WO2008002027A1

WO2008002027A1 - Charging station having passive movement for power supply of wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner

Info

Publication number: WO2008002027A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/002878
Authority: WO
Inventors: Heeyoung Lee; Junseok Lee
Original assignee: Robostem
Priority date: 2006-06-29
Filing date: 2007-06-14
Publication date: 2008-01-03
Also published as: KR100762095B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner including: a docking structure adapted to be fittably coupled with a cleaner body having a wireless self-moving cleaning function and an automatic charging function; a docking-induction system adapted to induce the cleaner body, for connecting charging contacts of the cleaner body with charging contacts of the charging station; wheels adapted to move together with the cleaner body as the cleaner body moves at a state where the charging station is docked with the cleaner body; and a cable adapted to connect a fixed station outputting DC power to be used in the robot cleaner to the charging station.

Description

CHARGING STATION HAVING PASSIVE MOVEMENT FOR POWER SUPPLY OF WIRED AND WIRELESS SELF-MOVING

ROBOT CLEANER

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner, and more particularly, to a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner including a cleaner body having a wireless self- moving cleaning function, a fixed station outputting the direct current power used in the robot cleaner, and the charging station connected to the fixed station by means of a cable and having a passive movement at a state of having the contacts with the cleaner body by means of a docking structure, such that the robot cleaner functions as the wire self-moving robot cleaner connected to the fixed station by means of the cable within the limited distance of the cable, and functions as the wireless self-moving robot cleaner at a state of being separated from the charging station.

Background Art

[2] A self-moving robot cleaner is a device that moves in a given range and cleans the floor in the given range by itself under the control of a program or artificial intelligence and that is combined with various technologies like a position-detecting technology, a mapping technology, and a space-scanning technology, so as to conduct the cleaning, moving, returning and recharging operations by itself. As the self-moving robot cleaner has a lot of conveniences in use, recently, many kinds of wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaners (hereinafter, referred to as 'a robot cleaner') have been proposed.

[3] The wire self-moving robot cleaner moves on a floor by itself with the power source directly supplied through a cable, and the wireless self-moving robot cleaner moves on the floor by itself with the power of an internal battery. At this time, a charging station is separately provided for recharging the battery, such that the wireless self-moving robot cleaner can recharge the battery by itself by means of returning-inducing and docking systems.

[4] Most of existing self-moving robot cleaners have been developed for the use of either the wireless ones or the wire ones. Thus, the wireless robot cleaners have the limitations in a capacity of the battery and driving forces, and the wire robot cleaners have a problem that the cable is twisted.

[5] As the wireless robot cleaner has a battery for driving the cleaner body, it adopts automatic charging or a large capacity of battery so as to extend relatively short usage time of the battery.

[6] In the automatic charging manner, a docking structure is provided such that the charging contacts of a cleaner body and the charging contacts of a charging station are connected to each other, and a signal sensing and controlling system is adopted using infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, or radio frequencies, such that if a charging amount of the battery is decreased to below a predetermined allowable level during a cleaning operation, the robot cleaner moves to the charging station and automatically charges the battery, thereby obtaining the power needed. In the automatic charging manner of the wireless self-moving robot cleaner, the robot cleaner moves a long distance so as to charge the battery during the cleaning operation and also has relatively long charging time, such that the saving effects for the charging time are not obtained. Further, the wireless robot cleaner has a charging induction system having a relatively complicated structure so as to move to a designated place, which of course raises the production costs.

[7] In a case where a large capacity of battery is adopted to extend the driving time of the robot cleaner, a plurality of battery packs are generally connected in parallel to each other. This structure needs a sequential-charging control system for preventing the battery from being overheated during the charging process. Further, there occur some problems that the charging time is relatively long, driving the robot cleaner is impossible during the charging time, and the costs for the high capacity of battery are increased.

[8] The wire self-moving robot cleaner makes the use of the power converted into AC power or DC power through a cable, thereby obtaining high output power having a high efficiency, but in this case, the cleaning operation is performed at a state where the cable is extended long from the robot cleaner, such that there occur some problems that the cable is twisted or tangled, moving resistance is generated at the cable itself, and the moving distance of the cable is limited. So as to solve these problems, thus, there is disclosed a prior art method for maintaining a cable at given tension by a cable tension-maintaining device disposed at a cleaner body or a fixed station (Korean Patent Publication No. 1996-0014579). In this prior art, the tension-maintaining device has an advantage of reducing the moving resistance of the cable, but in a case where there are a lot of obstacles, for example, during the cleaning under the chair, the robot cleaner moving in a randomizing manner has a disadvantage of winding the cable to fixed objects, such that the robot cleaner avoids the cleaning itself or has the limits in the moving range, which has a relatively smaller cleanable range than the wireless robot cleaner.

[9] As another prior art, there is disclosed Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-0034851 wherein a wired and wireless vacuum cleaner that selectively uses the DC power charged in a battery and the AC power supplied from the power cord. However, the prior art vacuum cleaner is just a general vacuum cleaner that conducts the cleaning operation as it is moved by a user, and it just overcomes the limitation in the cleaning range caused by the defined length of the cord in the existing vacuum cleaner. Further, the prior art cleaner has not been applied yet to the self-moving cleaner. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[10] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner that can add a function as a wire self-moving robot cleaner to a wireless self-moving robot cleaner with an internal battery mounted therein, such that it can be used as the wire robot cleaner within a range of a cable length and as the wireless robot cleaner out of the range of the cable length or upon the existence of obstacles, it can conduct a charging operation during the wire connection to output high output of power providing a high cleaning efficiency, without the increase of the capacity of the battery, it can reduce the functioning time as the wireless self-moving robot cleaner by the use of the battery to obtain an economical capacity of the battery, it can conduct the cleaning operation even upon the charging, it can be transferred rapidly to the wireless robot cleaner upon the existence of obstacles and consume the charged battery, thereby preventing the cleaning range from being limited or avoided, and it can place charging contacts to a position near within the cleaning operation range so as to reduce the moving distance for charging, thereby decreasing the entire cleaning time. Technical Solution

[11] To achieve the above object, there is provided a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner including: a docking structure fittably coupled with a docking structure of a cleaner body having a wireless self-moving cleaning function and an automatic charging function; a docking-induction system adapted to induce the cleaner body and connect charging contacts of the cleaner body with charging contacts of the charging station; wheels adapted to move together with the cleaner body as the cleaner body moves at a state of being docked with the cleaner body; and a cable adapted to connect a fixed station outputting DC power to be used in the robot cleaner to the charging station.

[12] According to the present invention, the charging station separates the docking structure having the charging contacts coupled with the cleaner body in the existing wireless self-moving robot cleaner from the docking-induction system, and also, it is connected with the fixed station by means of the cable, such that the cleaner body and the charging station function as the wire self-moving robot cleaner connected with the fixed station by means of the cable, within the limited range of the cable, and function as the wireless self-moving robot cleaner, at a state of being separated from each other. Advantageous Effects

[13] As described above, there is provided a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner that can add a function as a wire self-moving robot cleaner to a wireless self-moving robot cleaner with an internal battery mounted therein, such that it can be used as the wire robot cleaner within a range of a cable length and as the wireless robot cleaner out of the range of the cable length or upon the existence of obstacles, and it can conduct a charging operation during the wire connection to output high output of power providing a high cleaning efficiency.

[14] Further, the present invention can reduce the functioning time as the wireless self- moving robot cleaner by the use of the battery to obtain an economical capacity of the battery, charge the battery during the cleaning operation at the wire-connection state, and place the charging station to a position near within the cleaning operation range so as to reduce the moving distance for charging, thereby decreasing the entire cleaning time.

[15] Additionally, the present invention can provide the docking and separating structure having the permanent magnets and electromagnets, such that the charging contacts are easily coupled and separated, and the cleaner body and the charging station induced close to each other by means of the respective docking-induction systems are coupled and separated in rapid and reliable manners.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] FIG.1 is a view showing a configuration of a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner according to the present invention. [17] FIG.2 is a view showing an example of the docking structure of the charging station according to the present invention. [18] FIG.3 is a view showing another example of the docking structure of the charging station according to the present invention. [19] FIG.4 is a view showing the cleaning operation according to wired and wireless ranges of the docking structure of the charging station according to the present invention.

Mode for the Invention [20] A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail below by referring to the accompanying drawings.

[21] FIG.1 is a view showing a configuration of a charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner according to the present invention, wherein a charging station 100 is separably connected to a fixed station 300 by means of a cable 160.

[22] The charging station 100 is docked with a cleaner body 200, such that the power supplied from the fixed station 300 is sent to the cleaner body 200, thereby enabling the cleaner body 200 functioning as the wireless self-moving cleaner to function as the wire self-moving cleaner.

[23] The cleaner body 200 moves on a floor to be cleaned by itself and conducts a cleaning operation thereon. The cleaner body 200 has an exchangeable internal battery 210 mounted therein, such that it can be driven at a wireless state, and the internal battery 210 is connected to outside charging contacts 220 and a charging and discharging circuit. The charging and discharging circuit is configured to charge the battery at the state where external power is connected thereto and to discharge the battery at the state of where the external power is turned off.

[24] The charging contacts 220 are formed in a docking structure 230 of the cleaner body

200 in such a manner as to be connected by means of docking to the charging contacts of the charging station 100.

[25] The cleaner body 200 includes a movement sensor adapted to sense the movement of the wheels and the quantity of the movements, and a returning-induction sensor adapted to induce the cleaner body 200 to return to the charging station 100. The cleaner body 200 moves on a commanded floor to be cleaned by itself and conducts the cleaning operation by the under of the program or artificial intelligence, and an internal docking-induction system 240 communicates to the docking-induction system of the charging station 100 and returns to the charging station 100, thereby conducting the docking operation.

[26] The cleaner body 200 includes wheels 250 formed of a brushless direct current

(BLDC) motor and moving under a command of an internal control device, and a suction port 260 connected to an internal dust-collecting chamber.

[27] The fixed station 300 is a device that is connected to AC power and outputs DC power through the cable. That is, the fixed station 300 has an AC/DC converter 310 disposed therein for converting the AC power connected through a cord 320 into the available DC power and outputting the DC power through the cable.

[28] The charging station 100 according to the present invention includes a case 110, movable wheels 120 disposed at the lower portion of the case 110, a docking structure 130 fittably coupled to the docking structure of the cleaner body 200 for connecting the charging contacts 140 with the charging contacts 220 of the cleaner body 200, a docking-induction system 150 adapted to induce the cleaner body 200 for conducting the docking with the cleaner body 200, and a cable 160 connecting the charging station 110 with the fixed station 300.

[29] The movable wheels 120 are moved as the cleaner body 200 moves, at a state where the charging station 100 is coupled with the cleaner body 200.

[30] The docking structure 130 is formed fittably coupled to the docking structure 230 and the charging contacts 220 of the cleaner body 200.

[31] As shown in FIGS.1 and 2, the docking structure 230 is formed on the cleaner body

200 wherein an induction groove 231 and the charging contacts 220 are formed at the inside thereof. The charging station 100 has the docking structure 130 having a protrusion formed correspondingly to the docking structure 230 of the cleaner body 200 and having the charging contacts 140 formed at the outside thereof.

[32] The docking structures are formed wherein separating and coupling means is provided having permanent magnets 232 formed on the docking structure 230 of the cleaner body 200 and having electromagnets 131 formed on the docking structure 130 of the charging station 100 in such a manner as to be fitted to the permanent magnets 232.

[33] The permanent magnets 232 change the polarities of their poles N and S by the control of a controller, thereby maintaining the docking state or push the cleaner body 200 and the charging station 100 by their magnetic force, thereby separating the cleaner body 200 from the charging station 100.

[34] The docking structures and the charging contacts are not limited to their structure and shape, and they can be differently formed in accordance with the outer shape of the cleaner body 200.

[35] FIG.3 is a view showing another example of the docking structure of the charging station according to the present invention, wherein the docking structure of the charging station is formed on the upper portion of the cleaner body 200. That is, the docking structure 230 and the charging contacts 220 are formed on the upper portion of the cleaner body 200, and the charging station 100 is supported by legs 121 so as to maintain charging contacts on the upper portion of the cleaner body, such that the case of the charging station 100 is disposed at a higher position than the docking structure of the cleaner body 200, each of the legs 121 having the moveable wheel 120 formed at the lower portion thereof.

[36] The docking structure 140 of the charging station 100 has a groove formed on the bottom portion of the case of the charging station 100 and has the charging contacts 140 formed at the inside thereof. So as to conduct the docking and separating operations, the cleaner body 200 and the charging station 100 have the separating and coupling means having the electromagnets 232 and the permanent magnets 131 formed on the bottom portions thereof in such a manner as to abut with each other, and the polarities of the permanent magnets are changed by the control of the controller, thereby conducting the docking and separating operations between the cleaner body 200 and the charging station 100.

[37] If the electromagnets 232 are operated to a direction pulling each other at the state where the cleaner body 200 is disposed at the lower portion of the charging station 100 by the docking-induction system, the legs 121 coupled by hinges 122 are opened to a given angle relative to the case of the charging station 100 for receiving the elastic forces of springs 123, such that the case of the charging station 100 is moved down to achieve the coupling with the cleaner body 200. Further, if the electromagnets 232 are operated to a direction pushing each other, the legs 121 are erected by the elastic forces of the springs 123 and the pushing force of the magnetic force, such that the charging station 100 is separated from the cleaner body 200.

[38] FIG.4 shows the moving tracks of the cleaner body 200 according to the present invention. The robot cleaner functions as the wire self-moving robot cleaner conducting the cleaning operation within a range of the length of the cable 160 at the state where the charging station 100 is docked with the cleaner body 200, and is separated from the charging station and conducts the cleaning operation by means of a program or a moving system, in case of sensing obstacles or exceeding the length of the cable.

[39] In a case where the cleaner body of the robot cleaner functioning as a wireless robot cleaner is moved via the charging station, the docking-induction system operates under a program to induce the docking between the cleaner body and the charging station. Thus, the internal battery of the cleaner body can be maintained at its charged state.

[40] When the cleaning operation is conducted by the robot cleaner functioning as the wire robot cleaner at the state where the cleaner body is docked with the charging station, various types of tension-maintaining devices applied in the existing wire self- moving robot cleaners can be adopted, and the tension-maintaining device operates only at the docking state, such that even though the charging station is small-sized, it does not pull toward the fixed station by means of the tension-maintaining device.

Claims

[1] A charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner comprising: a docking structure adapted to be fittably coupled with a cleaner body having a wireless self-moving cleaning function and an automatic charging function; a docking-induction system adapted to induce the cleaner body, for connecting charging contacts of the cleaner body with charging contacts of the charging station; wheels adapted to move together with the cleaner body as the cleaner body moves at a state where the charging station is docked with the cleaner body; and a cable adapted to connect a fixed station outputting DC power to be used in the robot cleaner to the charging station.

[2] The charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self- moving robot according to claim 1, wherein the docking structure is formed fittably coupled correspondingly to a docking structure of the cleaner body, the docking structure having charging contacts formed therein in such a manner as to be fittably coupled to the charging contacts formed on the cleaner body and having permanent magnets separably coupled to electromagnets of the docking structure of the cleaner body, such that as the polarities of the permanent magnets are transferred, the cleaner body and the charging station are docked and separated with/from each other.

[3] The charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the docking structure is formed correspondingly to the docking structure and the charging contacts formed on the upper portion of the cleaner body and has a groove formed on the bottom portion of a charging station case and charging contacts formed in the groove, the charging station case supported by legs in such a manner as to be disposed at a higher position than the docking structure of the cleaner body, each of the legs having a movable wheel mounted at the lower portion thereof, the docking structure having the permanent magnets formed on the bottom portion of the charging station in such a manner as to be fittably coupled to the electromagnets formed on the cleaner body, such that the cleaner body and the charging station are docked and separated with/from each other.

[4] The charging station having a passive movement for power supply to a wired and wireless self-moving robot cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a tension-maintaining device is provided at the charging station or the fixed station so as to maintain the tension of the cable.