Self-propelled vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An autonomous vacuum cleaner is provided which can clean efficiently around a vacuum cleaner body. An autonomous vacuum cleaner (1) includes a vacuum cleaner body (2) having a wheel (121) for travelling autonomously, a surroundings sensor (32) for detecting an obstacle around the vacuum cleaner body (2), a pivoting cleaner (3) that can clean around the vacuum cleaner body (2), and a controller (5) that controls the surroundings sensor (32) and the pivoting cleaner (3). The pivoting cleaner (3) includes an arm (21) that protrudes outward from the vacuum cleaner body (2), a motor (22) that drives the arm (21), and a load sensor (23) that detects a load acting on the arm (21) from the outside. The motor (22) is controlled and driven on the basis of the presence or absence of an obstacle detected by the surroundings sensor (32), and travel of the vacuum cleaner body (2) is controlled on the basis of a load detected by the load sensor (23).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An autonomous vacuum cleaner capable of cleaning while traveling along a floor surface, comprising:
 a vacuum cleaner body including a wheel for travelling autonomously;   a surrounding detection means for detecting an obstacle around the vacuum cleaner body;   a surrounding cleaning means capable of cleaning around the vacuum cleaner body; and   a control means configured to control the surrounding detection means and the surrounding cleaning means, wherein   the surrounding cleaning means includes:
 a protrusion capable of protruding outward from the vacuum cleaner body; 
 a drive means configured to drive the protrusion in such a manner as to protrude and retract; and 
 a load detection means configured to detect a load acting on the protrusion from the outside, and 
   the control means
 controls and drives the drive means on the basis of the presence or absence of an obstacle detected by the surrounding detection means, and 
 controls travel of the vacuum cleaner body on the basis of a load detected by the load detection means. 
   
     
     
         2 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein in a case where the load detection means shifts from a load detecting state to a non-load detecting state, the control means judges that the protrusion becomes movable, drives the drive means, and causes the protrusion to move and protrude. 
     
     
         3 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein in a case where the surrounding detection means detects an obstacle upon the drive means being driven to move the protrusion, the control means controls the drive means in such a manner as to reduce the moving speed of the protrusion with decreasing distance to the obstacle. 
     
     
         4 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding cleaning means includes a biasing means configured to bias the protrusion in a protruding direction. 
     
     
         5 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the protrusion is pivotably supported by the vacuum cleaner body, and   the drive means drives the protrusion to pivot.   
     
     
         6 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 5 , wherein the protrusion is configured including:
 a first pivoting member rotatably supported on one end side thereof by the vacuum cleaner body; and   a second pivoting member rotatably supported on the other end side of the first pivoting member.   
     
     
         7 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the drive means is a rotation drive means configured to drive and rotate the first pivoting member with respect to the vacuum cleaner body, and   the second pivoting member is biased by a rotation biasing means with respect to the first pivoting member in a rotation direction.   
     
     
         8 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding cleaning means has a vacuum cleaning function of sucking up dirt and the like on the floor surface through a vacuum inlet provided to the protrusion.