Samsung patents robot charging dock that slows and connects automatically
Samsung has filed a patent for a charging station designed for robots. The dock uses a physical bump to slow the robot down and trigger a charging plug to slide out, ensuring the robot connects safely without crashing into the station.
In the filing’s own words
A station apparatus for charging a robot includes a frame for forming an exterior of the station apparatus, a protruding member protruding from the frame, and a charging circuit including a first charging terminal for charging the robot, and based on the robot contacting the protruding member, the protruding member protruding from the frame is retracted into the frame and reduces a traveling speed of the robot, as the protruding member is retracted into the frame, the first charging terminal protrudes from an inside of the frame to an outside of the frame, and as the first charging terminal protrudes to the outside of the frame, a contact area between the first charging terminal and a second charging terminal of the robot gradually increases.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A station apparatus for charging a robot, the station apparatus comprising: a frame; a protruding member protruding from the frame; and a charging circuit comprising a first charging terminal, wherein, based on the robot contacting the protruding member, the protruding member is retracted into the frame and reduces a traveling speed of the robot; wherein, as the protruding member is retracted into the frame, the first charging terminal moves from a first position inside the frame to a second position outside the frame, and wherein, as the first charging terminal protrudes from the first position to the second position, a contact area between the first charging terminal and a second charging terminal of the robot increases.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
- Official title
- STATION APPARATUS FOR CHARGING ROBOT AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING STATION APPARATUS
- Publication number
- US20260274101A1
- Application number
- 19677741
- Filed
- May 14, 2026
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
B60L 53/36 Operations & transportB60L 53/16 Operations & transportH01R 13/631 Electricity & electronicsH01R 13/655 Electricity & electronicsMore from Samsung in Robots & automation
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.