US 11,860,638 B2
Autonomous floor-cleaning robot having obstacle detection force sensors thereon and related methods
Dexter Bautista, Arlington, MA (US); Isaac Fowler, Boston, MA (US); Andrew Graziani, Derry, NH (US); Marcus R. Williams, Newton, MA (US); Ping-Hong Lu, Auburndale, MA (US); and Erik Schembor, Bedford, MA (US)
Assigned to iRobot Corporation, Bedford, MA (US)
Filed by iRobot Corporation, Bedford, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 8, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/065,629.
Application 17/065,629 is a continuation of application No. 16/125,051, filed on Sep. 7, 2018, granted, now 10,824,159.
Prior Publication US 2021/0026365 A1, Jan. 28, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01L 1/12 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G01L 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 1/0227 (2013.01) [G01L 1/12 (2013.01); G01L 5/0052 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0203 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mobile cleaning robot comprising:
a robot body;
a bumper connected to and supported by the robot body; and
a bumper impact system comprising:
a first sensor connected to the body in a first orientation with respect to the body and the bumper; and
a second sensor connected to the body in a second orientation with respect to the body and the bumper different from the first orientation, the first sensor and the second sensor together configured to sense an impact region of the bumper based on a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper relative to the robot body, wherein a number of impact regions is greater than two.