Maintenance base station and cleaning machine maintenance system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a maintenance base station and a cleaning machine maintenance system, wherein the maintenance base station comprises: a base station body, including a liquid storage tank, a water injection joint and a nozzle, the liquid storage tank is used to store cleaning liquid, the water injection joint is used to supply cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot, and the nozzle is used to supply cleaning liquid to the mopping and wiping parts of the cleaning robot; a water circuit switching device, the water circuit switching device connects the liquid storage tank, the water injection joint and the nozzle, and the water circuit switching device can selectively switch to a state where the liquid storage tank is connected to the water injection joint, or switch to a state where the liquid storage tank is connected to the nozzle. In this solution, by setting up the water circuit switching device, the maintenance base station can supply cleaning liquid to the mopping and wiping parts of the cleaning robot, and can also replenish cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot, thereby enriching the functions of the maintenance base station.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of intelligent cleaning equipment, and in particular to a maintenance base station and a cleaning machine maintenance system. Background Art

[0002] As people's quality of life improves day by day, cleaning robots have been widely used in people's daily lives. The emergence of cleaning robots has further liberated people from the heavy workload of home cleaning and alleviated people's fatigue in home cleaning.

[0003] The cleaning robot has the functions of sweeping away dust, garbage and removing stains during the cleaning process. In the process of removing stains, water needs to be sprayed to enhance the cleaning effect. Generally, the cleaning robot is equipped with a water tank and a mop. In order to facilitate the cleaning of the dirty mop, a maintenance base station is usually provided with the cleaning robot.

[0004] However, in the existing technology, the structure and function of the water supply system of the maintenance base station are relatively simple. The water supply system of the maintenance base station can only be used to provide clean water to the cleaning robot, but cannot replenish clean water to the water tank of the cleaning robot. If the water tank of the cleaning robot is short of water, the user needs to manually add water to the water tank. Summary of the invention

[0005] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a maintenance base station, aiming to solve the problem that the existing maintenance base station cannot replenish cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the maintenance base station proposed in the present invention is used to fill water into the water tank of the cleaning robot and clean the mop of the cleaning robot, and the maintenance base station includes:

[0007] The base station body includes a liquid storage tank, a water injection joint and a nozzle, wherein the liquid storage tank is used to store cleaning liquid, the water injection joint is used to supply cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot, and the nozzle is used to supply cleaning liquid to the mopping and wiping parts of the cleaning robot;

[0008] A water circuit switching device, wherein the water circuit switching device connects the liquid storage tank, the water injection joint and the nozzle, and the water circuit switching device can selectively switch to a state in which the liquid storage tank is connected to the water injection joint, or switch to a state in which the liquid storage tank is connected to the nozzle.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water circuit switching device includes a valve body and a valve core, the valve body is provided with a water inlet, a first water outlet, a second water outlet and an active cavity connected to the water inlet, the first water outlet and the second water outlet, the water inlet is connected to the liquid storage tank, the first water outlet is connected to the water injection joint, the second water outlet is connected to the nozzle, the valve core is movably cooperated with the active cavity, and the valve core is driven to move relative to the valve body to control the water inlet to be connected to the first water outlet or to the second water outlet.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the valve core includes two sealing sections and a connecting section connecting the two sealing sections, the two sealing sections are both sealed and connected to the active cavity, the connecting section is gap-matched with the cavity wall of the active cavity, a water flow cavity connected to the water inlet is formed between the connecting section and the cavity wall of the active cavity, and the valve core is driven to move relative to the valve body to control the water flow cavity to be connected to the first water outlet or to the second water outlet.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sealing section includes a rod body and a sealing ring, the rod body is gap-matched with the cavity wall of the active cavity, the rod body is also recessed with an annular groove extending along its circumference, the inner side of the sealing ring is limited to the annular groove, and the outer side of the sealing ring abuts against the cavity wall of the active cavity.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the valve core and the active cavity both extend in a straight line, the first water outlet and the second water outlet are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the active cavity, and the direction of the line between the first water outlet and the second water outlet and the extension direction of the water inlet are staggered.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water path switching device also includes a driving mechanism installed on the base station body, and the driving mechanism is used to drive the valve core to move relative to the valve body to control the water inlet to be connected to the first water outlet or to the second water outlet.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water injection joint is movably connected to the base station body, and the driving mechanism can drive the water injection joint to extend and retract relative to the base station body. While the driving mechanism drives the water injection joint to extend relative to the base station body, it also drives the valve core to move relative to the valve body to a position where the water inlet is connected to the first water outlet; while the driving mechanism drives the water injection joint to retract relative to the base station body, it also drives the valve core to move relative to the valve body to a position where the water inlet is connected to the second water outlet.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water injection joint includes a butt joint connected to the first water outlet and a mandrel protruding laterally from the butt joint;

[0016] When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to extend out of the base station body, the push rod moves along with the docking tube and drives the valve core to move, so that the water inlet is connected with the first water outlet;

[0017] When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to retract into the base station body, the push rod moves along with the docking tube and drives the valve core to connect the water inlet with the second water outlet.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water injection joint includes a butt joint connected to the first water outlet and a push rod protruding laterally from the butt joint, and the water channel switching device also includes an elastic reset member installed in the movable cavity;

[0019] When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to extend out of the base station body, the push rod moves along with the docking tube and drives the valve core to connect the water inlet with the first water outlet;

[0020] When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to retract into the base station body, the push rod moves with the docking tube and cancels the force applied to the valve core, and the elastic reset member applies elastic force to the valve core to drive the valve core to connect the water inlet with the second water outlet.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water injection joint includes a butt joint connected to the first water outlet, and the butt joint is fixedly connected to the valve core;

[0022] When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to extend out of the base station body, the valve core moves along with the docking tube to a position where the water inlet is connected to the first water outlet;

[0023] When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to retract into the base station body, the valve core moves along with the docking tube to a position where the water inlet is connected to the second water outlet.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, a rack is further provided on the outer wall of the butt joint tube, and the rack extends along the length direction of the butt joint tube. The driving mechanism includes a motor and at least one gear, and the motor is installed on the base station body. The at least one gear transmission connects the output shaft of the motor and the rack.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, the docking tube includes a transmission section, a flexible section and a docking section which are arranged in sequence, the transmission section is driven by the driving mechanism, and one end of the transmission section away from the flexible section is connected to the first water outlet, the flexible section is used to connect the transmission section and the docking section, and the docking section is used to dock with the water tank of the cleaning robot.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present invention, the maintenance base station further comprises a driving pump, which is installed on the base station body, wherein the input end of the driving pump is connected to the liquid storage tank, and the output end of the driving pump is connected to the water inlet.

[0027] The present invention also proposes a cleaning machine maintenance system, which includes a cleaning robot and the maintenance base station, wherein the maintenance base station includes: a base station body, including a liquid storage tank, a water injection joint and a nozzle, wherein the liquid storage tank is used to store cleaning liquid, the water injection joint is used to supply cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot, and the nozzle is used to supply cleaning liquid to the mopping part of the cleaning robot; a water circuit switching device, wherein the water circuit switching device connects the liquid storage tank, the water injection joint and the nozzle, and the water circuit switching device can selectively switch to a state where the liquid storage tank is connected to the water injection joint, or switch to a state where the liquid storage tank is connected to the nozzle. The maintenance base station cooperates with the cleaning robot so that the maintenance base station fills the water tank of the cleaning robot with water and cleans the mop of the cleaning robot.

[0028] The present invention is provided with a water injection joint for injecting water into the water tank of the cleaning robot and a nozzle for spraying water onto the mop of the cleaning robot at the maintenance base station, and is provided with a water circuit switching device connected with the water injection joint and the nozzle. The water circuit switching device can switch the flow direction of the cleaning liquid in the liquid storage tank, that is, the water circuit switching device can control the liquid storage tank to be connected with the water injection joint, so that the cleaning liquid is transported from the liquid storage tank to the water injection joint, and the water injection joint transports the cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot; or the water circuit switching device controls the liquid storage tank to be connected with the nozzle, so that the cleaning liquid is transported to the nozzle, and the nozzle transports the cleaning liquid to the mop of the cleaning robot to complete the cleaning of the mop. The provision of the water circuit switching device enables the maintenance base station to supply cleaning liquid to the mopping parts of the cleaning robot and to replenish cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot, thereby enriching the functions of the maintenance base station. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an embodiment of a maintenance base station in the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle A;

[0032] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an embodiment of a valve core in the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 It is a connection diagram of a water injection joint, a water channel switching device and a driving pump in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 It is an exploded schematic diagram of an embodiment of a water injection joint, a mounting box, a water channel switching device, a driving mechanism and a driving pump in the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an embodiment of a docking rod in the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a cleaning machine maintenance system in the present invention.

[0037] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0038] Label name Label name 1000 Cleaning machine maintenance system 211 Water Inlet 100 Maintaining base stations 212 Second water outlet 10 Base station body 213 First water outlet 11 Water injection connector 214 Activity cavity 111 Butt pipe 215 Water cavity 111a Transmission section 22 Valve core 111b Flexible section 221 Connection segment 111c Docking section 222 Sealing section 112 mandrel 222a Rod body 113 Sealing sleeve 222b Sealing ring 101 rack 223 Force section 12 Installation box 23 Elastic return element 121 Mounting holes 30 Driving mechanism 122 Strip guide hole 31 Motor 13 Nozzle 32 gear 14 liquid storage tank 40 Drive pump 20 Waterway switching device 200 Cleaning Robot 21 Valve body

[0039] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions 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 are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present invention (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0042] In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. in the present invention are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in the field to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0043] The present invention proposes a maintenance base station, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 The maintenance base station 100 is used to fill water into the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 and clean the mop of the cleaning robot 200 . The maintenance base station 100 includes a base station body 10 and a water channel switching device 20 .

[0044] The base station body 10 can be used to install the parts of the maintenance base station 100. The base station body 10 can be provided with a cavity, a protrusion, a concave surface and other structures for loading other parts. The base station body 10 can be fixed, for example, the base station body 10 is provided with a support foot, a support plate and other structures that can be fixed and supported; the base station body 10 can also be able to move relative to the ground, for example, the base station body 10 is equipped with a movable structure such as a walking wheel and a walking track.

[0045] The base station body 10 is provided with a liquid storage tank 14 for storing cleaning liquid, so as to provide cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot 200, or to the mop of the cleaning robot 200. Of course, the base station body 10 can also be directly connected to other external devices storing cleaning liquid through pipelines, so that the base station body 10 serves as a transfer station for providing cleaning liquid.

[0046] It is worth noting that the cleaning liquid can specifically be liquids such as clean water, aromatic liquid, detergent or alcohol, and the above liquids are all suitable for the technical solutions disclosed in the present invention without limiting the disclosed technical solutions of the present invention.

[0047] The base station body 10 is provided with a water injection joint 11 for supplying cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot 200. There are many ways for the water injection joint 11 to be connected to the water tank of the cleaning robot 200. For example, the water injection joint 11 is connected to the water tank by abutting against a valve on the water tank of the cleaning robot 200. For another example, the water injection port on the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 is automatically opened, and the water injection joint 11 is aligned with the water injection port on the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 to be connected to the water tank. These are not listed here one by one.

[0048] The water injection joint 11 may be fixedly arranged on the base station body 10, for example, the water injection joint 11 is a pipe protruding from the outer surface of the base station body 10. The water injection joint 11 may be movable, for example, the water injection joint 11 is connected to the telescopic column of the battery valve or the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder, and the water injection joint 11 is driven by the telescopic column or the piston rod to generate movement. The water injection joint 11 may be retractable, for example, the water injection joint 11 is formed by a plurality of pipe fittings connected to each other to achieve a retractable function; for another example, the water injection joint 11 is an elastic pipe fitting to achieve a retractable function.

[0049] The base station body 10 is provided with a nozzle 13 for spraying water to the mop of the cleaning robot 200. The nozzle 13 has a liquid outlet structure capable of spraying water in the form of a curtain, mist, column or other forms. The corresponding structure may be a nozzle or a shower head, etc., which is not specifically limited here. The water sprayed by the nozzle 13 can form a continuous, uninterrupted spraying area, or a discontinuous spraying area. The spraying area can be less than, equal to or greater than the surface area of ​​the mop of the cleaning robot 200. Specifically, it can be controlled by adjusting the number of nozzles 13, the liquid outlet angle of the nozzle 13 and the size of the liquid outlet end of the nozzle 13. The water channel switching device 20 is used to control the water to flow to the water injection joint 11 or to the nozzle 13.

[0050] The waterway switching device 20 connects the liquid storage tank 14 , the water injection joint 11 and the nozzle 13 , and can selectively switch to a state where the liquid storage tank 14 is connected to the water injection joint 11 , or switch to a state where the liquid storage tank 14 is connected to the nozzle 13 .

[0051] Generally speaking, a driving pump 40 is provided on the pipeline connecting the water circuit switching device 20 and the liquid storage tank 14, or a driving pump 40 is provided on the pipeline connecting the water circuit switching device 20 and other external devices storing cleaning liquid. The driving pump 40 can be a water pump, a peristaltic pump or other types of pumps. In this way, on the one hand, a driving force for the flow of the cleaning liquid and the water outlet pressure of the nozzle 13 can be provided to ensure that the cleaning liquid passing through the nozzle 13 can be completely sprayed onto the mop of the cleaning robot 200. On the other hand, the water outlet speed of the water injection joint 11 and the nozzle 13 can also be guaranteed to shorten the time for adding water to the water tank of the cleaning robot 200.

[0052] In the present invention, a water injection joint 11 for injecting water into the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 and a nozzle 13 for spraying water onto the mop of the cleaning robot 200 are provided on the maintenance base station 100, and a water path switching device 20 connected to the water injection joint 11 and the nozzle 13 is provided. The water path switching device 20 can switch the flow direction of the cleaning liquid in the liquid storage tank 14, that is, the water path switching device 20 can control the liquid storage tank 14 to be connected with the water injection joint 11, so that the cleaning liquid is transported from the liquid storage tank 14 to the water injection joint 11, and the water injection joint 11 transports the cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot 200; or the water path switching device 20 controls the liquid storage tank 14 to be connected with the nozzle 13, so that the cleaning liquid is transported to the nozzle 13, and the nozzle 13 transports the cleaning liquid to the mop of the cleaning robot 200 to complete the cleaning of the mop. The provision of the water channel switching device 20 enables the maintenance base station 100 to supply cleaning liquid to the mopping parts of the cleaning robot 200 and to replenish the cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot 200, thereby enriching the functions of the maintenance base station 100.

[0053] It should be noted that the water channel switching device 20 can not only switch the flow direction of the cleaning liquid, but also has the function of controlling the liquid storage tank 14 to be neither connected to the water injection joint 11 nor to the nozzle 13. At this time, the cleaning liquid in the liquid storage tank 14 does not flow.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present invention, please refer to Figure 1 Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 The water circuit switching device 20 includes a valve body 21 and a valve core 22. The valve body 21 is provided with a water inlet 211, a first water outlet 213, a second water outlet 212 and an active cavity 214 connected to the water inlet 211, the first water outlet 213 and the second water outlet 212. The water inlet 211 is connected to the water source pipeline, the first water outlet 213 is connected to the water injection joint 11, and the second water outlet 212 is connected to the nozzle 13. The valve core 22 is movably matched with the active cavity 214, and the valve core 22 is driven to move relative to the valve body 21 to control the water inlet 211 to be connected to the first water outlet 213, or to control the water inlet 211 to be connected to the second water outlet 212, or the water inlet 211 is neither connected to the first water outlet 213 nor to the second water outlet 212.

[0055] It should be noted that the valve core 22 can be movably installed in the movable chamber 214, or can be partially movably installed in the movable chamber 214 and partially located outside the movable chamber 214, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0056] The above-mentioned valve core 22 and valve body 21 are constructed into a three-way valve structure. There are many ways to cooperate between the valve body 21 and the valve core 22. For example, the valve body 21 is set as a Y-shaped three-way pipe, and the three pipes of the three-way pipe are respectively a water inlet 211, a first water outlet 213 and a second water outlet 212. The valve core 22 is set in a spherical shape, and a passage in an angled shape is provided therein. The valve core 22 is set at the intersection of the three-way pipes and is connected to a transmission rod extending out of the three-way pipes. The valve core 22 is driven to rotate by rotating the transmission rod, so as to control the water inlet 211 to be connected to the first water outlet 213 or the second water outlet 212 through the passage in the valve core 22, or the water inlet 211 is neither connected to the first water outlet 213 nor to the second water outlet 212.

[0057] For another example, a cavity is provided inside the valve body 21, and the valve body 21 has three openings connected to the cavity in sequence in the same direction, and the three openings are respectively a first water outlet 213, a water inlet 211 and a second water outlet 212. A movable valve core 22 is provided in the cavity. When the valve core 22 moves to between the first water outlet 213 and the water inlet 211, the valve core 22 blocks the passage between the water inlet 211 and the first water outlet 213, and the water inlet 211 is connected to the second water outlet 212; when the valve core 22 moves to between the water inlet 211 and the second water outlet 212, the valve core 22 blocks the passage between the water inlet 211 and the second water outlet 212, and the water inlet 211 is connected to the first water outlet 213; when the valve core 22 moves directly to the water inlet 211, the water inlet 211 is neither connected to the first water outlet 213 nor to the second water outlet 212.

[0058] For another example, the valve body 21 includes a first pipeline and a second pipeline that are interconnected, and the valve core 22 includes a first valve and a second valve; one end of the first pipeline is a water inlet 211, and the other end is a first water outlet 213, and a first valve is arranged inside the pipeline; one end of the second pipeline is connected to the position between the water inlet 211 of the first pipeline and the first valve, and the other end of the second pipeline is a second water outlet 212, and a second valve is arranged inside the second pipeline. Obviously, the valve body 21 and the valve core 22 are a three-way valve structure formed by combining two two-way valves, and its specific working process is: when the first valve is opened and the second valve is closed, the cleaning liquid flows from the water inlet 211 through the first water outlet 213 to the water injection joint 11; when the first valve is closed and the second valve is opened, the cleaning liquid flows from the water inlet 211 through the second water outlet 212 to the nozzle 13; when both the first valve and the second valve are closed, the cleaning liquid does not flow.

[0059] Obviously, the valve core 22 and the valve body 21 may also be other structures or other installation methods to achieve the above functions, which will not be listed here one by one.

[0060] For further information, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The valve core 22 includes two sealing sections 222 and a connecting section 221 connecting the two sealing sections 222. Both sealing sections 222 are sealed and connected to the valve body 21. The connecting section 221 is in clearance with the cavity wall of the active cavity 214. A water passage cavity 215 communicating with the water inlet 211 is formed between the connecting section 221 and the cavity wall of the active cavity 214. The valve core 22 is driven to move relative to the valve body 21 to control the water passage cavity 215 to communicate with the first water outlet 213 or the second water outlet 212. It can be seen that the valve core 22 and the valve body 21 that realize the above functions have the advantages of simple structure and convenient installation.

[0061] Among them, the valve core 22, the active cavity 214, the water inlet 211, the first water outlet 213 and the second water outlet 212 can be specifically configured as follows: the valve core 22 and the active cavity 214 both extend in a straight line, the first water outlet 213 and the second water outlet 212 are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the active cavity 214, and the connection direction between the first water outlet 213 and the second water outlet 212 and the extension direction of the water inlet 211 are staggered.

[0062] When the valve core 22 reciprocates along the extension direction of the active chamber 214, the water inlet 211 is always connected with the water passage chamber 215. During the movement of the valve core 22, when the first water outlet 213 is connected with the water passage chamber 215, the second water outlet 212 is not connected with the water passage chamber 215; when the second water outlet 212 is connected with the water passage chamber 215, the first water outlet 213 is not connected with the water passage chamber 215.

[0063] It can be understood that the water passage chamber 215 is actually a cavity formed by the cavity wall of the active cavity 214, the outer wall of the connecting section 221 and part of the surface of the two sealing sections 222. Therefore, it can be known that the outer diameter of the connecting section 221 is smaller than the outer diameter of the two sealing sections 222. In addition, the connecting section 221 can be set in a straight line or in a curved shape, which is not specifically limited here.

[0064] Obviously, since the valve core 22 can be driven to move relative to the valve body 21, the sealing section 222 can be sealed and connected to the valve body 21 and can also move in the movable chamber 214. To achieve the above function, the sealing section 222 can be made of elastic materials such as rubber or silicone, or a combination of hard materials and elastic materials. The combination method can be a snap connection, threaded connection, adhesive connection or injection molding connection.

[0065] For further information, please refer to Figure 3The sealing section 222 includes a rod body 222a and a sealing ring 222b. The rod body 222a is in clearance with the cavity wall of the active cavity 214. The rod body 222a is also provided with an annular groove extending along its circumference. The inner side of the sealing ring 222b is limited in the annular groove, and the outer side of the sealing ring 222b abuts against the cavity wall of the active cavity 214. The sealing ring 222b is a commonly used standard component for sealing. The combination of the rod body 222a and the sealing ring 222b has the advantages of easy installation and low price.

[0066] The rod body 222a can be made of metal, thermosetting plastic or other materials to have better hardness and strength to prevent deformation and jamming when driven.

[0067] For further information, please refer to Figure 3 The valve core 22 also includes a force-bearing section 223, which is connected to the sealing section 222; the movable cavity 214 is penetrated by a clearance opening (not marked) for the force-bearing section 223 to extend out.

[0068] It should be noted that the arrangement of the clearance opening is affected by the arrangement of the force-bearing section 223. For the convenience of explanation, the movable cavity 214 is taken as an example as a cylindrical cavity. Figure 2 and Figure 3 When the force-bearing section 223, the two sealing sections 222 and the connecting section 221 are in a straight line connected in sequence, the clearance opening can be a round hole, a square hole or a triangular hole opened at one end of the cylindrical active cavity 214, which can allow the force-bearing section 223 to extend out. When the force-bearing section 223 and the sealing section 222 are connected at an angle greater than 0° and less than 180°, the clearance opening can be a strip hole opened on the side wall of the cylindrical active cavity 214 along its axial extension, so that the force-bearing section 223 can extend out of the active cavity 214 and move along the strip hole.

[0069] In one embodiment of the present invention, the maintenance base station 100 further includes a driving mechanism 30 installed on the base station body 10, and the driving mechanism 30 is used to drive the valve core 22 to move relative to the valve body 21 to control the water inlet 211 to communicate with the first water outlet 213 or with the second water outlet 212. The setting of the driving mechanism 30 improves the automation of the maintenance base station 100.

[0070] It is worth mentioning that in order to improve the intelligence of the maintenance base station 100, the maintenance base station 100 can also be provided with a controller such as a microcomputer, a single-chip microcomputer electrically connected to the driving mechanism 30, and arranged with corresponding sensors such as infrared radar, microwave radar, pressure sensor, etc., to detect whether the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 is docked and connected with the water injection connector 11. When the sensor detects that the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 is docked and connected with the water injection connector 11, it sends the detection result to the controller, and the controller controls the driving mechanism 30 to drive the valve core 22 to move, change the water delivery path, and transport the cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 or to the mop of the cleaning robot 200.

[0071] In combination with the above embodiment, further, the water injection joint 11 is movably connected to the base station body 10. When the driving mechanism 30 drives the valve core 22 to connect the water inlet 211 with the first water outlet 213, the driving mechanism 30 synchronously drives the water injection joint 11 to extend out of the base station body 10 to connect with the water tank of the cleaning robot 200. When the driving mechanism 30 drives the valve core 22 to connect the water inlet 211 with the second water outlet 212, the driving mechanism 30 synchronously drives the water injection joint 11 to retract into the base station body 10.

[0072] Setting the water injection connector 11 to be movable and actively docked with the cleaning robot 200 can avoid problems such as the water injection connector 11 not being properly docked with the water tank of the cleaning robot 200, or the cleaning robot 200 having insufficient self-driving force, resulting in the cleaning robot 200 not being firmly docked with the water injection connector 11, etc.

[0073] It is understandable that using the same driving mechanism 30 to simultaneously drive the valve core 22 and the water injection joint 11 can reduce costs, reduce installation space, and reduce the overall volume and weight of the maintenance base station 100, thereby further optimizing the overall structure of the maintenance base station 100.

[0074] The driving mechanism 30 may be configured to have two driving arms, one of the two driving arms drives the water injection joint 11 , and the other of the two driving arms drives the valve core 22 .

[0075] Of course, the driving mechanism 30 may also be provided with only one driving arm, and further provided with other transmission structures connected to the water injection joint 11 , and the transmission structure is driven by driving the water injection joint 11 , and the transmission structure is driven to drive the valve core 22 .

[0076] For details, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5The water injection joint 11 includes a butt joint 111 connected to the first water outlet 213 and a push rod 112 protruding from the side of the butt joint 111. When the butt joint 111 is driven by the driving mechanism 30 to extend out of the base station body 10, the push rod 112 moves with the butt joint 111 and drives the valve core 22, so that the water inlet 211 is connected to the first water outlet 213; when the butt joint 111 is driven by the driving mechanism 30 to retreat into the base station body 10, the push rod 112 moves with the butt joint 111 and drives the valve core 22, so that the water inlet 211 is connected to the second water outlet 212.

[0077] It can be understood that the valve core 22 is driven to control the two different states of the water inlet 211 being connected to the first water outlet 213, or the water inlet 211 being connected to the second water outlet 212. Therefore, the valve core 22 will be driven to move in different directions. For example, the valve core 22 is driven to perform linear reciprocating motion, or the valve core 22 is driven to perform forward and reverse rotational motion, etc.

[0078] To facilitate the push rod 112 to drive the valve core 22 to move in different directions, the valve core 22 can be fixedly connected to the push rod 112 by bolt connection, welding, etc.; a limit ring can also be set on the valve core 22, and one end of the push rod 112 is passed through the limit ring. Of course, the push rod 112 can also cooperate with the valve core 22 in other ways to achieve that the push rod 112 can drive the valve core 22 to move in different directions, which will not be listed one by one here.

[0079] It should be noted that, in addition to the above-mentioned structure, in which the water injection connector 11 drives the valve core 22 to move synchronously through the push rod 112, the water injection connector 11 can also be directly connected to the valve core 22 through other structures, such as a connecting rod, a connecting chain, a connecting rope, a screw, a clip, a thread or other structure, so that the valve core 22 is driven by the water injection connector 11; or, the water injection connector 11 and the valve core 22 are integrally formed by die-casting, casting or other processes, so that the valve core 22 can move synchronously with the water injection connector 11.

[0080] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 The water injection joint 11 includes a butt joint 111 connected to the first water outlet 213 and a push rod 112 protruding laterally from the butt joint 111 . The water channel switching device 20 also includes an elastic reset member 23 installed in the movable cavity 214 .

[0081] When the docking tube 111 is driven by the driving mechanism 30 to extend out of the base station body 10, the push rod 112 moves with the docking tube 111 and drives the valve core 22, so that the water inlet 211 is connected with the first water outlet 213. At this time, the valve core 22 driven by the push rod 112 applies a force to the elastic reset member 23; when the docking tube 111 is driven by the driving mechanism 30 to retreat into the base station body 10, the push rod 112 moves with the docking tube 111 and cancels the external force on the valve core 22. The elastic reset member 23 applies elastic force to the valve core 22 and drives the valve core 22 to move, so that the water inlet 211 is connected with the second water outlet 212.

[0082] It is worth noting that the elastic reset member 23 can be a spring, a spring sheet or a rubber block, etc. In the case where the elastic reset member 23 is set as a spring, the spring can be set to abut against the valve core 22, and when the valve core 22 is driven by the push rod 112, the valve core 22 presses the spring so that the spring is compressed, or the spring can be set to be clamped with the valve core 22, and when the valve core 22 is driven by the push rod 112, the valve core 22 applies a pulling force to the spring so that the spring is stretched.

[0083] It should be noted that the push rod 112 and the butt joint 111 can be composed of two independent parts connected, for example, the push rod 112 and the butt joint 111 are connected by bolt connection, thread connection or welding connection; the push rod 112 can also be integrally formed with the butt joint 111, for example, the push rod 112 and the butt joint 111 are made by casting or die casting. In addition, the push rod 112 can be a straight rod or a curved rod, which is not specifically limited here.

[0084] For further information, please refer to Figure 5 The outer wall of the butt joint pipe 111 is also provided with a rack 101, and the rack 101 extends along the length direction of the butt joint pipe 111. The driving mechanism 30 includes a motor 31 and at least one gear 32. The motor 31 is installed on the base station body 10, and at least one gear 32 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 31 and the rack 101. It can be understood that the output shaft of the motor 31 rotates to control the rotation of the gear 32, and the gear 32 and the rack 101 are matched to drive the butt joint pipe 111 to move. The motor 31 can rotate forward and reverse to allow the butt joint pipe 111 to reciprocate.

[0085] The number of the gear 32 can be one or more, and the motor 31 can be a servo motor or a non-servo motor, which is not specifically limited here.

[0086] The gear transmission has high transmission accuracy, which is conducive to the docking and connection between the water injection joint 11 and the water tank of the cleaning robot 200. The gear transmission has high reliability, is durable and has a long service life. The gear assembly composed of multiple gears 32 can reduce the required source power by controlling the coordination of different gears 32, that is, it can input a small force to generate a large force. In this way, a motor 31 with a smaller torque can be used. The motor 31 with a smaller torque is generally smaller in size and cheaper, which can avoid occupying too much installation space and is also conducive to reducing costs. Gear transmission is a conventional prior art and will not be further expanded here.

[0087] For further information, please refer to Figure 5 The base station body 10 also includes an installation box 12. The two box walls of the installation box 12 are opposite to each other and are penetrated with installation holes 121. The two ends of the butt pipe 111 are movably matched with the corresponding installation holes 121. The box wall of the installation box 12 is also penetrated with a strip guide hole 122. The top rod 112 is movably matched with the strip guide hole 122. The motor 31 is installed in the installation box 12, and the gear 32 is installed in the installation box 12.

[0088] The installation box 12 facilitates the installation of the butt-jointed tube 111. At the same time, the strip-shaped guide hole 122 can also guide the movement of the push rod 112. The installation box 12 can also prevent the gear 32 from being stuck with too much dust, which would lead to poor transmission.

[0089] The motor 31 can be installed inside the installation box 12 or outside the installation box 12. Preferably, the motor 31 is installed outside the installation box 12 to avoid the installation box 12 being too large.

[0090] For further information, please refer to Figure 6 The docking tube 111 includes a transmission section 111a, a flexible section 111b and a docking section 111c which are arranged in sequence. The transmission section 111a is used to be driven by the driving mechanism 30, the docking section 111c is used to dock with the water tank of the cleaning robot 200, and the flexible section 111b is used to connect the transmission section 111a and the docking section 111c.

[0091] It can be understood that when the structure on the cleaning robot 200 that docks with the docking tube 111 is a recessed channel, the setting of the flexible section 111b can allow the docking tube 111 to adaptively adjust the angle when docking with the water tank of the cleaning robot 200, thereby avoiding jamming or improper docking due to a certain angle between the docking tube 111 and the recessed channel on the cleaning robot 200.

[0092] The flexible section 111b can be a rubber tube, a silicone tube, a plastic tube, a stainless steel corrugated tube, etc., and no specific limitation is made here.

[0093] For further information, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The end of the butt joint 111 away from the water injection joint 11 is sleeved with a sealing sleeve 113. The sealing sleeve 113 can be a rubber sleeve, a silicone sleeve or a plastic sleeve.

[0094] It is understandable that when the structure on the cleaning robot 200 that docks with the docking tube 111 is a recessed channel, the sealing sleeve 113 can play a sealing role during docking to prevent water from flowing back and overflowing during the water supply process of the docking tube 111.

[0095] The surface of the sealing sleeve 113 can be smooth, and the surface of the sealing sleeve 113 can also be provided with multiple protruding rings protruding along its circumference, and the multiple protruding rings are arranged at intervals, or the surface of the sealing sleeve 113 can be provided with multiple groove rings recessed along its circumference, and the multiple groove rings are arranged at intervals. Preferably, the surface of the sealing sleeve 113 is provided with multiple protruding rings or multiple annular grooves, which is conducive to the elastic deformation of the sealing sleeve 113 when it contacts the recessed channel on the cleaning robot 200, and further strengthens the sealing effect.

[0096] Please refer to Figure 7 The present invention also proposes a cleaning machine maintenance system 1000, which includes a cleaning robot 200 and a maintenance base station 100. The specific structure of the maintenance base station 100 refers to the above embodiment. Since the cleaning machine maintenance system 1000 adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here. Among them, the maintenance base station 100 cooperates with the cleaning robot 200 so that the maintenance base station 100 fills the water tank of the cleaning robot 200 with water and cleans the mop of the cleaning robot 200.

[0097] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural changes made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A maintenance base station for use with a cleaning robot, characterized in that: The maintenance base station comprises: The base station body includes a liquid storage tank, a water injection joint and a nozzle, wherein the liquid storage tank is used to store cleaning liquid, the water injection joint is used to supply cleaning liquid to the water tank of the cleaning robot, and the nozzle is used to supply cleaning liquid to the mopping and wiping parts of the cleaning robot; A water circuit switching device, wherein the water circuit switching device connects the liquid storage tank, the water injection joint and the nozzle, and the water circuit switching device can selectively switch to a state in which the liquid storage tank is connected to the water injection joint, or switches to a state in which the liquid storage tank is connected to the nozzle, and the water circuit switching device includes a valve body and a valve core, wherein the valve body is provided with a water inlet, a first water outlet, a second water outlet and an active cavity in communication with the water inlet, the first water outlet and the second water outlet, wherein the water inlet is in communication with the liquid storage tank, the first water outlet is in communication with the water injection joint, and the second water outlet is in communication with the nozzle, the valve core is in active cooperation with the active cavity, and the valve core is driven to move relative to the valve body to control the water inlet to be connected to the first water outlet or to be connected to the second water outlet, and the water circuit switching device also includes a driving mechanism installed on the base station body, wherein the driving mechanism is used to drive the valve core to move relative to the valve body to control the water inlet to be connected to the first water outlet or to be connected to the second water outlet; The water injection joint includes a butt joint connected to the first water outlet and a mandrel protruding laterally from the butt joint; When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to extend out of the base station body, the push rod moves along with the docking tube and drives the valve core to move, so that the water inlet is connected with the first water outlet; When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to retract into the base station body, the push rod moves along with the docking tube and drives the valve core to connect the water inlet with the second water outlet; The maintenance base station further comprises a driving pump, which is installed on the base station body, an input end of the driving pump is communicated with the liquid storage tank, and an output end of the driving pump is communicated with the water inlet.

2. The maintenance base station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve core includes two sealing sections and a connecting section connecting the two sealing sections. The two sealing sections are both sealed and connected to the active cavity. The connecting section and the cavity wall of the active cavity are gap-matched. A water passage cavity connected to the water inlet is formed between the connecting section and the cavity wall of the active cavity. The valve core is driven to move relative to the valve body to control the water passage cavity to be connected to the first water outlet or the second water outlet.

3. The maintenance base station according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing section includes a rod body and a sealing ring. The rod body is gap-matched with the cavity wall of the active cavity. The rod body is also concavely provided with an annular groove extending along its circumference. The inner side of the sealing ring is limited to the annular groove, and the outer side of the sealing ring abuts against the cavity wall of the active cavity.

4. The maintenance base station according to claim 2, characterized in that: The valve core and the movable cavity both extend in a straight line, the first water outlet and the second water outlet are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the movable cavity, and the direction of the line between the first water outlet and the second water outlet and the extension direction of the water inlet are staggered.

5. The maintenance base station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water injection joint is movably connected to the base station body, and the driving mechanism can drive the water injection joint to extend and retract relative to the base station body. While the driving mechanism drives the water injection joint to extend relative to the base station body, it also drives the valve core to move relative to the valve body to a position where the water inlet is connected to the first water outlet; while the driving mechanism drives the water injection joint to retract relative to the base station body, it also drives the valve core to move relative to the valve body to a position where the water inlet is connected to the second water outlet.

6. The maintenance base station according to claim 5, characterized in that: The waterway switching device further comprises an elastic reset member, and the elastic reset member is installed in the movable cavity; When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to retract into the base station body, the push rod moves with the docking tube and cancels the force applied to the valve core, and the elastic reset member applies elastic force to the valve core to drive the valve core to connect the water inlet with the second water outlet.

7. The maintenance base station according to claim 5, characterized in that: The water injection joint comprises a butt joint connected to the first water outlet, and the butt joint is fixedly connected to the valve core; When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to extend out of the base station body, the valve core moves along with the docking tube to a position where the water inlet is connected to the first water outlet; When the docking tube is driven by the driving mechanism to retract into the base station body, the valve core moves along with the docking tube to a position where the water inlet is connected to the second water outlet.

8. The maintenance base station according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that: The outer wall of the butt joint tube is also provided with a rack, and the rack extends along the length direction of the butt joint tube. The driving mechanism includes a motor and at least one gear, and the motor is installed on the base station body. The at least one gear transmission connects the output shaft of the motor and the rack.

9. The maintenance base station according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that: The docking tube includes a transmission section, a flexible section and a docking section which are arranged in sequence. The transmission section is driven by the driving mechanism, and one end of the transmission section away from the flexible section is connected to the first water outlet. The flexible section is used to connect the transmission section and the docking section, and the docking section is used to dock with the water tank of the cleaning robot.

10. A cleaning machine maintenance system, characterized in that: The cleaning machine maintenance system includes a cleaning robot and a maintenance base station as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the maintenance base station cooperates with the cleaning robot so that the maintenance base station fills the water tank of the cleaning robot with water and cleans the mop of the cleaning robot.

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