The vacuum robot (4) is intended to climb up from a lower level using stairs (5) to the higher level.

On the FIG. 6 is the same example presented for the case of a straight stairs.

FIG. 7, depicts two main parts (1) which connects to each other and create a chain. The top (2) and the button (3) dovetails can be connected to every main details using holes and pins depicted on the picture.

FIG. 8, detailed view E, depicts the pin which holds two main parts together. Due to the central channel along the main detail (view C) the entire chain can be adjusted to every stair length as well be folded together for storing. Views A and B show how top and bottom dovetails are attached to the main details. View C with section D-D shows how two main details can be pushed inside each other along the central channel to allow save place during storing.

FIG. 9 shows possible application of the curved ramp to various stairs radiuses, max curved, medium and with no radius. Detail views A and B shown in FIG. 8 have corresponding numbers bellow to show a gap in mm between two main details walls within each state.

Claims

1. A stair-climbing devices design and constituent elements of the ramps, both, curved and straight.

2. The way the device is used in working and storing positions.

3. The idea is to provide a physical ramp for a vacuum robot to climb the stairs.