Self-propelled cleaner and suspension mechanism

Abstract

A suspension mechanism includes: a drive unit that includes the drive wheel, a drive source for rotating the drive wheel, and a transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force of the drive source to the drive wheel, being integrally provided with each other; a supporting member that supports the drive unit and is fixedly mounted on the cleaner main body; a biasing member that biases the drive unit towards a traveling surface of the self-propelled cleaner; a first and a second linking members that connects the drive unit to the supporting member at two different points, respectively.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a self-propelled cleaner which performs cleaning by traveling autonomously and a suspension mechanism for a drive wheel that is provided on the self-propelled cleaner. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Conventionally, there have been known self-propelled cleaners that perform cleaning by traveling autonomously based on predetermined traveling patterns in rooms. [0005] The self-propelled cleaner of this type has, for example, two drive wheels which are provided along a direction which intersects with a traveling direction thereof at right angles and is adapted to perform cleaning a traveling surface such as a floor while traveling in predetermined directions by driving the drive wheels so provided. [0006] As the self-propelled cleaners, there have been known self-propelled cleaners having a suspension mechanism for damping vertical motions of the drive wheels relative to...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a self-propelled cleaner and a suspension mechanism that damp properly impact applied to the drive wheels and increase the ground contact properties of the drive wheels relative to the traveling surface. The suspension mechanism includes a drive unit, a supporting member, and a biasing member that biases the drive unit towards the traveling surface. The drive unit includes a drive wheel, a drive source, and a transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force to the drive wheel. The supporting member fixes the drive unit to the cleaner main body and the biasing member biases the drive unit towards the traveling surface. The first and second linking members connect the drive unit to the supporting member at two different points, respectively. The technical effects of the invention include proper damping of vertical motions of the drive wheels, increased ground contact properties of the drive wheels, and improved traveling performance of the self-propelled cleaner.

Problems solved by technology

In the case of the suspension mechanisms disclosed in JP-A-2003-033310 and JP-A-2004-016385, however, there has been caused a problem that the damping of the vertical motions of the drive wheels relative to the self-propelled cleaner which occur during the traveling thereof cannot be implemented in a preferred fashion, and hence the traveling of the self-propelled cleaner cannot be implemented properly.

Namely, in the case of the suspension mechanism disclosed in JP-A-2003-033310, since a drive unit is configured rotatably about a rotational shaft provided forward of drive wheels in an advancing direction of the self-propelled cleaner, mechanical malfunctions attributed to manufacturing and assembling errors tend to be generated easily, and the ground contact properties of the drive wheels are reduced, whereby the self-propelled cleaner cannot travel properly.

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