Robot cleaner and control method thereof

Abstract

A robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a motor; a rotating shaft member rotatable by driving of the motor; and a cleaning member coupling portion configured to be attachably / detachably coupled to the plurality of cleaning members, and may include a rotating member coupled to the rotating shaft member. The rotating member may move in a first direction or in a second direction opposite the first direction along a longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft member. When the rotating member moves in the first direction, at least one cleaning member coupled to the cleaning member coupling portion may be released from the cleaning member coupling portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a robot cleaner and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] A robot cleaner is a device for automatically cleaning a specific cleaning space while traveling throughout the cleaning space without any user's operation. Generally, the robot cleaner can perform operations of sucking in foreign matter such as dust accumulated on a bottom surface to be cleaned (e.g., a floor surface) or wiping foreign matter (such as dirt) attached to the surface to be cleaned with a cleaning cloth (or rag). Among these robot cleaners, a robot cleaner is used in which a cleaning cloth (or rag) is attached to one end and the cleaning cloth rotates to wipe foreign matter attached to the surface to be cleaned.

[0003] Meanwhile, the cleaning cloth attached to the robot cleaner becomes contaminated as cleaning proceeds, and therefore, the user of the robot cleaner has to replace the contaminated cleaning cloth attached to the robot cleaner with a new cleaning cloth in order to continue effective cleaning. Summary of the invention

[0004] Technical issues

[0005] Various embodiments of the present disclosure achieve automatic replacement of contaminated cleaning cloths by using a rotating member coupled to a plurality of cleaning cloths and capable of moving up and down according to a rotation direction.

[0006] A robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a motor, a rotating shaft member, and a rotating member, the rotating member being connected to the rotating shaft member and including a cleaning member coupling configured to be rotatably connected to a plurality of cleaning members. The motor, the rotating shaft member, and the rotating member are configured so that the motor can drive the rotating shaft member to rotate, and thereby the rotating member moves in a first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft member. When the rotating member moves in the first direction together with the cleaning member coupling detachably connected to the plurality of cleaning members, at least one of the plurality of cleaning members is separated from the cleaning member coupling and thereby released.

[0007] According to an embodiment, as the rotating shaft member rotates in the first rotational direction, the rotating member may move in the first direction while rotating in the first rotational direction.

[0008] According to an embodiment, when the rotating shaft member rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, the rotating member and the cleaning member coupling can rotate in the second rotation direction. When the rotating shaft member rotates in the second rotation direction while the rotating member moves in the first direction, the rotating member can move in the second direction while rotating in the second rotation direction.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the cleaning member coupling and the plurality of cleaning members each include a magnetic body configured to enable the cleaning member coupling to be magnetically coupled with each of the plurality of cleaning members.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the plurality of cleaning members include a plurality of uneven (concavoconvex) coupling structures, respectively, and the cleaning member coupling piece includes a plurality of protrusions that can be coupled with the plurality of cleaning members by respectively engaging with the plurality of uneven (concavoconvex) coupling structures.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the rotating member includes a first locking portion, and the robot cleaner includes a accommodating shell, which includes: an upper surface, which is arranged above the rotating member when the cleaning member connecting member is connected to multiple cleaning members; a second locking portion, which is configured to engage and connect with the first locking portion as the rotating member rotates in a first direction, and to be released from the first locking portion as the rotating member rotates in a second direction opposite to the first rotation direction.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the accommodating shell includes a side surface, which together with the upper surface defines an internal space for accommodating at least a portion of the rotating member or at least one of the plurality of cleaning members when the cleaning member coupling piece is coupled to the plurality of cleaning members. The accommodating shell may include a locking rib extending from a lower end of the side surface parallel to the upper surface.

[0013] According to an embodiment, when the rotating member moves in the first direction in a state where the cleaning member coupling is coupled to a plurality of cleaning members and one or more of the plurality of cleaning members are accommodated in the internal space and one or more of the plurality of cleaning members are outside the internal space, the cleaning member outside the internal space of the one or more cleaning members can be disassembled and thereby released from the cleaning member coupling at least partially by the resistance of the locking rib. Then, when the rotating member moves in the second direction, the cleaning member adjacent to the locking rib among the one or more cleaning members accommodated in the internal space can be moved out of the internal space in a state coupled to the cleaning member coupling.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the first locking portion and the second locking portion may have inclined structures corresponding to each other and may be coupled to each other, thereby coupling the first locking portion and the second locking portion together. When the first locking portion and the second locking portion are coupled together, the rotating member may move in the first direction.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the first locking part includes a first opening through which a portion of the second locking part can be inserted, and a first inclined portion adjacent to the first opening to guide the insertion of the portion of the second locking part.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the first inclined portion may be inclined downward in a direction of the portion inserted into the second locking portion.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the second locking part includes a second opening through which the portion of the first locking part can be inserted, and a second inclined portion adjacent to the second opening to guide the insertion of the portion of the first locking part.

[0018] According to an embodiment, the second inclined portion may be inclined upward in a direction of the portion inserted into the first locking portion.

[0019] According to an embodiment, the rotating member may be arranged such that the first locking portion and the second locking portion are coupled to each other by rotation of the rotating member in the first rotation direction.

[0020] According to an embodiment, the rotating member may be arranged such that the coupling of the first locking portion and the second locking portion is released by a rotation of the rotating member in the second rotational direction.

[0021] In a method for controlling the operation of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner includes a motor and a rotating member arranged to be detachably connected to a first cleaning member and a second cleaning member, the first cleaning member can move in a first direction perpendicular to a floor surface or in a second direction opposite to the first direction according to the rotation direction of the motor, the first cleaning member is arranged to contact the floor surface, and the second cleaning member is arranged to be stacked above the first cleaning member so as not to contact the floor surface. The method includes: determining whether the first cleaning member needs to be replaced; if it is determined that the first cleaning member needs to be replaced, rotating the motor to move the rotating member in the first direction; and after the first cleaning member is separated from the rotating member, rotating the motor to move the rotating member in the second direction.

[0022] According to an embodiment, whether the first cleaning member needs to be replaced may be determined based on whether a duration of performing cleaning of the floor surface using the first cleaning member exceeds a reference time.

[0023] According to an embodiment, the rotating member may rotate in a first rotation direction or a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction according to the rotation direction of the motor. In the case where the rotating member rotates in the first rotation direction, the rotating member may be movable in the first direction.

[0024] According to the embodiment, in a case where the rotating member is rotated in the second rotation direction in a state where the rotating member is moved in the first direction, the rotating member may be moved in the second direction.

[0025] According to an embodiment, the method further includes controlling the robot cleaner to travel to a predetermined position if it is determined that the first cleaning member needs to be replaced.

[0026] According to various embodiments proposed in the present disclosure, a robot cleaner may automatically replace a cleaning cloth by identifying a replacement opportunity for the cleaning cloth that cleans a floor surface.

[0027] According to various embodiments proposed in the present disclosure, the robot cleaner may move a rotating member up and down by controlling only the rotating direction of the rotating member without a separate additional configuration.

[0028] The effects that can be obtained from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to those effects described above, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs can clearly deduce and understand other effects not mentioned herein from the following description. That is, those skilled in the art can clearly deduce any unexpected effects of implementing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 2 is a bottom view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating functional relationships between components in conjunction with the operation of the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 6 is a view showing a partial cross-section of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 7 It is shown as viewed from the front Figure 6 A view of the state of the graph.

[0036] Figure 8a 2 is a view showing a state in which a receiving container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is viewed obliquely from the bottom.

[0037] Figure 8b is a plan view of a receiving container viewed from the bottom according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Fig. 9 It is along Figure 8b A cross-sectional view taken along line CC'.

[0039] Fig.10 is a lower perspective view of a rotating member of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Fig.11a is an upper perspective view of a rotating member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Fig.11b is an upper plan view of a rotating member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Fig.12 It is along Fig.11b A cross-sectional view taken along line BB'.

[0043] Fig.13 and Fig.14 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Fig.15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Fig.16 is a flowchart illustrating a process of replacing a cleaning cloth according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figures 17 to 19 Each is a diagram for explaining a configuration of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment.

[0047] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, and specific examples of the embodiments are shown as examples in the accompanying drawings. In addition, other examples may be used, and various structural changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the various examples of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in a detailed manner in which a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs can easily implement the disclosed invention. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in several different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In conjunction with the description of the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for such same or similar parts throughout the specification and the drawings. In addition, in the drawings and their related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for the sake of clarity and brevity.

[0049] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a bottom view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 4 The overall configuration of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Description related to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be mainly focused, and descriptions that may be obvious within the scope of the technical level of those skilled in the art will be simplified or omitted.

[0051] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a body 10. For example, the body 10 may form an overall appearance of the robot cleaner 1.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the body 10 may include a main body 11 and an upper cover 12. According to an embodiment, the main body 11 may include a lower portion 111 disposed adjacent to a floor surface (or a surface to be cleaned) while driving the robot cleaner 1 to walk for cleaning, and a side portion 112 extending upward from a corner of the lower portion 111 to form a side of the robot cleaner. Figure 1 or Figure 2 Although not shown in the drawings, according to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a buffer capable of alleviating an external impact on the side portion 112 .

[0053] In an embodiment, the main body 11 may have an open upper portion. An upper cover 12 may be provided above the main body 11. The upper cover 12 may be provided to cover the upper opening of the main body 11. In an embodiment, the upper cover 12 may be detachably coupled to the main body 11. After separating the upper cover 12, a user may access components inside the body 10 through the upper opening of the main body 11. According to an embodiment, the main body 11 and the upper cover 12 may be integrally formed.

[0054] According to an embodiment, Figure 2 As shown in , one side support 111b may be provided in the lower portion 111 of the main body 11. The one side support 111b may be provided at the rear of the lower portion 111 (e.g., at the rear side relative to the driving direction of the robot cleaner 1 when the robot cleaner 1 travels on the floor surface for cleaning). For example, the one side support 111b may be a cylindrical roller, but is not limited thereto. The one side support 111b may play a role of supporting the rear of the robot cleaner 1 in the event of backward pitching (such as, for example, when the robot cleaner 1 accelerates to walk).

[0055] According to an embodiment, the other side support 111a may be disposed at the lower portion 111 of the body 11. The other side support 111a may be provided at the opposite side of the one side support 111b in the lower portion 111, for example, in front of the robot cleaner 1 (for example, the front side relative to the walking direction when the robot cleaner 1 travels on the floor for cleaning). For example, the other side support 111a may be a cylindrical roller, but is not limited thereto.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a first wheel 21 and a second wheel 22. The first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22 may be arranged on the left and right sides of the lower portion 111 of the main body 11 of the robot cleaner 1, respectively. The robot cleaner 1 may control the walking speed or walking direction of the robot cleaner 1 by independently controlling the rotation of the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22. For example, the robot cleaner 1 may monitor the surrounding environment while walking indoors or outdoors using the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22, and may thus perform various functions. According to an embodiment, each of the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22 may be arranged so that a portion thereof passes through the lower portion 111 of the main body 11. Each of the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22 may be arranged so that a portion thereof is exposed to the outside of the lower portion 111 of the main body 11.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a housing case 60. For example, the housing case 60 may be disposed at the front of the robot cleaner 1. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Although not specifically shown in the figure, in the embodiment, the housing case 60 may have a cylindrical shape with an open lower portion and an empty interior, but is not limited thereto, and may have a columnar shape with a polygonal cross-section. According to the embodiment, the cleaning member 90 may be coupled to the robot cleaner 1 in and / or below the empty space inside the housing case 60. Although in Figure 1 and Figure 2It is not specifically shown in the figure, but according to an embodiment, a plurality of cleaning members 90 may be arranged to be stacked in an empty space and / or a lower portion of the interior of the accommodating shell 60. According to an embodiment, the accommodating shell 60 may accommodate at least one of the plurality of stacked cleaning members 90 in the empty space. According to an embodiment, as described below, each of the plurality of cleaning members 90 may be connected to the rotating member 80, and the accommodating shell 60 may accommodate at least a portion of the rotating member 80 in such an empty space inside. The accommodating shell 60 may be integrally formed with the main body 11, but is not limited thereto, and may be detachably provided from the main body 11. In an embodiment, a plurality of accommodating shells 60 may be provided. In Figure 1 and Figure 2 , only the cleaning members 90 adjacent to the floor surface among the plurality of cleaning members 90 coupled to the robot cleaner 1 according to the embodiment are shown.

[0058] refer to Figure 3 , showing a state in which the upper cover 12 is detached from the main body 11 of the body 10 of the robot cleaner 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in the figure, various components for the operation of the robot cleaner 1 are arranged in a space within the body 10. Figure 4 , some configurations of the robot cleaner 1 are shown in such a separated manner to better understand the configurations of the robot cleaner 1 according to the embodiment.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a first wheel driver 31 and a second wheel driver 32. Although not explicitly shown, each of the first wheel driver 31 and the second wheel driver 32 may be connected to the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22. The first wheel driver 31 and the second wheel driver 32 may be accommodated in the internal space of the body 10 at positions corresponding to the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22, respectively. Each of the first wheel driver 31 and the second wheel driver 32 may be accommodated in the body 10 to provide a rotational force to the corresponding first wheel 21 or the second wheel 22, respectively. The first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22 may receive a rotational force for the rotation of the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22, respectively, from the first wheel driver 31 and the second wheel driver 32.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the first wheel driver 31 may include a corresponding motor (eg, Figure 5 According to an embodiment, the second wheel drive 32 may include a corresponding motor (e.g., Figure 5 The robot cleaner 1 may control the operation of the first wheel 21 or the second wheel 22 by adjusting the rotation speed and / or the rotation direction of each motor corresponding to the first wheel driver 31 and the second wheel driver 32, respectively.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a liquid reservoir 40. For example, the liquid reservoir 40 may store a liquid for wet cleaning. For example, the liquid stored in the liquid reservoir 40 may be water, but is not limited thereto, and the liquid may be any liquid material, such as soap or solvent for cleaning. The liquid reservoir 40 may be detachably placed in a receiving space within the body 10. The user may access the liquid reservoir 40 by separating the upper cover 12 from the main body 11 to open the upper portion of the main body 11. According to an embodiment, the liquid reservoir 40 may include a gripping portion 41. For example, the gripping portion 41 may be configured to provide a gripping portion that can be conveniently gripped when the user separates and carries the liquid reservoir 40.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a liquid conveying unit 50. The liquid conveying unit 50 may have, for example, one end connected to the liquid reservoir 40 for fluid communication. The liquid conveying unit 50 may have, for example, other ends arranged to supply liquid to a cleaning member 90 disposed below the robot cleaner 1. In an embodiment, the other ends of the liquid conveying unit 50 may be disposed to pass through the accommodating shell 60 of the lower portion 111 of the main body 11 or a portion adjacent to the accommodating shell 60 to face the cleaning member 90. In an embodiment, the liquid conveying unit 50 may be provided as many as the number of cleaning drives 70 provided in the robot cleaner 1. The liquid conveying unit 50 may be, for example, a pipe or a hose.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include one or more cleaning drivers 70. According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a plurality of rotating members 80 respectively corresponding to the one or more cleaning drivers 70. According to an embodiment, each cleaning driver 70 may include a corresponding motor (e.g., Figure 5 The third motor 581 or the fourth motor 582) and the rotating shaft member (in the Figures 1 to 4 Although not shown in detail, the motor of each cleaning drive 70 can be configured to transmit the rotational force to the upper portion of the rotating shaft member. Although not shown in detail, each rotating shaft member can allow the corresponding rotating member 80 to rotate together according to the rotation of the motor.

[0064] According to the embodiment, although Figure 3 or Figure 4Although not explicitly shown in the figure, the rotating shaft member of each cleaning drive 70 may extend to have a predetermined length passing through the upper portion of the accommodating housing 60 toward the bottom surface (hereinafter, such an extending direction of the rotating shaft member will be referred to as a "longitudinal direction"). According to one embodiment, the rotating shaft member extending through the upper portion of the accommodating housing 60 may be coupled to a corresponding rotating member 80 below the accommodating housing 60.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the cleaning member 90 may be detachably coupled to the robot cleaner 1. According to an embodiment, a plurality of cleaning members 90 may be detachably coupled to one rotating member 80. According to an embodiment, a plurality of cleaning members 90 may be coupled to a cleaning member coupling member (at Figures 1 to 4 ). Figure 4 According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a first cleaning member 91 and a second cleaning member 92. For example, the first cleaning member 91 may be disposed adjacent to the floor surface. For example, the second cleaning member 92 may be disposed above the first cleaning member 91. For example, the second cleaning member 92 may be positioned not to contact the bottom surface. Throughout the disclosure, for ease of explanation, a cleaning member arranged to be used for cleaning in contact with the floor surface at the outermost position among a plurality of cleaning members will be referred to as the first cleaning member 91. In the present disclosure, for ease of explanation, a cleaning member disposed directly above the first cleaning member 91 and not yet in contact with the floor surface, but capable of cleaning by contacting the floor surface after the first cleaning member 91 is released will be referred to as the second cleaning member 92. According to an embodiment, three or more cleaning members 90 may be coupled to each rotating member 80, but for ease of description, the following description will be made based on the case where the first cleaning member 91 and the second cleaning member 92 are coupled together.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the first cleaning member 91 may include a first cleaning cloth 911. The robot cleaner 1 may use the first cleaning cloth 911 to perform cleaning of the floor surface. Here, the first cleaning cloth 911 may be, for example, a dry mop or a wet mop. The first cleaning cloth 911 may be made of various fiber materials, such as, for example, a microfiber cloth, a mop, a non-woven fabric, a brush, etc. According to an embodiment, the first cleaning cloth 911 may include a first hollow portion 911a. The first hollow portion 911a may have, for example, a circular shape or a polygonal shape (for example, a square shape). For example, the shape of the first hollow portion 911a may be the same as the central portion of the rotating member 80 to be described later (in Figure 4 The horizontal cross-sectional shape corresponds to that of FIG.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the first cleaning member 91 may include a first support plate 912. For example, the first support plate 912 may be coupled to the upper surface of the first cleaning cloth 911. For example, the first support plate 912 may be located on the upper surface of the first cleaning cloth 911 that does not face the bottom surface. For example, the first support plate 912 may be formed to surround at least a portion of the upper surface of the first cleaning cloth 911 and at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the first hollow portion 911a of the first cleaning cloth 911. According to an embodiment, the first support plate 912 may have the shape of a disk having a hollow portion formed thereon as a whole. The diameter of the first support plate 912 may be smaller than the diameter of the first cleaning cloth 911. The hollow portion of the first support plate 912 may have a shape and size corresponding to the first hollow portion 911a of the first cleaning cloth 911. Although in Figure 4 Although not specifically shown in the drawings, according to an embodiment, the first support plate 912 may include a first rib extending downward from the hollow portion of the first support plate 912. For example, the first rib may extend in a vertical direction from an upper corner of the hollow portion forming the first support plate 912. When the first support plate 912 is disposed on the upper surface of the first cleaning cloth 911, the first rib may be disposed to pass through the first hollow portion 911a of the first cleaning cloth 911. According to an embodiment, the first rib of the first support plate 912 may be coupled to a cleaning cloth coupling member of the corresponding rotating member 80.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the second cleaning member 92 may include a second cleaning cloth 921. The robot cleaner 1 may use the second cleaning cloth 921 to perform cleaning of the floor surface. Here, the second cleaning cloth 921 may be, for example, a mop or a damp (wet) mop. The second cleaning cloth 921 may be made of various fiber materials, such as, for example, a microfiber cloth, a rag, a non-woven fabric, a brush, etc. According to an embodiment, the second cleaning cloth 921 may include a second hollow portion 921a. The second hollow portion 921a may have, for example, a circular shape or a polygonal shape (for example, a square shape). The shape of the second hollow portion 921a may be the same as, for example, the central portion of the rotating member 80 (at Figure 4 The horizontal cross-sectional shape corresponds to that of FIG.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the second cleaning member 92 may include a second support plate 922. For example, the second support plate 922 may be coupled to the upper surface of the second cleaning cloth 921. For example, the second support plate 922 may be formed to surround at least a portion of the upper surface of, for example, the second cleaning cloth 921 and at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the second hollow portion 921a of the second cleaning cloth 921. According to an embodiment, the second support plate 922 may have a shape having a disk with a hollow portion formed thereon as a whole. The diameter of the second support plate 922 may be smaller than the diameter of the second cleaning cloth 921. For example, the hollow portion of the second support plate 922 may have a shape and size corresponding to the second hollow portion 921a of the second cleaning cloth 921.

[0070] Despite Figure 4 , but according to an embodiment, the second support plate 922 may include a second rib extending downward from the hollow portion of the second support plate 922. For example, the second rib may extend in a vertical direction from an upper corner of the hollow portion forming the second support plate 922. When the second support plate 922 is disposed on the upper surface of the second cleaning cloth 921, the second rib may be disposed to pass through the second hollow portion 921a of the second cleaning cloth 921. According to an embodiment, the second rib of the second support plate 922 may be coupled to a cleaning cloth coupling member of the corresponding rotating member 80. According to an embodiment, the first cleaning member 91 and the second cleaning member 92 may have the same configuration or shape, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0071] According to an embodiment, each cleaning cloth (911 or 921) and each support plate (912 or 922) can be detachably coupled to each other, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and can be integrally formed. Each cleaning cloth 911 and 921 and each corresponding support plate 912 and 922 can be coupled by a fastening element such as a magnet, Velcro or a button (female buckle and male buckle).

[0072] Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram explaining the functional relationship between various components in conjunction with the operation of the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a sensing unit 520. The sensing unit 520 may include a plurality of sensors or cameras for detecting the surrounding environment of the robot cleaner 1. The sensing unit 520 may include, for example, a plurality of cameras to capture images in various directions. The distance sensor may include, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, and / or a lidar sensor, but is not limited thereto. The sensing unit 520 may include, for example, a microphone or an infrared sensor for detecting its surrounding environment. According to an embodiment, the sensing unit 520 may detect the degree of contamination of each cleaning member connected to the rotating member 80 of the robot cleaner 1 and used for cleaning, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a communication unit 530. According to an embodiment, the communication unit 530 may include one or more modules capable of wireless communication between the robot cleaner 1 and a wireless communication system, between the robot cleaner 1 and another device, or between the robot cleaner 1 and an external server. According to some embodiments, the communication unit 530 may include one or more modules that connect the robot cleaner 1 to one or more networks. According to an embodiment, the communication unit 530 may include at least one of a mobile communication module, a wireless Internet module, a short-range communication module, and a location information module.

[0075] The mobile communication module can transmit and receive wireless signals to and from at least one of a base station, an external terminal, or a server over a mobile communication network established according to a technical standard or a communication method for mobile communication. The wireless signal may include data in various forms, such as according to transmission and reception of a voice call signal, a video phone call signal, or a text / multimedia message.

[0076] The wireless Internet module may include, for example, WLAN (wireless LAN), Wi-Fi (wireless Fidelity), Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), WiBro (wireless broadband), WiMAX (worldwide interoperability for microwave access), HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access), HSUPA (high-speed uplink packet access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (Long Term Evolution-Advanced), etc., but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and data transmission and reception may be performed based on at least one wireless Internet technology within the scope of including any other Internet technology not listed above.

[0077] The short-range communication module is used to support short-range communication, for example, and can support short-range communication using at least one of Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee protocol, near field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, and wireless USB (Universal Serial Bus) technologies. The short-range communication module can support wireless communication between, for example, the robot cleaner 1 and a wireless communication system, between the robot cleaner 1 and another device, or between the robot cleaner 1 and a network where another device is located. Here, the wireless short-range communication network can be a wireless personal area network.

[0078] The location information module is, for example, a module for acquiring the location of the robot cleaner 1, and may be a global positioning system (GPS) module or a Wi-Fi module. When the robot cleaner 1 uses the GPS module, information about the location of the robot cleaner 1 may be received using a signal transmitted from a GPS satellite. When the robot cleaner 1 uses the Wi-Fi module, information about the location of the robot cleaner 1 may be received based on information from a wireless access point (AP) that transmits a wireless signal to the Wi-Fi module and receives a wireless signal from the Wi-Fi module.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a memory 540. According to an embodiment, the memory 540 may store data supporting various functions of the robot cleaner 1. The memory 540 may store, for example, a plurality of applications (applications or applications) used in the robot cleaner 1, data for the operation of the robot cleaner 1, and instructions for the operation of the robot cleaner 1. At least some of these applications may be downloaded from an external server by way of wireless communication. In addition, at least some of these applications may be stored in the memory 540 from the time of shipment of the product in order to perform the basic functions of the robot cleaner 1. The application may be stored in the memory 540 and may be driven to perform the operation (or function) of the robot cleaner 1 under the control of the controller 510. According to some embodiments, the memory 540 may be included as part of the configuration of the controller 510.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the memory 540 may store information for setting a travel path of the robot cleaner 1 .

[0081] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include an input unit 550. The input unit 550 may receive information about, for example, an operation mode of the robot cleaner 1 from a user. The input unit 550 may be configured with a device such as a keypad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static or capacitive), a micro wheel, a micro switch, or a remote controller. In addition to the above-mentioned input unit 550, the user may input information about the operation mode of the robot cleaner 1 using a portable device such as a terminal.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include a controller 510. For example, according to an embodiment, the controller 510 may control the operation of the robot cleaner 1 using a signal transmitted from the sensing unit 520, the communication unit 530, or the input unit 550.

[0083] According to an embodiment, the controller 510 may control the overall operation of the robot cleaner 1. The controller 510 may control the overall operation of the first motor 571 and the second motor 572 connected to the first wheel 21 and the second wheel 22, respectively. According to an embodiment, the controller 510 may rotate the first wheel 21 and / or the second wheel 22 by controlling the operation of the first motor 571 and / or the second motor 572. According to an embodiment, the controller 510 may control the walking direction and speed of the robot cleaner 1 by controlling the first motor 571 and / or the second motor 572.

[0084] The controller 510 may control the overall operation of the third motor 581 and the fourth motor 582 that are provided to transmit power to each rotating member 80. The controller 510 may control, for example, the rotation of the rotating member 80 and / or the cleaning member 90 by controlling the overall operation of the third motor 581 or the fourth motor 582. According to an embodiment, the controller 510 may control the operation of the third motor 581 and / or the fourth motor 582 to rotate the cleaning member 90 corresponding to each.

[0085] The controller 510 may include one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or a communication processor (CP). The controller 510 may be, for example, a microcontroller unit (MCU).

[0086] The controller 510 may drive, for example, an operating system or an application program to control hardware components or software components connected to the controller 510, and may perform various data processing and operations. In addition, the controller 510 may load a command or data received from at least one of the other components into a volatile memory and process the command or data, and store various data in a nonvolatile memory.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may include an output unit 560. The output unit 560 may provide, for example, visual information or auditory information to the user. The output unit 560 may include a device that provides visual information or auditory information, such as a display unit, a sound output module, or an alarm unit.

[0088] Figure 6 is a view showing a partial cross-section of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. and Figure 7 It is shown as viewed from the front Figure 6 The state of the view.

[0089] In the following, reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 , among the components of the robot cleaner 1 according to the embodiment, the cleaning driver 70 , the rotating shaft member 71 , the rotating member 80 , the accommodating case 60 , and the cleaning members 91 and 92 coupled thereto, which are directly involved in cleaning, will be mainly described. Figure 6 and Figure 7 Each of the components shown in Figures 1 to 4 The components shown in are substantially the same or similar. Another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a Figure 6 and Figure 7 Any modified parts of those shown in .

[0090] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , showing cross sections of a cleaning driver 70 of the robot cleaner 1 , a receiving housing 60 , a rotating member 80 , and first and second cleaning members 91 and 92 coupled to the robot cleaner 10 .

[0091] According to an embodiment, the cleaning drive 70 may include a motor (corresponding to Figure 5 Motor 581 or motor 582, and Figure 6 and Figure 7) and a rotating shaft member 71 rotatably coupled according to the rotation of the motor. According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft member 71 may extend a predetermined length to transmit the driving force generated by the rotation of the motor to the rotating member 80 located below. According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft member 71 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the floor surface. According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft member 71 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the robot cleaner 1. Although not specifically shown in the drawings, in an embodiment, the rotating shaft member 71 may have a gear structure disposed upward in the internal accommodation space of the robot cleaner 1 along the longitudinal direction. According to an embodiment, the gear structure of the rotating shaft member 71 may be rotated by means of the connection of the motor and the worm gear disposed in the internal accommodation space. According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft member 71 may rotate clockwise or counterclockwise according to the rotation direction of the motor. According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft member 71 may extend through the accommodation shell 60.

[0092] In this regard, Figure 8a A perspective view of a receiving container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed obliquely from the bottom, is shown. Figure 8b A bottom view of a receiving housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, viewed from the bottom. Fig. 9 Shown along Figure 8b A partial cross-sectional view taken along line CC'.

[0093] In the following, except Figure 6 and Figure 7 In addition, we will refer to Figure 8a , Figure 8b and Fig. 9 The structure of the receiving container according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is described in more detail.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the housing 60 may include an upper surface 61 and a side surface 62 extending downward from the edge of the upper surface 61. According to an embodiment, the upper surface of the housing 60 may have a generally circular shape, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the housing 60 may include a locking rib 63 protruding and extending from a lower end of the side surface 62. For example, the locking rib 63 may extend inward from the lower end of the housing 60. For example, the locking rib 63 may extend from the side surface 62 of the housing 60 in a direction perpendicular to the side surface 62 (e.g., parallel to the direction of the upper surface 61 from the upper surface 61 to the upper surface 61). For example, as described later, the locking rib 63 may be positioned between the first cleaning member 91 and the second cleaning member 92. For example, the locking rib 63 may provide a locking structure configured to cause the robot cleaner 1 to release the coupling of the first cleaning member 91. According to an embodiment, the upper surface 61, the side surface 62 and the locking rib 63 of the housing 60 may define the internal space of the housing 60.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the housing 60 may include a locking claw 64 and an insertion groove 65. According to an embodiment, the insertion groove 65 may be provided on an upper portion of the inner space of the housing 60. For example, the insertion groove 65 may be formed at the center of the upper surface 61 of the housing 60 with a depression upward from the inner space. According to an embodiment, a hollow portion through which the rotating shaft member 71 of the cleaning drive 70 passes may be formed in the central portion of the upper surface 61 of the housing 60 and the insertion groove 65.

[0096] According to an embodiment, the insertion groove 65 may include a second locking portion 651. According to an embodiment, the second locking portion 651 may have a structure corresponding to the first locking portion 831 of the rotating member 80 to be described later. According to an embodiment, as the rotating member 80 (to be described later) moves in a predetermined direction (e.g., Fig.11a The second locking portion 651 may be engaged with the first locking portion 831 on the rotating member 80. According to an embodiment, each of the second locking portion 651 and the first locking portion 831 may have an inclined structure corresponding to each other. According to an embodiment, the second locking portion 651 and the first locking portion 831 may be coupled to each other by a spiral coupling of corresponding inclined structures, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, as the rotating member 80 (to be described later) is rotated in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction (for example, Fig.11a The second locking portion 651 can be released from the first locking portion 831 on the rotating member 80 by rotating in the second rotation direction ②).

[0097] According to an embodiment, the second locking portion 651 may include a second opening 651a provided on one side relative to the circumferential direction. For example, the second opening 651a may be an entrance through which a portion of the first locking portion 831 of the rotating member 80 is inserted. For example, the second opening 651a may be an entrance through which a portion of the first locking portion 831 is inserted when the rotating member 80 rotates in a predetermined direction (e.g., the first rotation direction ①). According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 rotates in the first rotation direction ① so that the second locking portion 651 and the first locking portion 831 engage with each other, a portion of the first locking portion 831 may be inserted into the second opening 651a of the second locking portion 651, and the rotating member 80 may move upward.

[0098] According to an embodiment, the second locking portion 651 may include a second inclined portion 651c for guiding the insertion of a portion of the first locking portion 831. For example, the second inclined portion 651c may be formed in a position adjacent to the second opening 651a. For example, the second inclined portion 651c may be formed to be inclined upward in the direction of the portion inserted into the first locking portion 831. When the first locking portion 831 is inserted into the second opening 651a of the second locking portion 651 by the formation of the second inclined portion 651c, the rotating member 80 may move upward in a fixed state of the accommodating housing 60.

[0099] According to an embodiment, the second locking part 651 may include a second closing part 651b disposed on the other side opposite to the above-mentioned second opening 651a in the circumferential direction. As described later, when a portion of the first locking part 831 of the rotating member 80 is inserted through the second opening 651a of the second locking part 651 so that the second locking part 651 is coupled to the first locking part 831 of the rotating member 80, the second closing part 651b may be used to block the first locking part 831 of the rotating member 80 from advancing to stop the rotation of the rotating member 80. According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 rotates in the first rotation direction ① so that the second locking part 651 and the first locking part 831 engage with each other so as to contact with the second closing part 651b, the first locking part 831 may not advance further, so that the coupling may be completed. On the contrary, according to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 rotates in the second rotation direction ②, as described above, the coupling between the second locking part 651 and the first locking part 831 may be released. According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 rotates in the second rotation direction ② so that the connection between the second locking part 651 and the first locking part 831 is released, the second locking part 651 and the first locking part 831 do not interfere with each other's rotation, so the rotating member 80 can continue to rotate in the second rotation direction ②.

[0100] Refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the rotating member 80 may be coupled to the rotating shaft member 71 below the receiving case 60. According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft 71 operates as a rotating shaft of the rotating member 80, so that when the rotating shaft member 71 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, the rotating member 80 may rotate in the same direction.

[0101] Fig.10 is a lower perspective view of a rotating member of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.11a is an upper perspective view of a rotating member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.11b is an upper plan view of a rotating member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. and Fig.12 It is along Fig.11b A cross-sectional view taken along line BB'.

[0102] Further references Figures 6 to 9 , in the following, reference will be made to Fig.10 and Figure 11a to Figure 1 1c describes the structure of the rotating member according to the embodiment in more detail.

[0103] According to an embodiment, the rotating member 80 may include a central portion 81, a wing portion 82 horizontally extending from an upper side of the central portion 81, and an insertion portion 83 provided at an upper center of the wing portion 82. For example, according to an embodiment, the insertion portion 83 may be inserted into the insertion groove 65 located at an upper center of the receiving case 60.

[0104] According to an embodiment, the central portion 81 may have an outer circumference in the shape of a polygonal column (eg, a quadrangular column). According to an embodiment, the central portion of the rotating member 80 may have an outer circumference in the shape of a cylindrical column.

[0105] According to an embodiment, the wing portion 82 of the rotating member 80 may have a substantially disk shape, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, as described above, the insertion portion 83 may be inserted into the insertion groove 65 located at the upper center of the receiving shell 60. According to an embodiment, the insertion portion 83 and the wing portion 82 of the rotating member 80 may be received in the inner space of the receiving shell 60. According to an embodiment, as described above, the insertion portion 83 and the wing portion 82 of the rotating member 80 may be received in the inner space of the receiving shell 60. Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , part of the central portion 81 of the rotating member 80 (e.g., a portion directly extending from the wing portion 82) can be accommodated in the internal space of the accommodating housing 60. According to one embodiment, the remaining central portion 81 of the rotating member 80 (e.g., a free end portion at a distal position away from the wing portion 82) can protrude outward from the internal space of the accommodating housing 60.

[0106] According to an embodiment, the rotating member 80 may include a cleaning member coupling 84 provided on at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the central portion 81 . Figure 7 and Fig.10 According to an embodiment, the cleaning member coupling member 84 may include a plurality of locking protrusions 843 protruding from the surface of the central portion 81. According to an embodiment, as Figure 7 and Fig.10 As shown in , when the cleaning member coupling 84 is configured to include locking protrusions 843 , as described later, each locking protrusion 843 may be coupled to each cleaning member 90 in a locking coupling manner, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0107] According to an embodiment, the cleaning member coupling member 84 provided in the central portion 81 may include a plurality of sub-coupling member portions spaced apart in a vertical direction (eg, a longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft member 71). Figure 7 and Fig.10 As shown in , in an embodiment, the cleaning member coupling 84 may include a first sub-coupling 841 and a second sub-coupling 842. For example, the cleaning member coupling 84 may be coupled to the cleaning member 90 as many as the number of the sub-coupling portions 841 and 842, respectively. The cleaning members 90 coupled to each of the sub-coupling portions 841 and 842 may be stacked in a vertical direction (e.g., a longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft member 71).

[0108] For example, according to an embodiment, the first sub-connector 841 may be positioned at a lower portion of the central portion 81 (eg, Fig.10 For example, the first sub-connector 841 may be connected to the first cleaning member 91. For example, in an embodiment, the first portion 84a may be arranged so that the first cleaning member 91 connected to the first portion 84a is located outside (or below) the internal space of the housing 60. The first cleaning member 91 connected to the first sub-connector 841 may be positioned outside the housing 60 to contact the floor surface so as to be used to clean the floor surface. For example, the second sub-connector 842 may be located at the first sub-connector 841 (e.g., Fig.10 For example, the second sub-connector 842 may be connected to the second cleaning member 92. For example, the second portion 84b may be configured such that the second cleaning member 92 connected to the second portion 84b is positioned inside the accommodating housing 60.

[0109] According to an embodiment, the insertion portion 83 may include a first locking portion 831. For example, the first locking portion 831 may protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the insertion portion 83. As described above, the first locking portion 831 may engage and couple with a second locking portion 651 formed in an insertion groove 65 of the accommodating shell 60. For example, when the rotating member 80 rotates in a predetermined direction (e.g., the first rotation direction ①), the first locking portion 831 may engage with the second locking portion 651. According to an embodiment, when the second locking portion 651 and the first locking portion 831 are coupled to each other, the first locking portion 831 may be positioned more outward than the second locking portion 651, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0110] According to an embodiment, the first locking portion 831 may include a first opening 831a provided at one side with respect to the circumferential direction For example, the first opening 831a may be an entrance through which a portion of the second locking portion 651 of the receiving housing 60 is inserted.

[0111] In an embodiment, when the first locking portion 831 and the second locking portion 651 are engaged, a portion of the first locking portion 831 may be inserted into the second opening 651a of the second locking portion 651. In an embodiment, when the first locking portion 831 and the second locking portion 651 are engaged, a portion of the second locking portion 651 may be inserted into the first opening 831a of the first locking portion 831.

[0112] According to an embodiment, the first locking portion 831 may include a first inclined portion 831c for guiding the insertion of the second locking portion 651. For example, the first inclined portion 831c may be formed in a portion adjacent to the first opening 831a. For example, the first inclined portion 831c may be formed to be inclined downward in the direction of the portion into which the second locking portion 651 is inserted. When the second locking portion 651 is inserted into the first opening 831a of the first locking portion 831 by the formation of the first inclined portion 831c, the rotating member 80 may move upward while the accommodating housing 60 is in a fixed state.

[0113] According to an embodiment, the first locking portion 831 may include a first closing portion 831b provided on the other side opposite to the first opening 831a in the circumferential direction. For example, when the first rotating member 80 rotates in the first rotation direction so that the second locking portion 651 is inserted through the first opening 831a of the first locking portion 831 to be coupled to the first locking portion 831, the first closing portion 831b may cause the first rotating member 80 to stop rotating in the first rotation direction ①.

[0114] According to an embodiment, as described above, each of the first cleaning member 91 and the second cleaning member 92 may include the first supporting plate 912 or the second supporting plate 922. Figure 7 As shown in , each of the support plates 912 or 922 may include a first rib 912a and a second rib 922a extending downward from each corresponding hollow portion. Each of the first rib 912a and the second rib 922a may extend in a vertical direction from an upper edge of the hollow portion forming each corresponding support plate 912 or 922.

[0115] According to an embodiment, the first rib 912a or the second rib 922a may be provided to pass through the first hollow portion 911a of the first cleaning cloth 911 or the second hollow portion 921a of the second cleaning cloth 921. According to an embodiment, the first rib 912a of the first supporting plate 912 may be coupled to the cleaning cloth coupling piece 84 of the corresponding rotating member 80. According to an embodiment, the second rib 922a of the second supporting plate 922 may be coupled to the cleaning cloth coupling piece 84 of the corresponding rotating member 80.

[0116] According to an embodiment, the first support plate 912 may include a first coupling 912b on a first rib 912a. For example, the first coupling 912b may be coupled to a cleaning member coupling 84. The first coupling 912b may be coupled to one of a plurality of sub-coupling parts 841 and 842 (e.g., sub-coupling 841). According to an embodiment, the second support plate 922 may include a second coupling 922b on a second rib 922a. For example, the second coupling 922b may be coupled to a cleaning member coupling 84. The second coupling 922b may be coupled to one of a plurality of sub-coupling parts 841 and 842 (e.g., sub-coupling 842). According to an embodiment, when the second cleaning member 92 is inserted into the rotating member 80, it may be initially coupled to the first sub-coupling 841, and then moved by an external force to be coupled to the second sub-coupling 842. According to an embodiment, after the second cleaning member 92 is arranged to be coupled to the second sub-coupling 842, the first cleaning member 91 may be arranged to be coupled to the first sub-coupling 841.

[0117] According to an embodiment, the first rib 912a of the first cleaning member 91 can be made of an elastic material. For example, the first rib 912a can be rotated radially outward to install (or attach) the first coupling 912b on the cleaning member coupling 84 or disassemble from the cleaning member coupling 84. The first rib 912a can rotate around an end contacting the inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion of the first support plate 912. Once the first coupling 912b is fully installed on the cleaning member coupling 84, the first rib 912a can be restored to the initial state of the first rib 912a before the first rib 912a rotates.

[0118] According to an embodiment, the second rib 922a of the second cleaning member 92 can be made of an elastic material. For example, the second rib 922a can be rotated radially outward to install (or attach) the second coupling 922b on the cleaning member coupling 84 or disassemble from the cleaning member coupling 84. The second rib 922a can rotate around an end contacting the inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion of the second support plate 922. Once the second coupling 922b is fully installed on the cleaning member coupling 84, the second rib 922a can be restored to the initial state of the second rib 922a before the second rib 922a rotates.

[0119] According to an embodiment, the rotating member 80 can move in a vertical direction (e.g., the longitudinal extension direction of the rotating shaft member 71) according to the rotation of the motor in the cleaning driver 70. According to an embodiment, the rotation of each motor of the cleaning driver 70 can be performed under the control of the controller 510. For example, in the case where the motor of the cleaning driver 70 rotates in a specific direction, the rotating shaft member 71 can rotate in any direction (e.g., the first rotation direction ①). In the case where the rotating shaft member 71 rotates in the first rotation direction, the rotating member 80 can also move upward along the rotation in the first rotation direction. According to an embodiment, in the case where the rotating member 80 rotates in the first rotation direction, the rotating member 80 can also move upward along the rotation in the first rotation direction. For example, in the case where the rotating member 80 rotates in the first rotation direction, the rotating member 80 can move upward due to the engagement between the rotating member 80 and the accommodating shell 60. For example, in the case where the rotating member 80 rotates in the first rotation direction, a portion of the second locking portion 651 of the accommodating shell 60 can be inserted into the opening 831a of the first locking portion 831, thereby moving the rotating member 80 upward.

[0120] According to an embodiment, in the case where the motor of the cleaning drive 70 rotates in a direction opposite to the above-mentioned specific direction, the rotating shaft member 71 may rotate in the opposite direction, for example, in the second rotation direction ②. In the case where the rotating shaft member 71 rotates in the second rotation direction ②, the rotating member 80 may also rotate together in the second rotation direction ②. In the case where the rotating member 80 rotates in the second rotation direction ② in a state where the rotating member 80 moves upward, the engagement between the rotating member 80 and the accommodating shell 60 may be released, and the rotating member 80 may then move downward. In an embodiment, in the case where the rotating member 80 continues to rotate in the second rotation direction ② by the rotation of the motor of the cleaning drive 70 in a state where the engagement between the rotating member 80 and the accommodating shell 60 is released, the rotating member 80 may continue its rotation without moving up and down.

[0121] According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 is rotated by the rotation of the motor of the cleaning driver 70, at least one of the plurality of cleaning members 90 coupled to the rotating member 80 may be rotated together. Figures 6 to 12 The upward and / or downward movement of the rotating member 80 described above illustrates an example of the present disclosure. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, another type of lifting mechanism may be used to achieve vertical movement of the rotating member 80.

[0122] According to an embodiment, one of the plurality of cleaning members 90 coupled to the rotating member 80, such as a first cleaning member 91, may be disposed outside the accommodating housing 60. For example, the first cleaning member 91 adjacent to the floor surface may be disposed outside the accommodating housing 60. According to an embodiment, at least one cleaning member 90 may be accommodated within the accommodating housing 60. For example, a second cleaning member 92 may be accommodated in the accommodating housing 60. For example, the second cleaning member 92 may be disposed to clean the floor surface after the coupling of the first cleaning member 91 is released.

[0123] According to an embodiment, the receiving container 60 may be configured integrally with the body 11. According to an embodiment, the side surface 62 of the receiving container 60 may be omitted so that the cleaning member 90 may be visible from the outside.

[0124] Fig.13 and Fig.14 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0125] Fig.13 and Fig.14 The cleaning drive 70, the rotating member 80 and the cleaning member 90 shown in FIG. 1 may be the same as those in the above reference Figures 6 to 12 The cleaning drive 70, the rotating member 80, or the cleaning member 90 described are substantially the same or similar. Therefore, redundant descriptions of the same configurations will be omitted below.

[0126] According to an embodiment, Fig.13 As shown in , the rotating member 80 can move upward. For example, the rotating member 80 can move vertically upward from the bottom surface. When the rotating member 80 moves upward, the upward movement force can also be applied to the first cleaning member 91 and the second cleaning member 92 connected to the rotating member 80.

[0127] According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 moves upward, the upward movement of the second cleaning member 90 can be partially limited. According to an embodiment, the housing 60 may include a locking claw 64 for limiting the upward movement of the second cleaning member 92. For example, the locking claw 64 may be arranged in the upper part in the internal space of the housing 60. For example, the locking claw 64 may have a structure protruding inwardly from the uppermost part of the side surface of the housing 60. For example, when the rotating member 80 moves upward, the locking claw 64 may limit the second cleaning member 92 to move upward with the rotating member 80. For example, the second cleaning member 92 can release the connection with the second sub-connector 842 positioned in the second part 84b by limiting the upward movement. After the second cleaning member 92 is disassembled from the second sub-connector 842, the second cleaning member 92 can be connected to the first sub-connector 841 located in the first part 84a.

[0128] According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 moves upward, the upward movement of the first cleaning member 91 can be partially restricted. According to an embodiment, the locking rib 63 of the housing 60 can limit the first cleaning member 91 to move upward with the rotating member 80. According to an embodiment, by moving the second cleaning member 92 that is restricted upward, the first cleaning member 91 can be restricted to move upward with the rotating member 80. For example, the restriction on upward movement can be utilized to release the connection of the first cleaning member 91 with the first sub-connector 841 positioned in the first part 84a. The first cleaning member 91 that has released the connection with the first sub-connector 841 can be disassembled from the robot cleaner 1.

[0129] According to an embodiment, Fig.14 As shown in , the rotating member 80 can move downward. For example, the rotating member 80 can move downward in the direction toward the floor surface. When the rotating member 80 moves downward, the second cleaning member 92 connected to the first sub-connector 841 of the rotating member 80 can also move downward. In this way, the second cleaning member 92 can be located at the position where the current first cleaning member 91 was located. The second cleaning member 92 can be moved out of the accommodating shell 60 by the downward movement of the rotating member 80. In other words, the second cleaning member 92 can be located below the locking rib 63 of the accommodating shell 60. A surface of the second cleaning member 92 that moves downward with the rotating member 80 can contact the floor surface.

[0130] According to an embodiment, when the contamination degree of the first cleaning member 91 cleaning the floor surface reaches a predetermined degree, the controller 510 may Fig.13 The first cleaning member 91 may be separated from the robot cleaner 1 by the operation shown in . The first cleaning member 91 may be separated from the predetermined position. For example, the controller 510 may move the robot cleaner 1 to the predetermined position and then separate the first cleaning member 91. For example, the predetermined position may be a place designated by a user or a position adjacent to a charging station (not shown), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Fig.14 , the controller 510 may separate the first cleaning member 91 and then place the second cleaning member 92 adjacent to the floor surface to resume cleaning again.

[0131] When the floor surface is cleaned by the robot cleaner 1, the continuous use of the contaminated cleaning member 90 may contaminate the floor surface more. The robot cleaner 1 of the present disclosure is provided with a function of automatically replacing the used cleaning member 90 in the course of the cleaning process without any user intervention, so that the cleaning of the floor surface is more convenient and cleaner. In addition, since the robot cleaner 1 of the present disclosure can effectively and conveniently determine when to replace the cleaning member 90 in use, the user's convenience can be further improved by reducing the number of times the cleaning member 90 in use is replaced compared to when the user must manually replace the cleaning member 90 by himself.

[0132] Fig.15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] Hereinafter, according to an embodiment, a schematic flowchart of an operation process of replacing a cleaning member during a cleaning operation of a robot cleaner will be described. For example, such operation can be performed by referring to the above Figures 1 to 14 According to the embodiment, Fig.15 The operations disclosed in may also be performed by a robot cleaner having some configurations different from the above-described robot cleaner 1 .

[0134] According to an embodiment, the method of operating the robot cleaner 1 may include performing a cleaning operation (S1510). In an embodiment, when the cleaning operation is being performed, the controller 510 may control the operation of the first motor 571 and / or the second motor 572 so that the robot cleaner 1 moves along an appropriate walking path. According to an embodiment, the walking path of the robot cleaner 1 may include walking path information stored in the memory 540 and / or route information calculated by the controller 510 according to the result detected by the sensing unit 520. As an embodiment, while the cleaning operation is in progress, the controller 510 may perform floor cleaning by controlling the operation of the third motor 581 and / or the fourth motor 582 to rotate the cleaning member 90 placed adjacent to the floor surface. According to an embodiment, the rotation of the cleaning member 90 may be performed via the rotating shaft member 71 and the rotating member 80 for cleaning the floor surface.

[0135] According to an embodiment, the method of operating the robot cleaner 1 may include determining whether the cleaning cloth (e.g., the first cleaning cloth 911) currently in use of the cleaning member disposed adjacent to the floor surface should be replaced (S1520). In an embodiment, such determination may be performed based on determining whether the degree of contamination of the cleaning cloth (e.g., the first cleaning cloth 911) in use exceeds a specific specified level using a contamination detection sensor (not shown) that may be separately disposed in the robot cleaner 1. In an embodiment, the determination may be performed by the robot cleaner 1 based on timer information, such as determining whether the duration of floor surface cleaning performed using the first cleaning cloth 911 exceeds a predetermined reference time. In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may determine whether the cleaning cloth needs to be replaced using a cleaning cloth replacement cycle preset by the user. For example, in the case where the user sets the cleaning cloth replacement cycle to one hour, when it is determined that the use time of the first cleaning cloth 911 has just reached 1 hour, the robot cleaner 1 may determine that the cleaning cloth needs to be replaced.

[0136] According to an embodiment, in the case where it is determined in S1520 that the cleaning cloth needs to be replaced, the method of operating the robot cleaner 1 may include moving to a predetermined position for replacement of the cleaning cloth (S1530). In an embodiment, the predetermined position may be, for example, a position specified by a user. In an embodiment, the predetermined position may be a position where the robot cleaner 1 performs charging, or any other position adjacent thereto.

[0137] According to an embodiment, the method of operating the robot cleaner 1 may include automatically replacing the cleaning member (S1540). According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may perform an operation of releasing the connection of the first cleaning cloth 911. In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may perform an operation of moving the rotating member 80 upward under the control of the controller 510. According to an embodiment, while the rotating member 80 moves upward, the first cleaning cloth 911 may be released from the rotating member 80 by a locking structure (e.g., a locking rib 63). In an embodiment, while the rotating member 80 moves upward, the second cleaning cloth 921 may be connected to the lower end of the rotating member 80. For example, the portion to which the current first cleaning cloth 911 is connected may move upward in a state of being released from the first cleaning cloth 911, and then be connected to the second cleaning cloth 921. The first cleaning cloth 911, which has released the connection with the rotating member 90, may be detached from the robot cleaner 1 and then placed on the floor surface. Reference will be made to Fig.16 The cleaning member replacement process according to the embodiment is further described.

[0138] According to an embodiment, after the first cleaning cloth 911 is detached from the rotating member 80, the robot cleaner 1 may perform an operation of moving the rotating member 80 downward. The second cleaning cloth 921 may be disposed to contact the floor surface by the downward movement of the rotating member 80.

[0139] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may continuously perform floor cleaning by replacing the contaminated first cleaning cloth 911 with a new second cleaning cloth 921 through a process of moving the rotating member 80 upward and then downward again under the control of the controller 510 .

[0140] According to an embodiment, the method of operating the robot cleaner 1 may include determining whether cleaning is completed (S1550). In an embodiment, before the cleaning cloth (e.g. Figure 7 In the case where the contamination degree of the first cleaning cloth 911) is lower than a predetermined degree (S1520), the controller 510 can determine whether the cleaning has been completed. In an embodiment, after completing the operation S1540 of automatically replacing the cleaning member 90, the controller 510 can determine whether the cleaning has been completed. In the case where the controller 510 determines that the cleaning has not been completed, the controller 510 can return to operation S1510. After completing the predetermined cleaning plan, the controller 510 can determine that all cleaning processes have been completed and terminate the operation. According to an embodiment, the process of determining whether the cleaning has been completed can be performed between each process.

[0141] Fig.16 is a flowchart illustrating a cleaning cloth replacement process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0142] In the following, according to an embodiment, a schematic flowchart of the operation process of the robot cleaner automatically replacing the cleaning cloth is described. Figures 1 to 14 The robot cleaner 1 described above performs the operation. According to an embodiment, Fig.16 The operations disclosed in may also be performed by a robot cleaner having some configurations different from the above-described robot cleaner 1 .

[0143] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 may move the rotating member 80 upward under the control of the controller 510 (S1610). Figures 6 to 14 As described, the controller 510 may control the motor of the cleaning driver 70 to rotate the rotating member 80 in a specific direction (eg, the first rotating direction ①) to move the rotating member 80 upward.

[0144] According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 80 moves upward, the first cleaning member 91 can be separated from the first sub-connector 841 (S1620). Even if the rotating member 80 moves upward, the first cleaning member 91 can be caught by the locking rib 63 of the housing 60 so that the connection can be released.

[0145] According to an embodiment, the second cleaning member 92 can be separated from the second sub-connector 842 (S1630). Even if the rotating member 80 moves upward, the movement of the second cleaning member 92 can be fixed by the locking claw 64 provided at the upper side of the interior of the accommodating shell 60, so that the connection member can be released from the second sub-connector 842. Operation S1630 can be performed substantially simultaneously with operation S1620, and operation S1630 can be performed before operation S1620.

[0146] According to an embodiment, the second cleaning member 92 may be coupled to the first sub-coupling 841. The second cleaning member 92 may be moved to the first portion 84a of the rotating member 80 by being coupled to the first sub-coupling 841.

[0147] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 can move the rotating member 80 downward under the control of the controller 510 (S1650). For example, the controller 510 can move the rotating member 80 downward by rotating the rotating member 80 in a direction (e.g., a second rotating direction ②) opposite to the above-mentioned specific direction (e.g., a first rotating direction ①). The second cleaning member 92 can also move downward along the downward movement of the rotating member 80. The second cleaning member 92 moving downward can contact the floor surface. The second cleaning member 92 moving downward can be located outside the accommodating shell 60.

[0148] Figures 17 to 19 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment.

[0149] Fig.17 The robot cleaner 1700 shown in FIG. 1 may have the same Figure 7 The robot cleaner 1 described above has substantially the same or similar configuration except for the configuration related to the coupling method between the rotating member and the cleaning member coupling. Fig.17 In, with Figure 7 Reference numerals identical or similar to those in Figure 7 The same or similar components shown in FIG. 1 are shown in FIG. 1 and their redundant detailed description will be omitted.

[0150] According to an embodiment, the rotating member 1710 may include a cleaning member coupling 1711a. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the cleaning member coupling 1711a may be a magnetic material. In an embodiment, the cleaning member coupling 1711a may be disposed inside the rotating member 1710, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In an embodiment, the cleaning member coupling 1711a may form a portion of the surface of the central portion 1711 of the rotating member 1710. According to an embodiment, one cleaning member coupling 1711a may be coupled to a first coupling 1721c or a second coupling 1722c of each of two or more cleaning members 1720. Alternatively, for example, a plurality of cleaning member coupling units 1711a may be disposed within the rotating member 1710 to couple to couplings 1721c and 1722c of respective corresponding cleaning members.

[0151] According to an embodiment, the cleaning member 1720 may include a first cleaning member 1721 or a second cleaning member 1722. According to an embodiment, the first cleaning member 1721 may include a first coupling member 1721c. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the first coupling member 1721c may be a magnetic material. In an embodiment, the first coupling member 1721c may be disposed on the first rib 1721b of the first support plate 1721a. For example, the first coupling member 1721c may be magnetically coupled to the cleaning member coupling member 1711a.

[0152] According to an embodiment, the second cleaning member 1722 may include a second coupling member 1722c. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the second coupling member 1722c may be a magnetic material. In an embodiment, the second coupling member 1722c may be disposed on the second rib 1722b of the second support plate 1722a. For example, the second coupling member 1722c may be magnetically coupled to the cleaning member coupling member 1711a.

[0153] According to an embodiment, when the rotating member 1710 moves upward, the upward movement of the first cleaning member 1721 may be partially restricted. According to an embodiment, the locking rib 63 of the housing 60 may restrict the first cleaning member 1721 from moving upward together with the rotating member 80. For example, the first cleaning member 1721 may release the connection with the cleaning member coupling 1711a by the restriction of the upward movement. The first cleaning member 1721, which has released the connection with the cleaning member coupling 1711a, may be separated from the robot cleaner 1700.

[0154] According to an embodiment, the rotating member 1710 may move upward. When the rotating member 1710 moves upward, the upward movement of the second cleaning member 1722 may be partially restricted by the locking claw 64 of the housing housing 60. The second cleaning member 1722 whose movement is partially restricted may move to a position before the first cleaning member 1721 is separated.

[0155] According to an embodiment, the rotating member 1710 can move downward. For example, the rotating member 1710 can move downward in the direction toward the floor surface. When the rotating member 1710 moves downward, the second cleaning member 1722 connected to the lower end of the rotating member 1710 can also move downward together. In this way, the second cleaning member 1722 can be located at the position where the current first cleaning member 1721 was located. The second cleaning member 1722 can be moved to the outside of the accommodating shell 60 by the downward movement of the rotating member 1710. In other words, the second cleaning member 1722 can be located below the locking rib 63 of the accommodating shell 60. One surface of the second cleaning member 1722 that moves downward with the rotating member 1710 can contact the floor surface.

[0156] Throughout the disclosure and its related drawings, the robot cleaner has been described and illustrated based on the arrangement that the robot cleaner has a pair of cleaning drives, a pair of rotating shaft members corresponding to the cleaning drives, a pair of accommodating shells, and a pair of rotating members, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In an embodiment, the robot cleaner may include a greater number of cleaning drives, rotating shaft members corresponding to the cleaning drives, accommodating shells, and / or rotating members. In an embodiment, the robot cleaner may include a smaller number of cleaning drives, rotating shaft members corresponding to the cleaning drives, accommodating shells, and / or rotating members.

[0157] Although the above disclosure mainly describes an arrangement in which two cleaning members are coupled to each rotating member, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In an embodiment, a greater number of cleaning members may be coupled to each rotating member of the robot cleaner.

[0158] The terms used in the present disclosure are only used to describe specific embodiments, rather than being intended to limit the present disclosure thereto. For example, parts expressed in singular form should be understood as including the concept of multiple parts, unless the context explicitly stipulates only this singular form. As used herein, each wording in the wordings such as "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C" and "at least one of A, B or C" may include any one of the items listed together with the corresponding wording in the wording, or all possible combinations thereof. In addition, it should be understood that the term "and / or" used herein includes any and all possible combinations of one or more listed items. Terms such as "including", "comprising", "having / having" and "consisting of..." used in the present disclosure are only intended to list the existence of features, components, parts or combinations thereof described in the present disclosure, rather than being intended to exclude the possibility of the existence or addition of one or more other features, components, parts or combinations thereof by using these terms. Terms such as “the first,” “the second,” or “first” or “second” may be used only to distinguish a corresponding component from another corresponding component, and do not limit the corresponding component in other aspects (eg, importance or order).

[0159] As used in the present disclosure, the expression "configured to ..." may be used interchangeably with, for example, "adapted to ...", "capable of ...", "modified to ...", "manufactured to ...", "capable of ...", etc., depending on the context. The term "configured to ..." does not necessarily mean "specifically designed to ..." in hardware. On the contrary, in some cases, the expression "the device is configured to ..." may mean that the device "is able to ..." together with another device or component. For example, the phrase "a device configured to perform A, B, and C" may mean a dedicated device for performing the corresponding operation, or a general-purpose device capable of performing various operations including the corresponding operation.

[0160] Meanwhile, the terms “up”, “down”, and “forward / rearward directions” used in the present disclosure are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by the terms.

[0161] Although the above description in the present disclosure has been made based on specific embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the present disclosure includes any one and all of various modifications, equivalents and / or substitutes of the various embodiments.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner (1), comprising: Motor (581, 582); A rotating shaft member (71); as well as a rotating member, coupled to the rotating shaft member (80, 1710), comprising a cleaning member coupling (84, 1711a), the cleaning member coupling being configured to be detachably coupled to a plurality of cleaning members (90, 91, 92, 1720, 1721, 1722), wherein the motor, the rotating shaft component and the rotating component are configured such that the motor can drive the rotating shaft component to rotate, thereby causing the rotating component to move in a first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft component (71), and causing at least one cleaning component (90, 91, 92, 1720, 1721, 1722) of the plurality of cleaning components to be detached from the cleaning component connecting member (84) and thereby released when the rotating component (80, 1710) moves in the first direction.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: As the rotating shaft member (71) rotates in a first rotating direction, the rotating member (80, 1710) moves in the first direction while rotating in the first rotating direction. When the rotating shaft member (71) rotates in a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction, the rotating member and the cleaning member coupling (80, 1710) rotate in the second rotating direction (84), and When the rotating shaft member (71) rotates in the second rotating direction while the rotating member (80, 1710) moves in the first direction, the rotating member (80, 1710) moves in the second direction while rotating in the second rotating direction.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: The cleaning member coupling (84) and the plurality of cleaning members each include one or more magnetic bodies (1711a) configured to enable the cleaning member coupling to be magnetically coupled to each of the plurality of cleaning members (1721, 1722).

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of cleaning members respectively include a plurality of uneven (concavoconvex) coupling structures, and the cleaning member coupling piece (84) includes a plurality of protrusions (841, 842) that can be coupled to the plurality of cleaning members by respectively engaging with the plurality of uneven (concavoconvex) coupling structures.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising: A accommodating shell (60) comprises an upper surface (61) and a second locking portion (651), wherein the upper surface (61) is arranged above the rotating member (80, 1710) and the plurality of cleaning members (90) along the first direction, and the second locking portion (651) is configured to engage and connect with the first locking portion (831) of the rotating member (80, 1710) as the rotating member (80, 1710) rotates in the first direction, and to be released from the first locking portion of the rotating member (80, 1710) to which it is connected as the rotating member (80, 1710) rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 5, wherein: The housing comprises: a side surface (62) which, together with the upper surface (61), defines an internal space for accommodating at least a portion of the rotating member (80, 1710) or at least one cleaning member (92) among the plurality of cleaning members (90); a locking rib (63) extending from a lower end of the side surface (62) parallel to the upper surface, In a case where the rotating member (80, 1710) is connected to the plurality of cleaning members by the cleaning member coupling (84, 1711a) and one or more cleaning members (92) of the plurality of cleaning members are accommodated in the internal space and one or more cleaning members of the plurality of cleaning members are moved in the first direction in a state where the cleaning members outside the internal space are at least partially disassembled by the resistance of the locking rib and thereby released from the cleaning member coupling (84); and thereafter, and When the rotating member (80) moves in the second direction, a cleaning member (92) adjacent to the locking rib (63) among one or more cleaning members accommodated in the internal space is moved out of the internal space while being connected to the cleaning member connecting piece (84).

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 5, wherein: The first locking portion (831) and the second locking portion (651) have inclined structures corresponding to each other, wherein the coupling of the first locking portion (831) and the second locking portion (651) is performed by coupling between the inclined structures, and With the first locking portion (831) and the second locking portion (651) coupled to each other, the rotating member (80) moves in the first direction.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 5, wherein: The first locking portion (831) comprises: a first opening (831a) through which a portion of the second locking portion (651) can be inserted; a first inclined portion (831c) adjacent to the first opening (831a) to guide insertion of the portion of the second locking portion (651), and Wherein, the first inclined portion (831c) is inclined downward in the direction in which the portion of the second locking portion (651) is inserted.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 5, wherein: The second locking portion (651) comprises: a second opening (651a) through which a portion of the first locking portion (831) can be inserted, a second inclined portion (651c) adjacent to the second opening (651a) to guide insertion of the portion of the first locking portion (831), and Wherein, the second inclined portion (651c) is inclined upward in the direction in which the portion of the first locking portion (831) is inserted.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 5, wherein: As the rotating member (80) rotates in the first rotating direction, the first locking portion (831) and the second locking portion (651) are coupled to each other, and Wherein, as the rotating member (80) rotates in the second rotating direction, the connection between the first locking portion (831) and the second locking portion (651) is released.

11. A method of controlling the operation of a robotic cleaner, the robotic cleaner comprising: Motor (581, 582); as well as A rotating member (80, 1710) configured to be detachably connected to a first cleaning member (91, 1721) and a second cleaning member (92, 1722), wherein the first cleaning member is movable in a first direction perpendicular to a floor surface or in a second direction opposite to the first direction according to the rotation direction of the motor (581, 582), the first cleaning member being arranged in contact with the floor surface, and the second cleaning member being arranged to be stacked above the first cleaning member (91, 1721) so as not to be in contact with the floor surface; The method comprises: Determining whether the first cleaning member (91, 1721) needs to be replaced; When it is determined that the first cleaning member (91, 1721) needs to be replaced, rotating the motor (581, 582) to move the rotating member (80, 1710) in the first direction; and After the first cleaning member (91, 1721) is detached from the rotating member (80, 1710), the motor (581, 582) is rotated to move the rotating member (80, 1710) in the second direction.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: Determining whether the first cleaning member (91, 1721) needs to be replaced is based on determining whether the duration of performing cleaning of the floor surface using the first cleaning member (91, 1721) exceeds a reference time.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The rotating member (80, 1710) rotates in a first rotating direction or a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction based on the rotating direction of the motor (581, 582); Wherein, when the rotating member (80, 1710) rotates in the first rotating direction, the rotating member can move in the first direction.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: When the rotating member rotates in the second rotation direction while the rotating member moves in the first direction, the rotating member (80, 1710) can move in the second direction.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: In the case where it is determined that the first cleaning member (91, 1721) needs to be replaced, the robot cleaner is controlled to travel to a predetermined position.

Images