Mowing robot

{
  "publication_number": "US11140816B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Mowing robot",
  "abstract": "A mowing robot includes a body which forms an outer shape and an internal space; a first wheel and a second wheel which are independently rotatably provided at a first side and a second side respectively so that the body can rotate and move forward with respect to ground; a first motor which provides a rotational force to the first wheel; a second motor which provides a rotational force to the second wheel; and a sensor which is provided in the internal space, has a gyro sensing function for at least horizontal rotation, and has a magnetic field sensing function, wherein the sensor is provided between a wheel front end plane and a wheel rear end plane, and is provided above a first motor upper end plane and a second motor upper end plane.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A mowing robot comprising: a body that forms an outer shape and defines an internal space; a first wheel and a second wheel independently rotatably provided at a first lateral side and a second lateral side respectively such that the body is able to rotate and move forward with respect to ground; a first motor that provides a rotational force to the first wheel; a second motor that provides a rotational force to the second wheel; and a sensor provided in the internal space, the sensor having a gyro sensing function to sense at least a horizontal rotation, and a magnetic field sensing function, wherein a virtual wheel front end plane is vertically orientated and defined by a front end of the first wheel and a front end of the second wheel, a virtual wheel rear end plane is vertically orientated and defined by a rear end of the first wheel and a rear end of the second wheel, a virtual first motor upper end plane is horizontally orientated and defined by an upper end of the first motor, and a virtual second motor upper end plane is horizontally orientated and defined by an upper end of the second motor, wherein the sensor is arranged between the wheel front end plane and the wheel rear end plane, and is provided above the first motor upper end plane and the second motor upper end plane, and wherein the mowing robot further comprises a cover to which the sensor is fixed and that fully covers the sensor when viewed from the first motor and the second motor.",
    "2. The mowing robot of claim 1, wherein the sensor is provided between the wheel front end plane and the wheel rear end plane and relatively closer to a virtual wheel axis plane that is vertically orientated and passes through an axis of rotation of the first and second wheels.",
    "3. The mowing robot of claim 2, wherein the virtual wheel axis plane intersects the sensor.",
    "4. The mowing robot of claim 1, further comprising: a blade provided in front of a rotational axis of the first wheel and the second wheel and is configured to be rotated; a blade motor which provides a rotational force to the blade; and a battery provided behind the rotational axis of the first wheel and the second wheel and configured to supply power to the first motor, the second motor, and the blade motor, wherein the sensor is provided above the rotational axis of the first and second wheels, and wherein the first motor, the second motor, the blade motor, and the battery are provided below the sensor.",
    "5. The mowing robot of claim 1, further comprising: a blade provided in front of a rotational axis of the first wheel and the second wheel and configured to be rotated; and a blade motor which provides a rotational force to the blade, wherein the sensor is provided behind a virtual blade motor rear end plane which is defined by a rear end of the blade motor and is vertically orientated, and above a virtual blade motor upper end plane which is defined by an upper end of the blade motor and is horizontally orientated.",
    "6. The mowing robot of claim 1, further comprising a battery provided between the wheel front end plane and the wheel rear end plane and between the first wheel and the second wheel and that provides power to the first motor and the second motor, wherein the sensor is provided in front of a virtual battery front end plane which is defined by a front end of the battery and is vertically orientated, and provided above a virtual battery upper end plane which is defined by an upper end of the battery and is horizontally orientated.",
    "7. The mowing robot of claim 1, further comprising: a blade provided in front of a rotational axis of the first wheel and the second wheel and is configured to be rotated; a blade motor which provides a rotational force to the blade; and a battery provided behind a rotational axis of the first and second wheels and configured to provide power to the first motor, the second motor, and the blade motor, wherein the sensor is provided behind a virtual blade motor rear end plane which is defined by a rear end of the blade motor and is vertically orientated, and provided in front of a virtual battery front end plane which is defined by a front end of the battery and is vertically orientated.",
    "8. The mowing robot of claim 7, wherein the sensor is provided above a virtual blade motor upper end plane which is defined by an upper end of the blade motor and is horizontally orientated, and is provided above a virtual battery upper end plane which is defined by an upper end of the battery and is horizontally orientated.",
    "9. The mowing robot of claim 8, wherein the first motor and the second motor are laterally spaced apart in a horizontal width direction, and wherein the sensor is provided between the first and second motors in the horizontal width direction.",
    "10. The mowing robot of claim 1, further comprising a battery which supplies power to the first motor and the second motor, wherein the sensor is provided above a virtual battery upper end plane which is defined by an upper end of the battery and is horizontally orientated, and wherein the cover fully covers the sensor when viewed from the battery.",
    "11. The mowing robot of claim 1, wherein the cover fully covers the sensor when viewed from below.",
    "12. The mowing robot of claim 11, further comprising a main board that is provided above the first motor and the second motor and below the cover, fully covers the sensor when viewed from below, and controls an operation of the first motor and the second motor.",
    "13. The mowing robot of claim 12, further comprising a cover support that fixes the cover to the main board while spacing the cover from the main board.",
    "14. The mowing robot of claim 12, further comprising: a module case provided inside the body and that accommodates the sensor, the cover, and the main board therein; and a display provided above the sensor and fixed to an upper side portion of the module case.",
    "15. The mowing robot of claim 1, wherein the sensor is further capable of sensing acceleration.",
    "16. A mowing robot comprising: a body that forms an outer shape and defines an internal space; a first wheel provided at a first side of the body and a second wheel provided at a second side of the body, the first wheels being configured to rotate independently so that the body can rotate and move forward with respect to ground; a first motor that provides a rotational force to the first wheel; a second motor that provides a rotational force to the second wheel; and a sensor provided in the internal space, having a gyro sensing function for at least horizontal rotation, and having a magnetic field sensing function, wherein the sensor vertically overlaps with an area between the first wheel and the second wheel, and is provided higher than the first motor and the second motor, and wherein the mowing robot further comprises a cover to which the sensor is fixed and that fully covers the sensor when viewed from the first motor and the second motor.",
    "17. The mowing robot of claim 16, wherein when viewed from above, the sensor is provided closer to a rotational axis of the first and second wheels than a leading edge of the first or second wheel or a trailing edge of the first or second wheel.",
    "18. The mowing robot of claim 17, wherein when viewed from above, the sensor crosses the rotational axis of the first and second wheels.",
    "19. The mowing robot of claim 16, further comprising: a blade provided in front of a rotational axis of the first wheel and the second wheel and is configured to be rotated; a blade motor which provides a rotational force to the blade; and a battery which is provided behind the rotational axis of the first wheel and the second wheel and provides power to the first motor, the second motor, and the blade motor, wherein the sensor is provided above the first motor, the second motor, the blade motor, and the battery.",
    "20. The mowing robot of claim 16, further comprising: a board that controls an operation of the first motor and the second motor, the board being positioned above the first motor and the second motor and below the cover and to cover the sensor when viewed from below."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field The present disclosure relates to a sensor disposition structure of a robot. 2. Background Robots have been developed for industrial use and have been part of factory automation. The application field of robots has been expanded such that medical robots, aerospace robots, and the like have been developed and household robots that can be used in ordinary homes have also been developed. Among these robots, a robot capable of traveling by itself may be called a mobile robot. An example of a mobile robot used in an outdoor environment of a home may be a mowing robot. Generally, a mowing device may include a riding type device which mows the lawn by a user who rides the device while moving according to the user's driving, a work-behind type device or a hand type device which a user pulls or pushes to mow the lawn, and the above mentioned mowing robot which can accomplish an autonomous driving. In the case of a mobile robot that autonomously travels indoors, a movable area may be restricted by a wall, furniture, or the like. However, in the case of the mowing robot that autonomously travels outdoors, the movable area may need to be previously set. In addition, the movable area may need to be restricted so that the mowing robot can travel in the area where lawns are planted.\n\nIn the related art (Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2015-0125508), a wire is laid to set an area where the mowing robot moves, and the mowing robot senses a magnetic field formed by a current flowing in the wire to move in the area set by the wire.",
  "cpc": [
    "A01D 34/008",
    "A01D 2101/00",
    "A01D 34/001",
    "A01D 34/006",
    "A01D 34/58",
    "A01D 34/63",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 13/088",
    "B25J 5/007"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A01D 101/00",
    "A01D 34/00",
    "A01D 34/58",
    "B25J 13/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "LG ELECTRONICS INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "LEE JAEHOON",
    "SHIN SEUNGIN",
    "JEONG JAEHOON"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-01-18",
  "publication_date": "2021-10-12",
  "grant_date": "2021-10-12",
  "priority_date": "2018-01-19",
  "application_number": "US-201916251957-A",
  "family_id": "65041637",
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}