Patent ID: 11964580
Assignee: SMP ROBOTICS SYSTEMS CORP.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  H | IPC B  H

Claim 16:
17. An apparatus, comprising:
robot docking station frame;
a wheel guide system attached to the robot docking station frame, comprising a horizontal portion comprising a plurality of plates, wherein the plurality of plates is positioned to correspond to a plurality of wheels of a mobile robot;
a pressure sensor, configured to sense when a plurality of wheels of a mobile robot is positioned over the plurality of plates;
an electrical charger assembly comprising electrical contacts and configured to:
move into a charging position when the pressure sensor senses a plurality of wheels of a mobile robot is positioned over the plurality of plates; and
mate the electrical contacts with an electrical charging port of a mobile robot when a plurality of wheels of the mobile robot is positioned over the plurality of plates; and

a charger housing, configured to cover and hold the electrical charger assembly and comprising: a top wall; and an opening in the top wall; and
a movable plate, configured to:
move away from the opening horizontally, by a plate actuator, when the pressure sensor senses that a plurality of wheels of a mobile robot is positioned over the plurality of plates; and
move over the opening, by the plate actuator, when the pressure sensor or a second sensor of the apparatus senses that a plurality of wheels of a mobile robot is moving off of the plurality of plates,
and wherein the electrical charger assembly comprises a vertical actuating part, configured to:
move the electrical contacts of the electrical charger assembly out of the charger housing upwardly through the opening, when the pressure sensor senses a plurality of wheels of a mobile robot is positioned over the plurality of plates; and
move the electrical contacts into the charger housing downwardly through the opening, when the pressure sensor or the second sensor senses a plurality of wheels of a mobile robot is moving off of the plurality of plates.