Evaluation method for the cleaning effect of intelligent mopping robots based on friction torque

Abstract

This invention discloses an evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on friction torque. The method involves horizontally placing the robot's operating platform on a level surface in a real home setting. Friction sensors on the robot's platform collect the forces acting on the floor material substrate along three axes. The prepared mopping robot is placed in the real home setting and passes over the robot's operating platform at least once. A host computer acquires the normal force along the Z-axis, the friction force along the X-axis, and the friction force along the Y-axis detected by the friction sensors, as well as the duration of the forces acting along each axis. This invention evaluates the cleaning effect of the mopping robot on floor stains by monitoring the force parameters between the cleaning functional parts of the mopping robot and the floor material substrate, enabling the numerical evaluation of the mopping robot's cleaning effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of performance testing and evaluation of intelligent cleaning robots for both household and commercial use, which utilize cleaning components such as mops and roller brushes to clean hard floors and integrate mopping and sweeping. Specifically, it relates to an evaluation method for characterizing the cleaning effect of intelligent mopping robots based on frictional torque. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the booming "lazy economy," various smart home products are emerging like mushrooms after rain. In particular, the emergence of autonomous intelligent cleaning appliances has brought great convenience to people's lives and greatly reduced the burden of housework. For example, emerging appliances such as mopping / wiping robots, sweeping and mopping robots, and floor scrubbers are attracting more and more attention from young consumers.

[0003] According to Sina Home's "White Paper on Chinese Household Floor Mopping Demand and Technological Trends of Dedicated Floor Mopping Robots," the main floor materials in Chinese households are ceramic tiles and wooden floors, with 43% being wooden floors and 56% being ceramic tiles, while carpets account for only 1%. Therefore, in addition to sweeping away dust and dirt, most households also need to clean stubborn stains (such as kitchen grease, coffee stains, and soy sauce stains) by mopping and wiping. 91% of respondents believe that mopping is necessary after sweeping. Among them, 48% of households mop 1-3 times a week, while 21% mop daily. This huge demand for mopping and wiping has further spurred the research and development and upgrading of floor mopping robots that focus on these functions. For example, the Little Whale floor mopping robot uses its body and internal springs to continuously apply pressure to the mop, simulating manual operation, and combined with a high-speed rotating triangular mop, it removes difficult-to-clean stains such as tea stains and coffee stains.

[0004] The cleaning effectiveness of a mopping robot depends not only on its suction power and cleaning accessories, such as a rotating triangular mop, but also crucially on the friction it exerts on the floor. Currently, most mopping / wiping and sweeping / mopping robots on the market apply a fixed pressure to the floor. When stubborn stains such as tea stains, coffee stains, sauce stains, or shoe prints appear, their cleaning ability is significantly reduced. Therefore, designing an intelligent mopping robot with adjustable pressure to increase friction with the floor is of significant value. The development of such intelligent mopping robots requires testing relevant parameters to evaluate their cleaning performance.

[0005] However, current research and development in the industry regarding cleaning technology for robotic mopping robots largely focuses on the design and optimization of mechanical structural parameters, dynamic models, and the product's structure, key components, and hardware / software control systems. For example:

[0006] Patent application CN202222353659.8 discloses a mop with an efficient cleaning and easy-to-adjust mop head, which increases friction through an anti-slip sleeve. Patent application CN202120544595.2 discloses a surface cleaning device with good cleaning effect, which increases the friction of the cleaning roller on the surface to be cleaned by positioning the pivot part of the pivot seat above the front of the cleaning roller and extending the pivot seat above the cleaning roller, thereby enabling the cleaning roller to distribute cleaning fluid. The increased weight on the handle increases the friction between the mopping roller and the surface to be cleaned, thus improving the cleaning ability of the mopping roller. Patent CN210095634U discloses a mopping robot that can adjust the friction between the mopping cloth and the floor to improve the cleaning effect. Patent 202120472445.5 discloses a cleaning robot whose mopping components use multiple mopping units to clean the surface by rotating, resulting in greater friction between the mopping units and the surface during rotation.

[0007] While the aforementioned patent documents involve various product structures and cleaning performance improvement measures that increase friction with the cleaned floor, they lack methods for third-party laboratories to evaluate the cleaning effect on floor stains by monitoring the friction torque parameters between the cleaning function parts of the mopping robot and the floor to be cleaned. Therefore, they cannot provide relevant data for the research and development and performance improvement of related mopping robots. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide an evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque. This method evaluates the cleaning effect of the mopping robot on floor stains by monitoring the force parameters between the cleaning function parts of the mopping robot and the floor material substrate, and can quantify the evaluation of the cleaning effect of the mopping robot.

[0009] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0010] An evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque, characterized by the following steps:

[0011] Step 1: Set up the robot running platform. Place the robot running platform horizontally on the level ground of a real home scene. Set up a friction torque sampling device on the robot running platform. The friction torque sampling device is equipped with at least one friction sensor. Install a floor material substrate on the friction sensor. The floor material substrate is exposed on the upper surface of the robot running platform. The floor material substrate simulates the corresponding floor material.

[0012] Step 2: Place the prepared mopping robot in a real home environment, start the mopping function of the mopping robot, set the cleaning path of the mopping robot, and ensure that the mopping robot can pass through the robot running platform in a straight line.

[0013] Step 3: The mopping robot begins cleaning along the path. The mopping robot will pass over the robot running platform at least once. When the mopping robot passes over the floor material substrate, it will generate a positive pressure on the floor material substrate along the Z axis, a frictional force along the X axis, and a frictional force along the Y axis. The friction force sensor detects the forces on the floor material substrate along the three axes in real time.

[0014] Step 4: The host computer acquires the normal force on the Z-axis, the friction force on the X-axis, and the friction force on the Y-axis detected by the friction sensor, and also acquires the duration of the force on the three axes; by comparing the values ​​of the normal force on the Z-axis, the friction force on the X-axis, the friction force on the Y-axis, and the duration of the force, the cleaning effect of the mopping robot is characterized, so that the cleaning effect of the mopping robot can be evaluated through specific values.

[0015] Furthermore, in step one, the robot running platform is configured as a structure consisting of a detection platform and two buffer platforms. The two buffer platforms are located on both sides of the detection platform, and the upper surface of the detection platform is flush with the upper surface of the buffer platforms. The friction torque sampling device is located in the detection platform. The mopping robot that boards the robot running platform will first pass through the buffer platform and enter the detection platform after it reaches a stable moving speed on the buffer platform, thereby ensuring that the data detected by the friction torque sampling device is stable.

[0016] This invention allows for the testing of a mopping robot by simply assembling and installing the robot's operating platform, including the detection platform and two buffer platforms, in a real-world home setting. This makes the robot easy to carry and use.

[0017] During the testing process, the mopping robots being tested must first pass through a buffer platform. The buffer platform allows the mopping robots to achieve a stable and uniform movement speed after they board the platform and before entering the testing platform. This ensures that the data detected by the friction sensors on the testing platform remains stable and more reliable.

[0018] Furthermore, the testing platform is equipped with a protective cover and a supporting base plate. The friction torque sampling device is installed on the supporting base plate and located inside the protective cover. The protective cover has a detection port corresponding to each friction sensor. The floor material substrate is exposed in the detection port. There is a gap between the side of the floor material substrate and the edge of the detection port. The upper surface of the floor material substrate is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover.

[0019] Furthermore, the outer side of the buffer platform is equipped with a ramp.

[0020] Furthermore, the friction torque sampling device is also equipped with a CAN transceiver, a central processing control unit, a communication module, and an OLED display module. The friction sensor communicates with the central processing control unit through the CAN transceiver, the central processing control unit communicates with external devices through the communication module, and the OLED display module communicates with the central processing control unit.

[0021] Furthermore, the friction torque sampling device is also equipped with a power module, which contains a lithium battery.

[0022] Furthermore, the friction sensor includes a sensor chip and a data processing circuit board, with the floor material substrate mounted on the sensor chip and the data processing circuit board mounted on the side of the sensor chip.

[0023] Furthermore, the friction sensor is a capacitive force sensor.

[0024] Furthermore, the sides of the buffer platform and the detection platform are positioned by locating pins and locating holes, and are attracted to each other by magnets to form a detachable connection structure.

[0025] The robot operating platform of this invention has a small thickness, with the final thickness not exceeding 10mm, which allows it to be better placed in real-world home scenarios to test the mopping robot.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0027] This invention characterizes the cleaning effect of a mopping robot by measuring the normal force along the Z-axis, the frictional force along the X-axis, the frictional force along the Y-axis, and the duration of force application. This allows the cleaning effect of the mopping robot to be evaluated using specific numerical values, providing a concrete basis for evaluation. This invention is the first to characterize the cleaning effect of a mopping robot using frictional force, avoiding the uncertainties of existing evaluation methods that rely on human senses or image processing scoring systems. It provides a quantitative evaluation method for third-party laboratories.

[0028] This invention allows for easy detection of the interaction force between the mopping robot and the floor when cleaning different floor materials (such as floor tiles, solid wood, etc.) simply by replacing the base plate with a different material. This makes data collection on cleaning different floor materials more convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a top view of the robot operating platform according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the robot operating platform according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the detection platform according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating the connection principle of the friction torque sampling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the connection principle of the friction sensor chip according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a functional block diagram of the central processing control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of a parallel plate capacitor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the data processing circuit in the data processing circuit board of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the data acquisition circuit in the data processing circuit board of this invention.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the signal measurement process of the capacitive force sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of the Σ-ΔADC conversion process of the capacitive force sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 12 This is the main interface of the software monitoring system;

[0041] Figure 13 It is a specific case test waveform diagram and test data display interface of the software monitoring system.

[0042] Meaning of the labels in the attached diagram:

[0043] 1-Robot running platform; 2-Buffer platform; 3-Detection platform; 4-Floor material substrate; 5-External host computer; 6-Mopping area of ​​the mopping robot; 8-Support base plate; 9-Protective cover plate; 10-Base; 11-Power module; 12-Main power switch; 13-Type-C interface; 14-Lithium battery; 15-Antenna; 16-Sensor chip; 17-Data processing circuit board; 18-Main circuit board; 19-Communication module; 20-Central processing control unit; 21-CAN transceiver; 22-OLED display module; 23-Terminal block; 24-Internal bus; 25-Induction plate; 26-Dielectric layer; 27-Grounding plate; 28-Ramp; 29-Detection port. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments.

[0045] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0046] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0048] Example:

[0049] The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of intelligent mopping robots based on frictional torque in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0050] Step 1: Set up the robot operating platform. Place the robot operating platform horizontally on a level surface in a real home setting. The robot operating platform is a structure composed of a detection platform and two buffer platforms. The two buffer platforms are located on both sides of the detection platform, and the upper surfaces of the detection platform and the buffer platforms are flush. A friction torque sampling device is installed in the detection platform. The friction torque sampling device has three friction sensors, which are arranged side by side. A floor material substrate is installed on top of the friction sensors, with the floor material substrate protruding from the upper surface of the detection platform. The floor material substrate simulates the corresponding floor material. The upper surfaces of the floor material substrate, the detection platform, and the buffer platforms are flush.

[0051] All the mopping robots that subsequently board the robot operating platform will first pass through the buffer platform. After running on the buffer platform until they reach a stable moving speed, they will then enter the detection platform, thus ensuring that the data detected by the friction torque sampling device is stable.

[0052] Step 2: Place the prepared mopping robot in a real home scene, start the mopping function of the mopping robot, set the cleaning path of the mopping robot, and ensure that the mopping robot can pass through the robot running platform in a straight line so that the mopping cloth area 6 of the mopping robot can make full contact with the upper surface of the three floor material substrates 4 on the testing platform 3.

[0053] Step 3: Start the robot running platform 1, initialize the parameters and put it in the test preparation state, and communicate with the friction torque sampling device through the host computer; the mopping robot starts cleaning along the path. The mopping robot will pass over the robot running platform at least once. After the mopping robot is on the robot running platform 1, it will first pass through the buffer platform 2 and enter the detection platform 3 after reaching a stable speed.

[0054] When the mopping robot passes over the floor material substrate, it will generate a normal pressure on the Z-axis, a frictional force on the X-axis, and a frictional force on the Y-axis of the floor material substrate. The friction sensor detects the forces on the floor material substrate on the three axes in real time.

[0055] Step 4: The host computer acquires the normal force along the Z-axis, the friction force along the X-axis, and the friction force along the Y-axis detected by the friction sensors, and also acquires the duration of force application on each of the three axes. By comparing the values ​​of the normal force along the Z-axis, the friction force along the X-axis, the friction force along the Y-axis, and the duration of force application, the cleaning effect of the mopping robot is characterized. This allows for the evaluation of the mopping robot's cleaning effect through specific numerical values, providing a reliable basis for evaluation. The greater the cleaning friction and the longer the cumulative action time, the better the cleaning effect. This avoids the uncertainties of existing evaluation methods that rely on human senses or image processing scoring, providing a quantitative evaluation method for third-party laboratories. The normal force along the Z-axis, the friction force along the X-axis, and the friction force along the Y-axis can be detected separately using three friction sensors.

[0056] like Figures 1 to 3 The diagram shows the structure of the robot operating platform in this embodiment. Two buffer platforms 2 are respectively spliced ​​to the sides of the detection platform 3, and the two buffer platforms 2 are symmetrically installed. The buffer platforms 2 can be spliced ​​and disassembled with the detection platform 3, making them convenient to use and transport. A specific detachable connection structure between them can be as follows: positioning holes are provided on the side of the buffer platform 2 facing the detection platform 3, and positioning pins are provided on the side of the detection platform 3. The positioning pins are inserted into the positioning holes to achieve positioning of the buffer platform 2 and the detection platform 3. Magnets are also provided on the sides of the detection platform 3 and the buffer platform 2 respectively, and the detection platform 3 and the buffer platform 2 are also attracted together by the magnets. This magnetic installation structure allows for screwless installation of the entire robot operating platform 1.

[0057] The outer side of the buffer platform 2 is equipped with a ramp 28, which facilitates the mopping robot to climb onto the platform. The upper surface of the buffer platform 2 is flush with the upper surface of the detection platform 3. The function of the buffer platform 2 is to ensure that the mopping robot can achieve a stable and uniform moving speed before entering the detection platform 3, thus ensuring that the moving speed of the mopping robot is stable when entering the detection platform 3, thereby making the data detected by the detection platform 3 more stable and reliable.

[0058] The testing platform 3 in this embodiment includes a protective cover plate 9, a supporting base plate 8, a friction torque sampling device, and three floor material substrates 4. The floor material substrates 4 are made of materials specific to the flooring required for testing. They are used on different floor surfaces in home settings, such as floor tiles and solid wood floors, serving as the direct contact surface for the cleaning robot (e.g., the mop surface). By changing the floor material substrates 4 to different materials, the force exerted by the mopping robot on different floor materials can be detected. The floor material substrates 4 can be made of materials such as solid wood flooring and ceramic tile flooring.

[0059] During testing, the support base plate 8 is placed horizontally, and the friction torque sampling device is installed as a whole on the support base plate 8 and located inside the protective cover plate 9. The upper surface of the protective cover plate 9 is the upper surface of the testing platform 3. The friction torque sampling device in this embodiment is equipped with three friction force sensors, a power module 11, a CAN transceiver 21, a central processing control unit 20, a communication module 19, and an OLED display module 22.

[0060] Three friction force sensors are installed side by side in the middle of the support base plate 8. Each friction force sensor includes a sensor chip 16 and a data processing circuit board 17. Both the sensor chip 16 and the data processing circuit board 17 are fixedly installed on the support base plate 8. The floor material substrate 4 is installed on top of the sensor chip 16. The sensor chip 16 detects multiple axial forces on the floor material substrate 4. The data processing circuit board 17 is installed on the side of the sensor chip 16 and is electrically connected to the sensor chip 16. The data processing circuit board 17 receives the data generated by the sensor chip 16.

[0061] On the top of the protective cover plate 9, a detection port is provided for each sensor chip 16 corresponding to the friction sensor. In this embodiment, the detection port is square. The floor material substrate 4 is exposed in the detection port 29. A gap is left between the side of the floor material substrate 4 and the edge of the detection port 29. The upper surface of the floor material substrate 4 is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover plate 9.

[0062] The friction sensor in this embodiment is a capacitive force sensor. Its sensor chip 16 uses a parallel-plate capacitor, and utilizes the principle of parallel-plate capacitors to achieve high-precision sensing and measurement of multi-axis (X, Y, and Z axes) torque. The measured forces include the normal force Fz on the Z-axis, the frictional force Fx on the X-axis, and the frictional force Fy on the Y-axis. Its detection principle is as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the parallel plate capacitor consists of a sensing plate 25, a dielectric layer 26, and a grounding plate 27. The grounding plate 27 is fixedly connected to the supporting base plate 8 via its base 10. The sensing plate 25 serves as the detection surface of the capacitive force sensor, and the base plate 4 is mounted on the sensing plate 25. Figure 7 As shown in the middle figure, when the mopping robot applies a normal force to the floor material substrate 4 on the sensing electrode 25, the dielectric layer 26 is subjected to tensile or compressive deformation by the normal force, affecting the spacing between the electrodes and causing a change in the capacitance output; for example... Figure 7 As shown in the diagram on the right, when the mopping robot applies a shear force to the floor material substrate 4 on the sensing electrode 25, the dielectric layer 26 undergoes lateral deformation due to the shear force, affecting the area of ​​the electrode and causing a change in the capacitance output; thus, the triaxial force of the mopping robot can be detected. The friction sensor in this embodiment has a measurement resolution of 0.2N in the tangential direction and 0.2N in the normal direction for triaxial forces (X, Y, Z), exhibiting high measurement accuracy.

[0063] During the friction torque detection process, the forces exerted by the mopping robot on the friction sensor are mainly manifested as normal and tangential forces. This requires the friction sensor to detect triaxial contact forces. By matching and analyzing the triaxial forces of different mopping robots passing over the friction sensor with the cleaning ability of the mopping robot, a basis for evaluating the robot's cleaning ability can be obtained. Although capacitive force sensors have the advantages of detecting multiaxial forces and high resolution, the viscoelasticity of their dielectric layer greatly reduces the sensor's response time and significantly impairs its performance. Therefore, dynamic compensation algorithms can be further employed in the sensor to greatly improve the response time, enabling it to be controlled within 30ms, thus improving the sensor's response speed.

[0064] The principles of the data processing circuit and data acquisition circuit in the data processing circuit board 17 are as follows: Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the selected AD7147 chip is the AD7147ACPZ-1500RL7 chip with IIC protocol. A 2.2K pull-up resistor is connected in series between the clock bus SCL, data line SDA, and VCC of the IIC communication to prevent excessive current from burning out the circuit. A capacitor is connected in series between BAIS, VCC, and GND to filter out stray capacitance. Different addresses of the tactile sensor chip are achieved by setting the ADD1 and ADD0 pins on the AD7147 chip to high / low levels. Five traces (VCC, GND, INT, SCL, SDA) are led out from the AD7147 chip and connected to the data acquisition circuit via jumper wires to achieve module separation and reduce the cost of replacing parts. The data processing circuit is an indispensable part of the sensor. It communicates with the AD7147 chip via IIC, initializes and reads data from it, and converts between force and capacitance through calibration and dynamic compensation models. In addition, the sensor also has CAN communication to send sensor data to the MCU core board. Because the STM32F103T8U6 has both IIC and CAN peripherals and a small package, it can also be used as a main controller for sensor data processing.

[0065] For capacitive force sensors, the performance is affected by the layout of the sensor's electrodes and the dielectric layer. In this embodiment, the differential finger electrodes improve the sensor's sensitivity and resolution. The capacitance calculation chip used is the AD7147 chip from Analog Devices, Inc., which supports both IIC and SPI communication and features high precision, good linearity, and high resolution. The AD7147 chip has 24 pins and 13 input detection channels (CIN0-CIN12) with external capacitors. It is packaged in a 4mm × 4mm LFCSP_WQ package, with a normal supply voltage of 2.6V to 3.6V. In full-power mode, the operating current is only 1mA; in low-power mode, the operating current is 26μA.

[0066] like Figure 10 As shown, the capacitance measurement principle of the AD7147 chip is as follows: During any measurement cycle, a square wave excitation is applied to the CINx pin, and continuous sampling is performed using Σ-Δ ADC conversion technology. The output signal of the Σ-Δ ADC conversion is processed by a digital filter and stored in the CDC_RESULT_Sx register. The data can be transmitted to the STM32 microcontroller via the IIC / SPI protocol, and finally transmitted to the host computer via WIFI.

[0067] like Figure 11The diagram shows the conversion flowchart of a Σ-Δ ADC, which mainly consists of a decimation filter, a digital low-pass filter, and a 16-bit, 250kHz Σ-Δ modulator. The Σ-Δ modulator processes the sampled analog signal, a process comprised of an adder, integrator, comparator, and a feedback loop consisting of a 1-bit converter for digital-to-analog signal conversion. The digital low-pass filter removes stray high-frequency noise from the sampled signal, while the decimation filter reconstructs a high-resolution Nyquist frequency signal from the high-speed, low-resolution modulated signal, ultimately outputting the required digital signal. This conversion and detection technology features strong anti-interference capability and high reliability, providing a stable sampled output signal for the circuit.

[0068] In this embodiment, the power module 11 is fixedly installed at one end of the support base plate 8. The power module 11 converts the 220V AC mains power into a stable 5V power supply using a commercially available transformer charging head to power the friction torque sampling device. The OLED display module 22, communication module 19, and CAN transceiver 21 all require a +5V regulated power supply. The +5V power supply is converted to +3.3V after DC-DC step-down regulation by the HT7533 voltage regulator chip to power the central processing control unit 20. The power module 11 is equipped with a lithium battery 14 and a Type-C interface 13. It can be connected to an external power source through the Type-C interface 13 to provide external power, and can also charge the lithium battery 14, supporting simultaneous charging and detection. It can be flexibly arranged in various areas. A main power switch 12 is also provided on the power module 11 for power-on and reset operations.

[0069] The CAN transceiver 21, central processing unit 20, communication module 19, and OLED display module 22 are mounted on the main circuit board 18. The main circuit board 18 is fixedly mounted on the other end of the support base plate 8. The data processing circuit board 17 of the friction sensor is connected to the internal bus 24 through the terminal block 23, and then communicates with the CAN transceiver 21 through the internal bus 24. The CAN transceiver 21 communicates with the central processing unit 20 and is used to enable the central processing unit 20 to receive data from the friction sensor. The central processing unit 20 communicates with the communication module 19 and the OLED display module 22 through the SPI bus. In this embodiment, the communication module 19 is a WIFI wireless communication module, which is equipped with an antenna 15 to enhance the signal. The central processing unit 20 communicates with the host computer 5 through the communication module 19.

[0070] In this embodiment, the central processing control unit 20 uses an STM32F103T8U6 chip, and the data processing circuit board 17 of the friction sensor uses an AD7147 chip. The connection diagram between the chips in this real-time friction torque sampling device is shown below. Figure 5As shown.

[0071] The central processing control unit 20 in this embodiment employs abundant I / O, integrates high-precision AD converters, and can expand with a wide range of interfaces (such as IIC, SPI, serial port, LCD screen interface, CAN transceiver interface, etc.). It also provides system expansion margins and design flexibility, and its high integration reduces the complexity of peripheral circuits and increases system reliability. The STM32F1 series chip selected for the central processing control unit 20 in this embodiment is described below:

[0072] STM32F1 series chips are selected

[0073] The STM32F1 series is based on the ARM Cortex-M3 core, which is specifically designed for embedded applications requiring high performance, low cost, and low power consumption. It is available in different package sizes and can be configured with a clock tree to reach a maximum clock frequency of 72MHz, meeting the needs of high-speed data transmission and small size.

[0074] It features a wide range of peripherals, including FSMC, USART, TIMER, SPI, IIC, USB, CAN, IIS, SDIO, ADC, DAC, RTC, DMA, and many other peripheral functions, exhibiting a high degree of integration.

[0075] The STM32F1 series chips support both IIC and SPI protocols. By simulating IIC through GPIO, the IIC read / write rate can reach 1M / s, and the SPI protocol read / write rate can reach 3M / s, meeting the communication needs of OLED screens, WIFI modules, sensors, and MCUs.

[0076] Choosing the JTAG interface enables program downloading and online debugging.

[0077] It can make full use of the on-chip resources such as SRAM, FLASH and I / O ports of STM32F1 series chips, saving discrete latches, EPROM, I / O expansion components in the circuit board design, while leaving room for system expansion and design flexibility. It also replaces multiple digital components, increases the system integration and improves reliability.

[0078] To reduce the size of the PCB circuit board and increase the flexibility of sensor layout, this embodiment ultimately selected the small-package STM32F103T8U6 chip as the main control chip for the core board. The functional block diagram of the STM32F103T8U6 chip is shown below. Figure 6 As shown.

[0079] The OLED display module 22 is used to display the system status. The OLED display module 22 receives data information from the central processing control unit 20 through the SPI bus and displays it on the display screen. It is mainly used to display the status of WIFI connection and the IP and password of the test baseboard to assist in network use.

[0080] In this embodiment, the floor material substrate 4 is detachably mounted on the friction sensor by bolts, and the floor material substrate 4 can be easily replaced by removing the bolts.

[0081] The capacitive force sensor in this embodiment is very thin, only 4mm thick, and the thickness of the detection platform 3 can be as thin as 8mm. The overall dimensions of the detection platform 3 and the two buffer platforms 2 installed together can reach 2000×500×8mm, which can be placed in real-world home environments and meet the testing requirements of most mopping robot products. The components of the detection system can be disassembled individually, greatly facilitating the transportation, installation, and flexible arrangement of the platform.

[0082] This invention comprehensively evaluates the cleaning ability of a mopping robot under the same test environment and the same stain scenario by using key measurement parameters such as the magnitude of friction and the duration of cumulative action. It characterizes the cleaning ability of an intelligent mopping robot. The greater the friction and the longer the cumulative action time, the better the cleaning effect. This avoids the uncertainty of current evaluations of cleaning ability based on human senses or image processing.

[0083] This invention is highly versatile and can be applied not only to the evaluation of the cleaning capabilities of autonomous cleaning robots in scenarios such as mopping and wiping, but also to the evaluation of the cleaning capabilities of handheld floor scrubbers and handheld floor mops that use cleaning components such as cloths and roller brushes to clean the floor.

[0084] This invention uses a capacitive force sensor to measure force. On the one hand, it can be further improved by using a dynamic compensation algorithm. Through calibration and dynamic compensation model, the conversion between force and capacitance is performed, thereby greatly improving the response time of the sensor. On the other hand, it uses ∑-ΔADC conversion technology to improve the circuit's anti-interference ability and reliability, ensuring that a stable sampling output signal can be provided to the circuit to meet the measurement of the force of brief contact between the robot's cleaning surface and the sensor surface.

[0085] The method of the present invention can be further developed into a software monitoring system. The measurement data is uploaded to the software monitoring system of the host computer via wireless communication, which reduces human intervention, realizes automated and digital detection methods, and improves detection efficiency. The software monitoring terminal of the host computer can display and store the waveform of multi-axis force in real time, and provide measurement functions such as peak-to-peak value, maximum value, and RMS value according to user selection.

[0086] like Figure 12The image shows the main interface of the software monitoring system. The left box is the waveform display area, the upper right box is the software configuration area, and the lower right box is the data analysis area.

[0087] like Figure 13 The image shows a specific case test waveform and data display interface of the software monitoring system. The three waveforms on the left correspond to the three friction sensors. Selecting the desired area (gray area) in the waveform will display the data analysis results for that area in the three waveforms within the data analysis area in the lower right corner. Users can first select the area of ​​interest using the "zoom" button, then select the data analysis interval to obtain the desired data analysis results.

[0088] exist Figure 13 In the image, each waveform area has three buttons in the upper right corner: "Zoom," "Reset," and "Horizontal Selection." The "Zoom" button is used to select a region and zoom in on the selected image. The "Reset" button restores the image to its original size. The "Horizontal Selection" button is used to select the range for data analysis.

[0089] Figure 13 In the data analysis area of ​​the lower right box, the first column displays the sensor number and its force in the x, y, and z directions. The other five columns represent different data analysis types: "Freq," "Ampl," "pk-pk," "Mean," "Avg," and "Vari," which represent frequency, amplitude, peak-to-peak value, average value, and variance, respectively. The units are Hz, N, N, N², and N², respectively. Clicking "Columns" will bring up a drop-down menu; clicking on each type will show or hide the columns for that type.

[0090] The above embodiments of the present invention are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. The implementation of the present invention is not limited thereto. All other modifications, substitutions or alterations made to the above structure of the present invention based on the above content of the present invention, in accordance with ordinary technical knowledge and common practice in the field, without departing from the basic technical idea of ​​the present invention, shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque, characterized in that, The following steps are involved: Step 1: Set up the robot running platform. Place the robot running platform horizontally on a level ground in a real home scene. Set up a friction torque sampling device on the robot running platform. The friction torque sampling device is equipped with at least one friction sensor. Install a floor material substrate on the friction sensor. The floor material substrate is exposed on the upper surface of the robot running platform. The floor material substrate simulates the corresponding floor material. Step 2: Place the prepared mopping robot in a real home scene, start the mopping function of the mopping robot, set the cleaning path of the mopping robot, and ensure that the mopping robot can pass through the robot running platform in a straight line; Step 3: The mopping robot begins cleaning along the path. The mopping robot will pass over the robot running platform at least once. When the mopping robot passes over the floor material substrate, it will generate a positive pressure on the floor material substrate along the Z-axis, a frictional force along the X-axis, and a frictional force along the Y-axis. The friction sensor detects the forces on the floor material substrate along the three axes in real time. Step 4: The host computer acquires the normal force on the Z-axis, the friction force on the X-axis, and the friction force on the Y-axis detected by the friction sensor, and also acquires the duration of the force on the three axes. The cleaning effect of a mopping robot is characterized by comparing the values ​​of the normal force on the Z-axis, the friction force on the X-axis, the friction force on the Y-axis, and the duration of force application. This allows for the evaluation of the cleaning effect of the mopping robot through specific numerical values.

2. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In step one, the robot running platform is configured as a structure consisting of a detection platform and two buffer platforms. The two buffer platforms are located on both sides of the detection platform, and the upper surface of the detection platform is flush with the upper surface of the buffer platforms. The friction torque sampling device is located in the detection platform. The mopping robots that board the robot operating platform will first pass through the buffer platform and move to a stable speed on the buffer platform before entering the detection platform, thereby ensuring that the data detected by the friction torque sampling device is stable.

3. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The testing platform is equipped with a protective cover plate and a supporting base plate. The friction torque sampling device is installed on the supporting base plate and located inside the protective cover plate. The protective cover plate has a detection port corresponding to each friction sensor. The floor material substrate is exposed in the detection port. There is a gap between the side of the floor material substrate and the edge of the detection port. The upper surface of the floor material substrate is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover plate.

4. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The outer side of the buffer platform is provided with a ramp.

5. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The friction torque sampling device is also equipped with a CAN transceiver, a central processing control unit, a communication module, and an OLED display module. The friction sensor communicates with the central processing control unit through the CAN transceiver. The central processing control unit communicates with external devices through the communication module. The OLED display module communicates with the central processing control unit.

6. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The friction torque sampling device is also equipped with a power module, which contains a lithium battery.

7. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The friction sensor includes a sensor chip and a data processing circuit board. The floor material substrate is mounted on the sensor chip, and the data processing circuit board is mounted on the side of the sensor chip.

8. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The friction sensor is a capacitive force sensor.

9. The evaluation method for the cleaning effect of an intelligent mopping robot based on frictional torque as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The buffer platform and the detection platform are positioned by positioning pins and positioning holes, and are attracted to each other by magnets to form a detachable connection structure.

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