US 11,937,766 B2
Robotic cleaner having acoustic surface type sensor
Chad Woodrow, Needham, MA (US); David Harting, Mansfield, MA (US); Scott A. Rhodes, North Andover, MA (US); Sienna Ramos, Cambridge, MA (US); Brandon A. Vasquez, Somerville, MA (US); and Paul D. Butler, Methuen, MA (US)
Assigned to SharkNinja Operating LLC, Needham, MA (US)
Filed by SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC, Needham, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/024,781.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/985,099, filed on Mar. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/903,319, filed on Sep. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0085144 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. A47L 9/28 (2006.01); A47L 9/00 (2006.01); A47L 9/04 (2006.01); A47L 11/28 (2006.01); A47L 11/40 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 9/2826 (2013.01) [A47L 9/009 (2013.01); A47L 9/0477 (2013.01); A47L 9/2852 (2013.01); A47L 11/28 (2013.01); A47L 11/4011 (2013.01); A47L 11/4061 (2013.01); A47L 11/4066 (2013.01); A47L 2201/04 (2013.01); A47L 2201/06 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic cleaner comprising:
a main body;
one or more drive wheels coupled to the main body;
a side brush configured to be driven by a side brush motor, the side brush being configured to rotate about an axis that extends transverse to a bottom surface of the main body;
one or more surface type sensors coupled to the main body at a distance from the side brush motor that is less than two times a maximum width of the side brush motor, the one or more surface type sensors being configured to receive robotic motor sound reflected from a surface to be cleaned, the robotic motor sound being generated by one or more motors of the robotic cleaner; and
a controller configured to determine a surface type based, at least in part, on the reflected robotic motor sound.