Cleaning robot and method for controlling cleaning robot

Abstract

A cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a rotary motor; a rotating member rotated by driving of the rotating motor, the rotating member having a first surface disposed adjacent to the mopping cloth and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the rotating member having an opening extending through the first surface and the second surface; and a mopping cloth coupling member disposed on the second surface of the rotating member, the mopping cloth coupling member having a mopping cloth attachment portion inserted into the opening of the rotating member and detachably coupled to a mopping cloth abutting the first surface. The rotating member and the mopping cloth coupling member may be configured in such a manner that if the mopping cloth coupling portion is inserted into the opening and detachably coupled to a mopping cloth abutting the first surface, and if the rotating member is rotated in a first state, the mopping cloth coupling portion remains coupled to the mopping cloth; and if the mopping cloth coupling portion is inserted into the opening and detachably coupled to a mopping cloth abutting the first surface, and if the rotating member is rotated in the second state, the mopping cloth coupling portion is separated from the mopping cloth and the mopping cloth is detached from the mopping cloth coupling portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a robot cleaner capable of attaching and detaching a floor cloth 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 operation. Generally, the robot cleaner can perform operations of sucking in foreign matter such as, for example, dust accumulated on a surface to be cleaned (e.g., a floor surface) or wiping foreign matter such as, for example, dirt attached to a surface to be cleaned with a floor cloth. In such a robot cleaner, a robot cleaner is used in which a floor cloth (or a damp cloth) is attached to one end of the robot cleaner, and the floor cloth rotates to wipe foreign matter attached to the surface to be cleaned.

[0003] Generally, as cleaning proceeds, a floor cloth attached to the robot cleaner may become increasingly contaminated, and thus, a user thereof must replace the contaminated floor cloth attached to the robot cleaner with a new one in order to continue effective cleaning. Summary of the invention

[0004] Technical issues

[0005] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may have a detachable structure for mounting or detaching a floor cloth for cleaning, thereby providing a robot cleaner capable of performing automatic replacement of a floor cloth without user intervention.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a robot cleaner may include a rotary motor. The robot cleaner may include a rotary member that can be rotated by the drive of the rotary motor and has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and an opening that passes through the rotary member and penetrates the first surface and the second surface. The robot cleaner may include a floor cloth coupling member that is disposed on the second surface and has a floor cloth attachment unit that can be inserted into the opening to be detachably coupled to a floor cloth in contact with the first surface. The rotary member and the floor cloth coupling member may be configured such that when the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening and detachably coupled to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface, and the rotary member rotates in a first state, the floor cloth attachment unit remains coupled to the floor cloth, and when the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening and detachably coupled to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface, and the rotary member rotates in a second state, the floor cloth attachment unit may leave the opening so that the floor cloth is detached from the floor cloth attachment unit.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotating member may be configured to rotate in the second direction in the second state to detach the floor cloth from the floor cloth attachment unit. The rotating member may include a first inclined portion, which extends upwardly from an inner position of the opening toward the second surface along the second direction at one side of the opening. The floor cloth attachment unit may include a second inclined portion, which faces the first inclined portion above the first inclined portion when the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening. When the rotating member rotates in the second direction in the second state, the second inclined portion of the floor cloth attachment unit may rise along the first inclined portion of the rotating member to leave the opening.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotating member may be configured to rotate in a second direction in the second state to remove the floor cloth from the floor cloth attachment unit, and may be configured to rotate in a first direction opposite to the second direction in the first state to clean the floor surface. The rotating member may include a first reverse inclined portion, which extends downward from the second surface toward the outside of the opening along the first direction at one side of the opening. When the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening, the floor cloth attachment unit may include a second reverse inclined portion, which faces the first reverse inclined portion below the first reverse inclined portion. When the rotating member rotates in the first direction in the first state, the first reverse inclined portion and the second reverse inclined portion may engage with each other.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner may include a stopper configured to restrict rotation of the floor cloth coupling member when the stopper is coupled to the floor cloth coupling member. The floor cloth coupling member may have a stopper coupling portion that can be coupled with the stopper.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first state may be a state in which the stopper is released from the stopper coupling portion, and the second state may be a state in which the stopper is coupled to the stopper coupling portion to restrict rotation of the floor cloth coupling member.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner may further include a lifting motor configured to move the rotating member in an axial direction. When the lifting motor drives the rotating member to move toward the stopper so that the stopper is coupled to the stopper coupling portion, the second state may occur.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner may further include a stopper moving unit configured to move the stopper toward or away from the stopper coupling portion. When the stopper moving unit drives the stopper to move toward the stopper coupling portion to be coupled to the stopper coupling portion, the second state may occur.

[0013] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the stopper may have an insertion portion that can be inserted into the stopper coupling portion from an upper side of the floor cloth coupling member along a third direction. The insertion portion may be configured to have at least one inclined surface inclined relative to the third direction.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the stopper may have an insertion portion that can be inserted into the stopper coupling portion from the upper side of the second surface of the floor cloth coupling member along the third direction at one end of the insertion portion. The stopper may have an elastic member provided at the other end of the insertion portion.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rotary motor and the rotary member may be connected via a rotary shaft member, and the rotary shaft member may be provided to penetrate the floor cloth coupling member.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a robot cleaner may include a rotating member that is rotatable and has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and an opening that passes through the rotating member and penetrates the first surface and the second surface. The robot cleaner also includes a floor cloth connecting member that is disposed on the second surface and has a floor cloth attachment unit that can be inserted into the opening to be detachably connected to a floor cloth in contact with the first surface. The robot cleaner also includes a stopper that can be connected to the floor cloth connecting member and is configured to limit the rotation of the floor cloth connecting member when the stopper is connected to the floor cloth connecting member. The rotating member, the floor cloth connecting member and the stopper are configured so that: (a) when the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening and detachably connected to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface, and the rotating member rotates in a first state in which the stopper is disconnected from the floor cloth connecting member, the floor cloth attachment unit remains connected to the floor cloth, and (b) when the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening and detachably connected to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface, and the rotating member rotates in a second state in which the stopper is connected to the floor cloth connecting member, the floor cloth attachment unit leaves the opening so that the floor cloth is removed from the floor cloth attachment unit.

[0017] The control method of the robot cleaner may include, in a case where the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening and detachably coupled to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface, determining whether the floor cloth needs to be replaced. Based on determining that the floor cloth needs to be replaced, the method may include coupling the stopper to the floor cloth coupling member. The method may include, in a case where the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening and detachably coupled to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface and the stopper is coupled to the floor cloth coupling member, rotating the rotating member in the second state so that the floor cloth attachment unit leaves the opening and the floor cloth is removed from the floor cloth attachment unit.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner may include a lifting motor configured to move the rotating member along an axial direction, and the method may include connecting the stopper to the floor cloth connecting member, connecting the stopper to the floor cloth connecting member including moving the rotating member toward the stopper by driving the lifting motor.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner may further include a stopper moving unit configured to move the stopper in a direction toward or away from the floor cloth connecting member. Connecting the stopper to the floor cloth connecting member may include moving the stopper toward the stopper connecting portion by the stopper moving unit.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may include rotating the rotating member in the second state, and then determining whether a new floor cloth needs to be attached to the floor cloth attachment unit. The method may include: when it is determined that a new floor cloth needs to be attached to the floor cloth attachment unit, in a state where the stopper is coupled to the floor cloth coupling member, rotating the rotating member in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of rotating the rotating member to detach the floor cloth from the floor cloth attachment unit. The method may also include decoupling the stopper from the floor cloth coupling member.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may include determining whether to perform floor cleaning. The method may also include: based on determining that floor cleaning is to be performed, rotating the rotating member in the first state where the stopper is decoupled from the floor cloth coupling member, the floor cloth attachment unit is inserted into the opening and detachably coupled to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner can automatically replace the floor cloth by itself without requiring the user to replace the floor cloth, thereby improving the convenience of use. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner can be operated to remove the currently installed floor cloth at a location specified by the user (for example, near a bathroom or laundry room), and then enter the docking station to install a new floor cloth to replace the used floor cloth, thereby improving the convenience of the user. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot cleaner can independently enter the docking station to automatically replace the floor cloth at the docking station, thereby being able to further enhance the convenience of the user.

[0023] The technical problems to be achieved in the present disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art may derive other technical challenges not mentioned herein from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] A person skilled in the art to which the embodiments of the present invention belong can clearly derive and understand the effects that can be obtained by the exemplary embodiments of the present invention from the following description. That is, a person skilled in the art can clearly derive any unexpected effects of the exemplary embodiments according to the implementation of the present invention from the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 is a view for explaining an internal configuration of a main body of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 3 is a bottom view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 4 is a functional block diagram for explaining the relationship between components based on the control and operation of the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a floor cloth unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 6a is an exploded perspective view of a floor cloth unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the top;

[0031] Figure 6b is an exploded perspective view of a floor cloth unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the bottom;

[0032] Figure 7 It is along Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary robotic cleaner taken along line AA shown in FIG.

[0033] Figure 8 It is used to explain Figure 7 A partial perspective view of the interference relationship between the floor cloth attachment unit and the stopper shown in FIG.

[0034] Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Fig.10 It is used to explain Fig. 9 A partial perspective view of the interference relationship between the floor cloth attachment unit and the stopper shown in FIG.

[0036] Fig.11 is a view for explaining a floor cloth installation state of the robot cleaner in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Fig.12 is a view for explaining an attachment / detachment state of a floor cloth of the robot cleaner in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Fig.13 is a control flow chart illustrating a method of controlling the operation of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Fig.14 is a control flow chart for explaining a floor cloth replacement process of a robot cleaner in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Fig.15 is an operational flowchart for explaining a floor cloth replacement process of a robot cleaner in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Fig.16 are exemplary views illustrating a process of attaching and detaching a floor cloth of a robot cleaner at a predetermined position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0042] Fig.17 2 is an exemplary view illustrating a process of attaching and detaching a floor cloth of a robot cleaner in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in such a detailed manner with reference to the accompanying drawings that a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement the disclosed invention. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in several different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In conjunction with the description of the accompanying drawings, throughout the specification and the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for the same or similar components. In addition, in the accompanying drawings and their related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for the sake of clarity and brevity.

[0044] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a view for explaining an internal configuration of a main body of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a bottom view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Reference Figures 1 to 3In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may be in a state where a floor cloth P (e.g., a wet floor cloth or a dry floor cloth) that can contact a surface to be cleaned (e.g., a floor surface) is installed in a floor cloth unit 140 positioned at a lower portion. The robot cleaner 100 may perform cleaning (or wiping with a floor cloth) to remove foreign matter attached to the surface to be cleaned using the floor cloth P installed on the floor cloth unit 140. For example, the robot cleaner 100 may rotate the floor cloth P during use, and use the friction between the floor cloth P and the floor surface generated by the rotation of the floor cloth P to remove foreign matter attached to the floor surface. The robot cleaner 100 may replace the contaminated floor cloth P installed on the floor cloth unit 140 by itself. Hereinafter, the attachment / detachment operation and structure of the floor cloth P of the robot cleaner 100 will be described later.

[0046] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a main body 110 , a control panel 120 , a traveling unit 130 , a floor cloth unit 140 , a battery 150 , a driving unit 160 , and a liquid container 170 .

[0047] According to an embodiment, the main body 110 may form a basic appearance of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, the main body 110 may include a cleaner body 111 and a cleaner cover 112. In an embodiment, while the robot cleaner 100 is driven to clean, the cleaner body 111 may form an appearance of a lower part disposed adjacent to a floor surface (or a surface to be cleaned) and a side part extending upward from a corner of the lower part to form a side of the robot cleaner 100. Although not specifically shown, according to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a bumper capable of mitigating any external impact on the side of the cleaner body 111.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the power button 113 may be provided on one side of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, the power button 113 may be turned on / off by a user to turn on / off the power of the robot cleaner 100. For example, the power button 113 may be implemented by a button switch, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the cleaner body 111 may be formed to open its uppermost side. In an embodiment, an internal space in which various components for operating the robot cleaner 100 (eg, the driving unit 160 or the liquid container 170 ) are disposed may be formed inside the cleaner body 111 .

[0050] According to an embodiment, the cleaner cover 112 may form an upper exterior appearance of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, the cleaner cover 112 may be coupled to the uppermost side of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, the cleaner cover 112 may be configured to cover an opening of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, the cleaner cover 112 may be detachably coupled to the cleaner body 111. After removing the cleaner cover 112, a user may access components inside the main body 110 through an opening in an upper portion of the cleaner body 111. According to an embodiment, the cleaner body 111 and the cleaner cover 112 may be integrally formed.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the control panel 120 may be provided in an upper portion of the robot cleaner 100. For example, the control panel 120 may be provided on an upper surface of the cleaner cover 112.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the control panel 120 may receive various instructions / commands related to the operation of the robot cleaner 100 from the user. In an embodiment, the control panel 120 may include an input device (e.g., a button, a switch, or a touch panel). In this document, the robot cleaner 100 may receive commands related to various operations of the robot cleaner 100 (e.g., start / stop cleaning, or change cleaning mode) from the user via the control panel 120. In an embodiment, the control panel 120 may include a signal input device for receiving various commands in the form of infrared signals input from the user via an external remote controller, and the present disclosure is not limited to any particular form.

[0053] According to an embodiment, the control panel 120 may provide the user with a current state related to the operation of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, the control panel 120 may include a display device such as a display. In this regard, the robot cleaner 100 may visually send information about the current state of the robot cleaner 100 (e.g., the current cleaning mode or battery status) to the user via the display device. In an embodiment, the control panel 120 may be provided integrally with an input device or a display device, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the traveling unit 130 may be provided on a bottom surface of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, the traveling unit 130 may be configured to enable the robot cleaner 100 to move freely. The robot cleaner 100 may freely travel through a cleaning space using the traveling unit 130.

[0055] According to an embodiment, the traveling unit 130 may include one or more wheels connected to the driving unit 160 to receive power for rotation. The traveling unit 130 may include, for example, a pair of main wheels (e.g., a first main wheel 131a and a second main wheel 131b). In an embodiment, the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b may be provided to maintain the balance of the robot cleaner 100. For example, the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b may be provided at two edges of the bottom surface of the cleaner body 111.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the traveling unit 130 may include a first sub-wheel 132 or a second sub-wheel 133. In an embodiment, the first sub-wheel 132 and the second sub-wheel 133 may be respectively disposed at a front side (e.g., F direction) and a rear side (e.g., R direction) in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b are disposed.

[0057] The traveling direction of the robot cleaner 100 may be determined according to how the movement of each of the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b is controlled. When the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b are controlled to have the same direction and speed, the robot cleaner 100 may move forward (e.g., in the F direction) or backward (e.g., in the R direction). For example, when the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b are controlled to have different directions and / or speeds, the robot cleaner 100 may change the moving direction corresponding to the preset direction and travel.

[0058] In an embodiment, each of the first sub-wheel 132 and the second sub-wheel 133 may be arranged so that the robot cleaner 100 maintains good balance when the robot cleaner 100 moves forward (e.g., in the F direction) or backward (e.g., in the R direction). The first sub-wheel 132 may be disposed in the front side (e.g., in the F direction) of the bottom surface of the cleaner body 111. The second sub-wheel 133 may be disposed at the rear side (e.g., in the R direction) of the bottom surface of the cleaner body 111.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the floor cloth unit 140 may be provided in the lowest part of the robot cleaner 100. For example, the floor cloth unit 140 may be provided on the bottom surface of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, the floor cloth unit 140 may be provided on the front side (e.g., in the F direction) of the bottom surface of the cleaner body 111, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. A floor cloth P (e.g., a wet floor cloth or a dry floor cloth) for wiping a surface to be cleaned (such as a floor surface) may be detachably coupled to the floor cloth unit 140.

[0060] In an embodiment, the floor cloth unit 140 may rotate clockwise or counterclockwise together with the floor cloth P mounted on the floor cloth unit 140. When the floor cloth unit 140 rotates together with the floor cloth P coupled thereto, friction may occur between the floor cloth P and the floor surface, and the robot cleaner 100 may remove foreign matter attached to the floor surface using the friction.

[0061] In an embodiment, the floor cloth unit 140 may be arranged in a height direction (or a direction perpendicular to the ground) of the robot cleaner 100 (eg Figure 1 Rise or fall within a predetermined range in the U direction or D direction).

[0062] In an embodiment, the floor cloth unit 140 may include a first floor cloth unit 140a or a second floor cloth unit 140b. The first floor cloth unit 140a and the second floor cloth unit 140b may be configured to correspond to each other in terms of their operation, structure, and shape.

[0063] In an embodiment, the floor cloth unit 140 (e.g., the first floor cloth unit 140a and the second floor cloth unit 140b) may include a rotating member (e.g., the first rotating member 141a or the second rotating member 141b) and a floor cloth connecting member (e.g., the floor cloth connecting member 142a and the second floor cloth connecting member 142b), respectively. Figure 3 , the rotating members 141a and 141b and the floor cloth connecting members 142a and 142b are shown as being covered by the floor cloth P connected to the corresponding floor cloth unit 140, and in order to better illustrate this arrangement, each of the rotating members 141a and 141b and the floor cloth connecting members 142a and 142b is shown in dotted lines.

[0064] In an embodiment, the first rotating member 141a and the second rotating member 141b may have a disk shape as a whole, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the diameter of the first rotating member 141a may be set to be substantially equal to or smaller than the diameter of the floor cloth P, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Likewise, the diameter of the second rotating member 141b may be set to be substantially equal to or smaller than the diameter of the floor cloth P, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0065] In an embodiment, one or more attachment members (eg, Figure 6b The attachment member 1424 provided in each of the first floor cloth connecting member 142a and the second floor cloth connecting member 142b may be provided in each of the first floor cloth connecting member 142a and the second floor cloth connecting member 142b. According to an embodiment, each of the attachment members 1424 provided in each of the first floor cloth connecting member 142a and the second floor cloth connecting member 142b may be provided through an opening (e.g. Figure 6a The opening 1411 of the first rotating member 141a and the second rotating member 141b contacts and is coupled to the floor cloth P disposed below the first rotating member 141a and the second rotating member 141b. Figure 4 The detailed structure of the floor cloth unit 140 is described in more detail in the following figures.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the battery 150 may be provided at the lower portion of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, the battery 150 may be provided in the bottom surface of the cleaner body 111 so as to be detachable from the lower side, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The battery 150 is electrically connected to the drive unit 160 and may supply power to the drive unit 160. The battery 150 may be a secondary battery of a rechargeable type, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the driving unit 160 may be disposed inside the main body 110 of the robot cleaner 100. For example, the driving unit 160 may be disposed in an internal accommodation space formed by the cleaner body 111. For example, the driving unit 160 may include a motor and / or an actuator, and may have a plurality of components for supplying power to each of the traveling unit 130 or the floor cloth unit 140. In an embodiment, the driving unit 160 may include a traveling driver 161, a rotating driver 162, or an up / down driver 163.

[0068] In an embodiment, the travel drive 161 may include a pair of travel drives 161a and 161b. Although not specifically shown, in an embodiment, each of the pair of travel drives 161a and 161b may include a configuration of a motor and an actuator, and may be connected to each of the travel units 130 (e.g., the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b) to provide the power required for moving the robot cleaner 100.

[0069] In an embodiment, the rotation driver 162 may include a pair of rotation drivers 162a and 162b. Although not explicitly shown, in an embodiment, each of the pair of rotation drivers 162a and 162b may include a configuration of a rotation motor and an actuator, and may be connected to each of the floor cloth units 140a and 140b to provide the power required to rotate the rotation members 141a and 141b of each floor cloth unit.

[0070] In an embodiment, the up / down driver 163 may be connected to the floor cloth unit 140 to provide the power required to raise and / or lower the floor cloth unit 140 in the height direction (or the direction perpendicular to the ground). Although not explicitly shown, the up / down driver 163 may include a lifting motor and an actuator.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the liquid container 170 can store a liquid, for example, for wet cleaning. The liquid stored in the liquid container 170 can be, for example, water, but the liquid is not limited thereto and can be a liquid material (such as, for example, soap or solvent for cleaning). The liquid container 170 can be detachably arranged in the accommodation space inside the cleaner body 111. The user can approach the liquid container 170 by separating the cleaner cover 112 from the vacuum cleaner body 11 to open the upper part of the vacuum cleaner body 111. According to an embodiment, the liquid container 170 may include a clamp 171. For example, the clamp 171 may be arranged to allow the user to clamp the liquid container when separating and transporting the liquid container 170.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a liquid dispenser 172. The liquid dispenser 172 may have one end in fluid communication with the liquid container 170 and the other end in fluid communication with the floor cloth unit 140 disposed in the lowest portion of the robot cleaner 100. For example, the liquid dispenser 172 may be a tube or a hose. The robot cleaner 100 may supply liquid (e.g., water) to the floor cloth P mounted on the floor cloth unit 140 through the liquid container 170 and / or the liquid dispenser 172.

[0073] Despite Figures 1 to 3 , but the robot cleaner 100 may include a controller (e.g., Figure 4 A controller 180) generates commands for controlling the operation of each component of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, reference will be made to Figure 4 The control and driving operations of the robot cleaner 100 based on the controller 180 are briefly described.

[0074] Figure 4 is a functional block diagram for explaining an operational relationship between components based on control and operation of the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a sensing unit 410. The sensing unit 410 may include a plurality of sensors or cameras for detecting the surrounding environment of the robot cleaner 100. The sensing unit 410 may include, for example, a plurality of cameras to capture images in various directions. The ranging sensor may include, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, and / or a rider sensor, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The sensing unit 410 may include, for example, a microphone or an infrared sensor for detecting the surrounding environment. According to an embodiment, the sensing unit 410 may detect the degree of contamination of each floor cloth in use that is connected to each floor cloth unit 140 of the robot cleaner 100, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0076] In one example, the robot cleaner 100 may include a communication unit 420 that supports sending signals to and receiving signals from the outside. In one example, the communication unit 420 can receive and / or send wired or wireless signals between an external wired or wireless communication system, an external server, and / or other devices according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. In one example, the communication unit 420 can send / receive data according to a specified wireless Internet communication protocol (such as, 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) or LTE-A (Advanced Long Term Evolution)). In one example, the communication unit 420 may transmit / receive data according to at least one short-range communication protocol such as, for example, Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, near field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi direct, wireless USB (universal serial bus), etc., for example. In one example, the communication unit 420 may receive a setting data signal input by a user from a user's mobile device in the form of a wireless signal according to a predetermined wireless communication protocol. In one example, the communication unit 420 may receive information and / or commands for controlling the operation of the robot cleaner 100 from an external server in the form of a signal according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. The communication unit 420 may transmit the received various signals to the controller 180 to be described later. In one example, the communication unit 420 may transmit various data generated or obtained in the robot cleaner 100 to, for example, a user's mobile device or an external server in the form of a wired / wireless signal according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol.

[0077] In one example, the communication unit 420 may include a module for acquiring the location of the robot cleaner 100, such as a global positioning system (GPS) module or a Wi-Fi module. When the robot cleaner 100 uses the GPS module, information about the location of the robot cleaner 100 may be received using a signal transmitted from a GPS satellite. When the robot cleaner 100 uses the Wi-Fi module, information about the location of the robot cleaner 100 may be received based on information about a wireless access point (AP) that transmits and receives wireless signals using the Wi-Fi module.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a memory 430. According to an embodiment, the memory 430 may store data for supporting various functions of the robot cleaner 100. The memory 430 may store, for example, a plurality of applications (applications) used in the robot cleaner 100, data for operating the robot cleaner 100 and / or instructions thereof. At least some of the applications may be downloaded from an external server via wireless communication. At least some of the applications may be stored in the memory 430 when it is transported for the basic functions of the robot cleaner 100. The application may be stored in the memory 430 and driven by the controller 180 to perform the operation (or function) of the robot cleaner 100. According to some embodiments, the memory 430 may be incorporated into a portion of the configuration of the controller 180. According to an embodiment, the memory 430 may store information for setting a drive path for the robot cleaner 100.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include an input unit 440. For example, the input unit 550 may receive information about the operation mode of the robot cleaner 100 from the user. The input unit 440 may include, for example, a keypad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static or capacitive), a jog wheel, a roller switch, a remote controller, etc. In addition, in addition to the above-mentioned input unit 440, the user may use a mobile device (such as, for example, a terminal) to input information about the operation mode of the robot cleaner 100.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a controller 180. According to an embodiment, the controller 180 may control the overall operation of the robot cleaner 100, for example, using a signal transmitted from the sensing unit 410, the communication unit 420, or the input unit 440. Although not shown in detail, the controller 180 may include one or more processors.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the controller 180 may include a command receiving unit 182. The command receiving unit 182 may receive a command related to driving input from the outside via the sensing unit 410, the communication unit 420, or the input unit 440. The command receiving unit 182 may receive a command from the user received from the above-mentioned power button 113 and / or the control panel 120. The command receiving unit 182 may receive various user instructions / commands, including an operation on / off instruction, a cleaning start / pause instruction, a cleaning mode setting instruction, etc.

[0082] In an embodiment, the controller 180 may include a floor cloth replacement determination unit 184 for determining whether the floor cloth coupled to the floor cloth unit 140 should be replaced during cleaning of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, the floor cloth replacement determination unit 184 may obtain, for example, a detection result of a contamination sensor (not shown) provided in the sensing unit 410, and then determine whether a new floor cloth needs to be replaced based on the obtained information. In an embodiment, the floor cloth replacement determination unit 184 may determine whether the floor cloth needs to be replaced based on a cleaning time that has passed after the current floor cloth is attached to the floor cloth unit 140. In an embodiment, the floor cloth replacement determination unit 184 may determine whether the floor cloth needs to be replaced based on a command received from the command receiving unit 182.

[0083] In an embodiment, the controller 180 may include a driving path calculation unit 186 for calculating a driving path of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, the driving path calculation unit 186 may calculate the driving path of the robot cleaner 100 based on a predetermined algorithm, detection results detected by various sensors provided in the sensing unit 410, and / or a user command received via the command receiving unit 182. In an embodiment, the driving path calculation unit 186 may calculate the driving path of the robot cleaner 100 in consideration of the detection result from at least one sensor provided in the sensing unit 410.

[0084] In an embodiment, when the floor cloth replacement determination unit 184 determines that the floor cloth needs to be replaced, the driving path calculation unit 186 may calculate a driving path for moving the robot cleaner 100 to a predetermined position. For example, when it is determined that the robot cleaner 100 needs to be replaced, the floor cloth replacement determination unit 184 may calculate a driving path for driving the robot cleaner 100 to the docking station 200.

[0085] In an embodiment, the controller 180 may include a driver control command unit 188. In an embodiment, the driver control command unit 188 may generate a control command for controlling each component of the driving unit 160 of the robot cleaner 100 (e.g., each motor and / or actuator of each driving unit) according to various commands received from a user or the outside through the command receiving unit 182, detection results detected by various sensors in the sensing unit 410 of the robot cleaner 100, and / or a driving path determined by the driving path calculation unit 186.

[0086] In an embodiment, each component of the driving unit 160 may operate according to a command generated by the driver control command unit 188. According to an embodiment, the driving unit 160 may include a travel driver 161 (e.g., Figure 2A travel drive 161), a rotation drive 162 (e.g., Figure 2 The rotation drive 162) and the up / down drive 163 (e.g., Figure 2 Up / down drive 163).

[0087] In an embodiment, the driving / movement of the robot cleaner 100 may be controlled according to a command generated by the driver control command unit 188. In an embodiment, each component of the driving unit (e.g., the travel driver 161) may operate to appropriately control the rotation direction and rotation speed of the first main wheel 131a and the second main wheel 131b according to the command generated by the driver control command unit 188, so that the robot cleaner 100 may effectively move in a desired direction.

[0088] In an embodiment, the rotation and / or up / down movement of the floor cloth unit 140 may be controlled according to a command generated by the driver control command unit 188. In an embodiment, the driver control command unit 188 may generate a control command for controlling each component (e.g., a motor and / or an actuator) of a driving unit (e.g., a rotation driver 162 or an up / down driver 163) based on a command received from a user through the command receiving unit 182 and / or a pre-stored algorithm so as to move the floor cloth unit 140.

[0089] In an embodiment, each component of the driving unit (e.g., the rotation driver 162) may be operated to appropriately adjust the rotation speed of each rotating member 141a and 141b of the floor cloth unit 140 according to the command generated by the driver control command unit 188. In this regard, the intensity of wiping with the damping floor cloth of the robot cleaner 100 may be adjusted. In an embodiment, each component of the driving unit (e.g., the up / down driver 163) may be adjusted so that the floor cloth unit 140 rises or falls in the height direction according to the command generated by the driver control command unit 188. In this case, the distance between the floor cloth unit 140 and the floor may be adjusted.

[0090] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a floor cloth unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6a is an exploded perspective view of a floor cloth unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the top. Figure 6b is an exploded perspective view of a floor cloth unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the bottom.

[0091] According to an embodiment, an attachment member PA such as, for example, Velcro or a magnet may be provided on one surface (for example, the upper surface) of the floor cloth P, and the floor cloth P may be detachably coupled to the floor cloth unit 140 through the attachment member PA. Figure 5 , Figure 6a and Figure 6b In an embodiment, the floor cloth unit 140 may include a rotating member 141 and a floor cloth coupling member 142 .

[0092] In an embodiment, the rotating member 141 may be driven by a rotating drive (e.g., Figure 2 The rotating member 141 may receive power from an up / down drive (e.g., a rotation driver 162) to cause rotation (e.g., clockwise rotation or counterclockwise rotation). Figure 2 In an embodiment, the rotating member 141 may receive power from the up / down driver 163 of the rotary member 141 to cause the rise or fall. In an embodiment, a hub 1414 connected to an axis (or a rotating axis) may be provided on an upper surface of the rotary member 141 to receive power from the driving unit 160. In an embodiment, the hub 1414 may be integrally formed with an axis (or a rotating axis) operably connected to the rotary driver 162 and / or the up / down driver 163, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In an embodiment, the rotary member 141 may transmit the power of the rotary driver 162 and / or the up / down driver 163 transmitted through the axis to the floor cloth P and / or the floor cloth connecting member 142. In this case, the floor cloth P and / or the floor cloth connecting member 142 may rotate together with the rotary member 141, or may cause the rise or fall.

[0093] According to an embodiment, the rotating member 141 may be disposed above the floor cloth P. In an embodiment, the rotating member 141 may have a first surface 141s1 disposed to contact the floor cloth P and a second surface 141s2 opposite to the first surface 141s1. The first surface 141s1 may be referred to as a lower surface of the rotating member 141, and the second surface 141s2 may be referred to as an upper surface of the rotating member 141.

[0094] According to an embodiment, one or more openings 1411 may be provided in the rotating member 141. In an embodiment, the opening 1411 may be formed to pass through the rotating member 141. The opening 1411 may be formed to penetrate, for example, the first surface 141s1 and the second surface 141s2 of the rotating member 141. In an embodiment, the rotating member 141 may allow the floor cloth P on the lower surface side and the floor cloth connecting member 142 on the upper surface side to be connected through the opening 1411. In an embodiment, the opening 1411 may extend along the circumferential edge of the rotating member 141. In an embodiment, a plurality of openings 1411 may be provided. In an embodiment, the plurality of openings 1411 may be provided to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals along the circumference of the rotating member 141. The opening 1411 may be referred to as an attachment / detachment slot or hole.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be provided on the rotating member 141. For example, the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be provided on one side of the second surface 141s2 of the rotating member 141. In an embodiment, the total height (or thickness) of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be substantially greater than the height (or thickness) of the rotating member 141, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0096] According to an embodiment, a floor cloth attachment unit 1421 that can be detachably coupled to the floor cloth P may be provided in the floor cloth coupling member 142. In an embodiment, the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 may be inserted into the opening 1411 of the rotating member 141 to be detachably coupled to the floor cloth P. In an embodiment, the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 may be formed to protrude downward from one surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the floor cloth coupling member 142.

[0097] In an embodiment, the floor cloth attachment units 1421 may be provided in a number corresponding to the above-mentioned plurality of openings 1411. In an embodiment, the plurality of floor cloth attachment units 1421 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the floor cloth connecting member 142. For example, each of the plurality of floor cloth attachment units 1421 may be formed to protrude from the bottom surface of the floor cloth connecting member 142 toward each of the plurality of openings 1411 of the corresponding rotating member 141. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of floor cloth attachment units 1421 may be formed in a shape corresponding to each of the plurality of openings 1411 of the rotating member 141. When the floor cloth P is mounted on the robot cleaner 100, each of the plurality of floor cloth attachment units 1421 may be inserted into and accommodated in each of the plurality of openings 1411.

[0098] Reference Figure 6a In an embodiment, each opening 1411 of the rotating member 141 may include a first inclined portion 1412, and when the floor cloth P of the robot cleaner 100 is detached, the first inclined portion 1412 guides so that the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 inserted into each opening 1411 rises from the opening 1411 and leaves the opening 1411. In an embodiment, the first inclined portion 1412 may be formed on one side of the opening 1411 extending in the circumferential direction of the rotating member 141, for example, one end close to the opening 1411 in the circumferential direction of the rotating member 141. In an embodiment, the first inclined portion 1412 may be formed to extend upward from an inner position of the opening 1411 (for example, a position closer to the inner empty space than one end of the opening 1411 in the circumferential direction) toward the second surface 141s2. For example, referring to Figure 6a, the first inclined portion 1412 may be located near the downstream end of each opening 1411 in the clockwise direction (when viewed from the top). Figure 6a The first inclined portion 1412 can be formed to extend upward from the lower portion of the first inclined portion 1412 (for example, the lowest position recessed from the second surface 141s2 toward the first surface 141s1) toward the end of the second surface 141s2 at a position more inward than the corresponding end of the opening 1411 upstream of the opening 1411 in the clockwise direction (when viewed from the top).

[0099] Reference Figure 6b In an embodiment, when the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 is inserted into the corresponding opening 1411, each floor cloth attachment unit 1421 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may include a second inclined portion 1422 disposed to face the first inclined portion 1412 above the first inclined portion 1412 of the opening 1411. Figure 6b In an embodiment, the second inclined portion 1422 may be located at one side of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421, for example, near the upstream end of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 in a clockwise direction (when viewed from the bottom side). Figure 6b The second inclined portion 1422 can be formed to extend upward from a position that protrudes further downstream than the corresponding end of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 in the clockwise direction (when viewed from the bottom side) toward the bottom surface of the floor cloth connecting member 142 located above.

[0100] Reference Figure 6b In an embodiment, each opening 1411 of the rotating member 141 may include a first reverse inclined portion 1413 for strengthening the connection between the rotating member 141 and the floor cloth connecting member 142 during the cleaning operation of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, the first reverse inclined portion 1413 may be formed on one side of the opening 1411 extending along the circumferential direction of the rotating member 141, for example, near the opposite end of the end where the first inclined portion 1412 is formed. In an embodiment, the first reverse inclined portion 1413 may be formed to extend downward from the second surface 141s2 of the end of the opening 1411 toward an outer position of the opening 1411 (for example, an outer position away from the empty space in the opening 1411 along the circumferential direction). For example, referring to Figure 6b , the first reverse inclined portion 1413 may be located near the downstream end of each opening 1411 in the clockwise direction (when viewed from the bottom). Figure 6b, the first reverse inclined portion 1413 may be formed to extend downward from the second surface 141s2 near the end of each opening 1411 toward an outer position further downstream of the corresponding end of the opening 1411 in the clockwise direction (when viewed from the bottom).

[0101] According to an embodiment, each of the floor cloth attachment units 1421 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may include a second reverse inclined portion 1423 for reinforcing the coupling between the rotating member 141 and the floor cloth coupling member 142 during a cleaning operation of the robot cleaner 100. Figure 6b In an embodiment, when the rotating member 141 and the floor cloth coupling member 142 rotate in a state where the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 is inserted into the corresponding opening 1411, the second reverse inclined portion 1423 may be disposed to face the first reverse inclined portion 1413 below the first reverse inclined portion 1413 of the opening 1411. Figure 6b In an embodiment, the second reverse inclined portion 1423 may be provided on one side of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421, for example, close to an opposite end of an end portion where the second inclined portion 1422 is provided. Figure 6b In an embodiment, the second reverse inclined portion 1423 may be formed at a position at the end of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421, extending downward from the bottom surface of the floor cloth connecting member 1421 toward a position protruding downward downstream in a clockwise direction (when viewed from the bottom).

[0102] In an embodiment, when the robot cleaner 100 cleans the floor surface (e.g., when the floor cloth unit 140 rotates in a regular direction), the second reverse inclined portion 1423 of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 and the first reverse inclined portion 1413 of the rotating member 141 may engage with each other and be in close contact with each other. Therefore, the force (e.g., vertical force) acting in the direction of the bottom surface to be cleaned, that is, the force transmitted from the driving unit 160 to the rotating member 141 through the shaft, may be transmitted to the floor cloth coupling member 142 and the rotating member 141, respectively. Due to this force, a certain pressure may be applied to the bottom surface by the floor cloth P while the robot cleaner 100 performs cleaning, so that the friction between the floor cloth P and the cleaning surface may be increased, thereby enhancing the cleaning performance of the robot cleaner 100.

[0103] According to an embodiment, an attachment member 1424 such as, for example, Velcro or a magnet may be provided on one surface (e.g., the bottom surface) of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421. In an embodiment, the attachment member 1424 may be formed in a shape corresponding to one surface of the floor cloth attachment unit 1424. The attachment member 1424 of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 may be coupled to the attachment member PA provided on the floor cloth P.

[0104] According to an embodiment, the stopper coupling portion 1425 may be provided in the floor cloth coupling member 142. In an embodiment, the stopper coupling portion 1425 may be configured to be coupled to a stopper (eg, Figure 7 Stopper 1111 or Fig. 9 The stopper 1112) is connected. Figure 6a In an embodiment, the stopper coupling portion 1425 may be arranged around a hub hole 1427 into which the hub 1414 of the rotating member 141 is inserted to pass through the hub hole 1427. In an embodiment, the stopper coupling portion 1425 may be provided inside the floor cloth attachment unit 1421.

[0105] According to an embodiment, the stopper coupling portion 1425 may include a plurality of stopper holes 1425a and a plurality of stopper ribs 1425b. In an embodiment, the plurality of stopper holes 1425a may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals along a virtual circle around the hub hole 1427. The stopper rib 1425b may be arranged between one of the plurality of stopper holes 1425a and the stopper hole 1425a adjacent to the stopper hole 1425a. When the floor cloth P mounted on the robot cleaner 100 is disassembled, the stoppers 1111 and 1112 (to be described later) may be inserted into the plurality of stopper holes 1425a, respectively. In this article, the movement of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be limited by these stoppers 1111 and 1112 inserted into the stopper holes 1425a. Hereinafter, the state in which the stoppers 1111 and 1112 are released from the stopper coupling portion 1425 may be referred to as the first state. In addition, a state in which the stoppers 1111 and 1112 are coupled to the stopper coupling portion 1425 to restrict the rotation of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be referred to as a second state.

[0106] Figure 7 It is along Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary robotic cleaner taken along line AA shown in FIG. Figure 8 It is shown Figure 7 A partial perspective view of the interference relationship between the floor cloth coupling member and the stopper is shown.

[0107] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a stopper 1111 configured to be coupled to the floor cloth coupling member 142 to limit rotation of the floor cloth coupling member 142 .

[0108] In an embodiment, a stopper 1111 may be provided below a cleaner body 111 of the robot cleaner 100. For example, the stopper 1111 may be provided on a rear surface of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, a plurality of stoppers 1111 may be provided. The plurality of stoppers 1111 may be arranged in a circular shape so as to surround the axis S of the driving unit 160 on the rear surface of the cleaner body 111. The plurality of stoppers 1111 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals.

[0109] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of stoppers 1111 may include an insertion portion that may be inserted through the stopper hole 1425a of each stopper coupling portion 1425 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 so as to limit the movement of the floor cloth coupling member 142 when the floor cloth P of the robot cleaner 100 is detached / attached. In an embodiment, the plurality of stoppers 1111 may be formed to protrude downward from the rear surface of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, each insertion portion of the plurality of stoppers 1111 may be inserted into the stopper coupling portion 1425 along a predetermined direction (e.g., a vertically downward direction). In an embodiment, each insertion portion of the plurality of stoppers 1111 may have an inclined surface inclined relative to a predetermined direction. In an embodiment, each insertion portion of the plurality of stoppers 1111 may be configured to have an inclined surface 1111a and a vertical surface 1111b. In an embodiment, although the inclined surface 1111a is not shown in the figure, the stopper 1111 may be configured to rise or fall by a stopper moving unit such as an actuator.

[0110] According to the implementation mode, Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , due to the rise of the rotating member 141 or the fall of the stopper 1111, the stopper 1111 may be positioned close to the stopper hole 1425a of the stopper coupling portion 1425 of the floor cloth coupling member 142. The interference surface between the stopper 1111 and the stopper rib 1425b may be minimized by the inclined surface 1111a provided in the stopper 1111, and the stopper 1111 may be inserted into the stopper hole 1425a by rising or falling the rotating member 141 or the stopper 1111 at a predetermined height.

[0111] Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.10 It is shown Fig. 9 A partial perspective view of the interference relationship between the floor cloth attachment unit and the stopper shown in FIG.

[0112] Reference Fig. 9 and Fig.10 In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may include a stopper 1112 configured to be coupled to the floor cloth coupling member 142 to limit rotation of the floor cloth coupling member 142 .

[0113] In an embodiment, the stopper 1112 may be provided under the robot cleaner 100 . For example, at least a portion of the stopper 1112 may be provided on a rear surface of the cleaner body 111 .

[0114] In an embodiment, at least a portion of the stopper 1112 may be inserted through the stopper hole 1425a of the stopper coupling portion 1425 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 so as to limit the movement of the floor cloth coupling member 142 when detaching and attaching the floor cloth P of the robot cleaner 100. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the stopper 1112 may be formed to protrude downward from the rear surface of the cleaner body 111.

[0115] According to an embodiment, the stopper 1112 may include a stopper body 11121 , a stopper cover 11122 , an elastic member 11123 , and a stopper protrusion 11124 .

[0116] In an embodiment, the stopper body 11121 may be formed to extend upward from the inner surface of the cleaner body 111. In an embodiment, the stopper body 11121 may be formed to have an opening at an upper side and / or a lower side and have a substantially hollow cylindrical shape.

[0117] In an embodiment, the stopper cover 11122 may be coupled to the stopper body 11121 at an upper side of the stopper body 11121. The stopper cover 11122 may be configured to cover an upper opening of the stopper body 11121.

[0118] In an embodiment, the elastic member 11123 may have one end connected to the stopper cover 11122 and the other end connected to the stopper protrusion 11124 .

[0119] In an embodiment, at least a portion of the stopper protrusion 11124 may be accommodated inside the stopper body 11121 and / or the robot cleaner 100 through a lower opening of the stopper body 11121. An anti-separation part 11124a may be formed at an inner end of the stopper protrusion 11124 connected to the elastic member 11123 to prevent the stopper protrusion 11124 from escaping to the outside.

[0120] like Fig.10As shown, when the rotating member 141 rises, the stopper protrusion 11124 may contact the stopper rib 1425b of the stopper coupling portion 1425 of the floor cloth coupling member 142. In this case, the elastic member 11123 connected to the stopper protrusion 11124 may be compressed, and at least a portion of the stopper protrusion 11124 may be accommodated in the cleaner body 111 of the robot cleaner 100. The rotating member 141 may further rise to a predetermined height to remove or attach the floor cloth P, and the stopper protrusion 11124 may be inserted into the stopper hole 1425a. The shape of the stopper protrusion 11124 adjacent to the stopper rib 1425b of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may not be limited. For example, the stopper protrusion 11124 may be formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0121] Fig.11 2 is a view for explaining an operation state in which a floor cloth is mounted to the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.12 1 is a view for explaining an operation state of detaching a floor cloth from the robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0122] Reference Fig.11 , describes the operation state of installing the floor cloth P on the robot cleaner 100. Fig.11 As shown, when the rotating member 141 rotates in the first state (e.g., regular rotation for cleaning operation), the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be held in the opening 1411 of the rotating member 141. In this case, the connection state between the attachment member 1424 of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 and the floor cloth P may be held. When the rotating member 141 rotates regularly in the first rotation direction (e.g., in the clockwise direction when the rotating member 141 is viewed from above, or in the direction in which the first reverse inclined portion 1413 of the rotating member 141 approaches the second reverse inclined portion 1423 of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421), the floor cloth coupling member 142 coupled to the rotating member 141 and the floor cloth P coupled to the floor cloth coupling member 142 may rotate regularly together with the rotating member 141. Therefore, foreign matter adhering to the floor surface to be cleaned may be removed by rotating the floor cloth P.

[0123] Reference Fig.12 , an operation state of detaching the floor cloth P from the robot cleaner 100 will be described. Fig.12As shown, when the rotating member 141 rises or the stopper 1111 descends, the stopper 1111 may be in a second state in which the stopper 1111 is inserted through the stopper hole 1425a of the stopper coupling portion 1425. In this case, the movement of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be restricted within a predetermined section formed by the stopper hole 1425a. In the second state, when the rotating member 141 rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction (e.g., in a counterclockwise direction when the rotating member 141 is viewed from above, or when the first reverse inclined portion 1413 of the rotating member 141 moves away from the second reverse inclined portion 1423 of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421), the free rotation of the floor cloth coupling member 142 is interrupted, and the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be disengaged from the opening 1411 of the rotating member 141. In an embodiment, as described above, when the rotating member 141 performs reverse rotation in the second rotation direction in the second state, the second inclined portion 1422 of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 may rise upward along the first inclined portion 1412 of the opening 1411 of the rotating member 141, and may be separated from the opening 1411. When the attachment member 1424 of the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 is released and separated from the floor cloth P, the floor cloth P coupled to the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 may be detached from the robot cleaner 100 to be separated downward.

[0124] Fig.13 is a control flowchart illustrating a method of controlling the operation of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.14 is a control flow chart for explaining a floor cloth replacing process of the robot cleaner in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.15 is an operational flowchart for explaining a floor cloth replacing process of the robot cleaner in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0125] Reference Figures 13 to 15 , the method of operating the robot cleaner 100 may include performing a cleaning operation (S1310). In an embodiment, when performing a cleaning operation, the controller 180 may control the operation of the travel driver 161 to move the robot cleaner 100 along an appropriate drive path. In an embodiment, while the cleaning operation is being performed, the controller 180 may rotate the floor cloth unit 140 adjacent to the floor surface by controlling the operation of the rotation driver 162 and / or the up / down driver 163. For example, Fig.15 As shown in FIG. 1( a ), the robot cleaner 100 may cause the floor cloth unit 140 to regularly rotate in a first rotation direction to remove foreign substances adhered to the floor surface using friction according to the rotation of the floor cloth P.

[0126] According to an embodiment, the method of operating the robot cleaner 100 may include determining whether the floor cloth P installed on the floor cloth unit 140 and disposed adjacent to the floor surface and currently being used for cleaning should be replaced (S1320). In an embodiment, such determination may be made by using a contamination detection sensor separately disposed in the robot cleaner 100 to determine whether the degree of contamination of the floor cloth P is higher than a certain level. In an embodiment, such determination may be made based on timer information, for example, by the robot cleaner 100 determining whether the duration of cleaning the floor surface using the currently installed floor cloth P has exceeded a predetermined standard. In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may use a floor cloth replacement cycle preset by a user to determine whether the floor cloth needs to be replaced. For example, in the case where the user sets the floor cloth replacement cycle to 1 hour, for example, if it is determined that the use time of the currently installed floor cloth P has reached 1 hour, the robot cleaner 100 may determine that the floor cloth P needs to be replaced.

[0127] According to an embodiment, when it is determined in S1320 that the floor cloth P needs to be replaced, the method of operating the robot cleaner 100 may include moving to a predetermined position for replacing the floor cloth P in S1330. In an embodiment, the predetermined position may be, for example, a position designated by a user. In an embodiment, the designated position may be a position where the robot cleaner 100 performs charging (e.g., Fig.16 Docking station 200 or Fig.17 The docking station 200' in the embodiment may be a docking station 200') or a location adjacent to the location, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0128] According to an embodiment, the method of operating the robot cleaner 100 may include a process of automatically replacing the floor cloth P ( S1340 ).

[0129] In an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may perform an operation of converting to a second state in which the movement of the floor cloth coupling member 142 is restricted by the stoppers 111 and 1112 (S1410). Fig.15 As shown in (b), the robot cleaner 100 may perform an operation of moving the rotating member 141 upward, wherein when at least a portion of the stopper 1111 is inserted into the stopper hole 1425a of the stopper coupling portion 1425, the movement of the stopper member 142 may be restricted within the section formed by the stopper hole 1425a. For example, although not specifically shown herein, the robot cleaner 100 may perform an operation of moving the stopper 1111 downward, wherein when at least a portion of the stopper 1111 is inserted into the stopper hole 1425a of the stopper coupling portion 1425, the movement of the floor cloth coupling member 142 may be restricted within the section formed by the stopper hole 1425a.

[0130] After S1410, in an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may perform an operation of removing the currently mounted floor cloth P by reversely rotating the rotating member 141 in the second rotation direction in the second state (S1420). Fig.15 (c) and Fig.15 As shown in (d), when the rotating member 141 rotates in the second rotation direction in the second state in which the movement of the floor cloth connecting member 142 is restricted by the stopper 1111, the rotation of the floor cloth connecting member 142 can be restricted within the predetermined restriction section of the stopper hole 1425a, and the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 of the floor cloth connecting member 142 can leave the opening 1411 and rise along the first inclined portion 1412 of the rotating member 141. In this way, the attachment member 1424 of the floor cloth connecting member 142 can be separated from the floor cloth P, and the currently installed floor cloth P can be detached from the floor cloth unit 140 to be separated downward.

[0131] After S1420, in an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may perform an operation of aligning the arrangement of the rotating member 141 and the floor cloth coupling member 142 (S1430). Fig.15 As shown in (e), when the rotating member 141 is caused to rotate regularly in a predetermined section in the first rotation direction while maintaining the second state in which the stopper 1111 is inserted into the stopper hole 1425a of the stopper connecting portion 1425, the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 of the floor cloth connecting member 142 can be inserted into the opening 1411 of the rotating member 141 again.

[0132] After S1430, in an embodiment, the robot cleaner 100 may perform an operation of releasing the coupling of the floor cloth coupling member 142 from the stoppers 1111 and 1112. For example, Fig.15 As shown in (f) of FIG. 1 , the robot cleaner 100 may perform an operation of moving the rotating member 141 downward, wherein when the stopper 1111 inserted into the stopper hole 1425a of the stopper coupling portion 1425 is withdrawn from the stopper hole 1425a, the floor cloth coupling member 142 may move freely. In an embodiment, when the rotating member 141 moves downward while the floor cloth attachment unit 1421 of the floor cloth coupling member 142 is inserted into and accommodated in the opening 1411 of the rotating member 141, a fresh floor cloth disposed under the floor cloth unit 140 may be reattached to the floor cloth attachment unit 1421. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. Fig.15 As shown in (g), the robot cleaner 100 may resume the cleaning operation by causing the floor cloth unit 140 to rotate normally.

[0133] According to an embodiment, the method of operating the robot cleaner 100 may include an operation (S1350) to determine whether the cleaning is completed. For example, the robot cleaner 100 may determine whether the cleaning is completed based on determining various termination conditions (such as, for example, a user's termination command or completion of cleaning a preset cleaning area). When it is determined that the cleaning is not yet completed, the robot cleaner 100 may return to operation S1310, and the process may be performed again after operation S1310. The robot cleaner 100 may determine that the cleaning is completed after completing a predetermined cleaning schedule, and then terminate the cleaning operation. According to an embodiment, the operation of determining whether the cleaning is completed may be performed between the above operations, respectively.

[0134] Fig.16 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a process of attaching and detaching a floor cloth of a robot cleaner at a predetermined position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.17 2 is an exemplary view illustrating a process of attaching and detaching a floor cloth of a robot cleaner in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0135] like Fig.16 As shown in (a), in the embodiment, when by Fig.13 and Fig.14 When the described control method determines that the floor cloth needs to be replaced, the robot cleaner 100 can move to a predetermined position A preset by the consumer, such as, for example, near a bathroom or in front of a laundry room, and then perform the disassembly operation as described above to disassemble the floor cloth P installed underneath.

[0136] Afterwards, if Fig.16 (b) and Fig.16 As shown in (c), the robot cleaner 100 may move to the docking station 200 having the floor cloth supply unit 210 containing the clean floor cloth P therein, so that the robot cleaner 100 is positioned in place, and then, the rotating member 141 may descend downward to mount the clean floor cloth P on the floor cloth unit 140 located below. Then, the robot cleaner 100 may leave the docking station 200 and resume the cleaning operation.

[0137] and Fig.16 Different, reference Fig.17 , the robot cleaner 100 can integrally perform the floor cloth attachment / detachment process at the docking station 200 ′. In an embodiment, when the above reference Fig.13 and Fig.14 When the control method described above determines that the floor cloth needs to be replaced, the robot cleaner 100 may move to a docking station 200' integrally equipped with both a floor cloth supply unit 210 containing new floor cloths P and a floor cloth collecting unit 220 for collecting used floor cloths P. According to an embodiment, as Fig.17 As shown in (a), the floor cloth collecting unit 220 may be located downstream of the floor cloth supplying unit 210 with respect to an entry direction of the robot cleaner 100 toward the docking station 200 ′, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0138] like Fig.17 As shown in (b), the robot cleaner 100 arriving at the docking station 200' can perform an operation of removing the floor cloth P after being positioned in place on the floor cloth collecting unit 220, so as to separate the floor cloth P from the floor cloth unit 140 located below. In an embodiment, the floor cloth P separated from the floor cloth unit 140 can be accommodated in the floor cloth collecting unit 220 below.

[0139] Afterwards, if Fig.17 As shown in (c), the robot cleaner 100 may move backward and be positioned at an appropriate position on the floor cloth supply unit 210, and then, perform an operation of attaching the clean floor cloth P to attach the clean floor cloth P supplied from the floor cloth supply unit 210 to the floor cloth unit 140. Then, the robot cleaner 100 may leave the docking station 200' to resume the cleaning operation.

[0140] The terms used in the present disclosure are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present disclosure thereto. For example, a component expressed in the singular form should be understood as including the concept of multiple components, unless the context clearly stipulates that there is only such a singular form. As used herein, each of phrases (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 in the corresponding one of the phrases 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 "comprise(s)", "include(s)", "have / has" and "composed of..." used in the present disclosure are only intended to indicate the presence of features, components, parts or combinations thereof described in the present disclosure, and are not intended to exclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, components, parts or combinations thereof by using these terms. Terms such as “first”, “second”, or “first” or “second” may be used simply to distinguish a corresponding component from another corresponding component, and do not limit the corresponding component in other aspects (for example, importance or order).

[0141] As used in the present disclosure, the expression "configured to ~" may be used interchangeably with, for example, "adapted to ~", "capable of ~", "designed to ~", "modified to ~", "manufactured to ~", or "capable of ~", etc., depending on the context. The term "configured to ~" does not necessarily mean "specially designed to ~" in hardware. On the contrary, in some cases, the expression "means configured to ~" may mean that the device is "capable of" together with another device or component. For example, the phrase "means configured to perform A, B, and C" may mean a dedicated device for performing the corresponding operations, or may mean a general-purpose device capable of performing various operations including the corresponding operations.

[0142] Meanwhile, the terms “upper”, “lower”, and “front / rear 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.

[0143] Although the above description in the present disclosure is made based on specific embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments, and it should be understood that it includes any and all various modifications, equivalents and / or substitutes of various embodiments.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner (100), comprising: Rotating motor (162); a rotating member (141) which can be rotated by being driven by the rotating motor (162) and has a first surface (141s1), a second surface (141s2) opposite to the first surface (141s1), and an opening (1411) penetrating the first surface (141s1) and the second surface (141s2); as well as a floor cloth coupling member (142) disposed on the second surface (141s2) and having a floor cloth attachment unit (1421) which can be inserted into the opening (1411) to be detachably coupled to a floor cloth (P) in contact with the first surface (141s1), Wherein, the rotating member (141) and the floor cloth connecting member (142) are configured such that: When the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411) and detachably coupled to the floor cloth (P) in contact with the first surface (141s1), and the rotating member (141) rotates in the first state, the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) remains coupled to the floor cloth (P), and When the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411) and is detachably connected to the floor cloth (P) in contact with the first surface (141s1), and the rotating member (141) rotates in the second state, the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) leaves the opening (1411), so that the floor cloth (P) is detached from the floor cloth attachment unit (1421).

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, in, The rotating member (141) is configured to rotate in a second direction in the second state to detach the floor cloth (P) from the floor cloth attachment unit (1421); wherein the rotating member (141) comprises a first inclined portion (1412), the first inclined portion (1412) extending upwardly from an inner position of the opening (1411) toward the second surface (141s2) along the second direction at one side of the opening (1411); wherein the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) comprises a second inclined portion (1422), and when the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411), the second inclined portion (1422) faces the first inclined portion (1412) above the first inclined portion (1412); and Wherein, when the rotating member (141) rotates in the second direction in the second state, the second inclined portion (1422) of the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) rises along the first inclined portion (1412) of the rotating member (141) to leave the opening (1411).

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, in, The rotating member (141) is configured to rotate in a second direction in the second state to detach the floor cloth (P) from the floor cloth attachment unit (1421), and is configured to rotate in a first direction opposite to the second direction in the first state to clean the floor surface; wherein the rotating member (141) comprises a first reverse inclined portion (1413), the first reverse inclined portion (1413) extending downwardly from the second surface (141s2) toward the outer side of the opening along the first direction at one side of the opening (1411); wherein the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) comprises a second reverse inclined portion (1423), and when the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411), the second reverse inclined portion (1423) faces the first reverse inclined portion (1413) below the first reverse inclined portion (1413); and Wherein, when the rotating member (141) rotates in the first direction in the first state, the first reverse inclined portion (1413) and the second reverse inclined portion (1423) engage with each other.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, in, The robot cleaner includes a stopper (1111, 1112) configured to limit rotation of the floor cloth coupling member when the stopper is coupled to the floor cloth coupling member (142); and Wherein, the floor cloth connecting member (142) includes a stopper connecting portion (1425) that can be connected to the stopper (1111, 1112).

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, wherein: The first state is a state in which the stopper (1111, 1112) is released from the stopper coupling portion (1425), and the second state is a state in which the stopper (1111, 1112) is coupled to the stopper coupling portion (1425) to restrict rotation of the floor cloth coupling member (142).

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, further comprising: a lifting motor configured to move the rotating member (141) in an axial direction, The second state occurs when the lifting motor (163) drives the rotating member (141) to move toward the stopper (1111) so that the stopper (1111) is connected to the stopper connecting portion (1425).

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, further comprising: a stopper moving unit configured to move the stopper (1111) toward the stopper coupling portion (1425) or away from the stopper coupling portion (1425), Wherein, the second state occurs when the stopper moving unit drives the stopper (1111) to move toward the stopper coupling portion (1425) to couple to the stopper coupling portion (1425).

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, in, The stopper (1111) includes an insertion portion that can be inserted into the stopper coupling portion (1425) from an upper side of the floor cloth coupling member (142) along a third direction; and Wherein, the insertion portion is configured to have at least one inclined surface (1111a) inclined relative to the third direction.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 4, in, The stopper (1112) has an insertion portion (11124) which can be inserted into the stopper coupling portion (1425) from the upper side of the second surface of the floor cloth coupling member (142) along the third direction at one end of the insertion portion; and Wherein, the stopper (1112) has an elastic member (11123) arranged at the other end of the insertion portion (11124).

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: The rotary motor (162) and the rotary member (141) are connected via a rotary shaft member (S), and the rotary shaft member (S) is provided to penetrate the floor cloth coupling member (142).

11. A method of controlling a robot cleaner (100), the robot cleaner (100) comprising: A rotating member (141) capable of rotating and having a first surface (141s1), a second surface (141s2) opposite to the first surface (141s1), and an opening (1411) penetrating the first surface (141s1) and the second surface (141s2); a floor cloth coupling member (142) disposed on the second surface (141s2) and having a floor cloth attachment unit (1421) which can be inserted into the opening (1411) to be detachably coupled to a floor cloth (P) in contact with the first surface (141s1); a stopper (1111, 1112) capable of being coupled to the floor cloth coupling member (142) and configured to limit the rotation of the floor cloth coupling member when the stopper is coupled to the floor cloth coupling member (142), Wherein, the rotating member (141), the floor cloth connecting member (142) and the stopper (1111, 1112) are configured such that: (a) when the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411) and is detachably connected to the floor cloth (P) in contact with the first surface (141s1), and the rotating member (141) rotates in the first state in which the stopper (1111, 1112) is disconnected from the floor cloth connecting member (142), the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) remains connected to the floor cloth (P), and (b) when the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411) and detachably connected to the floor cloth (P) in contact with the first surface (141s1), and the rotating member (141) rotates in the second state in which the stopper (1111, 1112) is connected to the floor cloth connecting member (142), the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) leaves the opening (1411), so that the floor cloth (P) is moved away from the first surface (141s1). The floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is disassembled, The method comprises: determining whether the floor cloth (P) needs to be replaced when the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411) and detachably coupled to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface (141s1); Based on determining that the floor cloth (P) needs to be replaced, coupling the stopper (1111, 1112) to the floor cloth coupling member (142); and When the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411) and is detachably connected to the floor cloth in contact with the first surface (141s1) and the stopper (1111, 1112) is connected to the floor cloth connecting member (142), the rotating member (141) is rotated in the second state so that the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) leaves the opening (1411) and the floor cloth is removed from the floor cloth attachment unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, in, The robot cleaner (100) further includes a lifting motor (163) configured to move the rotating member (141) along an axial direction, and Wherein, coupling the stopper (1111, 1112) to the floor cloth coupling member (142) includes driving the lifting motor (163) to move the rotating member (141) toward the stopper (1111, 1112).

13. The method according to claim 11, in, The robot cleaner (100) further includes a stopper moving unit configured to move the stopper (1111) toward or away from the floor cloth connecting member (142), and wherein the floor cloth connecting member (142) comprises a stopper connecting portion (1425) that can be connected to the stopper (1111, 1112), and Wherein, coupling the stopper (1111) to the floor cloth coupling member (142) includes moving the stopper (1111) by the stopper moving unit to move toward the stopper coupling portion (1425) to couple to the stopper coupling portion (1425).

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: After rotating the rotating member (141) in the second state, determining whether a clean floor cloth (P) needs to be attached to the floor cloth attachment unit (1421); Based on determining that a clean floor cloth (P) needs to be attached to the floor cloth attachment unit (1421), in a state where the stoppers (1111, 1112) are connected to the floor cloth connection member (142), rotating the rotating member (141) in a direction opposite to the direction in which the rotating member (141) is rotated to detach the floor cloth from the floor cloth attachment unit (1421); and The stopper is decoupled from the floor cloth coupling member.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: Determine whether to perform floor cleaning; as well as Based on determining to perform the floor cleaning, the rotating member is rotated in the first state in which the stopper (1111, 1112) is disconnected from the floor cloth connecting member (142), the floor cloth attachment unit (1421) is inserted into the opening (1411) and is detachably connected to the floor cloth (P) in contact with the first surface (141s1).

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