Rain sensor, autonomous work device, docking station, and autonomous work system

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of rain sensor, including base, electrode and protruding body;The base has upper end surface and lower end surface opposite to the upper end surface;The upper end of the electrode is at least partially exposed to the upper end surface of the base;The protruding body is at least partially configured in the upper end surface, and there is gap between at least part of the protruding body and the upper end surface, can improve the water collection performance, make timely and correct response to rainfall.The present application also relates to a kind of autonomous operation equipment, docking station and autonomous operation system comprising the above rain sensor.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of outdoor working equipment, in particular to a rain sensor. The present application also relates to an autonomous working equipment, a docking station and an autonomous working system comprising the aforementioned rain sensor. BACKGROUND

[0002] It is well known to those skilled in the art to configure a rain sensor in an autonomous working system. However, when a sudden rainstorm occurs while the autonomous working system is working outdoors, the raindrops are large and fast, and directly impact the rain sensor. On the one hand, the base body of the rain sensor is usually not water-wettable, and the raindrops are not easy to form a continuous water film on the rain sensor. On the other hand, due to the large impact force of the raindrops, the original water film on the rain sensor is easily destroyed, resulting in that the rain sensor is difficult to make a timely and correct response to the sudden rainstorm. SUMMARY

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a rain sensor with good water collecting performance and capable of making a timely and correct response to rainfall.

[0004] To solve the above technical problem, the rain sensor of the present application comprises a base, an electrode and a protruding body. The base has an upper end face and a lower end face opposite to the upper end face. The upper end of the electrode is at least partially exposed to the upper end face of the base. The protruding body is at least partially configured directly above the upper end face, and there is a gap between at least part of the protruding body and the upper end face.

[0005] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the protruding body is configured to comprise a base part and an arm part. The base part is configured to be connected with the mounting base body of the rain sensor or the base. The arm part is configured to have one end connected with the base part and the other end located directly above the upper end face.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the upper end face of the base comprises a water collecting face configured to be concave from the upper end face, and the electrode is at least partially exposed to the water collecting face. The protruding body is configured to be directly above the water collecting face, and there is a gap between at least part of the protruding body and the water collecting face.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, there is a gap between at least part of the arm part and the water collecting face.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the distance from the upper surface of the arm part to the upper end face is greater than the distance from the upper surface of the electrode to the upper end face.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the distance from the lower surface of the arm to the upper end surface is less than the distance from the upper surface of the electrode to the upper end surface.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the protruding body further comprises at least one downwardly extending portion; the downwardly extending portion is configured to extend downwardly from one end of the arm away from the base.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the downwardly extending portion is configured to be large at the top and small at the bottom.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the upper end surface of the base comprises a water collecting surface, the water collecting surface is configured to be concave downwardly from the upper end surface, the electrode is at least partially exposed to the water collecting surface; the downwardly extending portion is configured to be directly below the arm and directly above the water collecting surface.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the electrode comprises a positive electrode and a negative electrode arranged in a spaced manner; the protruding body is at least partially arranged directly above the upper end surface between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

[0014] To solve the above technical problems, another rain sensor of the present application comprises a base, an electrode and a protruding body; the base has an upper end surface and a lower end surface opposite to the upper end surface; the upper end of the electrode is at least partially exposed to the upper end surface of the base; the protruding body is configured to comprise a base and an arm, the base is configured to be connected with the mounting base of the rain sensor, the arm is configured to have one end connected with the base and the other end located directly above the upper end surface.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the arm is configured to be in contact with the upper end surface, or at least a part of the arm is configured to be in contact with the upper end surface.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the upper end surface of the base comprises a water collecting surface, the water collecting surface is configured to be concave downwardly from the upper end surface, the electrode is at least partially exposed to the water collecting surface; the arm is configured to be in contact with the water collecting surface, or at least a part of the arm is configured to be in contact with the water collecting surface.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the distance from the surface of the arm to the upper end surface is greater than the distance from the upper surface of the electrode to the upper end surface.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the distance from the lower surface of the arm to the upper end surface is less than the distance from the upper surface of the electrode to the upper end surface.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the protruding body further comprises at least one downwardly extending portion; the downwardly extending portion is configured to extend downwardly from an end of the arm portion away from the base portion.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the downwardly extending portion is configured to be large at the top and small at the bottom.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the upper end surface of the base comprises a water collecting surface, the water collecting surface is configured to be concave from the upper end surface, the electrode is at least partially exposed to the water collecting surface; the downwardly extending portion is configured to be directly below the arm portion and directly above the water collecting surface.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the present application, the electrode comprises a positive electrode and a negative electrode arranged in a spaced manner; the protruding body is at least partially arranged above the upper end surface between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

[0023] To solve the above technical problems, an autonomous work device according to the present application comprises a sealed structure having a sealed cavity and a control module arranged in the sealed structure, and further comprises any one of the rain sensor described above; the rain sensor is configured to be arranged on the sealed structure, an upper end of the electrode is configured to be exposed outside the sealed structure, and a lower end of the electrode is configured to be electrically connected with the control module.

[0024] To solve the above technical problems, a parking station according to the present application comprises a sealed structure having a sealed cavity and a control module arranged in the sealed structure, and further comprises any one of the rain sensor described above; the rain sensor is configured to be arranged on the sealed structure, an upper end of the electrode is configured to be exposed outside the sealed structure, and a lower end of the electrode is configured to be electrically connected with the control module.

[0025] To solve the above technical problems, an autonomous work system according to the present application comprises an autonomous work device and a parking station, the autonomous work device is configured to be a robot capable of autonomously moving in a preset area, and the parking station is configured to be capable of parking and charging the autonomous work device; the autonomous work system further comprises any one of the rain sensor described above, and the rain sensor is arranged on the autonomous work device and / or the parking station. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic view of an autonomous work device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 2 is a top view of an autonomous work device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 3 isFigure 2 XX cross-sectional view.

[0029] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 YY cross-sectional view.

[0030] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of the local E.

[0031] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Exploded view (partial).

[0032] Figure 7 FIG. 1 is a top view of a rain sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 ZZ section view.

[0034] Figure 9 yes Figure 7 Left view of .

[0035] Figure 10 FIG. 1 is a partial schematic diagram of a rain sensor of an autonomous operating device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 11 FIG. 1 is a partial top view of a rain sensor of an autonomous operating device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 X1-X1 cross-sectional view.

[0038] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a stop according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and any structural, methodological, or functional changes made by those skilled in the art based on these embodiments are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] It should be understood that, in the description of the specific embodiments of the present invention, terms such as "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the technical features being described. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features.

[0041] In the detailed description of the application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", etc. should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be fixed connection, it can also be movable connection, or it can be detachable connection, or it can be integrated; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] In the detailed description of the application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, "on" or "under" the first feature of the second feature can include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them.

[0043] In the detailed description of the application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the term "multiple" means two or more.

[0044] Reference Figures 1 to 13 The embodiment provides an autonomous operation system, which comprises an autonomous operation device 6100, a docking station 6900 and a boundary.

[0045] The autonomous operation device 6100 is especially a robot that can autonomously move in a preset area and perform a specific operation, typically, an intelligent sweeper / dust collector that performs a cleaning operation, an intelligent mower that performs a mowing operation, an intelligent snow sweeper that performs a snow sweeping operation, an intelligent pool cleaner that performs a pool cleaning operation, etc. Wherein, the specific operation especially refers to an operation of processing a work surface and changing the state of the work surface. The present application is described in detail taking an intelligent mower as an example. The autonomous operation device 6100 can autonomously walk on the surface of a work area, and especially as an intelligent mower, can autonomously perform a mowing operation on the ground. The autonomous operation device 6100 at least comprises a main body mechanism, a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module, a detection module, an interaction module, a control module, etc.

[0046] The main body mechanism generally comprises a chassis and a shell, the chassis is used to install and accommodate the moving mechanism, the working mechanism, the energy module, the detection module, the interaction module, the control module and other functional mechanisms and functional modules. The shell is generally constructed to at least partially cover the chassis, mainly to enhance the appearance and recognition of the autonomous operation device 6100. In the embodiment, the shell is constructed to be displaceable and / or rotatable relative to the chassis under the action of external force, cooperated with appropriate detection modules, exemplarily such as a magnet and a Hall sensor, can further play a role in sensing collision, lifting and other events.

[0047] The moving mechanism is configured to support the main body mechanism on the ground and drive the main body mechanism to move on the ground, and typically includes a wheeled moving mechanism, a tracked or semi-tracked moving mechanism, a walking moving mechanism, etc. In the present embodiment, the moving mechanism is a wheeled moving mechanism, which includes at least one driving wheel and at least one walking prime mover. The walking prime mover is preferably an electric motor, and in other embodiments can be an internal combustion engine or a mechanical device powered by using other types of energy. In the present embodiment, a left driving wheel, a left walking prime mover driving the left driving wheel, a right driving wheel, and a right walking prime mover driving the right driving wheel are preferably provided. In the present embodiment, the straight-line travel of the autonomous work device 6100 is achieved by the same-speed rotation of the left and right driving wheels in the same direction, and the turning travel is achieved by the same-direction differential speed or opposite rotation of the left and right driving wheels. In other embodiments, the moving mechanism can further include a turning mechanism independent of the driving wheels and a turning prime mover independent of the walking prime movers. In the present embodiment, the moving mechanism further includes at least one driven wheel, which is typically configured as a universal wheel, and the driving wheels and the driven wheels are respectively located at the front and rear ends of the autonomous work device 6100.

[0048] The working mechanism is configured to perform specific work tasks, and includes a working member and a working prime mover driving the working member to operate. For example, for an intelligent sweeper / vacuum cleaner, the working member includes a roller brush, a suction pipe, a dust collection chamber, etc.; for an intelligent mower, the working member includes a cutting blade or a cutting disc, and further includes a height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the mowing height, and other components for optimizing or adjusting the mowing effect. The working prime mover is preferably an electric motor, and in other embodiments can be an internal combustion engine or a mechanical device powered by using other types of energy. In some other embodiments, the working prime mover and the walking prime mover are configured as the same prime mover.

[0049] The energy module is configured to provide energy for various works of the autonomous work device 6100. In the present embodiment, the energy module includes a battery and a charging connection structure, wherein the battery is preferably a rechargeable battery, and the charging connection structure is preferably a charging tab that can be exposed outside the autonomous work device.

[0050] The detection module is configured as at least one sensor for sensing the environmental parameters of the autonomous working device 6100 or its own working parameters. Typically, the detection module can include sensors related to the working area definition, such as magnetic induction type, collision type, ultrasonic type, infrared type, radio type, etc., and the sensor type is adapted to the position and number of the corresponding signal generating devices. The detection module can also include sensors related to positioning and navigation, such as GPS positioning device, laser positioning device, electronic compass, acceleration sensor, odometer, angle sensor, geomagnetic sensor, etc. The detection module can also include sensors related to its own working safety, such as obstacle sensor, lifting sensor, battery pack temperature sensor, etc. The detection module can also include sensors related to the external environment, such as environmental temperature sensor, environmental humidity sensor, light sensor, rain sensor 640, etc. In other embodiments, at least part of the detection module is configured on the docking station 6900, and the data is exchanged between the autonomous working device 6100 and the docking station 6900 through communication.

[0051] The interaction module is configured to at least receive user input control instruction information, issue information that needs to be perceived by the user, communicate with other systems or devices to receive and send information, etc. In the present embodiment, the interaction module includes input devices provided on the autonomous working device 6100 for receiving user input control instruction information, typically such as control panel, emergency stop button 650, etc.; the interaction module also includes display screen, indicator light and / or buzzer provided on the autonomous working device 6100, which make the user perceive the information through light or sound. In other embodiments, the interaction module includes a communication module provided on the autonomous working device 6100 and a terminal device independent of the autonomous working device 6100, such as a mobile phone, a computer, a network server, etc., and the user's control instruction information or other information can be input on the terminal device and reach the autonomous working device 6100 via wired or wireless communication module. In other embodiments, at least part of the interaction module is configured on the docking station 6900, and the data is exchanged between the autonomous working device 6100 and the docking station 6900 through communication.

[0052] The control module generally includes at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory, and the memory stores a pre-written computer program or instruction set, and the processor controls the execution of the movement, work, etc. of the autonomous working device 6100 according to the computer program or instruction set. Further, the control module can also control and adjust the corresponding behavior of the autonomous working device 6100 according to the signal of the detection module and / or user control instruction, modify the parameters in the memory, etc.

[0053] The boundary is used to define the working area of the autonomous working system, and generally includes an outer boundary and an inner boundary 8002. The autonomous working device 6100 is limited within the outer boundary, outside the inner boundary, or moves and works between the outer boundary and the inner boundary. The boundary can be physical, typically like a wall, a fence, a railing, etc.; the boundary can also be virtual, typically like a virtual boundary signal emitted by a boundary signal generator, which is generally an electromagnetic signal or an optical signal, or for autonomous working devices 6100 provided with positioning devices (such as GPS, etc.), a virtual boundary set in an electronic map formed by two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinates. In this embodiment, the boundary is configured as a closed energized wire electrically connected with the boundary signal generator, which is generally provided in the docking station 6900.

[0054] The docking station 6900 is generally configured on or in the boundary, for the autonomous working device 6100 to dock, and in particular, to be able to supply energy to the autonomous working device 6100 docked in the docking station.

[0055] As shown in Figures 2 to 9 The present embodiment also provides a rain sensor 640 and an autonomous working device 6100 provided with the rain sensor 640, and in particular, an intelligent mower capable of autonomously walking in a preset area and performing mowing work.

[0056] First, the rain sensor 640 provided by the present embodiment will be described in detail.

[0057] Referring to Figures 7 to 9 In the present embodiment, the rain sensor 640 includes a base 641 and an electrode 642 embedded in the base 641. In the optimal embodiment, the electrode 642 and the base 641 are connected by vulcanization bonding, which can ensure the sealing of the connection part of the electrode 642 and the base 641, and prevent water from seeping into the sealed cavity from the interface between the two. In other embodiments, the electrode 642 and the base 641 are connected by interference fit.

[0058] The base 641 is elastic and can ensure sealing performance, and is preferably made of rubber. The electrode 642 is rod-shaped, which can be a separate metal rod, or is composed of a metal rod and a wire welded to the lower end of the metal rod. In the present embodiment, the electrode 642 is preferably a separate metal rod. The number of electrodes 642 is two, which are respectively a positive electrode and a negative electrode arranged at intervals. As the optimal solution of the present embodiment, the rain sensor 640 is only composed of the base 641 and the electrode 642, and the electrode 642 is a separate metal rod, so that the entire rain sensor 640 is only composed of rubber material and metal material, thereby minimizing manufacturing cost.

[0059] The base 641 has opposite upper end face 6411 and lower end face 6412, the lower end face 6412 is used to expose in the inside of the sealed cavity c, the upper end face 6411 is used to expose in the outside of the sealed cavity c. Two ends of the electrode 642 respectively pass through the upper end face 6411 and the lower end face 6412, the upper end of the electrode 642 is used to expose in the outside of the sealed space c to contact the rain, the lower end of the electrode 642 is used to connect with the control board 660 in the sealed space c. In the working process of the device, the rain sensor 640 is used to detect whether it is rained, when two electrodes 642 are conducted by rainwater, the control board 660 can detect the electrode conduction signal, and then automatically stop working or send a reminder signal according to the signal.

[0060] The base 641 has outer peripheral surface 6413 configured between the upper end face 6211 and the lower end face 6412, the outer peripheral surface 6413 can be a circular peripheral surface, a regular or irregular polygonal peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface 6413 is configured with protruding support structure 6414, the base 641 is supported on the upper cover hole 6111 of the upper cover 610 which is a component of the sealed cavity c by the support structure 6414, the lower end region can be extended into the upper cover hole 6111, so that the lower end face 6412 is exposed in the sealed cavity c. On the other hand, other structures outside the sealed structure, such as the cover 630 above the upper cover 610 of the base, can be supported by the support structure 6414 on the outer peripheral surface 6413, the cover 630 can support itself on the support structure 6414 by the cover hole 6311 on it, and the upper end region of the support structure 6414 extends into the cover hole 6311, so that the upper end face 6411 of the base 641 is exposed outside the sealed cavity c. By configuring the support structure 6414 on the outer peripheral surface 6413 of the base 641, the rain sensor 640 is clamped and pressed on the sealed structure, ensuring the best assembly and reliability of the rain sensor 640.

[0061] The support structure 6414 has various alternatives, which can be a support flange continuously extending along the circumference of the outer circumferential surface 6413 of the base 641, the support flange being sheet-shaped or having a certain thickness; or the support structure 6414 is composed of a plurality of support portions spaced along the circumference of the outer circumferential surface 6413 of the base 641, the support portion being columnar, sheet-shaped or other shapes. As a preferred scheme of the embodiment, the support structure 6414 is a support flange extending along the circumference of the outer circumferential surface 6413, the support flange having a certain thickness, and a water guide groove extending from the inner edge to the outer edge of the flange is constructed on the upper surface of the support flange, and the water guide groove preferably extends linearly along the radial direction of the flange. The number of the flange is one or two. When the number of the flange is one, the bottom cover 610 and the fixing plate 630 are pressed tightly along the thickness direction of the flange. When the number of the flange is two, the bottom cover 610 is in contact with the lower surface of the lower flange, so that the base 641 is supported on the upper cover hole 6111 of the bottom cover 610, and the cover 630 is in contact with the upper surface of the upper flange, so as to be supported on the flange, and the water guide groove is constructed on the upper surface of the upper flange.

[0062] In the embodiment, at least one protrusion 6415 extending along the circumference of the outer circumferential surface 6413 and protruding from the outer circumferential surface 6413 is constructed on the outer circumferential surface 6413, the protrusion 6415 is constructed in a ring shape, the protrusion 6415 is located below the support structure 6414, and the at least one protrusion 6415 is spaced along the height direction of the base 641. The upper cover hole 6111 of the bottom cover 610 is stretched upward from the surface of the bottom cover 610 to form a first support portion 611, and the protrusion 6415 is matched with the inner wall of the first support portion 611 to achieve a sealing effect.

[0063] In the embodiment, a concave water collecting surface 6416 is constructed on the upper end surface 6411 of the base 641, the upper end of the electrode 642 penetrates through the water collecting surface 6416, and the water collecting surface 6416 is concave to the upper end surface 6411 to form a recess, which is beneficial to collect rainwater and further improve the sensitivity of the electrode 642.

[0064] In this embodiment, the periphery of the positive electrode and the periphery of the negative electrode are provided with a plurality of pyramids attached to the water collecting surface 6416, the gaps between the plurality of pyramids are communicated and jointly constitute a water storage space, the water storage space is configured to store water and form a water film connecting the positive electrode and the negative electrode. When rain appears above the rain sensor 640, since the pyramids have upward pointed tips, the tips can break the surface tension of the raindrops, so that it is not easy to form larger water beads on the water collecting surface, the raindrops are forced to quickly spread out and then form a water film that can conduct the positive electrode and the negative electrode, thereby achieving rapid triggering. In an embodiment, the pyramids are integrally formed on the water collecting surface 6416. In an embodiment, the plurality of pyramids are connected into a rain collecting structure, the rain collecting structure is attached to the water collecting surface 6416, the rain collecting structure is provided with a longitudinal channel for the positive electrode and the negative electrode to pass through, the positive electrode and the negative electrode pass through the longitudinal channel and then extend out of the upper end surface 6411 of the base 641. Preferably, the rain collecting structure is detachably fixed on the water collecting surface 6416 to facilitate replacement. For example, the rain collecting structure can be clamped on the water collecting surface 6416 through concave-convex structures. Alternatively, the detachable connection is achieved by adhesive means. Preferably, the pyramids are triangular pyramids or quadrangular pyramids. The plurality of pyramids are arranged at intervals or the bottoms of the pyramids are adjacent to each other. The pyramids have gaps between them, each pyramid is independent of each other and forms the gap, that is, there is no contact between adjacent pyramids. When the pyramids are connected into a rain collecting structure, the pyramids are connected together through a connecting part. Alternatively, the pyramids have gaps between them, the bottoms of adjacent pyramids contact each other to form the gaps. The pyramids form an integral rain collecting structure, and the connection is only achieved through the contacting bottoms. In an embodiment, the density of the top ends of the plurality of pyramids on the water collecting surface 6416 is greater than 100 per square centimeter. The pyramids with this density distribution can effectively break the surface tension of water droplets with a diameter greater than 2 millimeters, so that the rainwater falls on the surface more quickly and uniformly spreads out, forming a uniform water film on the surface, solving the problem of rapid triggering.

[0065] The autonomous work device 6100 provided in this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0066] The autonomous work device 6100 provided in this embodiment includes a sealing structure having a sealed cavity c and the rain sensor 640 as described above, the rain sensor 640 is arranged on the sealing structure, and the lower end surface 6411 of the base 641 of the rain sensor 640 is exposed inside the sealed cavity c, and the upper end surface 6411 of the base 641 is exposed outside the sealed cavity c.

[0067] Specifically, the sealing structure comprises two cover plates as its constituent parts, namely, the upper cover plate 610 and the lower cover plate 620. The upper cover plate 610 has a half-cavity formed by upward stretching, and the lower cover plate 620 has a half-cavity formed by downward stretching. The edge of one of the two cover plates is configured with a protruding sealing strip, and the edge of the other of the two cover plates is configured with a concave sealing groove, which is configured to receive the sealing strip, and a sealing member is arranged in the sealing groove. Thus, the edge of the lower cover plate 620 and the edge of the upper cover plate 610 are sealingly connected, and the half-cavities of the two are relatively combined to form the sealing cavity c. As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrated, two sealing positions a of the upper cover plate 610 and the lower cover plate 620 are shown, respectively.

[0068] As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 The autonomous working device 6100 further comprises a cover body 630 arranged above the outside of the upper cover plate 610, which in this embodiment serves as a mounting base for at least part of the rain sensor 640. The cover body 630 has a half-cavity formed by upward stretching, which is located outside the sealing cavity c and provides a mounting space for the rain sensor 640. In this embodiment, the cover body 630 also serves as a mounting base for at least part of the emergency stop button 650, which provides a mounting space for the emergency stop button 650. In other embodiments without the cover body 630, the rain sensor 640 is usually mounted on the base or the upper cover plate 610.

[0069] In this embodiment, one of the upper surface of the upper cover plate 610 and the edge of the cover body 630 is configured with a protruding clamping strip, and the other of the upper surface of the upper cover plate 610 and the edge of the cover body 630 is configured with a concave clamping groove configured to receive the clamping strip, so that the edge of the cover body 630 is clamped with the upper surface of the upper cover plate 610. As shown in Figure 3 illustrated, two clamping positions b of the upper cover plate 610 and the cover body 630 are shown.

[0070] The upper cover plate 610 is configured with an upper cover hole 6111 penetrating the thickness of the upper cover plate 610, and the base 641 is supported on the upper cover hole 6111 by the support structure 6414 thereon, and the lower end surface 6412 of the base 641 is exposed inside the sealing cavity c through the upper cover hole 6111. The cover body 630 is configured with a cover body hole 6311 penetrating the thickness of the cover body 630, and the cover body 630 is supported on the support structure 6414 of the base 641 through the cover body hole 6311, and the upper end surface 6411 of the base 641 is exposed outside the sealing cavity c through the cover body hole 6311.

[0071] In the embodiment, the support structure 6414 on the base 641 serves as a support base to facilitate assembly and improve the assembly and reliability of the rain sensor 640. However, in other embodiments, the base 641 has an outer peripheral surface 6413 on which no support structure 6414 is arranged. Since the base 641 is made of rubber, it can be pressed into the upper cover hole 6111 and / or the cover body 6311 by interference fit, and effective sealing protrusions can also be achieved.

[0072] As shown in Figure 5 In the embodiment, the upper cover hole 6111 is formed by stretching the surface of the upper cover 610 of the base plate upward to form a first support portion 611, and the cover body hole 6311 is formed by stretching the surface of the cover body 630 downward to form a second support portion 631. The base 641 located below the support structure 6414 is fitted with the first support portion 611, and the protrusions 6415 in this area match the inner wall of the first support portion 611 to ensure good sealing. The base 641 located above the support structure 6414 is fitted with the second support portion 631, and the lower end surface of the second support portion 631 is configured with a water guide groove extending from the inner wall to the outer wall of the second support portion 631, which is preferably linearly extended along the radial direction of the second support portion 631. In other embodiments, the lower surface of the support structure 6414 can be directly supported on the upper surface of the upper cover 610 of the base plate, and the lower surface of the cover body 630 can be directly supported on the upper surface of the support structure 6414. Preferably, the first support portion 611 and the second support portion 631 are continuous or intermittent column ring structures.

[0073] In the embodiment, the upper surface of the upper cover 610 of the base plate is configured with a mounting portion 612 for accommodating the emergency stop button 650, the rain sensor 640 is placed within the coverage range of the mounting portion 612, the emergency stop button 650 is arranged in the mounting portion 612, and the emergency stop button 650 is configured with an avoidance hole 654 allowing the rain sensor 640 to pass through, so as to improve the integration of the entire unit.

[0074] Specifically, referring to Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the upper cover 610 of the base plate is configured with a mounting portion 612, which is composed of a U-shaped vertical wall protruding from the upper surface of the upper cover 610 of the base plate. Within the range circled by the U-shaped vertical wall, the upper cover 610 of the base plate is configured with a first support portion 611 and a button mounting hole 613 penetrating the thickness of the upper cover 610 of the base plate.

[0075] The emergency stop button 650 comprises a pressing portion 651 and an extension portion 652 connected with the pressing portion 651, and two coaxial hinge shafts 653 are configured at the end of the extension portion 652 away from the pressing portion 651. Two coaxial semi-cylindrical receiving portions 615 are configured at the two ends of the opening of the U-shaped vertical wall. Two coaxial semi-cylindrical receiving portions 632 are configured on the lower surface of the cover 630, and the two semi-cylindrical receiving portions 615 on the U-shaped vertical wall and the two semi-cylindrical receiving portions 632 on the cover 630 are in one-to-one correspondence and abut, forming two coaxial complete cylindrical receiving portions, and the two coaxial hinge shafts 653 on the extension portion 652 are in one-to-one correspondence and received in the two coaxial complete cylindrical receiving portions and can rotate relative to the cylindrical receiving portions. The pressing portion 651 is operatively movably installed in the button installation hole 613, and the upper end thereof extends out of the cover 630 and is located outside the cover 630. When the pressing portion 651 is operated, the pressing portion 651 moves axially relative to the button installation hole 613 and drives the extension portion 652 to rotate relative to the upper cover 610 and the cover 630, thereby realizing the emergency stop operation. The extension portion 652 covers the space between the cover 630 and the upper cover 610 of the chassis, and an avoiding hole 654 extending through the thickness of the extension portion 652 is configured thereon, which is configured to allow the rain sensor 640, the first support portion 611 and the second support portion 631 to pass through. When the emergency stop button 650 is operated, the rain sensor 640 is not interfered. When assembled, the upper cover 610 of the chassis and the lower cover 620 of the chassis are assembled first to seal the two to form a sealed cavity c, and then the emergency stop button 650 and the rain sensor 640 are installed, and the emergency stop button 650 and the rain sensor 640 are installed in no particular order, and finally the cover 630 is installed.

[0076] In another embodiment of the present application, another rain sensor 640 is disclosed, which is described with reference to Figures 10 to 12 Since the rain sensor 640 of the present embodiment is an improvement on the technical solutions described above, only the improvements will be described in detail, and the same or similar technical features will be omitted or briefly described. The rain sensor 640 of the present embodiment comprises a base 641, an electrode 642 and a protruding body 670, wherein the protruding body 670 is at least partially arranged above the upper end surface 6411 of the base 641. Here and in the following, "above" typically means that the projection of at least part of the protruding body 670 on the horizontal plane falls within the projection of the base 641 on the horizontal plane when the water collecting surface 6416 is in a horizontal position. In a preferred embodiment, typically with reference to Figure 12 , there is a gap between at least part of the protruding body 670 and the upper end surface 6411. In another preferred embodiment, not shown separately, the protruding body 670 is configured to be in contact with the upper end surface 6411. In another preferred embodiment, not shown separately, the protruding body 670 is configured to be in contact with the upper end surface 6411.

[0077] Further referring to Figure 12 , the protruding body 670 is configured to include a base 671 and an arm 672. The base 671 is configured to connect with the mounting base of the rain sensor 640. In the present embodiment, the cover 630 constitutes at least a part of the mounting base, and the base 671 of the protruding body 670 is connected with the cover 630; further, the base 671 is connected with the edge of the cover hole 6311. In other embodiments, the chassis constitutes at least a part of the mounting base, and the base 671 of the protruding body 670 is connected with the chassis, typically, the base 671 is connected with the upper cover 610 of the chassis. In other embodiments, the base 671 is configured to connect with the base 641 of the rain sensor 640, typically, the base 671 is connected with the edge part of the base 641. The arm 672 is configured to have one end connected with the base 671 and the other end located directly above the upper end surface 6411. In the present embodiment, the protruding body 670 is integrally formed with the mounting base or the base 641, the base 671 of the protruding body 670 extends substantially upward from the mounting base or the base 641, the arm 672 extends substantially horizontally from the upper part of the base 671 towards the middle part of the base 641, preferably, the arm 672 extends to directly above the water collecting surface 6416, and there is a gap between at least part of the arm 672 and the water collecting surface 6416. Further, the distance from the upper surface of the arm 672 to the upper end surface 6411 is greater than the distance from the upper surface of the electrode 642 to the upper end surface 6411, that is, the height of the highest point of the arm 672 is greater than the height of the highest point of the electrode 642. Further, the distance from the lower surface of the arm 672 to the upper end surface 6411 is less than the upper surface of the electrode 642, that is, the height of the lowest point of the arm 672 is less than the height of the highest point of the electrode 642. It has been proved by a large number of experiments that such a structure is very helpful to avoid the direct impact of high-speed falling raindrops on the water collecting surface 6416 to some extent when heavy rain suddenly occurs, and to ensure that rainwater can be stored in the water collecting surface 6416 so as to conduct between the electrodes 642. In the optimal embodiment, the base 671 is integrally formed with the mounting base, which can simplify the assembly process to the greatest extent, and is also helpful to simplify the structure of the base 641 of the rain sensor 640, thereby reducing the complexity of production and processing and reducing the cost. In other embodiments, the protruding body 670 can also be configured to be connected with the mounting base or the base 641 by means of gluing, welding and the like, or can be configured to be connected with the mounting base or the base 641 by means of a detachable connection structure. In other embodiments, the protruding body 670 is configured to have a first part (such as the base 671) integrally formed with or connected with the mounting base or the base 641 by means of gluing, welding and the like, and a second part (such as the arm 672) connected with the first part by means of gluing, welding and the like or by means of a detachable structure.

[0078] Further, the protruding body 670 also includes at least one downwardly extending portion 673, and Figures 10 to 12 In the illustrated embodiment, the protruding body 670 includes one downwardly extending portion 673, in other embodiments, the protruding body 670 can include two or more downwardly extending portions 673. The downwardly extending portion 673 is configured to extend downwardly from the lower surface of the arm portion 672 away from the end of the base portion 671 corresponding to the portion of the water collection surface 6416. Preferably, the downwardly extending portion 673 is configured to be directly below the arm portion 672 and directly above the water collection surface 6416. As used herein and hereinafter, "directly below" typically means that the projection of the downwardly extending portion 673 on a horizontal plane falls completely within the projection of the arm portion 672 on the horizontal plane when the water collection surface 6416 is in a horizontal position; further, the projections do not touch each other. Preferably, the downwardly extending portion 673 is configured to not be directly above any of the electrodes 642; further, the electrodes 642 include positive and negative electrodes arranged in an alternating manner, and the downwardly extending portion 673 is configured to be directly above the water collection surface 6416 between the positive and negative electrodes. There is a gap between the downwardly extending portion 673 and the water collection surface 6416 when the portion of the protruding body 670 located directly above the water collection surface 6416 has a gap between the entire portion and the water collection surface 6416; or the downwardly extending portion 673 is in contact with the water collection surface 6416 when the portion of the protruding body 670 located directly above the water collection surface 6416 has the downwardly extending portion 673 in contact with the water collection surface 6416 and the other portions of the protruding body 670 located directly above the water collection surface 6416 have a gap between the other portions and the water collection surface 6416. Preferably, the downwardly extending portion 673 is configured to have a structure that is large at the top and small at the bottom, typically like an inverted circular truncated cone, an inverted circular cone, etc. When the protruding body 670 has the downwardly extending portion 673 with the above structure, the aggregation of raindrops on the water collection surface 6416 can be further optimized, and the problem of the water tension preventing the formation of a continuous water film between the two electrodes 642 can be avoided, even if the water collection surface 6416 is configured to be a substantially flat plane.

[0079] The foregoing description of the rain sensor 640 is based on the rain sensor 640 being arranged on the autonomous working device 6100, and in some other embodiments, the rain sensor 640 can also be arranged on the docking station 6900, as shown in FIG. 6B. Figure 13 As shown in FIG. 6B, the rain sensor 640 can also be arranged on the docking station 6900, in which case the docking station 6900 includes a sealed structure having a sealed cavity and a control module arranged in the sealed cavity, the sealed structure includes a docking station housing, and the rain sensor 640 is configured to be arranged on the docking station housing, and correspondingly, the protruding body 670 is preferably integrally formed with the docking station housing.

[0080] It should be understood that although the present specification describes only a single embodiment, the disclosure of features or combinations of features in this specification is not to be construed as an exclusion of the same from other embodiments. It is therefore contemplated that the features and combinations thereof described throughout this specification can be subject to alteration without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure.

[0081] The above detailed description merely describes a specific implementation of the application, and the description is not intended for restricting the protection scope of the application. Any equivalent implementation or change made without departing from the spirit of the application should be included in the protection scope of the application.

Claims

1. A rain sensor, characterized in that: The invention comprises a base, an electrode and a protrusion; the base has an upper end surface and a lower end surface opposite to the upper end surface; the upper end of the electrode is at least partially exposed to the upper end surface of the base; The electrodes include a positive electrode and a negative electrode spaced apart; the protrusion is at least partially disposed directly above the upper end surface between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; A distance from a lower surface of a portion of the protrusion located between the positive electrode and the negative electrode to the upper end surface is smaller than a distance from an upper surface of the electrode to the upper end surface.

2. The rain sensor according to claim 1, wherein: There is a gap between at least a portion of the protrusion and the upper end surface.

3. The rain sensor according to claim 1, wherein: The protrusion is constructed to include a base and an arm; the base is constructed to be connected to the mounting base of the rain sensor or the base; the arm is constructed so that one end is connected to the base and the other end is located directly above the upper end surface.

4. The rain sensor according to claim 3, wherein: The upper end surface of the base includes a water collecting surface, which is constructed to be concave from the upper end surface, and the electrode is at least partially exposed to the water collecting surface; the protrusion is configured to be directly above the water collecting surface, and there is a gap between at least part of the protrusion and the water collecting surface.

5. The rain sensor according to claim 4, wherein: There is a gap between at least a portion of the arm and the water collecting surface.

6. The rain sensor according to claim 3, wherein: The arm portion is configured so as not to be in contact with the upper end surface, or the arm portion is configured so that at least a portion thereof is in contact with the upper end surface.

7. The rain sensor according to claim 6, wherein: The upper end surface of the base includes a water collecting surface, the water collecting surface is formed to be concave from the upper end surface, and the electrode is at least partially exposed to the water collecting surface; The arm is configured to have no contact with the water collection surface, or at least a portion of the arm is configured to have contact with the water collection surface.

8. The rain sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein: A distance from an upper surface of the arm portion to the upper end surface is greater than a distance from an upper surface of the electrode to the upper end surface.

9. The rain sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein: A distance from a lower surface of the arm portion to the upper end surface is smaller than a distance from an upper surface of the electrode to the upper end surface.

10. The rain sensor according to claim 3, wherein: The protrusion further includes at least one downward protruding portion; the downward protruding portion is configured to extend downward from an end of the arm portion away from the base portion.

11. The rain sensor according to claim 10, wherein: The lower probe portion is constructed as a structure that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom. The upper end surface of the base includes a water collecting surface, and the water collecting surface is constructed to be concave from the upper end surface. The electrode is at least partially exposed to the water collecting surface. The lower probe portion is constructed to be directly below the arm portion and directly above the water collecting surface.

12. An autonomous operating device comprising a sealing structure having a sealed cavity and a control module disposed in the sealing structure, characterized in that: It also includes a rain sensor as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; the rain sensor is constructed to be arranged on the sealing structure, the upper end of the electrode is constructed to be exposed to the outside of the sealing structure, and the lower end of the electrode is constructed to be electrically connected to the control module.

13. A docking station, comprising a sealing structure having a sealed cavity and a control module disposed in the sealing structure, characterized in that: It also includes a rain sensor as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; the rain sensor is constructed to be arranged on the sealing structure, the upper end of the electrode is constructed to be exposed to the outside of the sealing structure, and the lower end of the electrode is constructed to be electrically connected to the control module.

14. An autonomous operation system comprising autonomous operation equipment and a docking station, wherein the autonomous operation equipment is configured as a robot capable of autonomously moving within a preset area, and the docking station is configured for the autonomous operation equipment to dock and charge, characterized in that: The autonomous operation system further comprises a rain sensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the rain sensor is configured on the autonomous operation equipment and / or the docking station.

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