Collision protection structure and a robot sweeper

Abstract

The application discloses a collision protection structure and a sweeping robot. The collision protection structure comprises a collision protection plate and at least two pressure sensing elements, and the pressure sensing elements are connected to the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate. When the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle, the pressure sensing elements are used to sense the condition of the collision protection plate. The sweeping robot comprises the collision protection structure and a shell. The shell is the collision protection plate or comprises the collision protection plate and a shell body. The collision protection plate is arranged on the shell body. In the application, the collision protection structure occupies less space of the sweeping robot shell, and the collision protection structure is more sensitive.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics technology, and in particular to a collision protection structure and a sweeping robot. Background Technology

[0002] Robotic vacuum cleaners are a type of smart home appliance that can automatically clean floors in a room using a certain level of artificial intelligence. Obstacle avoidance is one of the important research topics for robotic vacuum cleaners; a better obstacle avoidance system indicates a higher level of intelligence.

[0003] The collision protection structure is part of the obstacle avoidance system of a robotic vacuum cleaner. Its main function is to sense whether the robotic vacuum cleaner has collided with an external obstacle, collect collision signals, and feed the collision signals back to the control system of the robotic vacuum cleaner to provide parameters for the steering system of the robotic vacuum cleaner.

[0004] like Figure 1 As shown, in the prior art, the robotic vacuum cleaner uses mechanical structures to sense whether the collision protection plate 10 has deformed due to a collision. Specifically, two mechanical structures 60 are located inside the shell of the robotic vacuum cleaner and abut against the collision protection plate 10. When the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, it triggers the mechanical structures 60. However, the mechanical structures 60 occupy too much shell space of the robotic vacuum cleaner, and they can only sense the external obstacle when there is a violent collision with the external obstacle, making the robotic vacuum cleaner not sensitive enough to sense external obstacles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a collision protection structure that occupies less shell space in the robot vacuum cleaner and is more sensitive to external obstacles.

[0006] Firstly, embodiments of this application provide a collision protection structure applied to a robotic vacuum cleaner.

[0007] include:

[0008] Collision protection plate;

[0009] At least two pressure sensing elements are connected to the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate;

[0010] When the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle, the pressure sensing element is used to sense the collision status of the collision protection plate.

[0011] Based on the collision protection structure of this application embodiment, the collision protection plate deforms after colliding with an external obstacle during the movement of the sweeping robot. The deformation of the collision protection plate compresses the pressure-sensitive element in the pressure sensing element, causing a change in the resistance of the pressure-sensitive resistor. This changes the current passing through the pressure sensing element. At this time, there is a current difference between the current passing through the pressure sensing element after being compressed and the current passing through it when not compressed. The control system of the sweeping robot determines the location of the collision by comparing the magnitude of the current differences of multiple pressure sensing elements, so as to enable the sweeping robot to accurately determine the location of the collision with the external obstacle and thus realize the turning of the sweeping robot. Compared with the prior art, which uses a mechanical structure set in the shell of the sweeping robot and the mechanical structure abuts against the collision protection plate to sense whether the collision protection plate has deformed due to the collision, the pressure sensing element in this application is smaller in size and occupies less internal space in the sweeping robot. Moreover, the pressure sensing element is directly connected to the inner wall of the collision protection plate. The pressure generated when the collision protection plate deforms due to the collision with the external obstacle can be sensed by the pressure sensing element without being transmitted through the mechanical structure, thus improving the sensing sensitivity of the collision protection structure.

[0012] In some embodiments, at least two of the pressure sensing elements are located on opposite sides of the robot's direction of travel.

[0013] Based on the above embodiments, at least two pressure sensing elements are set, and the two pressure sensing elements are respectively located on both sides of the sweeping robot's travel direction. The two pressure sensing elements are used to sense whether a collision occurs on both sides of the collision protection plate. The control system of the sweeping robot can determine the position where the collision protection plate collides with the external obstacle by judging the current difference between the two pressure sensing elements, thereby realizing the sweeping robot's steering function. This not only saves costs but also simplifies the control logic.

[0014] In some embodiments, the pressure sensing element includes at least a first pressure sensing element, a second pressure sensing element, and a third pressure sensing element. In the direction of travel of the sweeping robot, the first pressure sensing element is located at a position where the collision protection plate overlaps with the direction of travel, or the first pressure sensing element is located on either side of the direction of travel. The second pressure sensing element and the third pressure sensing element are respectively located on both sides of the first pressure sensing element.

[0015] Based on the above embodiments, at least three pressure sensing elements are provided. The first pressure sensing element, when positioned at a location where the collision protection plate overlaps with the direction of travel, is used to sense whether a collision occurs on the front of the collision protection plate. The second and third pressure sensing elements are used to sense whether collisions occur on the left and right sides of the collision protection plate. Although the first pressure sensing element, when located on either side of the direction of travel, does not detect whether a collision occurs on the front of the collision protection plate, the control system of the sweeping robot can still determine the location where the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle by comparing the current differences of the three pressure sensing elements. The pressure sensing elements are arranged in the above two ways, which improves the accuracy and reliability of the collision protection structure.

[0016] In some embodiments, the collision protection plate is generally arc-shaped, and a plurality of pressure sensing elements are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the collision protection plate.

[0017] Based on the above embodiments, most existing robotic vacuum cleaners are designed in a disc shape, and the corresponding collision protection plate is designed in an arc shape. In order to further improve the accuracy of the collision protection structure, multiple pressure sensing elements are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the collision protection plate, ensuring that the pressure sensing elements can sense any collision between the arc-shaped collision protection plate and external obstacles at any position.

[0018] In some embodiments, the collision protection structure further includes:

[0019] The pressure sensing element is located between the middle frame and the collision protection plate.

[0020] Based on the above embodiments, the pressure sensing element is disposed between the middle frame and the collision protection plate. When the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle, the middle frame will restrict the movement of the pressure sensing element with the collision protection plate, forcing the pressure sensing element to quickly sense the force generated when the collision protection plate collides with the external obstacle. In addition, the middle frame restricts the deformation generated when the collision protection plate collides, which not only improves the sensitivity of the collision protection structure, but also improves the safety of the collision protection plate.

[0021] In some embodiments, the middle frame has a groove for mounting the pressure sensing element, and an elastic pad is provided in the groove. The elastic pad abuts against the collision protection plate and the pressure sensing element on either side of each other.

[0022] Based on the above embodiments, the collision protection plate will inevitably deform when it collides with an external obstacle. Since the pressure sensing element is located between the middle frame and the collision protection plate, the deformation of the collision protection plate may damage the pressure sensing element. By providing multiple grooves on the middle frame and installing the pressure sensing element in the grooves, even if the collision protection plate comes into contact with the middle frame when it collides with the external obstacle, the pressure sensing element will not be damaged because it is installed in the grooves, thus improving the reliability of the collision protection structure. At the same time, elastic pads are provided at the grooves on the middle frame to transmit the force generated when the collision protection plate collides with the external obstacle and to buffer the force generated when the collision protection plate collides with the external obstacle, thereby protecting the pressure sensing element.

[0023] In some embodiments, the collision protection plate includes a plate body and an abutment post extending from the plate body into the groove, the abutment post being connected to the elastic pad on the side near the pressure sensing element.

[0024] Based on the above embodiments, the force generated when the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle will be transmitted sequentially to the elastic pad and the pressure sensing element through the abutment post. This allows the distance between the collision protection plate and the middle frame to be set arbitrarily, increasing the plasticity of the collision protection structure. At the same time, the abutment post can strengthen the collision protection plate.

[0025] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a robotic vacuum cleaner, which includes the collision protection structure described above; and

[0026] The housing is the collision protection plate or the housing includes the collision protection plate and the housing body, and the collision protection plate is disposed on the housing body.

[0027] Based on the sweeping robot in this application embodiment, due to the aforementioned collision protection structure, the sensing sensitivity of the collision protection structure can be improved through the pressure sensing element, thereby improving the steering sensitivity of the sweeping robot.

[0028] Based on the collision protection structure of this application embodiment, the collision protection plate deforms after colliding with an external obstacle during the movement of the sweeping robot. The deformation of the collision protection plate compresses the pressure-sensitive element in the pressure sensing element, causing a change in the resistance of the pressure-sensitive resistor. This changes the current passing through the pressure sensing element. At this time, there is a current difference between the current passing through the pressure sensing element after being compressed and the current passing through it when not compressed. The control system of the sweeping robot determines the location of the collision by comparing the magnitude of the current differences of multiple pressure sensing elements, so as to enable the sweeping robot to accurately determine the location of the collision with the external obstacle and thus realize the turning of the sweeping robot. Compared with the prior art, which uses a mechanical structure set in the shell of the sweeping robot and the mechanical structure abuts against the collision protection plate to sense whether the collision protection plate has deformed due to the collision, the pressure sensing element in this application is smaller in size and occupies less internal space in the sweeping robot. Moreover, the pressure sensing element is directly connected to the inner wall of the collision protection plate. The pressure generated when the collision protection plate deforms due to the collision with the external obstacle can be sensed by the pressure sensing element without being transmitted through the mechanical structure, thus improving the sensing sensitivity of the collision protection structure. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of a collision protection structure in the prior art of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the sweeping robot in this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a collision protection structure in one embodiment of this application, intended to show the connection relationship between the collision protection plate and the middle frame;

[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic of the collision protection structure without the middle frame.

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the collision protection structure shown is without the collision protection plate, intended to show the groove;

[0035] Figure 6 for Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of section A of the collision protection structure shown in the figure;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a collision protection structure in another embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the collision protection structure from another perspective;

[0038] Figure 9 for Figure 8 The diagram shows the collision protection structure without the elastic element.

[0039] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the springback member in one embodiment of this application.

[0040] Reference numerals: 10, collision protection plate; 11, perforation; 12, abutment post; 13, plate body; 20, pressure sensing element; 30, elastic element; 40, rebound component; 41, connector; 42, movable element; 43, limiting element; 44, collision element; 45, snap-fit ​​element; 60, mechanical structure; 70, middle frame; 71, groove; 80, elastic pad; a indicates the robot's direction of travel. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0042] Robotic vacuum cleaners are a type of smart home appliance that uses artificial intelligence to automatically clean floors in a room. Generally, robots that perform sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping are collectively classified as robotic vacuum cleaners. Obstacle avoidance is one of the important research topics for robotic vacuum cleaners. A better obstacle avoidance system indicates a higher level of intelligence in the robotic vacuum cleaner. Obstacle avoidance refers to the ability to evade obstacles that obstruct the direction of movement and continue the previous action.

[0043] The robotic vacuum cleaners in this application include single-suction type, middle brush clamp type, or lifting V-brush type, etc. The embodiments of this application are not limited to this. The robotic vacuum cleaner can be disc-shaped, cube-shaped, flat, or other shapes, and the embodiments of this application are not limited to this either.

[0044] The collision protection structure is part of the obstacle avoidance system of a robotic vacuum cleaner. Its main function is to sense whether the robotic vacuum cleaner has collided with an external obstacle, collect the collision signal, and feed the collision signal back to the control system of the robotic vacuum cleaner to provide a steering signal for the steering system of the robotic vacuum cleaner.

[0045] Reference Figure 1 In the collision protection structure of related technologies, at least one mechanical structure 60 is usually set inside the shell of the robot vacuum cleaner to sense whether the collision protection plate has deformed due to a collision with an external obstacle such as a wall or table and chair. Specifically, the mechanical structure 60 includes a trigger, a torsion spring, a shell, and an electrical component. The trigger is rotatably connected to the shell at any position, and one end of the trigger abuts against the inner wall of the collision protection plate, while the other end is connected to the electrical component. One end of the torsion spring is fixedly connected to the shell, and the other end is fixedly connected to the trigger. When the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle and deforms, the trigger rotates around its rotatable connection point with the shell. The trigger activates the electrical component to generate a signal, thereby causing the robot vacuum cleaner to sense that the collision protection plate 10 has collided. The torsion spring provides power for the trigger to return to its initial position.

[0046] The aforementioned prior art has the following problems:

[0047] 1. The mechanical structure 60 includes a trigger, a torsion spring and a housing. It is relatively large in size. The collision protection plate 10 acts as the force-applying component, while the mechanical structure 60 acts as the force-receiving component. The mechanical structure 60 needs to be fixedly installed inside the housing, occupying the internal space of the housing.

[0048] 2. After the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, the trigger needs to overcome the spring force when rotating around the rotational connection point between it and the outer casing. This dissipates the force generated when the collision protection plate 10 collides with the external obstacle. In other words, the force generated when the collision protection plate 10 collides with the external obstacle must be greater than the spring force of the torsion spring in order to activate the electrical components of the mechanical structure 60. Furthermore, the deformation of the collision protection plate 10 needs to be transmitted to the electrical components through the mechanical structure 60, resulting in insensitive sensing.

[0049] To solve the above technical problems, please refer to Figures 2-10 As shown, the first aspect of this application proposes a collision protection structure that can improve the sensitivity of the collision protection structure to sensing external obstacles, and reduce the space occupied by the collision protection structure in the internal space of the robot vacuum cleaner shell.

[0050] In this embodiment, a collision protection structure is applied to a sweeping robot, including a collision protection plate 10 and at least two pressure sensing elements 20; the pressure sensing elements 20 are connected to the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate 10; wherein, when the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, the pressure sensing elements 20 are used to sense the collision situation of the collision protection plate 10.

[0051] The robotic vacuum cleaner travels in a straight line in a specific direction. After colliding with the collision protection plate 10, it turns and continues to travel in a straight line in another specific direction. Therefore, the collision protection plate 10 is generally located on one side of the robotic vacuum cleaner's shell in the direction of travel. Since the collision protection plate 10 frequently collides with external obstacles, it should have a certain pressure-bearing capacity and be able to return to its original shape after a collision. The collision protection plate 10 can be made of elastic materials such as plastic or hard rubber. In this embodiment, the shape of the collision protection plate 10 is not specifically limited. In practice, the shape of the collision protection plate 10 should be designed according to the shape of the robotic vacuum cleaner's shell.

[0052] The working principle of the pressure sensing element 20 is as follows: pressure signals are collected by the change in resistance of the internal pressure-sensitive element. Regardless of the connection method between the pressure sensing element 20 and the collision protection plate 10, it should be ensured that the pressure sensing element 20 can accurately sense the force generated when the collision protection plate 10 deforms. The pressure sensing element 20 includes, but is not limited to, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, or displacement sensors. Depending on the type of pressure sensing element, the situation in which the pressure sensing element senses the collision protection plate is also different. If the pressure sensing element 20 is a pressure sensor, it is used to sense the force generated when the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle. If the pressure sensing element 20 is a displacement sensor, it is used to sense the deformation generated when the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle. Considering that setting different types of pressure sensing elements 20 will increase the difficulty of signal processing in the control system, in this embodiment, all pressure sensing elements 20 are pressure sensors.

[0053] The collision protection structure based on this application embodiment works as follows: When the sweeping robot collides with an external obstacle during its operation, the collision protection plate 10 undergoes elastic deformation. This elastic deformation compresses the pressure sensing element 20, causing a change in the resistance of the pressure-sensitive element within the pressure sensing element 20. At this time, a current difference exists between the current flowing through the pressure sensing element 20 after compression and the current flowing through it when not compressed. The sweeping robot's control system determines the location of the collision by comparing the magnitudes of the current differences among multiple pressure sensing elements, thereby enabling the sweeping robot to turn. In practice, to prevent the components in the pressure sensing element from burning out, the resistance of the pressure-sensitive resistor in the pressure sensing element 20 will increase after compression, and the pressure sensing element... The greater the pressure on the pressure-sensitive resistor in component 20, the greater the increase in resistance. Therefore, the current through the pressure sensing element 20 will decrease after the pressure is applied, which indicates that a collision has occurred at the pressure sensing element 20 where the current difference is the largest. Compared with the prior art, which uses a mechanical structure 60 inside the robot vacuum cleaner's shell to sense whether the collision protection plate 10 has deformed, the pressure sensing element 20 in this application is smaller and connected to the inner wall of the collision protection plate 10, occupying less internal space in the robot vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, the force generated by the collision between the collision protection plate 10 and an external obstacle can be fully applied to the pressure sensing element 20, making the sensing sensitivity of the collision protection structure higher.

[0054] In some embodiments, at least two pressure sensing elements 20 are located on either side of the robot's direction of travel.

[0055] Two pressure sensing elements are used to sense whether a collision occurs on both sides of the collision protection plate 10. The control system of the sweeping robot can determine the location where the collision protection plate collides with the external obstacle by judging the current difference between the two pressure sensing elements 20, thereby realizing the steering function of the sweeping robot. This not only saves costs but also simplifies the control logic. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the two pressure sensing elements are symmetrically arranged about the direction of travel of the sweeping robot and form a 45° angle with the direction of travel of the sweeping robot.

[0056] In some other embodiments, the plurality of pressure sensing elements 20 include at least a first pressure sensing element, a second pressure sensing element, and a third pressure sensing element. In the direction of travel of the sweeping robot, the first pressure sensing element is located at a position where the collision protection plate 10 overlaps with the direction of travel, and the second and third pressure sensing elements are respectively located on both sides of the first pressure sensing element. In still other embodiments, the first pressure sensing element may be located on either side of the direction of travel, and the second and third pressure sensing elements are respectively located on both sides of the first pressure sensing element.

[0057] The first pressure sensor is located at the position where the collision protection plate 10 overlaps with the direction of travel. It is used to sense whether a force is generated in front of the collision protection plate 10 due to a collision. The second pressure sensing element 20 and the third pressure sensing element 20 are located on both sides of the first pressure sensing element 20, respectively. They are used to sense whether a force is generated on the left and right sides of the collision protection plate 10 due to a collision. In addition, even if the first pressure sensor is located on either side of the robot's direction of travel, the robot's control system still determines the location of the collision between the collision protection plate and the external obstacle by comparing the current difference of the three pressure sensing elements. With the above arrangement, only three pressure sensing elements 20 are needed to achieve all-round sensing of the collision protection plate 10, saving costs.

[0058] Since existing robotic vacuum cleaners are usually designed as discs with a circular outer wall, in one embodiment, the collision protection plate 10 is designed as an arc shape to correspond to the outer wall of the robotic vacuum cleaner. Multiple pressure sensing elements 20 are arranged along the length of the collision protection plate 10 so that the multiple pressure sensing elements 20 can sense the deformation of the collision protection plate 10 from all directions. Furthermore, the multiple pressure sensing elements 20 are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the collision protection plate 10 so that each pressure sensing element 20 has the same sensing range.

[0059] Based on the above embodiments, the collision protection plate 10 is generally designed in an arc shape. To ensure that the pressure sensing element 20 is tightly fitted to the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate 10, please refer to... Figure 5 In some embodiments, the pressure sensing element 20 is also configured as an arc shape to match the arc-shaped inner wall surface of the collision protection plate 10, ensuring that the collision protection structure has good sensitivity.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, the collision protection structure further includes a middle frame 70, and a pressure sensing element 20 is disposed between the middle frame 70 and the collision protection plate 10.

[0061] The middle frame 70 can be set to any shape, but in order to adapt to the structure of the collision protection plate 10, the middle frame 70 is set to be arc-shaped as a whole to correspond to the collision protection plate 10. It can be set as part of the robot vacuum cleaner shell and integrated with the robot vacuum cleaner shell, or it can be set separately from the robot vacuum cleaner and then fixedly connected.

[0062] The pressure sensing element 20 is disposed between the middle frame 70 and the collision protection plate 10. Whether it contacts the middle frame and the collision protection plate is not limited in this embodiment. In some embodiments, the pressure sensing element 20 can simultaneously abut against the middle frame 70 and the collision protection plate 10. In other embodiments, the pressure sensing element 20 can abut against either the middle frame 70 or the collision protection plate 10. In yet another embodiment, the pressure sensing element 20 does not abut against the middle frame 70 and the collision protection plate 10.

[0063] The middle frame 70 is used to limit the movement of the pressure sensing element 20 with the collision protection plate 10 when the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, so that the pressure sensing element 20 can quickly sense the force generated when the collision protection plate 10 collides with the external obstacle. Therefore, the distance between the middle frame 70 and the collision protection plate 10 should not be greater than the maximum deformation of the collision protection plate 10.

[0064] The pressure sensing element 20 is located between the middle frame 70 and the collision protection plate 10. Therefore, after the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, the pressure sensing element 20 will be subjected to a large force. In particular, if the collision protection plate 10 collides too violently with an external obstacle, it is easy to damage the pressure sensing element 20.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, the middle frame 70 has a plurality of grooves 71 for mounting pressure sensing elements 20, and an elastic pad 80 is provided in the groove 71. The elastic pad 80 abuts against the collision protection plate 10 and the pressure sensing element 20 on opposite sides.

[0066] The groove 71 can be any shape, as long as it can accommodate the pressure sensing element 20, the elastic pad 80, and the abutment post 12. However, considering the stability of the pressure sensing element 20 after it is installed in the groove 71, it is preferable that the groove 71 is rectangular. The number of grooves 71 should not be less than the number of pressure sensing elements 20. Considering the structural strength of the middle frame 70, the number of grooves 71 should not be too many. Therefore, the number of grooves 71 should be consistent with the number of pressure sensing elements 20. One pressure sensing element 20 and one elastic pad 80 are installed in one groove 71.

[0067] The shape of the elastic pad 80 can be arbitrarily set. To adapt to the shape of the pressure sensing element 20 and improve the safety of the pressure sensing element, the shape of the elastic pad 80 is consistent with that of the pressure sensing element 20. At the same time, the projection surface of the elastic pad 80 on the pressure sensing element 20 is not smaller than that of the pressure sensing element 20 and not larger than the groove 71. The material of the elastic pad 80 should be capable of elastic deformation, such as polyester elastomer, vinyl elastomer, or acrylic elastomer. Since the elastic pads 80 made of each material have different elasticity and consistent force transmission, all elastic pads 80 should be made of the same material.

[0068] Reference Figure 4 In some embodiments, the collision protection plate 10 includes a plate body 13 and an abutment post 12 extending from the plate body 13 into the groove 71, the side of the abutment post 12 near the pressure sensing element 20 being connected to the elastic pad 80.

[0069] During the process of the collision protection plate 10 colliding with an external obstacle, the force generated is transmitted sequentially to the elastic pad 80 and the pressure sensing element 20. Since the collision protection plate 10, the elastic pad 80, and the pressure sensing element 20 are all in surface-to-surface contact, the pressure transmitted to the pressure sensing element 20 is too small. After setting the abutment post 12 inside the collision protection plate 10, the contact area between the abutment post 12 and the elastic pad 80 is even smaller. According to p=F / S, the same force will generate greater pressure on the pressure sensing element 20, improving the sensitivity of the collision protection structure. At the same time, the abutment post 12 strengthens the structural strength of the collision protection plate.

[0070] Please refer to Figure 8 In some embodiments, the collision protection structure further includes an elastic element 30, which is connected to the collision protection plate 10 and extends along the length of the collision protection plate 10, and the elastic element 30 extends at least partially to the inside of the collision protection plate 10, and the pressure sensing element 20 is located between the elastic element 30 and the collision protection plate 10.

[0071] The elastic element 30 can be used to buffer the collision protection plate 10 and the pressure sensing element 20 after the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle and to provide a rebound force for the collision protection plate 10 to return to its original shape. However, after the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, the elastic element 30 will inevitably reduce the deformation of the collision protection plate 10, thereby reducing the sensitivity of the collision protection structure. Therefore, the elastic element 30 should have good rebound ability and poor pressure bearing capacity. For example, it can be a rubber strip, so that the main function of the elastic element 30 is to provide a rebound force for the collision protection plate 10 to return to its original shape and to minimize the influence of the elastic element 30 on the deformation generated when the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle. Even so, the elastic element 30 still has a certain pressure bearing capacity, but this pressure bearing capacity can be used to buffer the collision protection plate 10 and the pressure sensing element 20 to prevent the collision protection plate 10 and the external obstacle from colliding too violently and causing damage to the collision protection plate 10 and the pressure sensing element 20.

[0072] In some embodiments, the elastic element 30 can be configured as a strip, and the elastic element 30 is fixedly disposed on the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate 10, with the pressure sensing element 20 clamped between the elastic element 30 and the collision protection plate 10. Furthermore, in order to facilitate the fixed connection between the elastic element 30 and the collision protection plate 10, the elastic element 30 can be configured as an adhesive strip, and the elastic element 30 can be directly glued to the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate 10.

[0073] In some embodiments, the elastic element 30 includes a fixing strip and a sealing strip. The sealing strip is disposed at the bottom of the fixing strip, and there is a 90° angle between the sealing strip and the fixing strip, that is, the cross-section of the elastic strip is L-shaped. The fixing strip is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the collision protection plate 10 to fix the pressure sensing element 20. The sealing strip is sandwiched between the bottom of the collision protection plate 10 and the shell of the sweeping robot to seal the bottom of the collision protection plate 10 and the shell of the sweeping robot and to dampen the collision protection plate 10 when the sweeping robot shakes.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the collision protection plate 10 is provided with two through holes 11 and a spring-loaded member 40. The spring-loaded member 40 includes a connector 41, which is disposed inside the collision protection plate 10. Two movable members 42 extend from both ends of the connector 41. The two movable members 42 pass through the two through holes 11 and extend to the outside of the collision protection plate 10. The movable members 42 are movably disposed relative to the collision protection plate 10.

[0075] After the connector 41 is located inside the connecting plate, the two movable members 42 pass through the perforation 11 and extend to the outside of the collision protection plate 10. After the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle and deforms, the movable members 42 slide relative to the collision protection plate 10 in the perforation 11. During this process, the rebound member 40 deforms itself due to the force from the collision protection plate 10. At the same time, the rebound member 40 also exerts a force on the collision protection plate 10 to prevent the deformation of the collision protection plate 10 from being too large when it collides with the external obstacle. Afterward, when the rebound member 40 restores its own shape, it exerts a force on the collision protection plate 10 to accelerate the speed at which the collision protection plate 10 restores its original shape.

[0076] When the rebound member 40 deforms, it generates elastic force. Within its effective deformation range, the magnitude of the elastic force of the rebound member 40 follows the generalized Hooke's law. When the rebound member 40 is not deformed, there is no interaction force between the rebound member 40 and the collision protection plate 10. However, as soon as the rebound member 40 begins to deform, it hinders the deformation of the collision protection plate 10. As the deformation of the rebound member 40 increases, its own elastic force increases. However, because the elastic force of the rebound member 40 follows the generalized Hooke's law, the elastic force possessed by the rebound member 40 at the very beginning of deformation is very small, far less than expected. The force is less than the force generated when the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, so it will not affect the sensing sensitivity of the collision protection structure. When the collision protection plate 10 collides too violently with an external obstacle, both the collision protection plate 10 and the rebound member 40 undergo excessive deformation. At this time, the rebound member 40 has a large elastic force to limit the collision protection plate 10 from further deformation. At this time, because the deformation of the collision protection plate 10 is too large, the pressure sensing element 20 has already sensed the deformation of the collision protection plate 10, and the rebound member 40 will not affect the sensing sensitivity of the collision protection plate 10.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 10 In some embodiments, both the connector 41 and the movable member 42 are plate-shaped, and the size of the connector 41 is larger than the size of the movable member 42 in the length extension direction of the collision protection plate 10.

[0078] In some embodiments, to increase the elastic force of the rebound member 40 when it deforms, an angle α is provided between the connector 41 and the movable member 42 in the plane where the connector 41 is located. The angle α is 0°≤α≤90°. In this way, when the rebound member 40 deforms, the angle between the connector 41 and the movable member 42 gradually decreases, thereby generating a rebound force. Specifically, in this embodiment, the angle is preferably 30°.

[0079] Please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 10In some embodiments, a limiting member 43 is provided at one end of the movable member 42 that protrudes from the collision protection plate 10. The size of the limiting member 43 is larger than the size of the spring-loaded hole 11 to prevent the movable member 42 from coming out of the spring-loaded hole 11. Corresponding to the above embodiments, the limiting member 43 is set as a sheet, and the connecting member 41, the movable member 42 and the limiting member 43 are integrally set.

[0080] In another embodiment, the collision protection plate 10 is provided with a spring-loaded member 40. The spring-loaded member 40 includes a connector 41 and a movable member 42. The connector 41 is disposed inside the collision protection plate 10, and two movable members 42 extend from both ends of the connector 41 respectively. The two movable members 42 abut against the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate 10 respectively. When the collision protection plate 10 collides with an external obstacle, the collision protection plate 10 and the spring-loaded member 40 deform simultaneously. The end of the movable member 42 away from the connector 41 will slide on the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate 10, generating a reaction force on the collision protection plate 10. Similarly, the spring-loaded member 40 follows Hooke's law and will not affect the sensitivity of the collision protection structure. At the same time, it can limit the collision protection plate 10 from damage due to excessive deformation.

[0081] To achieve the connection between the connector 41 and the collision protection plate 10, in some embodiments, the spring-loaded member 40 further includes a collision member 44 and at least one snap-fit ​​member 45. The collision member 44 is disposed outside the collision protection plate 10 and located directly in front of the collision protection plate 10 in the direction of travel of the sweeping robot. The snap-fit ​​member 45 passes through the collision protection plate 10 to connect the connector 41 and the spring-loaded collision member 44. That is, the snap-fit ​​member 45 passes through the collision protection plate 10, and one end is connected to the connector 41 and the other end is connected to the collision member 44, thereby achieving the connection between the connector 41 and the collision protection plate 10.

[0082] In some embodiments, the latching member 45 includes a latching rod and a latching block. One end of the latching rod is fixedly connected to the connector 41, and the other end extends toward the collision protection plate 10 and passes through the collision protection plate 10, located outside the collision protection plate 10. The latching block is disposed on the latching rod and located outside the collision protection plate 10. Correspondingly, the collision member 44 has a latching hole corresponding to the latching rod. The size of the latching hole is larger than the size of the latching rod but smaller than the size of the latching block, so that the latching rod passes through the latching hole, but cannot be disengaged from the latching hole due to the limiting effect of the latching block. The specific shape of the collision member 44 is not specifically limited in this application, as long as the shape of the collision member 44 can be connected with the latching member 45. In some embodiments, the collision member 44 can be set as a rectangle, and in other embodiments, the collision member 44 can be set as a circle. The collision member 44 is used to collide with external obstacles directly in front of the sweeping robot in the direction of travel.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 2The second aspect of this application proposes a sweeping robot, which includes the collision protection structure and the shell as described above. The shell is a collision protection plate 10 or the shell includes a collision protection plate 10 and a shell body. The collision protection plate 10 is disposed on the shell body. Since the sweeping robot has the above-mentioned collision protection structure, the sensitivity of the sweeping robot to sensing external obstacles can be improved through the collision protection structure.

[0084] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0085] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A collision protection structure, characterized in that, Applications in robotic vacuum cleaners include: A collision protection plate, wherein the collision protection plate is provided with two through holes; At least two pressure sensing elements are connected to the inner wall surface of the collision protection plate; The rebound member includes a connector and a movable member. The connector is disposed on the inner side of the collision protection plate. The two ends of the connector are respectively connected to two movable members. The two movable members pass through the collision protection plate through two through holes and extend to the outer side of the collision protection plate. The movable members are movably disposed relative to the collision protection plate. When the collision protection plate collides with an external obstacle, the pressure sensing element is used to sense the collision situation of the collision protection plate. The movable member slides relative to the collision protection plate within the perforation to cause the rebound member to undergo elastic deformation. The rebound member generates a reverse force on the collision protection plate to limit the deformation of the collision protection plate.

2. The collision protection structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In the direction of travel of the sweeping robot, at least two pressure sensing elements are located on both sides of the direction of travel of the sweeping robot.

3. The collision protection structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure sensing element includes at least a first pressure sensing element, a second pressure sensing element, and a third pressure sensing element. In the direction of travel of the sweeping robot, the first pressure sensing element is located at a position where the collision protection plate overlaps with the direction of travel, or the first pressure sensing element is located on either side of the direction of travel. The second pressure sensing element and the third pressure sensing element are respectively located on both sides of the first pressure sensing element.

4. The collision protection structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The collision protection plate is generally arc-shaped, and multiple pressure sensing elements are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the collision protection plate.

5. The collision protection structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The pressure sensing element is located between the middle frame and the collision protection plate.

6. The collision protection structure as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The middle frame has a groove for installing the pressure sensing element, and an elastic pad is provided in the groove. The elastic pad abuts against the collision protection plate and the pressure sensing element on either side of each other.

7. The collision protection structure as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The collision protection plate includes a plate body and an abutment post extending from the plate body into the groove. The side of the abutment post near the pressure sensing element is connected to the elastic pad.

8. A robotic vacuum cleaner, characterized in that, include: The collision protection structure as described in any one of claims 1-7; as well as The housing is the collision protection plate or the housing includes the collision protection plate and the housing body, and the collision protection plate is disposed on the housing body.

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