US 12,004,706 B2Granted

Robotic cleaner

AssigneeSharkNinja Operating LLC

InventorsMelinda L. Liggett, Isaku D. Kamada, Frederick K. Hopke, Gan Sin Huat, Charles Fiebig, Scott Connor, Alan Ai

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A robotic cleaner may include a housing, a bumper, driven wheels, and a controller. The bumper can be coupled to a front of the housing. The bumper may include a plurality of projections extending from a top edge of the bumper and above a top surface of the housing. The projections may include at least one leading projection proximate a forward most portion of the bumper and at least two side projections on each respective side of the bumper. The driven wheels may be rotatably mounted to the housing. The controller may be for controlling at least the driven wheels.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A robotic cleaner comprising:

a first driven wheel and a second driven wheel, each driven wheel being biased toward an extended position;
a first wheel drop sensor corresponding to the first driven wheel and a second wheel drop sensor corresponding to the second driven wheel, each wheel drop sensor being configured to detect when a corresponding driven wheel is in the extended position;
and
a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second wheel drop sensors, the controller being configured to determine that the robotic cleaner is perched on a cliff in response to only one of the first wheel drop sensor detecting that the first driven wheel is in the extended position or the second wheel drop sensor detecting that the second driven wheel is in the extended position, wherein, in response to the first wheel drop sensor detecting that the first driven wheel is in the extended position and the controller determining that the robotic cleaner is perched on the cliff, the controller is configured to:
cause:
the first driven wheel to rotate in a rearward rotation direction for a predetermined time;
and
the second driven wheel to discontinue rotation while the first driven wheel rotates in the rearward rotation direction for the predetermined time;
and
determine the robotic cleaner is stuck on the cliff when the predetermined time has elapsed and the first wheel drop sensor indicates the first driven wheel is in the extended position.

7 more elements

A robotic cleaner comprising:

a first driven wheel and a second driven wheel, each driven wheel being mounted on a respective suspension system, each suspension system configured to bias a corresponding driven wheel toward an extended position;
a first wheel drop sensor corresponding to the first driven wheel and a second wheel drop sensor corresponding to the second driven wheel, each wheel drop sensor being configured to detect when a corresponding driven wheel is in the extended position;
and
a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second wheel drop sensors, the controller being configured to determine that the robotic cleaner is perched on a cliff in response to only one of the first wheel drop sensor detecting that the first driven wheel is in the extended position or the second wheel drop sensor detecting that the second driven wheel is in the extended position, wherein, in response to the first wheel drop sensor detecting that the first drive wheel is in the extended position and the controller determining that the robotic cleaner is perched on the cliff, the controller is configured to:
cause:
the first driven wheel to alternate between rotating in a forward rotating direction and a rearward rotation direction for a predetermine time;
and
the second driven wheel to discontinue rotation while the first driven wheel rotates in the forward and the rearward rotation directions for the predetermined time;
and
determine the robotic cleaner is stuck on the cliff when the predetermined time has elapsed and the first wheel drop sensor indicates the first driven wheel is in the extended position.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/135,275Filed 28 Dec 2020 · continuation
Priority: 7 Sep 2017
Published: US 2021/0113044 A122 Apr 2021
Granted: 11 Jun 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A47L 9/2852
Characterised by the parts which are controlled: elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters…
A47L 9/009
Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices…:…
A47L 9/2805
Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means:…
A47L 2201/00
Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or

Family

Application62/555,468Us provisional application · filed 7 Sep 2017
Application62/713,207Us provisional application · filed 1 Aug 2018
Application16/100,687Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Aug 2018
US 2021/0113044 A1Pre-grant publication · published 22 Apr 2021
US 10,874,275 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2019/0069744 A1Published application
US 12,004,706 B2This patent

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

Timeline

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