Mast systems for autonomous mobile robots

An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

• a body;
• a drive configured to maneuver the body across a floor surface;
• an image capture device;
• an interface cable connecting the image capture device to a controller of the robot, the interface cable being configured to be spooled within the body;
• an elongate flexible member having a portion coupled to the image capture device, the flexible member being configured to be at least partially coiled within the body of the robot, and the portion of the flexible member being vertically movable with the image capture device away from the body when the flexible member is being uncoiled;
• and
• a spool assembly having a first portion about which the flexible member is configured to be coiled, and a second portion about which the interface cable is configured to be coiled,
• wherein the flexible member is configured to form a conduit around a portion of the interface cable between the body and the image capture device and to support the image capture device above the body of the robot when the portion of the flexible member and the image capture device move away from the body.

An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

• a body having a height above a floor surface between 0.15 and 0.35 meters, an area footprint of the body being less than 0.5 meters;
• a drive configured to maneuver the body across a floor surface;
• an image capture device being movable to a height above the floor surface between 0.5 and 2.5 meters;
• an interface cable connecting the image capture device to a controller of the robot, the interface cable being configured to be spooled within the body;
• and
• an elongate flexible member having a portion coupled to the image capture device, the flexible member being configured to be at least partially coiled within the body of the robot, the portion of the flexible member being vertically movable with the image capture device away from the body when the flexible member is being uncoiled,
• wherein the flexible member is configured to form a conduit around a portion of the interface cable between the body and the image capture device and to support the image capture device above the body of the robot when the portion of the flexible member and the image capture device are in an extended position.

A protractible and retractable mast system for an autonomous mobile robot, the mast system comprising:

• an elongate flexible member comprising a first lateral end and a second lateral end, the flexible member being configured to be at least partially coiled within a body of the robot, and a portion of the flexible member being vertically movable away from the body when the flexible member is being uncoiled;
• a fastener having a first portion extending along a length of the first lateral end and a second portion extending along a length of the second lateral end,
• wherein the fastener is configured to
• connect the first lateral end to the second lateral end when the flexible member is being uncoiled, and
• disconnect the first lateral end from the second lateral end when the flexible member is being coiled;
• and
• a drive roller contacting the flexible member, the drive roller being rotatable
• in a first direction to cause the portion of the flexible member to move vertically away from the body and to cause the flexible member to be uncoiled, and
• in a second direction to cause the portion of the flexible member to retract toward the body and to cause the flexible member to be coiled.