A squeegee, a main brush assembly using the squeegee, and a manufacturing method of the squeegee

Abstract

The application discloses a scraping strip, a main brush assembly using the scraping strip and a manufacturing method of the scraping strip. The scraping strip comprises a main body part and a contact part arranged at the edge of the main body part and used for contacting the ground. The main body part is made of a first soft rubber material, and the contact part is made of a second soft rubber material. The hardness of the second soft rubber material is greater than that of the first soft rubber material. The scraping strip according to the application reduces resonance generated between the scraping strip and a hard and smooth ground during cleaning of a robot, reduces noise pollution, increases the service life of the scraping strip and a rolling brush cover, and improves user experience. The main brush assembly according to the application has similar advantages. The manufacturing method of the scraping strip is simple, convenient and low in cost.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of cleaning robots, and more particularly to a wiper strip for a cleaning robot, a main brush assembly applying the wiper strip and a manufacturing method of the wiper strip. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the improvement of living standards and the development of technology, more and more families begin to use cleaning robots. The cleaning module of the existing cleaning robot generally includes an edge brush and a roller brush. The edge brush is located at the edge of the bottom of the cleaning robot, and the roller brush is located at the center of the bottom of the cleaning robot. During the cleaning process, the edge brush sweeps the debris around the cleaning robot to the bottom of the robot, and then mainly sweeps the debris on the ground into the dust box through the roller brush. The roller brush is installed at the opening position of the bottom of the cleaning robot and is further fixed by a roller brush cover. The roller brush cover is provided with an opening for exposing the roller brush and a wiper strip for cooperating with the roller brush to clean. During the cleaning process, the wiper strip is in contact with the ground, and the debris on the ground is swept into the dust box of the cleaning robot by the roller brush.

[0003] Since the wiper strip is in constant contact and friction with the ground, it needs to have good wear resistance, and is generally made of a material with good toughness. However, the wiper strip is generally made of only one kind of material at present, although the material has good toughness, but due to the large friction with the ground, the wiper strip resonates between the machine and the hard and smooth ground, and a continuous noise of "tata" is easily produced on very smooth ground, which causes trouble and inconvenience to the user.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a wiper strip for a cleaning robot, a main brush assembly applying the wiper strip and a manufacturing method of the wiper strip to solve the above-mentioned problems. SUMMARY

[0005] A series of simplified concepts are introduced in the summary section, which will be further described in detail in the specific embodiment section. The summary section of the present application does not mean to attempt to limit the key features and necessary technical features of the claimed technical solution, and does not mean to attempt to determine the protection scope of the claimed technical solution.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present application discloses a wiper strip installed on a cleaning robot, the wiper strip comprising: a main body part and a contact part provided at the edge of the main body part for contacting the ground, the main body part is made of a first soft rubber material, the contact part is made of a second soft rubber material, the hardness of the second soft rubber material is greater than the hardness of the first soft rubber material.

[0007] The squeegee strip for cleaning robot according to the present application, on one hand, the main body part is made of soft rubber material with small hardness, which has good flexibility, can increase the service life, and when the cleaning robot encounters obstacles, the squeegee strip can easily bend backward to pass the obstacles and quickly recover after passing the obstacles; on the other hand, the contact part is made of soft rubber material with large hardness, so as to reduce the friction with the ground (the friction between hard materials is small, and the friction between soft and hard materials is large), thereby reducing the resonance of the squeegee strip between the cleaning robot and the hard and smooth ground, reducing noise pollution, increasing the service life of the squeegee strip and the roller brush cover, and improving the user experience.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present application, the Shore hardness of the first soft rubber material is 60-100, and the Shore hardness of the second soft rubber material is 90-130. In this way, the main body part of the squeegee strip has good flexibility, and the friction of the contact part with the ground is reduced.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present application, the first soft rubber material is TPU481A, and the second soft rubber material is TPU64D. In this way, the main body part of the squeegee strip has relatively good flexibility, and the contact part has relatively high hardness.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, the main body part includes a first inclined part, a second inclined part, and a connecting part connecting the first inclined part and the second inclined part, and the first inclined part and the second inclined part are inclined upward and downward, respectively, with respect to the connecting part. In this way, the squeegee strip is fixed to the roller brush cover through the first inclined part, the ground debris is scraped through the second inclined part, and the first inclined part and the second inclined part are connected through the connecting part, so that the whole squeegee strip structure is simple and easy to use.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present application, the main body part further includes a hook part extending from the edge of the first inclined part and bending inward. In this way, the squeegee strip can be easily installed on the roller brush cover.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present application, the main body part further includes a protruding part arranged on the back of the connecting part. In this way, the squeegee strip can be combined with the roller brush cover.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present application, the width of the contact part is 1.10-1.20 mm. In this way, the contact part of the squeegee strip can reduce the friction with the ground, generate no noise, have a long service life, and the main body part can recover after passing the obstacles.

[0014] The present application also discloses a main brush assembly comprising a roller brush cover and a wiper strip as described above arranged on the roller brush cover, the roller brush cover having an opening for exposing a roller brush, and the wiper strip extending into the opening.

[0015] The main brush assembly according to the present application, due to the wiper strip, reduces resonance between the cleaning robot and hard and smooth ground, reduces noise pollution, increases the service life of the wiper strip and the roller brush cover, and improves user experience.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present application, the roller brush cover comprises a wiper strip support, the wiper strip support comprising an upper support and a lower support, the lower support being provided with a mounting portion for mounting the wiper strip, and the wiper strip being arranged between the lower support and the upper support through the mounting portion. In this way, the wiper strip is clamped by the upper support and the lower support, and the wiper strip is more firmly mounted on the roller brush cover.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present application, the mounting portion comprises an L-shaped base, the L-shaped base comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, a clamping groove for clamping the hook portion of the wiper strip being arranged on the vertical portion of the L-shaped base, and the protruding portion of the wiper strip abutting the outer side of the horizontal portion of the L-shaped base when the wiper strip is mounted on the mounting portion. In this way, the clamping and fixing of the wiper strip support and the wiper strip can be achieved simply and conveniently, and the structure is simple and the effect is good.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present application, a plurality of supporting portions are arranged at intervals on the L-shaped base. In this way, the wiper strip can be well supported, and the wiper strip is more stably and firmly mounted.

[0019] The present application also discloses a method for manufacturing the wiper strip as described above, comprising:

[0020] The first soft glue material and the second soft glue material are respectively introduced into a first feeding pipe and a second feeding pipe;

[0021] The first soft glue material and the second soft glue material are respectively high-temperature melted in the first feeding pipe and the second feeding pipe;

[0022] The melted first soft glue material and the second soft glue material are introduced into an extrusion die to form the wiper strip through extrusion molding;

[0023] The wiper strip is pulled out of the extrusion die and shaped through a shaping clamp;

[0024] The shaped wiper strip is placed in a cooling tank for cooling.

[0025] According to the method for manufacturing the squeegee strip of the present application, the squeegee strip is manufactured through an extrusion molding process, which is simple and convenient and has low cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] The following drawings for embodiments of the present application are hereby incorporated into this disclosure as part of the present application for understanding the present application. The drawings for embodiments of the present application and their description are used to explain the principles of the present application. In the drawings,

[0027] Figure 1 a schematic front perspective view of a cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 a schematic bottom view of the cleaning robot shown in Figure 1

[0029] Figure 3 a schematic perspective view of a squeegee strip according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 4 a partial enlarged view of the squeegee strip shown in Figure 3

[0031] Figure 5 a schematic front perspective view of a main brush assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 6 a schematic back perspective view of the main brush assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 7 a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the main brush assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 8 a schematic perspective view of a roller brush support according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 9 a partial enlarged view of the roller brush support shown in Figure 8

[0036] Figure 10 a flowchart of steps of a method for manufacturing a squeegee strip according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 11 a structural block diagram of an extrusion molding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] ​​​In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the present application. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present application can be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the present application.

[0039] For a thorough understanding of the present application, reference is made to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the application is not limited to the specific details of the implementation described, since the specific implementation is capable of modification. The application is most generally implemented in the manner described below, but the application can also be implemented in other ways.

[0040] As mentioned above, the current cleaning robot has the problem of easy noise generation. The present application proposes a wiper for a cleaning robot, a main brush assembly using the wiper and a manufacturing method of the wiper to solve the problem.

[0041] The structure of the cleaning robot 100 according to the present application is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cleaning robot 100 according to the present application comprises a housing, an operation button and an indicator lamp provided on the front surface of the housing, and a cleaning module provided on the back surface of the housing. The cleaning module comprises a side brush 1 and a roller brush 2. The side brush 1 is located on the side of the bottom of the cleaning robot 100, and the roller brush 2 is located at the center of the bottom of the cleaning robot 100. During the cleaning process, the side brush 1 sweeps the dirt around the cleaning robot 100 to the bottom of the cleaning robot 100, and then the dirt on the ground is mainly swept into the dust box by the roller brush 2. When the roller brush 2 is installed at the opening position of the bottom of the cleaning robot 100, it needs to be further fixed by a roller brush cover 3. The roller brush cover 3 is provided with an opening for exposing the roller brush 2 and a wiper 4 for cooperating with the roller brush 2 to clean. During the cleaning process, the wiper 4 contacts the ground and sweeps the dirt on the ground into the dust box of the cleaning robot 100 by the roller brush 2. It can be understood that the structure of the cleaning robot 100 according to the present application can be any other suitable structure as long as it can be applied to the wiper and the main brush assembly using the wiper according to the present application.

[0042] Hereinafter, the wiper, the main brush assembly and the manufacturing method of the wiper according to the present application will be described with reference to Figures 3-11

[0043] As shown in Figure 3 One aspect of the present application discloses a wiper 4 for a cleaning robot, which comprises a main body part 40 and a contact part 41 provided at the edge of the main body part 40 for contacting the ground. The main body part 40 is made of a first soft rubber material, and the contact part 41 is made of a second soft rubber material. The hardness of the second soft rubber material is greater than that of the first soft rubber material. ​

[0044] The first and second soft rubber materials can be various types of soft rubber materials. In this embodiment, for example, the first soft rubber material is TPU481A and the second soft rubber material is TPU64D. TPU refers to thermoplastic polyurethane material, and 481A and 64D are its model numbers. TPU481A has a Shore hardness of 80, and TPU64D has a Shore hardness of 110. TPU481A has good flexibility and minimal deformation during long-term use. Using TPU481A to make the main body 40 not only increases the service life of the main body 40, but also makes it easier for the scraper to bend backward when the cleaning robot encounters obstacles, thus helping the cleaning robot 100 to overcome obstacles, and it can quickly recover after overcoming obstacles. TPU64D is the hardest and most producible soft rubber material. Using TPU64D to make the contact part makes the contact part 41 of the scraper blade in contact with the ground relatively hard, so as to reduce friction with the ground (the friction between hard materials is small, while the friction between soft and hard materials is large). This reduces the resonance generated between the scraper blade 4 and the hard, smooth ground, reduces noise pollution, and improves the user experience.

[0045] It is understood that the first soft rubber material is not limited to TPU481A, and the second soft rubber material is not limited to TPU64D, as long as the soft rubber material used can give the main body good toughness and the contact part relatively high hardness. For example, the first soft rubber material can be used to make the main body 40 as long as its Shore hardness is 60 to 100, and similarly, the second soft rubber material can be used to make the contact part 41 as long as its Shore hardness is 90 to 130.

[0046] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the main body 40 of the scraper 4 includes a first inclined portion 42, a second inclined portion 43, and a connecting portion 44 connecting the first inclined portion 42 and the second inclined portion 43. An inwardly extending and bent hook portion 45 is formed on the edge of the first inclined portion 42, and a protrusion 46 is formed on the back of the connecting portion 44. The first inclined portion 42 and the second inclined portion 43 are inclined upward and downward respectively relative to the connecting portion 44.

[0047] The first inclined portion 42, the second inclined portion 43, the connecting portion 44, and the protrusion 46 are generally plate-shaped. The hook portion 45 extends from the edge of the first inclined portion 42 and inwards. The contact portion 41 is provided on the edge of the second inclined portion 43, and some of the contact portions 41 that contact the ground have smooth curved surfaces.

[0048] The scraping strip of the present embodiment is engaged and fixed with the rolling brush cover through the first inclined portion 42, the curved hook portion 45 and the protruding portion 46 (to be described later), and is used to scrape the ground dirt through the second inclined portion 43 and the contact portion 41, and reduce the friction with the ground and the noise.

[0049] Further, in the present embodiment, the width of the contact portion 41 is optimized, for example, the width of the contact portion 41 is 1.10mm-1.20mm. For example, the width of the contact portion 41 is 1.16mm. Here, the width of the contact portion 41 refers to the distance of the contact portion 41 extending from the second inclined portion 43. The width of the contact portion 41 must be kept within a suitable range, neither too wide nor too narrow, which can be obtained by relatively optimal values through various tests such as the cleaning performance of the cleaning robot, reliability life test, whether there is noise on the smooth ground, whether the scraping strip cannot be restored during the cleaning process, etc.

[0050] Another aspect of the present application also discloses a main brush assembly 5, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 The main brush assembly 5 includes a rolling brush cover 3 and a scraping strip 4 according to the embodiment of the present application arranged on the rolling brush cover 3, the rolling brush cover 3 has an opening 6 for exposing the rolling brush, and the scraping strip 4 extends into the opening 6. The rolling brush cover 3 is used to further fix the rolling brush 2 as described above, and the scraping strip 4 is used to contact the ground and cooperate with the rolling brush 2 to sweep the dirt into the dust box. In addition, in order to prevent the rolling brush 2 from falling off, a cross beam 7 is arranged on the rolling brush cover 3 to span the opening 6, and the rolling brush 2 can be further fixed through the cross beam 7.

[0051] Further, Figures 7-9 In the present embodiment, in order to install the scraping strip 4 on the rolling brush cover 3, a scraping strip bracket 30 is arranged on the rolling brush cover 3, the scraping strip bracket 30 includes an upper bracket 31 and a lower bracket 32, and the lower bracket 32 is provided with a mounting portion 33 for mounting the scraping strip 4, and the scraping strip 4 is arranged between the lower bracket 32 and the upper bracket 31 through the mounting portion 33. The scraping strip 4 can be more firmly installed on the rolling brush cover 3 by clamping the scraping strip 4 through the upper bracket 31 and the lower bracket 32.

[0052] For example, in the present embodiment, as shown in Figure 9 The mounting portion 33 includes an L-shaped base, the L-shaped base includes a horizontal portion 34 and a vertical portion 35, a clamping groove 36 for clamping the curved hook portion 45 of the scraping strip 4 is arranged on the vertical portion 35 of the L-shaped base, and a plurality of support portions 37 are arranged on the horizontal portion 34 of the L-shaped base. The support portion 37 is in the shape of a triangular pyramid.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 7In the embodiment, the first inclined portion 42 of the wiper strip 4 is arranged on the L-shaped base of the mounting portion 33, and the bent hook portion 45 extends into the clamping groove 36, and the protruding portion 46 abuts against the outer side of the horizontal portion 34 of the L-shaped base, and the clamping and fixing of the wiper strip support 30 and the wiper strip 4 is achieved by the mutual clamping of the bent hook portion 45 and the protruding portion 46 and the L-shaped base, which is simple in structure and good in effect, and the mounting of the wiper strip 4 is more stable and firm by the support of the first inclined portion 42 by the support portion 37.

[0054] According to the main brush assembly 5 of the present application, since the wiper strip 4 is provided, the resonance of the wiper strip 4 between the cleaning robot and the hard and smooth ground is reduced, the noise pollution is reduced, the service life of the wiper strip 4 and the roller brush cover 3 is increased, and the user experience is improved.

[0055] In another aspect of the present application, a method for manufacturing the wiper strip 4 is also disclosed, and the wiper strip 4 is manufactured by using an extrusion molding process in the present application. The method for manufacturing the wiper strip 4 will be described below in combination with Figure 10 and Figure 11 The method for manufacturing the wiper strip 4 according to the present application will be described. In the method, Figure 10 is a step flow chart of the method for manufacturing the wiper strip 4 according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 11 is a structure block diagram of an extrusion molding equipment according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0056] As Figure 10 shown, the method for manufacturing the wiper strip 4 disclosed in the embodiment includes:

[0057] In step S101, the first soft glue material and the second soft glue material are respectively introduced into the first feeding pipe 1001 and the second feeding pipe 1002.

[0058] Exemplarily, in the embodiment, the first soft glue material is TPU481A, and the second soft glue material is TPU64D, so that TPU481A and TPU64D are respectively introduced into the first feeding pipe 1001 and the second feeding pipe 1002 in step S101.

[0059] In step S102, the first soft glue material and the second soft glue material are respectively melted at high temperature in the first feeding pipe 1001 and the second feeding pipe 1002.

[0060] Specifically, first, the TPU481A and the TPU64D are respectively introduced into the first feeding pipe 1001 and the second feeding pipe 1002 corresponding respectively, and the first feeding pipe 1001 and the second feeding pipe 1002 can realize the heating of the first soft glue material and the second soft glue material through the heating device. For example, in the embodiment, the first and second feeding pipes can be divided into several areas, for example, can be divided into a first area, a second area, a third area, and a fourth area respectively, and the first soft glue material and the second soft glue material flow into the first area, the second area, the third area, and the fourth area of the first feeding pipe 1001 and the second feeding pipe 1002 corresponding respectively. In the embodiment, the temperature of the first area, the second area, the third area, and the fourth area of the different feeding pipes is 170℃, 214℃, 200℃, and 195℃ respectively, and the temperature of each area is adjusted up and down by 5℃. By heating the TPU481A and the TPU64D in different feeding pipes, the TPU481A and the TPU64D are high-temperature melted.

[0061] In step S103, the melted first soft glue material and the second soft glue material are introduced into the extrusion die 1003 to form the wiper strip 4 by extrusion molding.

[0062] After the TPU481A and the TPU64D are high-temperature melted in the first feeding pipe 1001 and the second feeding pipe 1002 respectively, the melted TPU481A and the TPU64D are introduced into the extrusion die 1003, and the wiper strip described above is formed by the extrusion molding process. The shape structure of the extrusion die 1003 corresponds to the shape structure of the wiper strip 4. For example, the temperature of the extrusion die 1003 is 200℃, and the temperature is adjusted up and down by 5℃.

[0063] In step S104, the wiper strip is pulled out of the extrusion die 1003 and shaped by the shaping clamp 1004.

[0064] After the TPU481A and the TPU64D are extrusion molded in the extrusion die 1003, the wiper strip is pulled out of the extrusion die 1003 and shaped by the shaping clamp 1004 to fix the shape and form the designed wiper strip 4.

[0065] In step S105, the shaped wiper strip 4 is placed in the cooling tank 1005 for cooling.

[0066] After the wiper strip 4 is shaped, it is placed in the cooling tank 1005 for cooling. For example, in the embodiment, the water temperature in the cooling tank 1005 is 20℃, and the water temperature is adjusted up and down by 5℃.

[0067] Further, the wiper strip cooled in the cooling tank 1005 can also be gradually introduced into the cooling pool 1006 for further cooling.

[0068] Further, the derived squeegee 4 can be cut to the actual required size to fit the main brush cover of different sizes.

[0069] According to the method for manufacturing the squeegee, the squeegee is manufactured by the extrusion molding process, which is simple and convenient and has low cost.

[0070] Unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising", or "includes" and / or "including" when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the term "if' can mean "when" or "upon" or "before" or "in response to" or "when (if) a condition is met. As used herein, the term "plurality" means two or more. As used herein, the term "coupled" means directly or indirectly connected, linked or associated, whether electrically, mechanically or chemically.

[0071] The application has been described through the above embodiments, but it should be understood that the above embodiments are only for the purpose of example and illustration, and are not intended to limit the application to the scope of the described embodiments. Those skilled in the art can understand that more variations and modifications can be made according to the teachings of the present application, and these variations and modifications all fall within the scope of the application claimed.

Claims

1. A main brush component, characterized in that, include: A roller brush cover having an opening for exposing a roller brush, the roller brush cover including a scraper support, the scraper support including an upper support and a lower support; as well as A scraper, mounted on a cleaning robot, is disposed on the roller brush cover and extends into the opening. The scraper includes a main body and a contact portion disposed at the edge of the main body for contact with the ground. The main body is made of a first soft rubber material, and the contact portion is made of a second soft rubber material, the second soft rubber material being harder than the first soft rubber material. The main body includes protrusions. The lower support is provided with a mounting part for mounting the scraper. The scraper is disposed between the lower support and the upper support through the mounting part. The mounting part includes an L-shaped base, the L-shaped base includes a horizontal portion, and the protrusion of the scraper abuts against the outer side of the horizontal portion of the L-shaped base when the scraper is mounted on the mounting part.

2. The main brush component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Shore hardness of the first soft rubber material is 60~100, and the Shore hardness of the second soft rubber material is 90~130.

3. The main brush component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first soft adhesive material is TPU481A, and the second soft adhesive material is TPU 64D.

4. The main brush assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The main body includes a first inclined portion, a second inclined portion, and a connecting portion connecting the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion, wherein the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion are inclined upward and downward respectively relative to the connecting portion.

5. The main brush component according to claim 4, characterized in that, The main body also includes a hook portion that extends from the edge of the first inclined portion and bends inward.

6. The main brush component according to claim 4, characterized in that, The protrusion is located on the back of the connector.

7. The main brush component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the contact portion is 1.10mm to 1.20mm.

8. The main brush assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The L-shaped base includes a vertical portion, and the vertical portion of the L-shaped base is provided with a groove for engaging with the hook portion of the scraper.

9. The main brush assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, Multiple support portions are spaced apart on the L-shaped base.

10. A method for manufacturing a scraper blade as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The scraper includes a main body and a contact portion disposed at the edge of the main body for contacting the ground. The main body is made of a first soft rubber material, and the contact portion is made of a second soft rubber material. The hardness of the second soft rubber material is greater than that of the first soft rubber material. The method includes: The first soft rubber material and the second soft rubber material are respectively introduced into the first feed pipe and the second feed pipe; The first soft rubber material and the second soft rubber material are melted at high temperature in the first feed pipe and the second feed pipe, respectively. The melted first and second soft rubber materials are introduced into an extrusion mold and extruded to form the scraper strip. The scraper is pulled out of the extrusion die and shaped by a shaping fixture; The shaped scraper is placed in a cooling tank for cooling.

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