WO2024231928A1

WO2024231928A1 - An automatic system for tiliing a surface

Info

Publication number: WO2024231928A1
Application number: PCT/IL2024/050445
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shay DAGAN
Original assignee: Robee Contech Ltd
Current assignee: Robee Contech Ltd
Priority date: 2023-05-09
Filing date: 2024-05-08
Publication date: 2024-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-09
Also published as: IL302799B1; IL302799A

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a robotic system for performing automated tiling on a surface to be tiled. The surface can be a floor intended to be covered with tiles. The robotic system of the present disclosure is aimed to provide a solution that minimize the dimensions of the robotic system and the load it carries, and also provides improvements for dealing with the adhesive that is used to adhere the tiles to the surface to be floored or tiled. In order to obtain the above, the robotic system is designed to allow storage of the tiles such that they are vertically aligned, namely the tiles are stored such that the planes that they span are normal to the surface. By arranging them in a vertical orientation, the size of the tiles does not limit the movement of the robot. In other words, when tiles are stored in the cartridge in a vertical orientation, they do not exceed the boundaries of the robotic system, which allows the robotic system to be compact and pass through relatively narrow passages. Thus, the robot dimensions are of minimal size, which is not dependent on the size of the tiles. The robotic system may further comprise an adhesive preparation system, in which an adhesive suitable for tiling or flooring is being prepared in-situ. Furthermore, the robotic system may comprise mechanisms for applying an adhesive on the surface to be floored or tiled, as well as applying it on the tile before placing it on the surface.

Description

AN AUTOMATIC SYSTEM FOR TILIING A SURFACE

TECHNOEOGICAE FIELD

The present disclosure is in the field of construction tech, in particular in the field of automated flooring systems.

BACKGROUND ART

References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:

- WO 2021/240230

- US 9074381

- US 20190242142

- EP 2907938

Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides a robotic system for performing automated tiling on a surface to be tiled. The surface can be a floor or can be a wall to be covered with tiles. The robotic system of the present disclosure is aimed to provide a solution that minimize the dimensions of the robotic system and the load it carries, and also provides improvements for dealing with the adhesive that is used to adhere the tiles to the surface to be floored or tiled. In order to obtain the above, the robotic system is designed to allow vertical storage of the tiles, such that the size of the tiles does not limit the movement of the robot. In other words, when tiles are stored in the cartridge vertically, they do not exceed the boundaries of the robotic system, which allows the robotic system to be compact and pass through relatively narrow passages. Thus, the robot dimensions are of minimal size, which is not dependent on the size of the tiles. The robotic system may further comprise an adhesive preparation system, in which an adhesive suitable for tiling or flooring is being prepared in-situ. Furthermore, the robotic system may comprise mechanisms for applying an adhesive on the surface to be floored or tiled, as well as applying it on the tile before placing it on the surface.

Therefore, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a robotic system for performing automated tiling or flooring on a surface to be floored or tiled. The robotic system comprises a navigation system, which include a mobility unit for allowing movement of the robotic system, and a location system configured for generating location data indicative of the location of the robotic system on said surface to be floored or tiled. The location system can use external devices for assisting in providing the location of the robotic system, can use sensors that are part of the robotic system, can be partially manually operated, or any combination of the above. The robotic system also comprises tiles cartridge assembly that comprises tiles receiving space suitable for receiving tiles therein, to be stored therein to be ready for being used in the flooring or tiling process. The robotic system further comprises one or more adhesive containers for receiving an adhesive suitable for flooring or tiling. The adhesive container can be a central one or can be located near the element that consumes the adhesive. Furthermore, the container should be interpreted broadly, to include also a mixer that prepares the adhesive by mixing two materials and the delivery for the elements that consume the adhesive is made from it or a space that receives the adhesive from the mixer. The robotic system also comprises an adhesive applicator configured for receiving adhesive from at least one of said one or more adhesive containers and applying it on the surface to be floored or tiled. The robotic system further comprises tile placing assembly configured for extracting at least one tile from said cartridge assembly and placing it on a dedicated position on said surface. The robotic system also comprises a processing circuitry, i.e. a processor or a controller, configured for: (1) receiving or generating a flooring or tiling plan indicative of the tiles placing arrangement on said surface to be floored or tiled, (2) controlling the navigation system to move the robotic system to a desired location; this may include receiving input from the sensors and executing movement profile by the mobility unit according to the input from the sensors to thereby move to the desired location, (3) controlling the adhesive applicator for applying adhesive on a part of the surface to be floored or tiled, (4) controlling the tile placing assembly for extracting a tile from said cartridge assembly and placing it on a dedicated position on said surface, associated with said part of the surface; namely, the tile is placed on the adhesive that is applied on the surface. It is to be noted that the capability of the processing circuitry for receiving a flooring or tiling plan indicative of the tiles placing arrangement on said surface to be floored or tiled includes also receiving the flooring or tiling plan after it is generated by the same processing circuitry. Furthermore, the processing circuitry may be a centralized processing circuitry or distributed in several locations in the system for performing the processing operations required by the system.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the system of the present disclosure may be also suitable for tiling a wall surface and any reference to flooring a surface to be floored can be also applied for tiling a wall with tiles.

It is to be noted that any combination of the described embodiments with respect to any aspect of this present disclosure is applicable. In other words, any aspect of the present disclosure can be defined by any combination of the described embodiments.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the mobility unit comprises wheels, or tracks, for allowing said movement.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the floor tile placing assembly comprises said adhesive applicator.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the receiving space is configured for vertically storing floor tiles, namely, the floor tiles stored in said cartridge assembly are placed vertically. Thereby, when tiles are stored in the cartridge vertically, they do not exceed the boundaries of the robotic system, which allows the robotic system to be compact and pass through relatively narrow passages. It is to be noted that the term "vertically storing" should be understood that the tiles stored in the receiving space are vertically aligned such that they span planes that are normal to the plane spanned by ground that the robotic system is placed on, which is typically the surface to be floored. Therefore, the tiles are aligned in a way that needs to be realigned to a horizontal alignment by the system for placing them in the desired position on the surface to be floored.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the receiving space is not accessible by the floor tile placing assembly, due to its placement within the minimal dimensions of the system. The cartridge assembly comprises a tile extractor assembly configured to extract at least one floor tile stored in said cartridge assembly. The tile extractor comprises a moving unit for moving said single floor tile to an accessible position accessible by the floor tile placing assembly. The moving unit should be understood as a unit that is capable of displacement together with at least one tile that is associated with or attached to it. By performing the displacement, the moving unit moves the tile from the receiving space to the accessible position. The not accessible position and the accessible position by the floor tile placing assembly are defined based on the range of motion of the floor tile placing assembly. The range of motion of the floor tile placing assembly is limited to certain boundaries and the receiving space is beyond this range of motion, therefore not accessible by the floor tile placing assembly. After the moving unit moves the single floor tile to the accessible position, it is found within the boundaries of the range of motion of the floor tile placing assembly. In other words, the floor tile placing assembly defines a range of motion, wherein the receiving space is outside this range of motion. The moving unit is configured to move a tile from the receiving space to an accessible position within the range of motion of the floor tile placing assembly.

In some embodiments, the accessible position is a forward position with respect to the receiving space, along a forward direction. The forward direction is defined as the direction to which an arm of the floor tile placing assembly that extends from an arm base is extended to. In some embodiments, the forward direction is defined as the general advancement direction of the system while moving with the mobility unit.

In some embodiments of the system, the moving unit is configured for moving said single floor tile to an accessible position accessible by the floor tile placing assembly while maintaining it in a vertical alignment. The floor tile placing assembly is configured for attaching to the tile in the accessible position and in turn, typically after application of adhesive on the tile, rotating the tile to be in a horizontal orientation suitable for placement on the surface to be tiled.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the receiving space is defined between the tile extractor and at least a portion of said floor tile placing assembly.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extractor assembly comprises first attaching element for attaching said at least one floor tile to allow its extraction from the cartridge assembly and moving it to an accessible position, typically by the moving unit.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the first attaching element comprises first vacuum element for applying a vacuum on said at least one floor tile for allowing the attachment of the at least one floor tile. In some embodiments, the robotic system comprises tiles holder configured for controllably transitioning between tiles holding state, in which it holds the tiles received in the receiving space in position, and a tile extracting state, in which it allows the tile extractor to attach to a tile and extracting it. The tiles received in the receiving space are vertically aligned and they may tend to collapse if not being held by the tiles holder. Only when the tile extractor is required to extract a tile, the tiles holder removes its holding of the tiles and allows free access of the tile extractor, and in particular the first attaching element of the tile extractor. The processing circuitry is further configured for controlling the transition of the tiles holder between the tiles holding state and the tile extracting state.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the moving unit is configured for slidingly moving said at least one floor tile.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the moving unit is configured for rotationally moving said at least one floor tile, wherein said rotation is about a first axis normal to a plane defined by said at least one floor tile.

In some embodiments, the robotic system comprises a tile adhesive unit configured for applying a layer of adhesive on a first floor tile from said at least one floor tile, namely the tile that is the next for placement on the surface to be floored. The processing circuity is configured to control said tile adhesive unit for executing the application of said layer of adhesive.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extractor assembly comprises said tile adhesive unit, wherein said tile adhesive unit is configured for applying a layer of adhesive on said first floor tile following its extraction. Namely, the tile adhesive unit is designed to move with the tile extractor assembly or at least parts thereof. In some embodiments, the tile adhesive unit is integral with at least parts of the tile extractor assembly.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile adhesive unit is configured to receive adhesive from said one or more adhesive containers.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile adhesive unit comprises an elongated adhesive application member that comprises one or more apertures for allowing discharge of adhesive therethrough. The adhesive application member is movable over the surface of said first floor tile after its extraction to allow application of adhesive over a surface of said single floor tile by controlled discharge of adhesive through said one or more apertures. In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile adhesive unit comprises a spatula for smearing the adhesive over the surface of said first floor tile after being discharged from said one or more apertures.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extractor assembly comprises tile measuring unit for measuring dimensions of said at least one floor tile and generate tile dimensions data. The processing circuitry is configured to receive said tile dimensions data and control the floor tile placing assembly based on said tile dimensions data. Namely, the processing circuitry is configured to use the tile dimensions data to accurate the placing of the tile in case that a compensation is required due to manufacturing tolerances.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the floor tile placing assembly comprises an arm rotatable about a second axis normal a plane defined by said surface to be floored, and a floor tile placing sub-system coupled to said arm and is configured for extracting a single floor tile from said at least one floor tile from said cartridge assembly.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the arm is rotatably coupled to an arm base, namely, the arm base is static, and the arm is rotatable with respect to it.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the receiving space is defined between the arm base and the tile extractor.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the floor tile placing sub-system comprises second attaching element for attaching said single floor tile to allow its extraction from the cartridge assembly and moving it to an accessible position.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the second attaching element comprises second vacuum element for applying a vacuum on said single floor tile for allowing the attachment of the single floor tile.

In some embodiments, the robotic system comprises a second tile holder for holding a single tile for allowing the attachment by the second attaching element.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the floor tile placing sub-system comprises a coupling portion or a coupling rod, and a head unit. The coupling portion is coupled to said arm and said head unit is coupled to said coupling portion and is configured for said extracting said single floor tile from said cartridge assembly.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the coupling portion is elongated and extending along a third axis parallel to the second axis, and the coupling portion is elongated. In some embodiments of the robotic system, the coupling portion is rotatable about said third axis.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the coupling portion is configured for moving along said third axis thereby affecting the distance of the head unit from the arm, and thereby allowing the head unit to reach the level of the surface.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the head unit is rotatable between (1) a floor tile extracting state, in which the head unit is capable of extracting said single floor tile, namely the second attaching element are facing a direction or in an orientation suitable for attaching with the single floor tile when it is vertically aligned; and (2) a floor tile placing state, in which the head unit is capable of placing said single floor tile on a dedicated position on said surface to be floored, namely, the second attaching element are facing a direction or in an orientation suitable for placing the tile on the surface to be floored, wherein in this state the tile is in the horizontal orientation. Typically, the rotation of the head unit is about an axis parallel to a plane defined by the surface to be floored, namely a roll rotation.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the head unit is capable for performing pitch rotation for allowing to make the pitch rotation when performing leveling of the adhesive being applied on the surface. The pitch rotation may be limited to certain degrees to each side. For example, the pitch rotation may be limited to 10°-20° to each side.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the floor tile placing sub-system comprises a surface adhesive unit for allowing application of adhesive on the surface to be floored.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the surface adhesive unit comprises a pump for allowing controlled discharge of adhesive, wherein said processing circuitry is configured to control the operation of the pump and the movement of the surface adhesive unit so as to result a leveled application of adhesive on the surface to be floored.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the arm comprises a first part and a second part pivotally coupled to one another to allow pivotal movement of the second part with respect to the first part, or vice versa, about a joint, defined between the arm base and the floor tile placing sub-system, for allowing additional rotational freedom about a fourth axis parallel to the second axis. In some embodiments, the robotic system comprises an adhesive preparation system. The adhesive preparation system comprises bags receiving space for receiving bags containing dry agent for the preparation of adhesive. The adhesive preparation system further comprises a mixer for mixing said dry agent with water to obtain adhesive. The adhesive preparation system further comprises a bag opener configured to open a single bag. The adhesive preparation system further comprises a separation unit configured to separate the dry agent from the bag such that the bag or parts thereof are directed to a waste space, or compartment, and the dry agent is directed to said mixer. The adhesive preparation system further comprises a water pump for pumping water into the mixer at a desired amount, to obtain the adhesive in the desired form.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the bag opener comprises a blade for rupturing the bag.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the adhesive preparation system further comprising a delivering pump for delivering the prepared adhesive to either the floor tile placing assembly, the floor tiles cartridge assembly, in particular to the floor tile adhesive unit, or to both of them.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the adhesive preparation system comprises a conveying arrangement positioned to receive the dry agent and parts of the bag and convey them to the separation unit. The conveying arrangement may include a conveyer or a screw-like element that pushes the dry agent and the bag parts towards the separation unit.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the separation unit comprises a sieve for allowing the dry agent to pass to the mixer and resulting the bag or parts thereof to reach the waste space that is downstream said sieve.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the waste space, or compartment, is exposable by detaching a portion of the separation unit or a part of a detachable unit being detachable from the separation unit, for allowing the removal of the bags or parts thereof that accumulate therein.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the said one or more adhesive containers are constituted, at least partially, by said mixer. Namely, the mixer is the container of the adhesive and the supply of the adhesive to the floor tile placing subsystem or to the tile adhesive unit is made from the mixer. In some embodiments of the robotic system, the processing circuitry is further configured for controlling the operation of said adhesive preparation system, namely, controlling the amount of dry agent and water that enter the mixer.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the processing circuitry is further configured to execute a cleaning process of said adhesive preparation system. The cleaning process comprises stopping a feed of dry agent and pumping water to the mixer for a selected time duration.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the cleaning process further comprises directing the water to said one or more adhesive containers following by their collection in a collection tank for further separation of materials.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the location system comprises one or more sensors for mapping the surface to be floored, and optionally its surroundings, namely the space that the surface is located, such as the walls confining the surface, the openings leading to the surface, etc., and generate surface data based thereon. The surface data includes the mapping of the surface to be floored.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the one or more sensors comprises at least one of: light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, image sensor, e.g. a camera, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the processing circuitry is further configured for preparing a flooring plan based on said surface data. Flooring plan includes the position of the tiles over the surface to be floored, taking into account the dimensions of the surface or the space where the surface is located and the dimensions of the tiles.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the surface data comprises locations of floor tiles placed on said surface, and wherein said dedicated position on said surface is adjacent to at least one floor tile placed on said surface.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the adhesive applicator is configured to apply adhesive on said surface to be floored in coordination with movement of the robotic system. In other words, the adhesive applicator is formed on the body of the robotic system and is configured to eject the adhesive during movement of the robotic system such that the adhesive is applied on a desired location.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the tile extractor assembly defines a boundary of the robotic system. A moving unit of the tile extractor assembly is configured to move parallel said boundary. In some embodiments, the robotic system is in the form of a cart. All the elements of the system are carried by the cart. The cart has a cart area defined by boundaries confining the placement positions of all the elements of the system, namely confining at least the bases of all elements. The cart area comprises a cart projection that projects on a plane parallel to the surface to be floored. All the bases and the elements of the system are found within the boundaries of the projection. The arm of the tile placing assembly extends beyond the cart area, while its base is within the cart area and the cart projection, namely the base of the arm of the tile placing assembly is comprised within the cart area. It is should be noted that the receiving space is entirely defined within the cart area.

In some embodiments of the robotic system, the head unit is not capable of reaching the cart. The movement of the tile extractor by the moving unit moves the tile extractor from the cart area to a position outside of the cart area that is accessible by the head unit. The movement of the tile extractor is performed such that the vertical orientation of the tile that is extracted is maintained during the movement. Therefore, the attachment of the head unit to the tile is performed when the tile is vertically-oriented.

In some embodiments of the system, the tile placing assembly comprises a moving arm extending from a base of the tile placing assembly. Said moving arm comprises a head unit in a distal end thereof for said extracting said single tile from said cartridge assembly, the head unit is the same as of the tile placing sub-system. A placement monitoring system is mounted on said head unit, said monitoring system is capable of transitioning between a retracted state, in which the monitoring system is entirely within boundaries of the head unit to allow the head unit to operate without the placement monitoring system interfering to its operation and movement, and a range of open states, in which the placement monitoring system extends beyond the boundaries of the head unit. The monitoring system is configured to monitor a position of the tile to be floored with respect to at least one floored tile on the surface to be floored, e.g. a lateral distance between the tiles in one or more locations or the vertical difference between the tiles during the placement process, and to generate placement data based thereon.

In some embodiments of the system, said placement monitoring system comprises a railing for said transitioning between the retracted state and the range of open states, namely the monitoring components are moved on the railing to reach a desired location for performing the measurements for the monitoring. In some embodiments of the system, the placement monitoring system comprises a laser-based profiling unit configured for measuring at least one of: (1) lateral distance between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile, (2) vertical difference between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile, or (3) both the lateral distance and the vertical difference between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile. The vertical and lateral orientation should be interpreted with respect to the surface to be floored. A lateral distance is the distance on the plane defined by the surface to be floored.

In some embodiments of the system, the placement monitoring system comprises a laser unit and an imaging unit. The laser unit is configured for emitting two or more laser lines extending between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile and the imaging unit is configured to image the two or more laser lines to allow determining an angle formed by two adjacent edges of the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile, namely the yaw angle on the plane defined by the surface. The determination of the angle can be performed by a processor of the placement monitoring system or the processing circuitry of the system.

In some embodiments of the system, the processing circuitry is configured to operate the placement monitoring system. The processing circuitry is configured to control the tile placing assembly based on the placement data.

In some embodiments of the system, the head unit comprises a plate defining its boundaries, said placement monitoring system is mounted on said plate.

In some embodiments of the system, the imaging unit of the placement monitoring system has a focal axis. The laser unit is arranged so as to emit said two or more laser lines in a non-parallel angle with respect to focal axis. This increases the accuracy of the measurement by making it easier to identify the edges of the tiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1A-1O are schematic illustrations of different views of a non-limiting example of an embodiment of a robotic system for performing automated flooring on a surface to be floored, or a part of it, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the robotic system; Fig. IB is a front view of the robotic system; Fig. 1C is a bottom perspective view of the robotic system; Fig. ID is a perspective view of the adhesive preparation system of the robotic system; Fig. IE is a side view of the system when the moving unit is displaced to the accessible, forward position; Fig. IF is a front perspective view of the system when the moving unit is displaced to the accessible, forward position; Fig. 1G is a perspective view of the adhesive preparation system with bags of adhesive dry agent stored therein; Fig. 1H is a perspective view of parts of the adhesive preparation system; Fig. II is a top view of the distal part of the conveying arrangement of the adhesive preparation system showing the conveying element, the waste space, the detachable portion of the adhesive preparation system and the aperture for receiving the dry agent; Fig. 1J is a perspective view of the tile adhesive unit showing the spatula and the slit from which adhesive is discharged; Fig. IK is a side view of the system exemplifying a step in the tile adhesive application; Fig. IL is a side view of the system exemplifying a step in the tile adhesive application; Fig. IM is a front view of the system exemplifying a step in the tile adhesive application; Fig. IN is a top perspective view of the system exemplifying a step in the tile adhesive application; Fig. IO is a top view of the system.

Figs. 2A-2D are schematic illustrations of a non-limiting embodiment of a placement monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2A is a top perspective view of the placement monitoring system in a retracted state; Fig. 2B is a top perspective view of the placement monitoring system in an open state; Fig. 2C is a top perspective view of the placement monitoring system performing a measurement by the laser-based profiling unit; Fig. 2D is a top perspective view of the placement monitoring system performing a measurement by the laser unit and the imaging unit.

Fig. 3 is a schematic example of the measurement performed by the laser-based profiling unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following figures are provided to exemplify embodiments and realization of the invention of the present disclosure.

Reference is made to Figs. 1A-1N, which are schematic illustrations of different views of a non-limiting example of an embodiment of a robotic system for performing automated flooring on a surface to be floored, or a part of it, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The robotic system 100 comprises a mobility unit 110 that is constituted by wheels for allowing its movement on a surface it is placed on. It is to be noted that the mobility unit may be constituted by track or by any other mobility solution known in the art and is not limited to wheels. The robotic system 100 further comprises a floor tiles cartridge assembly 102 that comprises floor tiles receiving space 104 suitable for receiving floor tiles in a vertical alignment, namely the floor tiles are received in the receiving space such that they span a plane normal to the plane spanned by the surface to be floored. The robotic system further comprises an adhesive container for receiving an adhesive suitable for flooring that is prepared in-situ in a mixer 162 of the robotic system, as further described below. It is to be noted that the adhesive container can be part of the mixer or a part of the system that is disposed downstream said mixer 162. The robotic system 100 further comprises a floor tile placing assembly 108 configured for extracting or picking a single floor tile from said cartridge assembly 102, after its preliminary extraction by the cartridge assembly from the floor tiles receiving space 104 as described below, and placing it on a dedicated position on said surface. In this exemplary illustration, the receiving space 104 is not accessible by the floor tile placing assembly 108. This occurs due to the minimalized configuration of the robotic system 100 and the vertical alignment of the tiles in the receiving space. To avoid the situation, in which the floor tile placing assembly 108 is required to reach the tiles in the receiving space while crossing the horizontal boundaries of the robotic system 100 that are defined by its wheels, the cartridge assembly 102 further comprises a tile extractor assembly 112 configured to extract a single floor tile stored in said cartridge assembly 102 and bring it to an accessible position that is accessible by the floor tile placing assembly 108. In this example, the receiving space 104 is defined between the tile extractor 112 and at least a part of said floor tile placing assembly 108, which in this example is the arm base 136. Namely, the receiving space 104 is confined between the tile extractor 112 in one side and the arm base 136 in the second side. Moreover, the receiving space is designed such that when tiles are received in it, the tiles do not extend beyond at least the rear portion of the robotic system 100.

The tile extractor 112 comprises a moving unit 114 for moving said single floor tile to an accessible position accessible by the floor tile placing assembly 108. The moving unit 114 is configured for rotationally moving said single floor tile, wherein said rotation is about a first axis FA normal to a plane defined by the floor tiles received in the receiving space 104. The tile extractor 112 further comprises first attaching element 116 for attaching said single floor tile to allow its extraction from the cartridge assembly 102. The first attaching element 116 may include, for example, vacuum element 118 for applying a vacuum on said single floor tile for allowing its attachment. The tile extractor 112 further comprises tiles holder 120 for holding the tiles when they are received in the receiving space 104 so they maintain stable. Since the tiles are vertically aligned in the receiving space 104, it is required to hold them or to provide them a counter force, even if it is only by providing them a portion to lean on in the form of the tiles holder 120. Therefore, the tiles holder 120 can be considered as a divider between the tiles that are about to be extracted and tiles that are maintained in the receiving space 104. The tile holder 120 can be in the form of a projection that is controllably placed between certain tiles or before a selected tile. The tiles holder 120 is configured to transit between tiles holding state, in which it ensures that the tiles are maintained in position and not falling, and a tile extraction state, in which it allows the tile extractor 112 to extract a tile. After the tile is extracted, the tiles holder 120 returns to the tiles holding state. The rotatable movement of the moving unit 114 brings the attached tile from a non-accessible position for the floor tile placing assembly 108 to an accessible position, in which the floor tile placing assembly 108 is capable for attaching to the tile and take it from the tile extractor assembly. In other words, the floor tile placing assembly 108 has a range of motion that does not allow it to attach to a tile when it is in the receiving space 104. The moving unit 114 moves the tile from the receiving space 104 to a forward position, the forward direction FD is defined as the direction towards the general direction that the arm 132 is extended to from the arm base 136, as explained below. The tile is moved while still maintaining its vertical alignment and so the attachment between the floor tile placing assembly 108 and the tile is carried out while the tile is in its vertical alignment. After the attachment, a rotation of the head unit 146 of the floor tile placing assembly 108 aligns the tile horizontally, suitable for placement on the surface to be tiled. Figs. 1E-1F shows the moving unit 114 after displacement and in its accessible position to the floor tile placing assembly 108.

The tile extractor assembly 112 further comprises a tile adhesive unit 122 configured to receive adhesive from the adhesive container 106 and to apply a layer of adhesive on said single floor tile. The tile adhesive unit 122 comprises an elongated adhesive application member 124 that comprises apertures or a slit 125, for allowing discharge of adhesive therethrough, as can be best seen in Fig. 1J. The adhesive application member 124 is movable over the surface of said single floor tile after it is attached to the second attaching element 138 of the floor tile placing assembly 108, as further detailed below. Since the first attaching element 116 attach to the bottom face of the tile on which the adhesive is to be applied, it is required to first attach the tile by the second attaching element 138 and once it is attached thereby, the tile adhesive unit 122 operates to apply adhesive over a surface of said single floor tile by controlled discharge of adhesive through said apertures. Namely, the tile adhesive unit is configured to move along the surface of the tile and simultaneously apply adhesive to obtain an effective application of adhesive over the entire or the majority of the surface of the tile. In this non-limiting example, the tile adhesive unit 122 comprises a spatula 128 for smearing the adhesive over the surface of said single floor tile after being discharged from said apertures or slit. Figs. 1K-1M exemplify the process of the adhesive application. After the tile is extracted from the receiving space 104 and the second attaching element 138 attaches to the tile, the tile adhesive unit 122 moves substantially all over the tile and applies adhesive on the surface of the tile that is intended to face the floor. In Fig. IK the process begins and the tile adhesive unit 122 first moves downward to the bottom of the tile and reaches the bottom of the tile, as can be seen in fig. IL. In Fig. IM the floor tile placing assembly 108 manipulates the tile to allow the tile adhesive unit 122 to reach the top of the tile. After the adhesive application is finished, the floor tile placing assembly 108 manipulates the tile to align it horizontally, suitable for placement on the surface to be tiled, as can be seen in Fig. IN. The relative directions top, bottom and downward that are mentioned in the adhesive application process, are referred to the tile in its vertical alignment.

The tile extractor assembly 112 may further comprise a tile measuring unit (not shown) for measuring dimensions of said single floor tile. The measuring unit is an optically based unit that measures the distances to two ends of the floor tile so as to determine one dimension of the floor tile. After the moving unit 114 rotates the tile about the first axis, the measuring unit is capable of measuring the distances to additional two ends of the tile, as the measuring unit does not rotate with the moving unit 114, therefore determining an additional dimension of the tile, which allows to determine the entire surface area of the tile, namely determining a two-dimensional measure of the tile. This is important in order to verify the actual dimensions of the tile to ensure accurate placing of it in adjacent to a different tile without any undesired gaps.

The role of the floor tile placing assembly 108 is to extract a tile from the tile extractor 112 and to place it in a selected position on the surface to be floored according to a flooring plan. Therefore, the floor tile placing assembly 108 comprises an arm 132 rotatably coupled to an arm base 136 to allow rotation about a second axis SA normal to a plane defined by said surface to be floored. The arm 132 comprises a first part 152 and a second part 154 pivotally coupled to one another to allow pivotal movement of the second part 154 with respect to the first part 152, or vice versa, and a joint 130 defined between the arm base 136 and a floor tile placing sub-system 134 that is coupled to a distal end of the tile for allowing additional rotational freedom about a fourth axis FOA parallel to the second axis SA. These rotations of the arm about the second axis SA and the fourth axis FOA allow it to reach to any location of the surface to be floored that is spanned between arm base 136 and the distal end of the arm 132. As mentioned above, the floor tile placing assembly 108 further comprises a floor tile placing sub-system 134 coupled to said arm 132 and is configured for extracting a single floor tile from the floor tile cartridge assembly 102 following its extraction by the tile extractor 112. The floor tile placing sub-system 134 is formed of a coupling portion 144, that is constituted by a coupling rod 144, and a head unit 146. The coupling rod 144 is coupled to the arm 132 and the head unit 146 is coupled to a distal end of the coupling rod 144. The coupling rod 144 is extended along a third axis TA parallel to the second axis SA and the fourth axis FOA. The head unit 146 is movable along said third axis TA in response together with the displacement of the coupling rod 144 along the third axis TA. In some non-limiting embodiments, the head unit 146 may further rotate about the third axis TA together with the rotation of the coupling rod 144 about the third axis TA. The head unit 146 is configured for extracting said single floor tile from the tile extractor 112 by attaching element 138 that are in the form of vacuum applicators for applying a vacuum on said single floor tile, thereby attaching it and allowing to move the tile to the desired position. However, it is to be noted that other known in the art types of attaching element can be employed to obtain similar effect. The head unit 146 is configured for performing a roll rotation to allow it to transition between a floor tile extracting state, in which the head unit is capable of extracting a floor tile from the tile extractor 112, and a floor tile placing state, in which the head unit is capable of placing said single floor tile on a dedicated position on said surface to be floored. The roll rotation allowing the above transition is made about an axis parallel to a plane defined by the surface to be floored. Furthermore, the head unit 146 is further configured to perform a pitch rotation to a certain degree from each side. The floor tile placing sub-system 134 further comprises a surface adhesive unit 148 for allowing controlled application of adhesive on the surface to be floored. The surface adhesive unit 148 comprises a pump (not shown) for allowing controlled discharge of adhesive through apertures 150.

The robotic system 100 further comprising an adhesive preparation system 156 that comprises bags receiving space 160 for receiving bags containing dry agent for the preparation of adhesive, a mixer 162 for mixing said dry agent with water to obtain adhesive, and a bag opener 161configured to open a single bag, which typically comprises a blade or a plurality of blades, as exemplified in Figs. 1G-1H, for rupturing the bag. The bag opener is configured to controllably open a bag of dry agent to allow its content to be spilled into a conveying arrangement 176 that is positioned below the bag and comprising a conveying element. The conveying element may be in the form of a screw conveyer 163, as exemplified in Figs. 1H-1I. Together with the dry agent, also some parts of the bag reach the conveying arrangement, and the conveying arrangement conveys the dry agent and the bag parts to a separation unit 166 that is configured to separate the dry agent from the bag such that the bag or parts thereof are directed to a waste space 168, defined in a distal portion of the conveying arrangement 176 and the dry agent is directed to the mixer 162. This is done, for example, by forming one or more apertures 165 at the bottom of the separation unit 166 such that only particles of the dry agent can pass therethrough and the bag parts cannot, effectively forming a sieve, thereby separating the dry agent from the bag parts, as exemplified in Fig. II. The dry agent that passes through the apertures reaches the mixer 162 and the bag parts are directed to a waste space 168 or a waste compartment that is downstream said apertures. The waste space 168 is a part of a detachable portion being detachable from the separation unit 166 or accessible by detaching the detachable portion 167, as exemplified in Fig. II, to allow the removal of the bag parts. The. The adhesive preparation system 156 further comprises a water pump 170 for pumping water into the mixer 162 at a desired amount to mix it with the dry agent, thereby forming adhesive. It is to be noted that the adhesive container 106 may be constituted, at least partially, by the mixer 162. The adhesive preparation system 156 further comprises a delivering pump 174 for delivering the prepared adhesive to either the floor tile placing assembly 108, the floor tiles cartridge assembly 102, in particular to the floor tile adhesive unit 122, or to both of them.

The robotic system 100 may further comprise a location system configured for generating location data indicative of the location of the robotic system on said surface to be floored. The location system can use external devices for assisting in providing the location of the robotic system, can use sensors that are part of the robotic system, can be partially manually operated, or any combination of the above.

The robotic system 100 further comprises a processing circuitry (not shown) that is configured to control the operation of its elements to autonomously execute the flooring according to a desired flooring plan. For execution of the autonomous flooring, the processing circuitry is configured to independently operate each of the following: (1) the navigation system to move the robotic system to a desired location, based on the received flooring plan indicative of the tiles placing arrangement on the surface to be floored; (2) the preparation of a flooring plan based on the surface data; (3) the operation of the adhesive preparation system 156; (4) the cleaning process of the adhesive preparation system 156, in which the cleaning process comprises stopping a feed of dry agent and pumping water to the mixer 162 for a selected time duration; (5) the adhesive applicator for applying adhesive on a part of the surface to be floored; (6) the tile adhesive unit 122 for executing the application of a layer of adhesive on a floor tile; (7) the surface adhesive unit 148, in which the processing circuitry controls the operation of the pump and the movement of the surface adhesive unit 148 so as to result a leveled application of adhesive on the surface to be floored; (8) the tile measuring unit for measuring dimensions of the floor tile and generating tile dimensions data; (9) the floor tile placing assembly 108 for extracting a tile from the cartridge assembly 102 and accurately placing it on a dedicated position on the surface based on the tile dimensions data received from the tile measuring unit.

Reference is now being made to Fig. IO, showing the system, which is in the form of a cart, from a top view. The dashed rectangle exemplifies the cart boundaries of a cart area CA defined by the boundaries of the cart. All elements of the system 100 are placed in the confinement of this cart area. In some embodiments, the wheels of the system are defining at least a part of the boundaries of the cart area.

The arm base 136 of the tile placing assembly is positioned within the boundaries of the cart area CA and the arm 132 extending from that base 136 exceeds beyond the boundaries of the cart area CA. The receiving space 104 is entirely defined within the boundaries of the cart area CA. The head unit 146 is not capable, by any movement of the floor tile placing assembly 108, to reach the cart area CA to extract a tile that is vertically-oriented stored in the receiving space 104. By its displacement, the tile extractor 112 exits the cart area CA and allows the head unit 146 to engage with an extracted tile in order to attach to it and afterwards place it in the desired position on the floor. Therefore, while the natural position of the tile extractor 112 is within the boundaries of the cart area CA, the rotational displacement thereof brings it to a position outside the cart area CA that is accessible to the head unit 146.

Reference is now made to Figs. 2A-2D, which are schematic illustrations of a placement monitoring system of the present disclosure. The placement monitoring system 280 is mounted on an inner face of a plate 281 of the head unit 282 of the tile placing assembly of the system. The outer face of the plate 281 is configured for attachment with a tile to be floored. The placement monitoring system 280 comprises a laser-based profiling unit 283, a laser unit 284 and an imaging unit 285, all mounted on a railing 286 and can be driven on said railing between a retracted, closed state, in which they all confined by the boundaries of the plate 281 (as can be seen in Fig. 2A), and a range of open states (as can be seen in Figs. 2B-2D), in which they all positioned in a desired position above the floor to be tiled, suitable for performing the measurement of the location of the floor to be tiled with respect to a neighboring static floored tile. The position is selected such that the measuring components of the placement monitoring system 280, i.e. the laser-based profiling unit 283, the laser unit 284 and the imaging unit 285 are in a position that their field of view includes the tile to be floored and the static floored tile. When placed over two neighboring tiles, the placement monitoring system 280 is capable of performing two types of measurements.

The first measurement is performed by the laser-based profiling unit 283 that provides X and Z coordinates of along a line or lines of light it is produced. In this example, there are two laser-based profiling units 283 producing two non-parallel lines of light, as can be seen in Fig. 2C. By analyzing the Z and X coordinates, the lateral gap along the X axis can be calculated as well as the vertical difference along the Z axis. Fig.

3 schematically exemplifies the results of such measurement. The lines above and between the tiles are the light lines and by measuring the X and Z coordinates of these lines, the lateral distance and vertical difference between two neighboring tiles can be measured.

The second measurement is performed by the laser unit 284 and the imaging unit 285. The laser unit illuminating the two neighboring tiles with two or more lines of light, as can be seen in Fig. 2D. The imaging unit 285 images the lines and by analyzing the image, points along the edges of the tiles can be identified. By identifying two or more points over a single edge, an edge line of the tile can be determined. Once two edge lines of two neighboring tiles are determined, the yaw of the tile to be floored with respect to the static floored tile can be determined.

The data from the two measurements is processed and correction actions are made by the tile placing assembly in order to bring the tile to be floored to the desired position on the surface and in the desired orientation, i.e. the yaw.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A robotic system for performing automated flooring or tiling on a surface to be floored or tiled, comprising: a navigation system that comprises a mobility unit for allowing movement of the robotic system, and a location system configured for generating location data indicative of the location of the robotic system on said surface to be floored or tiled; tiles cartridge assembly that comprises tiles receiving space suitable for receiving tiles therein; one or more adhesive containers for receiving an adhesive suitable for flooring or tiling; an adhesive applicator configured for receiving adhesive from at least one of said one or more adhesive containers and applying it on the surface to be floored or tiled; tile placing assembly configured for extracting at least one tile from said cartridge assembly and placing it on a dedicated position on said surface; a processing circuitry configured for:

(1) receiving a flooring or a tiling plan indicative of the tiles placing arrangement on said surface to be floored or tiled,

(2) controlling the navigation system to move the robotic system to a desired location;

(3) controlling the adhesive applicator for applying adhesive on a part of the surface to be floored or tiled,

(4) controlling the tile placing assembly for extracting a tile from said cartridge assembly and placing it on a dedicated position on said surface, associated with said part of the surface.

2. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein said mobility unit comprises wheels for allowing said movement.

3. The robotic system of claim 1 or 2, wherein said tile placing assembly comprises said adhesive applicator.

4. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-3, wherein said receiving space is configured for vertically storing tiles.

5. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-4, wherein said receiving space is not accessible by the tile placing assembly, said cartridge assembly comprises a tile extractor assembly configured to extract at least one tile stored in said cartridge assembly, said tile extractor comprises a moving unit for moving said single tile to an accessible position accessible by the tile placing assembly.

6. The robotic system of claim 5, wherein said receiving space is defined between the tile extractor and at least a part of said tile placing assembly.

7. The robotic system of claim 5 or 6, wherein said tile extractor assembly comprises first attaching element for attaching said at least one tile to allow its extraction from the cartridge assembly and moving it to an accessible position.

8. The robotic system of claim 7, wherein said first attaching element comprises first vacuum element for applying a vacuum on said at least one tile for allowing the attachment of the at least one tile.

9. The robotic system of claim 7 or 8, comprising first tiles holder configured for controllably transitioning between tiles holding state, in which it holds the tiles received in the receiving space in position, and a tile extracting state, in which it allows the tile extractor to attach to a tile and extracting it.

10. The robotic system of any one of claims 5-9, wherein said moving unit is configured for slidingly moving said at least one tile.

11. The robotic system of any one of claims 5-9, wherein said moving unit is configured for rotationally moving said at least one tile, wherein said rotation is about a first axis normal to a plane defined by said at least one tile.

12. The robotic system of any one of claims 5-11, comprising a tile adhesive unit configured for applying a layer of adhesive on a first tile of said at least one tile, said processing circuity is configured to control said tile adhesive unit for executing the application of said layer of adhesive.

13. The robotic system of claim 12, wherein said tile extractor assembly comprises said tile adhesive unit, wherein said tile adhesive unit is configured for applying a layer of adhesive on said first tile following its extraction.

14. The robotic system of claim 12 or 13, wherein said tile adhesive unit is configured to receive adhesive from said one or more adhesive containers.

15. The robotic system of any one of claims 12-14, wherein said tile adhesive unit comprises an elongated adhesive application member that comprises one or more apertures for allowing discharge of adhesive therethrough, said adhesive application member is movable over the surface of said first tile after its extraction to allow application of adhesive over a surface of said single tile by controlled discharge of adhesive through said one or more apertures.

16. The robotic system of claim 15, wherein said tile adhesive unit comprises a spatula for smearing the adhesive over the surface of said first tile after being discharged from said one or more apertures.

17. The robotic system of any one of claims 5-16, wherein said tile extractor assembly comprises tile measuring unit for measuring dimensions of said at least one tile and generate tile dimensions data, said processing circuitry is configured to receive said tile dimensions data and control the tile placing assembly based on said tile dimensions data.

18. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-17, wherein said tile placing assembly comprises an arm rotatable about a second axis normal a plane defined by said surface to be floored or tiled, and a tile placing sub-system coupled to said arm and is configured for extracting a single tile from said at least one tile from said cartridge assembly.

19. The robotic system of claim 18, wherein said arm is rotatably coupled to an arm base.

20. The robotic system of claim 18 or 19, wherein said tile placing sub-system comprises second attaching element for attaching said single tile to allow its extraction from the cartridge assembly and moving it to an accessible position.

21. The robotic system of claim 20, wherein said second attaching element comprises second vacuum element for applying a vacuum on said single tile for allowing the attachment of the single tile.

22. The robotic system of claim 20 or 21, comprising a second tile holder for holding a single tile for allowing the attachment by the second attaching element.

23. The robotic system of any one of claims 18-22, wherein said tile placing subsystem comprises a coupling portion and a head unit, said coupling portion is coupled to said arm and said head unit is coupled to said coupling portion and is configured for said extracting said single tile from said cartridge assembly.

24. The robotic system of claim 23, wherein said coupling portion is extending along a third axis parallel to the second axis.

25. The robotic system of claim 24, wherein said coupling portion is rotatable about said third axis.

26. The robotic system of claim 24 or 25, wherein said coupling portion is configured for moving along said third axis thereby affecting the distance of the head unit from the arm.

27. The robotic system of any one of claim 23-26, wherein said head unit is rotatable between a tile extracting state, in which the head unit is capable of extracting said single tile, and a tile placing state, in which the head unit is capable of placing said single tile on a dedicated position on said surface to be floored or tiled.

28. The robotic system of any one of claims 23-27, wherein the head unit is capable for performing pitch rotation.

29. The robotic system of any one of claims 18-28, wherein said tile placing subsystem comprises a surface adhesive unit for allowing application of adhesive on the surface to be floored or tiled.

30. The robotic system of claim 29, wherein said surface adhesive unit comprises a pump for allowing controlled discharge of adhesive, wherein said processing circuitry is configured to control the operation of the pump and the movement of the surface adhesive unit so as to result a leveled application of adhesive on the surface to be floored or tiled.

31. The robotic system of any one of claims 18-30, wherein said arm comprises a first part and a second part pivotally coupled to one another to allow pivotal movement of the second part with respect to the first part about a joint for allowing additional rotational freedom about a fourth axis parallel to the second axis.

32. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-31, comprising an adhesive preparation system that comprises bags receiving space for receiving bags containing dry agent for the preparation of adhesive, a mixer for mixing said dry agent with water to obtain adhesive, a bag opener configured to open a single bag, a separation unit configured to separate the dry agent from the bag such that the bag or parts thereof are directed to a waste space and the dry agent is directed to said mixer, water pump for pumping water into the mixer at a desired amount.

33. The robotic system of claim 32, wherein said bag opener comprises a blade for rupturing the bag.

34. The robotic system of claim 32 or 33, wherein the adhesive preparation system further comprising a delivering pump for delivering the prepared adhesive to either the tile placing assembly, the tiles cartridge assembly or to both of them.

35. The robotic system of any one of claims 32-34, wherein the adhesive preparation system comprises a conveying arrangement to receive the dry agent and parts of the bag and convey them to the separation unit.

36. The robotic system of any one of claims 32-35, wherein the separation unit comprises a sieve for allowing the dry agent to pass to the mixer and resulting the bag or parts thereof to reach the waste space.

37. The robotic system of any one of claims 32-36, wherein the waste space is exposable by detaching a portion of the separation unit or a part of a detachable unit being detachable from the separation unit.

38. The robotic system of any one of claims 32-37, wherein the said one or more adhesive containers are constituted, at least partially, by said mixer.

39. The robotic system of any one of claims 32-38, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured for controlling the operation of said adhesive preparation system.

40. The robotic system of claim 39, wherein said processing circuitry is further configured to execute a cleaning process of said adhesive preparation system, said cleaning process comprises stopping a feed of dry agent and pumping water to the mixer for a selected time duration.

41. The robotic system of claim 40, wherein said cleaning process further comprises directing the water to said one or more adhesive containers following by their collection in a collection tank.

42. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-41, wherein said location system comprises one or more sensors for mapping the surface to be floored or tiled and generate surface data based thereon.

43. The robotic system of claim 42, wherein said one or more sensors comprises at least one of: light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, image sensor, or a combination thereof.

44. The robotic system of claim 43, wherein said processing circuitry is further configured for preparing a flooring or a tiling plan based on said surface data.

45. The robotic system of any one of claims 42-44, wherein said surface data comprises locations of tiles placed on said surface, and wherein said dedicated position on said surface is adjacent to at least one tile placed on said surface.

46. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-45, wherein said adhesive applicator is configured to apply adhesive on said surface to be floored or tiled in coordination with movement of the robotic system.

47. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-46, wherein the system is in the form of a cart; wherein the cart comprises a cart area confining the placement positions of the navigation system, the one or more adhesive containers, the adhesive applicator and the tile placing assembly; wherein an arm of the tile placing assembly extends beyond the cart area.

48. The robotic system of any one of claims 1-47, wherein the tile placing assembly comprises a moving arm extending from a base of the tile placing assembly, said moving arm comprises a head unit in a distal end thereof for said extracting said single tile from said cartridge assembly; wherein a placement monitoring system is mounted on said head unit; said monitoring system is capable of transitioning between a retracted state, in which the monitoring system is entirely within boundaries of the head unit, and a range of open states, in which the placement monitoring system extends beyond the boundaries of the head unit; wherein the monitoring system is configured to monitor a position of the tile to be floored with respect to at least one floored tile on the surface to be floored and to generate placement data based thereon.

49. The robotic system of claim 48, wherein said placement monitoring system comprises a railing for said transitioning between the retracted state and the range of open states.

50. The robotic system of claim 48 or 49, wherein the placement monitoring system comprises a laser-based profiling unit configured for measuring at least one of: (1) lateral distance between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile, (2) vertical difference between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile, or (3) both the lateral distance and the vertical difference between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile.

51. The robotic system of any one of claims 48-50, wherein the placement monitoring system comprises a laser unit and an imaging unit; wherein the laser unit is configured for emitting two or more laser lines extending between the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile and the imaging unit is configured to image the two or more laser lines to allow determining an angle formed by two adjacent edges of the tile to be floored and the at least one floored tile.

52. The robotic system of any one of claims 48-51, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to operate the placement monitoring system; wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the tile placing assembly based on the placement data.

53. The robotic system of any one of claims 48-52, wherein the head unit comprises a plate defining its boundaries, said placement monitoring system is mounted on said plate.