Charging system for mobile robot, method for searching charging station, mobile robot, connector, and electrical connection structure

摘要

A charging system for a mobile robot includes the mobile robot that is battery-driven and moves in a self-controlled way within a work space, and a charging station for accommodating the mobile robot for a battery charging operation. The charging system includes visible recognition data arranged in a predetermined location of the charging station, an image pickup unit mounted on the mobile robot, a calculating unit for calculating a range and a bearing from the mobile robot to the charging station, based on an image picked up by the image pickup unit, and a searching unit for causing the mobile robot to search for the charging station, based on the calculation result provided by the calculating unit. Since the mobile robot searches for the charging station using a camera for recognizing the visible recognition data, a charging operation is automated.