IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,161,422
Granted Patent B2
US 11,161,422 · App. 15/501,779 · Granted Nov 2, 2021

Wireless charging station, automatic mower and automatic mowing system

Inventors: Paolo Andriolo (Vicenza, IT); Fangshi Liu (Suzhou, CN)
Assignee: Positec Power Tools (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
B60L53/126A01D34/001A01D34/008B60L53/34H02J7/025A01D2101/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,161,422
App. No.
15/501,779
Granted
Nov 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wireless charging station for charging an automatic mower including a cutting device, an energy storage unit, a wireless electric energy transmitter and a wireless electric energy receiver electrically connected with the energy storage unit. The wireless charging station is at least partially located in a movement range of the automatic mower, and the top of the wireless charging station is lower than the bottom of the cutting device. An automatic mower matching the wireless charging station and an automatic mowing system using the wireless charging station and the automatic mower is further provided. The wireless charging station, the automatic mower, and the automatic mowing system enable the automatic mower to trim a lawn closer to the charging station, reduce a cutting corner in a movable range of the automatic mower, and improve trimming capability of the automatic mower for the lawn.

Claims (67)

1. A mowing system, comprising:

an automatic mower, comprising:

an enclosure, comprising a head and a tail;

an energy storage unit fixed in the enclosure;

a mounting portion connected to the enclosure and located close to the head;

a wireless electric energy receiver mounted in the mounting portion and located close to an outer surface of the mounting portion, the wireless electric energy receiver electrically connected with the energy storage unit;

a regulating mechanism fixed in the enclosure and connected to the mounting portion, the regulating mechanism configured to drive the mounting portion to change a position of the wireless electric energy receiver relative to the enclosure;

a boundary sensor configured to receive a signal representing a boundary of a to-be-cut region and to identify a position of the automatic mower relative to the boundary of the to-be-cut region, the boundary sensor separated from the wireless electric energy receiver and located close to the tail;

a control circuit electrically connected with the regulating mechanism; and

a cutting device configured to operate while the automatic mower is in the to-be-cut region defined by the boundary; and

a wireless charging station buried in a ground and offset from the ground surface, the wireless charging station comprising:

a wireless electric energy transmitter configured to charge the automatic mower responsive to an intentional return of the automatic mower to the wireless charging station for charging;

wherein the regulating mechanism is controlled by the control circuit to drive, responsive to a matching between the wireless electric energy receiver and the wireless electric energy transmitter, the wireless electric energy receiver to move along a vertical direction toward the wireless electric energy transmitter to cling to the ground to charge the wireless electric energy receiver.

2. The mowing system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless charging station is configured to be positioned completely within a movement range of the automatic mower.

3. A mowing system comprising:

an automatic mower, comprising:

an enclosure comprising a head and a tail;

an energy storage unit fixed in the enclosure;

a mounting portion connected to the enclosure and located close to the head;

a wireless electric energy receiver mounted in the mounting portion and located close to an outer surface of the mounting portion, the wireless electric energy receiver electrically connected with the energy storage unit;

a regulating mechanism fixed in the enclosure and connected to the mounting portion, the regulating mechanism configured to drive the mounting portion to change a position of the wireless electric energy receiver relative to the enclosure;

a control circuit electrically connected with the regulating mechanism; and

a cutting device configured to operate while the automatic mower is in a region defined by a boundary; and

a wireless charging station buried in a ground and offset from a ground surface, the wireless charging station comprising:

a wireless electric energy transmitter configured to charge the automatic mower responsive to an intentional return of the automatic mower to the wireless charging station for charging;

wherein the regulating mechanism is controlled by the control circuit to drive, responsive to a matching between the wireless electric energy receiver and the wireless electric energy transmitter, the wireless electric energy receiver to move along a vertical direction toward the wireless electric energy transmitter to cling to the ground to charge the wireless electric energy receiver.

4. The mowing system of claim 3 , wherein the wireless charging station is configured to be positioned at least partially in a movement range of the automatic mower but outside of a to-be-cut region.

5. A mowing system comprising:

an automatic mower comprising:

an enclosure;

an energy storage unit fixed in the enclosure;

a wireless electric energy receiver electrically connected with the energy storage unit;

a cutter plate configured to operate while the automatic mower is in a to-be-cut region, the wireless electric energy receiver fixed to the cutter plate; and

a wireless charging station buried in a ground and offset from the ground surface, the wireless charging station comprising:

a wireless electric energy transmitter configured to charge the automatic mower responsive to an intentional return of the automatic mower to the wireless charging station for charging;

wherein responsive to a matching between the wireless electric energy receiver and the wireless electric energy transmitter the wireless electric energy receiver moves along a vertical direction toward the wireless electric energy transmitter to cling to the ground to charge the wireless electric energy receiver.

6. The mowing system according to claim 5 , wherein the wireless charging station is configured to be positioned completely in the movement range of the automatic mower.

7. A mowing system comprising:

an automatic mower comprising:

an energy storage unit;

a wireless electric energy receiver electrically connected with the energy storage unit;

a regulating mechanism configured to drive the wireless electric energy receiver to move;

a control circuit electrically connected with the regulating mechanism; and

a cutting device comprising a cutting element and a connection tray, the connection tray configured to transfer driving power from a motor to the cutting element; and

a wireless charging station buried in a ground and offset from a ground surface, the wireless charging station comprising:

a wireless electric energy transmitter, the wireless charging station configured to be positioned at least partially in a movement range of the automatic mower, the wireless charging station further configured to charge the automatic mower responsive to an intentional return of the automatic mower to the wireless charging station for charging;

wherein the regulating mechanism is controlled by the control circuit to drive, responsive to a matching between the wireless electric energy receiver and the wireless electric energy transmitter, the wireless electric energy receiver to move along a vertical direction toward the wireless electric energy transmitter to cling to the ground to charge the wireless electric energy receiver.

8. The automatic mowing system according to claim 7 , wherein the automatic mower further comprises a boundary sensor, the boundary sensor configured to receive a signal representing a boundary of a to-be-cut region and to identify a position of the automatic mower relative to the boundary of the to-be-cut region.

9. The automatic mowing system according to claim 8 , wherein the boundary sensor and the wireless electric energy receiver are disposed at a front portion and a rear portion along a travel direction of the automatic mower, respectively.

10. The automatic mowing system according to claim 8 , wherein the boundary sensor is disposed above the connection tray.

11. The mowing system of claim 8 , wherein:

the boundary sensor is disposed above the connection tray; and

the wireless electric energy receiver is disposed below the connection tray.

12. An automatic mowing system, wherein the automatic mowing system comprises:

an automatic mower comprising:

an enclosure;

an energy storage unit fixed in the enclosure;

a cutting device comprising a cutting element and a connection tray, the connection tray configured to transfer driving power from a motor to the cutting element;

an energy storage unit configured to provide power for the cutting device;

a wireless electric energy receiver electrically connected with the energy storage unit, the wireless electric energy receiver disposed below the connection tray;

a regulating mechanism configured to change a position of the wireless electric energy receiver; and

a boundary sensor configured to receive a signal representing a boundary of a to-be-cut region and to identify a position of the automatic mower relative to the boundary of the to-be-cut region, the boundary sensor separated from the wireless electric energy receiver and located above the connection tray; and

a wireless charging station comprising:

a wireless electric energy transmitter configured to selectively match the wireless electric energy receiver to charge the energy storage unit;

wherein the wireless electric energy receiver is configured to move along a vertical direction towards the wireless electric energy transmitter.

13. The automatic mowing system according to claim 12 , wherein a size of the wireless electric energy receiver along a width direction of the automatic mower is less than or equal to 50 cm.

14. The mowing system of claim 12 , wherein the wireless charging station is further configured to be positioned below a ground.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2017
From: ANDRIOLO, PAOLO; LIU, FANGSHI
To: POSITEC POWER TOOLS (SUZHOU) CO.
Reel/Frame 042191/0851 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 201410386284.2 · Aug 7, 2014 · national
CN 201410386662.7 · Aug 7, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170215336A1 · Aug 3, 2017
Cited By (14)
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