Bumper apparatus of self-advancing cleaner

Abstract

A self-advancing cleaner is provided with a bumper, a damper made of a resin arranged at a space at which a rotating brush and a projected corner portion on an upper side of the rotating brush are opposed, and a resin hinge portion for connecting an end portion of the bumper and the damper and displacing the damper in an inner and outer direction. A sensor element for detecting a hazard is provided at the bumper. The bumper may be attached to a cabinet by loosely fitting an opening portion of a supporting member to a round shaft. A switch is provided on the side of the cabinet in correspondence with operating portion of the bumper. The operating portions selectively switch electricity conducting of the switch when the bumper is pivoted to left and right sides of the neutral position.

1 . A bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner, comprising: 
 a cabinet having left and right projected corner portions on a front side thereof and a round shaft;    a left and right rotating brushes being rotated while being brought into contact with a floor face on lower sides of the left and right projected corner portions, each having a rotating shaft projected downward from each projected corner portion;    a bumper comprising a resin molded member between the left and right rotating brushes, an end portion normally urged to a front side of the bumper and a supporting member projected from a center portion in a transverse direction of the bumper, the supporting member having an opening portion;    a damper made of a resin and arranged at a space at which the left and right rotating brushes and the left and right projected corner portions are opposed to each other; and    a resin hinge portion continuously connecting the end portion of the bumper and the damper; and the resin hinge portion having an elasticity for displacing the damper in an inner and outer direction,    wherein an inner face of the damper has such a curved shape that the rotating shaft is surrounded from outside,    wherein an outer face of the damper has a shape along an outer face of each projected corner portion,    wherein the outer face of the damper is disposed on an outer side of an outer face of each projected corner portion,    wherein the bumper is attached to the cabinet horizontally pivotably and movably in a front and rear direction by fitting the opening portion of the supporting member to the round shaft horizontally movably and movably in the front and rear direction, and    wherein a sensor element detecting a hazard present on a front side in a running direction of the self advancing cleaner is provided only at the bumper in the bumper and the damper.    
   
   
       2 . A bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner, comprising: 
 a cabinet having left and right projected cornerportions on a front side thereof and a round shaft;    a left and right rotating brushes being rotated while being brought into contact with a floor face on lower sides of the left and right projected corner portions;    a bumper comprising a resin molded member disposed between the left and right rotating brushes and an end portion;    a damper made of a resin and arranged at a space at which the left and right rotating brushes and the left and right projected corner portions are opposed to each other;    a resin hinge portion having an elasticity for displacing the damper in an inner and outer direction, wherein the damper is integrally molded with the end portion of the bumper in a cantilever shape by way of the resin hinge portion.    
   
   
       3 . A bumper apparatus according t  claim 2 , wherein an inner face of the damper has such a curved shape that a rotating shaft of the rotating brush projected downward from the projected corner portion is surrounded from outside, 
 wherein an outer face of the damper has a shape along an outer face of the projected corner portions, and    wherein the outer face of the damper is disposed on an outer side of the outer face of the projected corner portions.    
   
   
       4 . The bumper apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a center portion in a transverse direction of the bumper is attached to the cabinet horizontally pivotably and movably in a front and rear direction.  
   
   
       5 . The bumper apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein at a portion of attaching the center portion in the transverse direction of the bumper and the cabinet, an opening portion of a supporting member projected from the bumper to an inner side thereof is fitted to a round shaft provided on the cabinet horizontally movably and movably in the front and rear direction.  
   
   
       6 . The bumper apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the bumper is normally urged to a front side.  
   
   
       7 . The bumper apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a switching member detecting a rear movement of the bumper;    an engaging face being provided to the opening portion of the supporting member;    a first and second operating portions provided at the bumper at symmetric positions on left and right sides interposing the engaging face; and    a first and second switches constituting switching member along with the first and the second operating portions, and the first and second switches being provided at left and right portions of the cabinet respectively in correspondence with the first and the second operating portions;    wherein the bumper is movably attached to a front portion of the cabinet movably in a front and rear direction and normally urged to the front side thereof,    wherein a supporting member projected is projected to a rear side,    wherein the round shaft configures a portion of attaching the bumper to the cabinet by being loosely fitted to the opening portion of the supporting member,    wherein the round shaft enables to pivot the bumper to both sides of a neutral position in a horizontal direction,    wherein the engaging face restricts a position of projecting the bumper normally urged to the front side by being engaged with the round shaft,    wherein the engaging face has such a symmetric shape that a center portion of the engaging face in a left and right direction is disposed at rearmost position,    wherein the first and the second switches comprise opening/closing change over switches both of which are set to an electricity conducting mode by the first and second operating portions when the bumper is disposed at the neutral position in the horizontal direction, and    wherein the first and the second operating portions selectively switch the electricity conducing states of the first and the second switches when the bumper is pivoted to left and right sides of the neutral position in the horizontal direction.    
   
   
       8 . A bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner comprising: 
 a bumper attached to a front portion of a cabinet movably in a front and rear direction and normally urged to a front side;    a switching unit detecting a rear movement of the bumper;    a switching member detecting a rear movement of the bumper;    a supporting member projected from a center portion in a transverse direction of the bumper to a rear side, the supporting member comprising an opening portion;    a round shaft provided at the cabinet, the round shaft configuring a portion of attaching the bumper to the cabinet by being loosely fitted to the opening portion of the supporting member, and the round shaft enabling to pivot the bumper to both sides of a neutral position in a horizontal direction;    an engaging face being provided to the opening portion of the supporting member, the engaging face restricting a position of projecting the bumper normally urged to the front side by being engaged with the round shaft, and the engaging face has such a symmetric shape that a center portion of the engaging face in a left and right direction is disposed at rearmost position,;    a first and second operating portions provided at the bumper at symmetric positions on left and right sides interposing the engaging face; and    a first and second switches configuring the switching member along with the first and the second operating portions, and the first and second switches being provided at left and right portions of the cabinet respectively in correspondence with the first and the second operating portions;    wherein the first and the second switches comprise opening/closing change over switches both of which are set to an electricity conducting mode by the first and second operating portions when the bumper is disposed at the neutral position in the horizontal direction, and    wherein the first and the second operating portions selectively switch the electricity conducing states of the first and the second switches when the bumper is pivoted to left and right sides of the neutral position in the horizontal direction.    
   
   
       9 . A bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner comprsing: 
 a bumper attached to a front portion of a cabinet movably in a front and rear direction and normally urged to a front side;    a switching member detecting a rearward movement of the bumper;    wherein the switching member includes a first and second operating portions at left and right portions provided at the bumper,    wherein a first and second switches at left and right portions provided on a side of the cabinet respectively in correspondence with the first and second operating portions,    wherein the bumper is attached to the cabinet pivotably to left and right sides of a neutral position in a horizontal direction, and    wherein the first and second operating portions selectively switch electricity conducting states of the first and the second switches when the bumper is pivoted to left and right sides of the neutral position in the horizontal direction.    
   
   
       10 . The bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner according to  claim 9 , wherein a center portion in a transverse direction of the bumper is attached to the cabinet movably in the front and rear direction and pivotably in the horizontal direction.  
   
   
       11 . The bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner according to  claim 10 , wherein at a portion of attaching the center portion in the transverse direction of the bumper and the cabinet, a round shaft provided to a side of the cabinet is loosely fitted to an opening portion of a supporting member projected from the bumper to an inner side thereof horizontally movably and movably in the front and rear direction.  
   
   
       12 . The bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner according to  claim 11 , wherein the opening portion of the supporting member is provided with an engaging face for restricting a position of projecting the bumper normally urged to the front side by being engaged with the round shaft, and 
 wherein the engaging face having such a symmetric shape that a center portion of the engaging face in a left and right direction is disposed at rearmost position.    
   
   
       13 . The bumper apparatus of a self-advancing cleaner according to  claim 12 , wherein the first and second operating portions are provided at symmetric positions on both sides thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The bumper apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherien 
 the cabinet has left and right projected corner portions on a front side thereof    wherein a left and right rotating brushes are rotated while being brought into contact with a floor face on lower sides of the left and right projected corner portions,    wherein each of the brushes has a rotating shaft projected downward from each projected corner portion,    wherein the bumper comprises a resin molded member between the left and right rotating brushes,    wherein an end portion of the bumper is normally urged to a front side of the bumper,    wherein a damper is made of a resin and arranged at a space at which the left and right rotating brushes and the left and right projected corner portions are opposed to each other,    wherein a resin hinge portion continuously connects the end portion of the bumper and the damper,    wherein the resin hinge portion has an elasticity for displacing the damper in an inner and outer direction,    wherein an inner face of the damper has such a curved shape that the rotating shaft is surrounded from outside,    wherein an outer face of the damper has a shape along an outer face of each projected corner portion,    wherein the outer face of the damper is disposed on an outer side of an outer face of each projected corner portion,    wherein the bumper is attached to the cabinet horizontally pivotably and movably in a front and rear direction by fitting the opening portion of the supporting member to the round shaft horizontally movably and movably in the front and rear direction, and    wherein a sensor element detecting a hazard present on a front side in a running direction of the self advancing cleaner is provided only at the bumper in the bumper and the damper.