This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2022/111661, filed on Au. 11, 2022, which claims priority to Chinese Patent application Ser. No. 20/212,2384246.1, filed on Sep 29, 2021. The disclosures of both of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
The present disclosure relates to the field of cleaning apparatus and, in particular, to a lifting device for a cleaning assembly and a cleaning apparatus.
Roller brush assemblies have been widely used in cleaning apparatus, such as cleaning robots. A conventional roller brush assembly is fixed to a bottom housing of a cleaning robot. Thus, the roller brush assembly cannot be lifted up or down to adjust its position. As such, it is prone to cause a secondary pollution to the region which has been cleaned during a round trip of the cleaning apparatus, because the roller brush assembly cannot be lifted up to keep off the region. Other cleaning assemblies or apparatus may also have similar problems as that of the conventional roller brush assemblies.
The present disclosure provides a lifting device for cleaning assembly which can lift the cleaning assembly and simultaneously has the advantage of simple structure.
The present disclosure further provides a cleaning apparatus which includes the lifting device for cleaning assembly.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a lifting device for cleaning assembly comprising a guiding base and a lifting assembly. The guiding base is arranged on an external housing. The lifting assembly comprises a lifting mechanism connected with an external cleaning assembly and slided up or down on the guiding base, and a driving member arranged on the guiding base and in drive connection with the lifting mechanism. The driving member drives the lifting mechanism to lift up or down relative to the guiding base, allowing the cleaning assembly to lift up or down relative to the housing.
In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism comprises a guiding block and a lifting block. The guiding block is slidably connected to the guiding base and in drive connection with the driving member, and a side of the lifting block away from the guiding block is connected with the cleaning assembly. One of the lifting block and the guiding block is provided with a groove, and the other is slidably arranged in the groove. The driving member drives the guiding block to slide along a first direction, allowing the lifting block to move up or down in the groove along a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction are not parallel.
In some embodiments, the groove is obliquely arranged on the guiding base.
In some embodiments, a sliding seat is provided on a side of the lifting block facing the guiding block, and the sliding seat is slidably arranged in the groove.
In some embodiments, one end of the groove in the length direction of the groove is connected with an upper transverse sliding groove, the other end of the groove in the length direction is connected with a lower transverse sliding groove, and the upper transverse sliding groove and the lower transverse sliding groove each has a length direction parallel to the first direction.
In some embodiments, the lifting device further comprises a transmission mechanism comprising a screw rod, one end of the screw rod is connected to the driving member, the other end of the screw rod is threadedly connected to the guiding block, and a length direction of the screw rod is parallel to the first direction.
In some embodiments, the transmission mechanism further comprises a fixing member fixedly connected with the guiding block and threadedly connected with an end of the screw rod away from the driving member.
In some embodiments, the lifting device further comprises a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism comprises a rack arranged on the guiding base with a length direction of the rack being parallel to the first direction, and a gear meshed with the rack. The driving member is connected to the gear to drive the gear to rotate.
In some embodiments, the rack and the guiding base are integrally formed.
In some embodiments, the guiding base is defined with a through guiding hole along the second direction, the lifting block is slidably arranged in the guiding hole, and the guiding block is located above the guiding hole.
In some embodiments, the cleaning assembly comprises a lap portion, the lifting mechanism comprises a lifting block lifted up or down relative to the guiding base, the lifting block is defined with a floating hole, and the lap portion is disposed in the floating hole. A diameter of the floating hole along a lifting direction of the lifting block is larger than the length of the lap portion, and the lap portion moves upward along the floating hole upon the cleaning assembly being pushed by an obstacle.
In order to achieve the another object, the present disclosure further provides a cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus comprises a main body, the lifting device for cleaning assembly as described above, and a cleaning assembly. The main body comprises a housing, and the guiding base is arranged on the housing.
In some embodiments, the cleaning assembly comprises a roller brush housing movably connected with the lifting mechanism, a roller brush arranged on the roller brush housing, and a roller brush driving mechanism arranged on the roller brush housing to drive the roller brush to rotate.
In some embodiments, the roller brush housing comprises a lap portion, the lifting mechanism comprises a lifting block which lifts up or down relative to the guiding base, the lifting block is defined with a floating hole, and the lap portion is disposed in the floating hole. A diameter of the floating hole along a lifting direction of the lifting block is larger than the length of the lap portion, and the lap portion moves upward along the floating hole upon the cleaning assembly being pushed by an obstacle.
In the present disclosure, the lifting mechanism of the lifting device can slide up or down on the guiding base by the driving of the driving member, the cleaning assembly is connected with the lifting mechanism, when the lifting mechanism is lifted up or down relative to the guiding base, the cleaning assembly can be driven to lift up or down relative to the housing, such that the cleaning assembly can leave the ground to prevent performing a cleaning to the region where cleaning is not needed. Also, the lifting device for cleaning assembly of the present disclosure has the advantage of simple structure.
According further embodiments, the lifting mechanism 17 may slide with respect to the guiding base 11 when driven by the driving member 12, so that the cleaning assembly 30 may move up or down relative to the housing 21 of the cleaning apparatus 1. As such, the cleaning assembly 30 may move up from ground surface, so as to prevent a roller brush 33 of the cleaning assembly 30 from contacting a region of the ground surface where cleaning is not needed. In addition, the lifting device 10 for the cleaning assembly 30 also has the advantage of a simple structure.
The driving member 12 may be coupled to the lifting mechanism 17 by a transmission mechanism through which the driving member 12 drives the lifting mechanism 17 to slide with respect to the guiding base 11. For example, the transmission mechanism may be a threaded rod connecting the driving member 12 and the lifting mechanism 17. One end of the threaded rod may be fixedly coupled to and rotated by the driving member 12. The lifting mechanism 17 may be screwed onto the threaded rod through the other end of the threaded rod. Thus, when rotated, the threaded rod may cause the lifting mechanism 17 to slide with respect to the guiding base 11.
Alternatively, the driving member 12 may be directly coupled with the lifting mechanism 17 to drive the lifting mechanism 17 to slide with respect to the guiding base 11. For example, the driving member 12 may include a motor having an output shaft provided with a gear assembly. The lifting mechanism 17 is provided with a gear rack that is meshed with the gear assembly. Rotations of the output shaft of the motor may cause the gear assembly to drive the lifting mechanism 17 to slide with respect to the guiding base 11.
Still alternatively, the driving member 12 may cause the lifting mechanism 17 to move with respect to the guiding base 11 through a rope or cord connecting the lifting mechanism 17 and the driving member 12. Still alternatively, the lifting mechanism 17 may include a threaded hole along a vertical direction. Thus, the driving member 12 may be coupled with the lifting mechanism 17 through a threaded rod that matches the threaded hole, so as to drive the lifting mechanism 17 to slide with respect to the guiding base 11. Still alternatively, the output shaft of the driving member 12 may be connected to a cam that is engaged with the lifting mechanism 17. Thus, when rotated by the driving member 12, the cam may drive the lifting mechanism 17 to slide with respect to the guiding base 11.
According to some embodiments, the driving member 12 may also be provided with a magnetic element such as an electromagnet or the like. Thus, the driving member 12 may cause the lifting assembly 17 to move with respect to the guiding base 11 by way of magnetism.
Apart from the embodiments described above, the connection between the driving member 12 and the lifting mechanism 17 may also be realized through other structures as readily appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.
In some embodiments, as shown in
It should be understood that the groove 130 may be disposed on the guiding block 13 or the lifting block 14 in an inclined direction. When moving along the groove 130, the lifting block 14 produces a motion or a displacement in the second direction. The groove 130 may be a straight or a curved groove.
In some embodiments, the driving member 12 drives the guiding block 13 to move along the first direction, thereby changing the location of the groove 130. The groove 130 may then cause the lifting block 14 to slide therein, thereby producing a motion or displacement in the second direction.
It should be understood that, a ball bearing or the like may be provided in the groove 130 to make the lifting block 14 slide smoothly. Alternatively, lubricating oil may be applied to a groove wall of the groove 130, so as to reduce friction and to make the lifting block 14 slide smoothly.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, a sliding bracket (not shown) is provided on a side of the lifting block 14 facing the guiding block 13. The sliding bracket is slidably arranged in the groove 130. Through the relative sliding motion between the sliding bracket and the groove 130, the lifting block 14 is caused to move vertically with respect to the guiding base 11. As a result, the cleaning assembly 30 may be lifted up or dropped down as caused by the motion of the lifting block 14.
In some embodiments as shown in
In some embodiments, the guiding block 13 of the lifting mechanism 17 may be omitted, and the lifting block 14 may be driven directly by the driving member 12.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the transmission mechanism further includes a fixing member 121. The fixing member 121 fixedly connects with the guiding block 13 and includes a threaded hole for receiving an end of the threaded rod 120.
Of course, the transmission mechanism of the present disclosure is not limited to the threaded rod 120. For example, in some other embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the rack 122 and the guiding base 11 are integrally formed, which may further simplify the structure of the lifting device 10.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the cleaning assembly 30 includes a lap portion 31. The lifting block 14 may include an opening or a hole 140. The lap portion 31 of the cleaning assembly 30 may be disposed in the hole 140. Adimension of the hole 140 in the second direction is greater than the dimension of the lap portion 31. As a result, the lap portion 31 is allowed to move up or down within the hole 140. Thus, during cleaning of a surface, when the cleaning assembly 30 is pushed up by an obstacle, the lap portion 31 may move upward while remaining in the hole 140. After the cleaning assembly 30 moves over the obstacle, the cleaning assembly 30 may drop down under its own gravity. As a result, the lap portion 31 may fall down and be seated upon an inner edge of the hole 140. With such a cooperation of the hole 140 and the lap portion 31, the cleaning assembly 30 may realize a self-adaptive floating, which is beneficial for the cleaning assembly 30 when moving over obstacles or uneven ground smoothly.
According to a further embodiment, when the lifting block 14 moves upwards caused by the driving member 12, the lap portion 31 located in the hole 140 may be lifted upward accordingly by the lifting block 14 through the engagement between the lap portion 31 and the inner edge of the hole 140. Thereby, the cleaning assembly 30 may move upward accordingly. When the lifting block 14 moves downwards caused by the driving member 12, the lap portion 31 may lose the support from the lifting block 14 and fall down accordingly. Thus, the cleaning assembly 30 may move down accordingly.
As described above, the lifting device 10 not only allows the cleaning assembly 30 to be lifted up by way of the driving member 12 and the lifting mechanism 17 so as to leave the ground surface when the cleaning assembly 30 is not in use, but also allows self-adaptive floating of the cleaning assembly 30 by way of the engagement between the lap portion 31 and the hole 140. As a result, the cleaning assembly 30 may adapt to the ground conditions in the vertical direction, and the adaptability of the cleaning assembly may be improved.
Referring to
The lifting mechanism 17 of the lifting device 10 may be coupled to slide with respect to the guiding base 11 by way of the driving member 12. The cleaning assembly 30 is engaged with the lifting block 14 of the lifting mechanism 17 through the lap portion 31. When the lifting block 14 moves up or down relative to the guiding base 11, the cleaning assembly 30 may be lifted up or dropped down relative to the housing 21. As a result, the cleaning assembly 30 may be lifted from the ground to prevent contacting with a surface region where cleaning is not needed. Also, the lifting device 10 of the cleaning apparatus 1 of the present disclosure has the advantage of a simple structure.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the roller brush housing 32 includes the lap portion 31. The lifting mechanism includes the lifting block 14, which may be lifted up or dropped down relative to the guiding base 11. The lifting block 14 is configured with a hole 140, and the lap portion 31 extends the hole 140. The hole 140 has a dimension greater than the dimension of the lap portion 31 along the vertical direction. When the cleaning assembly 30 is pushed by an obstacle, the lap portion 31 may be allowed to move upward within the floating hole 140, so that the cleaning assembly 30 may move over the obstacle. After moving over the obstacle, the cleaning assembly 30 may fall downward under its own gravity, causing the lap portion 31 to move downward within the floating hole 140. With such a cooperation of the floating hole 140 and the lap portion 31, the cleaning assembly 30 may realize a self-adaptive floating, which allows the cleaning apparatus 1 to pass over obstacles and travel on an uneven ground smoothly.
When the driving member 12 causes the lifting block 14 to move upward, the lap portion 31, engaged with an inner edge of the floating hole 140, is lifted up by the lifting block 14. Accordingly, the cleaning assembly 30 is caused to move upward. When the driving member 12 causes the lifting block 14 to move downward, the lap portion 31 may lose the support coming from the lifting block 14 and fall downward, causing the cleaning assembly 30 to move downward.
As described above, the driving member 12 and the lifting mechanism 17 described herein may cause the cleaning assembly 30 to be lifted from the ground when a cleaning is not needed. In addition, the lifting mechanism 17 may allow self-adaptive floating of the cleaning assembly 30, through the cooperation of the lap portion 31 and the floating hole 140, according to ground conditions. Therefore, the adaptability of the cleaning assembly 30 is improved.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangement included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202122384246.1 | Sep 2021 | CN | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/CN2022/111661 | Aug 2022 | WO |
Child | 18620761 | US |