# US 2014/0196231 A1 · Robot cleaner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196231 A1 - Document ID: US20140196231A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/132,942 - Filed: 2013-12-18 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sung Jin PARK; Jae Youl JEONG; Shin KIM; Heum Yong PARK; Dong Hun LEE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196231A1 ## CPC - A47L 11/4069: {Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools} - A47L 11/4038: {Disk shaped surface treating tools} - A47L 11/4061: {Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated} - A47L 11/4066: {Propulsion of the whole machine} - A47L 2201/04: Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract A robot cleaner capable of moving in diverse directions and enhancing cleaning efficiency by increasing frictional force between a pad and a floor includes two or more driving units. Each of the driving units includes plural motors, a first subframe connected to at least any one of the motors and configured to rotate by receiving rotational force from the motor, a rotating plate assembly mounted to the first subframe and configured to be slanted with respect to a floor by rotation of the first subframe and to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise by receiving rotational force from another motor, and a pad provided at the rotating plate assembly and configured to contact the floor. When the rotating plate assembly is slanted with respect to the floor, nonuniform frictional force is generated between the pad and the floor, through which the robot cleaner travels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot cleaner comprising: a main body including two or more driving units; and a case disposed outside the main body to define an external appearance thereof, wherein each of the driving units includes: a plurality of motors to generate rotational force; a first subframe connected to a first motor among the plurality motors and configured to rotate by receiving the rotational force from the first motor; a rotating plate assembly mounted to the first subframe and configured to be slanted with respect to a floor by rotation of the first subframe and to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise by receiving the rotational force from a second motor among the plurality of motors; and a pad provided at a bottom surface of the rotating plate assembly and configured to contact the floor, and wherein when the bottom surface of the rotating plate assembly is slanted with respect to the floor, nonuniform frictional force is generated between a bottom surface of the pad and the floor, and the robot cleaner travels in a specific direction through the nonuniform frictional force. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first subframe rotates about an X-axis by the first motor and rotates about a Y-axis by the second motor, and the bottom surface of the rotating plate assembly is slanted with respect to the floor by rotation of the first subframe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein a slanted direction and a slanted angle of the bottom surface of the rotating plate assembly with respect to the floor are changed according to a degree of rotation of the first subframe about the X-axis or the Y-axis, and wherein if the slanted direction of the bottom surface of the rotating plate assembly is changed, a traveling direction of the robot cleaner is changed, and when the slanted angle of the bottom surface of the rotating plate assembly is changed, the frictional force between the pad and floor is changed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the pad is made of a compressible material so that when the bottom surface of the rotating plate assembly is slanted with respect to the floor, a majority of the bottom surface of the pad comes into contact with the floor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the first motor is positioned above the first subframe and the first subframe is configured to rotate through a rotating shaft connecting the first motor to the first subframe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the second motor is positioned next to the first subframe and the first subframe is configured to rotate through a link connecting the second motor to the first subframe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the rotating plate assembly includes a rotating shaft mounted to the first subframe and a rotating plate mounted to the rotating shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The robot cleaner according to claim 7, wherein the plural motors further include a third motor and the rotating plate is configured to rotate about the rotating shaft by the third motor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The robot cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the robot cleaner travels by reaction to the frictional force between the pad and the floor, and a traveling direction of the robot cleaner is determined by a slanted direction with respect to the floor and a rotating direction of the rotating plate provided at each of the two or more driving units. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the two or more driving units include a first driving unit and a second driving unit, and the first driving unit and the second driving unit are mounted to a main frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The robot cleaner according to claim 10, wherein if a right portion of the bottom surface of the rotating plate provided at the first driving unit and a right portion of the bottom surface of the rotating plate provided at the second driving unit contact the floor and if the rotating plate provided at the first driving unit rotates counterclockwise and the rotating plate provided at the second driving unit rotates clockwise, the robot cleaner performs cleaning of the floor at a stationary location. ### Claim 12 A robot cleaner comprising: two or more driving units, each of the two or more driving units including: a rotating plate assembly provided with a pad at a bottom surface thereof; a frame to which the rotating plate assembly is mounted; a first motor connected with the frame through a first link and configured to enable the frame to be slanted with respect to a floor; a second motor connected with the frame through a second link arranged to cross the first link and configured to enable the frame to be slanted with respect to the floor; and a third motor mounted to the frame and configured to rotate the rotating plate assembly, wherein when the frame is slanted with respect to the floor, nonuniform frictional force is generated between the pad and the floor, and the robot cleaner travels through the nonuniform frictional force and rotation of the rotating plate assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The robot cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the first link and the second link are arranged perpendicular to each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The robot cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the rotating plate assembly includes a rotating shaft provided with a gear at an outer circumferential surface thereof and a rotating plate connected with the rotating shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The robot cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the third motor is mounted with a gear unit, which is tooth-engaged with the gear of the rotating shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The robot cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the frame and the rotating plate are fixed to each other through a locking unit inserted through the frame and the rotating plate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The robot cleaner according to claim 15, wherein the first link or the second link is provided with balls, the frame is provided with ball receiving parts in which the balls are respectively received, and the rotating plate rotates by rotational force of the first motor and the second motor. ### Claim 18 A robot cleaner comprising: two or more driving units, each of the two or more driving units including: a rotating plate assembly provided with a pad at a bottom surface thereof; a first motor configured to enable the rotating plate assembly to be slanted in a first direction with respect to a floor; a second motor configured to enable the rotating plate assembly to be slanted in a second direction with respect to the floor; and a third motor configured to rotate the rotating plate assembly, wherein when the rotating plate assembly is slanted with respect to the floor, nonuniform frictional force is generated between the pad and the floor, and the robot cleaner travels through the nonuniform frictional force and rotation of the rotating plate assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The robot cleaner according to claim 18, further comprising a frame to which the rotating plate assembly is mounted, wherein the first motor is connected with the frame through a first link and the second motor is connected with the frame through a second link arranged to cross the first link. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The robot cleaner according to claim 19, wherein the first link or the second link is provided with balls, the frame is provided with ball receiving parts in which the balls are respectively received, and the rotating plate rotates by rotational force of the first motor and the second motor.