Patents by Inventor Lee F. Sword

Lee F. Sword has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8413752
    Abstract: A robotic vehicle includes a chassis supported on right and left driven tracks, right and left elongated flippers disposed on corresponding sides of the chassis, and a battery unit holder disposed on the chassis for removably receiving a battery unit weighing at least 50 lbs. The battery unit holder includes a guide for receiving and guiding the battery unit to a connected position and a connector mount having locating features and communication features. The locating features receive corresponding locating features of the battery unit, as the battery unit is moved to its connected position, to align the communication features of the connector mount with corresponding communication features of the battery unit. The communication features of the connector mount are movable in a plane transverse to the guide to aid alignment of the communication features for establishment of an electrical connection therebetween when the battery unit is in its connected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Page, Tucker Kuhe, Lee F. Sword, Adam P. Couture
  • Publication number: 20110301785
    Abstract: A method for providing a uniform ground contact pressure when operating a tracked remote vehicle comprises: sensing the terrain below the remote vehicle using a series of proximity sensors that are configured to measure a distance from an underside of a chassis of the remote vehicle to the terrain directly beside a track of the remote vehicle; monitoring, mapping, and classifying an upcoming terrain; and adapting the remote vehicle's track profile, flipper position, arm position, and center of balance based on the upcoming terrain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventor: Lee F. Sword
  • Publication number: 20110190933
    Abstract: A mobile robot that includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot over a work surface, a deck system, and a control system connected to the drive system and the deck system. The deck system includes a payload deck configured to receive a removable payload and a deck shifter configured to move the payload deck relative to the chassis. The control system includes a control arbitration system and a behavior system in communication with each other. The behavior system executes a behavior that evaluates and provides an outcome evaluation on a predicted outcome of a robot command. The control arbitration system selects and executes a robot command based at least in part on the outcome evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Andrew Shein, Lee F. Sword
  • Publication number: 20110005846
    Abstract: A robotic vehicle includes a chassis supported on right and left driven tracks, right and left elongated flippers disposed on corresponding sides of the chassis, and a battery unit holder disposed on the chassis for removably receiving a battery unit weighing at least 50 lbs. The battery unit holder includes a guide for receiving and guiding the battery unit to a connected position and a connector mount having locating features and communication features. The locating features receive corresponding locating features of the battery unit, as the battery unit is moved to its connected position, to align the communication features of the connector mount with corresponding communication features of the battery unit. The communication features of the connector mount are movable in a plane transverse to the guide to aid alignment of the communication features for establishment of an electrical connection therebetween when the battery unit is in its connected position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Page, Tucker Kuhe, Lee F. Sword, Adam P. Couture
  • Patent number: 7240396
    Abstract: A floor cleaner is provided for cleaning a floor, where the floor cleaner has a front and a rear and includes: a sweeper for sweeping the floor; a scrubber, connected to the sweeper and located in the rear of the sweeper, for wetting and cleaning the floor; and a burnisher, connected to the scrubber and located in the rear of the scrubber, for burnishing the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: JohnsonDiversey, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor W. Thomas, Sr., Robert K. Kay, Jayant Sharma, Philip R. Mass, Rosario Robert, Colin Angle, Lee F. Sword, Joseph L. Jones, Paul E. Sandin, John P. O'Brien, Benjamin L. Wirz, Mark Chiappetta, Gideon Coltof
  • Patent number: 7013527
    Abstract: A floor cleaner is provided for cleaning a floor, where the floor cleaner has a front and a rear and includes: a sweeper for sweeping the floor, a scrubber, connected to the sweeper and located in the rear of the sweeper, for wetting and cleaning the floor; and a burnisher, connected to the scrubber and located in the rear of the scrubber, for burnishing the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: JohnsonDiversey, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor W. Thomas, Sr., Robert K. Kay, Jayant Sharma, Phillip R. Mass, Rosario Robert, Colin Angle, Lee F. Sword, Joseph L. Jones, Paul E. Sandin, John P. O'Brien, Benjamin L. Wirz, Selma Slipichevich, Mark Chiappetta, Gideon Coltof
  • Publication number: 20040049878
    Abstract: A floor cleaner is provided for cleaning a floor, where the floor cleaner has a front and a rear and includes: a sweeper for sweeping the floor; a scrubber, connected to the sweeper and located in the rear of the sweeper, for wetting and cleaning the floor; and a burnisher, connected to the scrubber and located in the rear of the scrubber, for burnishing the floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Victor W. Thomas, Robert K. Kay, Jayant Sharma, Phillip R. Mass, Rosario Robert, Colin Angle, Lee F. Sword, Joseph L. Jones, Paul E. Sandin, John P. O'Brien, Benjamin L. Wirz, Selma Slipichevich, Mark Chiappetta, Gideon Coltof, Robert A. Connors