US2005218852A1PendingUtilityA1

Debris sensor for cleaning apparatus

55
Assignee: LANDRY GREGG WPriority: Jan 28, 2004Filed: Apr 19, 2005Published: Oct 6, 2005
Est. expiryJan 28, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Gregg W. LandryDavid A. CohenDaniel N. Ozick
A47L 9/0488A47L 9/2884A47L 9/2852Y10S901/01A47L 9/2894A47L 9/2831A47L 9/2857A47L 11/4005A47L 11/4061A47L 2201/06A47L 11/4066A47L 9/281A47L 9/2889A47L 2201/04Y10S901/46A47L 9/2805A47L 9/0466A47L 9/2842A47L 5/362A47L 11/4011A47L 11/4008G05D 1/021G05D 1/0227G05D 1/0238G05D 1/0242G05D 1/0272
55
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Claims

Abstract

A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An autonomous cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus;    a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and    a debris sensor for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris;    wherein the processor is responsive to the debris signal to select a pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pattern of movement comprises spot coverage of an area containing debris.  
   
   
       3 - 5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . An autonomous cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus;    a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and    a debris sensor for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris;    wherein the processor is responsive to the debris signal to select an operative mode from among predetermined operative modes of the cleaning apparatus.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein selection of an operative mode comprises selecting a pattern of movement.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the pattern of movement comprises spot coverage of an area containing debris.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the pattern of movement comprises steering the cleaning apparatus toward an area containing debris.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as in one of claims  6 - 9  wherein the debris sensor comprises spaced-apart first and second debris sensing elements respectively operable to generate first and second debris signals; and 
 wherein the processor is responsive to the first and second debris signals to select a pattern of movement.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further wherein the processor is responsive to differences in the first and second debris signals to steer the cleaning apparatus in a direction of debris.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as in one of claims  6 - 11  wherein the debris sensor comprises a piezoelectric sensor element located proximate a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris strike to generate a signal indicative of such strike.  
   
   
       13 . A cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 a cleaning pathway for transporting debris;    a piezoelectric sensor located proximate to the cleaning pathway and responsive to a debris strike to generate a debris signal indicative of such strike; and    a processor responsive to the debris signal to change an operative mode of the cleaning apparatus.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the change in operative mode comprises illuminating a user-perceptible indicator light.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the change in operative mode comprises changing a power setting.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the change in operative mode comprises reducing a movement speed of the apparatus.  
   
   
       17 . A debris sensor for a cleaning apparatus, the debris sensor comprising: 
 a piezoelectric element located proximate to a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris strike to generate a first signal indicative of such strike; and    a processor operable to process the first signal to generate a second signal representative of a characteristic of debris being encountered by the cleaning apparatus.    
   
   
       18 . The sensor of  claim 17  wherein the characteristic is relative quantity of debris.  
   
   
       19 . The sensor of  claim 17  wherein the characteristic is a vector from a present location of the cleaning apparatus to an area containing debris.  
   
   
       20 . The sensor of  claim 17  wherein the processor is further operable, in response to the second signal, to change an operative mode of the cleaning apparatus.  
   
   
       21 . The sensor of  claim 20  wherein the change of operative mode comprises changing a power setting.  
   
   
       22 . The sensor of  claim 20  wherein the change of operative mode comprises illuminating a user-perceptible indicator light.  
   
   
       23 . The sensor of  claim 20  wherein the change of operative mode comprises reducing a movement speed of the cleaning apparatus.  
   
   
       24 . The sensor of  claim 17  wherein: 
 the piezoelectric element is mounted proximate to the cleaning pathway by mounting elements, and    the mounting elements comprise at least one mounting screw and associated elastomer mounting grommet.    
   
   
       25 . The sensor of  claim 24  wherein the elastomer mounting grommet receives the mounting screw and provides vibration dampening for the piezoelectric element mounted proximate to the cleaning pathway by the mounting screw.  
   
   
       26 - 28 . (canceled)  
   
   
       29 . The sensor of  claim 17  wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a flexible piezoelectric film.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the piezoelectric sensor element comprises a flexible piezoelectric film having multiple electrically isolated sections.  
   
   
       31 . The sensor of  claim 29  wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a flexible piezoelectric film.  
   
   
       32 . A method of operating an autonomous cleaning apparatus, the method comprising: 
 using a processor to control a drive system of the cleaning apparatus to provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus;    using a debris sensor in communication with the processor to generate a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; and    using the processor to select a pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus in response to the debris signal.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the pattern of movement comprises spot coverage of an area containing debris.  
   
   
       34 - 36 . (canceled)  
   
   
       37 . A method of operating an autonomous cleaning apparatus, the method comprising: 
 using a processor to control a drive system of the cleaning apparatus to provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus;    using a debris sensor in communication with the processor to generate a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; and    using the processor to select, responsive to the debris signal, an operative mode from among predetermined operative modes of the cleaning apparatus.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein selection of an operative mode comprises selecting a pattern of movement.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the pattern of movement comprises spot coverage of an area containing debris.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the pattern of movement comprises steering the cleaning apparatus toward an area containing debris.  
   
   
       41 . The method as in one of claims  37 - 40  wherein the debris sensor comprises spaced-apart first and second debris sensing elements respectively operable to generate first and second debris signals; and 
 wherein the processor is responsive to the first and second debris signals to select a pattern of movement.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41  further wherein the processor is responsive to differences in the first and second debris signals to steer the cleaning apparatus in a direction of debris.  
   
   
       43 . The method as in one of claims  37 - 42  wherein the debris sensor comprises a piezoelectric sensor element located proximate a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris strike to generate a signal indicative of such strike.  
   
   
       44 . A method of operating a cleaning apparatus, the method comprising: 
 using a piezoelectric sensor located proximate to a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris strike to generate a debris signal indicative of such strike; and    using a processor in communication with the piezoelectric sensor and responsive to the debris signal to change an operative mode of the cleaning apparatus.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the change in operative mode comprises illuminating a user-perceptible indicator light.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the change in operative mode comprises changing a power setting.  
   
   
       47 . The apparatus of  claim 44  wherein the change in operative mode comprises reducing a movement speed of the apparatus.  
   
   
       48 . A method of operating a cleaning apparatus, the method comprising: 
 using a piezoelectric element located proximate to a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris strike to generate a first signal indicative of such strike; and    using a processor in communication with the piezoelectric element and operable to process the first signal to generate a second signal representative of a characteristic of debris being encountered by the cleaning apparatus.    
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the characteristic is relative quantity of debris.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the characteristic is a vector from a present location of the cleaning apparatus to an area containing debris.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the processor is further operable, in response to the second signal, to change an operative mode of the cleaning apparatus.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51  wherein the change of operative mode comprises changing a power setting.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 51  wherein the change of operative mode comprises illuminating a user-perceptible indicator light.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 51  wherein the change of operative mode comprises reducing a movement speed of the cleaning apparatus.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 48  further comprising: 
 mounting the piezoelectric element proximate to the cleaning pathway using at least one mounting screw and associated elastomer mounting grommet.    
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55  wherein the elastomer mounting grommet receives the mounting screw and provides vibration dampening for the piezoelectric element mounted proximate to the cleaning pathway by the mounting screw.  
   
   
       57 - 59 . (canceled)  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a flexible piezoelectric film.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the piezoelectric sensor element comprises a flexible piezoelectric film having multiple electrically isolated sections.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the piezoelectric element comprises a flexible piezoelectric film.

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