SELF-TRAVELLING OF SELF-TRAVELLING TYPE CLEANER AND FLOOR CLEANER TO IMPLEMENT THE SAME

摘要

The invention concerns a method of automatically steering a self-propelled floor-cleaning machine along a predetermined path of motion on a limited area to be worked, wherein a sequence of path segments stored in a data memory is retrieved, and the path segments travelled by the machine, and wherein markings are recognized by at least one sensor and converted into course-correcting control commands actuating and/or steering the machine. Linear structures present on or above the area to be worked are used as markings along the path of motion, such that, on first segments its path, the floor-cleaning machine is steered parallel to recognized structures by at least one laterally pointing telemeter such as an ultrasound or laser telemeter, and that on second segments of its path, the floor-cleaning machine travels freely, without guidance by existing structures, from the end of a recognized structure to the beginning of the next structure which can be recognized. Furthermore the invention concerns a floor-cleaning machine, comprising a chassis with independently driven left and right wheels and steering means, and a control unit controlling the drive wheels and steering means in dependence upon data stored in a data memory and upon data supplied by position-recognizing sensors. On both driven wheels are mounted angular-momentum transducers as first sensors, and on at least one of the long sides of the machine is provided at least one telemeter such as a ultrasound or laser range finder as a second sensor.