Self-propelling cleaner

Abstract

A side wall 51 provided with a coupling hole 50 coupled to the dust transporting pipe 6 of a dust chamber 5 is configured in a sloped shape so as to have a predetermined angle θ with respect to the bottom surface of the dust chamber. A photo detector 14 having a light receiving surface along the surface 51 is disposed near the coupling hole 50 of the side wall 51 . A photo diode 15 for irradiating light toward the photo detector 14 is disposed on the upper surface of the dust chamber 5 . When dust is filled within the dust chamber 5 , since dust is accumulated on the photo detector 14 , the photo detector 14 does not outputs a light detection signal.

1 . A self-propelling cleaner comprising: 
 a main body;    a cleaning unit that accommodates dust taken from a cleaning nozzle through a dust transporting pipe within a dust chamber;    a propelling unit that propels and turnarounds the main body;    a propelling control unit that controls the propelling unit to move the main body within a predetermined region; and    a dust amount detection unit that detects an amount of dust accommodated within the dust chamber, the dust amount detection unit including a light detector that detects light introduced within the dust chamber to detect the amount of dust,    wherein one side wall of the dust chamber having a coupling hole coupled to the dust transporting pipe is formed in a sloped shape,    wherein the light detector is disposed at a position near the coupling hole of the side wall,    wherein a plurality of the light detector are disposed at different positions in a vertical direction of the side wall,    wherein the propelling control unit controls the propelling unit to perform a propelling and circling movement different from a movement at a normal cleaning operation when the dust amount detection unit detects that dust is filled within the dust chamber.    
   
   
       2 . A self-propelling cleaner comprising: 
 a main body;    a cleaning unit that accommodates dust taken from a cleaning nozzle through a dust transporting pipe within a dust chamber;    a propelling unit that propels and turnarounds the main body;    a propelling control unit that controls the propelling unit to move the main body within a predetermined region; and    a dust amount detection unit that detects an amount of dust accommodated within the dust chamber, the dust amount detection unit including a light detector that detects light introduced within the dust chamber to detect the amount of dust,    wherein one side wall of the dust chamber having a coupling hole coupled to the dust transporting pipe is formed in a sloped shape, and    wherein the light detector is disposed at a position near the coupling hole of the side wall.    
   
   
       3 . The self-propelling cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein the dust amount detection unit includes a light emitting unit that emits light within the dust chamber towards the light detector.  
   
   
       4 . The self-propelling cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein the dust amount detection unit includes an external-light introducing window that is provided at the main body and introduces light into the dust chamber towards the light detector.  
   
   
       5 . The self-propelling cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of the light detector are disposed at different positions in a vertical direction of the side wall.  
   
   
       6 . The self-propelling cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein another side wall of the dust chamber opposing to the one side wall having the coupling hole is formed in a sloped shape, and 
 wherein the dust amount detection unit is provided at both of the one side wall and the another side wall.    
   
   
       7 . The self-propelling cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein the propelling control unit controls the propelling unit to perform a propelling and circling movement different from a movement at a normal cleaning operation when the dust amount detection unit detects that dust is filled within the dust chamber.