Cleaning robots and their cloth changing and control methods

Abstract

The application relates to a cloth changing method of a cleaning robot, which comprises the following steps: receiving an input cloth changing instruction and entering a cloth changing procedure; reading mileage information of a mop, a plurality of the mops being movably arranged on the cleaning robot; judging state information of the mop based on the mileage information of the mop; driving the mop to move to a cloth changing position based on the state information of the mop; and changing the mop and resetting the mileage information of the mop. Through the above technical scheme, the longer the mileage of the mop on the working ground, the dirtier the mop. By comparing the mileage information of the mop, the cleaning robot can judge the state of the mop, so as to determine the timing of changing the mop, realize automatic identification of the state of the mop, and judge whether the mop needs to be changed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a cleaning robot and its cloth changing and control methods. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of intelligent robot technology, simple and repetitive tasks such as cleaning floors can be replaced by mopping robots, improving efficiency and reducing costs.

[0003] The cleaning robot is equipped with a cleaning mop that comes into direct contact with the ground to clean dirt. After a period of use, the cleaning mop will become dirty and needs to be replaced to maintain the cleaning robot's cleaning effectiveness.

[0004] In existing technologies, the cloth-changing program of cleaning robots lacks a target for determining when to change the cloth, making it difficult to determine the timing of cloth changing. In reality, cloth changing often relies solely on the user's intuitive understanding of the cleaning robot. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a method for changing the cloth in a cleaning robot to address the problem that the cleaning robot cannot recognize the cloth change.

[0006] A method for changing the fabric of a cleaning robot includes:

[0007] Upon receiving the input fabric change command, the fabric change procedure is initiated.

[0008] The mileage information of the mop is read, and multiple mop pads are movably mounted on the cleaning robot;

[0009] Based on the mileage information of the mop, determine the status information of the mop;

[0010] Based on the status information of the mop, drive the mop to move to the mop replacement position;

[0011] Replace the mop and reset the mop's mileage information.

[0012] By employing the above technical solution, the longer the mop travels on the work surface, the dirtier it becomes. By comparing the mop's mileage information, the cleaning robot can determine the mop's condition and thus decide when to replace it, achieving automatic mop condition recognition and determining whether the mop needs to be replaced.

[0013] In one embodiment, the step of determining the status information of the mop based on the mileage information of the mop specifically includes:

[0014] Display the mileage information of the mop;

[0015] Based on the mileage information of the mop, a mileage threshold for the mop is set;

[0016] Based on the mileage threshold of the mop, it is determined whether the mop is in a state that needs to be replaced.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, a mileage threshold for mop replacement is set. When the mileage information of the mop is less than the threshold, it is determined that the mop does not need to be replaced and cleaning can continue. When the mileage information of the mop is greater than the threshold, it is determined that the mop needs to be replaced. Thus, when the mop replacement command is entered next time, the user is prompted that the mop needs to be replaced.

[0018] In one embodiment, the mileage thresholds include multiple thresholds, each used to distinguish different states of the mop.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, and using multiple different mileage thresholds, the mops can be classified into different states. Mops with larger cleaning mileage are given a higher replacement priority, while mops with smaller cleaning mileage are given a lower replacement priority. This allows for the reasonable replacement of mops and ensures that all mops on the cleaning robot have sufficient cleaning capabilities.

[0020] In one embodiment, after resetting the mileage information of the mop, the method further includes:

[0021] Display the status information of the remaining mop;

[0022] Based on the status information of the remaining mop, determine whether to continue moving and replace the remaining mop.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, after a user replaces a mop, in order to avoid confusing the user with the replaced mop, the mop to be replaced, and the mop that does not need to be replaced, the status information of all remaining mops is displayed, so that the user can determine whether to continue replacing mops based on the status information.

[0024] In one embodiment, the step of driving the mop to the mop-changing position specifically includes:

[0025] Displays the location information of the mop to be replaced;

[0026] Based on the location information of the mop to be replaced, arrange the replacement order of the mop;

[0027] Based on the movement trajectory of the mop, the mop to be replaced is moved to the replacement position.

[0028] By adopting the above technical solution, when multiple mop cloths need to be replaced at the same time, the replacement order of the mop cloths is intelligently arranged based on the relative position of the mop cloths and the replacement position, so that the mop cloths can be replaced sequentially in the direction of movement, avoiding misoperation caused by confusion in the replacement order and direction of movement.

[0029] In one embodiment, during the step of calculating the movement trajectory of the mop, if there is a mop that does not need to be replaced, the movement continues to move the next mop to be replaced to the replacement position.

[0030] By adopting the above technical solution, when a series of mops are moved to the mop replacement position in sequence, if there is no need to replace the mop, or if the replacement priority of the mop is low, the mop is skipped and the next mop to be replaced is moved to the mop replacement position, thereby optimizing the movement process and avoiding unnecessary operations.

[0031] This application also provides a control method for a cleaning robot, including:

[0032] System initialization;

[0033] Initial localization matching: The SLAM algorithm is used to locate the cleaning robot's position in the environment;

[0034] Select a task, wait for input instructions, and when a cloth change instruction is received, execute the cloth change method of the cleaning robot as described above;

[0035] When a cleaning instruction is received, the cleaning method is executed;

[0036] After the cleaning method is completed, wait for new input instructions.

[0037] By adopting the above technical solution, the cleaning robot can select to perform cleaning tasks or cloth changing tasks according to different input instructions after starting up, and in the cloth changing task, it can replace the mop cloth by performing the cloth changing method described above.

[0038] In one embodiment, the cleaning method includes a dry mopping mode, a wet mopping mode, and a sweeping mode, wherein the mop in each mode has a corresponding criterion for judging its state.

[0039] By adopting the above technical solution, the cleaning method includes multiple cleaning modes. Different cleaning modes have different effects on the stains on the mop. The criteria for determining whether the mop needs to be replaced are also different for different cleaning modes, so that the mop can be fully used in different cleaning modes before it is replaced.

[0040] This application also provides a cleaning robot with an automatic fabric changing function, including:

[0041] The first cleaning mechanism includes a mop, a transmission base belt, and a lifting push rod. The mop is detachably mounted on the transmission base belt, and the transmission base belt can rotate to change the position of the mop.

[0042] The second cleaning mechanism includes a side brush, a middle brush, and a trash can. The side brush is used to gather trash to the vicinity of the middle brush, and the middle brush is used to sweep the trash into the trash can.

[0043] A walking mechanism is used to carry and drive the cleaning mechanism and the cloth changing mechanism to move; and

[0044] A control mechanism is communicatively connected to the first cleaning mechanism, the second cleaning mechanism, and the walking mechanism. The control mechanism controls the first cleaning mechanism to execute the control method for the cleaning robot as described above.

[0045] In one embodiment, the control mechanism includes a power module, a communication module, and an execution module. The power module is used to convert voltage and supply power to the communication module. The communication module is used to receive input commands and instruct the execution module to drive the first cleaning mechanism, the second cleaning mechanism, and the walking mechanism to perform operations according to the input commands.

[0046] By adopting the above technical solution, the control mechanism includes three main functional modules: a power supply module for converting voltage and providing power, a communication module for receiving and processing input instructions, and an execution module for controlling the cleaning robot to execute corresponding instructions after receiving instructions processed by the communication module.

[0047] In summary, the cleaning robot of this application has at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0048] 1. A method for replacing mops by comparing their mileage information to automatically identify the status of the mops and replace them.

[0049] 2. By using multiple different mileage thresholds, the mop can be classified into different states, and the mop with different cleaning mileage can be set with corresponding replacement priorities, so as to replace the mop in a reasonable way and keep all the mops on the cleaning robot with sufficient cleaning ability.

[0050] 3. When multiple mop cloths need to be replaced at the same time, the replacement order of the mop cloths is intelligently arranged based on the relative position of the mop cloths and the replacement position, so that the mop cloths can be replaced sequentially in the direction of movement, avoiding misoperation caused by confusion in the replacement order and direction of movement.

[0051] 4. The mop has different criteria for being used in different cleaning modes, so that the mop can be fully used in each cleaning mode before it is replaced. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of a cleaning robot according to an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a cleaning robot from a second perspective in one embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 3 This is a first-view assembly diagram of a cleaning robot according to an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the cloth-changing method of a cleaning robot according to one embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit module of the control mechanism in one embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of a cleaning robot according to one embodiment of this application.

[0058] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0059] 10. First cleaning mechanism; 20. Second cleaning mechanism; 30. Walking mechanism; 40. Control mechanism; 10A. Mop; 10B. Conveyor belt; 10C. Lifting push rod; 20A. Side brush; 20B. Center brush; 20C. Trash can. Detailed Implementation

[0060] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0061] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This invention provides a first-view structural schematic diagram of a cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2This diagram illustrates a second-view structural schematic of a cleaning robot according to an embodiment of this application. The cleaning robot provided in this embodiment includes a first cleaning mechanism 10, a second cleaning mechanism 20, a walking mechanism 30, and a control mechanism 40. The first cleaning mechanism 10 includes a mop 10A, a conveyor belt 10B, and a lifting push rod 10C. The second cleaning mechanism 20 includes a side brush 20A, a middle brush 20B, and a trash can 20C. The side brush 20A and the middle brush 20B are used to clean the work surface, and the trash can 20C is used to collect trash. The walking mechanism 30 carries and drives the cleaning mechanisms and the cloth-changing mechanism to move. The control mechanism 40 is communicatively connected to the first cleaning mechanism 10, the second cleaning mechanism 20, and the walking mechanism 30, and is used to control the cooperation of each mechanism to perform the functions of the cleaning robot.

[0062] The cloth replacement method provided in this application mainly revolves around the structure of the first cleaning mechanism 10. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce the relevant structure of the first cleaning mechanism 10. The specific structure, connection relationship and working principle of the other mechanisms will not be described in detail here, as long as they can complete their basic functions.

[0063] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a first-view assembly diagram of a cleaning robot according to an embodiment of this application. The first cleaning mechanism 10 includes multiple mop pads 10A, a conveyor belt 10B, and a lifting push rod 10C. The mop pads 10A are detachably mounted on the conveyor belt 10B. The conveyor belt has a closed loop structure. When the conveyor belt 10B rotates, it can drive the multiple mop pads 10A to move together to change positions, so that a clean mop pad 10A can replace the dirty mop pad 10A to continue cleaning work. At the same time, the dirty mop pad 10A can rotate away from the cleaning position and move to the replacement position for replacement. When the cleaning robot is performing a cleaning task, the lifting push rod 10C presses the conveyor belt 10B and the mop pads 10A onto the working surface for mopping. When the cleaning robot is performing a mop replacement task, the lifting push rod 10C raises the conveyor belt 10B and the mop pads 10A to separate them from the working surface, so that the user can replace the mop pads 10A through the mop replacement position located on the upper part of the cleaning robot.

[0064] When the mopping robot performs a cleaning task, a mileage detector is installed on the walking mechanism 30 to record the distance traveled. After traveling a certain distance, the detector will determine that the mop 10A in the cleaning position is dirty and needs to be replaced, and instruct the lifting push rod 10C to rise and the transmission base belt 10B rotates, so that a new mop 10A is in the cleaning position. Finally, the lifting push rod 10C presses the new mop 10A firmly onto the working surface to continue the cleaning task.

[0065] It should be noted that the odometer can be a Boolean detector that detects the number of rotations of the walking wheels, an infrared detector that directly detects the distance to the target, or a GPS system that connects directly to positioning satellites to calculate the distance traveled, etc., and no limitation is made here.

[0066] Based on the first cleaning mechanism 10 introduced above, the hardware foundation for changing the cloth has been provided. Here, the cloth changing method provided by the embodiment of this application is introduced with the help of a real scenario.

[0067] During a cleaning task, when the cleaning robot detects that all mop pads (10A) are dirty, it sends a prompt message to the user, asking if they want to input a pad replacement command. If the user inputs the command, the cleaning robot begins the pad replacement procedure.

[0068] After the user inputs the cloth replacement command on the control terminal, the terminal can display the mileage information of all mop 10A on the cleaning robot, as well as the status information of whether all mop 10A on the cleaning robot are in a state of needing replacement. The user can choose to determine which mop 10A needs to be replaced based on the mileage information, or directly select to replace the mop 10A in the state of needing replacement based on the status information provided by the cleaning robot.

[0069] After the user confirms that the mop 10A needs to be replaced, the control unit sends a corresponding command to the cleaning robot. The cleaning robot moves back to the base station, and the lifting push rod 10C raises the transmission base belt 10B and the mop 10A. The transmission base belt then moves the mop 10A to be replaced to the replacement position. After the cleaning robot is positioned, the replacement tool in the base station can directly remove the cleaning mop 10A at the replacement position and install a new cleaning mop 10A, thereby realizing the replacement of the mop 10A.

[0070] In other scenarios, the cleaning robot needs to clean a large area. Returning to the base station to replace the mop 10A would prevent the robot from returning to its previous position to continue working. In this case, the user needs to manually replace the mop 10A. After manually removing the mop 10A from the replacement position, the user installs a new, clean mop 10A, sends a completion command to the control terminal, and determines whether further replacement of the mop 10A is necessary. If replacement is still required, the conveyor belt 10B continues to rotate, moving the next mop 10A to be replaced to the replacement position for the user to use.

[0071] As can be seen, through this cloth-changing method, the cleaning robot automatically feeds back the status of mop 10A to the user based on the mileage information of mop 10A during the cleaning process, thereby preventing a dirty mop 10A from continuing the cleaning task. When the user actively changes the cloth, the robot can also determine whether it needs to be changed based on the mileage information of mop 10A, providing a criterion for both the user and the cleaning robot program to decide whether to replace mop 10A.

[0072] It is understood that the above scenario is only an example. In actual applications, the cleaning robot and the various information displayed by the control terminal can be displayed in other content or forms, which are not limited here.

[0073] The cloth-changing method of the cleaning robot in the embodiments of this application is described below:

[0074] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a cloth-changing method for a cleaning robot according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The method mainly includes the following steps: S10, receiving an input cloth-changing command and entering the cloth-changing procedure; S20, reading the mileage information of the mop 10A; S30, determining the status information of the mop 10A based on the mileage information; S40, driving the mop 10A to the cloth-changing position based on the status information; S50, replacing the mop 10A and resetting the mileage information of the mop 10A.

[0075] S10. Receive the input fabric change command and enter the fabric change procedure;

[0076] When the cleaning robot receives a fabric change command, it enters the fabric change procedure. If the cleaning robot is already performing a cleaning task, it will temporarily stop the cleaning task.

[0077] It is understood that, in some embodiments, the input cloth replacement command may be a cloth replacement command actively issued by the user from the control terminal; in some embodiments, the input cloth replacement command may also be a cloth replacement command automatically input by the cleaning robot's odometer detecting that the cleaning mop 10A needs to be replaced; further, in other embodiments, when the cleaning robot's odometer detects that the current cleaning mop 10A needs to be replaced, and the other cleaning mops 10A are also in a state of waiting to be replaced, it automatically sends a prompt message to the control terminal to prompt the user whether the cloth needs to be replaced, in order to request a cloth replacement command.

[0078] S20, Read the mileage information of the 10A mop;

[0079] The mileage information of mop 10A is stored in the cleaning robot's mileage detector. The cleaning robot reads all the mileage information of mop 10A from the mileage detector. The mileage information of mop 10A refers to the distance that mop 10A moves on the work surface while in a cleaning position. Under normal circumstances, the dust on the work surface is relatively evenly distributed. The longer the distance that mop 10A moves on the ground, the more dust it picks up, and the dirtier mop 10A becomes.

[0080] As described above, mileage information can be recorded in several ways: the number of rotations of the walking wheels can be recorded to estimate the distance the mop 10A has traveled; the distance between the cleaning robot and the next location can be determined by infrared detection; or the distance of the cleaning robot's trajectory can be calculated directly using GPS positioning. In this embodiment, it is preferable to install Boolean sensors on the drive motors of the walking wheels, and the obtained sensor signals are stored in the control mechanism 40 of the cleaning robot for processing.

[0081] S30. Based on the mileage information of tow 10A, determine the status information of tow 10A;

[0082] After the mileage information of mop 10A is read, it is sent to the control terminal of the cleaning robot for display and user judgment. The user can set a mileage threshold based on the mileage information of all mop 10A units. Mop 10A units with mileage below the threshold do not need to be replaced in the current replacement task, while those exceeding the threshold are replaced. For example, the cleaning robot has six cleaning mop 10A units (A, B, C, D, E, and F) with corresponding mileage information of 300m, 350m, 400m, 420m, 440m, and 200m, respectively. Based on the current dust level on the work surface, the user believes that mop 10A units with a travel distance of 300m or less do not need to be replaced, and therefore sets the mileage threshold to 300m. In this case, mop 10A units B, C, D, and E are automatically marked as needing replacement because their travel distance exceeds the threshold.

[0083] It is understandable that the mileage threshold can be adjusted adaptively in different working environments due to varying levels of dust on the ground and different requirements for cleaning standards, and no limitation is made here.

[0084] It's also understandable that the mileage threshold can be determined by the user based on the mileage information of the 10A mop received by the control terminal, or it can be a pre-set mileage threshold. After receiving the mileage information, the control terminal can directly determine the status information of the 10A mop based on the pre-set mileage threshold and display the determined status information of the 10A mop to the user. The user only needs to confirm or correct the determination result, without having to manually set the mileage threshold, thereby reducing the amount of operation for the user and improving the user experience.

[0085] In some embodiments, multiple mileage thresholds are included to distinguish mop 10A with different levels of dirtiness. Specifically, in the above embodiment, a first threshold of 300m and a second threshold of 400m are set. When the travel mileage of mop 10A is less than 300m, it is in a state where it does not need to be replaced; when the travel mileage is between 300m and 400m, it is in a first-level replacement state; and when the travel mileage is more than 400m, it is in a second-level replacement state. Users can replace mop 10A at different replacement levels based on the dust level of the work surface and cleaning standard requirements.

[0086] S40. Based on the status information of the mop 10A, drive the mop 10A to move to the cloth changing position.

[0087] After identifying the mop 10A to be replaced, the specific steps for moving the mop 10A also need to be determined, including:

[0088] S41. Display the position information of the mop 10A to be replaced.

[0089] Specifically, after identifying the mop 10A to be replaced, the first step is to determine its location. This location is then sent to the control unit for the user to view, facilitating the subsequent arrangement of the replacement sequence.

[0090] In some other embodiments, the position information of the mop 10A can also be directly sent to the control mechanism 40 of the cleaning robot, and the control mechanism 40 can directly process the position information of the mop 10A without the need for user processing.

[0091] S42. Based on the position information of the mop 10A to be replaced, arrange the replacement order of the mop 10A.

[0092] After obtaining the position information of the mop 10A, the replacement sequence of the mop 10A is arranged to improve the replacement efficiency. Specifically, all mops 10A to be replaced are arranged according to the distance required to move towards the replacement port in the same direction. The minimum and maximum values ​​are taken as the first and last positions of the replacement sequence, and the sum of the minimum and maximum values ​​is taken as the first distance value. Then, all mops 10A to be replaced are arranged according to the distance required to move towards the replacement port in another direction. Similarly, the minimum and maximum values ​​are taken as the first and last positions of the replacement sequence, and the sum of the minimum and maximum values ​​is taken as the second distance value. The values ​​of the first and second distance values ​​are compared, and the direction of movement of the smaller value is taken as the direction of movement of the conveyor baseband 10B.

[0093] After determining the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 10B, all the mops 10A to be replaced are arranged and replaced in order of increasing movement distance, so that during the rotation of the conveyor belt 10B, all the mops 10A to be replaced can be moved to the replacement position with the minimum total movement distance.

[0094] Specifically, in this embodiment, using the same example as described above, six mop cloths 10A (A, B, C, D, E, and F) are detachably mounted sequentially on the conveyor base belt 10B. Only three mop cloths 10A (A, B, and F) need to be replaced. If a cloth replacement command is received and C is in the replacement position, the conveyor base belt 10B rotates in the direction that moves B, A, and F sequentially to the replacement position, thus minimizing the required movement path for the conveyor base belt 10B to complete the cloth replacement operation. When A is in the replacement position, the conveyor base belt 10B can rotate in any direction, allowing A, B, and F to be replaced sequentially through the replacement position. The replacement order for the remaining positions can be arranged according to the rules described above and will not be repeated here.

[0095] It should be noted that during the rotation of the conveyor baseband 10B, if there is a mop 10A that does not need to be replaced, it continues to move to move the next mop to be replaced to the replacement position. For example, in the above embodiment, the conveyor baseband 10B moves to the replacement position in the order of A, B, C, D, E, F. Among them, C, D, and E do not need to be replaced. When the conveyor baseband 10B moves C, D, and E to the replacement position, it will not stop, but will continue to rotate until the subsequent mop 10A to be replaced, F, moves to the replacement position, and then stops rotating so that F is kept in the replacement position for replacement.

[0096] S43. Based on the replacement sequence of the mop 10A, move the mop 10A to be replaced to the replacement position.

[0097] After determining the replacement sequence of the fabric 10A, the control mechanism 40 sends corresponding control commands, causing the lifting push rod 10C, the conveyor belt 10B, and the supporting components to execute the commands to replace the fabric. The specific hardware execution process has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0098] S50, Replace mop 10A and reset the mileage information of mop 10A.

[0099] In some embodiments, after receiving a cloth-changing instruction, the cleaning robot will automatically navigate back to the base station. The base station is equipped with a positioning device that can locate the cleaning robot, so that the cloth-changing device of the base station corresponds to the cloth-changing position of the cleaning robot. When the mop 10A moves to the cloth-changing position, the cloth-changing device can remove the mop 10A to be replaced from the conveyor base belt 10B and install a new clean mop 10A on the conveyor base belt 10B.

[0100] In some other embodiments, the mop 10A is replaced manually by the user. When the mop 10A is moved to the replacement position, the replacement door on the cleaning robot housing corresponding to the replacement position will also open accordingly, allowing the user to reach into the housing to replace the mop 10A.

[0101] The control mechanism 40 in the embodiments of this application is described below.

[0102] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit module of the control mechanism 40 in one embodiment of this application. The control mechanism 40 includes a power supply module, a communication module, and an execution module. The power supply module includes a charger, a lead-acid battery, a circuit breaker, a low-voltage protection module, and a transformer. The charger is used to rectify external AC power into DC power, the lead-acid battery is used to store electrical energy, the circuit breaker is used to control the opening and closing of the circuit, and the low-voltage protection module is used to provide circuit protection.

[0103] The execution module includes a brushed DC motor, a brushless DC controller, a hub motor controller, a stepper motor controller, and a micro water pump. Specifically, the brushed DC motor controls the side brush 20A in the second cleaning module, the brushless DC controller controls the center brush 20B in the second cleaning module, the hub motor controller controls the walking mechanism 30, the stepper motor controller controls the conveyor baseband 10B and the lifting push rod 10C in the first cleaning module, and the micro water pump controls the cleaning robot to spray water onto the ground.

[0104] The communication module includes a control board integrating a microcontroller and power supply, a switch, a router, and an industrial computer. The power supply on the control board includes a transformer (DC-DC) and a voltage regulator (LDO) to further reduce the voltage to meet the operating voltage requirements of the microcontroller (MCU) on the control board. The MCU processes simple signals, such as level information generated by a gyroscope, and also directly sends control commands to various components of the execution module. The switch and router collect information from various sensors, transmitting this information to the industrial computer, which then processes and performs calculations on the complex data.

[0105] In some embodiments, the sensors include surveillance cameras, LiDAR, 3D cameras, ultrasonic sensors, water level sensors, and proximity switches. The sensors help the cleaning robot locate, identify, and detect some of its own parameters. Since this application does not focus on location and identification algorithms, they are not limited thereto.

[0106] The overall control method of the cleaning robot is described below.

[0107] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of a cleaning robot according to one embodiment of this application. It mainly includes the following steps:

[0108] S1. System initialization, which mainly resets the built-in parameters of the cleaning robot's control mechanism 40 to their initial values.

[0109] S2. Initial Localization and Matching. Specifically, relying on the position information transmitted by various sensors, and combined with the SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) algorithm, the cleaning robot is initially localized and matched to determine its position in the environment.

[0110] It is understandable that the SLMA algorithm is a relatively mature algorithm in the field of robotics. This application does not make any specific limitations here, and those skilled in the art can choose different SLAM algorithms to achieve the localization function of cleaning robots based on common knowledge in the field.

[0111] S3. Select Task. The cleaning robot can perform cloth changing tasks as described above, as well as cleaning tasks. Specifically, the cleaning tasks include dry mopping mode, wet mopping mode, and sweeping mode. In dry mopping mode, the first cleaning mechanism 10 is activated to mop the work surface. In wet mopping mode, the water pump of the cleaning robot is activated simultaneously with the first cleaning mechanism 10 to spray water onto the work surface to improve mopping effectiveness. In sweeping mode, the second cleaning mechanism 20 is activated. The second cleaning mechanism 20 includes side brushes 20A located on both sides of the cleaning robot, a middle brush 20B located in the middle of the cleaning robot, and a dustbin 20C. The side brushes 20A are used to gather debris near the middle brush 20B, and the middle brush 20B is used to sweep the debris into the dustbin 20C.

[0112] In specific embodiments, each cleaning mode is also equipped with different power levels. For example, at the high power level, the water pump spray rate is 0.5 mL / s, the rotation speed of the middle brush 20B is 3000 rpm / min, and the mop 10A is pressed firmly onto the ground by the full weight of the conveyor belt 10B. At the low power level, the water pump spray rate is 0.1 mL / s, the rotation speed of the middle brush 20B is 1000 rpm / min, the conveyor belt 10B is subjected to a partial upward supporting force, and the mop 10A is pressed firmly onto the ground by the sum of the downward pressure of the conveyor belt 10B.

[0113] It should be noted that different cleaning modes can be activated simultaneously to create combinations and improve cleaning efficiency. For example, the water pump and the first cleaning mechanism 10 can operate simultaneously in wet mopping mode. Wet mopping mode or dry mopping mode can also be operated together with sweeping mode.

[0114] It should also be noted that each mode has its own standard for judging the condition of the 10A mop. For example, the cleaning effect of dry mopping is generally weaker than that of wet mopping. Using the same mileage in dry mopping mode, the 10A mop will pick up less dust than the 10A mop used in wet mopping mode. Therefore, the 10A mop used in dry mopping mode can be replaced after a longer usage period. Similarly, it can be inferred that the 10A mops used in other cleaning modes also have their own standards for judging their condition.

[0115] S4. Execute the task. After the work task is confirmed, the control mechanism 40 drives the cleaning robot to execute the corresponding task. In some embodiments, after the fabric changing task is executed, a cleaning command can be input again to make the cleaning robot execute the cleaning task. In other embodiments, after the cleaning task is executed, a fabric changing command can be input again to make the cleaning robot execute the fabric changing task.

[0116] Specifically, the cleaning task is executed as follows: First, the transmission baseband 10B is reset based on the proximity sensor or encoder. Then, the industrial control computer sends the previously stored mileage information to the microcontroller. The microcontroller reads the mileage information to determine the mop 10A to be cleaned, thereby controlling the transmission baseband 10B to move the corresponding mop 10A to the cleaning position. Next, the lifting push rod 10C is lowered to press the cleaning mop 10A firmly onto the work surface. Finally, the operating parameters of the middle brush 20B, water pump, lifting push rod 10C, and traveling mechanism 30 are determined according to the cleaning mode and power level.

[0117] The automatic mop replacement method for the cleaning robot in this application embodiment works as follows: The cleaning robot moves a certain distance and replaces a mop 10A via the conveyor belt 10B. The working mileage of the mop 10A can be estimated from the distance the cleaning robot moves. When the working mileage of the mop 10A reaches a certain value, the control mechanism 40 determines that the mop 10A cannot continue working and needs to be replaced, sending a replacement request to the control terminal. This solves the technical problem of users relying on subjective feelings to judge whether to replace the mop in traditional operations, helping users determine whether the mop 10A needs to be replaced through data-driven indicators.

[0118] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0119] As used in the above embodiments, depending on the context, the term "when..." can be interpreted as meaning "if...", "after...", "in response to determining...", or "in response to detecting...". Similarly, depending on the context, the phrase "when determining..." or "if (the stated condition or event) is interpreted as meaning "if determining...", "in response to determining...", "when (the stated condition or event) is detected", or "in response to detecting (the stated condition or event)".

[0120] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes described in the above method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as ROM or random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0121] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A method for changing the fabric of a cleaning robot, characterized in that, include: Upon receiving the input fabric change command, the fabric change procedure is initiated. The mileage information of the mop is read, and multiple mop pads are movably mounted on the cleaning robot; Based on the mileage information of the mop, determine the status information of the mop; Based on the status information of the mop, drive the mop to move to the mop replacement position; Replace the mop and reset the mileage information of the mop; The step of determining the status information of the mop based on its mileage information specifically includes: Display the mileage information of the mop; Based on the mileage information of the mop, a mileage threshold for the mop is set; Based on the mileage threshold of the mop, determine whether the mop is in a state that needs to be replaced; The mileage thresholds include multiple ones, each used to distinguish different states of the mop; After resetting the mileage information of the mop, the following is also included: Display the status information of the remaining mop; Based on the status information of the remaining mop, determine whether to continue moving and replace the remaining mop; The step of driving the mop to the mop changing position specifically includes: Displays the location information of the mop to be replaced; Based on the location information of the mop to be replaced, arrange the replacement order of the mop; Based on the mop replacement sequence, the mop to be replaced is moved to the replacement position.

2. The cloth-changing method for the cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of calculating the replacement sequence of the mop, if there is a mop that does not need to be replaced, the movement continues to move the next mop to be replaced to the replacement position.

3. A control method for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, include: System initialization; Initial localization matching: The SLAM algorithm is used to locate the cleaning robot's position in the environment; Select a task, wait for input instructions, and when a cloth replacement instruction is received, execute the cloth replacement method of the cleaning robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 2; When a cleaning instruction is received, the cleaning method is executed; After the cleaning method is completed, wait for new input instructions.

4. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cleaning method includes a dry mopping mode, a wet mopping mode, and a sweeping mode, and the mop (10A) in each mode has a corresponding standard for judging the state.

5. A cleaning robot with automatic fabric changing function, characterized in that, include: The first cleaning mechanism (10) includes a mop (10A), a conveyor belt (10B) and a lifting push rod (10C). The mop (10A) is detachably mounted on the conveyor belt (10B), and the conveyor belt (10B) can rotate to drive the mop (10A) to change position. The second cleaning unit (20) includes a side brush (20A), a middle brush (20B) and a trash can (20C). The side brush (20A) is used to gather trash to the vicinity of the middle brush (20B), and the middle brush (20B) is used to sweep the trash into the trash can (20C). The walking mechanism (30) is used to carry and drive the cleaning mechanism and the cloth changing mechanism to move; as well as A control mechanism (40) is communicatively connected to the first cleaning mechanism (10), the second cleaning mechanism (20), and the walking mechanism (30). The control mechanism (40) controls the first cleaning mechanism (10) to perform the control method of the cleaning robot as described in claim 3 or 4.

6. The cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control mechanism (40) includes a power module, a communication module, and an execution module. The power module is used to convert voltage and supply power to the communication module. The communication module is used to receive input commands and instruct the execution module to drive the first cleaning mechanism (10), the second cleaning mechanism (20), and the walking mechanism (30) to perform according to the input commands.

Images