Patent Application
20220071467
The present disclosure relates to a cleaning robot and further relates to a cleaning robot, a cleaning method, and an automatic charging system.
As user requirements are more diversified, there are various types of cleaning robots. The cleaning robot can wipe a ground, thereby improving the cleanliness of the ground.
An existing cleaning robot generally performs mopping work by using a mop, and when rooms of a user are cleaned, a plurality of regions of the rooms such as a kitchen, a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom are generally cleaned by using the same mop. In this case, stains of different regions are contaminated mutually, and the cleaning effect is poor.
Therefore, the user needs to personally take care of the robot, and after the robot mops for a specific period of time, the mop is unloaded and cleaned or replaced with a new mop. Such manual work degrades user experience in terms of automated operation of the robot.
To overcome defects of the prior art, the problem that the present disclosure needs to resolve is to provide a cleaning robot that can perform cleaning work through region classification.
A technical solution adopted in the present disclosure to resolve the existing technical problems is provided by a cleaning robot as defined in claims 1 to 19.
An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a cleaning method for a cleaning robot as defined in claim 20.
Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effect of the present disclosure is that the defect of mutual contamination of stains in different regions caused by the use of the same wiping member in the regions may be avoided, thereby ensuring that stains in different types of regions are not contaminated mutually, and improving the degree of cleanliness of the cleaning robot.
The foregoing objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of the present disclosure can be achieved by using the following accompanying drawings:
Detailed descriptions and technical content of the present disclosure are described below in cooperation with the accompanying drawings. However, the accompanying drawings only provide reference and description rather than limit the present disclosure.
The base station 500 includes a bottom plate 507, a supporting plate 506, and an upper plate 505, where the upper plate 505 is connected to the bottom plate 507 by the supporting plate 506. A new mop groove 503, an old mop groove 504, and a mop replacement device (not shown in the figure) are disposed on the upper plate 505, the mop replacement device may adopt an elevating mechanism, a swing mechanism, or the like, and projections of the new mop groove 503 and the old mop groove 504 on the bottom plate 507 correspond to a second operation position 502 and a first operation position 501 of the cleaning robot 100 on the bottom plate 507. It may be understood that positions of the new mop groove and the old mop groove are not fixed. For example, in another embodiment, the positions of the new mop groove 503 and the old mop groove 504 may be alternatively interchangeable. The cleaning robot 100 unloads an old mop in the first operation position 501, the mop replacement device of the base station 500 recycles the old mop, and the mop replacement device of the base station 500 releases a new mop, so that the cleaning robot 100 loads the new mop in the second operation position 502.
As shown in
The navigation mechanism may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: a visual sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, an optical sensor (a laser LDS, an infrared sensor, or the like), a UWB sensor, an inertial navigation system, a satellite positioning system (a GPS, a BeiDou, or the like), and the like, and is configured to provide environment control data, control the cleaning robot to work, and form a working region map of the cleaning robot. A working region of the cleaning robot may be a single-storied house or a villa-style multi-storied house. Correspondingly, the formed working region map may be a map for a single-storied house or a plurality of maps for a multi-storied house, and each map corresponds to one story. When the working region is a single-storied house, the cleaning robot works directly based on one map. When the working region is a multi-storied house, a user may select a corresponding map for a story in which the cleaning robot is located, so that the cleaning robot works based on the corresponding map; or the cleaning robot may recognize a story in which the cleaning robot is located by using a visual sensor or in another manner, to autonomously select a map corresponding to the story to work. The navigation mechanism 70 may be configured to mark a current position of the cleaning robot in the working region map. A position of the cleaning robot is marked in real time by using the navigation mechanism 70, so that the cleaning robot can quickly return to the marked position to continue to work. For example, when the cleaning robot returns for charging, a leaving position is marked before the cleaning robot is charged, so that the cleaning robot can quickly reach the leaving position to continue to charge when being fully charged and returning.
In another embodiment of this application, the cleaning robot 100 may be alternatively a sweeping and mopping integrated cleaning device. In this case, the cleaning robot may further include a sweeping module in addition to the mopping module, the sweeping module may include a roller brush and a side brush, which are configured to clean sundries such as dust on a ground, a corner, and the like, the sundries are relatively concentrated at the roller brush by using the side brush for processing, and the dust is collected into a dust-collecting box.
The control module is, for example, a controller, and may be an embedded digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor unit (MPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a system on chip (SOC), a central processing unit (CPU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like.
The controller may control, according to a preset program or a received instruction, the cleaning robot to work. Specifically, the controller may control the moving mechanism to move according to a preset moving path in the working region of the cleaning robot. While the moving mechanism drives the cleaning robot to move, the mopping module performs mopping work (dry mopping or wet mopping), so as to remove garbage such as dust in the working region. When the cleaning robot moves in the preset path and completes the mopping work, the controller may control the cleaning robot to stop the mopping work and control the moving mechanism to move, so that the moving mechanism drives the cleaning robot to leave the working region. A moving path and a stop position of the cleaning robot may be preset in the controller and the controller controls execution of the moving mechanism.
In this application, the cleaning robot may be a device that can autonomously replace a mop. Correspondingly, in addition to charging the cleaning robot, the base station for the cleaning robot to return for charging may be further used as a base for the cleaning robot to replace the mop, and a charging function and a mop replacement function are combined to form the base station of the cleaning robot, thereby saving a user space. Certainly, a mop replacement position in the cleaning robot and a position to be returned to for charging may be alternatively set separately. In this case, when the cleaning robot needs to replace a mop, the cleaning robot may return to the mop replacement position to replace the mop; and when the cleaning robot needs to be charged, the cleaning robot may return to the charging position for charging. This is not limited in this application. In this case, the position to be returned to for mop replacement may be an unfixed position point. In the following description of this application, for ease of description, unless otherwise specified, when that the cleaning robot returns to replace the mop is described, the position to be returned to may refer to a base station that combines two functions of charging and mop replacement, or may refer to a base station that is only configured to replace a mop. Correspondingly, when that the cleaning robot returns for charging is described, the position to be returned to may refer to a base station that combines two functions of charging and mop replacement, or may refer to a base station that is only configured to charge the cleaning robot.
The cleaning robot may include a signal sending module 80. When the charging function and the mop replacement function are combined to form the base station of the cleaning robot, the signal sending module may send a signal of replacing the mop to the base station when the cleaning robot returns to the base station to replace the mop, or may send a signal of returning for charging to the base station when the cleaning robot returns to the base station for charging. Correspondingly, the base station further has a signal receiving module for receiving the signal of the cleaning robot. In this way, when the cleaning robot returns, the base station can learn the purpose of the return of the cleaning robot in advance, and perform corresponding preparation work in advance, to avoid the defect that if the cleaning robot cannot send a related signal to the base station, when the cleaning robot returns for charging, the base station incorrectly considers that the cleaning robot needs to replace a mop when detecting that the cleaning robot reaches a corresponding position in the base station, to cause a new mop to fall. When the charging function and the mop replacement function are set separately, the signal sending module may send, when the cleaning robot returns to a mop replacement point to replace a mop, a signal of replacing the mop to the mop replacement point. Correspondingly, the mop replacement point also has a signal receiving module for receiving the signal of the cleaning robot.
As shown in
As shown in
In an embodiment, the mopping module is detachably mounted on the body. In an embodiment, as shown in
The mopping module of the cleaning robot has at least three height positions relative to the working surface during work, which are a first position when the cleaning robot performs mopping work, a second position when the cleaning robot moves or crosses an obstacle, and a third position when the cleaning robot unloads a mop. The third position is higher than or equal to the second position and the first position is lower than the second position. The requirements of the cleaning robot for mopping the ground, crossing obstacles, and automatically replacing the mop can be achieved by adjusting the position of the mopping module by using the lifting mechanism. Certainly, in addition to the three height states, the cleaning robot may further have a fourth position that is lower than the first position and used for mounting a new mop.
The following describes the foregoing position relationship by using an application scenario as an example. When the cleaning robot is in a mopping working state, the lifting mechanism controls a mop to be in the first position. In this case, there is a specific pressure between the mop and the ground, and the mop may be in contact with the ground and has a specific amount of interference, to achieve a relatively good cleaning effect. When the cleaning robot encounters an obstacle during mopping, the lifting mechanism controls the mop to be in the second position. In this case, the mop is automatically lifted, a height of the second position is greater than a height of the working state, but the height cannot be greater than a height of unloading the mop, to prevent the mop and the mopping plate from falling. When the cleaning robot needs to replace the mop during the mopping or the cleaning robot needs to return for charging when an amount of power is less than a preset threshold during the mopping, the lifting mechanism controls the mop to be lifted to the second position, and meanwhile, the cleaning robot may further form position coordinates of the cleaning robot before returning by using the navigation mechanism and mark the position coordinates in the working region map. When the mop is replaced, the lifting mechanism controls the mop to be lifted to the third position to unload the mop, the mopping plate provided with the mop falls off from the cleaning robot by using the top column fixedly mounted on the cleaning robot by overcoming a magnetic force, an old mop is unloaded to a first operation position, and the first operation position may be used for unloading the old mop. After the old mop is unloaded, the cleaning robot automatically mounts a new mop, and the cleaning robot may mount the new mop in a second operation position. After the robot enters a corresponding position, the mopping plate drops to a height of mounting the new mop, and the new mop is mounted on a cleaning component by using magnetic absorption, to complete mounting of the new mop. After the new mop is mounted or an amount of power is full, the lifting mechanism controls the mop to be lifted to the second position and set off to return to the position of the cleaning robot marked in the working region map, and when the marked position is reached, the lifting mechanism controls the mop to be adjusted to the first position to continue to mop. When the cleaning robot needs to pause mopping during the mopping, the lifting mechanism controls the mop to be lifted to the second position. The lifting mechanism controls the mop to be lifted when the cleaning robot crosses the obstacle, to resolve the defect of a limited cleanable range caused by that the mopping module of the cleaning robot in the prior art only has the second position state when mopping the ground during the work and therefore a height of crossing the obstacle is almost 0. The mopping module may control the lifting mechanism to lift the mop to the second position when mopping is paused, to resolve the defect in the prior art that the mopping module only has the second position state when mopping the ground, resulting in that the floor is soaked in the liquid and the floor is damaged. After replacing the mop or being charged, the cleaning robot may further return to a mopping position before the mop is replaced to continue to mop at an interrupted point, to resolve the defect that in the prior art, a mopped region is repeatedly mopped, and a region that is not mopped is missed, and improve the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot. In addition, the mop can be replaced automatically, which improves the degree of automation and user experience of the cleaning robot.
In this embodiment, the cleaning robot usually replaces a mop based on the following conditions, which may specifically include: a use time of the mop, a mopping area of the mop, a stain condition on the mop or a damage condition of the mop, and change of the working region, thereby improving the utilization of the mop without causing secondary contamination of the mop.
In an embodiment of this application, the cleaning robot may include a timing module. A working time of the mop is recorded by using the timing module and the working time is compared with a preset time threshold. If the working time is greater than or equal to the time threshold, the cleaning robot returns to replace the mop, generates coordinates of a mopping position before the return, and marks the coordinates in the working region map. After mounting a new mop, the cleaning robot returns to the position marked in the working region map to continue to work.
In another embodiment of this application, the cleaning robot may include a working area recording module. A working area of the mop is recorded by using the working area recording module and the working area is compared with a preset area threshold. If the working area is greater than or equal to the area threshold, the cleaning robot returns to replace the mop, generates coordinates of a mopping position before the return, and marks the coordinates in the working region map. After mounting a new mop, the cleaning robot returns to the position marked in the working region map to continue to work.
In another embodiment of this application, the cleaning robot may include a mop sensor. A degree of cleanliness of the mop is detected by using the mop sensor. When it is detected that the degree of cleanliness is less than a preset threshold, the control module controls the cleaning robot to return to replace the mop, generate coordinates of a mopping position before the return, and mark the coordinates in the working region map. After mounting a new mop, the cleaning robot returns to the position marked in the working region map to continue to work. When it is detected that the degree of cleanliness is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, the control module controls the cleaning robot to continue mopping work. The mop sensor may be mounted below the body of the cleaning robot and may specifically include, but is not limited to at least one of the following: a capacitive sensor, a current sensor, a radar sensor, and an optical sensor.
In this embodiment of this application, the cleaning robot may include a detection module 110 configured to detect a type of the working region. When the mopping module completes mopping work of a current region, the detection module may detect a region type of a next region to determine whether the type of the next region is the same as that of the current region. When it is determined that the region types are different, the control module may control the cleaning robot to transfer information indicating that a mop is to be replaced to a user, or replace a mop. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the completing, by the mopping module, the mopping work of the current region is not limited to completing the mopping work of 100% area of the current region, which may include a condition in which the mopping module basically completes the mopping work of the current region. In an application scenario, when the cleaning robot mops 95% area of the current region, the region type of the next region may be detected by using the detection module. When the types are different, the controller controls the robot to send a notification message indicating that a mop is to be replaced to a client or controls the robot to automatically replace a mop.
In this embodiment, the working region of the cleaning robot includes at least one region type, and region classification may be performed in a user-defined or preset manner. In an embodiment, after the cleaning robot builds the working region map, the user may directly classify each region displayed in the map of the client and store a classification result. The user may perform region classification on the formed working region map according to actual needs. For example, the regions may be classified into a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom, and another region according to actual functions of the regions. In a process of entering the mopping work after the classification, different mops or different cleaning manners such as dry mopping, wet mopping, and whether to use a cleaning solution to mop may be used for different regions.
In another embodiment, alternatively, the cleaning robot may directly and automatically classify each region on the map during the building of the map in a default classification manner preset by a manufacturer, mark a region classification result on the map, and store the result. For example, the cleaning robot may detect each region by using a visual sensor, a radar sensor, or an optical sensor (including an LDS, a TOF sensor, or the like). When a bedding item is detected, the region is classified as a bedroom by comparison with a large amount of data in a robot feature library; and when an item such as a range hood is detected, the region is classified as a kitchen. In a process of entering the mopping work after the classification, the robot may use different mops or different cleaning manners (whether to use a cleaning solution) for different regions according to the region classification result marked in the map. In the mopping process of the robot, different mops are used for different types of regions, so that the defect of mutual contamination of stains in different regions caused by the use of the same mop in the regions may be avoided, thereby ensuring that stains in different types of regions are not contaminated mutually, and improving the degree of cleanliness of the cleaning robot.
In another embodiment, after the cleaning robot forms the map, the region classification may not be alternatively performed, the region type of the next region is directly detected in the process of performing the mopping work, and whether to replace the mop is selected according to a detection result of the region type in the mopping process.
In an embodiment of this application, in a case that a region type is marked in the map, the detection module may be implemented by a program algorithm, and the region type is detected by the program algorithm. Specifically, before the cleaning robot finishes cleaning the current region and enters the next region, region types of a current working region and a next working region in the working region map are compared. When it is detected that the current working region and the next working region are of different types, the robot is controlled to transfer information indicating that a mop is to be replaced to a user, or replace a mop; and when it is detected that the current working region and the next working region are of the same type, the mop may be further detected by using the mop sensor for detecting the degree of cleanliness of the mop described in the above embodiment. Details are not described herein again.
In an embodiment of this application, the detection module may be a visual sensor or an optical sensor. In a case that a region type is marked or is not marked in the map, the region type may be determined according to a region image detected by the visual sensor or the optical sensor. Specifically, before the cleaning robot finishes cleaning the current region and enters the next region, whether a type of a next to-be-cleaned region is the same as that of the current region is observed by using the visual sensor, and when it is detected that the two regions are of different types, the robot is controlled to transfer the information indicating that the mop is to be replaced to the user, or replace the mop.
In another embodiment of this application, the detection module may be a radar sensor. In a case that a region type is marked or is not marked in the map, the region type may be determined according to an electromagnetic wave change detected by the radar sensor. Specifically, before the cleaning robot finishes cleaning the current region and enters the next region, whether a type of a next to-be-cleaned region is the same as that of the current region is observed by using the radar sensor, and when it is detected that the two regions are of different types, the robot is controlled to transfer the information indicating that the mop is to be replaced to the user, or replace the mop.
In an embodiment, the cleaning robot may include a signal transfer module 90. The information indicating that the mop is to be replaced is transferred to the user by using the signal transfer module, and the information may be remotely transferred information or local information from the cleaning robot. Specifically, the remote information may be a notification message indicating that the mop is to be replaced and that is sent to the client, and the user may personally replace the mop after receiving the notification message, or may instruct the cleaning robot to autonomously replace the mop. The local information may be information about a man-machine interaction interface of the cleaning robot or may be information transferred by the cleaning robot by using light or sound of an indication unit, and the user may personally replace the mop when seeing the light emitted by the cleaning robot or hearing the sound, or may remotely or directly press a relevant key such as a physical key on the cleaning robot or a virtual key on the man-machine interaction interface, to instruct the cleaning robot to autonomously replace the mop. In another embodiment, the control module controls the cleaning robot to replace the mop, that is, when it is determined that the region types are different, the control module controls the cleaning robot to replace the mop, and a position of replacing the mop may be the base station combining the charging function and the mop replacement function, or may be a temporarily set base station capable of replacing the mop.
Further, when the region types detected by the detection module are the same, a degree of cleanliness of the mop may be detected by using the mop sensor. When the detected degree of cleanliness is less than a preset threshold, the control module controls the cleaning robot to mark a current position, replace the mop, and return to the marked position to perform mopping continuously at an interrupted point after the mop is replaced. When the detected degree of cleanliness of the mop is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, the control module controls the cleaning robot to perform mopping work in a next region.
In an embodiment of this application, when it is determined that the region types are different, the cleaning robot may be controlled to return to the base station to automatically replace the mop when the cleaning robot keeps the mopping module in a lifted state.
In an embodiment of this application, when the cleaning robot returns for replacing the mop or returns to the base station for charging, the cleaning robot may mark a position before the return in the map; and when the cleaning robot has replaced the mop or is fully charged and returns, the cleaning robot may directly return to the marked position to continue the mopping work according to a pre-planned path, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot.
The following describes a method in the embodiments of this application by using a specific application scenario.
In an automatic charging system such as a cleaning robot charging system, a built-in battery pack is disposed in the cleaning robot, the battery pack is fixed inside the cleaning robot and cannot be manually removed, and mounting and removal of the battery pack can be implemented only by removing screws or the like with a tool. The cleaning robot can automatically perform a working task without manual supervision, and when electric energy is insufficient, the cleaning robot automatically returns to the base station for supplying power to and charging the energy module of the cleaning robot.
However, when another hand-held cleaner such as a hand-held vacuum cleaner or a hand-held cleaning machine is out of power, the user can only stop working and takes the hand-held cleaner home or to another charging site for charging, and the hand-held cleaner can continue to work after being fully charged. Consequently, the timeliness and continuity of the hand-held cleaner during work cannot be ensured. Therefore, it is necessary to design a new automatic charging system to resolve the foregoing problems.
As shown in
The cleaning robot 100 includes a body, a battery interface capable of accommodating the energy module is disposed on the body, and the energy module 30 is detachably assembled in the battery interface. Detachable means that when the energy module 30 is removed, the energy module 30 may be directly removed without removing fasteners such as screws and nuts. The cleaning robot includes a body 10, a moving mechanism 20, a mopping module 40, a control module 60, and the like. The moving mechanism 20, the mopping module 40, the control module 60, and the like are all mounted on the body 10. The moving mechanism drives the cleaning robot 100 to move in a working region and the mopping module 40 performs mopping work. The control module is electrically connected to the moving mechanism, the mopping module 40, the energy module 30, and the like, controls the moving mechanism to drive the cleaning robot 100 to move, and controls the mopping module 40 to perform the mopping work.
In an embodiment of this application, external electric energy may be stored in the energy module 30 by using the cleaning robot, that is, the user may charge the energy module 30 by using the cleaning robot. In another embodiment of this application, the energy module 30 may be alternatively charged by using a common charger. That is, in this application, the energy module 30 may be charged in two manners. In one manner, the robot is controlled, by using the control module in the cleaning robot, to return to the base station to charge the energy module 30. In the other manner, the energy module 30 is directly charged by using an external charger. Further, the cleaning robot may further include a signal sending module. During charging of the cleaning robot, the signal sending module sends information about a charged amount in the energy module and/or information about time for which the cleaning robot can work by using the charged amount to a client. When the user sets rated powers of various hand-held cleaners in the client, the client may further display information about time for which the various hand-held cleaners can work by using the charged amount.
In an embodiment of this application, the energy module 30 may be a battery pack, each battery pack may include at least one battery set, and a plurality of battery sets adjust a battery voltage to a required operating voltage by using series-parallel conversion.
In an embodiment of this application, as shown in
As shown in
In this application, the cover 32 is disposed on the body and covers the energy module 30. In an embodiment, the cover 32 is openably connected to the body, and snap-fit devices that are directly mutually snap-fit are disposed on the cover 32 and the body. The direct mutual snap-fit means that the snap-fit of the snap-fit devices between the cover and the body may be mutually unlocked without a fastener such as a screw. In another embodiment, the cover 32 is fixedly connected to the body, a cavity is enclosed by the cover 32 and the body, and the energy module 30 is accommodated in the cavity.
In the foregoing embodiments, the energy module 30 and the cover 32 may be disposed at different positions of the body according to actual conditions, preferably disposed below the body, to reduce the impact of an environment such as sun or rain. Alternatively, the energy module and the cover may be disposed at positions that are behind the mopping module 40 and that are centered on two driving wheels 21, to stabilize a mopping center of gravity of the cleaning robot 100. The energy module that is detachable and may be coupled to the hand-held cleaner is disposed, to achieve the technical effect that the hand-held cleaner in the automatic charging system can obtain electric energy in time.
The foregoing embodiments only show several implementations of the present disclosure and are described in detail, but they should not be construed as a limit to the patent scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may further be make several variations and improvements without departing from the concept of the present disclosure, and these variations and improvements all fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present disclosure shall be topic to the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201811572154.2 | Dec 2018 | CN | national |
| 201910250295.0 | Mar 2019 | CN | national |
This application is a National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/CN2019/124279, filed on Dec. 10, 2019, which claims benefit of and priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201811572154.2, filed on Dec. 21, 2018 and Chinese Patent Application No. 201910250295.0, filed on Mar. 29, 2019, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2019/124279 | 12/10/2019 | WO | 00 |
