# US 12,178,153 B2 · Outdoor treatment system with robot contact element for avoidance movement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,153 B2 - Document ID: US12178153B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/731,848 - Filed: 2022-04-28 - Published: 2022-11-03 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-29 - Assignees: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG - Applicants: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG - Inventors: Philip Wolf; Georg Duregger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178153B2 ## CPC - A01D 34/008: {for automated or remotely controlled operation} - A01D 75/185: {Avoiding collisions with obstacles} - G05D 1/0227: {using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area} - G05D 1/0238: {using obstacle or wall sensors (G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93)} - G05D 1/241: Means for detecting physical contact, e.g. touch sensors or bump sensors - A01D 2101/00: Lawn-mowers - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract An outdoor treatment system has an autonomous mobile outdoor treatment robot and a sensor and control device. The robot has a chassis and a contact element. The chassis executes a travelling movement in a direction of travel. The contact element executes an avoiding movement in an avoiding direction as a result of the travelling movement and contact between an obstacle and a lower contact point below a height limit, and executes a detection movement in a detection direction as a result of the travelling movement and contact between an obstacle and an upper contact point at or above the height limit. The contact element is mounted to move with respect to the chassis. The avoiding direction and the detection direction are different. The sensor and control device detects the detection movement and controls a robot protective function, and does not detect or evaluate the avoiding movement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An outdoor treatment system, comprising: an autonomous mobile outdoor treatment robot, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a chassis and a contact element, wherein the chassis is designed to execute a travelling movement of the outdoor treatment robot in a direction of travel, wherein the contact element is designed to execute an avoiding movement in an avoiding direction as a result of the travelling movement in the direction of travel and contact between an obstacle and a lower contact point below a height limit and to execute a detection movement in a detection direction as a result of the travelling movement in the direction of travel and contact between an obstacle and an upper contact point at or above the height limit, the contact element being mounted so as to be movable with respect to the chassis, wherein the avoiding direction and the detection direction are different, wherein the height limit is defined by a section of a shape, contour or outline of the contact element, and, wherein the contact element is configured to execute the avoiding movement and/or the detection movement only or solely caused by the travelling movement in the direction of travel and the simultaneous contact of the contact element with the obstacle; and a sensor and control device, wherein the sensor and control device is designed to detect the detection movement or a movement caused by the detection movement, and to control a protective function of the outdoor treatment robot triggered by the detected detection movement or the detected movement, and wherein the sensor and control device does not detect or evaluate the avoiding movement or a movement caused by the avoiding movement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the avoiding direction is upwards, and/or wherein the detection direction is downwards. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the chassis comprises a plane of travel, and wherein the lower contact point and the upper contact point are in a height direction which is orthogonal with respect to the plane of travel, and/or wherein the height limit is above the plane of travel, and/or wherein the avoiding direction is, non-orthogonally with respect to the height direction, away from the plane of travel, and/or wherein the detection direction is, non-orthogonally with respect to the height direction, towards the plane of travel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the contact element below the height limit comprises a course from top front to bottom rear, counter to the direction of travel, with an angle relative to the direction of travel of no more than 60°, when no contact is being made with an obstacle, and/or wherein the contact element at or above the height limit comprises a course from bottom front upwards counter to the direction of travel, when no contact is being made with an obstacle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a treatment tool, wherein the contact element is in front of the treatment tool in the direction of travel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a lawn mowing tool, and/or wherein the outdoor treatment robot is a robot lawn mower. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a tool system, wherein the tool system comprises a treatment tool, and wherein the sensor and control device is designed to deactivate the tool system as the protective function, and/or wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a travel system, wherein the travel system comprises the chassis, and wherein the sensor and control device is designed to deactivate the travel system as the protective function. ### Claim 8 An outdoor treatment system, comprising: an autonomous mobile outdoor treatment robot, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a chassis and a contact element, wherein the chassis is designed to execute a travelling movement of the outdoor treatment robot in a direction of travel, wherein the contact element is designed to execute an avoiding movement in an avoiding direction as a result of the travelling movement in the direction of travel and contact between an obstacle and a lower contact point below a height limit and to execute a detection movement in a detection direction as a result of the travelling movement in the direction of travel and contact between an obstacle and an upper contact point at or above the height limit, the contact element being mounted so as to be movable with respect to the chassis, wherein the avoiding direction and the detection direction are different; and a sensor and control device, wherein the sensor and control device is designed to detect the detection movement or a movement caused by the detection movement, and to control a protective function of the outdoor treatment robot triggered by the detected detection movement or the detected movement, wherein the sensor and control device does not detect or evaluate the avoiding movement or a movement caused by the avoiding movement, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises at least one element swing arm, wherein the element swing arm is mounted so as to be movable in rotation about an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation is non-parallel with respect to the direction of travel, wherein the contact element is connected to the element swing arm in such a way that the avoiding movement in the avoiding direction causes an avoiding rotational movement of the element swing arm about the axis of rotation in an avoiding rotational direction, and the detection movement in the detection direction causes a detection rotational movement of the element swing arm about the axis of rotation in a detection rotational direction, wherein the avoiding rotational direction and the detection rotational direction are different, wherein the sensor and control device is designed to detect the detection rotational movement or a movement caused by the detection rotational movement, and to control the protective function triggered by the detected detection rotational movement or the detected movement, and wherein the sensor and control device does not detect or evaluate the avoiding rotational movement or a movement caused by the avoiding rotational movement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 8, wherein the element swing arm is a pushed element swing arm, and/or wherein the axis of rotation is above the height limit when no contact is being made with an obstacle. ### Claim 10 An outdoor treatment system, comprising: an autonomous mobile outdoor treatment robot, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a chassis and a contact element, wherein the chassis is designed to execute a travelling movement of the outdoor treatment robot in a direction of travel, wherein the contact element is designed to execute an avoiding movement in an avoiding direction as a result of the travelling movement in the direction of travel and contact between an obstacle and a lower contact point below a height limit and to execute a detection movement in a detection direction as a result of the travelling movement in the direction of travel and contact between an obstacle and an upper contact point at or above the height limit, the contact element being mounted so as to be movable with respect to the chassis, wherein the avoiding direction and the detection direction are different; and a sensor and control device, wherein the sensor and control device is designed to detect the detection movement or a movement caused by the detection movement, and to control a protective function of the outdoor treatment robot triggered by the detected detection movement or the detected movement, wherein the sensor and control device does not detect or evaluate the avoiding movement or a movement caused by the avoiding movement, wherein the outdoor treatment robot comprises a cover hood, wherein the cover hood is above the contact element and is mounted so as to be movable with respect to the chassis, wherein the contact element is mounted so as to be movable with respect to the cover hood in such a way that the detection movement causes a hood movement counter to the direction of travel, of the cover hood with respect to the chassis, and the avoiding movement does not, and wherein the sensor and control device is designed to detect the hood movement or a movement caused by the hood movement and to control the protective function triggered by the detected hood movement or the detected movement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 10, wherein the cover hood is designed to execute the hood movement as a result of the travelling movement in the direction of travel and contact between an obstacle and a hood point. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 10, wherein the contact element is suspended via a spring and/or on the cover hood, and/or wherein the contact element is designed to make contact with a surface to be treated. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The outdoor treatment system according to claim 12, wherein the contact element is designed to slide on the surface, and/or wherein the contact element is designed to roll on the surface.