A cleaning apparatus and a self-cleaning method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a cleaning device and a self-cleaning method thereof. The cleaning device comprises a dust collector and a base station. The cleaning device has a dust collection mode when the dust collector is used alone and a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode when the dust collector is placed on the base station. The power source of the dust collection mode and the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode is a fan assembly. The self-cleaning method comprises the following steps: placing the dust collector on the base station, switching the air duct from a dust collection air duct to a dust blowing air duct, and automatically starting the fan assembly to enter the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode. In the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode, the fan assembly blows air to the filter assembly and the dust cup body to blow and guide the dust on the inner wall of the dust cup body and the filter assembly into the base station to realize self-cleaning and self-dust collection. The dust collection mode and the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode adopt the same power source, which simplifies the structure and reduces the weight. The self-cleaning of the filter assembly and the dust cup body is realized. The self-cleaning step runs through the whole self-cleaning and self-dust collection process, and the self-cleaning and self-dust collection effect is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cleaning equipment technology, and specifically to a cleaning device and its self-cleaning method. Background Technology

[0002] Handheld vacuum cleaners are increasingly popular in households due to their compact size, portability, and lack of power cord constraints. Handheld vacuum cleaners typically use a fan to create negative pressure, sucking up debris and other impurities into a dustbin. The dustbin has a small capacity, and the dustbin needs to be opened to empty it after use. However, this process often scatters dust, causing secondary pollution. To address these issues, base stations with dust collection functions have emerged on the market, collecting dust from the dustbin and preventing it from being scattered. For example, Chinese patent document CN218651617U discloses a dust collection system for a vacuum cleaner base station, including a base station and a vacuum cleaner. The base station includes a base, a support rod, and a support component. The support component has a dust collection chamber. The base has a dust collection bag and a negative pressure component. The vacuum cleaner includes a hand handle and a dust collection cup. The dust collection cup has a dust cup body and a dust cup bottom cover. The dust cup body has a release button to control the rotation of the dust cup bottom cover to open or close. When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, the trigger part on the base station triggers the release button on the bottom cover, the dust cup bottom cover opens, and the negative pressure component draws in, creating a negative pressure inside the chamber. The dust inside the dust cup body automatically falls and is collected in the base station, achieving the purpose of self-collection of dust. This conventional cleaning solution typically uses two suction devices in the entire cleaning kit. One device is located inside the vacuum cleaner and creates negative pressure in the dust cup during vacuuming mode to achieve dust extraction. The other device creates negative pressure in the dust collection chamber of the base station during dust collection. This method is costly, and because the airflow passes through a long suction channel at the front, there is significant airflow loss, resulting in a smaller overall effective airflow and poor dust collection. Furthermore, the entire cleaning kit is heavy, making it difficult for customers to move. In addition, the dust cup of a vacuum cleaner usually contains a filtration component for separating dust particles, such as a conventional cyclone filter. As a core component of the vacuum cleaner, this filtration component accumulates a lot of dust and debris after frequent use, leading to a decrease in filtration efficiency. Cleaning is necessary to improve its filtration effect, but cleaning has always been a major problem for consumers. The earliest technology typically involved disassembling the filter assembly and manually washing and blowing it. However, this method is cumbersome and inefficient. During hand washing, dust is close to the person, making it easy for it to enter the respiratory system. Therefore, it cannot meet current market demands. To solve this problem, various self-cleaning filter structures have emerged on the market, which can be broadly divided into contact cleaning structures and non-contact cleaning structures. Contact cleaning structures use scraper strips, brush strips, scrapers, etc., to directly act on the filter screen, while non-contact structures use methods such as tapping vibration or negative pressure suction.Contact cleaning methods typically operate simultaneously with the vacuum cleaner's startup, preventing users from selecting the self-cleaning time. They are also noisy, impacting the user experience, and their cleaning effectiveness is often poor. Hard cleaning components like scrapers can easily damage the filter during cleaning, affecting its filtration efficiency or even causing it to fail. Non-contact solutions are more commonly used in existing vacuum cleaners. For example, the filter self-cleaning device and vacuum cleaner disclosed in Chinese patent publication CN116019386A include a housing, power source, transmission assembly, cam, striking element, and elastic element. The striking element consists of a contact part and a striking part. The contact part contacts the cam, and the striking part strikes the object connected to the filter. The striking causes the filter to vibrate, separating dust from the filter screen, thus cleaning the filter. However, this solution has two drawbacks: firstly, the filter self-cleaning device has a very complex structure, leading to high design costs; secondly, the striking element can only clean the filter screen and cannot clean dust adhering to the inner wall of the dust cup. However, negative pressure suction solutions have several drawbacks. First, they require additional suction devices, leading to higher costs. Second, because the suction airflow needs to pass through a long suction channel at the front end, airflow loss is significant, resulting in a small amount of airflow actually entering the dust cup to backwash the filter screen, thus hindering the filter's self-cleaning effect. Therefore, this invention was developed to address these issues. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention aims to provide a cleaning device and a self-cleaning method thereof.

[0004] The technical solution of this invention is:

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a self-cleaning method for a cleaning device. The cleaning device includes a vacuum cleaner and a base station. The base station is used for dust collection and charging. The vacuum cleaner includes a body, a fan assembly mounted on the body, and a dust cup assembly. The dust cup assembly includes a dust cup body and a filter assembly disposed within the dust cup body. The bottom cover plate of the dust cup body is provided with an openable and closable movable cover plate. The cleaning device is characterized by having a vacuuming mode when the vacuum cleaner is used alone and a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station. The power source for both the vacuuming mode and the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes is the fan assembly. The self-cleaning method includes the following steps:

[0006] When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, the airflow changes from the suction airflow from the dust cup assembly into the fan assembly to the blowing airflow from the fan assembly to the dust cup assembly, and the fan assembly automatically starts and enters the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode.

[0007] In self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode, the fan assembly blows air onto the filter assembly and dust cup body to sweep away the dust on the inner wall of the dust cup body and the filter assembly and introduce it into the base station to achieve self-cleaning and self-dust collection.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a cleaning device, including a vacuum cleaner and a base station, wherein the base station is used for dust collection and charging. The vacuum cleaner includes a body, a fan assembly and a dust cup assembly disposed on the body. The dust cup assembly includes a dust cup body and a filter assembly disposed within the dust cup body. The bottom of the dust cup body is provided with an openable and closable cover. The cleaning device has a vacuuming mode when the vacuum cleaner is used alone and a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station. The power source for both the vacuuming mode and the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes is the fan assembly. When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, the cleaning device performs any of the self-cleaning methods described above.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0010] The present invention discloses a self-cleaning method for a cleaning device, which uses a fan assembly that generates negative pressure adsorption in the dust suction mode as the power source for generating positive pressure blowing in the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes. This not only simplifies the structure and reduces the weight of the device, but also enables the self-cleaning of the filter assembly and the dust cup body. In the self-cleaning method, the self-cleaning step is integrated throughout the entire self-cleaning and self-dust collection process, resulting in better self-cleaning and self-dust collection effects. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments:

[0012] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a cleaning device with dust suction, self-cleaning and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the dust cup assembly and fan assembly of a cleaning device with dust suction, self-cleaning and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A in the middle;

[0015] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of part B in the middle;

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the filter assembly of a cleaning device with dust suction, self-cleaning and dust collection according to an embodiment of the present invention (where 5(a) is the front view, 5(b) is the bottom-up perspective view, and 5(c) is the bottom view).

[0017] Figure 6This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the filter assembly of a cleaning device with vacuuming, self-cleaning, and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention (arrows indicate the airflow direction in vacuuming mode and positive pressure self-collection mode).

[0018] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the HEPA component in the filter assembly of a cleaning device with dust collection, self-cleaning and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention (where 7(a) is the front view, 7(b) is the perspective view with the bottom facing upward, and 7(c) is the bottom view).

[0019] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the fan assembly of a cleaning device with dust suction, self-cleaning and dust collection according to an embodiment of the present invention (where 8(a) is a schematic diagram with the front cover facing forward and 8(b) is a schematic diagram with the rear cover facing forward).

[0020] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the fan bracket of a cleaning device with dust suction, self-cleaning and dust collection according to an embodiment of the present invention (where 9(a) is a perspective view, 9(b) is a top view and 9(c) is a side view).

[0021] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the main body (excluding the brush head assembly) of a cleaning device with suction, self-cleaning and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention in suction mode.

[0022] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a cleaning device (excluding brush head assembly) with suction, self-cleaning and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention in positive pressure self-dust collection mode.

[0023] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a base station (excluding the support body) of a cleaning device with dust suction, self-cleaning and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a base station (including a support body) of a cleaning device with dust suction, self-cleaning and dust collection functions according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these descriptions are merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of the invention.

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention provides a self-cleaning method for a cleaning device, wherein, see... Figures 1 to 13The cleaning equipment comprises two parts: a vacuum cleaner and a base station 40. The base station 40 is used for dust collection and charging. The vacuum cleaner includes a body 10, a fan assembly 20 mounted on the body 10, and a dust cup assembly 30. The dust cup assembly 30 includes a dust cup body 31 and a filter assembly 32 located within the dust cup body 31. The bottom of the dust cup body 31 has an openable and closable cover 34. The cleaning equipment has a vacuuming mode for standalone use and a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station 40. The self-cleaning method includes the following steps:

[0027] When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station 40, the airflow is switched from the suction airflow from the dust cup assembly 30 to the dust blowing airflow from the fan assembly 20 to the dust blowing airflow from the fan assembly 20 to the dust cup assembly 30, and the fan assembly 20 starts automatically and enters the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode.

[0028] In self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes, the fan assembly 20 blows air onto the filter assembly 32 and the dust cup body 31, sweeping away dust from the inner wall of the dust cup body 31 and the filter assembly 32 and guiding it into the base station 40 to achieve self-cleaning and self-dust collection. Specifically, the cleaning device of this embodiment includes a vacuum cleaner and a base station 40, having a vacuuming mode for standalone use and a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode after the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station 40. The vacuuming mode is similar to that of a conventional vacuum cleaner. The difference, and the innovation of this invention, lies in the different self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes of the cleaning device of this embodiment. Moreover, in both modes, the power source of the cleaning device of this embodiment is the fan assembly 20 on the vacuum cleaner. Compared with the existing technical solution of setting a suction device in the base station 40, the cleaning device of this embodiment is lower in cost and lighter in weight. In addition, the vacuum cleaner being placed on the base station 40 automatically triggers the air duct to switch from suction to dust collection. The dust suction duct in dust mode is switched to the dust blowing duct in self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes. Self-cleaning can achieve self-cleaning of the inner wall of the filter component 32 and the dust cup body 31. Compared with the existing cleaning equipment, which can only achieve self-cleaning of the filter component, the cleaning equipment of this embodiment does not have the problem of large air loss due to the airflow needing to pass through a long suction channel at the front end when achieving self-cleaning due to negative pressure suction, or poor self-cleaning effect due to weak airflow during self-cleaning. Instead, it directly uses the fan component 20 set on the top of the dust cup component 30 to blow positive pressure airflow into the dust cup component 30 to achieve self-cleaning of the inner wall of the filter component 32 and the dust cup body 31. The air loss is small and the self-cleaning effect is better. It should be noted that in the self-cleaning method of this embodiment, self-cleaning occurs slightly before dust collection. This is because when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, the movable cover 34 is only unlocked, not opened. At the moment the fan assembly 20 blows air into the dust cup assembly 30 for self-cleaning, the movable cover 34 is still closed. Only after a period of self-cleaning, such as 1 second, will the movable cover 34 be blown open by the positive pressure within the dust cup body 31, guiding dust into the base station 40 to achieve self-dust collection. After the movable cover 34 is opened, self-cleaning and self-dust collection are simultaneous, which is completely different from the prior art method of collecting dust first and then cleaning. The cleaning device of this embodiment uses a fan assembly that generates negative pressure suction in vacuuming mode as the power source for generating positive pressure blowing in self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes. This not only simplifies the structure and reduces the weight of the equipment but also enables self-cleaning of the filter assembly 32 and the dust cup body 31. In this self-cleaning method, the self-cleaning step is integrated throughout the entire self-cleaning and self-dust collection process, resulting in better self-cleaning and self-dust collection effects.

[0029] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the vacuum cleaner specifically has a charging port (not shown) on the bottom cover plate 33 of the dust cup body 31, and the base station 40 specifically has a charging interface (not shown) on its top surface. When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station 40, the charging port is electrically connected to the charging interface; the self-cleaning method further includes the following steps:

[0030] Before charging the vacuum cleaner, after a preset time for self-dust collection and self-cleaning (referred to as t0 for ease of description and distinction), the fan assembly 20 is turned off and the vacuum cleaner enters charging mode. In other words, the base station in this embodiment can be used for both dust collection and charging the vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station 40, although the vacuum cleaner's charging port is electrically connected to the charging interface on the base station 40, the vacuum cleaner does not immediately enter the charging process; instead, it first performs self-cleaning and self-dust collection. It should be noted that when the vacuum cleaner's internal power source, such as the battery pack, is completely depleted (i.e., it shuts down), placing the vacuum cleaner on the base station 40 allows the power source for self-cleaning and self-dust collection before charging to be accessed via a power source (not shown) such as a battery within the base station 40 that is electrically connected to the charging interface. During the vacuum cleaner charging process, the vacuum cleaner is charged via the power source on the base station 40 or an external power source (preferably an external power source). To implement the above steps, a timing circuit (not shown) can be added to the control module (not shown), such as the control circuit. The control device (not shown) includes a logic circuit to determine whether the self-cleaning and self-dust collection times have reached the preset times set by the timing circuit. This logic circuit and timing circuit are existing conventional control circuits, easily understood and implemented by those skilled in the art. Through the timing circuit and logic circuit, when the self-cleaning and self-dust collection times reach the preset time, the power source for self-cleaning and self-dust collection, i.e., the fan assembly 20, stops working. The preset time t0 can be selected from 1s to 20s, without special limitation, and those skilled in the art can choose according to actual needs.

[0031] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the fan assembly 20 has a first power range in the dust collection mode (referred to as P1 here for ease of description and distinction; it should be noted that the operating power in the dust collection mode is a range, for example, the dust collection mode can have multiple operating power levels such as the conventional low, medium and high three levels to meet the working needs in different working scenarios, so it is represented here as a first power range, that is, the operating power in the dust collection mode is not a specific value, but a range, and the maximum value in the range is denoted by P). 1max The minimum value is represented by P. 1minThis indicates the first operating mode (P2), the second operating mode (P3) in self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode, and the third operating mode (P3). Specifically, the second power is not greater than the maximum value of the first power range, and the third power is not less than the maximum value of the first power range, that is, P3 ≥ P2. 1max In other words, in self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes, there are two different power options. The power of the third mode is no less than that of the second mode, but greater, i.e., P3 ≥ P2. This means the blowing power in the third mode must be greater than or equal to that in the second mode. When there is a large amount of dust on the inner wall of the dust cup 31 or the filter assembly 32, or when the dust is more firmly adhered and difficult to clean, a higher power can be selected for self-cleaning to solve the problem of some dust being difficult to clean in the normal mode. Simultaneously, the power in this mode is set to be greater than the maximum value of the first power in the vacuuming mode. In other words, the power in both self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes must be greater than that in the vacuuming mode, thus using greater airflow to remove more difficult-to-clean dust. Switching between the second and third modes can be achieved by setting a mode switch or mode selection switch on the vacuum cleaner. As an alternative embodiment, the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes can also have only the second power mode or only the third power mode.

[0032] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, when there is both a second mode with a second power and a third mode with a third power in the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes, during self-cleaning and self-dust collection, the fan assembly first operates at the third power for a first preset time (t1), and then operates at the second power for a second preset time (t2). The first preset time t1 and the second preset time t2 are added together to the aforementioned preset time t0, that is, t1 + t2 = t0. In other words, it first operates at a higher operating power, and then operates at a lower power for a period of time. Because there will be a lot of dust in the dust cup of the vacuum cleaner during self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes, operating at a higher power at the beginning is more conducive to removing most of the non-adherent dust and a small amount of adhered dust, that is, preliminary self-cleaning. Then, it further self-cleaning at a lower power helps to reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs. As an alternative embodiment, it is also possible to first operate at the third power for a first preset time t1', and then operate at the second power for a second preset time t2'. The first preset time t1' and the second preset time t2' are added together to the aforementioned preset time t0'. In this scheme, the first preset time t1' is not necessarily equal to the first preset time t1 in the above scheme. Similarly, the second preset time t2' in this scheme is not necessarily equal to the second preset time t2 in the above scheme, and the total preset time t0' is also not necessarily equal to the preset time t0 in the above scheme. In this scheme, it first operates at a lower power, mainly to self-clean the dust in the dust cup that is not attached to the inner wall of the dust cup body and the filter component 32 and introduce it into the base station. Then, it uses a higher power to remove the dust attached to the inner wall of the dust cup body and the filter component 32, which has a better self-cleaning effect. In the above schemes, the following relationship can be satisfied: P2*t1+P3*t2=P3*t1'+P2*t2', that is, regardless of the working mode, the final power consumption is about the same. As another alternative embodiment, it can also run at the second power or the third power for the preset time continuously.

[0033] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the automatic start-up of the fan assembly 20 when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station 40 is achieved by triggering a micro switch (not shown) that is electrically connected to the fan assembly 20 when the air duct is switched into position. Specifically, the micro switch and the fan assembly 20 can be electrically connected through a control module, such as a control circuit. The micro switch is located on the fan assembly 20 or on a push component on the vacuum cleaner used to drive the fan assembly 20 to rotate and achieve air duct switching, or at the connection point of the two. The micro switch is a conventional micro switch in the prior art. When the fan assembly 20 rotates and achieves air duct switching, the micro switch is triggered by the squeezing force of the push component or the fan assembly 20, thereby turning on the circuit of the fan assembly 20 and starting the fan assembly 20. The cleaning equipment of the present invention can achieve switching between self-dust collection and charging by setting a micro switch, without the need for manual operation of self-dust collection and charging, making operation simple.

[0034] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the switching of the air duct from the suction air duct to the blowing air duct is achieved by a trigger on the base station 40 triggering a pushing component on the vacuum cleaner that is linked to the fan assembly 20 or the fan bracket 14 located in the body when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station 40. This drives one of the fan assembly 20 or the fan bracket 14 to change its angle or position relative to the body or the dust cup assembly 30. Furthermore, the switching of the air duct from the blowing air duct to the suction air duct is achieved by automatically resetting after the trigger is released when the vacuum cleaner is removed from the base station 40. Preferably, the automatic switching and automatic resetting of the air duct can be implemented as follows: Figure 10 and Figure 11The fan assembly 20 is shown rotating relative to the body assembly 10. As an alternative embodiment, the fan bracket 14 can rotate relative to the body assembly 10 or the dust cup assembly 30, while the fan assembly 20 remains fixed. As a modified embodiment, the fan assembly 20 can be fixed, while the fan bracket 14 translates relative to the body assembly 10. The specific structure is not particularly limited or described; please refer to the structure of the switching component in the applicant's previous multi-purpose pet vacuum cleaner patent. As another alternative embodiment, the fan bracket 14 is fixed, and the fan assembly 20 achieves airflow switching by translation. The specific structure is also not described in detail; please refer to the structure of the switching component in the applicant's previous multi-purpose pet vacuum cleaner patent. In this embodiment of the invention, airflow switching is preferably achieved by rotating the fan assembly 20 and the fan bracket 14, that is, the angle of the fan assembly 20 relative to the body assembly 10 or the dust cup assembly 30 changes in vacuuming mode and self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes. To enable automatic airflow switching when the vacuum cleaner body is placed on and removed from the base station 40, a pushing component linked to the fan assembly 20 is provided on the body assembly 10. The base station 40 is equipped with a second trigger 46 for triggering the pushing component to rotate the fan assembly 20 and automatically switch the airflow when the vacuum cleaner body is placed on the base station 40 (the first trigger 45 is used to unlock the movable cover 34 on the bottom cover 33 of the dust cup assembly 30). Preferred embodiments, such as... Figures 2 to 4 and Figures 10 to 11 As shown, the pushing assembly includes a first pushing assembly 37 and a second pushing assembly. The first pushing assembly 37 is movably disposed within the dust cup body 31, and the bottom cover plate 33 has a second insertion hole or socket for the second trigger 46 to push the first pushing assembly 37 upward. The second pushing assembly is movably disposed on the fan bracket 14 and connected to the fan assembly 20, specifically as follows: Figure 4 The pivot shown. More specifically, as... Figure 2As shown, the first pushing assembly 37 includes a first pushing member 371, such as a push rod or push plate, movably disposed within the dust cup body 31 and extending along the axial direction of the dust cup body 31, and a first elastic reset member, one end of which is connected to the dust cup body 31 and the other end of which is connected to the first pushing member 371. The second pushing assembly includes a second pushing member 16, such as a push rod or push plate, movably disposed on the fan bracket 14, one end of which is free and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the outer wall of the fan assembly 20, and a second elastic reset member, one end of which is connected to the second pushing member 16 and the other end of which is connected to the fan bracket 14. The first and second elastic reset members are conventional components such as tension springs. The vacuum cleaner is removed from the base station 40 and reset by the first and second elastic reset members. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first pushing member 371 and the second pushing member 16 are independent, that is, they are not connected together. They only come into contact or abut each other when the vacuum cleaner body is placed on the base station 40 and is triggered to switch the air duct. In order for the first pushing member 371 to trigger the second pushing member 16 during displacement after being triggered by the second trigger member 46, the second pushing member 16 should be on the path of the displacement of the first pushing member 371. The second trigger member 46 is a conventional push rod or other component. In this embodiment of the invention, when the vacuum cleaner body is placed on the base station 40, the second trigger member 46 pushes the first pushing component 37 upward. The first pushing component 37 moves upward and pushes the second pushing component. The second pushing component also moves upward and rotates around the pivot axis between the second pushing member 16 and the fan component 20, thereby driving the fan component 20 to rotate and realize the air duct switching. Preferably, the second pushing member 16 is a flat plate, and an upwardly curved first hook 161 for connecting the second elastic reset member is provided on the side wall of the second pushing member 16 facing away from the fan assembly 20. Correspondingly, a downwardly curved second hook 144 is provided on the fan bracket 14 for connecting the other end of the second elastic reset member. Preferably, the first pushing member 371 is a push rod or push plate, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the first pusher 371 has a first connecting part 3711 for one end of the first elastic reset member to be connected, specifically for hooking, and the bottom cover plate 33 has a second connecting part 331 for the other end of the first elastic reset member to be hooked. Both the first connecting part 3711 and the second connecting part 331 shown in the figure are connecting holes. The first connecting part 3711 and the second connecting part 331 can also be hook-like structures. As an alternative embodiment, the first pusher 371 and the second pusher 16 are connected together to form a linkage structure, that is, the push assembly can also be a linkage linkage assembly. In this case, it is not necessary to set multiple elastic reset members such as tension springs; only one elastic reset member such as a tension spring is needed. It should be noted that the linkage assembly can be just one linkage or multiple linkages. As another alternative embodiment, the push assembly can also be a meshing transmission assembly such as a rack and pinion transmission structure. It should be noted that, as Figures 10 to 11 As shown, the second pusher 16 is positioned at the dust inlet 13. In the dust suction mode, the second pusher 16 blocks the dust inlet 13, and the air in the dust suction mode is discharged from the dust suction exhaust port 12. In the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes, the second pusher 16 moves upward to open the dust inlet 13.

[0035] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, in the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode, the dust-blowing self-cleaning of the filter assembly 32 includes self-cleaning of the inner and outer walls of the filter screen 3212 and self-cleaning of the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222. More specifically, as Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the filter assembly 32 includes a cyclone separator 321 and a HEPA filter assembly 322 disposed in the middle of the cyclone separator 321. The cyclone separator 321 includes a filter support 3211 and a filter screen 3212 mounted on the filter support 3211. The filter support 3211 has a cavity in the middle to facilitate the installation of the HEPA filter assembly 322. The description and explanation will focus on the use of the filter support 3211, specifically the direction from near the fan assembly 20 to near the movable cover 34. Figure 5 As shown in (5a), from top to bottom, the filter support 3211 includes a first section, a second section, and a third section, wherein the outer diameter of the first section is larger than the outer diameters of the second and third sections, that is, the filter support 3211 is thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom. More specifically, the outer wall surface of the first section protrudes radially outward to form a downwardly spiraling air guide structure 32111. In this embodiment of the invention, the spiral air guide structure 32111 is preferably as follows: Figure 6 The spiral air guide groove shown, specifically, the spiral air guide structure 32111 includes the spiral air guide groove along the axial direction, that is, as shown in the figure. Figure 6The diagram shows a guide wall 321111 spirally extending downwards from the top of the first section and a baffle wall 321112 extending axially on the outer side of the guide wall 321111. The top of the first section has an opening for placing and fixing the HEPA assembly 322. The second section is provided with a filter screen 3212, and the third section is inverted conical in shape. Preferably, the third section specifically has a blowing dust-blocking structure 3214 at the end facing the movable cover 34 in the installed state, which is closed in dust suction mode and open in positive pressure self-collecting dust mode. The spiral air guide structure 32111, i.e., the spiral air guide groove, specifically has several through first air outlet holes 32112 on the guide wall 321111, and the lower end outlet of the spiral air guide groove extends to meet the outer side of the filter screen 3212. The filter bracket 3211, in its installed state, is equipped with an air inlet dust blocking structure 3213 at the air outlet facing the air inlet channel. This structure opens in vacuuming mode to connect the air inlet channel and the dust cup body 31, and closes in positive pressure self-collecting mode to cut off the air inlet channel 11 and the dust cup body 31. Preferably, the air inlet dust blocking structure is rotatably mounted on the top side wall of the first section of the filter bracket 3211, and after the air inlet channel is opened, it flips to block the entrance of the spiral air guide groove. That is, in vacuuming mode, the airflow entering the dust cup body 31 through the air inlet channel will not enter the spiral air guide groove, but will instead spiral downwards along the outer wall of the spiral air guide groove to form a spiral airflow. For the HEPA component 322, as... Figure 7 As shown, the HEPA assembly 322 includes a HEPA frame 3221, a HEPA body 3222, and a HEPA bottom cover 3223. The HEPA frame 3221 has several second air outlets 32211. During installation, the HEPA frame 3221 covers the top opening of the first section of the filter support 3211, and the first air outlets 32112 and the second air outlets 32211 correspond. This correspondence means that their projections on the same horizontal plane, i.e., along the axial direction of the filter assembly 32, at least partially overlap; they can be completely overlapped or partially overlapped. This is a preferred embodiment of the invention, such as... Figure 7As shown in (7b) and (7c), there are two sets of second air outlets 32211 on the HEPA frame 3221. The two sets of second air outlets 32211 are concentric but have different radii. That is, the HEPA frame 3221 is provided with two rings of second air outlets 32211, one inner and one outer. Each ring of second air outlets 32211 is preferably composed of multiple circumferentially spaced arc-shaped air holes. The second air outlets 32211 of the inner ring correspond to the gap between the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222 and the inner wall of the filter bracket 3211, and the second air outlets 32211 of the outer ring correspond to the first air outlet 32112. The HEPA body 3222 is mounted on the HEPA frame 3221 and has several pleats 32221. An airflow passage 32222 is formed between any two adjacent pleats 32221 along the axial direction of the cyclone filter. The HEPA bottom cover 3223 is located at the end of the HEPA body 3222 away from the HEPA frame 3221 and has a clearance notch 32231 at any airflow passage 32222. That is to say, in the vacuuming mode and the positive pressure self-collecting mode, the airflow through the airflow passage 32222 will not be obstructed and the airflow direction through the filter bracket 3211 is opposite in the two modes. Taking the airflow direction inside the filter bracket 3211 in the vacuuming mode as positive, the airflow inside the filter bracket 3211 in the self-collecting mode is reversed. That is, in the self-collecting mode, the airflow blows in the opposite direction between the inner wall of the filter bracket 3211 and the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222, and between the outer wall of the filter bracket 3211 and the inner wall of the dust cup body 31. In the cleaning device of this embodiment, during vacuuming mode, airflow can directly enter the airflow channel 32222 through the clearance notch 32231 for secondary filtration. In the self-dust collection mode, specifically the self-cleaning mode, airflow blows through the airflow channel 32222 onto the HEPA filter body 3222 and then exits through the clearance notch 32231 and the bottom opening of the filter bracket 3211. Furthermore, the clearance notch 32231 ensures that no dust remains in dead corners during self-cleaning, significantly improving the filter's self-cleaning efficiency. Specifically, as... Figure 7 As shown in (7b), the HEPA body 3222 is an inverted cone shape, thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, and the HEPA bottom cover 3223 is a polygon with multiple corners. In an alternative embodiment, the HEPA bottom cover 3223 of the HEPA assembly 322 does not have a clearance notch 32231. In another alternative embodiment, the HEPA body 3222 can also be arranged in a conventional sheet-like configuration, that is, one or more sheet-like HEPA units can be arranged side-by-side or in an array at the bottom of the HEPA frame 3221. Each sheet-like HEPA body 3222 also has multiple folds 32221. The HEPA body 3222 is formed by repeatedly folding a sheet or plate-like HEPA unit in reverse, with each fold 32221 forming a... Figure 7The triangle shape is shown. In this embodiment of the invention, in the dust collection mode, the air inlet dust barrier structure 3213 is open, and the air blowing dust barrier structure 3214 is closed. The airflow containing dust and debris drawn in from the air inlet channel enters the dust cup body 31 and is filtered once by the filter screen 3212 along the spiral air guide structure 32111. The dust particles fall directly, and the airflow enters the filter bracket 3211 and is filtered a second time by the HEPA body 3222. After that, it enters the fan assembly 20 through the top opening of the HEPA body 3222 along the airflow channel 32222 and is finally discharged through the dust collection exhaust port 12. In the positive pressure self-dust collection mode, the air inlet dust barrier structure 3213 is closed. When 213 is closed and the dust-blocking structure 3214 is opened, the airflow entering through the dust inlet 13 passes through the fan assembly 20 and the second outlet 32211, and is entirely blown into the space between the outer wall of the filter bracket 3211 and the inner wall of the dust cup body 31. Alternatively, some airflow may be blown into the space between the inner wall of the filter bracket 3211 and the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222, and some may be blown into the space between the outer wall of the filter bracket 3211 and the inner wall of the dust cup body 31. Finally, the airflow enters the base station 40 through the opening at the bottom of the dust cup body 31, achieving self-dust collection and self-cleaning of the filter assembly 32 and the inner wall of the dust cup body 31. It should be noted that in the self-dust collection mode, some airflow exits through the first outlet 32112 and also forms a spiral airflow around the outer wall of the spiral air guide structure 32111. This part of the airflow has the same spiral direction as the airflow entering the dust cup body 31 through the air inlet channel in the dust suction mode, which can achieve self-cleaning of the outer wall of the cyclone filter and the inner wall of the dust cup body 31. In addition, part of the airflow passing through the first air outlet 32112 spirals downward along the guide wall 321111 to self-clean the inner wall of the filter screen 3212, and another part of the airflow enters between the inner wall of the filter support 3211 and the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222 through the second air outlet 32211. The direction of this part of the airflow is consistent with the fold line between two adjacent folds 32221 of the HEPA body 3222, so as to clean the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222. The cleaning device of this embodiment of the invention, through the improved structure of the filter component 32, although the airflow of the filter component 32 in the self-dust collection mode is reversed like that of existing suction self-cleaning cleaning devices, the cleaning device of this embodiment of the invention, through the structural design and the adoption of a positive pressure self-cleaning method, can not only achieve self-cleaning of the outer wall of the cyclone filter and the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222, but also self-cleaning of the inner wall of the dust cup. Moreover, the blowing air during self-cleaning is provided by the fan component 20 above the dust cup component 30. Compared with the prior art of setting a suction device or other negative pressure device in the base station 40, the distance to the dust cup component 30 is shorter, the wind loss is smaller, the self-cleaning airflow is stronger, and the self-cleaning effect is naturally better. As for the blowing dust-blocking structure 3214, it is a dust-blocking sheet made of conventional soft material, such as a rubber sheet with a cross-cut in the middle.As an alternative embodiment, the blowing dust-blocking structure 3214 can also be a conventional one-way valve, where the air can only flow in one direction. That is, in the dust suction mode, the air cannot enter the filter bracket 3211 from bottom to top. However, in the positive pressure self-collecting dust mode, the airflow can be discharged from the filter bracket 3211 into the dust cup and then introduced into the base station 40. As another alternative embodiment, the blowing dust-blocking structure 3214 can be omitted. Instead, an opening can be made at the bottom of the third section of the filter bracket 3211, and the opening can extend directly to contact the inner surface of the movable cover plate 34, rather than being fixed. In vacuum mode, due to the negative pressure inside the dust cup body 31, the bottom end of the filter bracket 3211 can be tightly sucked together with the movable cover 34, and the sealing structure between the bottom of the filter bracket 3211 and the movable cover 34, such as the sealing ring 36, provides a sealing effect. However, in positive pressure self-collection mode, since the bottom end of the filter bracket 3211 and the movable cover 34 are not fixedly connected, the movable cover 34 will be blown open under positive pressure, causing the bottom opening of the filter bracket 3211 to open. Therefore, during self-cleaning operations, dust and other debris on the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222 can be blown down and introduced into the base station 40. For the spiral air guide structure 32111, for example… Figure 5 As shown in (5c), the projection of the spiral air guide structure 32111 onto the horizontal plane is a ring. The arrangement of the first air outlet 32112 on the spiral air guide structure 32111 can be partially spiral or fully spiral. Specifically, any first air outlet 32112 can be, but is not limited to, as shown in (5c). Figure 5In the waist-shaped or elliptical holes shown in (5b) and (5c), the extension direction of any first air outlet 32112, i.e., its major axis, forms an angle with the line connecting the center of the ring and any end of the first air outlet 32112 (the end closest to or furthest from the center of the ring). In other words, the extension direction of any first air outlet 32112 is not along the radius or diameter of the ring, but forms an angle with the radius or diameter of the ring, and this angle is not zero. This design allows the airflow during self-cleaning to form a spiral airflow, achieving a better self-cleaning and dust removal effect. Preferably, the angle formed by the extension direction of all first air outlets 32112 and the line connecting the midpoint of the ring and any end of the first air outlet 32112 is equal. This facilitates design and manufacturing, and further promotes the formation of a spiral airflow, thus improving the self-cleaning effect. It should be noted that the airflow channel 32222 is different in vacuuming mode and positive pressure dust collection mode. Specifically, in vacuuming mode, the airflow channel 32222 is the space defined between any adjacent folds 32221 on the inner wall of the HEPA body 3222 that faces away from the filter support 3211. In dust blowing mode, the airflow channel 32222 is the space defined between any two adjacent folds 32221 on the outer wall of the HEPA body 3222.

[0036] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, after the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes end and before the vacuum cleaner is charged, the following steps are repeated at least once: the fan assembly 20 blows air onto the filter assembly 32 and the dust cup body 31 to sweep away the dust on the inner wall of the dust cup body 31 and the filter assembly 32 and introduce it into the base station 40 to achieve self-cleaning and self-dust collection.

[0037] Some preferred embodiments of the present invention, such as Figures 1 to 2 and Figures 12 to 13 As shown, the base station 40 has a housing cavity 41 inside, and a dust bag 42 is also installed inside the housing cavity 41. A dust collection and exhaust port 44, which communicates with the inside of the housing cavity 41 and the outside, is opened on the side wall of the base station 40. An air outlet filter 43, such as a plate-shaped or sheet-shaped HEPA filter, is installed between the air outlet of the housing cavity 41 (i.e., the port connecting to the dust bag 42) and the dust collection and exhaust port 44. Preferably, the air inlet of the housing cavity 41 is also... Figure 12The area of ​​the upper opening of the storage cavity 41 shown is not less than the air inlet area of ​​the fan assembly 20, and the area of ​​the dust collection exhaust port 44 is not less than 1.5 times the area of ​​the air inlet of the fan assembly 20, i.e., the area of ​​the first air inlet 221. It should be noted that this multiple cannot be too large or too small; it is an ideal multiple obtained by the applicant through optimized design. If it is too large, it will not be conducive to forming an effective blowing force in the dust cup body, i.e., it will not be conducive to the self-cleaning of the dust cup assembly. If it is too small, it will not be conducive to dust collection in the base station. The volume of the storage cavity 41 is not less than the effective volume of the dust cup body 31 that can hold garbage, i.e., the volume of the space after subtracting the space occupied by the filter assembly 32. Compared with the existing technology, the air inlet area of ​​the storage cavity 41 of the base station 40 is larger, and the dust collection effect is better. Optionally, such as Figure 13 As shown, the base station 40 also includes a support body 47, and a plurality of foldable or openable support legs 48 are arranged circumferentially on the base plate at the bottom of the support body 47. A side cover (not shown) may also be optionally provided on the outer surface of the base station 40 corresponding to the outer side of the air outlet filter 43, which can be opened to allow the internal air outlet filter 43 to be removed for cleaning or replacement. Compared with conventional base stations 40 in the prior art, the base station 40 of this embodiment does not contain a suction device or negative pressure device, making it lighter and less expensive.

[0038] The specific structures of other components of the cleaning equipment in this embodiment of the invention, such as the ventilation openings on the body including the dust extraction exhaust port 12, the dust blowing air inlet, the fan assembly 20, and the floor brush assembly, are not described in detail or limited, and are not the main inventive points of this application. For details, please refer to the description in the patent application filed by the applicant on the same day.

[0039] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative or explanatory of the principles of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention should be included within the protection scope of the invention. Furthermore, the appended claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the scope and boundaries of the appended claims, or equivalent forms of such scope and boundaries.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning method for a cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising a vacuum cleaner and a base station, the base station being used for dust collection and charging, the vacuum cleaner comprising a body, a fan assembly disposed on the body, and a dust cup assembly, the dust cup assembly comprising a dust cup body and a filter assembly disposed within the dust cup body, the bottom cover plate of the dust cup body being provided with an openable and closable movable cover plate, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment has a vacuuming mode when the vacuum cleaner is used alone and a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station. The power source for both the vacuuming mode and the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes is the fan assembly. The self-cleaning method includes the following steps: When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, the airflow changes from the suction airflow from the dust cup assembly into the fan assembly to the blowing airflow from the fan assembly to the dust cup assembly, and the fan assembly automatically starts and enters the self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode. In self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode, the fan assembly blows air onto the filter assembly and dust cup body to sweep away the dust on the inner wall of the dust cup body and the filter assembly and introduce it into the base station to achieve self-cleaning and self-dust collection. The fan assembly has a first mode that operates at a first power range in a dust suction mode, a second mode that operates at a second power in a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode, and a third mode that operates at a third power. The second power is not greater than the maximum value of the first power range, and the third power is greater than the maximum value of the first power range; In self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode, the fan assembly first runs at a second power for a first preset time, and then runs at a third power for a second preset time. The sum of the first preset time and the second preset time equals the preset time.

2. The self-cleaning method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum cleaner has a charging port, and the base station is provided with a charging interface. When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, the charging port is electrically connected to the charging interface; the self-cleaning method further includes the following steps: Without charging the vacuum cleaner initially, after a preset time for self-dust collection and self-cleaning, the fan assembly is turned off and the vacuum cleaner enters charging mode for charging.

3. The self-cleaning method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The automatic start-up of the fan assembly when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station is achieved by triggering a micro switch connected to the fan assembly circuit when the air duct is switched into place.

4. The self-cleaning method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching of the air duct from the suction air duct to the blowing air duct is achieved by a trigger on the base station triggering a pushing component on the vacuum cleaner that is linked to the fan assembly or the fan bracket located in the body when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station. This causes one of the fan assembly or the fan bracket to change its angle or position relative to the body or the dust cup assembly. The switching of the air duct from the blowing air duct to the suction air duct is achieved by automatically resetting after the trigger is released when the vacuum cleaner is removed from the base station.

5. The self-cleaning method according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that, The filtration assembly includes a cyclone separator and a HEPA filter assembly disposed inside the cyclone separator. The cyclone separator includes a filter support and a filter screen disposed on the filter support, and the HEPA assembly includes a HEPA frame and a HEPA body disposed on the HEPA frame; In self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes, the dust-blowing self-cleaning of the filter assembly includes self-cleaning of the inner and outer walls of the filter screen and self-cleaning of the outer wall of the HEPA body.

6. A cleaning device, comprising a vacuum cleaner and a base station, the base station being used for dust collection and charging, the vacuum cleaner comprising a body, a fan assembly disposed on the body, and a dust cup assembly, the dust cup assembly comprising a dust cup body and a filter assembly disposed within the dust cup body, the bottom of the dust cup body having an openable and closable movable cover, the cleaning device having a vacuuming mode when the vacuum cleaner is used alone and a self-cleaning and self-dust collection mode when the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, characterized in that, The power source for the vacuuming mode, as well as the self-cleaning and self-dust collection modes, is the fan assembly. When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the base station, the cleaning device performs the self-cleaning method according to any one of claims 1-5.

7. A cleaning device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The base station is also equipped with a storage cavity, and the air outlet of the storage cavity is connected to a dust bag for dust collection. The outer wall of the base station is also provided with a dust collection exhaust port that connects the storage cavity to the outside. The inner side of the dust collection exhaust port is also provided with an air outlet filter. The area of ​​the air inlet of the storage cavity is not less than the area of ​​the air inlet of the fan assembly, the area of ​​the dust collection exhaust hole is not less than 1.5 times the area of ​​the air inlet of the fan assembly, and the volume of the storage cavity is not less than the effective volume of the dust cup body that can hold garbage.

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