The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 16, 2006
Masahito Sano, Fuji, JP;
Yoshiyuki Hirahara, Mishima, JP;
Masayuki Nakaeda, Kawasaki, JP;
Hitoshi Iizaka, Fuji, JP;
Takashi Tomiyama, Mishima, JP;
Masahito Sano, Fuji, JP;
Yoshiyuki Hirahara, Mishima, JP;
Masayuki Nakaeda, Kawasaki, JP;
Hitoshi Iizaka, Fuji, JP;
Takashi Tomiyama, Mishima, JP;
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, , JP;
Abstract
An autonomous traveling unit is advanced toward a wall such that a charging unit is located on the right side. When a distance to the wall reaches a predetermined value not smaller than a thickness of a first member of the charging unit, the autonomous traveling unit is stopped. In this state, the autonomous traveling unit is rotated by 90° to the right so as to face a plane formed by a second member of the charging unit at the right angle. Then, the autonomous traveling unit is advanced toward the second member of the charging unit, and when a distance to the plane reaches a predetermined value, the autonomous traveling unit is stopped. In this state, the autonomous traveling unit is rotated by 90° to the right such that charging terminals face power supply terminals provided on the first member of the charging unit at the right angle. Finally, the autonomous traveling unit is run backward slightly, and when the charging terminals come into contact with the power supply terminals, the autonomous traveling unit is stopped and charging to the autonomous traveling unit is started.