A floor detection sensor and a floor cleaning robot

Abstract

The application provides a ground detection sensor and a sweeping robot, and belongs to the technical field of intelligent cleaning equipment.The sensor comprises a heating source, a sensing element and a processing circuit;the temperature of a measured object is raised through the heating source, then a corresponding voltage value is output through the sensing element to detect the temperature of the measured object, and then the corresponding voltage value output by the sensing element is judged through the processing circuit;the output voltage value is compared with the voltage value of different materials after temperature rise per unit time measured in advance in a database, so that the material of the measured object is distinguished, and a final signal is output;different materials of the ground can be accurately distinguished, so that the sweeping robot makes corresponding sweeping and cleaning actions according to the ground conditions, and the cleaning efficiency is ensured.The sensor can ignore the change of the measured terrain, and can work normally and is not affected when the sensor detects uneven materials or water stains on the ground, so the sensor has strong stability and reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of intelligent cleaning equipment, and in particular relates to a ground detection sensor and a sweeping robot. Background Art

[0002] At present, with the improvement of science and technology, intelligent cleaning equipment has gradually become popular. With the upgrade and iteration of product cleaning modules, the cleaning function of sweeping robots has evolved from the previous single ground vacuuming to gradually adding anti-entanglement structure, mopping function and upgraded self-cleaning ability.

[0003] The increasingly sophisticated cleaning capabilities of intelligent cleaning devices have enabled robot vacuums to move beyond vacuuming to handle the vast majority of floor cleaning tasks. This requires robot vacuums to adapt their sweeping and cleaning actions to different floor materials. However, most existing robot vacuums use infrared and ultrasonic sensors for material recognition. These sensors are not only unable to accurately distinguish between flooring and tiles, but also struggle to effectively identify uneven surfaces, preventing them from performing appropriate sweeping and cleaning actions, thus impacting their efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art, such as the inability of sweeping robots to accurately distinguish materials such as floors and tiles, and the inability to make effective judgments when the ground is uneven, and the inability to perform corresponding sweeping and washing actions, the present invention provides a ground detection sensor and a sweeping robot. The object to be tested is heated by a heating source, and the sensor element and processing circuit then use Fourier's law to determine the material based on the different thermal conductivity coefficients K between different materials, thereby accurately determining the ground of different materials, allowing the sweeping robot to perform corresponding sweeping and washing actions according to the ground conditions, thereby ensuring cleaning efficiency. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0005] A ground detection sensor is fixed to the bottom of the shell of a sweeping robot. The sensor includes: a heating source, a sensing element and a processing circuit; the heating source is fixed to the bottom of the shell; the sensing element is located on one side of the heating source and is arranged at the bottom of the shell; the processing circuit is arranged at the bottom of the shell and is electrically connected to the sensing element.

[0006] In addition, a ground detection sensor in the above technical solution provided by the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0007] Optionally, the ground detection sensor further includes: an energy-gathering cover; the energy-gathering cover is arranged on the outside of the heating source, and the energy-gathering cover is installed on the heating source.

[0008] Optionally, the inner wall of the energy collecting cover is provided with a reflective layer.

[0009] Optionally, the heating source is a light source.

[0010] Optionally, the heating source is a gas discharge light source.

[0011] Optionally, the sensing element is a pyroelectric infrared sensor.

[0012] Optionally, the heating source is arranged at an angle to the bottom surface of the housing.

[0013] Optionally, the ground detection sensor further includes: a protective cover; the protective cover is simultaneously arranged on the outside of the heating source, the sensing element and the processing circuit, and the protective cover is connected to the outer shell.

[0014] Optionally, the ground detection sensor further includes: a detection hole; the detection hole is provided on the shield, and the detection hole is located directly below the sensor; wherein the rays generated by the heating source can pass through the detection hole.

[0015] Another aspect of the present application provides a sweeping robot comprising the above-mentioned ground detection sensor.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the ground detection sensor and sweeping robot of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0017] This application uses a heating source to increase the temperature of the object to be measured, and then outputs a corresponding voltage value through the sensor element to detect the temperature of the object to be measured. The corresponding voltage value output by the sensor element is then judged by the processing circuit, and the output voltage value is compared with the voltage value of the temperature increase per unit time of different materials measured in advance in the database, so as to distinguish the material of the object to be measured and output the final signal. It can accurately distinguish between floors of different materials, so that the sweeping robot can make corresponding sweeping and washing actions according to the ground conditions to ensure cleaning efficiency.

[0018] Compared to existing infrared and ultrasonic sensors, this sensor is resistant to changes in the measured terrain. It can also function properly when detecting uneven surfaces (such as cobblestone floors) or water stains, remaining unaffected and maintaining accurate detection. Under complex and changing conditions, the sensor uses Fourier's law to determine the material properties of different surfaces based on their different thermal conductivity coefficients (K), providing high stability and reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a ground detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a working principle diagram of a processing circuit of a ground detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] in, Figures 1 to 2The corresponding relationship between the reference numerals and component names is as follows:

[0022] 9. Robot vacuum housing; 10. Heating source; 11. Sensor element; 12. Processing circuit; 13. Energy-gathering cover; 14. Protective cover; 15. Detection hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature identified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0025] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integral connection; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0026] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0027] See also Figure 1-Figure 2As shown, according to an embodiment of the present application, a floor detection sensor is fixed to the bottom of the housing of a sweeping robot. The sensor includes: a heating source 10, a sensor element 11, and a processing circuit 12. The heating source 10 is fixed to the bottom of the housing. The sensor element 11 is located on one side of the heating source 10 and is disposed at the bottom of the housing. The processing circuit 12 is disposed at the bottom of the housing and is electrically connected to the sensor element 11. The heating source 10 locally heats the object to be measured, causing the temperature of the object to be measured to rise. The sensor element 11 then outputs a corresponding voltage value to detect the temperature of the object to be measured. According to the Fourier principle, different materials have different thermal conductivity, and the heating rate and temperature increase in the same time period vary. The processing circuit 12 determines the corresponding voltage value output by the sensor element 11 and compares the output voltage value with the voltage value of different materials after the temperature increase per unit time, which has been measured in advance in the database. This distinguishes the material of the object to be measured and outputs the final signal.

[0028] It should be noted that the sensor element 11 utilizes the Seebeck principle, that is, when there is a temperature difference between the object to be measured and the environment, the sensor element 11 outputs a corresponding voltage, thereby detecting the temperature of the object to be measured.

[0029] Furthermore, according to Fourier's law: JT = -kdT / dX, the amount of heat that passes through a given cross-section in the same time for objects with different thermal conductivities is proportional to the rate of temperature change perpendicular to that cross-section and the cross-sectional area, while the direction of heat transfer is opposite to the direction of temperature rise. In other words, the higher the thermal conductivity of the object being measured, the faster the temperature rises. The temperature of the object being measured is detected by sensor element 11, which outputs a corresponding voltage value. This voltage is then processed by processing circuit 12 to determine the material of the object being measured and output a final signal.

[0030] Specifically, the signal amplification process is as follows Figure 2 As shown, the supply voltage V CC After being divided by R1 and R2, it is added to the base of VT to provide a DC bias voltage for the base. The base voltage U b ≈V CC R2 / (R1+R2). The current through R1 is divided into two paths to ground: one path through R2 to ground, and the other path through the emitter of VT to ground.

[0031] The sensor element 11 outputs a signal U i Through C1 coupled to the base of VT, the current Ib of VT changes with U i changes, so that the collector current I c It changes with time, and the amount of change is I b K times. c A voltage drop U3 is generated across R3, and V CC Subtract U3 to get the collector voltage U of VTc .U c After coupling through C2, the output signal U0 is obtained, and finally the output signal enters the microcontroller. The microcontroller makes a material judgment based on the input signal size.

[0032] As an embodiment, the energy concentrating hood 13 is disposed outside the heating source 10 and is mounted on the heating source 10. By disposing the energy concentrating hood 13 outside the heating source 10, the energy radiated by the heating source 10 is concentrated, reducing energy loss and concentrating the energy on the object to be measured, thereby achieving the effect of rapidly heating the object to be measured, improving heating efficiency, and rapidly heating the object to be measured, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the sensor and quickly distinguishing the material of the object to be measured. Moreover, after the energy concentrating hood 13 is installed, the heated area of ​​the object to be measured is smaller, and the temperature difference between the object to be measured and the surrounding environment can be formed more quickly and more significantly, which can improve the detection accuracy of the sensor element 11.

[0033] The inner wall of the energy collecting cover 13 is provided with a reflective layer. By providing the reflective layer on the inner wall of the energy collecting cover 13, the absorption of the energy radiated by the heating source 10 by the energy collecting cover 13 is reduced, energy loss is further reduced, heating efficiency is improved, and thus detection efficiency is improved.

[0034] As another embodiment, the heating source 10 is a light source. By using the heating source 10 as a light source, the object to be detected can be locally heated, the heating area is small, and the detection accuracy can be improved.

[0035] Furthermore, when the heating source 10 is a light source, the energy focusing cover 13 is a focusing cup, and the reflecting layer is a reflective layer.

[0036] Furthermore, the light source is a high-power light source, and when the light source is irradiated on the object to be measured, the object to be measured can be heated up quickly.

[0037] The heating source 10 is a gas discharge light source. The gas discharge light source has a small light body, similar to a high-brightness point light source, a small heating area, and is easy to control the light, which is beneficial to improving the detection accuracy of the sensor element 11.

[0038] Furthermore, the gas discharge light source is a gas halogen discharge light source, which can be started directly without preheating, thereby ensuring the timeliness of detection and improving the continuity of sensor operation.

[0039] As another embodiment, the sensing element 11 is a pyroelectric infrared sensor. The pyroelectric infrared sensor itself does not emit any type of radiation, consumes very little power, is highly concealed, and outputs a charge signal, which is then converted into a voltage through a resistor to obtain a corresponding voltage value.

[0040] As another embodiment, the heating source 10 is disposed at an angle to the bottom surface of the housing. By disposing the heating source 10 at an angle to the bottom surface of the housing, the energy radiated by the heating source 10 is emitted at an angle, ensuring a sufficient distance between the sensing element 11 and the heating source 10, preventing the sensing element 11 from being directly affected by the heating source 10, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the sensing element 11's detection.

[0041] As another embodiment, a protective shield 14 is disposed outside the heating source 10, the sensing element 11, and the processing circuit 12, and the protective shield 14 is connected to the housing. By disposing the protective shield 14 outside the heating source 10, the sensing element 11, and the processing circuit 12, direct contact between the precision components and the outside is avoided, thereby protecting the internal structure and extending the service life.

[0042] Detection hole 15 is provided on shield 14, directly below the sensor; the radiation generated by heating source 10 can pass through detection hole 15. By providing detection hole 15 on shield 14, the radiation emitted by heating source 10 can pass through shield 14 to directly heat the object to be measured, and the sensing element 11 can detect the temperature of the object to be measured.

[0043] In another aspect of this embodiment, a sweeping robot is provided, comprising the above-mentioned ground detection sensor.

[0044] One embodiment of the present invention provides a floor detection sensor and a sweeping robot, wherein the sensor is mounted on the bottom of the sweeping robot housing. A heating source 10 heats the local floor, causing the floor temperature to rise. A corresponding voltage value is output through a sensing element 11 to detect the floor temperature. According to the Fourier principle, different materials have different thermal conductivities, resulting in different heating rates and temperatures within the same timeframe. A processing circuit 12 determines the corresponding voltage value output by the sensing element 11, compares the output voltage value with pre-measured voltage values ​​per unit time for different materials in a database, identifies the floor material, and outputs a final signal. The sweeping robot then performs sweeping and cleaning actions based on the detected floor conditions to ensure cleaning efficiency.

[0045] It is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that, under the premise of no conflict, the above-mentioned advantageous methods can be freely combined and superimposed.

[0046] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included within the scope of protection of the present application. The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various improvements and variations without departing from the technical principles of the present application, and such improvements and variations shall also be considered within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A ground detection sensor, the sensor is fixed on the bottom of the housing of the sweeping robot, characterized in that: The sensor comprises: a heating source (10), the heating source (10) being fixed to the bottom of the housing; A sensing element (11), the sensing element (11) being located on one side of the heating source (10), and the sensing element (11) being arranged at the bottom of the housing; a processing circuit (12), the processing circuit (12) being disposed at the bottom of the housing, the processing circuit (12) being electrically connected to the sensing element (11); a protective cover (14), the protective cover (14) being arranged to cover the outside of the heating source (10), the sensor element (11) and the processing circuit (12), and the protective cover (14) being connected to the housing; A detection hole (15), the detection hole (15) being provided on the shield (14), and the detection hole (15) being located directly below the sensor; The radiation generated by the heating source (10) can pass through the detection hole (15), and the heating source heats the local ground, causing the ground temperature to rise. The corresponding voltage value is output through the sensor element, and the ground temperature is detected. The processing circuit determines the corresponding voltage value output by the sensor element, compares the output voltage value with the voltage value of different materials after the temperature rises per unit time that has been measured in advance in the database, and distinguishes the ground material.

2. A ground detection sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ground detection sensor also includes: An energy collecting cover (13) is provided on the outside of the heating source (10), and the energy collecting cover (13) is installed on the heating source (10).

3. A ground detection sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner wall of the energy gathering cover (13) is provided with a reflection layer.

4. A ground detection sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating source (10) is a light source.

5. A ground detection sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that: The heating source (10) is a gas discharge light source.

6. A ground detection sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensing element (11) is a pyroelectric infrared sensor.

7. A ground detection sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating source (10) is arranged at an angle to the bottom surface of the housing.

8. A sweeping robot, characterized in that: The invention comprises a ground detection sensor as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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