A water return mechanism and automatic cleaning device

Abstract

The present invention provides a recycling mechanism and an automatic cleaning device, wherein the water return mechanism comprises: a water suction roller, which is connected to a mobile platform of the cleaning device and rotates relative to the mobile platform. When the water return mechanism is working, the water suction roller is attached to the surface to be cleaned, wherein the water suction roller is used to collect liquid on the surface to be cleaned; and a scraper bar, which presses the water suction roller to scrape out the liquid collected by the water suction roller. The water return mechanism of the present invention fully ensures good sewage recovery effect and thorough sewage recovery through multiple structures such as water absorption, water scraping, water transportation and water pumping, and separates sewage from sludge when sewage is recycled, which is convenient for cleaning of the recycling mechanism and can prevent the sewage recovery pipeline from being blocked.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure claims priority based on Chinese application No. 201910932385.8 filed on September 29, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The invention relates to cleaning equipment, in particular to a water return mechanism and automatic cleaning equipment. Background Art

[0003] Currently, cleaning robots mainly include sweeping robots and mopping robots. The functions of sweeping robots and mopping robots are relatively simple. If you want to sweep and mop at the same time, you must prepare two sets of equipment at the same time, which takes up twice the space. There are also sweeping robots and mopping robots combined with a mop added to the tail end of the robot to achieve integrated sweeping and mopping, but the mopping function in this integrated cleaning only uses a mop to move horizontally on the ground, and the mopping effect and efficiency are greatly reduced.

[0004] In addition, in the field of cleaning robots, mopping technology has always been a research difficulty in this field. The working method of existing intelligent mopping technology is: first use a pump to spray cleaning liquid in front of the cleaning robot, then use a brush to brush the floor with cleaning liquid, and finally use a pump to suck the cleaning liquid off the scrubbed floor. The main problem with this technology is that it cannot ensure that all the sewage on the floor is sucked away, which makes the cleaned floor slippery and inconvenient to walk on. More importantly, it will cause damage to floors such as solid wood floors. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the problems in the background technology, the present invention provides a water return mechanism, which can ensure good sewage recovery effect and thorough sewage recovery, and separate sewage from sludge during sewage recovery, which is convenient for cleaning the recovery mechanism and can prevent the sewage recovery pipeline from being blocked; the present invention also provides an automatic cleaning device, which changes the situation that general cleaning robots can only perform dry cleaning or only wet cleaning through the design of a novel floor wiping structure, and changes the current situation that general wet cleaning robots can only perform simple cleaning of the floor through a mechanical reciprocating floor wiping structure, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0006] The present invention provides a water return mechanism, which is used in a wet cleaning module assembly of an automatic cleaning device, and comprises: a water suction roller, which is connected to a mobile platform of the cleaning device and rotates relative to the mobile platform. When the water return mechanism is working, the water suction roller is attached to a surface to be cleaned, wherein the water suction roller is used to collect liquid on the surface to be cleaned; and a scraper bar, which presses the water suction roller to scrape out the liquid collected by the water suction roller.

[0007] Further, when the water suction roller rotates, the water suction roller passes over the scraper bar from top to bottom.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer side of the water-absorbing roller is coated with elastic water-absorbing material.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a suction roller driving device, which can drive the suction roller to rotate in the opposite direction of the moving platform, and can also drive the suction roller to rotate along the moving direction of the moving platform.

[0010] Furthermore, when the suction roller rotates against the traveling direction of the moving platform, the scraper bar is located behind the suction roller; when the suction roller rotates along the traveling direction of the moving platform, the scraper bar is located in front of the suction roller.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a recovery rod for recovering the liquid absorbed by the suction roller.

[0012] Furthermore, the recovery rod comprises a recovery groove, and the recovery groove is used to recover the liquid squeezed out from the water suction roller by the scraper bar.

[0013] Furthermore, the recovery tank comprises a recovery bin, the sewage tank can be connected to the recovery tank through the recovery bin, and the liquid in the recovery tank can enter the sewage tank through the recovery bin.

[0014] Furthermore, a filter screen is provided at the recovery bin, and the filter screen is used to filter impurities in the liquid.

[0015] Furthermore, a recovery blade is provided in the recovery tank, and the liquid in the recovery tank is transported to the recovery bin through the rotational movement of the recovery blade.

[0016] On the other hand, the present invention provides an automatic cleaning device, including a mobile platform and a cleaning system, wherein the cleaning system includes a wet cleaning module assembly, and the wet cleaning module assembly includes the above-mentioned return water mechanism, wherein the return water mechanism is used to recover the liquid on the surface to be cleaned, and the return water mechanism can be directly connected to the mobile platform, and can also be connected to the mobile platform through a lifting mechanism.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] 1. The water return mechanism of the present invention fully ensures good sewage recovery effect and thorough sewage recovery through multiple structures such as water absorption, water scraping, water transportation and water pumping. In addition, sewage and sludge are separated during sewage recovery, which is convenient for cleaning of the recovery mechanism and can prevent blockage of the sewage recovery pipeline.

[0019] 2. The automatic cleaning device of the present invention changes the situation that general cleaning robots can only perform dry cleaning or wet cleaning through the design of a novel floor-wiping structure, and changes the current situation that general wet cleaning robots can only perform simple cleaning of the floor through a mechanical reciprocating floor-wiping structure, thereby improving the cleaning effect and further optimizing the structural design of the cleaning robot on this basis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of this application. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of an automatic cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of an automatic cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a wet cleaning assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a wet cleaning assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a side view of a wet cleaning assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 It is an oblique view of a water tank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 The figure is a perspective view of a dust box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 The figure is a perspective view of a fan according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Fig. 9 The figure is a schematic diagram of the dust box in an open state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Fig.10 The figure is a schematic diagram of the dust box and fan assembly state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Fig.11 Schematic diagram of a lifting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Fig.12 The figure is a side view of a lifting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Fig.13The figure is an oblique view of a driving wheel assembly on one side according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Fig.14 The present invention is a front view of a driving wheel assembly on one side according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Fig.15 A partial cross-sectional view of a water level detection device in a water tank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Fig.16 This is a schematic diagram of the overall assembly of a wet cleaning component (including a water tank) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Fig.17 It is a bottom view of a wet cleaning assembly (without a cleaning head) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Fig.18 The figure is a schematic structural diagram of a cleaning head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Fig.19 The figure is a schematic structural diagram of a water suction roller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Fig. 20 The figure is a schematic structural diagram of a recovery rod according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Description of reference numerals:

[0042] Mobile platform 100, rearward portion 110, forward portion 111, sensing system 120, position determination device 121, buffer 122, cliff sensor 123, control system 130, drive system 140, drive wheel assembly 141, steering assembly 142, elastic element 143, drive motor 146, cleaning system 150, dry cleaning assembly 151, dust box 152, filter 153, dust suction port 154, air outlet 155, fan 156, energy system 160, human-computer interaction system 170, lighting device 171, wet cleaning assembly 200, cleaning head 210, elastic support structure 211, camshaft 212, slide 213, water delivery mechanism 220, clean water pump 221, clean water pump pipe 222, water outlet device 223, water return mechanism 230, water suction roller 231, recovery rod 232, sewage pump 233, sewage pump pipe 234, elastic water absorbent material 235, scraper 236, recovery trough 237, recovery blade 238, recovery bin 239, water tank 240, clean water tank 241, sewage tank 242, water level detection device 243, air outlet 244, lifting mechanism 250, power mechanism 260, power transmission device 261, motor 262, lifting platform base 270, first connecting end 271, second connecting end 272, auxiliary wheel 273, pressing plate 280. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the scheme of the present invention, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0045] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0046] Embodiment 1

[0047] like Figure 1-5 As shown in Figures 19-20, a water return mechanism 230 includes a water suction roller 231 and a recovery rod 232.

[0048] The water-absorbing roller 231 can be connected to the mobile platform 100 through an axis, or can be indirectly connected to the mobile platform 100 through a lifting mechanism 250 so as to be rotatable around an axis. The water-absorbing roller driving device, i.e., the power mechanism 260, can be directly connected to the water-absorbing roller 231, or can be indirectly connected through a power transmission device 261. The power mechanism 260 can drive the roller 510 to rotate relative to the mobile platform 100. When the water return mechanism 230 is working, the water-absorbing roller 231 can be attached to the operating surface, and the water-absorbing roller 231 rotates synchronously during the cleaning process of the cleaning head 210, and the dirty cleaning liquid after cleaning by the cleaning head 210 is absorbed by the elastic water-absorbing material 235 on the water-absorbing roller 231.

[0049] like Fig.19As shown, the outer surface of the water-absorbing roller 231 is coated with a layer of elastic water-absorbing material 235, and the elastic water-absorbing material 235 can absorb the dirty cleaning liquid remaining on the operating surface. The elastic water-absorbing material 235 can be a water-absorbing fabric, or a water-absorbing sponge, etc.

[0050] The power mechanism 260 can drive the water-absorbing roller 231 to move against the traveling direction, or can drive the water-absorbing roller 231 to move along the traveling direction. The movement against the traveling direction can be that the linear velocity V of the contact portion of the water-absorbing roller 231 with the operating surface points to the traveling direction, wherein the traveling direction can be the front of the mobile platform 100; the movement along the traveling direction can be that the linear velocity V of the contact portion of the water-absorbing roller 231 with the operating surface points to the opposite direction of the traveling direction, wherein the opposite direction of the traveling direction can be the rear of the mobile platform 100.

[0051] like Fig. 20 As shown, the recovery rod 232 can be directly connected to the mobile platform 100 or indirectly connected to the mobile platform 100 through the lifting mechanism 250. The recovery rod 232 can be configured to recover the dirty cleaning liquid absorbed by the suction roller 231. The recovery rod 232 can include a scraper bar 236.

[0052] The scraper bar 236 can be directly or indirectly connected to the mobile platform 100. The scraper bar 236 can press the suction roller 231 and squeeze out the dirty cleaning liquid absorbed by the suction roller 231 through pressure. When the suction roller 231 rotates, the suction roller 231 passes through the scraper bar 236 from top to bottom.

[0053] When the water return mechanism 230 is working, the power mechanism 260 can drive the water absorption roller 231 to move in the opposite direction of the travel direction (that is, the movement direction of the part of the water absorption roller 231 that contacts the working surface is opposite to the travel direction). At this time, the scraper bar 236 can be located behind the water absorption roller 231, and the water absorption roller 231 absorbs the dirty cleaning liquid on the operating surface; then, the water absorption roller 231 scrapes the scraper bar 236, and the scraper bar 236 squeezes out the dirty cleaning liquid absorbed by the elastic water absorption material 235 through pressure. As mentioned above, the power mechanism 260 can also drive the water absorption roller 231 to move along the travel direction (that is, the movement direction of the part of the water absorption roller 231 that contacts the working surface is the same as the travel direction). At this time, the scraper bar 236 can be located in front of the suction roller 231, and the suction roller 231 absorbs the dirty cleaning liquid on the operating surface; then, due to the rotation of the suction roller 231, the suction roller 231 passes the scraper bar 236 from top to bottom, so that the scraper bar 236 squeezes out the dirty cleaning liquid absorbed by the elastic absorbent material 235 through pressure.

[0054] The recovery bar 232 may further include a recovery groove 237, which may be directly connected to the mobile platform 100 or indirectly connected to the mobile platform via a lifting mechanism 250. The recovery groove 237 is connected to the scraper bar 236 and is located on a side of the scraper bar 236 away from the water-absorbing roller 231. The scraper bar 236 is indirectly connected to the mobile platform 100 via the recovery groove 237. When the scraper bar 236 squeezes out the dirty cleaning liquid absorbed by the water-absorbing roller 231, the dirty cleaning liquid flows into the recovery groove 237.

[0055] The recovery rod 232 may further include a sewage tank 242 , which may be directly or indirectly connected to the recovery tank 237 and may be configured to receive the dirty cleaning liquid in the recovery tank 237 , and the dirty cleaning liquid in the recovery tank 237 may enter the sewage tank 242 .

[0056] The recovery tank 237 may include a recovery bin 239 (not shown in the figure), and the sewage tank 242 may be connected to the recovery tank 237 through the recovery bin 239 , and the dirty cleaning liquid in the recovery tank 237 may enter the sewage tank 242 through the recovery bin 239 .

[0057] The recovery rod 232 may further include a recovery blade 238. The recovery blade 238 may be in the recovery groove 237, and the recovery blade 238 may be pivotally connected to the mobile platform 100 through the recovery groove 237, or may be pivotally connected to the mobile platform 100 through the lifting mechanism 250 and the recovery groove 237. The recovery blade 238 may transport the dirty cleaning liquid in the recovery groove 237 to the recovery bin 239 through rotational motion. The recovery blade 238 may be a worm blade brush, a spiral blade brush, or the like.

[0058] The recovery rod 232 may further include a recovery drive device, i.e., a sewage pump 233. The sewage pump 233 may be connected to the sewage tank 242 and may be configured to extract the turbid cleaning liquid at the recovery bin 239 into the sewage tank 242. The sewage pump 233 may be a gear pump, a vane pump, a plunger pump, etc. When the recovery rod 232 is working, the sewage pump 233 may provide power for the recovery rod 232. Under the action of the sewage pump 233, the turbid cleaning liquid flows from the recovery bin 239 of the recovery tank 237 to the sewage tank 242.

[0059] The recovery rod 232 may further include a blade drive device, i.e., a power mechanism 260. The power mechanism 260 may be directly or indirectly connected to the recovery blade 238, and may be configured to drive the recovery blade 238 to rotate relative to the mobile platform 100. The power mechanism 260 may be directly connected to the recovery blade 238, or may be indirectly connected to the recovery blade 238 via a power transmission device 261.

[0060] When the water return mechanism 230 is working, the power mechanism 260 drives the water absorption roller 231 to rotate, and the water absorption roller 231 absorbs the dirty cleaning liquid on the operating surface; then, the water absorption roller 231 passes through the scraper bar 236 from top to bottom, and the scraper bar 236 squeezes out the dirty cleaning liquid absorbed by the elastic water-absorbing material 235 through pressure, and the dirty cleaning liquid flows into the recovery tank 237; the power mechanism 260 drives the recovery blade 238 to rotate, and through the rotation of the recovery blade 238, the dirty cleaning liquid in the recovery tank 237 is transported to the recovery bin 239; finally, the sewage pump 233 extracts the dirty cleaning liquid in the recovery bin 239 into the sewage tank 242.

[0061] The recovery rod 232 may also include a filter. The filter may be located at the recovery bin 239, connected to the recovery, and may be configured to filter impurities in the dirty cleaning liquid. When the sewage pump 233 extracts the dirty cleaning liquid at the recovery bin 239, the dirty cleaning liquid first passes through the filter to filter out impurities before entering the sewage tank 242.

[0062] Embodiment 2

[0063] The automatic cleaning device in this embodiment includes all structures of the water return structure 230 in the first embodiment.

[0064] Figure 1-2 is a schematic structural diagram of an automatic cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1-2 As shown, the automatic cleaning device can be a vacuum robot, a mopping / brushing robot, a window climbing robot, etc. The automatic cleaning device can include a mobile platform 100, a sensing system 120, a control system 130, a driving system 140, a cleaning system 150, an energy system 160 and a human-computer interaction system 170. Among them:

[0065] The mobile platform 100 may be configured to automatically move along the direction of travel on the operating surface. The operating surface may be the surface to be cleaned by the automatic cleaning device. In some embodiments, the automatic cleaning device may be a mopping robot, in which case the automatic cleaning device works on the ground, and the ground is the operating surface; the automatic cleaning device may also be a window cleaning robot, in which case the automatic cleaning device works on the outer glass surface of the building, and the glass is the operating surface; the automatic cleaning device may also be a pipe cleaning robot, in which case the automatic cleaning device works on the inner surface of the pipe, and the inner surface of the pipe is the operating surface. Purely for the purpose of demonstration, the following description in this application is illustrated by taking the mopping robot as an example.

[0066] In some embodiments, the mobile platform 100 can be an autonomous mobile platform or a non-autonomous mobile platform. The autonomous mobile platform means that the mobile platform 100 itself can automatically and adaptively make operational decisions based on unexpected environmental inputs; the non-autonomous mobile platform itself cannot adaptively make operational decisions based on unexpected environmental inputs, but can execute established programs or operate according to certain logic. Accordingly, when the mobile platform 100 is an autonomous mobile platform, the direction of travel can be determined autonomously by the automatic cleaning device; when the mobile platform 100 is a non-autonomous mobile platform, the direction of travel can be set by the system or manually. When the mobile platform 100 is an autonomous mobile platform, the mobile platform 100 includes a forward part 111 and a backward part 110.

[0067] The perception system 120 includes a position determination device 121 located above the mobile platform 100, a buffer 122 located on the forward part 111 of the mobile platform 100, a cliff sensor 123 located at the bottom of the mobile platform, and ultrasonic sensors (not shown in the figure), infrared sensors (not shown in the figure), magnetometers (not shown in the figure), accelerometers (not shown in the figure), gyroscopes (not shown in the figure), odometers (not shown in the figure) and other sensing devices, which provide the control system 130 with various position information and motion status information of the machine.

[0068] like Figure 2 As shown, cliff sensors 123 are provided on the bottom of the mobile platform 100 and in front and rear of the driving wheel assembly 141. The cliff sensors are used to prevent the automatic cleaning device from falling when it moves backward, thereby preventing the automatic cleaning device from being damaged. The aforementioned "front" refers to the side with the same direction of travel of the automatic cleaning device, and the aforementioned "rear" refers to the side opposite to the direction of travel of the automatic cleaning device.

[0069] The location determination device 121 includes but is not limited to a camera and a laser distance measuring device (LDS).

[0070] Each component in the perception system 120 can operate independently or together to achieve the intended function more accurately. The cliff sensor 123 and the ultrasonic sensor are used to identify the surface to be cleaned to determine the physical characteristics of the surface to be cleaned, including the surface material, cleanliness, etc., and can be combined with a camera, a laser rangefinder, etc. for more accurate judgment.

[0071] For example, an ultrasonic sensor may be used to determine whether the surface to be cleaned is a carpet. If the ultrasonic sensor determines that the surface to be cleaned is made of carpet material, the control system 130 controls the automatic cleaning device to perform carpet mode cleaning.

[0072] The forward portion 111 of the mobile platform 100 is provided with a buffer 122. During the cleaning process, when the driving wheel assembly 141 propels the automatic cleaning device to walk on the ground, the buffer 122 detects one or more events (or objects) in the driving path of the automatic cleaning device via a sensor system, such as an infrared sensor. The automatic cleaning device can control the driving wheel assembly 141 to respond to the event (or object), such as an obstacle or a wall, detected by the buffer 122, so that the automatic cleaning device can move away from the obstacle.

[0073] The control system 130 is arranged on the circuit board in the mobile platform 100, and includes a computing processor, such as a central processing unit, an application processor, which communicates with a non-temporary memory, such as a hard disk, a flash memory, and a random access memory. The application processor is configured to receive the environmental information sensed by the multiple sensors transmitted by the perception system 120, and use a positioning algorithm, such as SLAM, to draw a real-time map of the environment where the automatic cleaning device is located according to the obstacle information fed back by the laser ranging device, and autonomously determine the driving path according to the environmental information and the environmental map, and then control the driving system 140 to perform operations such as forward, backward and / or steering according to the autonomously determined driving path. Further, the control system 130 can also decide whether to start the cleaning module 300 for cleaning operations according to the environmental information and the environmental map.

[0074] Specifically, the control system 130 can combine the distance information and speed information fed back by the buffer 122, cliff sensor 123 and ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, magnetometers, accelerometers, gyroscopes, odometers and other sensor devices to comprehensively judge the current working state of the sweeper, such as crossing the threshold, on the carpet, on the cliff, stuck above or below, the dust box is full, picked up, etc., and will also give specific next action strategies for different situations, so that the work of the automatic cleaning device is more in line with the owner's requirements and has a better user experience. Furthermore, the control system can plan the most efficient and reasonable cleaning path and cleaning method based on the real-time map information drawn by SLAM, greatly improving the cleaning efficiency of the automatic cleaning device.

[0075] The drive system 140 can maneuver the robotic cleaning apparatus across a floor surface based on a drive command having distance and angle information, such as x, y, and theta components. Fig.13 , Fig.14The oblique view and front view of a driving wheel assembly 141 on one side in one embodiment of the present invention are shown in the figure. As shown in the figure, the driving system 140 includes a driving wheel assembly 141, and the driving wheel assembly 141 can control the left wheel and the right wheel at the same time. In order to more accurately control the movement of the machine, it is preferred that the driving wheel assembly 141 includes a left driving wheel assembly and a right driving wheel assembly respectively. The left and right driving wheel assemblies are opposite to each other along the transverse axis defined by the mobile platform 100. The driving wheel assemblies are respectively provided with driving motors 146, and the driving motors 146 are located outside the driving wheel assembly 141, and the axis of the driving motor 146 is located in the cross-sectional projection of the driving wheel assembly. The driving wheel assembly 141 can also be connected to a circuit for measuring the driving current and an odometer.

[0076] In order to enable the automatic cleaning device to move more stably or with stronger movement ability on the ground, the automatic cleaning device may include one or more steering assemblies 142. The steering assembly 142 may be a driven wheel or a driving wheel. Its structural form includes but is not limited to a universal wheel. The steering assembly 142 may be located in front of the driving wheel assembly 141.

[0077] The drive motor 146 provides power for the rotation of the drive wheel assembly 141 and / or the steering assembly 142 .

[0078] The driving wheel assembly 141 can be detachably connected to the mobile platform 100 for easy disassembly and maintenance. The driving wheel can have an offset drop-down suspension system, fastened in a movable manner, such as rotatably attached, to the automatic cleaning device mobile platform 100, and maintained in contact and traction with the ground with a certain ground force through an elastic element 143, such as a tension spring or a compression spring, while the cleaning system 150 of the automatic cleaning device also contacts the surface to be cleaned with a certain pressure.

[0079] The energy system 160 includes rechargeable batteries, such as nickel-metal hydride batteries and lithium batteries. The rechargeable battery can be connected to a charging control circuit, a battery pack charging temperature detection circuit and a battery undervoltage monitoring circuit, and the charging control circuit, the battery pack charging temperature detection circuit and the battery undervoltage monitoring circuit are further connected to the single-chip microcomputer control circuit. The host is charged by connecting to a charging pile through charging electrodes arranged on the side or below the body. If dust is attached to the exposed charging electrode, the plastic body around the electrode will melt and deform due to the cumulative effect of charge during the charging process, and even the electrode itself will deform, making it impossible to continue charging normally.

[0080] The human-machine interaction system 170 includes buttons on the host panel for users to select functions; it may also include a display screen and / or indicator lights and / or speakers, which display the current state of the machine or function selection items to the user; it may also include a mobile client program. For path navigation cleaning equipment, the mobile client can show the user a map of the environment where the equipment is located and the location of the machine, which can provide users with more abundant and humanized function items.

[0081] The human-computer interaction system 170 further includes a lighting device 171 disposed on the chassis.

[0082] The lighting device 171 is arranged at the rear of the water tank. When the automatic cleaning device is working, the lighting device 171 lights up to illuminate the cleaned floor, so that the user can check whether the floor is clean.

[0083] The lighting device 171 can also be used as an alarm light. When the water level in the cleaning liquid tank is insufficient or the water level in the recycling liquid tank is too high, the lighting device 171 flashes or changes color to give an alarm. When the ambient light intensity is lower than a preset value, the lighting device 171 automatically turns on. When the ambient light intensity is higher than a preset value, the lighting device 171 automatically turns off.

[0084] The lighting device 171 is an LED lamp. The lighting device 171 can be a plurality of indicator lights along the edge of the mobile platform or an indicator light belt along the edge of the mobile platform.

[0085] In order to more clearly describe the behavior of the automatic cleaning device, the following direction is defined: the automatic cleaning device can move on the ground by various combinations of movement relative to the following three mutually perpendicular axes defined by the mobile platform 100: the lateral axis x, the front-to-back axis y, and the central vertical axis z. The forward drive direction along the front-to-back axis y is marked as "forward", and the rearward drive direction along the front-to-back axis y is marked as "rearward". The lateral axis x essentially extends between the right wheel and the left wheel of the automatic cleaning device along the axis defined by the center point of the drive wheel assembly 141. Among them, the automatic cleaning device can rotate around the x-axis. When the forward part of the automatic cleaning device is tilted upward and the rear part is tilted downward, it is "upward", and when the forward part of the automatic cleaning device is tilted downward and the rear part is tilted upward, it is "downward". In addition, the automatic cleaning device can rotate around the z-axis. In the forward direction of the automatic cleaning device, when the automatic cleaning device is tilted to the right side of the Y axis, it is "right turn", and when the automatic cleaning device is tilted to the left side of the y axis, it is "left turn".

[0086] Cleaning system 150 may include a dry cleaning assembly 151 and / or a wet cleaning assembly 200 .

[0087] Figure 3-5The wet cleaning component 200 in the cleaning system 150 includes at least one cleaning head 210, a water supply mechanism 220, a water return mechanism 230, a water tank 240, a lifting mechanism 250, and a power mechanism 260. The water return mechanism 230 in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0088] The cleaning head 210 reciprocates along the surface to be cleaned. A cleaning cloth or a cleaning plate is provided on the contact surface between the cleaning head 210 and the surface to be cleaned. The reciprocating motion generates high-frequency friction with the surface to be cleaned, thereby removing stains on the surface to be cleaned.

[0089] In this embodiment, Fig.17 and Fig.18 As shown, the cleaning head 210 can be made of a material with a certain elasticity, with shaft holes at both ends, and are respectively sleeved on the camshaft 212 and the slide 213 to achieve reciprocating motion. The cleaning head 210 and the wet cleaning component 200 are supported by an elastic support structure 211, such as a reed, a spring, etc. When the cleaning head 210 is working, the cleaning head 210 always contacts the surface to be cleaned. During the automatic and / or autonomous cruising of the automatic cleaning device, the distance between the surface to be cleaned and the wet cleaning component 200 is not always constant. The elasticity of the cleaning head 210 itself and the elastic support structure 211 allow the distance between the cleaning head 210 and the wet cleaning component 200 to be passively adjusted along with the operating surface.

[0090] The water tank 240 includes a clean water tank 241 and a dirty water tank 242. The clean water tank 241 is configured to store cleaning liquid, and the dirty water tank 242 is configured to store recovered liquid. The clean water tank 241 and the dirty water tank 242 are independent of each other and are respectively provided with openings for easy filling or cleaning. A filter is provided at the entrance of the clean water tank 241.

[0091] The clean water tank 241 is an irregular structure as a whole and has at least one side connected to the bottom surface of the water tank 240. Specifically, the clean water tank 241 is composed of a vertical part and a horizontal part, and the whole is an "L"-shaped structure. The sewage tank 242 is located on the upper side of the horizontal part of the clean water tank 241.

[0092] The volume of the clean water tank 241 is greater than the volume of the dirty water tank 242 .

[0093] The liquid inlet of the clean water tank 241 and the liquid outlet of the dirty water tank 242 are symmetrically designed, and a hidden air outlet 244 is provided in the middle of the water tank 240 .

[0094] like Fig.15As shown, a water level detection device 243 is also provided in the clean water tank 241 and the sewage tank 242. The water level monitoring device can detect the water level conditions in the clean water tank 241 and the sewage tank 242. When the water level in the clean water tank 241 is insufficient or the water level in the sewage tank 242 is too high, the display screen and / or indicator light and / or speaker and / or mobile client program of the human-computer interaction system 170 are used to remind the user to intervene manually.

[0095] The water level detection device 243 used in this embodiment is a hollow float design, with a magnet inside, and a Hall sensor is provided at the bottom of the water tank opposite to the magnet. When the water volume in the water tank is high, the water level detection device is driven up by the float, and the distance between the magnet and the Hall sensor becomes longer. When the water volume in the water tank is low, the water level detection device is driven down by the float, and the distance between the magnet and the Hall sensor becomes shorter. The Hall sensor senses the distance between it and the magnet, thereby judging the water level.

[0096] The water level detection device 243 can adopt other schemes such as resistance type, capacitance type, etc. that can detect water level.

[0097] The structures of the water level detection components in the clean water tank 241 and the dirty water tank 242 may be the same or different.

[0098] The water delivery mechanism 220 includes a water outlet 223, which can be directly or indirectly connected to the cleaning liquid outlet of the water tank 240, that is, the liquid outlet of the clean water tank 241, wherein the cleaning liquid can flow to the water outlet 223 through the cleaning liquid outlet of the water tank 240, and can be evenly applied to the surface to be cleaned through the water outlet 223. The water outlet 223 can be provided with a connection port (not shown in the figure), and the water outlet 223 is connected to the cleaning liquid outlet of the water tank 240 through the connection port. The water outlet 223 is provided with a distribution port, which can be a continuous opening or a combination of several disconnected small openings, and a plurality of nozzles can be provided at the distribution port. The cleaning liquid flows to the distribution port through the cleaning liquid outlet of the water tank 240 and the connection port of the water outlet 223, and is evenly applied to the operating surface through the distribution port.

[0099] The water supply mechanism 220 may further include a clean water pump 221 and / or a clean water pump pipe 222 . The clean water pump 221 may be directly connected to the cleaning liquid outlet of the water tank 240 , or may be connected through the clean water pump pipe 222 .

[0100] The clean water pump 221 may be connected to the connection port of the water outlet device 223, and may be configured to draw the cleaning liquid from the water tank 240 to the water outlet device 223. The clean water pump may be a gear pump, a vane pump, a plunger pump, and the like.

[0101] The water delivery mechanism pumps out the cleaning liquid in the clean water tank 241 through the clean water pump 221 and the clean water pump pipe 222, and delivers it to the water outlet device 223, which can be a nozzle, a drip hole, a soaking cloth, etc., and evenly spreads the water in front of the cleaning head 210, so as to wet the cleaning head 210 and the surface to be cleaned. After wetting, the stains on the surface to be cleaned can be cleaned more easily.

[0102] In the wet cleaning assembly 200, the power / flow of the clean water pump 221 and the sewage pump 233 can be adjusted, wherein the water suction capacity of the sewage pump 233 is greater than the discharge capacity of the clean water pump 221, ensuring that the dirty cleaning liquid can be 100% recovered, and efficiency can still be guaranteed even when the recovery pipeline is partially blocked.

[0103] Furthermore, the cleaning head 210, the water absorbing roller 231, and the recovery rod 232 are all installed on the wet cleaning assembly 200 through a pressing plate 280, and the pressing plate 280 can be set at both ends of the cleaning head 210, the water absorbing roller 231, and the recovery rod 232, or only at one end. Through the pressing plate 280, the user can easily disassemble, clean, and replace the cleaning head 210, the water absorbing roller 231, and the recovery rod 232, which is also convenient for later maintenance, repair, and maintenance.

[0104] The power of the cleaning head 210 , the clean water pump 221 , and the sewage pump 233 can be automatically and dynamically adjusted according to the working environment of the automatic cleaning device. Generally, the user can control the cleaning intensity of the cleaning head 210 and the water volume of the water pump through the human-computer interaction system 170 .

[0105] Fig.16 Schematic diagram of the overall assembly effect of the wet cleaning assembly 200 in this embodiment.

[0106] The power mechanism 260 transmits the power of the single motor 262 to the cleaning head 210, the water supply mechanism 220, the water return mechanism 230, the water tank 240 and the lifting mechanism 250 through the power transmission device 261. The energy system 160 provides power and energy for the power mechanism 260, and is controlled as a whole by the control system 130. The power transmission device 261 can be a gear transmission, a chain transmission, a belt transmission, or a worm gear, etc.

[0107] The power mechanism 260 includes a forward output mode and a reverse output mode. In the forward output mode, the motor 262 in the power mechanism 260 rotates forward, and in the reverse output mode, the motor 262 in the power mechanism 260 rotates reversely. In the forward output mode of the power mechanism 260, the single motor 262 can simultaneously drive at least two devices among the cleaning head 210, the water supply mechanism 220, and the water return mechanism 230 in the wet cleaning assembly 200 to move synchronously through the power transmission device 261.

[0108] Specifically, Figure 4 , 5 and Fig.16 As shown, the motor 262 is connected to the cleaning head 210, the water suction roller 231, the recovery rod 232, the clean water pump 221 and the sewage pump 233 through the power transmission device 261. When the wet cleaning component 200 is started, the motor 262 starts to work and begins to rotate forward, the clean water pump 221 sucks clean water from the clean water tank, and sprinkles the clean water in front of the cleaning head 210 through the water outlet device 223; the cleaning head 210 cleans the surface to be cleaned through reciprocating motion, and the generated sewage is adsorbed by the water suction roller 231, recovered through the recovery rod 232, and sucked out by the sewage pump 233 and sent to the sewage tank. When the motor 262 is reversed, the cleaning head 210, the water suction roller 231, the recovery rod 232, the clean water pump 221 and the sewage pump 233 do not work, the lifting mechanism 250 starts to work, and the cleaning system 150 is separated from the surface to be cleaned.

[0109] like Figure 3 , 4 As shown in Figures , 5, 11 and 12, the lifting mechanism 250 is arranged between the mobile platform 100 and the wet cleaning component 200, and is connected to the motor 262. Both ends of the lifting mechanism 250 are fixed on the machine mobile platform 100, and the lower part of the lifting mechanism 250 is installed on the wet cleaning component 200. The lifting mechanism 250 dynamically adjusts the distance between the wet cleaning component 200 and the machine mobile platform 100 by means of a pulley set, a traction rope, etc.

[0110] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 250 is connected to the motor 262 through the rack 251. When the motor 262 is reversed, the rack is pulled downward, and the lifting mechanism 250 drives the wet cleaning component 200 to lift upward. When the motor 262 works normally, the rack 251 is disengaged from the gear of the motor 262 after completing the stroke, and the lifting mechanism 250 drives the wet cleaning component 200 back to the working position.

[0111] The wet cleaning assembly 200 includes a lifting platform base 270 , which is connected to the lifting mechanism 250 and is configured to move up and down relative to the mobile platform 100 under the action of the lifting mechanism 250 .

[0112] The lifting platform base 270 includes: a first connection end 271 and a second connection end 272. The first connection end 271 is close to the front of the mobile platform 100; the second connection end 272 is close to the rear of the mobile platform 100. At least one auxiliary wheel 273 is provided on the lower surface of the lifting platform base 270, and the auxiliary wheel 273 is provided on a side of the lifting platform base 270 close to the second connection end 272. The auxiliary wheel 273 can be configured to assist the lifting platform base 270 in moving on the operating surface.

[0113] When the lifting platform base 270 moves downward relative to the mobile platform 100, the auxiliary wheel 273 first contacts the operating surface and can roll on the operating surface, assisting the lifting platform base 270 to move on the operating surface, thereby preventing the lifting platform base 270 from having dry friction with the operating surface during the movement of the mobile platform 100. The auxiliary wheel 273 may be one or more. Figure 3 Two auxiliary wheels 273 are shown, but the number of auxiliary wheels 273 may be one, three, or any other number.

[0114] The auxiliary wheel 273 provides a better working space for the cleaning head 210, increases the effective contact area between each cleaning unit of the cleaning head 210 and the surface to be cleaned, and at the same time ensures that the friction between the wet cleaning component and the surface to be cleaned is small, thereby reducing the overall power consumption of the automatic cleaning equipment.

[0115] For example, when the user instructs the automatic cleaning device through the human-computer interaction system 170 that only the dry cleaning component is needed for cleaning, the lifting mechanism 250 shortens the distance between the wet cleaning component 200 and the mobile platform 100, and the wet cleaning component 200 is lifted and separated from the surface to be cleaned. The distance between the wet cleaning component 200 and the surface to be cleaned can also be automatically and dynamically adjusted according to the working environment of the automatic cleaning device. For example, the automatic cleaning device can detect the physical information of the surface to be cleaned according to the surface installed in the perception system 120. For example, when the perception system 120 detects that the automatic cleaning device is traveling on the carpet surface, the lifting mechanism 250 pulls up the wet cleaning component 200 so that the wet cleaning component 200 is separated from the carpet surface to avoid wetting the carpet, and the cleaning head 210, the clean water pump 221, the sewage pump 233, etc. are all suspended. When the perception system 120 detects that the automatic cleaning device is separated from the carpet surface and returns to the ground such as floor tiles and floors, the lifting mechanism 250 puts down the wet cleaning component 200, and the various components of the wet cleaning component 200 continue to work normally.

[0116] like Figure 7-9As shown, the dry cleaning component 151 includes a roller brush, a dust box, a fan, and an air outlet. The roller brush that has a certain interference with the ground sweeps up the garbage on the ground and rolls it to the front of the dust suction port between the roller brush and the dust box, and then the suction gas generated by the fan and passing through the dust box is sucked into the dust box. The dust removal ability of the sweeper can be characterized by the garbage cleaning efficiency DPU (Dust pickup efficiency). The cleaning efficiency DPU is affected by the roller brush structure and material, the wind utilization rate of the air duct formed by the dust suction port, dust box, fan, air outlet and the connecting parts between the four, and the type and power of the fan. It is a complex system design problem. Compared with ordinary plug-in vacuum cleaners, the improvement of dust removal ability is more meaningful for automatic cleaning equipment with limited energy. Because the improvement of dust removal ability directly and effectively reduces the energy requirements, that is, a machine that can clean 80 square meters of ground on a single charge can evolve to clean 180 square meters or even more on a single charge. In addition, the life of the battery will be greatly increased by reducing the number of charging times, so that the frequency of battery replacement by users will also increase. More intuitively and importantly, the improvement of dust removal ability is the most obvious and important user experience, and the user will directly draw conclusions on whether the sweeping / wiping is clean. The dry cleaning component may also include a side brush 152 with a rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is at a certain angle relative to the ground to move debris into the roller brush area of ​​the cleaning system 150.

[0117] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the dust box 152 in the dry cleaning assembly, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fan 156 in the dry cleaning component, Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of the dust box 152 in an open state, Fig.10 Schematic diagram of dust box and fan assembly status.

[0118] The roller brush that has a certain interference with the ground sweeps up the garbage on the ground and rolls it to the front of the dust suction port 154 between the roller brush and the dust box 152, and then the suction gas generated by the fan 156 structure and passing through the dust box 152 is sucked into the dust box 152. The garbage is isolated by the filter 153 inside the dust box 152 near the dust suction port 154. The filter 153 completely isolates the dust suction port from the air outlet, and the filtered air enters the fan 156 through the air outlet 155.

[0119] Typically, the dust suction port 154 of the dust box 152 is located in front of the machine, the air outlet 155 is located on the side of the dust box 152, and the air suction port of the fan 156 is connected to the air outlet of the dust box.

[0120] The front panel of the dust box 152 can be opened to clean the garbage in the dust box 152.

[0121] The end of the filter 153 away from the air outlet is higher than the end close to the air outlet; the end of the filter 153 close to the front panel is higher than the end away from the front panel; the filter 153 and the dust box 152 are detachably connected to the box body, which is convenient for disassembly and cleaning of the filter.

[0122] The cleaning intensity / efficiency of the automatic cleaning device can also be automatically and dynamically adjusted according to the working environment of the automatic cleaning device. For example, the automatic cleaning device can be dynamically adjusted according to the physical information of the surface to be cleaned detected by the sensing system 120. For example, the sensing system 120 can detect the flatness of the surface to be cleaned, the material of the surface to be cleaned, whether there is oil and dust, and other information, and transmit this information to the control system 130 of the automatic cleaning device. Accordingly, the control system 130 can command the automatic cleaning device to automatically and dynamically adjust the speed of the motor 262 and the transmission ratio of the power transmission device 261 according to the working environment of the automatic cleaning device, thereby adjusting the preset reciprocating cycle of the reciprocating motion of the cleaning head 210.

[0123] For example, when the automatic cleaning device is working on a flat ground, the preset reciprocating cycle can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be longer, and the water volume of the water pump can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be smaller; when the automatic cleaning device is working on a not-so-flat ground, the preset reciprocating cycle can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be shorter, and the water volume of the water pump can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be larger. This is because a flat ground is easier to clean than a not-so-flat ground, so cleaning an uneven ground requires a faster reciprocating motion (i.e., a higher frequency) and a larger water volume of the cleaning head 210.

[0124] For another example, when the automatic cleaning device is working on a desktop, the preset reciprocating cycle can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be longer, and the water volume of the water pump can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be smaller; when the automatic cleaning device 100 is working on the ground, the preset reciprocating cycle can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be shorter, and the water volume of the water pump can be automatically and dynamically adjusted to be larger. This is because, compared to the ground, the desktop has less dust and oil, and the material that constitutes the desktop is also easier to clean, so the cleaning head 210 needs to perform fewer reciprocating movements and the water pump provides a relatively small amount of water to clean the desktop.

[0125] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0126] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A water return mechanism, the water return mechanism (230) being used in a wet cleaning module assembly (200) of an automatic cleaning device, characterized in that: include: a water absorbing roller (231), the water absorbing roller (231) being connected to a mobile platform (100) of the cleaning device and performing rotational motion relative to the mobile platform (100); when the water return mechanism (230) is in operation, the water absorbing roller (231) is attached to the surface to be cleaned, wherein the water absorbing roller (231) is used to collect liquid on the surface to be cleaned; a scraper bar (236), the scraper bar (236) pressing the water absorption roller (231) to scrape out the liquid collected by the water absorption roller (231); It also includes a recovery rod (232) for recovering the liquid absorbed by the water suction roller (231); The recovery rod (232) comprises a power mechanism (260) and a recovery groove (237), wherein the recovery groove (237) is used to recover the liquid squeezed out from the water suction roller (231) by the scraper bar (236); A recovery blade (238) is provided in the recovery groove (237), and the liquid in the recovery groove (237) is transported to the recovery bin (239) through the rotational movement of the recovery blade (238).

2. The water return mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the water suction roller (231) rotates, the water suction roller (231) passes over the scraper bar (236) from top to bottom.

3. The water return mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer side of the water-absorbing roller (231) is coated with elastic water-absorbing material (235).

4. The water return mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: include: A water suction roller driving device, wherein the water suction roller driving device can drive the water suction roller (231) to rotate in the opposite direction of the moving platform (100), and can also drive the water suction roller to rotate in the direction of the moving platform (100).

5. The water return mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the water-absorbing roller (231) rotates in the opposite direction of the moving platform (100), the scraping bar (236) is located behind the water-absorbing roller (231); when the water-absorbing roller (231) rotates in the moving direction of the moving platform (100), the scraping bar (236) is located in front of the water-absorbing roller (231).

6. The water return mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The recovery tank (237) comprises a recovery bin (239), and the sewage tank (242) can be connected to the recovery tank (237) via the recovery bin (239), and the liquid in the recovery tank (237) can enter the sewage tank (242) via the recovery bin (239).

7. The water return mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: A filter is provided at the recovery bin (239), and the filter is used to filter impurities in the liquid.

8. An automatic cleaning device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a mobile platform (100) and a cleaning system (150), wherein the cleaning system (150) comprises a wet cleaning module assembly (200), wherein the wet cleaning module assembly (200) comprises a water return mechanism (230) as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the water return mechanism (230) is used for recovering liquid on the surface to be cleaned, and the water return mechanism (230) can be directly connected to the mobile platform (100) or connected to the mobile platform (100) via a lifting mechanism (250).

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