Surface cleaning system

Abstract

The present application relates to a surface cleaning system comprising a base station device, a surface cleaning device comprising a brushroll, the base station device comprising at least one heating wall contacting at least part of the brushroll and a power supply unit, the at least one heating wall comprising a controllable heat generator, the heat generator being in signal connection with and controlled by a control unit; the surface cleaning system being configured to perform a drying process of the brushroll after a drying self-cleaning process, when the surface cleaning device is parked at the base station device; wherein the surface cleaning system further comprises a locking mechanism having a locked state in which the surface cleaning device is locked at the base station device and an unlocked state in which the surface cleaning device is allowed to disengage from the base station device, the control unit being in signal connection with the locking mechanism to control the locking mechanism to switch between the locked and unlocked state; wherein the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to remain in the locked state at least during the drying process.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of cleaning equipment, and in particular to a surface cleaning system. BACKGROUND

[0002] Surface cleaning machines using cleaning liquid, such as clean water, to perform cleaning operation have been widely used in daily life. For example, wet floor cleaning equipment capable of using water or water / cleaner mixture to scrub the floor, which is provided with a brush roller contacting the floor and carries a recovery container to recover used cleaning liquid, the brush roller can pick up the cleaning liquid which has become dirty liquid and the debris on the floor together and deliver them to the recovery container under the action of a suction motor.

[0003] During the operation of such surface cleaning machines, the brush roller is in constant contact with the dirty liquid; this will make it necessary to clean and actively dry the brush roller after the operation to prevent odor and mold growth on the brush roller. In the prior art, the cleaning and drying of the brush roller sometimes need to be performed with the help of high-temperature environment or high-temperature fluid, and the introduction of such high-temperature environment or high-temperature fluid will bring safety hazards to the user. SUMMARY

[0004] In view of the above technical problems, the purpose of the present application is to provide a safe and reliable surface cleaning system.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present application provides the following technical solutions: A surface cleaning system, comprising a base station device, a surface cleaning device capable of being parked at the base station device, and a control unit, the surface cleaning device comprising a brush roll and a brush roll motor driving the brush roll to rotate, the base station device comprising a recess capable of receiving at least part of the brush roll when the surface cleaning device is parked at the base station device, and a power supply unit, at least part of the recess wall being formed by at least one heating wall, the at least one heating wall comprising a controllable heating body, the heating body being signal connected with the control unit and being controlled thereby; the surface cleaning system being configured to perform a self-cleaning process of cleaning the brush roll with water and a drying process of the brush roll after the self-cleaning process, the control unit controlling the heating body to heat during the drying process to heat the brush roll; wherein the surface cleaning system further comprises a locking mechanism arranged between the base station device and the surface cleaning device, the locking mechanism having a locked state of locking the surface cleaning device at the base station device and an unlocked state of allowing the surface cleaning device to be separated from the base station device, the control unit being signal connected with the locking mechanism to control the locking mechanism to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state; wherein the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to remain in the locked state at least during the drying process.

[0006] In some preferred embodiments, the locking mechanism is an electrically controlled lock.

[0007] In some preferred embodiments, the electrically controlled lock is electrically connected with the power supply unit, and the power supply unit provides power required for the electrically controlled lock to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state.

[0008] In some preferred embodiments, the surface cleaning device comprises a rechargeable battery pack, the electrically controlled lock is electrically connected with the rechargeable battery pack, and the rechargeable battery pack provides power required for the electrically controlled lock to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state.

[0009] In some preferred embodiments, the surface cleaning device comprises a cleaning base capable of moving on a surface to be cleaned, the brush roll and the brush roll motor are distributed on the cleaning base, and part of the locking mechanism is arranged on the cleaning base.

[0010] In some preferred embodiments, the locking mechanism comprises an electromagnet arranged on the base station device and a magnetic attraction component arranged on the cleaning base, and the electromagnet is signal connected with the control unit and controlled thereby.

[0011] In some preferred embodiments, the locking mechanism comprises a locking hook arranged on the base station device and an electric component for driving the locking hook, and a locking slot arranged on the cleaning base, the electric component being in signal connection with the control unit and controlled thereby; in the locked state, the locking hook hooks the locking slot; in the unlocked state, the locking hook is disengaged from the locking slot.

[0012] In some preferred embodiments, the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state after a set time elapses since the end of the drying process.

[0013] In some preferred embodiments, the surface cleaning system comprises a temperature detecting component, and the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state when the detection result of the temperature detecting component meets a set requirement.

[0014] In some preferred embodiments, the base station device and / or the surface cleaning device is provided with a state display part configured to display the current state of the locking mechanism externally.

[0015] In some preferred embodiments, the base station device and / or the surface cleaning device is provided with a loudspeaker configured to voice broadcast the current state of the locking mechanism externally.

[0016] In some preferred embodiments, the control unit controls the heating body to heat during the self-cleaning process to heat the brush roll; the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to remain in the locked state during the execution of the self-cleaning process.

[0017] In some preferred embodiments, the surface cleaning system is configured to perform a sterilization process for sterilizing the brush roll with steam when the surface cleaning device is parked at the base station device, the sterilization process being located between the self-cleaning process and the drying process; the control unit controls the heating body to heat during the sterilization process to provide a heat source for generating the steam; the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to remain in the locked state during the execution of the sterilization process.

[0018] In some preferred embodiments, the base station device and / or the surface cleaning device is provided with a switch for a user to trigger, the switch is connected with the control unit, the control unit is capable of controlling the locking mechanism to switch to the locked state based on the switch being triggered.

[0019] In some preferred embodiments, the at least one heat-generating wall is configured to wrap around a portion of the outer periphery of the brush roll in a circumferential direction and contact the brush roll during parking of the surface cleaning device on the base station device.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the surface cleaning system provided by the present application can lock the surface cleaning device in the base station device during the drying process by means of the locking mechanism, which can avoid the user moving the surface cleaning device in an unsafe state. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 A perspective view of a surface cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the surface cleaning device is parked on the base station device;

[0022] Figure 2 A perspective view of a surface cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 3 A main cross-sectional view of a surface cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the dirty liquid recovery tank is removed and the handle is omitted;

[0024] Figure 4 A bottom view of a surface cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 5 A perspective view of a base station device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 6 An exploded view of a base station device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 7 An interface view of a cleaning base of a surface cleaning device and a base station device during parking of the surface cleaning device on the base station device according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the interface is partially cross-sectioned;

[0028] Figure 8 A rear view of a surface cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 9 An exploded view of a base station device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 10 Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a docking of a cleaning dock of another embodiment of the surface cleaning system of the present application with a base station device during parking of the surface cleaning device with the base station device;

[0031] Figure 11 Figure 7 is a control schematic of a surface cleaning system of one embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 12 Figure 8 is a sequence diagram of various processes of one embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 13 Figure 9 is a stage diagram of a self-cleaning process of one embodiment of the present application. SUMMARY

[0034] For the purpose of detailed description of the technical content, structural features, purposes achieved and effects of the application, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be described below in combination with the drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, not all the embodiments. In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various exemplary embodiments or implementations of the application. However, various exemplary embodiments can also be practiced without these specific details or in one or more equivalent arrangements. In addition, various exemplary embodiments can be different, but not necessarily exclusive. For example, the specific shape, structure and characteristics of the exemplary embodiments can be used or implemented in another exemplary embodiment without departing from the inventive concept.

[0035] For the purpose of description associated with the drawings, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and their derivatives are used from the defined positional relationship relative to the direction in which the user stands on the surface to be cleaned to push the surface cleaning device 10 (i.e. the pushing direction from rear to front). As used herein, the term "rear side" refers to a position at least behind another component, but does not necessarily mean behind all other components. However, it should be understood that the present application can take various alternative positions, unless the opposite position is explicitly indicated.

[0036] Figure 1 A surface cleaning system provided by the present application is shown, including a surface cleaning device 10, a base station device 20 capable of docking the surface cleaning device 10, and a control unit 30 (see Figure 7In this surface cleaning system, the surface cleaning device 10 can be detached from the base station device 20 to perform cleaning operations on the surface to be cleaned independently; the surface cleaning device 10 can also be placed on the base station device 20 for self-cleaning, sterilization and drying treatments, which are mainly for components such as brush rollers in the surface cleaning device.

[0037] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the surface cleaning device 10 is a vertical cleaning device, which includes a cleaning base 1 and a handle body portion 2 located on the upper side of the cleaning base 1. The lower part of the handle body portion 2 is pivotally connected to the cleaning base 1. The handle body portion 2 has a storage position that is upright relative to the cleaning base 1 for easy storage and a working position that is tilted backward relative to the cleaning base 1 for easy pushing of the surface cleaning device 10 by the user.

[0038] The cleaning base 1 includes a base body 11 forming its own external contour, a roller chamber 13 located at the front of the base body 11, a suction nozzle 19 located inside the cleaning base 1 and adjacent to the rear side of the roller chamber 13, a brush roller 14 rotatably arranged in the roller chamber 13, and a liquid dispenser 15 partially extending into the roller chamber 13. A rotating joint 17 is provided on the base body 11, and the lower part of the handle body 2 is fixedly connected to the rotating joint 17, thereby allowing the handle body 2 to rotate back and forth between an upright storage position and a rearward tilted working position.

[0039] The liquid dispenser 15 faces the brush roller 14 and is configured to dispense water from the water delivery path (not shown) onto the brush roller 14.

[0040] The brush roller 14 includes a cylindrical roller body 1401 defining a rotation axis X extending in a left-right direction and a cleaning element 1402 covering the outer peripheral surface of the roller body 1401. The cleaning element 1402 is configured to be wetted by a liquid such as water. In this example, the cleaning element 1402 is a fiber; in other embodiments, the cleaning element may also be a sponge, fabric, or other types. The cleaning base 1 is also provided with a brush roller motor (not shown) that is drively connected to the brush roller 14 to drive the brush roller 14 to rotate about the rotation axis X.

[0041] In this example, the front and lower parts of the roller chamber 13 have through openings 12, through which a portion of the brush roller 14 is exposed to form an exposed portion 141 of the brush roller 14. This exposed portion 141 is exposed to the outside and can contact the surface to be cleaned.

[0042] In this example, the front and lower parts of the roller chamber 13 have through openings 12, through which a portion of the brush roller 14 is exposed to form an exposed portion 141, which is able to contact the surface to be cleaned.

[0043] The handle body portion 2 includes a handle 21 and a body 22 located at the top. The handle 21 is fixedly connected to the top of the body 22 and is configured to be held by a user. The user can use the handle 21 to hold the surface cleaning device 10 with one hand and push the cleaning base 1 of the surface cleaning device 10 back and forth on the surface to be cleaned in a rearward tilted working position. The handle 21 is also provided with an operating part 211 that is signal-connected to the control unit 30 for the user to control the operation of the surface cleaning device 10. The specific form of the operating part 211 is not limited to a button, trigger, trigger device, switch, etc. In other embodiments, the operating part may also be located in other places of the surface cleaning device, such as on the top or side wall of the handle body portion at the bottom of the handle. The operating part may also be a portable remote control or may be located on a handheld terminal capable of interacting with the surface cleaning device.

[0044] The main body 22 can accommodate and support multiple working parts on the handle body 2. These multiple working parts include a water tank 31 that can store and supply clean water. Preferably, the water tank 31 is detachably mounted on the main body 22 so that the user can add clean water to it.

[0045] The water tank 31 is in fluid communication with the liquid distributor 15 on the cleaning base 1, forming a water supply path (not shown in the figure). A selectively activating pump 33 is also installed on this water supply path. By controlling the pump 33 to turn it on and off, liquid can be selectively supplied to the liquid distributor 15 or the fluid communication between the water tank 31 and the liquid distributor 15 can be blocked. In this example, the pump 33 is located inside the body 22; in other embodiments, the pump may also be located inside the base 11 of the cleaning base 1. The water supply unit, consisting of the water tank 31, the water supply path, the pump 33, and the liquid distributor 15, will be able to supply water to the brush roller 14 on demand.

[0046] The working components mounted on the body 22 also include a wastewater collection tank 41 for accepting and storing wastewater, a suction motor 42 mounted on top of the wastewater collection tank 41, and a rechargeable battery pack 44 for powering the surface cleaning device. The suction nozzle 19, wastewater collection tank 41, and suction motor 42 within the cleaning base 1 are in sequential fluid communication. A recovery flow path 43 exists between the suction nozzle 19 and the wastewater collection tank 41. The suction motor 42 is configured to push air-containing fluid along the recovery flow path 43 from the suction nozzle 19 toward the wastewater collection tank 41. The wastewater collection tank 41 is detachably mounted on the body 22 for easy emptying by the user.

[0047] When the surface cleaning device 10 is working, the pump 33 starts, and the water in the water tank 31 reaches the liquid distributor 15 through the water supply path and is distributed by the liquid distributor 15 to the brush roller 14. The rotating brush roller 14 uses water to scrub the surface to be cleaned. At the same time, the suction motor 42 starts and forms a flowing airflow. The brush roller 14 carries the dirt and debris picked up from the surface to be cleaned into the recycling flow path 43 along with the flowing airflow. The dirt and debris will finally be stored in the dirt recycling tank 41.

[0048] See Figures 5-6 The base station device 20 of the surface cleaning system includes a housing 5, a groove 6 formed on the upper part of the housing 5 for receiving the brush roller 14 when the surface cleaning device 10 is placed on the base station device 10, and a power supply unit 7. The power supply unit 7 includes an electrical plug 71 that can be electrically connected to a household outlet. In the base station device 20, a charging component (not shown) for charging the rechargeable battery pack 44 of the surface cleaning device 10 may also be arranged, which is electrically connected to the power supply unit 7.

[0049] The housing 5 forms the outer contour of the base station device 20, and includes a tray portion 51 for supporting the surface cleaning device 10 and a boss portion 52 located on the rear side of the tray portion 51 and protruding upward relative to the tray portion 51. The tray portion 51 is configured to mate with the bottom portion of the cleaning base 1, and a groove 6 is located at the front portion of the tray portion 51 and is recessed downward. The boss portion 52 typically mates with the handle body portion 2.

[0050] The base station device 20 also includes a heating wall 8, which defines a portion of the front wall and a portion of the lower wall of the recess 6. The heating wall 8 is capable of dissipating heat to the outside. In other embodiments, there may be multiple heating walls 8.

[0051] The heating wall 8 includes a heat-conducting component 81 and a heating element 82 embedded within the heat-conducting component 81. In other embodiments, the heating element 82 may also be located outside the heat-conducting component 81, as long as it can form a heat-conducting connection with the heat-conducting component 81. The heating element 82 can be arranged in various shapes, such as disc-shaped, strip-shaped, multi-point-shaped, mesh-shaped, etc. The heat-conducting component 81 can be made of a material with excellent thermal conductivity, such as aluminum. The heating element 82 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 7 and is provided with the power required for heating by the power supply unit 7. The surface temperature of the heating wall 8 during operation is greater than or equal to 72°C; in some feasible embodiments, in order to give the heating wall 8 a better heating capacity, this temperature can be increased to 100°C or even above 100°C.

[0052] To ensure controllable heating, a temperature controller 83 is installed at the heating wall 8, which is connected to the control unit 30 via a signal. With the help of the temperature controller 83, the control unit 30 can control the heating wall 8 to raise or lower the temperature as required.

[0053] In this example, the heating wall 8 has an arc-shaped upper surface 801. The upper surface 801 of the heating wall 8 directly contacts the cleaning element 1402 at the exposed part 141 where the surface cleaning device 10 is placed at the base station device 20.

[0054] In some embodiments, a bump array (not shown) or other similar structures may also be arranged on the upper surface 801 of the heating wall 8. The bump array can extend into the interior of the brush roller 14 when the surface cleaning device 10 is placed at the base station device 20. Such a bump array can transfer heat to the brush roller 14 on the one hand, and also comb the brush roller 14 on the other hand.

[0055] For safe use of the surface cleaning system, a temperature indicator module (not shown in the figure) and a temperature detection component can be installed on the base station device 20. The temperature detection component is connected to the heating wall 8, and the temperature indicator module can indicate the temperature detected by the temperature detection component to the user, that is, indicate the temperature of the heating wall 8 to the user; this ensures that the user touches the base station device 20 at a safe temperature. The temperature indicator module may include a temperature indicator light, a temperature indicator bar, or a temperature display panel; ease of observation by the user is preferred. Of course, in some embodiments, the temperature indicator module may be omitted.

[0056] In some embodiments, the base station device 20 is also provided with a status indicator light (not shown in the figure), and the control unit 30 is signal-connected to the status indicator light. The control unit controls the status indicator light to be lit during the start-up of the heating wall 8, which can remind the user that the heating wall 8 is currently in operation.

[0057] The tray section 51 includes a bottom wall 511 facing the ground, which is at least partially made of heat-insulating material. This heat-insulating material reduces heat loss and effectively prevents the heat from the heating wall 8 from being conducted to the ground and scalding the ground.

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, the size design of the heating wall 8 is configured to satisfy the following: while the surface cleaning device 10 is parked on the base station device 20, the heating wall 8 circumferentially covers the periphery of the exposed portion 141 (the shaded part of the brush roller in the figure) and contacts the exposed portion 141 of the brush roller 14; the enclosure here can be to completely surround the exposed portion 141 or to surround only a part of the exposed portion 141.

[0059] In this example, the heating wall 8 can be heated by the brush roller 14, the water flowing into the groove 6, and the air flowing through the groove 6. The heating wall 8 is activated in a controlled manner while the surface cleaning device 10 is stationary on the base station device 20. While the surface cleaning device 10 is stationary on the base station device 20, the heating wall 8 circumferentially covers the exposed portion 141 of the brush roller 14, and the upper surface 801 of the heating wall 8 contacts the brush roller 14. These structures allow the heat generated by the heating wall 8 to be rapidly transferred to the brush roller 14, and the covering structure also prevents the heat generated by the heating wall 8 from easily dissipating.

[0060] The surface cleaning system of this application also includes a locking mechanism disposed between the base station device 20 and the surface cleaning device 10. The locking mechanism has a locked state that locks the surface cleaning device 10 to the base station device 20 and an unlocked state that allows the surface cleaning device to detach from the base station device 10. The control unit 30 is signal-connected to the locking mechanism to control the locking mechanism to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state.

[0061] like Figure 4 , 5 As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the locking mechanism 9 is an electromagnetic lock and includes an electromagnet 92 disposed on the tray portion 51 of the base station device 20 and a magnetic attraction component 91 disposed on the cleaning base 1; wherein, the electromagnet 92 is signal-connected to and controlled by the control unit 30. In the locked state, the electromagnet 92 and the magnetic attraction component 91 are attracted, and the surface cleaning device 20 is locked at the base station device 10; in the unlocked state, the electromagnet 92 loses its magnetic force and separates from the magnetic force distribution 91, and the surface cleaning device 20 is allowed to detach from the base station device 10. The electromagnet 92 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 7, which provides the power required to switch the locking mechanism 9 between the locked and unlocked states. In other embodiments, the positions of the electromagnet 92 and the magnetic attraction component 91 can be interchanged, that is, the electromagnet 92 is arranged at the cleaning base 1 of the surface cleaning device 10, while the magnetic component 91 is disposed on the base station device 2; in these embodiments, the electromagnet 92 can be powered by the rechargeable battery pack 44 of the surface cleaning device 10.

[0062] like Figure 8 , 9As shown in Figure 10, another embodiment of the locking mechanism is illustrated. This embodiment's locking mechanism 90 includes a locking groove 901 disposed on the cleaning base 1, a locking hook 902 disposed on the boss portion 52 of the base station device 20, and an electric component 903 connected to the locking hook 902 in a transmission manner. The electric component 903 is capable of driving the locking hook 902 to move, and is signal-connected to and controlled by the control unit 30. In the locked state, the locking hook 902 engages with the locking groove 901, and the surface cleaning device 20 is locked at the base station device 10. In the unlocked state, the locking hook 902 disengages from the locking groove 901, allowing the surface cleaning device 20 to disengage from the base station device 10. The electric component 903 is electrically connected to a power supply unit 7, which provides the power required to switch the locking mechanism 90 between the locked and unlocked states. In other embodiments, the positions of the locking hook 902, the electric component 903, and the locking groove 901 can be interchanged. Specifically, the locking hook 902 and the electric component 903 are arranged at the cleaning base 1 of the surface cleaning device 10, while the locking groove 901 is arranged on the base station device 2. In these embodiments, the electric component 903 can be powered by the rechargeable battery pack 44 of the surface cleaning device 10.

[0063] See Figure 11 The control unit 30 of the surface cleaning system of this application includes two parts: one part is located inside the surface cleaning device 10, namely the first controller 301 located inside the surface cleaning device 10; the other part is located inside the base station device 20, namely the second controller 302 located inside the base station device 20. These two controllers will control the operation of various controllable components on the surface cleaning system. The first controller 301 inside the surface cleaning device 10 can control whether the suction motor 42, pump 33, and brush roller motor 16 participate in operation and control the display status of the status display unit 93; the second controller 302 inside the base station device 20 can control whether the heating element 82 participates in operation, control whether the electromagnet 92 is energized to generate magnetism (or control the electric component 903 to drive the locking hook 902 to insert into or leave the locking groove 901), and control the operation of the temperature indicator module (if any) and status indicator light (if any). In other embodiments, the control unit of the surface cleaning system can be integrated into the surface cleaning device. In this case, the heating element in the base station device will also control the control unit in the surface cleaning device. Therefore, after the surface cleaning device and the base station device are connected, a path for command transmission needs to be established.

[0064] While the surface cleaning device 10 is stationary in the base station device 20, the brush roller 14 is located in the groove 6. At this time, the surface cleaning system can perform self-cleaning, sterilization, and drying processes for the surface cleaning device under the control of the control unit 30. Specifically, this includes: self-cleaning by washing the brush roller with water, sterilization by sterilizing the brush roller with steam, and drying the brush roller. Of course, this self-cleaning, sterilization, and drying processes also apply to the recovery flow path of the surface cleaning device.

[0065] like Figure 12 As shown, in this example, the self-cleaning, sterilization, and drying processes are configured to be performed sequentially. Thus, the user only needs to interact with the surface cleaning system once to trigger the program containing these processes, thereby performing the self-cleaning, sterilization, and drying processes in sequence. The user's interaction with the surface cleaning system can be achieved by triggering a switch located on the surface cleaning device or base station device. In the embodiments listed in this application, this is achieved by triggering a switch 34 located on the surface cleaning device 10 (see...). Figure 1 , 2 And 4) can be used to achieve this, and one-click activation is also possible; such as Figure 11 As shown, switch 34 is signal-connected to the first controller 301. The self-cleaning process, sterilization process, and drying process will be executed sequentially under the control of the control unit 30 after switch 34 is triggered.

[0066] In other embodiments, the interaction between the user and the surface cleaning system can be omitted. Instead, a monitoring device can be used to continuously monitor whether the surface cleaning device is parked at the base station device. When the surface cleaning device is detected to be parked at the base station device, the self-cleaning, sterilization, and drying processes described above can be automatically started. The start time of the self-cleaning, sterilization, and drying processes depends on whether the respective processing conditions are met. For example, the sterilization process can be started under conditions such as whether the self-cleaning process has been completed.

[0067] In other feasible embodiments, the sterilization or drying process can also be set as a procedure that the user can choose to execute individually.

[0068] like Figure 13 As shown, the self-cleaning process in this example includes the following stages performed sequentially:

[0069] Immersion cleaning stage: First, water is continuously supplied to the brush roller 14 via the water tank 31 for a period of time, during which the suction motor 42 is not started; in this step, the water not absorbed by the brush roller 14 will fall into the groove 6. The water supply continues until a sufficient amount of water accumulates in the groove 6. At this time, the heating element 82 at the groove 6 heats up under the control of the second controller 302. The heat from the heating element 82 is conducted to the heat-conducting component 81, thereby heating the brush roller 14 and continuously heating the water in the groove 6 to make it warm water. During this process, the brush roller... 14 can be driven to rotate or not rotate; secondly, the water supply is stopped, and the first controller 301 controls the brush roller motor 16 to drive the brush roller 14 to rotate continuously for a period of time. In this step, the brush roller 14 is at least partially immersed in the hot water in the groove 6. The continuous rotation of the brush roller 14 can achieve immersion cleaning of the brush roller 14; thirdly, the first controller 301 controls the suction motor 42 to start and keeps the brush roller 14 rotating continuously, so as to transfer the water after immersion cleaning from the groove 6 to the sewage recovery tank 41 through the recovery flow path 43.

[0070] Spray cleaning stage: Water is supplied to the brush roller 14 again via the water tank 31. The first controller 301 controls the suction motor 42 to start and controls the brush roller motor 16 to drive the brush roller 14 to rotate. At this time, the heating element 82 continues to heat under the control of the second controller 302, and the heated heat-conducting component 81 continuously heats the brush roller 14. The liquid falling from the brush roller 14 will be transferred to the sewage recovery tank 41 via the recovery flow path 43. In this step, "new" water is continuously distributed to the brush roller 14, while "old" water falling from the brush roller 14 is transferred to the sewage recovery tank 41 via the recovery flow path 43. The continuous rotation of the brush roller 14 can realize spray cleaning of the brush roller 14.

[0071] Spin-drying stage: Stop water supply, turn on suction motor 42 and drive brush roller 14 to rotate continuously for a period of time to spin-dry the water on brush roller 14 as much as possible; during this stage, the heating wall 8 at groove 6 continues to heat up.

[0072] After each of the above stages is completed in sequence, the entire self-cleaning process ends.

[0073] In this embodiment of the application, when the trigger switch 34 is triggered to start the self-cleaning process, the second controller 302 controls the electromagnet 92 to be energized to generate magnetism so as to attract the magnetic component 91. That is, the second controller 302 controls the locking mechanism 9 to remain in the locked state during the self-cleaning process.

[0074] This application addresses the self-cleaning treatment of brush rollers. Because the heating element heats up throughout the entire process, the cleaning process is carried out in a heated environment. This heated environment not only heats the brush roller itself but also the water used for cleaning it, which greatly facilitates the cleaning process. Compared to cleaning the brush roller with room temperature water at room temperature, this method allows the brush roller to be cleaned more thoroughly.

[0075] In the above-mentioned immersion cleaning stage, the amount of water collected in the groove 6 can be set according to the volume of the groove and the water absorption of the cleaning element. In this immersion cleaning stage, the brush roller 14 can be partially immersed in the hot water in the groove 6, that is, in a semi-immersion form.

[0076] During the self-cleaning process, the first controller 301 controls the brush roller motor 16 to drive the brush roller 14 to rotate at a first rotational speed. This first rotational speed can be equal to the rotational speed of the brush roller when the surface cleaning device 10 performs surface cleaning work, or it can be greater than or less than the rotational speed of the brush roller when the surface cleaning device 10 performs surface cleaning work; it can be determined according to the self-cleaning effect of the brush roller.

[0077] In one embodiment, during the self-cleaning process, either an immersion cleaning stage or a spray cleaning stage can be performed on the brush roller, such as performing only a single spray cleaning stage. Additionally, in some feasible embodiments, the water used during the self-cleaning process can come from outside the water tank, such as from a water storage container on the base station device, or even from a tap water pipe connected to the base station device. The purpose of the self-cleaning process is to thoroughly clean the brush roller, and any method that facilitates cleaning the brush roller can be used here.

[0078] In this example, the sterilization process is carried out after the self-cleaning process. The purpose of the sterilization process is to sterilize the cleaned brush roller with steam. In this embodiment of the application, when the self-cleaning process ends and the sterilization process begins, the second controller 302 will continue to control the electromagnet 92 to generate magnetism to attract the magnetic component 91. That is, the second controller 302 will continue to control the locking mechanism 9 to remain in the locked state.

[0079] During the sterilization process, the second controller 302 controls the heating wall 8 to heat up. The steam used is generated by the heating wall 8 heating the water located in the groove 6 and / or heating the water-soaked cleaning element 1402. This water can be supplied to the brush roller 14 via the water tank 31 or from elsewhere. In the sterilization process, in order to generate a large amount of steam instantaneously and increase the steam temperature, the amount of water supplied to the brush roller should be increased relative to the amount of water used in the self-cleaning process. The water in the groove 6 and / or the water absorbed by the cleaning element 1402 can be injected all at once or in stages.

[0080] During the sterilization process, the suction motor 42 is not started, and the first controller 301 controls the brush roller motor 16 to drive the brush roller 14 to rotate at a second rotational speed, which is preferably less than the first rotational speed. That is, during the sterilization process, the brush roller 14 maintains a relatively low rotational speed in a steam-filled environment.

[0081] In one embodiment, the sterilization process may be omitted or combined with the self-cleaning process.

[0082] In this example, the drying process is carried out after the self-cleaning or sterilization process (if any). The purpose of the drying process is to further dry the brush roller to prevent it from developing odors or mold later. In this embodiment, when the sterilization process ends and the drying process begins, the second controller 302 continues to control the electromagnet 92 to generate magnetism to attract the magnetic component 91. That is, the second controller 302 continues to control the locking mechanism 9 to remain in the locked state.

[0083] During the drying process, the suction motor 42 is started under the control of the first controller 301, the brush roller motor 16 is also started under the control of the first controller 301, and the heating element 82 heats up under the control of the second controller 302, thereby heating the heat-conducting component 81. At this time, the heat-conducting component 81 can directly heat the brush roller 14. The brush roller 14 will rotate at a constant speed under the drive of the brush roller motor 16. In this way, under the action of the heating wall 8 and the suction motor 42, the air located in the groove 6 will be heated into hot air by the heat-conducting component 81 and / or the brush roller 14. The hot air will further flow along the recovery flow path 43 from the suction nozzle 19 toward the sewage recovery tank 41. Under the heating action of the heating wall 8 and the convection action of the hot air, the moisture on the brush roller 14 will evaporate quickly and be carried away quickly by the flowing hot air, thereby achieving the effect of quickly drying the brush roller. At the same time, when the hot air flows through the recovery flow path 43, it will also quickly carry away the moisture remaining in the recovery flow path 43.

[0084] In order to make reasonable use of electrical energy during the drying process, the heating element 82 can stop heating earlier than the suction motor 42 and the brush roller motor 16 are turned off, and the residual heat of the heating element 82 and the heat-conducting component 81 is used to process the brush roller 14 until it is completely dry.

[0085] During the drying process, the brush roller motor 16 drives the brush roller 14 to rotate at a third rotational speed under the control of the first controller 301. This third rotational speed is preferably equal to the rotational speed of the brush roller when the surface cleaning device 10 performs surface cleaning work. That is, during the sterilization process, the brush roller 14 also rotates at a relatively high speed, which can be hundreds of revolutions per minute or even thousands of revolutions per minute. In fact, the higher the rotational speed of the brush roller, the easier it is to dry. However, a faster rotational speed means that the voltage of the brush roller motor needs to be increased, which will affect the service life of the brush roller motor. Therefore, when designing the rotational speed of the brush roller during the drying process, a balance needs to be taken into account between the drying speed and the service life of the brush roller motor.

[0086] In this application, during the drying process, the heat source for the drying process comes from the heating element 82 of the heating wall 8, and the airflow is driven by the suction motor 42. Compared with the traditional method of drying the brush roller by blowing hot air generated by a combination of fan or blower heating components, this method can transfer more heat to the brush roller 14 per unit time, and the airflow speed can also be faster, resulting in exceptionally intense heat exchange at the groove 6. The heat radiation and heat conduction of the heat-conducting component 81 of the heating wall 8 to the brush roller 14, combined with the convection heat transfer effect of the air, can dry the brush roller more quickly.

[0087] After the drying process is completed and a set time has elapsed, the second controller 302 switches the locking mechanism 9 from the locked state to the unlocked state. Even if the electromagnet 92 is de-energized and loses its magnetism, the magnetic attraction component 91 will separate from the electromagnet 92, allowing the surface cleaning device 10 to detach from the base station device 20. The aforementioned set time depends on the temperature of components such as the brush roller and heat-conducting components after the drying process is completed, and it can be obtained through a limited number of experiments, such as 10 minutes. This time setting must ensure that the user can use the surface cleaning device 10 under safe conditions.

[0088] In the surface cleaning system employing the locking mechanism 90, the control unit drives the locking hook 902 to switch between the locked and unlocked states by controlling the electric component 903. This scheme is similar to that of the locking mechanism 9 described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0089] In other embodiments, whether the control unit controls the locking mechanism to switch to the unlocked state can also be determined by a temperature detection component (not shown in the figure) installed on the base station device or surface cleaning device; the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state when the detection result of the temperature detection component meets the set requirements; the set requirements may be that the temperature drops below the safe temperature touched by the user.

[0090] To ensure users are clearly aware of the current status of the locking mechanism, in this embodiment, a status display unit 93 is also provided on the surface cleaning device 10 (e.g., ...). Figure 11 As shown, the status display unit 93 is signal-connected to and controlled by the first controller 301. The status display unit 93 is configured to display the current locked or unlocked state of the locking mechanism 9 under the control of the control unit 301. This allows the user to easily determine whether the surface cleaning device 10 can be detached from the base station device 20. In some embodiments, a speaker (not shown) is also provided on the base station device 20. The speaker is configured to announce the current locked or unlocked state of the locking mechanism 9 via voice, which also allows the user to easily determine whether the surface cleaning device 10 can be detached from the base station device 20. In some embodiments, the status display unit and the speaker can coexist.

[0091] The surface cleaning system of this application ensures the user's safe use of the surface cleaning device at all times by adding a locking mechanism controlled by the control unit; under this safety guarantee, the heating wall can operate at a higher temperature, thereby improving the self-cleaning effect of the brush roller and the drying time of the brush roller.

[0092] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this application, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this application and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning system, comprising a base station device, a surface cleaning device capable of being positioned at the base station device, and a control unit, wherein the surface cleaning device includes a brush roller and a brush roller motor for driving the brush roller to rotate; characterized in that, The base station device includes a groove capable of receiving at least a portion of the brush roller when the surface cleaning device is placed on the base station device, and a power supply unit. At least a portion of the groove wall is formed by at least one heating wall, the at least one heating wall including a controllable heating element, the heating element being signal-connected to and controlled by the control unit. The surface cleaning system is configured to perform a self-cleaning process of washing the brush roller with water and a drying process of drying the brush roller when the surface cleaning device is placed on the base station device. The control unit controls the heating element to heat up during the drying process to heat the brush roller. The surface cleaning system further includes a locking mechanism disposed between the base station device and the surface cleaning device. The locking mechanism has a locked state that locks the surface cleaning device at the base station device and an unlocked state that allows the surface cleaning device to detach from the base station device. The control unit is signal-connected to the locking mechanism to control the locking mechanism to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state. The control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to remain in the locked state at least during the drying process.

2. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking mechanism is an electronically controlled lock.

3. The surface cleaning system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electronically controlled lock is electrically connected to the power supply unit, which provides the power required to switch the electronically controlled lock between the locked state and the unlocked state.

4. The surface cleaning system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The surface cleaning device includes a rechargeable battery pack, and the electronically controlled lock is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery pack, which provides the power required to switch the electronically controlled lock between the locked state and the unlocked state.

5. The surface cleaning system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The surface cleaning device includes a cleaning base that can move on the surface to be cleaned, a brush roller and a brush roller motor are distributed on the cleaning base, and a portion of the locking mechanism is disposed on the cleaning base.

6. The surface cleaning system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking mechanism includes an electromagnet mounted on the base station device and a magnetic suction component mounted on the cleaning base; the electromagnet is signal-connected to and controlled by the control unit.

7. The surface cleaning system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking mechanism includes a locking hook and an electric component that drives the locking hook on the base station device, and a locking groove on the cleaning base. The electric component is signal-connected to and controlled by the control unit. In the locked state, the locking hook engages the locking groove. In the unlocked state, the locking hook disengages from the locking groove.

8. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state after a set time has elapsed since the end of the drying process.

9. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface cleaning system includes a temperature detection component, and the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state when the detection result of the temperature detection component meets the set requirements.

10. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base station device and / or the surface cleaning device are provided with a status display unit, which is configured to display the current status of the locking mechanism.

11. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base station device and / or the surface cleaning device are provided with a speaker, which is configured to announce the current status of the locking mechanism to the outside world via voice.

12. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit controls the heating element to heat the brush roller during the self-cleaning process; the control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to remain in the locked state during the self-cleaning process.

13. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface cleaning system is configured to perform a sterilization process by using steam to sterilize the brush roller when the surface cleaning device is placed at the base station device, the sterilization process being located between the self-cleaning process and the drying process; the control unit controls the heating element to generate heat during the sterilization process to provide a heat source for generating the steam. The control unit is configured to control the locking mechanism to remain in the locked state during the sterilization process.

14. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base station device and / or the surface cleaning device are provided with a switch that can be triggered by a user. The switch is signal-connected to the control unit, and the control unit can control the locking mechanism to switch to the locked state based on the triggering of the switch.

15. The surface cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one heating wall is configured to circumferentially cover and contact the periphery of a portion of the brush roller during the time the surface cleaning device is parked on the base station device.

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