Robots, robot systems, dust box and control method

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a kind of robot, robot system, dust box and control method.Therein, the robot includes: body, is equipped with suction port and dust box on it, the suction port is communicated with the dust box;The dust box is equipped with multiple dust discharging ports and dust inlet communicated with the suction port on it;Wherein, the body is in the first working mode, the multiple dust discharging ports are all closed, and the material on the surface where the body is collected to the dust box through the suction port;The body is in the second working mode, and the multiple dust discharging ports work cooperatively to discharge the storage in the dust box under the action of suction airflow.The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application can effectively reduce the residual amount of dust in the dust box.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of robots, and in particular to a robot, a robot system, a dust box and a control method. BACKGROUND

[0002] A floor treatment robot (e.g., a sweeping robot) can automatically move on a floor while sucking dust and loose debris and other debris on the floor through an air duct into a dust box of the robot to clean the area where the robot travels. The robot is fully developed and widely used due to its convenience.

[0003] To avoid frequent dust dumping by a user, a large-sized dust collector and a suction unit are added to a charging base matched with the robot. When the cleaning robot returns to the charging base for charging, the suction unit sucks the dust in the dust box of the robot into the dust collector of the charging base, which is also called dust dumping. It is found that some dust is still left in the dust box of the robot after the dust dumping. SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a robot, a robot system, a dust box and a control method capable of solving or partially solving the problems in the prior art.

[0005] In an embodiment of the present application, a robot is provided. The robot comprises:

[0006] a body, provided with a suction port and a dust box, the suction port being in communication with the dust box;

[0007] the dust box, provided with a plurality of dust discharge ports and a dust inlet port in communication with the suction port;

[0008] wherein, in a first working mode, the plurality of dust discharge ports are all closed, and the material on the surface where the body is located is collected into the dust box through the suction port;

[0009] in a second working mode, the plurality of dust discharge ports work cooperatively to discharge the stored material in the dust box under the action of a suction airflow.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present application, a robot system is provided. The robot system comprises a robot and a base; wherein,

[0011] the robot comprises:

[0012] a body, provided with a suction port and a dust box; the suction port being in communication with the dust box;

[0013] the dust box, provided with a plurality of dust discharge ports and a dust inlet port in communication with the suction port;

[0014] the base comprises a dust collecting chamber and a vacuum source;

[0015] The machine body is in a first working mode, and the plurality of dust outlets are closed, and the material on the surface where the machine body is located is collected into the dust box through the suction port;

[0016] The machine body is in a second working mode, and the machine body is docked with the base, and the plurality of dust outlets work cooperatively to discharge the stored material in the dust box to the dust collection chamber under the action of the suction airflow generated by the vacuum source.

[0017] In another embodiment of the present application, a dust box applied to a cleaning device is provided. The dust box comprises a dust inlet. The dust box is also provided with two dust outlets, i.e., a first dust outlet and a second dust outlet, and the first dust outlet and the second dust outlet are respectively distributed on the two sides of the dust inlet.

[0018] In another embodiment of the present application, a robot control method is provided. The method comprises:

[0019] In the first working mode, a set action is performed to collect the material on the surface where the robot is located into the dust box;

[0020] In the case that the amount of stored material in the dust box of the robot meets the dumping condition, the second working mode is switched to;

[0021] In the second working mode, the plurality of dust outlets on the dust box are controlled to work cooperatively to discharge the stored material in the dust box under the action of the suction airflow.

[0022] In another embodiment of the present application, a base control method is provided. The method comprises:

[0023] After detecting that the robot completes the docking action, the cooperative working mode of the plurality of dust outlets on the dust box of the robot is determined;

[0024] Based on the cooperative working mode, the suction force generated by the vacuum source is controlled, so that the stored material in the dust box is discharged to the dust collection chamber through the plurality of dust outlets working cooperatively under the action of the suction airflow generated by the vacuum source.

[0025] The technical scheme provided by the embodiments of the present application can effectively reduce the residual amount of dust in the dust box by arranging a plurality of dust outlets on the dust box, and the plurality of dust outlets work cooperatively to discharge the stored material in the dust box under the action of the suction airflow when the machine body is in the second working mode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the accompanying drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without any creative effort based on these drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 The internal airflow schematic diagram of the existing dust box during dust discharging process;

[0028] Figure 2 The structural schematic diagram of the robot provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 3 The schematic diagram of a realizable structure of the dust box provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 4 The Figure 3 The top view of the schematic diagram shown in the figure;

[0031] Figure 5 The internal airflow schematic diagram of the dust box after two dust discharging ports are arranged on the dust box according to the scheme provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 6 The schematic diagram of two dust discharging ports arranged above the dust inlet;

[0033] Figure 7 The schematic diagram of two dust discharging ports arranged above and below the dust inlet respectively;

[0034] Figure 8 The schematic diagram of the dust discharging port arranged on the side;

[0035] Figure 9 The schematic diagram of the dust discharging port with a concave structure;

[0036] Figure 10 The structural schematic diagram of the sealing device;

[0037] Figure 11 The structural schematic diagram of the robot system;

[0038] Figure 12 The flow schematic diagram of the robot control method provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0039] Figure 13 The flow schematic diagram of the base control method provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The robot, such as a sweeping robot, its automatic ash device is to drive the movement of dust and other media by wind field, and the dust and other media in the dust box of the robot is discharged from the dust box. At present, the dust discharge of the dust box is single outlet, that is, only one dust discharge port is arranged on the dust box. The single dust discharge port, in the dust discharge process, the vortex is generated in the dust box internal wind field, and the vortex is the main gathering place of dust; the dust remaining in the vortex cannot be discharged from the dust box. Referring to Figure 1 The airflow analysis diagram shown in the figure shows that part of the dust will rotate at the vortex formed at the area 1 of the dust box, causing retention. Therefore, after the robot is inverted and dusted, some dust will always remain in the dust box, which cannot be completely discharged.

[0041] Therefore, the present application provides the following embodiments to solve or improve the problems existing in the prior art. In order to enable personnel skilled in the art to better understand the present application scheme, the technical solutions in the present application embodiments will be described clearly and completely in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings in the present application embodiments.

[0042] In some of the processes described in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of the present application, a plurality of operations are included which occur in a specific order, and these operations can be executed or performed in parallel or in the order in which they appear in this text. The serial numbers of the operations, such as 101, 102, etc., are only used to distinguish different operations, and the serial numbers themselves do not represent any execution order. In addition, these processes can include more or fewer operations, and the operations can be executed in sequence or in parallel. It should be noted that the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. in this text are used to distinguish different messages, devices, modules, etc., and do not represent the order of sequence, nor do "first" and "second" represent different types. In addition, the following embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0043] Figure 2 The structure of the robot provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 3 The schematic diagram of one possible structure of the dust box provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown. As Figure 2 As shown, the robot includes a body 2. The body 2 is provided with a suction port 3 and a dust box 4; the suction port 3 communicates with the dust box 4. As Figure 3As shown, the dust box 4 is provided with multiple dust discharge ports 6 and a dust inlet 5 connected to the suction port 3. The robot body 2 may include at least two working modes. In the first working mode, all the multiple dust discharge ports 6 are closed, and the material on the surface of the body 2 is collected into the dust box 4 through the suction port 3. In the second working mode, the multiple dust discharge ports 6 work together to discharge the stored material in the dust box 4 under the action of suction airflow. It should be noted that the suction force that forms the suction airflow is generated by a vacuum source on the robot or its base.

[0044] The technical solution provided in this embodiment provides multiple dust discharge ports on the dust box. When the machine is in the second working mode, the multiple dust discharge ports work together to discharge the stored contents in the dust box under the action of suction airflow. Compared with the existing single dust discharge port, it can effectively reduce the amount of dust residue in the dust box.

[0045] Figure 3 The illustration shows an example with two dust discharge ports on the dust box; in actual implementation, the dust box may also have three or more ports, depending on the actual size of the dust box, the structure of the dust box, and specific requirements in the actual design.

[0046] Taking a dust box with two ash discharge ports as an example, these two ash discharge ports are the first ash discharge port 61 and the second ash discharge port 62, which are respectively distributed on both sides of the ash inlet 5. Figure 3 As shown. The first ash discharge port 61 and the second ash discharge port 62 are set at... Figure 3 The position shown is along the length of the dust box. Figure 3 The two ends in the y-direction. See also Figure 4 As shown, Figure 5 The diagram shows the airflow analysis within the dust box 4 when the first row of ash inlets 61 and the second row of ash inlets 62 are simultaneously open. Figure 5 As can be seen, in the second working mode, the first ash discharge port 61 and the second ash discharge port 62 of the machine body 2 are simultaneously open. The suction airflow flows from the ash inlet 5 into the dust box 4 and then disperses, forming a multi-directional airflow from the ash inlet 5 to the first ash discharge port 61 and the second ash discharge port 62 respectively. This allows the contents of the dust box 4 to be discharged through the first ash discharge port 61 and the second ash discharge port 62 under the action of the suction airflow. Therefore, compared with a single ash discharge port, having the first ash discharge port 61 and the second ash discharge port 62 open simultaneously is more conducive to improving the robot's ash removal efficiency and reducing the amount of residual dust in the dust box.

[0047] Typically, dust boxes have airflow vortex areas; for example, airflow vortices tend to form in the areas near the side walls on both sides of the dust inlet. Figure 1The region 1 is shown. In order to better understand the air flow vortex region, one dust outlet can be arranged preferentially. In the dust discharging mode, the region where the dust box is prone to residual dust is generally the air flow vortex region. Obviously, the dust discharging efficiency of the dust box can be improved and the dust residue can be reduced by additionally arranging the dust outlet in the air flow vortex region. In the above example of arranging two dust outlets, the dust box has an air flow vortex region, and the first dust outlet or the second dust outlet is arranged in the air flow vortex region.

[0048] In a specific implementation example, as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the dust box 5 is a face-symmetrical structure. The part where the symmetrical plane 50 of the dust box 5 is located is the middle part. The dust inlet 5 is arranged in the middle part. The first dust outlet 61 and the second dust outlet 62 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the symmetrical plane 50. In this embodiment, two dust outlets are arranged symmetrically in the dust box, and the vortex is dispersed to the dust outlet. That is, the dust outlet is arranged in the region where the air flow vortex is easily formed in the dust box. The problem of incomplete dust discharging existing in the prior art can be effectively solved or improved. At the same time, the symmetrical arrangement also has an aesthetic effect.

[0049] In a realizable technical solution, the first dust outlet 61 and the second dust outlet 62 are simultaneously located below the dust inlet 5, as shown in Figure 3 . Alternatively, as shown in Figure 6 , the first dust outlet 61 and the second dust outlet 62 are simultaneously located above the dust inlet 5. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7 , one of the first dust outlet and the second dust outlet is located above the dust inlet, and the other is located below the dust inlet.

[0050] Further, as shown in Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the dust box 5 is a hexahedral structure. The hexahedral structure includes: a top surface 51, a bottom surface 52, and four side surfaces connecting the top surface 51 and the bottom surface 52. Among them, the four side surfaces include: opposite first and second side surfaces (not numbered in the figure), and opposite third and fourth side surfaces 53 and 54. In specific implementation, the dust inlet 5 can be arranged on the first side surface 55 or the second side surface; the first dust outlet 61 can be arranged on the bottom surface 52 or the third side surface 53; and the second dust outlet 62 is arranged on the bottom surface 52 or the fourth side surface 54.

[0051] Figure 8 A structure schematic view of a dust outlet arranged on the side surface of the dust box is shown. Referring to Figure 8 , the second dust outlet 62 is arranged on the fourth side surface 54. Alternatively, the dust outlet is an inner recess structure, as shown in Figure 9 .

[0052] Furthermore, each of the plurality of ash discharge ports is equipped with a sealing device. In the first operating mode, the sealing device blocks the ash discharge port; in the second operating mode, a vacuum is formed on one side of the ash discharge port, and when the pressure difference created by the vacuum acts on the sealing device to meet a first preset condition, the sealing device actuates to open the ash discharge port.

[0053] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a specific implementation of the sealing device is shown. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the sealing device includes a sealing door 71, a rotating shaft 73, and a torsion spring 72. The rotating shaft 73 is located at the edge of the ash discharge port, and the torsion spring 72 is sleeved on the rotating shaft 73. One end of the torsion spring is connected to the sealing door 71, and the other end is fixed. The initial installation angle of the torsion spring 72 forms an initial torque to keep the sealing door closed in the normal state. During ash discharge, a certain vacuum is formed in the ash discharge channel (i.e., one side of the dust box 4). When the force formed by the vacuum is greater than the torque of the torsion spring 72, the sealing door 71 opens, and the ash discharge channel can discharge ash smoothly. Additionally, during ash discharge, the multiple ash discharge ports of the dust box will mate with the interfaces on the base. The interfaces of the base can be covered with soft rubber, which provides good airtightness.

[0054] In another feasible technical solution, the robot further includes: multiple closed doors, a drive device, and a first controller. The multiple closed doors are used to respectively close or open the multiple ash discharge ports; the drive device is used to provide actuation power to the multiple closed doors; the first controller, connected to the drive device, is used to control the drive device to output corresponding driving force to drive the multiple closed doors to work collaboratively when the robot is in a second working mode.

[0055] In practice, the drive device can be implemented using a motor and a transmission assembly. The motor outputs power, and the transmission assembly drives the corresponding closed door to move under the drive of the motor, so as to achieve the coordinated operation of multiple ash discharge ports.

[0056] Multiple ash discharge ports can operate in the following collaborative modes:

[0057] Method 1: Simultaneous Open Mode

[0058] The body is in the second working mode, and the plurality of dust outlets are opened at the same time. Taking two dust outlets as an example, the first dust outlet and the second dust outlet are opened at the same time. The dust removal efficiency is high when the dust outlets are opened at the same time. However, if the output power of the power source (such as a vacuum source on the base that provides charging function for the robot) generating the suction airflow is the same as that when there is a single dust outlet, the flow rate of the suction airflow in the dust box will decrease, which is not conducive to the discharge of large particles of solids. In this case, a high-power power source needs to be configured to increase the flow rate of the suction airflow in the dust box.

[0059] Mode two, switching the opened dust outlet mode

[0060] The body is in the second working mode, and a part of the plurality of dust outlets are opened. When the second preset condition is met, the opened dust outlets are closed and another part of the plurality of dust outlets are opened. Taking two dust outlets as an example, the switching of the opened dust outlet mode can be simply understood as follows: when the first dust outlet is opened for dust removal, the second dust outlet is closed; when the first dust outlet is closed, the second dust outlet is opened for dust removal.

[0061] In specific implementation, time can be used as the basis for determining whether to switch. For example, after the first dust outlet is opened for a first preset time, the first dust outlet is closed, and the switching to the opening of the second dust outlet is performed. Alternatively, the residual amount of the stored material in the dust box can be used as the basis for determining whether to switch. For example, a sensor is arranged on the body to detect the amount of stored material in the dust box. When the residual amount of the stored material in the dust box is lower than a first preset amount based on the real-time sensing signal of the sensor, the first dust outlet is closed, and the switching to the opening of the second dust outlet is performed.

[0062] Compared with mode one, the dust removal efficiency of mode two is low, but a high-power power source does not need to be configured.

[0063] Mode three, dynamically increasing the opened dust outlet mode

[0064] The body is in the second working mode, and a part of the plurality of dust outlets are opened. When the third preset condition is met, another part of the plurality of dust outlets are opened. Taking two dust outlets as an example, the dynamically increasing of the opened dust outlet mode can be simply understood as follows: the first dust outlet is opened first, and the second dust outlet is opened when the condition is met.

[0065] The condition met can be whether the opening time of the first dust outlet reaches a second preset time, or whether the residual amount of the stored material in the dust box is lower than a second preset amount, and the like.

[0066] It should be noted that the first preset time, the second preset time, the first preset amount, and the second preset amount can be obtained based on experience or through experiments, calculations, and the like. The specific values of the first preset time, the second preset time, the first preset amount, and the second preset amount are not limited in the embodiment.

[0067] Figure 11 A structural schematic diagram of a robot system provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown. As shown in the diagram, the robot system comprises a robot and a base. The robot comprises a body 2. The body 2 is provided with a suction port 3 and a dust box 4. The suction port 3 is in communication with the dust box 4. The dust box 4 is provided with a plurality of dust discharge ports 6 and a dust inlet port 5 in communication with the suction port 3. The base 8 comprises a dust collecting chamber 9 and a vacuum source (not shown in the diagram). In a first working mode, the plurality of dust discharge ports 6 are all closed, and the body 2 collects substances on a surface on which the body 2 is located into the dust box 4 through the suction port 3. In a second working mode, the body 2 is docked with the base 8, and the plurality of dust discharge ports 6 work cooperatively to discharge the stored substances in the dust box 4 to the dust collecting chamber 9 under the action of a suction airflow generated by the vacuum source. In a specific implementation, the base 8 can be provided with one or more docking interfaces to dock with the dust discharge ports. For example, when the plurality of dust discharge ports 6 on the dust box are gathered into one discharge port at the bottom of the robot, the discharge port can be docked with one docking interface provided on the base. When the plurality of dust discharge ports 6 on the dust box are respectively corresponding to a plurality of discharge ports at the bottom of the robot, each discharge port can be respectively docked with a docking interface at a docking position on the base.

[0068] It should be noted that the robot in the embodiment can be implemented by using the technical solutions provided in the above embodiments, and the specific implementation structure can be referred to the above embodiments, which will not be described herein.

[0069] Further, the base 8 can further comprise:

[0070] A second controller connected with the vacuum source, configured to control the vacuum source to generate a suction force adapted to a cooperative working mode of the plurality of dust discharge ports 6.

[0071] The cooperative working mode comprises at least one of a plurality of dust discharge ports simultaneously open mode, a switched open dust discharge port mode and a dynamically increased open dust discharge port mode. The content of each mode can be referred to the corresponding content in the above embodiments, which will not be described herein.

[0072] In a specific implementation, the diameter of the dust discharge port is correspondingly set to the diameter of the suction end of the vacuum source. The suction end (or the docking interface) can be covered with soft rubber to have better air tightness after docking.

[0073] For the sweeper robot, the first working mode is the cleaning mode, and the second working mode is the dust discharging mode. In the cleaning mode, the rechargeable battery in the robot body serves as the energy source to provide energy for the driving unit and the controller. Through the energy supply of the rechargeable battery, the driving unit drives the robot body to move on the ground to be treated, and the dust particles on the ground to be treated enter the dust box through the suction port. During cleaning, the sensor arranged on the robot can detect the amount of dust and debris accumulated in the dust box, and the detected data is transmitted to the controller. In operation, the controller determines whether the amount of dust and debris accumulated in the dust box exceeds the standard value according to the data.

[0074] When it is determined in operation that the amount of dust and debris accumulated in the dust box exceeds the standard value, the robot stops the automatic cleaning operation and moves towards the base until it moves to the base and completes the docking with the base.

[0075] In the dust discharging mode, the dust discharging ports at the bottom of the robot are connected to the suction channels of the dust collecting box in the base. When the robot returns to the base for charging, the charging battery of the robot body is successfully docked with the charging electrode of the charging seat. After the suction channels of the base are connected to the dust discharging ports of the robot body, the robot enters the charging and dust discharging mode, and the vacuum source in the base starts to work. Under the suction force of the vacuum source, air enters the dust box from the dust inlet, and the airflow passes through the dust box in the robot body, carrying the dust particles in the dust box together to flow out through the air duct into the suction channel of the base, and finally into the dust collecting box of the base.

[0076] The user can set the cooperative working mode of multiple dust discharging ports of the robot in the dust discharging mode through a client application (such as a mobile phone APP) or an operation panel on the robot, etc. For example, the user completes the setting of the cooperative working mode through the cooperative working mode selection control on the client interface. Alternatively, the user completes the setting of the cooperative working mode by touching the control corresponding to the corresponding mode on the operation panel.

[0077] After the setting is completed, the controller of the robot controls multiple dust discharging ports to work according to the pre-set cooperative working mode in the dust discharging mode, such as being opened at the same time, or being opened in parts first and then being opened in another part, or being opened in parts first and then being switched to another part to be opened, etc.

[0078] For the base, corresponding to different cooperative working modes, the base can control the vacuum source to generate a suction force of a corresponding size. For example, if the cooperative working mode is the mode of simultaneously opening multiple dust discharging ports, the vacuum source is controlled to work at a high power to generate a larger suction force; if the cooperative working mode is the mode of switching the opened dust discharging ports, the vacuum source is controlled to work at a low power.

[0079] Figure 12A flowchart of a robot control method provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown. The execution subject of the method provided by the embodiment can be a controller of a robot. Specifically, as shown in Figure 12 The robot control method includes the following steps.

[0080] 101. In the first working mode, a set action is performed to collect a substance on a surface where the robot is to a dust box.

[0081] 102. In the case where the amount of stored substance in the dust box of the robot meets the dumping condition, the second working mode is switched to.

[0082] 103. In the second working mode, the multiple dust outlets on the dust box are controlled to work cooperatively to discharge the stored substance in the dust box under the action of a suction air flow.

[0083] In 102, the amount of stored substance in the dust box of the robot meeting the dumping condition can be determined based on a sensing signal sent by a sensor. It should be noted that the base also has the function of charging the robot. Therefore, it is possible that the robot is docked with the base when it needs to be charged, and at this time, the amount of stored substance in the dust box does not meet the dumping condition, and the second working mode can also be switched to.

[0084] In 103, the step of "controlling the multiple dust outlets on the dust box to work cooperatively to discharge the stored substance in the dust box under the action of a suction air flow" can be implemented by the following steps:

[0085] 1031. The multiple dust outlets are controlled to be opened at the same time; or

[0086] 1032. A part of the multiple dust outlets are opened; when a second preset condition is met, the opened dust outlets are closed and another part of the multiple dust outlets are opened to switch the opened dust outlets; or

[0087] 1033. A part of the multiple dust outlets are opened; when a third preset condition is met, another part of the multiple dust outlets are opened to dynamically increase the opened dust outlets.

[0088] In 1032, "a part of the multiple dust outlets are opened; when a second preset condition is met, the opened dust outlets are closed and another part of the multiple dust outlets are opened", which can be specifically implemented by the following steps:

[0089] A part of the multiple dust outlets are opened; when the opening duration of the opened dust outlets is greater than a first preset duration, the opened dust outlets are closed and another part of the multiple dust outlets are opened; or

[0090] A part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open, and another part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open when a third preset condition is met.

[0091] The above 1033 "a part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open, and another part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open when a third preset condition is met" can be specifically:

[0092] A part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open, and another part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open when the open duration of the open dust discharge ports is greater than a second preset duration; or

[0093] A part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open, and another part of the plurality of dust discharge ports are open when the sensing signal sent by the sensor judges that the storage amount in the dust box is lower than a second preset amount.

[0094] Figure 13 A flowchart of a base control method provided by an embodiment of the application is shown. The execution subject of the method provided by the embodiment can be a controller of the base. Specifically, the method comprises:

[0095] 201, after detecting that the robot completes the docking action, determining a cooperative working mode of a plurality of dust discharge ports on a dust box of the robot.

[0096] 202, based on the cooperative working mode, controlling the suction force generated by the vacuum source, so that the storage in the dust box is discharged to the dust collection chamber through the cooperatively working plurality of dust discharge ports under the action of the suction airflow generated by the vacuum source.

[0097] The cooperative working mode includes at least one of a plurality of dust discharge ports simultaneously open mode, a switching open dust discharge port mode, and a dynamically increasing open dust discharge port mode. Correspondingly, the above 201 "based on the cooperative working mode, controlling the suction force generated by the vacuum source" can be implemented by the following method:

[0098] Based on the cooperative working mode, controlling the suction force generated by the vacuum source, comprises:

[0099] In the case where the cooperative working mode is the plurality of dust discharge ports simultaneously open mode, the vacuum source is controlled to work at a first power;

[0100] In the case where the cooperative working mode is the switching open dust discharge port mode, the vacuum source is controlled to work at a second power;

[0101] In the case where the cooperative working mode is the dynamically increasing open dust discharge port mode, the vacuum source is controlled to work at a third power;

[0102] The first power is greater than the second power. The third power can be equal to the first power, or a value greater than the first power, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0103] In order to facilitate understanding of the technical solutions provided in the present application, the following will be described in conjunction with specific application scenarios.

[0104] Application scenario 1

[0105] The user uses the sweeping robot at home, and turns on the sweeping robot to make it in the first working mode, i.e., the cleaning mode. The driving unit of the sweeping robot drives the robot body to move on the ground, and sucks the dust particles on the ground into the dust box through the suction port. In the cleaning process, the sensor on the robot detects that the amount of dust and debris accumulated in the dust box exceeds the standard value. The standard value is a set value, which is pre-set when the sweeping robot is shipped. At this time, the sweeping robot stops the automatic cleaning operation, and moves towards the direction of the base installed in the room, and moves to the base after docking with the base. After successful docking, the dust outlet on the dust box of the sweeping robot is connected with the suction channel of the dust collection box in the base. The sweeping robot enters the second working mode, i.e., the dust discharging mode; at the same time, the vacuum source of the base starts to work. Under the suction force of the vacuum source, the plurality of dust discharging ports on the dust box, such as the first dust discharging port and the second dust discharging port, are simultaneously opened, and the dust particles in the dust box enter the dust collection box of the base through the communication channel.

[0106] Application scenario 2

[0107] The sweeping robot moves and cleans in the living room, and detects that the charge of the battery is insufficient. The sweeping robot stops the automatic cleaning operation, and moves towards the direction of the base, and moves to the base after docking with the base. The charging battery of the sweeping robot is docked with the charging electrode of the base, and the dust discharging port of the dust box is docked with the interface of the base. After the base detects that the sweeping robot is successfully docked, the base starts to supply power to the sweeping robot, and starts the vacuum source to work. The sweeping robot enters the dust discharging mode, and under the suction force of the vacuum source, the dust particles in the dust box of the sweeping robot enter the dust collection box of the base through the communication channel.

[0108] The device embodiments described above are only schematic, wherein the units shown as separate components can or can not be physically separate, and the components shown as units can or can not be physical units, i.e., can be located in one place, or can be distributed on a plurality of network units. Part or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement without creative labor.

[0109] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand the implementation of the various embodiments by means of software and necessary general hardware platforms through the description of the above embodiments, and of course, the embodiments can also be implemented by hardware. Based on such understanding, the above technical solutions, essentially or in other words, the part of the prior art that contributes to the technical solutions can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as a ROM / RAM, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, and the like, and includes a plurality of instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0110] Finally, it should be noted that: the above examples are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and not to limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing examples, those skilled in the art should understand that: it can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing examples, or make equivalent replacement for part of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A robot, characterized in that, The robot comprises: a body provided with a suction port and a dust box, the suction port being in communication with the dust box; the dust box is provided with a plurality of dust discharge ports and a dust inlet port in communication with the suction port; in the first working mode, the plurality of dust discharge ports are closed, and the material on the surface of the body is collected into the dust box through the suction port; in the second working mode, the plurality of dust discharge ports work cooperatively to discharge the stored material in the dust box under the action of the suction air flow; the plurality of dust discharge ports are arranged on the box wall of the dust box and are respectively located at different positions; the cooperative working mode includes at least one of the following modes: simultaneous opening mode, switching opening dust discharge port mode and dynamic increasing opening dust discharge port mode.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein, The dust box is provided with two dust discharge ports, namely a first dust discharge port and a second dust discharge port; the first dust discharge port and the second dust discharge port are respectively distributed on the two sides of the dust inlet port.

3. The robot of claim 2, wherein, The dust box has an air flow vortex area, and the first dust discharge port or the second dust discharge port is arranged in the air flow vortex area.

4. The robot according to claim 2, wherein the first dust discharge port and the second dust discharge port are simultaneously located above the dust inlet port; or the first dust discharge port and the second dust discharge port are simultaneously located below the dust inlet port; or one of the first dust discharge port and the second dust discharge port is located above the dust inlet port, and the other is located below the dust inlet port.

5. The robot of claim 2, wherein, The dust box is a face-symmetrical structure; the part where the symmetrical plane of the dust box is located is the middle part; the dust inlet port is arranged in the middle part; the first dust discharge port and the second dust discharge port are symmetrically arranged relative to the symmetrical plane.

6. The robot according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The dust box is a hexahedral structure; the hexahedral structure includes: a top surface, a bottom surface, and four side surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface; wherein the four side surfaces include: opposite first and second side surfaces, and opposite third and fourth side surfaces; the dust inlet port is arranged on the first side surface or the second side surface; the first dust discharge port is arranged on the bottom surface or the third side surface; the second dust discharge port is arranged on the bottom surface or the fourth side surface.

7. The robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the cooperative working mode is the simultaneous opening mode of the plurality of dust discharge ports, the suction air flow is scattered after flowing into the dust box from the dust inlet port, forming a multi-directional air flow flowing from the dust inlet port to the plurality of dust discharge ports, so that the stored material in the dust box is discharged through the plurality of dust discharge ports under the action of the suction air flow.

8. The robot of claim 7, wherein, Each dust discharge port of the plurality of dust discharge ports is provided with a sealing device; in the first working mode, the sealing device blocks the dust discharge port; in the second working mode, a vacuum is formed at the dust discharge port, and when the force of the air pressure difference formed by the vacuum acting on the sealing device meets the first preset condition, the sealing device acts to open the dust discharge port.

9. The robot according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The cooperative working mode is a switching open dust outlet mode, in which a part of the plurality of dust outlets are open; when a second preset condition is met, the open dust outlets are closed and another part of the plurality of dust outlets are opened to switch the open dust outlets. The cooperative working mode is a dynamic increase open dust outlet mode, in which a part of the plurality of dust outlets are open, and when a third preset condition is met, another part of the plurality of dust outlets are opened to dynamically increase the open dust outlets.

10. The robot of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising: A plurality of closing doors for closing or opening the plurality of dust outlets respectively; A driving device for providing driving force for the plurality of closing doors; A first controller connected with the driving device, for controlling the driving device to output corresponding driving force to drive the plurality of closing doors to work cooperatively when the machine body is in the second working mode.

11. A robot system comprising a robot and a base; wherein, The robot comprises: A machine body provided with a suction port and a dust box; the suction port is communicated with the dust box; The dust box is provided with a plurality of dust outlets and a dust inlet communicated with the suction port; The base comprises a dust collecting chamber and a vacuum source; In the first working mode, the plurality of dust outlets are closed, and the material on the surface where the machine body is located is collected into the dust box through the suction port; In the second working mode, the machine body is docked with the base, and the plurality of dust outlets work cooperatively to discharge the stored material in the dust box to the dust collecting chamber under the action of the suction airflow generated by the vacuum source; The plurality of dust outlets are arranged on the box wall of the dust box and are respectively located at different positions; when discharging dust, the plurality of dust outlets are docked with the docking port on the base; The cooperative working mode includes at least one of the plurality of dust outlets simultaneously open mode, switching open dust outlet mode and dynamic increase open dust outlet mode.

12. The robotic system of claim 11, wherein, The base further comprises: A second controller connected with the vacuum source, for controlling the vacuum source to generate suction force adapted to the cooperative working mode of the plurality of dust outlets.

13. A dust box for use in a cleaning device, comprising a dust inlet, characterised in that, The box wall of the dust box is provided with two dust outlets, which are respectively a first dust outlet and a second dust outlet, and the first dust outlet and the second dust outlet are respectively distributed on the two sides of the dust inlet; The dust box is arranged on the machine body of the robot, and the machine body is provided with a suction port; the dust inlet is communicated with the suction port; In the first working mode, both of the dust outlets are closed, and the material on the surface where the machine body is located is collected into the dust box through the suction port; In the second working mode, the two dust outlets work cooperatively to discharge the stored material in the dust box under the action of the suction airflow; Both of the dust outlets are arranged on the box wall of the dust box and are respectively located at different positions; The cooperative working mode includes at least one of the two dust outlets simultaneously open mode, switching open dust outlet mode and dynamic increase open dust outlet mode.

14. A robot control method characterized by, In the first working mode, a set action is performed to collect the material on the surface where the robot is located into the dust box; ​ switch to the second working mode when the storage amount in the dust box of the robot meets a dumping condition; in the second working mode, the multiple dust discharging ports on the dust box are controlled to work cooperatively to discharge the storage in the dust box under the action of the suction airflow; wherein the multiple dust discharging ports are all arranged on the box wall of the dust box and are respectively at different positions; controlling the multiple dust discharging ports on the dust box to work cooperatively to discharge the storage in the dust box under the action of the suction airflow includes: controlling the multiple dust discharging ports to be opened simultaneously; or a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when a second preset condition is met, the opened dust discharging ports are closed and another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened to switch the opened dust discharging ports; or a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when a third preset condition is met, another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened to dynamically increase the opened dust discharging ports.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when a second preset condition is met, the opened dust discharging ports are closed and another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened, including: a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when the opening duration of the opened dust discharging ports is greater than a first preset duration, the opened dust discharging ports are closed and another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; or a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when it is judged based on the sensing signal sent by the sensor that the storage amount in the dust box is lower than a first preset amount, the opened dust discharging ports are closed and another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened. a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when a third preset condition is met, another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened, including:

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when the opening duration of the opened dust discharging ports is greater than a second preset duration, another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; or a part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened; when it is judged based on the sensing signal sent by the sensor that the storage amount in the dust box is lower than a second preset amount, another part of the multiple dust discharging ports are opened. including:

17. A susceptor control method, comprising: after detecting that the robot completes the docking action, determining the cooperative working mode of the multiple dust discharging ports on the dust box of the robot; based on the cooperative working mode, controlling the suction force generated by the vacuum source to make the storage in the dust box be discharged to the dust collecting chamber of the base through the multiple dust discharging ports working cooperatively under the action of the suction airflow generated by the vacuum source of the base; wherein the multiple dust discharging ports are all arranged on the box wall of the dust box and are respectively at different positions; when discharging dust, the multiple dust discharging ports are docked with the docking ports on the base; the cooperative working mode includes at least one of the simultaneous opening mode of the multiple dust discharging ports, the switched opening dust discharging port mode and the dynamically increased opening dust discharging port mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, based on the cooperative working mode, controlling the suction force generated by the vacuum source includes: when the cooperative working mode is the simultaneous opening mode of the multiple dust discharging ports, controlling the vacuum source to work at a first power; ​ In a case where the cooperative working mode is the switching open dust discharging port mode, the vacuum source is controlled to work at a second power; In a case where the cooperative working mode is the dynamic increasing open dust discharging port mode, the vacuum source is controlled to work at a third power; The first power is greater than the second power.

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