US6605156B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Robotic floor cleaning device
Assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
•
Filing: 2000-07-20
•
Granted: 2003-08-12
•
Expires: 2020-07-20
Abstract
Abstract A robotic floor cleaning device comprises a chassis ( 10 ), motor-driven wheels ( 11 ) supporting the chassis ( 10 ), a motor-driven suction fan ( 9 ), a dirty air inlet ( 2 ) and a motor-driven rotatable agitator ( 4 ) at the dirty air inlet ( 2 ) for agitating the surface. A control system navigates the device around a room and distributes power to the motor-driven wheels ( 11 ) and to the agitator ( 4 ). The control system detects when the agitator ( 4 ) has jammed ( 100, 102 ) and, in the event of a jam, attempts to clear the jam ( 104, 106 ). After successfully clearing the jam the control system turns the agitator ( 4 ) off ( 114, 116, 118 ) or navigates the cleaning device around the location at which the jam occurred ( 119 ). The cleaning device can store the location of the jam for use in preventing further jams when the cleaning device returns to a similar position in the room.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan Gerard Clark
- 👤 David Lindsey Bisset
- 👤 Michael David Aldred
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:09
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47L; A47L9/00; A47L9/28; A47L9/2894; A47L5/00; A47L5/12; A47L5/22; A47L5/28; A47L5/30; A47L9/2805; A47L9/2836; A47L9/2847; A47L9/2852; A47L9/2857; A47L9/2868; A47L9/2884; A47L9/2889; B; B25; B25J; B25J5/00; B25J5/007; G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/021; G05D1/0255; A47L2201/00; A47L2201/04; A47L2201/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the control system being arranged to operate the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, the control system further being arranged to detect when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, to attempt to clear the jam and after successfully clearing the jam to proceed in a second mode of operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the control system being arranged to operate the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, the control system further being arranged to detect when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, to attempt to clear the jam and after successfully clearing the jam to proceed in a second mode of operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein, in the event of a jam, the control system is arranged to disconnect the power to the agitator and to reverse the rotation of the motor-driven wheels of the device to move the device in a reverse direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A cleaning device according to claim 2 , wherein the device is arranged to move in a reverse direction over a preset distance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cleaning device according to claim 3 , wherein the preset distance is measured by sensing the change in distance of the device from an object or wall in the room being cleaned while moving the device in a reverse direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cleaning device according to claim 4 , wherein the distance of the device from an object or wall in the room being cleaned is sensed ultrasonically.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A cleaning device according to claim 2 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged to reconnect the power to the agitator subsequent to moving in a reverse direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cleaning device according to claim 2 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged to move in a forwards direction subsequent to moving in a reverse direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to turn off the agitator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A cleaning device according to claim 8 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset distance.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cleaning device according to claim 8 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset period of time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
A cleaning device according to claim 8 wherein the control system, in use, stores information representative of positions in the area in which the device is operating and wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation until the cleaning device reaches the next stored position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to navigate the cleaning device around the location where the agitator jammed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged to memorize the location of the device at which the agitator became jammed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cleaning device according to claim 13 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged to memorize the direction of approach of the device to the location at which the agitator became jammed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
A cleaning device according to claim 14 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged to subsequently proceed to clean the floor while navigating the device so that the location at which the agitator became jammed is not overrun except from a direction different from the direction of first approach thereto.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
A cleaning device according to claim 13 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged to subsequently proceed to clean the floor while navigating so that, if the location at which the agitator became jammed is overrun, power to the agitator is disconnected just before the device arrives at that location.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A cleaning device according to claim 16 , wherein the distance before the said location is preset.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cleaning device according to claim 16 , wherein the control system is arranged to reconnect power to the agitator after the location at which the agitator became jammed has been overrun.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cleaning device according to claim 18 , wherein the control system is arranged to reconnect power to the agitator after the device has overrun the said location by a preset distance.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A cleaning device according to claim 19 , wherein the preset distance is measured by ultrasonic sensors on the device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A cleaning device according to claim 18 , wherein the power to the agitator is reconnected when the device next reaches a way point.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
A cleaning device according to claim 13 , wherein the control system is arranged to proceed to clean the floor whilst navigating the device so that, if the location at which the agitator became jammed is approached, the said location is treated as an obstacle and overrun thereof is avoided.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
A cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein, if the agitator becomes jammed a predetermined number of times, the control system is arranged to disconnect power to the agitator and the device continues cleaning the floor while the agitator remains disconnected.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the device has a warning indicator and, if the agitator remains jammed after a predetermined time has elapsed after the first detection of an agitator jam, the warning indicator is activated.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the control system is arranged to monitor when the rotational speed of the agitator falls below a threshold indicative of an agitator jam.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cleaning device according to claim 25 , wherein the speed of the agitator is sensed by sensing the current drawn by the agitator motor.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of operating a robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, and a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the method comprising the control system operating the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, detecting when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, attempting to clear the jam and after successfully clearing the jam proceeding to operate in a second mode of operation.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of operating a robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, and a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the method comprising the control system operating the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, detecting when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, attempting to clear the jam and after successfully clearing the jam proceeding to operate in a second mode of operation.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
165 words
A robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the control system being arranged to operate the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, to detect when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, to attempt to clear the jam and to store information representative of the location of the jam, the control system further being arranged to subsequently navigate the cleaning device around the room and to operate the device in a second mode of operation when the device approaches the location of a previous jam.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
165 words
A robotic floor cleaning device comprising a chassis, motor-driven wheels supporting the chassis, a motor-driven suction fan, a dirty air inlet, a motor-driven rotatable agitator at the dirty air inlet for agitating the surface to be cleaned, a control system for navigating the device around a room and for distributing power to the motor-driven wheels and to the agitator, the control system being arranged to operate the device in a first mode of operation in which power is supplied to the motor-driven wheels to move the device in a forward direction and power is supplied to the agitator, to detect when the agitator has jammed and, in the event of a jam, to attempt to clear the jam and to store information representative of the location of the jam, the control system further being arranged to subsequently navigate the cleaning device around the room and to operate the device in a second mode of operation when the device approaches the location of a previous jam.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
A cleaning device according to claim 28 wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to turn off the agitator.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
A cleaning device according to claim 29 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset distance.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cleaning device according to claim 29 wherein the control system is arranged to maintain the cleaning device in the second mode of operation for a preset period of time.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
A cleaning device according to claim 28 wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to navigate the cleaning device around the location where the agitator jammed.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
75 words
A cleaning device according to claim 28 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged to also memorize the direction of approach of the device to the location at which the agitator became jammed and wherein, in the second mode of operation, the control system is arranged to navigate the device so that the location at which the agitator became jammed is not overrun except from a direction different from the direction of first approach thereto.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-11 | 2007-02-10 | 2007-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-11 | 2011-02-10 | 2011-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-11 | 2015-02-10 | 2015-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |