Self-propelled cleaner rechargeable traveling system and rechargeable traveling system

Abstract

Disclosed is a rechargeable traveling system which enables a self-propelled machine to be charged properly without fail. Since a charging terminal, located on the back of the body of a self-propelled cleaner, is horizontally wider than a feeding terminal of a battery charger, even if the cleaner comes close to the feeding terminal somewhat horizontally out of alignment with the center of the battery charger, the charging terminal and the feeding terminal are connected properly without fail and thus charging is carried out properly without fail.

1 . A self-propelled cleaner rechargeable traveling system comprising: 
 a self-propelled cleaner having a body with a cleaning mechanism, a drive mechanism for steering and driving, and a charging terminal for charging; and    a battery charger provided with a feeding terminal to be connected with the charging terminal,    wherein the charging terminal of the self-propelled cleaner is horizontally wider than the feeding terminal of the battery charger;    wherein the charging terminal of the self-propelled cleaner is located in a concave which is made in the self-propelled cleaner body and V-shaped as viewed cross-sectionally, and the feeding terminal of the battery charger is located on a convex which is made in the battery charger and V-shaped as viewed cross-sectionally; and    wherein, when the charging terminal is connected with the feeding terminal, the convex is fitted into the concave.    
   
   
       2 . A rechargeable traveling system comprising: 
 a traveling machine having a drive mechanism for steering and driving, and a charging terminal for charging; and    a battery charger provided with a feeding terminal to be connected with the charging terminal,    wherein the charging terminal of the traveling machine is horizontally wider than the feeding terminal of the battery charger.    
   
   
       3 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the charging terminal of the traveling machine is located in a concave which is made in the traveling machine and the feeding terminal of the battery charger is located on a convex which is made in the battery charger; and 
 wherein, when the charging terminal is connected with the feeding terminal, the convex is fitted into the concave.    
   
   
       4 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the concave and the convex are V-shaped as viewed vertically cross-sectionally.  
   
   
       5 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the traveling machine is a self-propelled cleaner with a cleaning mechanism.  
   
   
       6 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the traveling machine has an almost cylindrical body and the charging terminal is located on the peripheral surface of the body.  
   
   
       7 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 6 , wherein a concave which is V-shaped as viewed cross-sectionally is made on the back of the body on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical body and the charging terminal is located in this concave.  
   
   
       8 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 7 , wherein the concave stretches for a given angle on the back face of the body BD, which takes the shape of a short cylinder, and its height is horizontally constant.  
   
   
       9 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 8 , wherein the charging terminal is held on each of an arched upper face and an arched lower face.  
   
   
       10 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 9 , wherein the charging terminal is an almost arched, flat metal strip with regularly spaced sharp-pointed claws extended therefrom, and the strip surface is made to fit the curved surface of a concave of the body by bending, or raising, the peripheral edge together with the claws in a given direction 90 degrees, and the terminal is fixed by letting previously formed claws bite into the curved surface of the body, and a narrow slit is previously formed in a location which is to face the claws, on the curved surface of the body.  
   
   
       11 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 2 , wherein a mark for positioning is provided at the center bottom of the battery charger.  
   
   
       12 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 3 , wherein the battery charger is installed on a wall surface at a given height from a floor surface.  
   
   
       13 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 12 , wherein the convex takes the shape of a thin box and is horizontally held protruded from a given wall surface.  
   
   
       14 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 13 , wherein the cross section of the convex is horizontally long and vertically short, and almost rectangular and at a point where it protrudes from the wall surface by a given distance, the thickness begins to gradually decrease so that a slanted surface is made from its upper face and lower face toward its tip.  
   
   
       15 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 14 , wherein the convex consists of an upper face and a lower face which are flat and a flat feeding terminal is held so as to cover them.  
   
   
       16 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 15 , wherein the upper face and lower face of the convex coincide with the curved surface of the concave which stretches for a given angle on the peripheral surface of the body and is V-shaped as viewed cross-sectionally.  
   
   
       17 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the body has a cleaning mechanism.  
   
   
       18 . The rechargeable traveling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the drive mechanism has two drive wheels on the bottom of the almost cylindrical body and the two drive wheels are driven individually to enable forward movement, backward movement or rotation.