Charging station and cleaning system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a charging stand and a cleaning system, the cleaning system comprising: a charging stand, comprising a charging stand main body and a charging electrode provided on the charging stand main body; a cleaning device, comprising a main body and a mopping assembly provided on the main body, the cleaning device being constructed to be movable relative to the charging stand in a first direction and coupled to the charging stand; wherein, when the cleaning device is coupled to the charging stand, the main body is supported by the charging stand main body and electrically connected to the charging electrode, and at least part of the mopping assembly is suspended outside the charging stand in the first direction. When the cleaning device is charged through the charging stand, the mopping assembly on the cleaning device is suspended from the surface to be cleaned under the support of the charging stand, thereby avoiding corrosion of the surface of the object due to long-term contact with the wet mopping assembly, thereby improving the user experience of the cleaning system. Compared with the solution of adding a waterproof pad under the mopping assembly in the prior art, the charging stand of the present application does not need to be additionally configured with a waterproof pad, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the charging stand.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of intelligent electrical appliances, and in particular to a charging stand and a cleaning system. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of technology and the development of society, cleaning devices such as sweeping robots, mopping robots, and combined mop and sweep robots for indoor floor cleaning have gradually entered people's lives. These cleaning devices can automatically detect factors such as room size, furniture placement, and floor cleanliness, and rely on built-in programs to formulate a reasonable cleaning route for the floor. They have been popular and are increasingly widely used in people's lives, significantly reducing people's burdens and bringing great convenience to people's lives. To charge cleaning devices, current cleaning devices are often equipped with a charging station that connects to an outlet via a power cord. After cleaning, the cleaning device automatically moves toward the charging station until it connects electrically and draws power from the charging station.

[0003] Currently, mopping robots or mopping and sweeping robots are typically equipped with a mopping assembly to achieve mopping functions. The mopping assembly includes a water tank and a mop module connected to the water tank. The water tank can supply water to the mop module to keep it moist at all times, thereby effectively removing stains from the surface of objects.

[0004] However, when a cleaning device equipped with a mopping component is connected to a charging station and is stationary for charging, the wet mop module is in contact with the surface of an object for a long time, which can easily cause the surface of the object to be corroded by water, thereby causing unnecessary troubles to the user and affecting the user experience of the cleaning system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention addresses the problem of a wet mopping component corroding the surface of an object during charging and provides a charging stand and a cleaning system. The charging stand and the cleaning system can achieve the technical effect of preventing the wet mopping component from corroding the surface of an object.

[0006] The present application provides a cleaning system, comprising:

[0007] A charging base, comprising a charging base body and charging electrodes provided on the charging base body; and

[0008] A cleaning device comprising a main body and a mopping assembly provided on the main body, wherein the cleaning device is configured to be movable in a first direction relative to the charging base and to be coupled to the charging base;

[0009] Wherein, when the cleaning device is connected to the charging base, the main body is supported by the charging base body and electrically connected to the charging electrode, and at least part of the mopping component is suspended outside the charging base in the first direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, when the cleaning device is connected to the charging base, the main body is tilted relative to the first direction, and the height of the end of the main body provided with the mopping component is higher than the height of the end of the main body away from the mopping component.

[0011] In one embodiment, the charging station body includes:

[0012] a base, wherein the charging electrode is disposed on the base; and

[0013] an auxiliary base, provided on one side of the base in the first direction;

[0014] In which, when the cleaning device is connected to the charging base, the main body is supported on the auxiliary base, part of the main body is located above the base and contacts the charging electrode, and at least part of the mopping component is suspended in the first direction outside the side of the auxiliary base away from the base.

[0015] In one embodiment, the auxiliary base includes a fixed surface and a bearing surface disposed opposite to each other, the bearing surface including a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface adjacent to each other in the first direction; in a direction from the base to the auxiliary base, the distance between the first bearing surface and the fixed surface gradually increases, and the distance between the second bearing surface and the fixed surface gradually decreases;

[0016] Wherein, when the cleaning device is connected to the charging base, the main body is supported on the first bearing surface.

[0017] In one embodiment, the charging seat body further includes a limiting member, and the limiting member is used to prevent the cleaning device from moving toward the base.

[0018] In one embodiment, the limiting member is protruded from the first bearing surface.

[0019] In one embodiment, the main body includes running wheels. When the cleaning device is connected to the charging base, the running wheels are located on a side of the limiting member away from the base and are supported against the limiting member in the first direction.

[0020] In one embodiment, the cleaning device is a mopping robot or a sweeping and mopping robot.

[0021] The present application also provides a charging stand for connecting to a cleaning device, the charging stand comprising a charging stand body and a charging electrode provided on the charging stand body, the charging stand body comprising:

[0022] a base, wherein the charging electrode is provided on the base;

[0023] An auxiliary base is arranged on one side of the base in the first direction; the auxiliary base includes a fixed surface and a bearing surface arranged opposite to each other, and the bearing surface includes a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface adjacent to each other in the first direction; in the direction from the base to the auxiliary base, the distance between the first bearing surface and the fixed surface gradually increases, and the distance between the second bearing surface and the fixed surface gradually decreases.

[0024] In one embodiment, the base further includes a limiting member, and the limiting member is protruded from the first bearing surface.

[0025] In one embodiment, there are two limiting members, and the two limiting members are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0026] When the cleaning device is charged via the charging station, the mopping assembly on the cleaning device is suspended above the surface being cleaned, supported by the charging station. This prevents corrosion of the surface caused by prolonged contact with the wet mopping assembly, thereby improving the user experience of the cleaning system. Furthermore, compared to the prior art solution of adding a waterproof pad under the mopping assembly, the charging station of the present application does not require an additional waterproof pad and does not significantly increase the size of the charging station, thereby facilitating the miniaturization of the charging station. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the charging base of the cleaning system shown.

[0029] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0030] 100. Cleaning system; 20. Cleaning equipment; 21. Main body; 23. Travel wheels; 25. Mopping assembly; 40. Charging stand; 41. Base; 43. Side stand; 45. Auxiliary base; 452. Bearing surface; 4521. First bearing surface; 4523. Second bearing surface; 454. Limiting member; 47. Charging electrode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more readily apparent, specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth numerous specific details to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art may make similar modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying 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 should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0034] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection; direct connection, or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components, or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0035] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0036] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation methods.

[0037] Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a cleaning system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of the charging base 40 of the cleaning system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0038] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a cleaning system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is used to clean surfaces such as floors. The cleaning system 100 includes a cleaning device 20 and a charging station 40. The cleaning device 20 is configured to move relative to and selectively connect to the charging station 40. The charging station 40 is stationary and placed on the surface of the object to charge the cleaning device 20.

[0039] When the cleaning device 20 is in standby mode or powered off, it is docked with the charging station 40, which charges the cleaning device 20. When the cleaning device 20 begins cleaning, it leaves the charging station 40 and moves along a specific route to clean the surface. When the cleaning device 20 completes its cleaning task, it moves toward the charging station 40 until it re-docking with the charging station 40.

[0040] The following describes the structure of the charging station 40 in the present application, taking the cleaning device 20 as a sweeping and mopping robot as an example. This embodiment is provided merely as an example and does not limit the technical scope of the present application. It is understood that in other embodiments, the cleaning device 20 may be another device, such as a mopping robot, without limitation.

[0041] Please continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2The cleaning device 20 includes a main body 21, which includes a main shell and a walking component, a dust collection component and a power supply component (not shown) installed on the main shell. The walking component includes a driving mechanism and two walking wheels 23 connected to the driving mechanism. Each walking wheel 23 partially protrudes from the bottom of the main body 21. The two walking wheels 23 rotate under the drive of the driving mechanism, thereby driving the cleaning device 20 to move on the surface of the object. The dust collection component is used to absorb dust and debris on the surface of the object, and the power supply component is used to provide electrical energy for the walking component and the dust collection module. It can be understood that the specific structure of the cleaning device 20 is not limited and can be set as needed.

[0042] The cleaning device 20 further includes a mopping assembly 25 for cleaning stains from surfaces. Mounted on the main body 21 and extending beyond the bottom of the main body 21, the mopping assembly 25 comprises a water tank and a mop module mounted therein. The mop module comprises a mop mounting assembly and a mop body mounted therein. During operation, the water tank continuously supplies water to the mop module, keeping the mop body moist, thereby achieving an effective cleaning effect.

[0043] In the following embodiments, when the cleaning device 20 moves in a first direction relative to the charging base 40 to mate with the charging base 40 , in the forward direction of the cleaning device 20 , the dust suction component is located in front of the walking wheel 23 , and the mopping component 25 is located behind the walking wheel 23 .

[0044] As described in the background, the inventors discovered during their research that, since the cleaning device 20 is immediately connected to the charging station 40 after completing a cleaning task, the mop module in the mopping assembly 25 is still wet. If the surface on which the charging station 40 is placed is a non-waterproof material such as a solid wood floor, the prolonged contact between the wet mop and the surface can cause water corrosion. Furthermore, the mop is constantly in contact with the surface being cleaned, making it difficult to dry, making it highly susceptible to bacterial growth.

[0045] Based on the above problems, the charging base 40 includes a charging base body and a charging electrode 47 provided on the charging base body. When the cleaning device 20 is connected to the charging base 40, the main body 21 is supported on the charging base body and electrically connected to the charging electrode 47, and at least part of the mopping component 25 is suspended outside the charging base 40 in the first direction.

[0046] Thus, when the cleaning device 20 is charged via the charging stand 40, the mopping assembly 25 on the cleaning device 20 is suspended from the surface being cleaned, supported by the charging stand 40. This prevents the surface being cleaned from being corroded by the wet mopping assembly 25 due to prolonged contact, thereby improving the user experience of the cleaning system 100. Moreover, compared to the prior art solution of adding a waterproof pad under the mopping assembly 25, the charging stand 40 of the present application does not require an additional waterproof pad, and does not significantly increase the size of the charging stand 40, thereby facilitating the miniaturization of the charging stand 40.

[0047] Specifically, the charging station body includes a base 41, a side base 43, and an auxiliary base 45. In some embodiments, the base 41, the side base 43, and the auxiliary base 45 are integrally formed to form a whole. In other embodiments, the auxiliary base 45 can be detachably connected to the base 41, and the user can selectively install the auxiliary base 45 as needed.

[0048] The base 41 is a flat structure, and the width direction of the base 41 is along the first direction (ie Figure 2 The length direction of the base 41 is the second direction (i.e. Figure 2 The height direction of the base 41 is the third direction (i.e. Figure 2 The base 41 is supported on the surface being cleaned, and the charging electrode 47 is provided protruding from the side of the base 41 facing away from the surface being cleaned along the third direction. Specifically, in one embodiment, the charging base 40 includes two charging electrodes 47 spaced apart in the second direction. It will be appreciated that the shape of the base 41 is not limited thereto, and the position of the charging electrodes 47 may be adjusted as desired.

[0049] The side seat 43 is disposed on one side of the base 41 in the first direction and extends away from the base 41 and away from the surface being cleaned along the third direction. A power cord interface is provided on the side of the side seat 43 facing away from the base 41, allowing electrical connection to a power supply such as an outlet via a power cord. It will be appreciated that the specific configuration of the side seat 43 is not limited and can be configured to meet different requirements.

[0050] The auxiliary base 45 is located on a side of the base 41 in the first direction, away from the side base 43. When the cleaning device 20 is docked on the charging base 40, the main body 21 is supported along the third direction on the auxiliary base 45 via the two running wheels 23. The portion of the main body 21 located on one side of the two running wheels 23 in the first direction is positioned above the base 41 and in contact with the charging electrodes 47, thereby enabling power transmission from the charging base 40 to the cleaning device 20. At least a portion of the mopping assembly 25 located on the other side of the running wheels 23 in the first direction is suspended in the first direction on the side of the auxiliary base 45 away from the base 41.

[0051] In this manner, while the cleaning device 20 is electrically connected to the charging electrode 47 on the base 41, the mopping assembly 25 is suspended above the surface being cleaned with a certain gap therebetween, thereby preventing corrosion of the surface due to contact with the wet mopping assembly 25. Furthermore, since the auxiliary base 45 does not extend below the mopping assembly 25, a significant increase in the floor space occupied by the charging station 40 is avoided.

[0052] Specifically, in one embodiment, the auxiliary base 45 is a flat structure with a rectangular cross section. The width direction of the auxiliary base 45 extends along the first direction, the length direction of the auxiliary base 45 extends along the second direction, and the height direction of the auxiliary base 45 extends along the third direction.

[0053] The auxiliary base 45 includes a fixed surface and a supporting surface 452 disposed opposite each other in the third direction. The fixed surface extends along a plane perpendicular to the third direction and contacts the surface being cleaned. The supporting surface 452 includes a first supporting surface 4521 and a second supporting surface 4523 adjacent to each other in the first direction. Both the first supporting surface 4521 and the second supporting surface 4523 extend obliquely in the first direction. Specifically, in the direction from the base 41 toward the auxiliary base 45, the distance between the first supporting surface 4521 and the fixed surface gradually increases, while the distance between the second supporting surface 4523 and the fixed surface gradually decreases. Furthermore, the length of the first supporting surface 4521 in the first direction is greater than the length of the second supporting surface 4523 in the first direction.

[0054] When the cleaning device 20 is connected to the charging base 40, the main body 21 is supported on the first supporting surface 4521 by the running wheels 23, and a small portion of the orthographic projection of the mopping assembly 25 along the first direction on the auxiliary base 45 is located on the second supporting surface 4523. It will be understood that in other embodiments, the orthographic projection of the mopping assembly 25 along the first direction on the auxiliary base 45 may be located completely outside the second supporting surface 4523, thereby minimizing the length of the auxiliary base 45 in the first direction.

[0055] Thus, in the direction of movement of the cleaning device 20 and the charging base 40, the second supporting surface 4523 gradually tilts upward, forming an uphill slope, while the first supporting surface 4521 gradually tilts downward, forming a downhill slope. As the wheels 23 of the cleaning device 20 move along the second supporting surface 4523 to the first supporting surface 4521, the second supporting surface 4523 provides excellent guidance and connection, allowing the cleaning device 20 to move smoothly from the surface being cleaned to the first supporting surface 4521. Furthermore, when the cleaning device 20 is supported on the first supporting surface 4521 by the wheels 23, the second supporting surface 4523 tilted toward the base 41 prevents the cleaning device 20 from sliding away from the base 41.

[0056] It is understandable that the shape of the auxiliary base 45 is not limited, and the lengths and inclination angles of the first supporting surface 4521 and the second supporting surface 4523 in the first direction can be set as needed to meet the requirements of cleaning devices 20 of different shapes.

[0057] Please continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the charging stand body further includes a limiter 454 , which is used to prevent the main body 21 from moving toward the base 41 , thereby allowing the main body 21 to accurately align with the charging electrode 47 .

[0058] Specifically, there are two stoppers 454, which are spaced apart in the second direction. The distance between the two stoppers 454 in the second direction is the same as the distance between the two running wheels 23 of the cleaning device 20 in the second direction. Each stopper 454 has a block-shaped structure and is protruded from the first supporting surface 4521 of the auxiliary base 45. The height of the stopper 454 in the third direction is no higher than the height of the running wheel 23 protruding from the bottom of the main body 21.

[0059] Thus, when the cleaning device 20 is connected to the charging base 40, the running wheel 23 is located on the side of the stopper 454 away from the base 41 and abuts against the stopper 454 in the first direction, thereby preventing the running wheel 23 from continuing to move along the inclined first supporting surface 452 toward the side seat 43 and becoming misaligned with the charging electrode 47. Therefore, the first supporting surface 452 and the stopper 454 together define the precise position of the cleaning device 20 on the charging base 40, ensuring the reliability of the connection between the cleaning device 20 and the charging electrode 47.

[0060] It can be understood that the shape, number and position of the limiting member 454 are not limited and can be set as needed to meet different requirements.

[0061] In some embodiments, when the cleaning device 20 is connected to the charging base 40, the main body 21 is tilted relative to the first direction (that is, the central axis of the main body 21 is tilted relative to the horizontal direction rather than vertical), and the height of one end of the main body 21 provided with the mopping component 25 relative to the ground is higher than the height of the end of the main body 21 away from the mopping component 25 relative to the ground, thereby further reducing the height of the auxiliary base 45 while ensuring that there is a certain gap between the mopping component 25 and the ground.

[0062] It can be understood that in some other embodiments, the main body 21 is arranged in parallel along the first direction, that is, the central axis of the main body 21 is perpendicular to the horizontal direction.

[0063] The aforementioned charging station 40 and cleaning system 100, through the provision of an auxiliary base 45, allows the mopping assembly 25 of the cleaning device 20 to be suspended above the surface being cleaned during charging, thereby preventing corrosion of the cleaned surface due to prolonged contact with a wet mopping assembly 25. Compared to existing technologies, this significantly improves the user experience of the cleaning system 100 without the need for an additional waterproof mat. Furthermore, since the auxiliary base 45 does not extend below the mopping assembly 25, it avoids a significant increase in the floor space occupied by the charging station 40, facilitating its miniaturization.

[0064] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0065] The above-described embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention, and while their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent for this invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cleaning system, characterized in that: The cleaning system comprises: A charging base, comprising a charging base body and a charging electrode (47), wherein the charging base body comprises a base (41) and an auxiliary base (45), wherein the charging electrode (47) is provided on the base (41), and the auxiliary base (45) is provided on one side of the base (41) in a first direction, wherein the auxiliary base (45) comprises a fixed surface and a bearing surface (452) arranged opposite to each other, wherein the bearing surface (452) comprises a first bearing surface (4521) and a second bearing surface (4523) adjacent to each other in the first direction; in a direction from the base (41) to the auxiliary base (45), a distance between the first bearing surface (4521) and the fixed surface gradually increases, and a distance between the second bearing surface (4523) and the fixed surface gradually decreases; and A cleaning device (20) comprises a main body (21) and a mopping assembly (25) disposed on the main body (21), wherein the cleaning device (20) is configured to be movable relative to the charging base in a first direction and to be coupled to the charging base; the charging base body further comprises a limiting member (454), wherein the limiting member (454) is used to prevent the cleaning device (20) from moving toward the base (41); When the cleaning device (20) is connected to the charging base, the main body (21) is supported on the first bearing surface (4521), a portion of the main body (21) is located above the base (41) and contacts the charging electrode (47) and is electrically connected to the charging electrode (47), and at least a portion of the mopping assembly (25) is suspended in the first direction and located outside a side of the auxiliary base (45) away from the base (41).

2. The cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that When the cleaning device (20) is connected to the charging base, the main body (21) is tilted relative to the first direction, and the height of the end of the main body (21) provided with the mopping component (25) is higher than the height of the end of the main body (21) away from the mopping component (25).

3. The cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein: The limiting member (454) is protruding from the first bearing surface (4521).

4. The cleaning system according to claim 3, characterized in that The main body (21) includes running wheels (23). When the cleaning device (20) is connected to the charging base, the running wheels (23) are located on a side of the limiting member (454) away from the base (41) and abut against the limiting member (454) in the first direction.

5. The cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein: The cleaning device (20) is a mopping robot or a sweeping and mopping robot.

6. A charging stand for connecting with a cleaning device (20), characterized in that: The charging seat comprises a charging seat body and a charging electrode (47) provided on the charging seat body, wherein the charging seat body comprises: A base (41), wherein the charging electrode (47) is provided on the base (41); An auxiliary base (45) is provided on one side of the base (41) in the first direction; the auxiliary base (45) comprises a fixing surface and a bearing surface (452) arranged opposite to each other, the bearing surface (452) comprising a first bearing surface (4521) and a second bearing surface (4523) adjacent to each other in the first direction; in a direction from the base (41) to the auxiliary base (45), the distance between the first bearing surface (4521) and the fixing surface gradually increases, and the distance between the second bearing surface (4523) and the fixing surface gradually decreases; A limiting member (454) is used to prevent the cleaning device (20) from moving toward the base (41).

7. The charging stand according to claim 6, characterized in that: The limiting member (454) is protruding from the first bearing surface (4521).

8. The charging stand according to claim 7, characterized in that: There are two limiting members (454), and the two limiting members (454) are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

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