Mobile cleaning robot suspension
AssigneeiRobot Corporation
InventorsTimothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile cleaning robot can be movable within an environment, the mobile cleaning robot can include a body and a drive arm movable with respect to the body between an extended position and a retracted position. The robot can include a drive wheel connected to the drive arm and movable therewith. The drive wheel can be operable to move the mobile cleaning robot. The robot can include a first link connected to the body and connected to the drive arm. The robot can include a second link connected to the body and connected to the drive arm to, together with the first link, the body, and the drive arm, define a center of rotation about which the drive arm and the drive wheel rotate between the extended position and the retracted position.
Claims20
A mobile cleaning robot movable within an environment, the mobile cleaning robot comprising:
- a body;
- a drive arm movable with respect to the body between an extended position and a retracted position;
- a drive wheel connected to the drive arm and movable therewith, the drive wheel operable to move the mobile cleaning robot;
- a first link connected to the body and connected to the drive arm;
- a second link connected to the body and connected to the drive arm to, together with the first link, the body, and the drive arm, define a center of rotation about which the drive arm and the drive wheel rotate between the extended position and the retracted position;
- and
- a stop connected to the second link and engageable with the first link to limit rotation of the drive wheel and the drive arm past the retracted position, and engageable with the first link to limit rotation of the drive wheel and the drive arm past the extended position.
A mobile cleaning robot movable within an environment, the mobile cleaning robot comprising:
- a body;
- a drive arm rotatable with respect to the body between an extended position and a retracted position;
- a drive wheel connected to the drive arm and movable therewith, the drive wheel rotatable about a drive axis to move the mobile cleaning robot;
- a first link pivotably connected to the body and pivotably connected to the drive arm;
- a second link pivotably connected to the body and pivotably connected to the drive arm to, together with the first link, the body, and the drive arm, define a center of rotation about which the drive arm and the drive wheel rotate between the extended position and the retracted position, the center of rotation located in front of the drive wheel in each position of the drive wheel and the drive arm between the extended position and the retracted position;
- and
- a motor connected to the drive arm and movable with the drive arm, the motor including a drive shaft rotatable about a drive shaft axis that is perpendicular to a drive wheel axis of the drive wheel.
A mobile cleaning robot movable within an environment, the mobile cleaning robot comprising:
- a body;
- a drive arm movable with respect to the body between an extended position and a retracted position;
- a drive wheel connected to the drive arm and movable therewith, the drive wheel operable to move the mobile cleaning robot;
- a first link connected to the body and connected to the drive arm;
- a second link connected to the body and connected to the drive arm to, together with the first link, the body, and the drive arm, define a center of rotation about which the drive arm and the drive wheel rotate between the extended position and the retracted position;
- and
- a limit switch connected to the second link and engageable with the first link or the drive arm, the limit switch configured to generate a limit signal when the first link engages the limit switch and activates the limit switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.