Guidance system for self-advancing vehicle
Patent 5622236 Issued on April 22, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date: 
May 22, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
May 22, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 447323 filed on 05/22/1995US Classes:180/168, Having controlling means adapted to interact with stationary means which describes course of vehicle's travel180/169, Radiation, force, or waves reflected from external object or surface318/587Land vehiclesExaminersPrimary: Camby, Richard M.Attorney, Agent or FirmForeign Patent References
International ClassB62D 001/02Foreign Application Priority Data1992-10-30 JPAbstractA guidance system for a self-advancing vehicle such as a floor washing machine is provided in an arrangement which does not spoil the beauty of, for example, a floor surface, which can be reused multiple times, which is low in cost and which more reliably follows a guidance line. A guidance line is drawn with a luminous material or with a coating material mainly consisting thereof along a predetermined traveling path on a floor surface. The guidance line is drawn on the floor surface with a mixture in which the luminous material is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent. Alternatively, a mixture in which the luminous material is mixed with a coating agent such as floor polish or wax is applied to the floor surface to draw the guidance line. The luminous material is, for example, an ultraviolet-absorbing material, an infrared-absorbing material or a visible light-absorbing material. A self-advancing floor washing machine using the present invention comprises a traveling device with two casters and two independent drive wheels, the latter of which are guided by a combination of one or more photosensors which track the guidance line and send a signal to a control unit that controls the drive wheels. Based on the signals from the photosensors, the machine is guided along the guidance line.Other References
Field of SearchWITH MEANS FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION RESPONSIVE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION, MAGNETIC FORCE, OR SOUND WAVES RECEIVED FROM SOURCE, OR REFLECTED FROM OBJECT OR SURFACE, LOCATED APART FROM VEHICLEHaving controlling means adapted to interact with stationary means which describes course of vehicle's travel Radiation, force, or waves reflected from external object or surface Land vehicles Vehicular guidance systems with single axis control | |
