US 10,873,194 B2Granted

Docking station for autonomous mobile robots

AssigneeiRobot Corporation

InventorsPeter Lydon, Insun Hong, Andrew String, Jeffrey Curtis, Travis Pierce

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Abstract

A docking station for a robotic lawnmower includes a base, an electrical connector above the base and positioned along a longitudinal axis of the docking station, and a central guide member positioned on the base and along the longitudinal axis. The central guide member includes a right lateral surface extending away from the longitudinal axis and toward the electrical connector from a first end portion proximate the longitudinal axis to a second end portion, and a left lateral surface extending away from the longitudinal axis and toward the electrical connector from a first end portion proximate the longitudinal axis to a second end portion.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A docking station for a robotic lawnmower, the docking station comprising:

a base;
an electrical connector above the base, the electrical connector positioned along a longitudinal axis of the docking station;
a central guide member positioned on the base and along the longitudinal axis, the central guide member comprising:
a right lateral surface extending away from the longitudinal axis and toward the electrical connector from a first end portion proximate the longitudinal axis to a second end portion, and
a left lateral surface extending away from the longitudinal axis and toward the electrical connector from a first end portion proximate the longitudinal axis to a second end portion,
wherein a maximum width of the central guide member is between 90% and 100% of a minimum width between wheels of the robotic lawnmower;
a right lateral guide member positioned on the base and adjacent to a right edge of the base, the right lateral guide member and the central guide member at least partially defining a right channel positioned between the right lateral guide member and the central guide member and extending along the base;
and
a left lateral guide member positioned on the base and adjacent to a left edge of the base, the left lateral guide member and the central guide member at least partially defining a left channel positioned between the left lateral guide member and the central guide member and extending along the base, wherein the central guide member is positioned between the right lateral guide member and the left lateral guide member.

6 more elements

A system comprising:

a docking station comprising an electrical connector configured to interface with an electrical connector of a robotic lawnmower, the docking station comprising a guide mechanism configured to
contact a right portion of a left wheel assembly of the robotic lawnmower to move the left wheel assembly leftward such that the electrical connector of the robotic lawnmower aligns with the electrical connector of the docking station, and
contact a left portion of a right wheel assembly of the robotic lawnmower to move the right wheel assembly rightward such that the electrical connector of the robotic lawnmower aligns with the electrical connector of the docking station.

A method of docking a robotic lawnmower with a docking station, the method comprising:

navigating the robotic lawnmower about a mowable area to mow the mowable area based on detecting radiofrequency signals emitted by a plurality of beacons;
and
docking the robotic lawnmower with the docking station, wherein docking the robotic lawnmower comprises:
determining a heading of the robotic lawnmower relative to the docking station based on detecting a radiofrequency signal emitted by a beacon positioned on the docking station, and
navigating the robotic lawnmower toward the docking station based on the determined heading.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/032,761Filed 11 Jul 2018
Published: US 2020/0021122 A116 Jan 2020
Granted: 22 Dec 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H02J 7/70
Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries: characterised by the mechanical construction
H02J 7/731
Characterised by the mechanical construction: specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries
A01D 34/008
Control or measuring arrangements: for automated or remotely controlled operation
B60L 53/16
Conductive energy transfer: connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles

Family

US 2020/0021122 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 Jan 2020
US 10,873,194 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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