Mobile robot docking systems and methods
A mobile robot system includes a docking station and a mobile robot. The docking station includes a platform, first and second charging contacts on the platform, and first and second ramp features on the platform. The robot includes a housing, first and second drive wheels, first and second raised charging contacts on a bottom of the housing, and a cleaning module including at least one rotatable cleaning head that extends below the bottom of the housing. The robot is movable from an approach position with the robot spaced apart from a front of the platform to a docked position with the robot on the platform and the docking station charging contacts engaged with the robot charging contacts. As the robot moves from the approach position to the docked position, the robot engages the first and second ramp features and the cleaning mechanism is lifted over the docking station charging contacts.
1. A mobile robot system comprising: a docking station comprising: a platform having a front and a rear; first and second raised charging contacts on the platform; and first and second ramp features on the platform; and a mobile robot comprising: a housing; a motorized drive system connected to the housing and including first and second drive wheels; first and second charging contacts on a bottom of the housing; and a cleaning module comprising at least one rotatable cleaning head that extends below the bottom of the housing; wherein the mobile robot is movable from an approach position with the mobile robot spaced apart from the front of the platform to a docked position with the mobile robot on the platform and the docking station charging contacts engaged with the mobile robot charging contacts; wherein, as the mobile robot moves from the approach position to the docked position, the mobile robot engages the first and second ramp features and the cleaning head is lifted over and past the docking station charging contacts.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein as the mobile robot moves from the approach position to the docked position, the first drive wheel engages the first ramp feature and the second drive wheel engages the second ramp feature.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the platform comprises a first track on a left side portionof the platform and a second track on a right side portion of the platform;
the first ramp feature comprises a first ramp on the first track; and
the second ramp feature comprises a second ramp on the second track.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein each of the first and second ramps is positioned closer to the front of the platform than the rear of the platform.
5. The system of claim 3 wherein each of the first and second ramps comprises a raised flat surface, a first sloped surface, and a second sloped surface with the first sloped surface extending from the raised fiat surface downwardly toward the front of the platform and the second sloped surface extending downwardly from the raised flat surface toward the rear of the platform.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the bottom of the housing is spaced apart from the raised flat surfaces of each of the first and second ramps when the mobile robot is in the docked position.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein:
the left side ortion of the platform includes a second flat surface extending from the second sloped surface to the rear of the platform; and
the right side portion of the platform includes a second flat surface extending from the second sloped surface to the rear of the platform.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein:
the platform includes a central portion between the left an lit side portions;
the central portion includes a raised surface and a first sloped surface with the first sloped surface extending downwardly from the raised surface toward the front of the platform;
the docking station first and second charging contacts are on the raised surface of the central portion of the platform; and
the raised surface of the central portion of the platform is positioned vertically above the second sloped surfaces of each of the first and second ramps and/or the second flat surfaces of each of the left and right side portions of the platform.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the central portion of the platform includes a second sloped surface and a second flat surface with the second sloped surface extending downwardly from the raised surface to the second flat surface and the second flat surface extending from the second sloped surface toward the rear of the platform.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein, in the clocked position:
the left wheel is on the second sloped surface of the first ramp and/or the second flat surface of the left side portion of the platform;
the right wheel is on the second sloped surface of the second ramp and/or the second flat surface of the right side portion of the platform; and
the cleaning module is on or over the second flat surface of the central portion of the platform.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein as the mobile robot moves from the approach position to the docked position, the cleaning module engages each of the first and second ramp features.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first and second ramp features comprise first and second ribs, respectively, that each protrude upwardly from the platform.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the first and second ribs comprise a raised flat surface, a first sloped surface, and a second sloped surface with the first sloped surface extending from the raised flat surface downwardly toward the front of the platform and the second sloped surface extending downwardly from the raised flat surface toward the rear of the platform.
14. The system of claim wherein:
the platform comprises a first track on a left side portion of the platform and a second track on a right side portion of the platform;
the first rib is between the first charging contact of the docking station and the first track; and
the second rib is between the second charging contact of the docking station and the second track.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein:
a first depressed wheel well is defined in the first track and a second depressed wheel is defined in the second track; and
in the docked position, the first wheel is received in the first depressed wheel well and second wheel is received in the second depressed wheel well.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the first recessed pocket is adjacent the first wheel and the second recessed pocket is adjacent the second wheel.
17. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the mobile robot comprises first and second recessed pockets in the bottom of the housing; and
in the docked position, the first rib is received in the first recessed pocket and the second rib is received in the second recessed pocket.
18. A method for docking a mobile cleaning robot with a docking station, the method comprising:
advancing the mobile cleaning robot onto a platform of the docking station;
while advancing the mobile cleaning robot onto the platform of the docking station, lifting a a roller of the cleaning head, that extends below a bottom of a housing of the robot, above at least one charging contact on the platform by advancing the robot over at least one elongated ramp feature on the platform and passing the roller over and past the at least one charging contact; and
docking the robot in a docked position on the platform with at least one charging contact on the bottom of the housing of the robot engaging the at least one charging contact on the platform and with the cleaning mechanism positioned between the at least one charging contact on the platform and a rear of the platform.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the platform comprises a first track on a left side portion of the platform and a second track on a right side portion of the platform, the first ramp feature comprises a first ramp on the first track, and the platform includes a second ramp feature that comprises a second ramp on the second track.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each of the first and second ramps comprises a raised flat surface, a first sloped surface, and a second sloped surface with the first sloped surface extending from the raised flat surface downwardly toward the front of the platform and the second sloped surface extending downwardly from the raised flat surface toward the rear of the platform.