Patents by Inventor Erik Amaral

Erik Amaral 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: 11213181
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile cleaning robot can include a robot body, a bumper, and a coupling. The robot body can include a displacement sensor. The bumper can be moveably coupled to the body. The coupling can include a displacement limiter associated with the displacement sensor. The displacement limiter can inhibit or limit sensing by the displacement sensor of displacement of the bumper from the robot body caused by forces below a threshold horizontal force value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral, Andrew Deschenes
  • Patent number: 11109727
    Abstract: A cleaning roller mountable to a cleaning robot is featured. The cleaning roller includes an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis of the cleaning roller, and a vane extending outward from the elongate member. The vane includes a first vane portion attached to the elongate member, and a second vane portion attached to the first vane portion. The first vane portion extends from the elongate member at a location intersecting a radial axis of the cleaning roller. The first vane portion extends along a first axis angled relative to the radial axis and away from the radial axis in a tangential direction. The second vane portion extends along a second axis angled relative to the first axis. A first angle between the first axis and the radial axis is greater than a second angle between the second axis and the radial axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Burbank, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral
  • Publication number: 20210145236
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile cleaning robot can include a robot body, a bumper, and a coupling. The robot body can include a displacement sensor. The bumper can be moveably coupled to the body. The coupling can include a displacement limiter associated with the displacement sensor. The displacement limiter can inhibit or limit sensing by the displacement sensor of displacement of the bumper from the robot body caused by forces below a threshold horizontal force value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral, Andrew Deschenes
  • Publication number: 20200275812
    Abstract: A cleaning roller mountable to a cleaning robot is featured. The cleaning roller includes an elongate member extending along a longitudinal axis of the cleaning roller, and a vane extending outward from the elongate member. The vane includes a first vane portion attached to the elongate member, and a second vane portion attached to the first vane portion. The first vane portion extends from the elongate member at a location intersecting a radial axis of the cleaning roller. The first vane portion extends along a first axis angled relative to the radial axis and away from the radial axis in a tangential direction. The second vane portion extends along a second axis angled relative to the first axis. A first angle between the first axis and the radial axis is greater than a second angle between the second axis and the radial axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Eric Burbank, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral
  • Patent number: 10578197
    Abstract: A robot includes a support, a movable member coupled to the support to permit gimbal rotation about a pitch axis and a yaw axis, and first and second linear actuators connected to each of the support and the movable member and operable to rotate the movable member about the pitch axis and the yaw axis. The first linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a first pivot point. The second linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a second pivot point. The first and second pivot points are each angularly offset from the pitch axis and the yaw axis by about 45 degrees and are located on the same side of the pitch axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Claffee, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Publication number: 20200054182
    Abstract: A cleaning bin mountable to an autonomous cleaning robot operable to receive debris from a floor surface includes a debris compartment to receive a first portion of debris separated from the airflow and a particulate compartment to receive a second portion of debris separated from the airflow. The cleaning bin also includes a debris separation cone having an inner conduit defining an upper opening and lower opening. The upper opening receives the airflow from the air channel. The inner conduit tapers from the upper opening to the lower opening such that the airflow forms a cyclone within the inner conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Erik Amaral, Timothy R. Ohm, Nicholas Moretto
  • Publication number: 20200000302
    Abstract: A mobile cleaning robot system can include a mobile clearing robot and a vacuum system. The mobile cleaning robot can include a support structure and a drive system operative to move the mobile cleaning robot. The vacuum system can be configured to vacuum a surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Russell Walter Morin, Eric J. Burbank, Erik Amaral, Rogelio Manfred Neumann, David O. Swett
  • Patent number: 10456002
    Abstract: A cleaning bin mountable to an autonomous cleaning robot operable to receive debris from a floor surface includes a debris compartment to receive a first portion of debris separated from the airflow and a particulate compartment to receive a second portion of debris separated from the airflow. The cleaning bin also includes a debris separation cone having an inner conduit defining an upper opening and lower opening. The upper opening receives the airflow from the air channel. The inner conduit tapers from the upper opening to the lower opening such that the airflow forms a cyclone within the inner conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Erik Amaral, Timothy R. Ohm, Nicholas Moretto
  • Publication number: 20180177367
    Abstract: A cleaning bin mountable to an autonomous cleaning robot operable to receive debris from a floor surface includes a debris compartment to receive a first portion of debris separated from the airflow and a particulate compartment to receive a second portion of debris separated from the airflow. The cleaning bin also includes a debris separation cone having an inner conduit defining an upper opening and lower opening. The upper opening receives the airflow from the air channel. The inner conduit tapers from the upper opening to the lower opening such that the airflow forms a cyclone within the inner conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Erik Amaral, Timothy R. Ohm, Nicholas Moretto
  • Publication number: 20180073614
    Abstract: A robot includes a support, a movable member coupled to the support to permit gimbal rotation about a pitch axis and a yaw axis, and first and second linear actuators connected to each of the support and the movable member and operable to rotate the movable member about the pitch axis and the yaw axis. The first linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a first pivot point. The second linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a second pivot point. The first and second pivot points are each angularly offset from the pitch axis and the yaw axis by about 45 degrees and are located on the same side of the pitch axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Mark R. Claffee, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Patent number: 9845850
    Abstract: A robot includes a support, a movable member coupled to the support to permit gimbal rotation about a pitch axis and a yaw axis, and first and second linear actuators connected to each of the support and the movable member and operable to rotate the movable member about the pitch axis and the yaw axis. The first linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a first pivot point. The second linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a second pivot point. The first and second pivot points are each angularly offset from the pitch axis and the yaw axis by about 45 degrees and are located on the same side of the pitch axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Claffee, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Patent number: 9744677
    Abstract: A robotic end effector includes a finger and at least one actuator. The finger extends from a proximal end to a distal end along a finger axis. The finger includes a first phalanx proximate the proximal end, a second phalanx proximate the distal end, and a knuckle joint including at least one vertebra interposed between and separating the first and second phalanxes. The knuckle joint is configured to permit the second phalanx to pivot relative to the first phalanx about a pivot axis transverse to the finger axis. Each vertebra has an axial thickness extending along the finger axis and a lateral width extending perpendicular to its axial thickness, and its lateral width is greater than its axial thickness. The at least one actuator is operable to move the second phalanx relative to the first phalanx about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Ohm, Mark R. Claffee, Erik Amaral, Steven V. Shamlian, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Publication number: 20170129110
    Abstract: A robotic end effector includes a finger and at least one actuator. The finger extends from a proximal end to a distal end along a finger axis. The finger includes a first phalanx proximate the proximal end, a second phalanx proximate the distal end, and a knuckle joint including at least one vertebra interposed between and separating the first and second phalanxes. The knuckle joint is configured to permit the second phalanx to pivot relative to the first phalanx about a pivot axis transverse to the finger axis. Each vertebra has an axial thickness extending along the finger axis and a lateral width extending perpendicular to its axial thickness, and its lateral width is greater than its axial thickness. The at least one actuator is operable to move the second phalanx relative to the first phalanx about the pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Timothy R. Ohm, Mark R. Claffee, Erik Amaral, Steven V. Shamlian, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Patent number: 9545727
    Abstract: A robotic end effector includes a finger and at least one actuator. The finger extends from a proximal end to a distal end along a finger axis. The finger includes a first phalanx proximate the proximal end, a second phalanx proximate the distal end, and a knuckle joint including at least one vertebra interposed between and separating the first and second phalanxes. The knuckle joint is configured to permit the second phalanx to pivot relative to the first phalanx about a pivot axis transverse to the finger axis. Each vertebra has an axial thickness extending along the finger axis and a lateral width extending perpendicular to its axial thickness, and its lateral width is greater than its axial thickness. The at least one actuator is operable to move the second phalanx relative to the first phalanx about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Steven V. Shamlian, Mark R. Claffee, Erik Amaral, Timothy R. Ohm, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Publication number: 20160221197
    Abstract: A robot includes a support, a movable member coupled to the support to permit gimbal rotation about a pitch axis and a yaw axis, and first and second linear actuators connected to each of the support and the movable member and operable to rotate the movable member about the pitch axis and the yaw axis. The first linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a first pivot point. The second linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a second pivot point. The first and second pivot points are each angularly offset from the pitch axis and the yaw axis by about 45 degrees and are located on the same side of the pitch axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Mark R. Claffee, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Patent number: 9282867
    Abstract: A mobile surface cleaning robot including a robot body having a forward drive direction, a drive system supporting the robot body above a floor surface for maneuvering the robot across the floor surface, and a robot controller in communication with the drive system. The robot also includes a collection volume supported by the robot body and a cleaning module releasably supported by the robot body and arranged to clean the floor surface. The cleaning module includes a first vacuum squeegee having a first duct, a driven roller brush rotatably supported rearward of the first vacuum squeegee, a second vacuum squeegee disposed rearward of the roller brush and having a second duct, and a third duct in fluid communication with the first and second ducts. The third duct is connectable to the collection volume at a fluid-tight interface formed by selectively engaging the cartridge with the robot body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus R. Williams, Joseph M. Johnson, Andrew Stephen Sweezey, Thomas Schregardus, John Reimels, Russell Walter Morin, Christopher J. Fischella, Erik Amaral