TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a robotic garden tool used for lawn or garden maintenance. More particularly, the present invention relates to a robotic garden tool having one or more sensor units.

BACKGROUND

Robotic garden tools, for example, but not limited to, robotic lawnmowers used for garden or lawn maintenance are well known in the art. It is desired for a robotic garden tool to navigate within boundaries of a working area. There are several ways which allow the robotic garden tool to detect the boundaries of the working area and perform operation within the same.

Typically boundary wires, for example, electric fences are used to demarcate the working area form one or more non-working areas within a garden. The non-working area may include fixed structure, for example, trees, ponds, pavements etc. The electric fences generate a reference signals and define a boundary for the working area. The reference signals, for example, but not limited to, magnetic field may be detected by the robotic garden tool, and assist in steering the robotic garden tool within working area. However, these systems have disadvantages of complicated installation, and increased cost associated with the wires and detection systems.

Another system used to navigate the robotic garden tool within the working area utilizes one or more sensor units to detect working condition in the proximity of the sensor units. For example, robotic lawnmowers provided with one or more optical sensor units are known in the art. The optical sensor units may detect various surface conditions based on light absorbance properties of the working area. The various surface conditions may include, for example, presence or absence of grass. The robotic garden tool may navigate within the working area based on the detected surface condition.

Further, to effectively detect the presence or absence of grass, the sensor unit is required to be installed in an area beneath a main body of the robotic garden tool, directly facing the surface. However, under the operating conditions of the robotic garden tool, it is particularly important to maintain these sensor units clean and free from dirt and/or debris, for example, but not limited to, small clippings/pieces of grass. Further, in case the clippings/pieces of grass substantially cover the sensor units, the robotic garden tool may detect erroneous surface conditions. This may necessitate regular cleaning and maintenance of the sensor units in the robotic garden tool.

In light of the foregoing, there is a need for an apparatus to effectively navigate a robotic garden tool within a predetermined boundary of a working area. Further, the apparatus should be reliable and require low maintenance.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, it is an objective of the present invention to solve or at least reduce the problems discussed above. In particular, the objective is to provide an improved robotic garden tool which can reliably navigate within a working area.

The objective is achieved with a novel robotic garden tool according to claim 1.

The robotic garden tool is adapted to perform an operation within a working area. The robotic garden tool includes a main body, a working element attached to the main body, and at least one sensor unit attached to the main body. Further, the sensor unit is configured to sense one or more conditions of the working area in the proximity of the sensor unit. Moreover, the sensor unit includes at least one sensor and a protective part is provided to partially enclose the sensor. Advantageously, during operation of the robotic garden tool, any debris from the working area may be not able to reach the sensor due to the protective part. Consequently, the sensor may remain substantially clean and accurately navigate the robotic garden tool.

According to claim 2, the protective part includes a first end and a second end, the sensor being located at the first end of the tube and a clearance is provided between the second end and the working area. According to claim 3, the protective part is configured to adjust the clearance between the second end and the working area. By adjusting the clearance and keep it as small as possible, the protective part significantly prevents debris from reaching to the sensor unit. Further, according to claims 4 and 5, the second end of the protective part includes an adjustable portion. The adjustable portion is composed of a flexible material such as rubber. During operation of the robotic garden tool, the flexible material conforms to the surface of the working area and keeps the clearance as small as possible. Moreover, according to claim 6, the first end and the second end of the protective part are telescopically arranged with respect to each other. Such a telescopic arrangement also allows the second end of the protective part to maintain the clearance as small as possible. Advantageously, according to claims 7 and 8, the protective part is adapted to protect the sensor from cut grass, dirt or debris and also prevents the light emitted by any external sources from reaching the sensor.

Additionally, according to claim 9, the protective part is in the form of a circular, triangular or oval tube extending along a longitudinal axis. According to claim 10, the protective part is in the form of a funnel shaped tube extending along the longitudinal axis. Further, according to claim 1 1 , the funnel shaped tube includes a tubular section and a conical section, the sensor being located within the tubular section and a clearance is provided between the conical section and the working area. Any dirt, debris or cut grass entered inside the funnel shaped tube sticks the inner surface of the conical section and avoids any blockage to the sensor unit. Further, according to claim 12, the funnel shaped tube is also configured to the clearance between the conical section and the working area.

According to claims 13 and 14, the conical section of the funnel shaped tube includes an adjustable portion. The adjustable portion is composed of a flexible material such as rubber. According to claim 15, the tubular section and the conical section of the protective part are telescopically arranged with respect to each other. As described above, by providing the adjustable portion or the telescopic arrangement the clearance between the conical section and the working area can be adjusted according to the surface of the working area.

According to claim 16, the protective part is in the form of a truncated conical shaped tube extending along the longitudinal axis. According to claim 17, the truncated conical shaped tube also includes a first end and a second end and wherein the at least one sensor is being located at the first end of the tube and a clearance is provided between the second end and the working area. According to claim 18, the truncated conical shaped tube is configured to adjust the clearance between the second end and the working area. According to claims 19 and 20, the second end of the truncated conical shaped tube includes an adjustable portion. The adjustable portion is composed of a flexible material such as rubber. Moreover, according to claim 21 , the first end and the second end of the truncated conical shaped tube are telescopically arranged with respect to each other. As described above, by providing the adjustable portion or the telescopic arrangement the clearance between the second end and the working area can be adjusted according to the surface of the working area.

According to claim 22, the sensor unit includes an optical sensor. Further, according to claim 23, the optical sensor includes a light source configured to emit light and a receiving part configured to receive light reflected from the working area.

According to claim 24, the robotic garden tool system is a robotic lawnmower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a robotic garden tool, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A illustrates a schematic diagram of a sensor unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B illustrates a schematic diagram of a sensor unit, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A illustrates a schematic diagram of a sensor unit, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3B illustrates a schematic diagram of a sensor unit, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A illustrates a schematic diagram of a sensor unit, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4B illustrates a schematic diagram of a sensor unit, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the invention incorporating one or more aspects of the present invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those ordinarily skilled in the art. For example, one or more aspects of the present invention can be utilized in other embodiments and even other types of devices. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a robotic garden tool 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, a robotic garden tool 100 may be a robotic lawnmower configured to perform mowing and/or mulching operation within a working area 102. However, the robotic garden tool 100 may be any other working vehicle, for example, but not limited to, a robotic vacuum cleaner, a robotic washer, or the like, within the scope of the present invention. The robotic garden tool 100 may include a main body 104, a working element 106 and a pair of drive wheels 108. The robotic garden tool 100 may further include a pair of caster wheels 110 provided at the front portion to enable an easy movement and stability. The working element 106 is powered by a prime mower (not shown in the figures) and is used for cutting and/or mulching the grass and other vegetation present in the working area 102. In an embodiment of the present invention, the working element 106 may be one or more metallic discs having a plurality of cutting blade attached at the periphery of the discs. In another embodiment of the present invention, the cutting element 106 may include one or more string type cutting filaments.

Typically, the working area 102 may include any terrain with vegetation, such as lawns, gardens, yards, golf courses, fields, or the like. The working area 102 may be defined by a boundary to demarcate from non-working areas for examples, but not limited to, water bodies, trees, stones and sand etc. However, the robotic garden tool 100 may include a sensor unit 112 to distinguish between non-working areas and the working area 102. The sensor unit 112 is provided beneath the main body 104 of the robotic garden tool 100 and is configured sense one or more conditions of the working area 102 in the proximity of the sensor unit 112. The sensor unit 112 may include one or more sensors, for example, but not limited to, optical sensors which are described in detail in conjunction with the FIGS. 2A and 2B. The robotic garden tool 100 may include more than one sensor units which may be located beneath the main body 104 at front and/or rear parts of the robotic garden tool 100. Further, the one or more conditions may include detection of various surface textures for water, stones, sand and grass. Based on the sensed conditions, the sensor unit 112 may provide an output signal to a control unit (not shown in the figures) to control the operation and navigation of the robotic garden tool 100. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit 112 may include a protective part 114 to partially cover the one or more sensors in a sensor unit 112.

FIG. 2A illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensor unit 112, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the sensor unit 112 is located beneath the main body 104 of the robotic garden tool 100 and directly faces the working area 102. The sensor unit 112 may include an optical sensor 116 enclosed within the protective part 114. The protective part 114 may have a tube shape that extends along a longitudinal axis AA'. The tube shaped protective part 114 includes a first end 118 and a second end 120 such that the optical sensor 116 is located at the first end 118. In an embodiment, the protective part 114 may be composed of plastic material and may be integrally formed with the main body of the robotic garden tool 100.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the optical sensor 116 may include a light source 124 and a receiving part 126. The light source 124 may emit light, in the visible region or the infra red region, directed towards the working area 102. A portion of the reflected light from the working surface 102 may be received by the receiving part 126. Based on the sensed intensity of the reflected light, the absorbing properties of the working area 102 are determined. Further, a controller 122 is provided that may include stored reflected light intensity data for a variety of surface textures such that the sensed intensity is compared with the reflected light intensity data to determine the one or more surface conditions of the working area 102. In another embodiment of the present invention, the light source 124 may not be present, and the receiving part 126 receives light directly emanated from the working surface 102. Various other types of other sensors well known in the art, for example, but not limited to, acoustic sensors may also be used in the sensor unit 112 within the scope of the present invention.

Moreover, the tube shaped protective part 114 may have a circular or oval cross-section and can hold one or more sensors similar to optical sensor 116. Other cross-sections for example, but not limited to, square, triangular, rectangular, polygonal may be also be used without limiting the scope of the invention. However, a width W of the tube shaped protective part 114 is optimally selected to minimize the entry of debris or grass clippings and at the same time not effecting the working of the optical sensor 116. The relation between L and W has to be made so that an approaching object, potentially disturbing the function of the sensor unit 1 12, will be prevented to hit the active area of the sensor unit 1 12, no matter what direction the object originate from

Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the protective part 114 is configured to adjust a clearance C between the second end 120 and the working area 102. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, an adjustable portion 127 is provided at the second end 120 of the protective part 112. The adjustable portion 127 may conform to the uneven surface of the working area 102 to adjust the clearance C as small as possible. In an embodiment, the adjustable portion 127 may include a flexible material such as rubber. Advantageously, during operation of the robotic garden tool 100, any dirt and/or debris, for example, but not limited to, small clippings/pieces of grass may not be able to enter inside the tube shaped protective part 114. Thus, the protective part 114 keeps the one or more sensors substantially clean and free from dirt and/or debris. Moreover, the protective part 114 may also prevent light emitted by an external source from reaching the sensor unit 112. The relation between L, C and W has to be made so that an approaching object, potentially disturbing the function of the sensor unit 1 12, will be prevented to hit the active area of the sensor unit 112 no matter what direction the object originate from. FIG. 2B illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensor unit 112, according to another embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the first end 118 and the second end 120 of the tube shaped protective part 114 are telescopically arranged with respect to each other. The telescopic arrangement of the first end 118 and the second end 120 may vary the clearance C, to keep it as small as possible, between the protective part 114 and working area 102 as per the surface of the working area 102.

FIG. 3A illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensor unit 112, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The sensor unit 112 includes a protective part 128. The protective part 128 is a funnel shaped tube extending along the longitudinal axis AA'. The funnel shaped tube 128 includes a tubular section 130 and a conical section 132. The optical sensor 116 is located within the tubular section 130. In case any debris or grass clippings enter the funnel shaped tube 128, the debris and/or grass clippings may stick with the inner walls of the conical section 132. Thus, the funnel shaped tube 128 still permits light from the working area 102 to easily reach the sensor unit 112.

Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the conical section 132 is provided with an adjustable portion 133. The adjustable portion 133 may conform to the uneven surface of the working area 102 to achieve the clearance C as small as possible. As illustrated in FIG. 3 A, the adjustable portion 133 is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis AA', however in other embodiment, the adjustable portion 133 may be disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis AA' extending along the conical section 132. As described above the adjustable portion 133 may be composed of rubber.The relation between L, C and W has to be made so that an approaching object, potentially disturbing the function of the sensor unit 112, will be prevented to hit the active area of the sensor unit 112, no matter what direction the object originate from.

FIG. 3B illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensor unit 112, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the tubular section 130 and the conical section 132 of the protective part 128 are telescopically arranged with respect to each other. The telescopic arrangement of the tubular section 130 and the conical section 132 may vary the clearance C between the protective part 114 and working area 102 as per the surface of the working area 102.

FIG. 4A illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensor unit 112, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The sensor unit 112 includes a protective part 134. The protective part 134 is a truncated conical shaped tube extending along the longitudinal axis AA'. The truncated conical shaped tube 134 includes a first end 136 and a second end 138 such that the optical sensor 116 is located at the first end 136. The optical sensor 116 is located within the truncated conical shaped tube 134. The truncated conical shaped tube 134 permits light from the working area 102 to easily reach the sensor unit 112. Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the truncated conical shaped tube 134 is configured to adjust a clearance C between the second end 138 and the working area 102. As illustrated in FIG. 4 A, an adjustable portion 140 is provided at the second end 138 of the truncated conical shaped tube 134. The adjustable portion 140 may conform to the uneven surface of the working area 102 to adjust the clearance C as small as possible. In an embodiment, the adjustable portion 140 may include a flexible material such as rubber.

FIG. 4B illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensor unit 112, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 4B, the first end 136 and the second end 138 of the truncated conical shaped tube 134 are telescopically arranged with respect to each other. The telescopic arrangement of the first end 136 and the second end 138 may vary the clearance C, to keep it as small as possible, between truncated conical shaped tube 134 and working area 102 as per the surface of the working area 102.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.