A cleaning base station, a cleaning device, a cleaning system and a docking device

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a cleaning base station, cleaning equipment, a cleaning system, and a docking device. The cleaning system of this disclosure includes a cleaning base station, cleaning equipment, an elastic mechanism, and a pressure relief mechanism. The cleaning base station is provided with a first docking portion; the cleaning equipment is provided with a second docking portion; when the cleaning equipment is placed on the cleaning base station, the second docking portion can cooperate with the first docking portion; the elastic mechanism can buffer the pressure when the first docking portion and the second docking portion dock; the pressure relief mechanism can relieve at least a portion of the pressure generated when the first docking portion and the second docking portion dock. The cleaning system of this disclosure, by relieving part of the pressure from the first docking portion to the second docking portion through the pressure relief mechanism, reduces the pressure buffered by the elastic mechanism, preventing the elastic mechanism from being over-compressed under large pressure, generating a large counter-force, and pushing the cleaning equipment backward.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of cleaning machinery, and more specifically, to a docking device, a cleaning equipment using the docking device, a cleaning base station, and a cleaning system using the cleaning equipment and the cleaning base station. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of technology and the continuous improvement of living standards, people's demand for cleaning equipment is increasing day by day, and intelligent cleaning equipment is becoming more and more common, such as commercial robots that clean commercial environments such as shopping malls and office buildings.

[0003] Due to their limited battery capacity, cleaning robots need to periodically move to base stations for docking and charging. Because of their inherent inertia, robots can collide with base stations during docking, causing damage to components. This is especially true for commercial robots, which are larger and have greater inertia, making them more susceptible to collision-related damage. To minimize the risk of hard collisions between the robot and the base station, current base station docking platforms are often designed with retractable buffer structures and allowances for some buffer travel. Even with a buffer structure that has low elasticity, a hard collision between the robot and the base station can still occur. Conversely, with a buffer structure that has high elasticity, after the robot stops moving, the rebound force of the buffer structure will exceed the braking force between the robot and the ground, potentially pushing the robot backward.

[0004] When the robot is pushed backward, the contact area between the charging electrodes of the robot and the base station will be reduced, which will lead to problems such as severe overheating at the electrodes. In severe cases, it may even cause the robot and the base station to burn out. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure aims to address the problems existing in the prior art by providing a clean base station, a clean equipment, a clean system, and a docking device.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning system is provided, comprising:

[0007] A cleaning base station, wherein a first docking part is provided on the cleaning base station;

[0008] A cleaning device is provided with a second docking part; when the cleaning device is configured to be placed on the cleaning base station, the second docking part can cooperate with the first docking part.

[0009] An elastic mechanism is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking portion and the second docking portion dock together;

[0010] A pressure relief mechanism configured to relieve at least a portion of the pressure generated when the first docking portion docks with the second docking portion.

[0011] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the pressure relief mechanism is configured to relieve at least a portion of the pressure when the first docking portion docks with the second docking portion, such that the elastic force of the elastic mechanism during buffering is less than the braking force of the cleaning device on the cleaning base station.

[0012] In one embodiment of this disclosure, when the first docking part and the second docking part dock, the elastic mechanism buffers the impact between the first docking part and the second docking part during the first stroke; during the second stroke, the elastic mechanism continues to buffer the impact between the first docking part and the second docking part, and the pressure relief mechanism relieves the pressure of the impact between the first docking part and the second docking part.

[0013] In one embodiment of this disclosure, during the first stroke, the elastic force F1 stored by the elastic mechanism during buffering is less than 20N, and the braking force F2 of the cleaning device on the cleaning base station is 20 to 60N.

[0014] In one embodiment of this disclosure, when the first docking part and the second docking part dock, while the elastic mechanism begins to buffer the first docking part and the second docking part, the pressure relief mechanism begins to relieve pressure on the first docking part and the second docking part.

[0015] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the clean base station includes a base and a sliding seat that is guided and fitted on the base, and the first docking portion is fixed on the sliding seat; the elastic mechanism and the pressure relief mechanism are respectively disposed between the sliding seat and the base.

[0016] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the elastic mechanism is a spring, and the two ends of the spring are respectively connected to the sliding seat and the base.

[0017] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the pressure relief mechanism is fixed to the base, and the pressure-bearing end of the pressure relief mechanism abuts against the sliding seat in its initial position, or has a gap with the sliding seat; or,

[0018] The pressure relief mechanism is fixed on the sliding seat, and the pressure-bearing end of the pressure relief mechanism abuts against the base in the initial position, or there is a gap between the pressure relief mechanism and the base.

[0019] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the pressure relief mechanism is a damper.

[0020] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the pressure relief mechanism is configured to move toward the base when subjected to pressure in order to relieve pressure between the slide and the base.

[0021] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the cleaning device includes a base and a sliding seat that is guided and fitted on the base, and the second docking portion is fixed on the sliding seat; the elastic mechanism and the pressure relief mechanism are respectively disposed between the sliding seat and the base.

[0022] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the first docking portion and the second docking portion are charging electrodes, and the cleaning device is configured to charge after the charging electrodes are docked.

[0023] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning base station is provided, the cleaning base station being configured to house cleaning equipment, including:

[0024] The second docking part, when the cleaning device is configured to be placed on the cleaning base station, is able to cooperate with the first docking part on the cleaning device;

[0025] An elastic mechanism is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking portion and the second docking portion dock together;

[0026] A pressure relief mechanism configured to relieve at least a portion of the pressure generated when the first docking portion docks with the second docking portion.

[0027] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning device is provided, comprising:

[0028] The second docking part, when the cleaning device is configured to be placed on the cleaning base station, is able to cooperate with the first docking part on the cleaning base station;

[0029] An elastic mechanism is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking portion and the second docking portion dock together;

[0030] A pressure relief mechanism configured to relieve at least a portion of the pressure generated by the docking of the first docking portion and the second docking portion.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a docking device is provided, comprising:

[0032] First docking section;

[0033] The second docking part is configured to cooperate with the first docking part during movement;

[0034] An elastic mechanism is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking portion and the second docking portion dock together;

[0035] A pressure relief mechanism configured to relieve at least a portion of the pressure generated when the first docking portion docks with the second docking portion.

[0036] One beneficial effect of this disclosure is that the cleaning system includes a cleaning base station, cleaning equipment, a resilient mechanism, and a pressure relief mechanism. The cleaning equipment and the cleaning base station are connected via a first docking part and a second docking part. When the cleaning equipment and the cleaning base station are connected, the second docking part is impacted by the first docking part. The resilient mechanism can buffer the pressure of the first docking part on the second docking part, and the pressure relief mechanism can relieve at least part of the pressure generated by the first docking part on the second docking part, thereby reducing the pressure that the resilient mechanism needs to buffer. This prevents the resilient mechanism from being over-compressed under large pressure, which would generate a large counter-force on the cleaning equipment, thus enabling the cleaning equipment and the cleaning base station to connect stably.

[0037] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning system disclosed herein;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the docking device disclosed herein;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the docking device during docking.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the docking device disclosed herein.

[0043] Figures 1 to 4 The correspondence between the component names and the reference numerals in the figures is as follows:

[0044] 1. Clean base station, 11. First docking part, 12. Base, 2. Cleaning equipment, 21. Second docking part, 3. Elastic mechanism, 4. Pressure relief mechanism, 41. Pressure-bearing end, 5. Sliding seat. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use.

[0047] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0048] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0049] The specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] In this article, terms such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate the relative positional relationship between related parts, rather than to define the absolute position of these related parts.

[0051] In this article, "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish one another, and not to indicate degree of importance, order, or prerequisite for each other.

[0052] In this document, terms such as “equal” and “same” are not strict mathematical and / or geometric limitations, but also include errors that are understandable to those skilled in the art and permissible in manufacturing or use.

[0053] This disclosure provides a cleaning system, including a cleaning base station and cleaning equipment. The cleaning equipment can be a self-propelled cleaning robot, a handheld floor scrubber, etc., and can cooperate with the cleaning base station by moving on its own or by manual placement. The cleaning base station is usually placed in a fixed location. After completing the cleaning work, the cleaning equipment can return to the cleaning base station. The cleaning base station can integrate functions such as charging, water replenishment, washing, drying, and dust collection for the cleaning equipment.

[0054] The cleaning system also includes a flexible mechanism and a pressure relief mechanism. The cleaning base station is equipped with a first docking part, and the cleaning equipment is equipped with a second docking part. When the cleaning equipment is placed on the cleaning base station, the second docking part engages with the first docking part. During the docking process between the cleaning equipment and the cleaning base station, the flexible mechanism can buffer the pressure generated when the first and second docking parts dock. The pressure relief mechanism can release at least a portion of the pressure generated when the first and second docking parts dock, reducing the pressure that the flexible mechanism needs to buffer and preventing excessive compression of the flexible mechanism that could generate a large counter-force that pushes the cleaning equipment away from the cleaning base station.

[0055] The cleaning system disclosed herein allows the cleaning base station and cleaning equipment to connect for charging, piping, etc., via a first docking part and a second docking part. For example, when the cleaning equipment and the cleaning base station are charged through the cooperation of the first and second docking parts, the first and second docking parts act as charging electrodes, and after docking, the cleaning equipment can be charged through the cleaning base station. Alternatively, when the first and second docking parts are used for piping connection, they act as pipe connectors, and after docking, the cleaning base station can be used to replenish water to the cleaning equipment, or to pump wastewater or dust from the cleaning equipment to the cleaning base station for storage, or to discharge it through the cleaning base station. For those skilled in the art, based on the above disclosure, the first and second docking parts can also be other components used in conjunction with each other.

[0056] When the first and second docking parts are charging electrodes, the cleaning equipment moves towards the cleaning base station when charging is required. During this movement, the two charging electrodes dock together, and the cleaning base station begins charging the cleaning equipment. After the two charging electrodes contact, the cleaning equipment continues to move closer to the cleaning base station due to inertia. The elastic mechanism can buffer the pressure generated when the two charging electrodes dock, and the pressure relief mechanism can further relieve pressure, reducing the pressure on the elastic mechanism and preventing excessive compression that could generate a large counterforce on the cleaning equipment. This ensures that the two charging electrodes can fully dock, preventing the problem of reduced contact area and severe overheating, and reducing safety hazards in the cleaning system.

[0057] For ease of understanding, please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 4 The specific structure and working principle of this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to one embodiment.

[0058] Example 1

[0059] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cleaning system disclosed herein includes a cleaning base station 1, a cleaning device 2, an elastic mechanism 3, and a pressure relief mechanism 4.

[0060] A first docking part 11 is provided on the cleaning base station 1. A second docking part 21 is provided on the cleaning device 2. The second docking part 21 and the first docking part 11 can cooperate with each other to connect the cleaning base station 1 and the cleaning device 2. In a specific embodiment of this disclosure, the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 are both charging electrodes. After the two charging electrodes are connected, the cleaning base station 1 can charge the cleaning device 2.

[0061] The elastic mechanism 3 and the pressure relief mechanism 4 can be disposed between the first docking part 11 and the cleaning base station 1. When the cleaning device 2 docks with the cleaning base station 1, the elastic mechanism 3 is compressed and deformed, buffering the pressure generated by the impact of the second docking part 21 on the first docking part 11 through elasticity. The pressure relief mechanism 4 can relieve at least part of the pressure generated when the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 dock, reducing the pressure that the elastic mechanism 3 needs to buffer. After the cleaning device 2 completes charging and leaves the cleaning base station 1, the elastic mechanism 3 can drive the first docking part 11 to reset.

[0062] Specifically, the elastic mechanism 3 can be a compression spring, with one end connected to the first docking part 11 and the other end connected to the cleaning base station 1. Of course, the elastic mechanism can also be other elastic elements such as spring sheets or compression sheets.

[0063] The pressure relief mechanism 4 is used to absorb part of the pressure generated during docking of the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21, and does not generate a counter-thrust force, but only consumes the pressure, thereby reducing the pressure that the elastic mechanism needs to buffer.

[0064] The pressure relief mechanism 4 disclosed herein can employ a damper, such as a hydraulic damper, pneumatic damper, electromagnetic damper, or other energy-dissipating dampers well-known to those skilled in the art. For example, a hydraulic damper utilizes the principle of a piston squeezing hydraulic oil to relieve pressure. When subjected to force, a hydraulic damper can dissipate the energy of the external force and does not store energy. The hydraulic damper can reset under the action of its own spring, the specific method depending on the type of damper. Dampers differ from elastic mechanisms; dampers are energy-dissipating, while elastic mechanisms are energy-storing. Of course, the pressure relief mechanism 4 can also be other existing devices with pressure relief functions.

[0065] When the cleaning device 2 docks with the cleaning base station 1, in order to prevent the reverse thrust generated by the elastic mechanism 3 from pushing the cleaning device 2 away from the cleaning base station 1, the cleaning device 2 has a braking force capable of overcoming the reverse thrust, thereby stably cooperating with the cleaning base station 1. The cleaning device 2 can generate braking force through its own braking device, friction between itself and the ground, etc.

[0066] In this embodiment, the pressure relief structure 4 relieves pressure during docking, reducing the pressure that the elastic mechanism 3 needs to buffer, which helps ensure that the thrust generated by the elastic mechanism 3 does not exceed the braking force of the cleaning device 2. After the cleaning device 2 is stably docked with the cleaning base station 1, the cleaning device 2 will not be pushed away from the cleaning base station 1 by the thrust of the elastic mechanism 3.

[0067] This is because when the cleaning device 2 moves to dock with the cleaning base station 1, the impact force of the cleaning device 2 on the cleaning base station 1 is buffered by the elastic mechanism 3. The elastic mechanism 3 stores elastic force after being compressed, and the greater the compression of the elastic mechanism 3, the greater the stored elastic force. If the stored elastic force of the elastic mechanism 3 is greater than the braking force of the cleaning device 2 on the cleaning base station 1, the elastic force of the elastic mechanism 3 will push the cleaning device 2 in the opposite direction, resulting in a reverse push problem for the cleaning device 2. This affects the stability of the cooperation between the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21. The cleaning system of this disclosure, by setting a pressure relief mechanism 4, can absorb at least part of the pressure between the cleaning device 2 and the cleaning base station 1, thereby preventing the elastic force stored by the elastic mechanism 3 during buffering from exceeding the braking force of the cleaning device 2 on the cleaning base station 1, thus avoiding the reverse push problem of the elastic mechanism 3 on the cleaning device 2.

[0068] In one embodiment of this disclosure, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 During the docking process between the cleaning device 2 and the cleaning base station 1, when the second docking part 21 contacts and impacts the first docking part 11, the elastic mechanism 3 begins to buffer the impact pressure, while the pressure relief mechanism 4 also begins to relieve pressure. This can be understood as the elastic mechanism and the pressure relief mechanism 4 working simultaneously. This prevents a situation where, during the docking process between the cleaning device 2 and the cleaning base station 1, before the pressure relief mechanism 4 begins to relieve the pressure generated by the impact between the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21, the counter-thrust force generated by the elastic mechanism 3 exceeds the braking force that the cleaning device 2 can generate, directly pushing the cleaning device 2 away from the cleaning base station 1 and causing docking instability.

[0069] In practical applications, due to the characteristics of the pressure relief mechanism 4 itself, when the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 just begin to contact, the impact pressure between the second docking part 21 and the first docking part 11 is the greatest. At this time, if the first docking part 11 and the pressure relief mechanism 4 are in direct contact, that is, after the cleaning equipment 2 exerts a large amount of energy on the pressure relief mechanism 4, it will not achieve the purpose of slowly decelerating the cleaning equipment 2, nor will it play a buffering role.

[0070] To address the aforementioned problems, in another embodiment of this disclosure, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 and Figure 4When the cleaning device 2 docks with the cleaning base station 1, during the first stroke when the second docking part 21 impacts the first docking part 11, the elastic mechanism 3 buffers the pressure generated when the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 dock together. After the first stroke ends, when the second docking part 21 continues to press against the first docking part 11 during the second stroke, not only does the elastic mechanism 3 continue to buffer the pressure generated by the impact between the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21, but the pressure relief mechanism 4 also begins to relieve at least part of the pressure generated by the impact of the second docking part 21 on the first docking part 11. This reduces the pressure that the elastic mechanism 3 needs to buffer, reduces the deformation of the elastic mechanism 3 during the second stroke, and ultimately reduces the counter-thrust force of the elastic mechanism 3. When the cleaning device 2 is stably docked with the cleaning base station 1, there will be no situation where the counter-thrust force of the elastic mechanism 3 is greater than the braking force of the cleaning device 2, thus pushing the cleaning device 2 away from the cleaning base station 1.

[0071] In the above embodiments, the braking force generated by the cleaning device 2 on the cleaning base station 1 is F2, and the elastic force stored by the elastic mechanism 3 during the first stroke is F1. In a specific embodiment of this disclosure, F1 is less than 20N, and F2 is 20 to 60N. The elastic mechanism 3 performs pre-buffering during the first stroke, and after buffering to a predetermined degree, it is depressurized by the pressure relief mechanism 4. This ensures the buffering of the elastic mechanism 3 when docking with the cleaning device 2, and also avoids excessive elastic force stored in the elastic mechanism 3. For example, in a specific embodiment of this disclosure, if the braking force generated by the cleaning device 2 on the cleaning base station 1 is F2 of 40N, then the elastic force F1 stored by the elastic mechanism 3 during the first stroke when buffering the cleaning device 2 can be selected to be 15N. That is, the cleaning device 2 moves a predetermined distance during the first stroke, and the elastic mechanism 3 provides initial buffering of the impact of the cleaning device 2 within this predetermined distance. During the second stroke, while the elastic mechanism 3 continues to buffer, the pressure relief mechanism 4 relieves the impact of the cleaning device 2 to absorb the impact force of the cleaning device 2.

[0072] The elastic force F1 stored in the elastic mechanism 3 during the first stroke cannot be too small or too large. If it is too small, it will not be able to buffer the cleaning equipment 2. If it is too large, the pressure relief mechanism 4 may not be able to relieve the pressure in time during the second stroke, causing the elastic force F1 stored in the elastic mechanism 3 to exceed the braking force F2 of the cleaning equipment 2 on the cleaning base station 1.

[0073] When the cleaning device 2 does not need to connect with the cleaning base station 1, the first docking part 11, the elastic mechanism 3, and the pressure relief mechanism 4 are exposed to the external environment, inevitably becoming contaminated with moisture or dust and other impurities, causing problems. For example, the cleaning device 2 may short-circuit during charging via the connection between the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21, burning out the cleaning base station or the cleaning device; or impurities on the first docking part 11 may cause poor charging contact.

[0074] To address the aforementioned problems, in one embodiment of this disclosure, see [link to relevant documentation] Figure 1 , Figure 2 The clean base station 1 also includes a base 12 and a sliding seat 5. The sliding seat 5 is guided and fitted on the base 12, allowing it to slide back and forth relative to the base 12. Furthermore, the direction of movement of the sliding seat 5 is consistent with the docking direction of the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 12. The first docking part 11 is fixedly connected to the end of the sliding seat 5 away from the base 12. An elastic mechanism 3 and a pressure relief mechanism 4 are disposed between the sliding seat 5 and the base 12 to buffer and relieve the pressure generated during docking of the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21.

[0075] The first docking part 11 is exposed from the sliding seat 5 on both the side away from the base 12 and the side close to the base 12. The side of the first docking part 11 away from the base 12 is used to contact and cooperate with the second docking part 21 on the cleaning device 2. The side of the first docking part 11 close to the base 12 is used to connect to the internal circuit of the cleaning base station 1, for example, to connect to the external power supply in the cleaning base station 1 through a wire, for charging the cleaning device 2.

[0076] When the cleaning device 2 squeezes the first docking part 11, it also squeezes the sliding seat 5, causing the sliding seat 5 to move towards the base 12 along with the first docking part 11. The elastic mechanism 3 and the pressure relief mechanism 4 can also buffer and release the pressure generated when the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 dock together by abutting against the sliding seat 5. The sliding seat 5 can enclose the first docking part 11, the elastic mechanism 3, and the pressure relief mechanism 4, preventing the first docking part 11, the elastic mechanism 3, and the pressure relief mechanism 4 from coming into contact with dust, water stains, etc. in the external environment when the cleaning base station 1 is idle, thus preventing the cleaning device 2 or the cleaning base station 1 from malfunctioning during the docking process.

[0077] Furthermore, the sliding seat 5 provided in this disclosure is guided and engaged with the base 12, thereby ensuring that the first docking part 11 moves along a predetermined direction. (See reference...) Figure 2 The sliding seat 5 is wrapped around the base 12. When sliding, it is supported by the base 12, making the sliding seat 5 more stable during the sliding process and preventing it from shifting. This ensures that the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 can be fully docked and fitted together when docking.

[0078] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the elastic mechanism 3 is a spring, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 One end of the spring is connected to the sliding seat 5 facing the base 12, and the other end is connected to the base 12. Multiple springs can be provided, which are connected to the base 12 and the sliding seat 5 respectively. For example, in this embodiment, four springs are provided. The four springs are distributed in a ring between the sliding seat 5 and the base 12, which can not only enhance the buffering capacity of the elastic mechanism 3, but also ensure the stability of the sliding seat 5 when it moves.

[0079] The first docking part 11 can protrude from the surface of the sliding seat 5 on the side near the cleaning device 2, so as to facilitate contact with the second docking part 21. When the cleaning device 2 squeezes the first docking part 11, the first docking part 11 drives the sliding seat 5 to move towards the base 12, while squeezing the spring and the pressure relief mechanism 4 to buffer and relieve the pressure when the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 are docked.

[0080] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the pressure relief mechanism 4 can be fixedly connected to the base 12. The pressure-bearing end 41 of the pressure relief mechanism 4 can abut against the sliding seat 5 in the initial position, or it can have a predetermined gap with the sliding seat 5.

[0081] refer to Figure 4 The embodiment shown, Figure 4 The diagram illustrates the initial positions of the sliding seat 5, the elastic mechanism 3, and the pressure relief mechanism 4. In this initial state, the pressure-bearing end 41 of the pressure relief mechanism 4 is in contact with the sliding seat 5, for example, connected or in contact. When the cleaning device 2 docks with the cleaning base station 1, the first docking part 11 and the sliding seat 5 are impacted by the second docking part 21, causing them to move towards the base 12. Simultaneously, this compresses the elastic mechanism 3 and the pressure relief mechanism 4, causing the elastic mechanism 3 to be compressed towards the base 12, thus buffering the pressure generated during docking. At the same time, the pressure-bearing end 41 of the pressure relief mechanism 4 also moves towards the base 12, beginning to release at least part of the pressure generated during docking, thereby reducing the pressure that the elastic mechanism 3 needs to buffer and preventing the cleaning device 2 from being pushed away from the cleaning base station 1 by the large counterforce generated by the elastic mechanism 3. (Refer to...) Figure 3 .

[0082] In another embodiment, see Figure 2The pressure-bearing end 41 can also be a certain distance from the sliding seat 5. When the cleaning device 2 docks with the cleaning base station 1, the first docking part 11 and the sliding seat 5 are impacted by the second docking part 21, thus moving towards the base 12, and simultaneously squeezing the elastic mechanism 3, causing the elastic mechanism 3 to be compressed towards the base 12, thus beginning to buffer the pressure generated during docking. After the first docking part 11 moves a certain distance towards the base 12 under the compression of the second docking part 21, the sliding seat 5 contacts and squeezes the pressure-bearing end 41, causing the pressure-bearing end 41 to also move towards the base 12, thus beginning to release at least part of the pressure generated during docking, thereby reducing the pressure that the elastic mechanism 3 needs to buffer, and preventing the cleaning device 2 from being pushed away from the cleaning base station 1 due to the large counter-force generated by the elastic mechanism 3. In this embodiment, the distance between the pressure-bearing end 41 and the sliding seat 5 is the first stroke mentioned above. The greater this distance, the greater the buffering stroke of the elastic mechanism 3, and the greater the elastic force stored during buffering.

[0083] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the pressure relief mechanism 4 can also be fixedly connected to the sliding seat 5. The pressure-bearing end 41 can abut against the base 12 in its initial position, or it can maintain a certain distance from the base 12. When the cleaning device 2 docks with the cleaning base station 1, the movement process of each component is consistent with the above embodiment, and will not be described in detail here.

[0084] Based on the above disclosure, those skilled in the art will readily conceive of arranging the base 12 and the sliding seat 5 on the cleaning device 2. That is, the cleaning device 2 includes the base 12 and the sliding seat 5, which is guided and fitted onto the base 12, allowing the sliding seat 5 to slide reciprocally relative to the base 12. Furthermore, the direction of movement of the sliding seat 5 is consistent with the docking direction of the first docking portion 11 and the second docking portion 21. The second docking portion 21 is fixedly connected to the end of the sliding seat 5 away from the base 12. An elastic mechanism 3 and a pressure relief mechanism 4 are disposed between the sliding seat 5 and the base 12 to buffer and relieve the pressure generated during docking of the first docking portion 11 and the second docking portion 21; these will not be described in detail here.

[0085] Example 2

[0086] This disclosure also provides a cleaning base station 1 for housing a cleaning device 2. The cleaning device 2 can travel to the cleaning base station 1 for charging, water replenishment, or for collecting wastewater and dirt from itself through the cleaning base station 1. The cleaning base station 1 includes a second docking part 21, an elastic mechanism 3, and a pressure relief mechanism 4. The second docking part 21 is used to cooperate with the first docking part 11 on the cleaning device 2 to achieve docking between the cleaning base station 1 and the cleaning device 2. During docking, the elastic mechanism 3 can buffer the pressure generated when the first docking part 11 docks with the second docking part 21. The pressure relief mechanism 4 can relieve at least part of the pressure generated when the first docking part 11 docks with the second docking part 21, reducing the pressure that the elastic mechanism 3 needs to buffer, preventing the elastic mechanism 3 from being over-compressed and generating a large counter-force that pushes the cleaning device 2 away from the cleaning base station 1.

[0087] The connection relationships of the components in the cleaning base station 1, as well as the movement process when docking with the cleaning equipment 2, are the same as those described in Embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0088] Example 3

[0089] This disclosure also provides a cleaning device 2, including a second docking part 21, an elastic mechanism 3, and a pressure relief mechanism 4. The second docking part 21 is used to cooperate with the first docking part 11 on the cleaning base station 1 to realize the docking of the cleaning base station 1 and the cleaning device 2. During docking, the elastic mechanism 3 can buffer the pressure generated when the first docking part 11 docks with the second docking part 21. The pressure relief mechanism 4 can relieve at least part of the pressure generated when the first docking part 11 docks with the second docking part 21, reducing the pressure that the elastic mechanism 3 needs to buffer, so that the elastic mechanism 3 is not over-compressed and generates a large counter-thrust force to push the cleaning device 2 away from the cleaning base station 1.

[0090] The connection relationships of the components in the cleaning device 2, as well as the movement process when docking with the cleaning base station 1, are the same as those described in Embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0091] Example 4

[0092] This disclosure also provides a docking device, including a first docking portion 11, a second docking portion 21, an elastic mechanism 3, and a pressure relief mechanism 4. During docking, the second docking portion 21 contacts and engages with the first docking portion 11 during movement. The elastic mechanism 3 can buffer the pressure generated during docking of the first docking portion 11 and the second docking portion 21. The pressure relief mechanism 4 can relieve at least part of the pressure generated when the first docking portion 11 and the second docking portion 21 dock. This prevents the elastic mechanism 3 from being subjected to excessive pressure, thereby preventing it from being overcompressed and generating a large counter-thrust force that would push the second docking portion 21 away from the first docking portion 11.

[0093] The docking device disclosed herein can be applied not only to the cleaning base station 1 and the cleaning equipment 2, but also to other equipment that requires docking; this disclosure makes no limitation thereto. The connection relationships of the components in the docking device disclosed herein are the same as those described in Embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0094] Application Scenario 1

[0095] Taking the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 as charging electrodes as an example, when the cleaning device 2 needs to be charged after a long period of operation, the cleaning device 2 moves to the location of the cleaning base station 1 and docks.

[0096] The cleaning device 2 moves towards the cleaning base station 1 under its own driving force, aligning the charging plates on the cleaning device 2 with those on the cleaning device 1. During the alignment process, under the driving force and inertia of the cleaning device 2, the second alignment part 21 on the cleaning device 2 contacts and presses against the first alignment part 11 on the cleaning base station 1. After being pressed, the first alignment part 11 simultaneously presses the sliding seat 5 towards the base 12 within a first stroke, compressing the spring during this process. The spring, under compression, begins to buffer the pressure generated during the alignment of the first alignment part 11 and the second alignment part 21. The second alignment part 21 continues to press the sliding seat 5 towards the base 12 within a second stroke, bringing the sliding seat 5 into contact with the pressure-bearing end 41 on the pressure relief mechanism 4. The pressure-bearing end 41 is compressed, and the pressure relief mechanism 4 begins to relieve at least part of the pressure generated during the alignment of the first alignment part 11 and the second alignment part 21, preventing the spring from being over-compressed. During its movement towards the cleaning base station 1, the speed of the cleaning device 2 gradually decreases until it stops, and it begins charging at the cleaning base station 1.

[0097] After charging is complete, the cleaning device 2 leaves the cleaning base station 1, and the first docking part 11 and the sliding seat 5 return to their positions before charging under the action of the spring.

[0098] Application Scenario 2

[0099] Taking the first docking part 11 and the second docking part 21 as charging electrodes as an example, when the cleaning device 2 needs to be charged after a long period of operation, the cleaning device 2 moves to the location of the cleaning base station 1 and docks.

[0100] The cleaning device 2 moves towards the cleaning base station 1 under its own driving force, aligning the charging plates on the cleaning device 2 with those on the cleaning device 1. During the alignment process, under the driving force and inertia of the cleaning device 2, the second alignment part 21 on the cleaning device 2 contacts and presses against the first alignment part 11 on the cleaning base station 1. After being pressed, the first alignment part 11 simultaneously presses the sliding seat 5 towards the base 12, and during this sliding process, it simultaneously presses the spring and the pressure relief mechanism 4. The spring, under pressure, begins to buffer the pressure generated during the alignment of the first alignment part 11 and the second alignment part 21. As the sliding seat 5 presses against the pressure relief mechanism 4, it contacts the pressure-bearing end 41 on the pressure relief mechanism 4. The pressure-bearing end 41 is pressed, and the pressure relief mechanism 4 begins to relieve at least part of the pressure generated during the alignment of the first alignment part 11 and the second alignment part 21, preventing the spring from being subjected to excessive pressure and over-compressed. During its movement towards the cleaning base station 1, the speed of the cleaning device 2 gradually decreases until it stops moving, and it begins charging at the cleaning base station 1.

[0101] After charging is complete, the cleaning device 2 leaves the cleaning base station 1, and the first docking part 11 and the sliding seat 5 return to their uncharged positions under the action of the spring 3.

[0102] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cleaning system, characterized in that, include: Clean base station (1), wherein a first docking part (11) is provided on the clean base station (1); A cleaning device (2) is provided with a second docking part (21); when the cleaning device (2) is configured to be placed on the cleaning base station (1), the second docking part (21) can cooperate with the first docking part (11); The elastic mechanism (3) is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21); The pressure relief mechanism (4) is configured to relieve at least part of the pressure generated when the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21) so that the elastic force of the elastic mechanism (3) during buffering is less than the braking force of the cleaning device (2) on the cleaning base station (1). When the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21), the elastic mechanism (3) buffers the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21) during the first stroke; during the second stroke, the elastic mechanism (3) continues to buffer the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21), and the pressure relief mechanism (4) relieves the pressure of the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21).

2. The cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the first stroke, the elastic force F1 stored in the elastic mechanism (3) during buffering is less than 20N, and the braking force F2 of the cleaning device (2) on the cleaning base station (1) is 20 to 60N.

3. The cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21), while the elastic mechanism (3) begins to buffer the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21), the pressure relief mechanism (4) begins to relieve pressure on the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21).

4. The cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clean base station (1) includes a base (12) and a sliding seat (5) that is guided and fitted on the base (12). The first docking part (11) is fixed on the sliding seat (5). The elastic mechanism (3) and the pressure relief mechanism (4) are respectively disposed between the sliding seat (5) and the base (12).

5. The cleaning system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The elastic mechanism (3) is a spring. The two ends of the spring are connected to the sliding seat (5) and the base (12) respectively.

6. The cleaning system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressure relief mechanism (4) is fixed on the base (12). The pressure-bearing end (41) of the pressure relief mechanism (4) abuts against the sliding seat (5) in the initial position, or there is a gap between it and the sliding seat (5); or, The pressure relief mechanism (4) is fixed on the sliding seat (5). The pressure-bearing end (41) of the pressure relief mechanism (4) abuts against the base (12) in the initial position, or there is a gap between it and the base (12).

7. The cleaning system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pressure relief mechanism (4) is a damper.

8. The cleaning system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pressure relief mechanism (4) is configured to move toward the base (12) when subjected to pressure in order to relieve the pressure between the sliding seat (5) and the base (12).

9. The cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning device (2) includes a base (12) and a sliding seat (5) that is guided and fitted on the base (12). The second docking part (21) is fixed on the sliding seat (5). The elastic mechanism (3) and the pressure relief mechanism (4) are respectively disposed between the sliding seat (5) and the base (12).

10. The cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21) are charging electrodes, and the cleaning device (2) is configured to charge after the charging electrodes are docked.

11. A clean base station, characterized in that, The cleaning base station (1) is configured to accommodate cleaning equipment (2), including: When the cleaning device (2) is configured to be placed on the cleaning base station (1), the first docking part (11) can cooperate with the second docking part (21) on the cleaning device (2); The elastic mechanism (3) is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21); The pressure relief mechanism (4) is configured to relieve at least part of the pressure generated when the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21) so that the elastic force of the elastic mechanism (3) during buffering is less than the braking force of the cleaning device (2) on the cleaning base station (1). When the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21), the elastic mechanism (3) buffers the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21) during the first stroke; during the second stroke, the elastic mechanism (3) continues to buffer the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21), and the pressure relief mechanism (4) relieves the pressure of the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21).

12. A cleaning device, characterized in that, include: The second docking part (21) is configured to cooperate with the first docking part (11) on the cleaning base station (1) when the cleaning device (2) is placed thereon; The elastic mechanism (3) is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21); The pressure relief mechanism (4) is configured to relieve at least part of the pressure generated by the docking of the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21) so that the elastic force of the elastic mechanism (3) during buffering is less than the braking force of the cleaning device (2) on the cleaning base station (1). When the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21), the elastic mechanism (3) buffers the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21) during the first stroke; during the second stroke, the elastic mechanism (3) continues to buffer the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21), and the pressure relief mechanism (4) relieves the pressure of the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21).

13. A docking device, characterized in that, include: First docking section (11); The second docking part (21) is configured to cooperate with the first docking part (11) during movement; The elastic mechanism (3) is configured to buffer the pressure when the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21); The pressure relief mechanism (4) is configured to relieve at least part of the pressure generated when the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21) so that the elastic force of the elastic mechanism (3) during buffering is less than the braking force of the cleaning equipment (2) on the cleaning base station (1). When the first docking part (11) docks with the second docking part (21), the elastic mechanism (3) buffers the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21) during the first stroke; during the second stroke, the elastic mechanism (3) continues to buffer the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21), and the pressure relief mechanism (4) relieves the pressure of the impact between the first docking part (11) and the second docking part (21).

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