Cleaning robot

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot comprises a machine body, a movable cleaner and a control unit. The movable cleaner is configured to move between a first position and a second position relative to the machine body; when the movable cleaner is located at the first position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner is located in the edge projection area of the machine body, and the movable cleaner can swing outwards to the second position relative to the machine body; the control unit is configured to be used for controlling the movable cleaner to move between a first position and a second position; after the cleaning robot leaves the base station, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to perform cleaning operation on the working surface by taking the second position as a normal working posture; the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move to the first position in response to the return signal, so that the cleaning robot stops in the base station as a maintenance posture. According to the invention, comprehensive cleaning is realized, cleaning omission areas are reduced, and the control logic of the cleaning robot is simplified.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention application with the invention creation name of "Cleaning Robot and Its Control Method". The application number of the parent case is "202410102232.1", and the application date of the parent case is: January 24, 2024. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of cleaning equipment, and particularly relates to a cleaning robot. Background Art

[0003] A cleaning robot is a type of intelligent household cleaning appliance that can automatically perform cleaning, dust suction, and floor mopping on the ground by virtue of a certain degree of artificial intelligence. With the progress of science and technology and the improvement of people's living standards, cleaning robots have entered the lives of more and more people.

[0004] When the cleaning robots on the market work close to the wall, it is often difficult to achieve zero-distance edging, resulting in cleaning dead corners. In the prior art, a cleaner such as a mop tray can be swung to the outside of the body by a motor-driven robotic arm to achieve the purpose of mopping to the edge. However, the cleaner swung to the outside of the body is prone to hitting or scraping obstacles, and the cleaner cannot be retracted in time after being hit, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a cleaning robot to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot comprising:

[0007] A body;

[0008] A movable cleaner configured to be able to move between a first position and a second position relative to the body; when the movable cleaner is in the first position, at least a part of its edge is located within the edge projection area of the body, and it is configured to be able to swing outward relative to the body to the second position;

[0009] A control unit configured to control the movement of the movable cleaner between the first position and the second position;

[0010] After the cleaning robot leaves the base station, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to perform a cleaning operation on the working surface with the second position as the normal working posture; the control unit is configured to respond to a return signal and control the movable cleaner to move to the first position so that the cleaning robot docks in the base station in a maintenance posture.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move to the first position during the process of the cleaning robot moving towards the base station.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move to the first position when the cleaning robot executes the alignment program.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when located at the first position, the edge of the movable cleaner is within the edge projection area of the body; when located at the second position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner is outside the edge projection area of the body.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer contour of the body has a maximum edge in the forward direction. When located at the second position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner is outside the maximum edge of the body.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaning robot further includes a detection unit configured to be triggered when an external force is applied to the movable cleaner; the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move in the direction of the first position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move in the direction of the first position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit at least until its outer edge is within the maximum edge of the body.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move to the first position or to another position between the first position and the second position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, it further includes a distance detection unit configured to detect at least obstacle information in the environment; the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move in the direction of the first position in advance based on the obstacle information obtained by the distance detection unit.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, after the movable cleaner moves in the direction of the first position, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to reset to the second position within a predetermined time or after the cleaning robot travels a predetermined distance.

[0020] One beneficial effect of the present disclosure is that the movable cleaner can move between a first position and a second position. When moving to the second position, the cleaning coverage area of the cleaning robot is effectively increased, achieving comprehensive cleaning. The movable cleaner takes the second position as its normal working posture, which means that whether the cleaning robot is working in an open area or along a wall or in an environment with obstacles, the movable cleaner is always in an outward swing state. Compared with the traditional cleaning robot taking the first position as its normal working posture, not only can the omission area of the cleaning robot be reduced, but it is also unnecessary to judge when to swing out to the second position, thereby simplifying the control logic of the cleaning robot.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become clear from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a cleaning robot provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure in the first position;

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a cleaning robot provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure in the second position;

[0025] Figure 3 is a schematic internal structural diagram of a cleaning robot provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a swing mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a light-shielding member provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a movable cleaner provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a pulse signal provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figures 1 to 7 The one-to-one correspondence between the names of the components and the reference numerals in is as follows:

[0031] 1. Body; 11. Driving wheel; 12. Fixed cleaner; 13. Distance detection unit; 2. Movable cleaner; 21. Swing mechanism; 211. Connection part; 212. Bearing part; 213. Elastic part; 22. Light sensor; 23. Rag tray; 24. Swing motor; 25. Rotating motor; 3. Light-shielding member; 31. Shielding part; 32. Light-transmitting channel; 4. Wall. Detailed implementation manners

[0032] Now, various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that: Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangements of components and steps, numerical expressions and values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0033] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and in no way serves as a limitation to the present disclosure, its application or use.

[0034] Technologies, methods and devices known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the said technologies, methods and devices should be regarded as part of the specification.

[0035] It should be noted that: Similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and thus, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0036] In this article, "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", etc. are only used to represent the relative positional relationship between relevant parts, rather than defining the absolute positions of these relevant parts.

[0037] In this article, "first", "second", etc. are only used for distinguishing from each other, rather than indicating the degree of importance, sequence, and the prerequisite for mutual existence, etc.

[0038] In this article, "equal", "same", etc. are not strict mathematical and / or geometric sense limitations, and also include errors that can be understood by those skilled in the art and are allowed in manufacturing or using, etc.

[0039] The present disclosure provides a cleaning robot, which can be a floor sweeping robot, a mopping robot, a combined sweeping and mopping robot, etc., a self-mobile cleaning device for cleaning work surfaces such as floors, sofas, carpets, etc. that need to be cleaned

[0040] The cleaning robot of the present disclosure includes: a body, a movable cleaner, a detection unit, and a control unit. The movable cleaner can be installed at the bottom of the body and is configured to be able to move relative to the body between a first position and a second position. Specifically, the movable cleaner can be various types of cleaning components such as a wiping disc, a floor brush, a mopping member, etc., and the present disclosure does not limit the specific type of the movable cleaner.

[0041] When the movable cleaner is in the first position, at least a part of its edge is located within the edge projection area of the body, and it is configured to be able to swing outward relative to the body to the second position. Specifically, when the movable cleaner is in the first position, the edge of the movable cleaner can be entirely located within the vertical projection area of the body's edge onto the ground, that is, the edge of the movable cleaner does not extend beyond the edge projection area of the body, so as to prevent the movable cleaner from being stuck by objects such as furniture on the ground during operation. When the movable cleaner is in the first position, part of its edge can also be located within the projection area of the body, and the other part of the edge is located outside the projection area of the body, so that the movable cleaner can have a larger cleaning range.

[0042] The movable cleaner swings outward relative to the body and thus moves to the second position. That is to say, the movable cleaner in the second position has a larger cleaning range than the movable cleaner in the first position, so that the cleaning range can be further increased, thereby cleaning the sanitary dead corners that are difficult to clean when in the first position and achieving comprehensive cleaning.

[0043] The detection unit is communicatively connected to the control unit. The detection unit is configured to be triggered when the movable cleaner is subjected to an external force; the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner to move in the direction of the first position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit. It should be noted that the detection unit can directly or indirectly continuously detect the force state of the movable cleaner and continuously send the detection signal to the control unit; the control unit can analyze and judge the detection signal. Only when the control unit determines that the movable cleaner collides with an obstacle, will it control the movable cleaner to move in the direction of the first position for avoidance.

[0044] When the external force applied to the movable cleaner is small, the control unit will judge that the movable cleaner is in a normal operating state. For example, when the movable cleaner is mopping the floor, it will be subjected to the frictional force from the working surface, and the frictional force of the working surface will not cause the movable cleaner to move in the direction of the first position. Only when the external force applied to the movable cleaner reaches a certain threshold, will the control unit judge that the movable cleaner has collided with an obstacle and control it to move in the direction of the first position to avoid the obstacle.

[0045] The movable cleaner of the present disclosure can move between a first position and a second position. When it moves to the second position, the cleaning coverage of the cleaning robot is effectively increased, achieving comprehensive cleaning. The movable cleaner located at the second position may hit or scrape against obstacles. For this reason, the present disclosure provides a detection unit and a control unit, and controls the movable cleaner to move in the direction of the first position when an external force is detected, thereby achieving obstacle avoidance. That is to say, the movable cleaner located at the second position can be retracted in time when a collision occurs, preventing the cleaning robot from continuous collision or even jamming, prolonging the service life of the cleaning robot, and improving the user experience.

[0046] The present disclosure provides a cleaning robot that can perform cleaning work on the ground. For ease of understanding, the following will describe in detail the specific structure, working principle, etc. of the cleaning robot provided by the present disclosure in conjunction with Figures 1 to 7 , etc.

[0047] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the cleaning robot of the present disclosure includes: a body 1, a movable cleaner 2, a detection unit, and a control unit. The movable cleaner 2 can be installed at the bottom of the body and is configured to be able to move relative to the body between a first position and a second position. Among them, Figure 1 the movable cleaner 2 in Figure 2 is located at the first position, and

[0048] the movable cleaner 2 on the right side in

[0049] is located at the second position. Specifically, the movable cleaner 2 can be various types of cleaning components such as a wiping disc, a floor brush, a mopping member, etc. The present disclosure does not limit the specific type of the movable cleaner 2.

[0050] The movable cleaner 2 swings outward relative to the body 1 and thus moves to the second position. That is to say, the movable cleaner in the second position has a larger cleaning range than the movable cleaner 2 in the first position. In this way, the cleaning range can be further increased, so as to clean the sanitary dead corners that are difficult to clean when in the first position, achieving comprehensive cleaning.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 1 shown, when the movable cleaner 2 is in the first position, the edge of the movable cleaner 2 is within the vertical projection area of the edge of the body 1 on the ground. That is, the edge of the movable cleaner 2 does not extend beyond the projection area of the edge of the body 1, so as to prevent the movable cleaner 2 from being stuck by objects such as furniture on the ground during operation. At this time, the cleaning range of the movable cleaner 2 does not exceed the traveling range of the cleaning robot. As Figure 2 shown, when the movable cleaner 2 is in the second position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner 2 is outside the edge of the projection area of the body 1, so as to increase the cleaning range, thereby cleaning the sanitary dead corners that are difficult to clean when in the first position, achieving comprehensive cleaning.

[0052] Specifically, continuing to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , in the actual cleaning scenario, there is a wall 4. It is difficult for the cleaning robot to travel closely along the wall 4. Even if the cleaning robot fits against the wall 4, the movable cleaner 2 in the first position still cannot clean the dead corner area along the edge. At this time, at least the movable cleaner 2 on the side close to the wall 4 needs to be extended to the second position, so as to expand the cleaning range, leaving no dead corners, and achieving comprehensive cleaning.

[0053] However, the movable cleaner 2 in the second position has the problem of being difficult to avoid obstacles in time. When the cleaning robot turns, or when the cleaning robot runs close to the wall 4 along the edge, it is often difficult to accurately control the distance. The movable cleaner 2 is likely to hit and scrape objects, and it cannot be retracted in time after hitting, which may cause the cleaning robot to get stuck at the obstacle. To solve the above problems, a detection unit and a control unit are provided on the cleaning robot in the present disclosure.

[0054] The detection unit is communicatively connected to the control unit. The detection unit is configured to be triggered when the movable cleaner 2 is subjected to an external force; the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit. It should be noted that the detection unit can directly or indirectly continuously detect the force state of the movable cleaner 2 and continuously send the detection signal to the control unit; the control unit can analyze and judge the detection signal. Only when the control unit determines that the movable cleaner 2 collides with an obstacle, will it control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position for avoidance.

[0055] When the external force applied to the movable cleaner 2 is small, the control unit will determine that the movable cleaner 2 is in a normal operating state. For example, when the movable cleaner 2 is mopping the floor, it will be subject to the frictional force from the working surface, and the frictional force of the working surface will not cause the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position. Only when the external force applied to the movable cleaner 2 reaches a certain threshold value, the control unit will determine that the movable cleaner 2 has collided with an obstacle and control it to move in the direction of the first position to avoid the obstacle.

[0056] The movable cleaner 2 of the present disclosure can move between a first position and a second position. When moving to the second position, the cleaning coverage area of the cleaning robot is effectively increased, achieving comprehensive cleaning. The movable cleaner 2 located at the second position may hit or rub against an obstacle. For this reason, the present disclosure is provided with a detection unit and a control unit, and controls the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position when an external force is detected, thereby achieving obstacle avoidance. That is to say, the movable cleaner 2 located at the second position can be retracted in time when a collision occurs, preventing the cleaning robot from continuously colliding or even getting stuck, prolonging the service life of the cleaning robot, and improving the user experience.

[0057] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaning robot is provided with at least two cleaning parts, and at least one of the cleaning parts is the movable cleaner 2. For example, when the movable cleaner 2 is a movable wiping disc, the other cleaning part can be a non-movable wiping disc corresponding to the movable cleaner 2; when the movable cleaner 2 is located at the first position, the two wiping discs can be symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the bottom surface of the body 1.

[0058] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 1 shown, the other cleaning part can also be the fixed cleaner 12. The fixed cleaner 12 can be a suction port or a roller brush, or can include a suction port and a roller brush. The fixed cleaner 12 can be a suction port, the movable cleaner 2 can be a wiping disc for mopping the floor, and the movable cleaner 2 is arranged behind the suction port; water can be attached to the movable cleaner 2 and wet mopping can be performed on the floor to be cleaned. The movable cleaner 2 can be installed near the rear edge of the body 1. Further, a roller brush for mopping the floor can also be installed at the fixed cleaner 12, and the body 1 can achieve the cleaning sequence of first sweeping and then mopping during the traveling process.

[0059] The number of the movable cleaners 2 can be one, two or more. When the number of the movable cleaners 2 is two or more, at least one second position of the movable cleaners 2 is located on the left side of the body 1, and at least one second position of the movable cleaners 2 is located on the right side of the body 1.

[0060] In this embodiment, two movable cleaners 2 are provided, as Figure 2As shown, two movable cleaners 2 are arranged left and right. Each movable cleaner 2 has a first position and a second position. Among them, the second position of the left movable cleaner 2 is on the left side of the body 1, and the second position of the right movable cleaner 2 is on the right side of the body 1. When the left or right side of the body 1 is close to the wall or the periphery of the furniture, the corresponding movable cleaner २ can move to the second position on this side of the body 1 to fit the corner for comprehensive cleaning. The two movable cleaners 2 can be independently controlled. For example, when there is no cleaning dead corner on the right side of the cleaning robot and there is a wall 4 that needs to be cleaned along the edge on the left side, the control unit can only control the left movable cleaner 2 to move to the second position, and the right movable cleaner 2 can be in the first position.

[0061] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 3 and Figure 6 , the movable cleaner 2 is a wiping disc, and the wiping disc includes: a swinging mechanism 21, a wiping cloth disc 23, a swinging motor 24 and a rotating motor २५. One end of the swinging mechanism 21 is rotatably connected to the bottom of the body 1 through the swinging motor 24, and the wiping cloth disc 23 is rotatably connected to the other end of the swinging mechanism 21 through the rotating motor २५. The swinging motor 24 is configured to drive the swinging mechanism 21 to move the movable cleaner 2 between the second position and the first position. The rotating motor २५ can be fixedly arranged on the swinging mechanism 21, and its output end can be in transmission connection with the rotating shaft of the wiping cloth disc 23 to drive the wiping cloth disc 23 to perform a self-rotating motion. Thus, when the cleaning robot is performing cleaning work, it can make the working surface cleaner through its own rotation.

[0062] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, after the cleaning robot leaves the base station, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to perform cleaning operations on the working surface with the second position as the normal working posture. In addition, the control unit is configured to respond to the return signal and control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position so that the cleaning robot docks in the base station in the maintenance posture. The cleaning robot has a supporting base station. After the cleaning robot completes the cleaning work, it needs to return to the base station for charging or maintenance. When the cleaning robot is inside the base station, the movable cleaner 2 is in the first position, and its edge does not exceed the edge projection area of the body 1, thereby saving the space of the base station. When the cleaning robot leaves the base station, that is, when it starts to perform cleaning work, the movable cleaner 2 uses the second position as the normal working posture to perform cleaning operations on the working surface, thereby expanding the cleaning area and improving the cleaning efficiency.

[0063] Specifically, when the control unit receives the signal for the cleaning robot to return to the base station, it can control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position. The control unit can also control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position during the process of the cleaning robot driving towards the base station after receiving the signal to return to the base station. This can ensure that when the cleaning robot docks, its movable cleaner 2 has been retracted to the first position, facilitating the cleaning robot to enter the base station in a maintenance posture.

[0064] During the process of the cleaning robot returning to the base station, it is necessary to first execute the alignment program to ensure that the pose of the cleaning robot is correct and it can accurately dock into the accommodation cavity at the bottom of the base station. The control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position while the cleaning robot is executing the alignment program. The control unit can also control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position during the process of the cleaning robot having completed the alignment program and docking towards the base station. This can keep the movable cleaner 2 in the second position for as long as possible before docking, thus having a larger cleaning area before docking to avoid forming cleaning dead corners around the base station.

[0065] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the movable cleaner 2 can also use the first position as its normal working posture to perform cleaning operations on the working surface, and only move to the second position during edge cleaning. This can improve the flexibility of the cleaning robot. When the cleaning robot is in its normal working posture, its volume is relatively small, and it can enter narrower areas for cleaning. Moreover, in relatively crowded cleaning scenarios, such as in a home cleaning scenario where furniture is arranged tightly, using the first position as the normal working posture can reduce the occurrence of collisions.

[0066] The present disclosure does not specifically limit the normal working posture of the cleaning robot. In the following text, it will be described with the movable cleaner 2 in the second position as the normal working posture.

[0067] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer contour of the body 1 has a maximum edge in the forward direction. When in the second position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner 2 is located outside the maximum edge of the body 1. Specifically, the body 1 can be set to any shape such as a rectangle, a circle, etc. In this embodiment, the body 1 is a circle.

[0068] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , as shown by the α-axis, is the maximum edge of the outer contour of the body 1 in the forward direction. It can be understood that when the cleaning robot runs to the position closest to the wall 4, the α-axis coincides with the edge of the wall 4. Since there is a gap between the movable cleaner 2 in the first position and the α-axis, a cleaning dead corner is formed. To make up for the gap between the movable cleaner 2 and the α-axis, as Figure 2As shown, it is necessary to swing the movable cleaner 2 outward and move at least part of its edge to a position beyond the α-axis. In this way, the cleaning range of the movable cleaner 2 in the second position can cover the widest part of the traveling range of the body 1. Since the movable cleaner 2 in this embodiment takes the second position as the normal working posture, the cleaning range of the robot of the present disclosure can at least cover the widest part of the traveling range of the body 1 during normal operation, and the cleaning efficiency is very high.

[0069] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move at least in the direction of the first position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit so that its outer edge is located within the maximum edge of the body 1. When the movable cleaner 2 in the second position collides with an obstacle, the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to move inward to avoid the obstacle. It should be noted that the obstacle encountered by the movable cleaner 2 in the second position is located outside the maximum edge of the body 1, that is to say, this obstacle will not collide with the body 1. Therefore, as long as the movable cleaner 2 is moved within the maximum edge of the body 1, the obstacle can be avoided.

[0070] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position or to another position between the first position and the second position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit. When the movable cleaner 2 moves to the first position, the edge of the movable cleaner 2 does not exceed the edge projection area of the body 1 and is naturally located within the maximum edge of the body 1, and obstacle avoidance can be achieved.

[0071] However, the movable cleaner 2 does not have to move completely back to the first position every time it avoids an obstacle, but can swing a smaller amplitude and only move to other positions between the first position and the second position where obstacle avoidance can be achieved. As Figure 2 shown, there is a large space between the movable cleaner 2 in the first position and the α-axis, and the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move to any position therebetween. In this way, the swing stroke for avoiding obstacles each time is reduced, and the cleaning efficiency is improved.

[0072] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as Figure 1 shown, the cleaning robot further includes a distance detection unit 13, and the distance detection unit 13 is configured to detect at least the obstacle information in the environment. The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in advance in the direction of the first position based on the obstacle information obtained by the distance detection unit 13. Specifically, the distance detection unit 13 can be a lidar, and the lidar can detect in real time whether there are obstacles to be avoided in the cleaning environment and send the detection information to the control unit. The control unit can predict the size and distance of the obstacle according to the detection information of the lidar and control the movable cleaner 2 to move in advance in the direction of the first position before a collision occurs, so as to achieve active obstacle avoidance.

[0073] However, there is a detection blind spot in the presence detection of the distance detection unit 13. When the distance detection unit 13 is a lidar installed on the top of the body 1, it is difficult to detect low obstacles such as door thresholds. Moreover, for the obstacles that can be detected, there may also be deviations in the pre-judgment of the control unit. Therefore, setting the distance detection unit 13 can only reduce the occurrence of collisions, but cannot completely avoid them.

[0074] The cleaning robot of the present disclosure realizes the cooperative operation of active obstacle avoidance and passive obstacle avoidance through two sets of obstacle avoidance systems, namely the detection unit and the distance detection unit 13. For the obstacles detected by the distance detection unit 13, the control unit can retract the movable cleaner 2 in advance to actively avoid collisions; for the collisions that cannot be avoided, the detection unit can detect the occurrence of the collisions, and the control unit can retract the movable cleaner 2 based on the signal triggered by the detection unit to prevent the cleaning robot from being stuck by the obstacles, thus improving the user experience.

[0075] The movable cleaner 2 moves in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles, and after passing over the obstacles, it needs to be reset to the second position to maintain a large cleaning range. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, after the movable cleaner 2 moves in the direction of the first position, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to reset to the second position within a predetermined time or after the cleaning robot travels a predetermined distance.

[0076] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit can start timing from when the movable cleaner 2 leaves the second position. When the predetermined time is reached, the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to reset to the second position. The predetermined time is the time required for the cleaning robot to pass over an obstacle under normal circumstances. For example: the predetermined time can be five seconds, and the movable cleaner 2 can move outward and reset five seconds after leaving the second position. If the cleaning robot has passed over the obstacle at the time of reset, it can be successfully reset to the second position and continue with large-area cleaning. If the cleaning robot has not passed over the obstacle at the time of reset, a collision will occur again, and the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position again to avoid obstacles again and start timing again, and so on until the reset is completed.

[0077] In another specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit may calculate the traveling distance of the cleaning robot starting from when the movable cleaner 2 leaves the second position. When the predetermined distance is reached, the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to reset to the second position. It should be noted that the traveling distance includes both the distance the cleaning robot travels forward and the distance it travels during turning and circling. For example, the predetermined distance can be one meter. After the movable cleaner 2 leaves the second position and the cleaning robot continues to travel one meter, the movable cleaner 2 can then move outwards and reset. If the cleaning robot has crossed the obstacle during reset, it can smoothly reset to the second position and continue with large-scale cleaning. If the cleaning robot has not crossed the obstacle during reset, a collision will occur again. The control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position again to avoid the obstacle and recalculate the traveling distance, and so on until the reset is completed.

[0078] The detection unit of the present disclosure is configured to be triggered when the movable cleaner 2 is subjected to an external force. There are many specific ways for the detection unit to detect the force on the movable cleaner 2, and the present disclosure does not limit the specific detection method. Several different detection methods provided by the present disclosure and the specific structure of the detection unit will be introduced in detail below in combination with several embodiments.

[0079] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when in the second position, the movable cleaner 2 is configured to vibrate at least in the swinging direction of the movable cleaner 2 when subjected to an external force. The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on the signal obtained by the detection unit when the movable cleaner 2 vibrates.

[0080] When the movable cleaner 2 collides with an obstacle, for example, when the movable cleaner 2 gets stuck in a corner, the driving wheels 11 of the cleaning robot are still rotating continuously. At this time, the rag tray 23 on the movable cleaner 2 will continuously receive pressure from the corner. There is a certain gap between the mechanical structures inside the movable cleaner 2. Under the pressure of the corner, the mechanical structures inside the movable cleaner 2 will continuously collide and rebound, which will cause the whole movable cleaner 2 to vibrate. The swinging mechanism 21 and the body 1 are rotatably connected, and the rotation connection point is located at one end far from the rag tray 23. It can be seen that the torque here is relatively large. Therefore, when the rag tray 23 is continuously stressed, it will first vibrate with the above rotation connection point as the axis, that is, vibrate in the swinging direction of the movable cleaner 2.

[0081] Since the movable cleaner 2 may also vibrate in the swinging direction during the normal operation of the cleaning robot, it is necessary to further limit the vibration signal. In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, only when the vibration reaches a predetermined frequency can the control unit determine that the movable cleaner 2 has been impacted and control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position. During the normal operation of the cleaning robot, even if the movable cleaner 2 vibrates, it will only be a low-frequency vibration. Only when an impact occurs or when the movable cleaner 2 gets stuck in a dead corner, will it vibrate at a high frequency under the continuous action of force. For example, when the movable cleaner 2 vibrates 10 times within 200 ms, it is considered that the vibration reaches the predetermined frequency, and the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles.

[0082] In addition to the gaps between the mechanical structures inside the movable cleaner 2 causing vibration, an elastic part 213 can also be provided inside the movable cleaner 2, and the elastic part 213 will also cause vibration of the movable cleaner 2. The elastic part 213 is provided to provide buffering. The elastic part 213 can absorb the impact force when the movable cleaner 2 is impacted, thereby extending the service life of the cleaning device. The present disclosure provides the following two specific ways of arranging the elastic part 213.

[0083] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 6 , the movable cleaner 2 includes a connecting part 211 for rotatably connecting to the body 1 and a bearing part 212. The connecting part 211 is configured to be connected to the bearing part 212 through the elastic part 213, and the elastic part 213 is configured to provide an elastic force for the reset of the bearing part 212. In this embodiment, the connecting part 211, the bearing part 212, and the elastic part 213 are all part of the swinging mechanism 21. The connecting part 211 can be connected to the body 1 through a swinging motor 24. The bearing part 212 can be used to install a rag tray 23, and the rag tray 23 can be rotatably connected to the bearing part 212 through a rotating motor 25. The connecting part 211 and the bearing part 212 are connected by the elastic part 213, and the elastic part 213 can be a spring, a shrapnel, a spring plate, or an elastic material.

[0084] When the rag tray 23 collides, the bearing part 212 rotatably connected to the rag tray 23 will receive a certain impact force. Under the buffering action of the elastic part 213, the impact force transmitted to the connecting part 211 and the body 1 will be greatly reduced. The elastic part 213 will undergo elastic deformation under the action of the impact force received by the bearing part 212 and generate an elastic force in the opposite direction of the impact force. The bearing part 212 can rebound and reset under the action of the elastic force.

[0085] When the volume of the obstacle is small, the obstacle will not jam the movable cleaner 2, and the cleaning robot can directly cross the obstacle by virtue of its traveling speed, so there is no need to retract the movable cleaner 2 at this time; the mop plate 23 can be directly reset under the action of the elastic force and continue cleaning. It can be understood that when the movable cleaner 2 is not jammed by the obstacle, a single impact of the obstacle will also cause the movable cleaner 2 to vibrate, but under the buffering action of the elastic part 213, its vibration frequency is low and will not reach the predetermined frequency required for obstacle avoidance.

[0086] When the volume of the obstacle is large, such as walls, table corners, large furniture, etc., the obstacle will jam the movable cleaner 2, and at this time, it is necessary to retract the movable cleaner 2. When the movable cleaner 2 is jammed by the obstacle, the mop plate 23 will continuously receive pressure, and under the action of the elastic force, the mop plate 23 will rebound and reset, but it will collide again, and so on, resulting in high-frequency vibration. The control unit will judge that the vibration frequency of the movable cleaner 2 has reached the predetermined frequency and control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles.

[0087] In another specific embodiment of the present disclosure, an elastic part 213 is provided between the body 1 and the movable cleaner 2, and the movable cleaner 2 is configured to have a tendency to move in the direction of the second position under the action of the elastic part 213. The elastic part 213 can continuously provide an elastic force for the movable cleaner 2 in the direction of the second position, and the movable cleaner 2 can only be retracted to the first position under the driving action of the swing motor 24. In this embodiment, it can be considered that the movable cleaner 2 is a structure that moves as a whole. When the movable cleaner 2 collides, it will swing as a whole in the direction of the first position, and under the buffering action of the elastic part 213, the impact force transmitted to the body 1 will be greatly reduced. By providing the elastic part 213 between the body 1 and the movable cleaner 2, a certain movement space is provided for the movable cleaner 2. When the movable cleaner 2 is jammed by the obstacle, high-frequency vibration will occur in the above movement space. The control unit will judge that the vibration frequency of the movable cleaner 2 has reached the predetermined frequency and control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles.

[0088] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, refer to Figures 3 to 5, the detection unit includes: a light-shielding member 3 and a light sensor 22. The light-shielding member 3 is disposed on one of the body 1 and the movable cleaner 2, and the light sensor 22 is disposed on the other of the body 1 and the movable cleaner 2. That is to say, the light-shielding member 3 is installed on the body 1 and the light sensor 22 is installed on the movable cleaner 2; or, the light-shielding member 3 is installed on the movable cleaner 2 and the light sensor 22 is installed on the body 1. The present disclosure does not limit the specific installation manners of the light-shielding member 3 and the light sensor 22, as long as one of them can move with the movable cleaner 2 and the other is fixed and stationary.

[0089] As Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, in this embodiment, the light-shielding member 3 is installed on the body 1 and the light sensor 22 is installed on the movable cleaner 2. As Figure 5 shown, the light-shielding member 3 is configured to be provided with a plurality of light-transmitting channels 32 at intervals in the swinging direction of the movable cleaner 2. The light-shielding member 3 may be an arc-shaped grid bar extending along the swinging direction of the movable cleaner 2. The light-shielding member 3 includes a plurality of shielding portions 31 and a plurality of light-transmitting channels 32, and the two are arranged alternately to form a light-shielding member 3 in a shape similar to comb teeth.

[0090] The light sensor 22 includes a transmitting portion and a receiving portion located on opposite sides of the light-shielding member 3. When the light sensor 22 is configured to move relative to the light-shielding member 3 to a position corresponding to the light-transmitting channel 32, the receiving portion is configured to receive the light signal from the transmitting portion through the light-transmitting channel 32, and when the light sensor 22 moves to a position deviating from the light-transmitting channel 32, the light signal emitted by the transmitting portion is blocked by the light-shielding member 3. Specifically, the light sensor 22 may be a photoelectric opposed-beam tube, and the transmitting tube and the receiving tube of the photoelectric opposed-beam tube are respectively installed on the movable cleaner 2 and can swing together with the movable cleaner 2. The transmitting tube and the receiving tube may be respectively installed on the upper and lower sides of the arc-shaped grid bar.

[0091] When the movable cleaner 2 is operating normally, the transmitting portion and the receiving portion may be respectively located on the upper and lower sides of the shielding portion 31 on the light-shielding member 3, and the light signal emitted by the transmitting portion will be blocked by the light-shielding member 3, and the receiving portion will not receive the signal. When the movable cleaner 2 swings, the transmitting portion and the receiving portion swing together with the movable cleaner 2, so as to move to the upper and lower sides of the light-transmitting channel 32 on the light-shielding member 3. The receiving portion receives the light signal from the transmitting portion through the light-transmitting channel 32, and the control unit can determine that the movable cleaner 2 has swung based on the above light signal.

[0092] Of course, when the movable cleaner 2 is operating normally, the transmitting portion and the receiving portion may also be respectively located on the upper and lower sides of the light-transmitting channel 32, and the receiving portion may continuously receive the light signal from the transmitting portion; and when the light signal disappears, it means that the movable cleaner 2 has swung.

[0093] AsFigure 7 As shown, the optical signal received by the receiving part is the Figure 7 high-level signal in Figure 7 , and the receiving part cannot receive the signal which is the

[0094] low-level signal in . When the light-shielding part 3 and the photosensor 22 are relatively stationary, the level signal will remain high or low; when the level signal suddenly changes, that is, when a pulse signal is generated, it means that the light-shielding part 3 and the photosensor 22 have relative movement, that is, the movable cleaner 2 swings relative to the body 1.

[0095] When the level signal uniformly presents a pulse signal with a relatively low frequency, it can be judged that the movable cleaner 2 is extending or retracting under the action of the swing motor 24. In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the light-transmitting channels 32 are arranged on the light-shielding part 3 at a predetermined interval, and the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to swing a predetermined angle between the first position and the second position based on the pulse signal detected by the photosensor 22. It can be understood that every time a high-level signal appears, it means that the photosensor 22 has passed through a light-transmitting channel 32, and every time a low-level signal appears, it means that the photosensor 22 has passed through a shielding part 31. Therefore, the pulse signal can be counted, and the angle of swing of the movable cleaner 2 can be calculated according to the number of signals. The control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to swing a predetermined angle between the first position and the second position based on this, that is, it can control the movable cleaner 2 to move to any position between the first position and the second position. In this way, the precise positioning of the movable cleaner 2 is achieved, so that the posture and shape of the movable cleaner 2 can be adjusted more finely to achieve more complex cleaning operations.

[0096] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position when the pulse signal detected by the optical sensor 22 within a predetermined time reaches a threshold value. When the movable cleaner 2 collides, it will generate high-frequency vibrations. At this time, the transmitting part and the receiving part vibrate back and forth along the swinging direction following the movable cleaner 2. Thus, it quickly swings back and forth between the adjacent shielding parts 31 and the light-shielding channels 32, and in this way, a high-frequency pulse signal will be formed. The control unit can count the pulse signal. Each set of high and low levels means one vibration. The control unit calculates the vibration frequency of the movable cleaner 2 based on the pulse signal. When the pulse signal within a predetermined time reaches the threshold value, it indicates that the vibration frequency of the movable cleaner 2 has reached the predetermined frequency, and it can be determined that the movable cleaner 2 has collided. The control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position for obstacle avoidance.

[0097] The above content introduces the specific embodiment where the detection unit is the light-shielding member 3 and the optical sensor 22. The detection method of photoelectric sensing has high precision and is not prone to misjudgment. When the movable cleaner 2 collides, the control unit can very quickly and timely control the movable cleaner 2 to retract inward for obstacle avoidance. In addition to the photoelectric sensing method, the present disclosure also provides some other detection methods, which will be described in detail below.

[0098] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaning robot includes a swinging motor 24, and the movable cleaner 2 is configured to move between a first position and a second position under the action of the swinging motor 24. The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on at least one signal among the force magnitude, swinging displacement, swinging angle, current of the swinging motor 24, and rotation angle of the swinging motor 24 detected by the detection unit.

[0099] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on the force magnitude of the movable cleaner 2 detected by the detection unit. The detection unit is a pressure sensor disposed on the movable cleaner 2. When the pressure magnitude detected by the pressure sensor reaches a predetermined pressure, it indicates that the movable cleaner 2 has been collided. If the obstacle is small in volume and the movable cleaner 2 will not be continuously stuck after one collision, obstacle avoidance may not be performed. Therefore, the control unit can start timing after the pressure magnitude reaches the predetermined pressure. Only when the pressure remains greater than the predetermined pressure within a period of time (for example, within two seconds), it is determined that the movable cleaner 2 has been stuck by an obstacle, and the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position for obstacle avoidance.

[0100] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on the swing displacement detected by the detection unit. The detection unit is a position sensor disposed on the movable cleaner 2, and the control unit can know the real-time position of the movable cleaner 2. The control unit can determine whether the movable cleaner 2 has collided based on the position information of the movable cleaner 2. For example, if the position sensor detects a pulsed change in the swing displacement of the movable cleaner 2, this indicates that the movable cleaner 2 has vibrated. When the vibration frequency is greater than a predetermined frequency, the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles.

[0101] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on the swing angle detected by the detection unit. The detection unit is a code disk disposed on the movable cleaner 2, and the code disk can detect the angle information of the movable cleaner 2 in the swing direction. The control unit can determine whether the movable cleaner 2 has collided based on the angle information fed back by the code disk. For example, if the code disk detects a pulsed change in the swing angle of the movable cleaner 2, this indicates that the movable cleaner 2 has vibrated. When the vibration frequency is greater than a predetermined frequency, the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles.

[0102] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on the current of the swing motor 24 detected by the detection unit. The control unit can obtain the magnitude of the current of the swing motor 24 in real time. When the movable cleaner 2 is collided, the current of the swing motor 24 will increase accordingly, and the control unit can determine whether the movable cleaner 2 has collided according to the magnitude of the current of the swing motor 24. For example: if the current of the swing motor 24 has a pulsed change, this indicates that the movable cleaner 2 has vibrated in the swing direction. When the vibration frequency is greater than a predetermined frequency, the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles.

[0103] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on the rotation angle of the swing motor 24 detected by the detection unit. A motor code disk can be disposed on the rotation shaft of the swing motor 24, and the motor code disk can detect the rotation angle of the swing motor 24. The control unit can obtain the rotation angle of the swing motor 24 in real time. For example: if the rotation angle of the swing motor 24 detected by the motor code disk has a pulsed change, this indicates that the movable cleaner 2 has vibrated in the swing direction. When the vibration frequency is greater than a predetermined frequency, the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid obstacles.

[0104] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit can also control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position based on at least two signals among the force magnitude, swing displacement, swing angle, current of the swing motor 24, and rotation angle of the swing motor 24 detected by the detection unit. The detection unit can at least include a first detection unit and a second detection unit, and the first detection unit and the second detection unit can be respectively used to detect different signals. For example, the first detection unit is used to detect the force magnitude of the movable cleaner 2, and the first detection unit is used for the current of the swing motor 24. The control unit can comprehensively judge the actual state of the movable cleaner 2 based on at least the signals fed back by the first detection unit and the second detection unit. This reduces the misjudgment rate of the control unit, enables the control unit to more accurately judge whether the movable cleaner 2 has collided and whether it needs to be retracted, and improves the user experience.

[0105] The present disclosure also provides a control method for the above-mentioned cleaning robot. Specifically, the method includes the following steps:

[0106] At the second position, control the cleaning robot to walk on the working surface to clean the working surface;

[0107] The control unit responds to the signal triggered by the detection unit and controls the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position.

[0108] After the cleaning robot leaves the base station, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to perform a cleaning operation on the working surface with the second position as the normal working posture. Specifically, when the cleaning robot leaves the base station and starts the cleaning work, the movable cleaner 2 performs a cleaning operation on the working surface with the second position as the normal working posture, thereby expanding the cleaning area and improving the cleaning efficiency.

[0109] The detection unit can directly or indirectly continuously detect the force state of the movable cleaner 2 and continuously send the detection signal to the control unit. When the control unit determines based on the signal that the movable cleaner 2 collides with an obstacle, it can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position to avoid it.

[0110] When a collision occurs, the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position or to other positions between the first position and the second position. When the movable cleaner 2 moves to the first position, the edge of the movable cleaner 2 does not exceed the edge projection area of the body 1 and is naturally located within the maximum edge of the body 1, enabling obstacle avoidance. However, the movable cleaner 2 does not have to move completely back to the first position every time it avoids an obstacle, but can swing a smaller amplitude and only move to other positions between the first position and the second position where obstacle avoidance can be achieved. This reduces the swing stroke of each obstacle avoidance and improves the cleaning efficiency.

[0111] Application Scenario 1

[0112] The cleaning robot of the present disclosure can be a mopping robot. When the mopping robot is working, the cleaning device of the mopping robot is used to clean the working surface. When the mopping robot leaves the base station and starts the cleaning work, the movable cleaner 2 can perform the cleaning operation on the working surface with the second position as the normal working posture, thereby expanding the cleaning area and improving the cleaning efficiency. The movable cleaner 2 located at the second position can cover the cleaning dead corners that are not easy to clean, such as the wall roots and cabinet feet, realizing comprehensive cleaning.

[0113] During the process of the mopping robot moving along the edge, it is often difficult to accurately control the distance. The movable cleaner 2 is prone to hitting and scraping objects, and it cannot be retracted in time after hitting, which may cause the mopping robot to get stuck at the obstacle. The detection unit can directly or indirectly continuously detect the force state of the movable cleaner 2 and continuously send the detection signal to the control unit. When the external force received by the movable cleaner 2 is small, the control unit will judge that the movable cleaner 2 is in a normal operating state. For example, when the movable cleaner 2 is mopping the floor, it will receive the frictional force from the working surface, and the frictional force of the working surface will not cause the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position.

[0114] Only when the external force received by the movable cleaner 2 reaches a certain threshold, the control unit will judge that the movable cleaner 2 has collided with an obstacle and control it to move in the direction of the first position to avoid the obstacle. The movable cleaner 2 located at the second position can be retracted in time when a collision occurs, preventing the mopping robot from continuous collision and even getting stuck, prolonging the service life of the mopping robot and improving the user experience.

[0115] Application Scenario 2

[0116] The cleaning robot of the present disclosure can be a mopping robot. After the movable cleaner 2 of the mopping robot moves in the direction of the first position to avoid the obstacle, it needs to be reset to the second position to maintain a large cleaning range. After the movable cleaner 2 moves in the direction of the first position, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to reset to the second position within a predetermined time or after the mopping robot walks a predetermined distance.

[0117] The control unit can start timing when the movable cleaner 2 leaves the second position. When the predetermined time is reached, the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to reset to the second position. The predetermined time is the time required for the mopping robot to pass an obstacle under normal circumstances. For example: the predetermined time is five seconds. Five seconds after the movable cleaner 2 leaves the second position, it can move outwards to reset. If the mopping robot has crossed the obstacle during reset, it can be successfully reset to the second position and continue with large-scale cleaning. If the mopping robot has not crossed the obstacle during reset, a collision will occur again. The control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position again to avoid the obstacle again and start timing again, repeating this process until reset.

[0118] The control unit can also start calculating the driving distance of the mopping robot when the movable cleaner 2 leaves the second position. When the predetermined distance is reached, the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to reset to the second position. The driving distance includes both the distance the mopping robot travels forward and the distance it travels during turning and circling. For example: the predetermined distance is one meter. After the movable cleaner 2 leaves the second position, the mopping robot continues to travel one meter. At this time, the movable cleaner 2 can move outwards to reset. If the mopping robot has crossed the obstacle during reset, it can be successfully reset to the second position and continue with large-scale cleaning. If the mopping robot has not crossed the obstacle during reset, a collision will occur again. The control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position again to avoid the obstacle again and recalculate the driving distance, repeating this process until reset.

[0119] Application Scenario Three

[0120] The cleaning robot of the present disclosure can be a mopping robot. A lidar is provided on the mopping robot. The lidar can detect in real time whether there are obstacles to be avoided in the cleaning environment and send the detection information to the control unit. The control unit can predict the size and distance of the obstacle based on the detection information of the lidar and control the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position in advance before impact, thereby achieving active obstacle avoidance.

[0121] There are detection blind spots in the lidar. When the lidar is installed on the top of the mopping robot body 1, it is difficult to detect low obstacles. And for the obstacles that can be detected, there may also be deviations in the prediction of the control unit. For example, when there is a low threshold in front of the mopping robot, the lidar cannot detect the threshold, and the mopping robot fails to make a prediction in advance, and the movable cleaner 2 collides with the threshold.

[0122] The detection unit can detect the above-mentioned impact in a timely manner. The control unit can retract the movable cleaner 2 based on the signal triggered by the detection unit, preventing the mopping robot from being stuck by the threshold. In this way, the active obstacle avoidance and passive obstacle avoidance work together. For the obstacles that can be detected by the lidar, the control unit can retract the movable cleaner 2 in advance to actively avoid collisions. For the collisions that cannot be avoided, the detection unit can detect the occurrence of the collision, and the control unit can retract the movable cleaner 2 based on the signal triggered by the detection unit to prevent the mopping robot from being stuck, improving the user experience.

[0123] Application Scenario Four

[0124] The cleaning robot of the present disclosure can be a mopping robot. When the mopping robot leaves the base station and starts the cleaning work, the movable cleaner 2 performs cleaning operations on the working surface with the second position as the normal working posture. The outer contour of the body 1 has the maximum edge in the forward direction. When in the second position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner 2 is located outside the maximum edge of the body 1. In this way, the cleaning range of the movable cleaner 2 in the second position can cover the widest part of the walking range of the body 1. The cleaning range of the mopping robot during normal operation can at least cover the widest part of the walking range of the body 1, and the cleaning efficiency is very high.

[0125] When the mopping robot drives along the wall, it can clean the position at the wall root. When it travels to a position close to the corner, the mopping robot needs to make a 90° turn to avoid hitting the wall. The movable cleaner 2 in the second position is likely to be stuck at the corner position during the turning process.

[0126] When the movable cleaner 2 gets stuck in the corner, the driving wheel 11 of the mopping robot is still rotating continuously. At this time, the rag tray 23 on the movable cleaner 2 will continuously receive pressure from the corner. Due to the certain gaps between the mechanical structures inside the movable cleaner 2, under the pressure of the corner, the mechanical structures inside the movable cleaner 2 will continuously collide and rebound, which will cause the overall vibration of the movable cleaner 2. When it is measured that the movable cleaner 2 vibrates 10 times within 200 ms, it is considered that the vibration reaches the predetermined frequency, and the control unit controls the movable cleaner 2 to move in the direction of the first position for avoidance.

[0127] The movable cleaner 2 moves at least in the direction of the first position until its outer edge is located inside the maximum edge of the body 1, so that the movable cleaner 2 can be disengaged from the corner, and the mopping robot can continue to turn and continue the subsequent cleaning work.

[0128] Application Scenario Five

[0129] The cleaning robot of the present disclosure can be a mopping robot. After the cleaning work of the mopping robot is completed once, it needs to return to the base station. For example, when the mopping robot has finished cleaning all the working areas, it can dock to the base station for maintenance and storage; or, during the cleaning process of the mopping robot, there are situations that require maintenance, such as insufficient battery power, excessive dirt on the rag tray, etc. At this time, the mopping robot needs to return to the base station for charging or self-cleaning, etc. The user can also directly send a control instruction to the mopping robot to return to the base station on the mobile phone client.

[0130] The movable cleaner 2 on the mopping robot is located at the second position during operation. The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position in response to the return signal, so that the cleaning robot docks in the base station in a maintenance posture. When the mopping robot is inside the base station, the movable cleaner 2 is located at the first position, and its edge does not exceed the edge projection area of the body 1, thus saving the space of the base station.

[0131] Specifically, the control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position when the mopping robot receives the signal to return to the base station. The control unit can also control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position during the process of the mopping robot moving towards the base station after receiving the signal to return to the base station. This can ensure that when the mopping robot docks, its movable cleaner 2 has been retracted to the first position, thus facilitating the mopping robot to enter the base station in a maintenance posture.

[0132] During the process of the mopping robot returning to the base station, it is necessary to first execute the alignment program to ensure the correct pose of the mopping robot and be able to accurately dock into the accommodation cavity at the bottom of the base station. The control unit can control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position while the mopping robot is executing the alignment program. The control unit can also control the movable cleaner 2 to move to the first position during the process of the mopping robot having completed the alignment program and docking towards the base station. In this way, the movable cleaner 2 can be kept at the second position for as long as possible before docking, so as to have a larger cleaning area before docking and avoid forming cleaning dead corners around the base station.

[0133] The above has described the embodiments of the present disclosure. The above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art in the technical field without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of the terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other ordinary technicians in the technical field to understand the disclosed embodiments. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes: a body (1); a movable cleaner (2) configured to be movable relative to the body (1) between a first position and a second position; when the movable cleaner (2) is in the first position, at least part of its edge is located within the edge projection area of the body (1), and it is configured to be able to swing outward relative to the body (1) to the second position; a control unit configured to control the movement of the movable cleaner (2) between the first position and the second position; After the cleaning robot leaves the base station, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to perform a cleaning operation on the working surface with the second position as the normal working posture; the control unit is configured to respond to a return signal and control the movable cleaner (2) to move to the first position so that the cleaning robot docks in the base station in a maintenance posture.

2. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to move to the first position during the process of the cleaning robot traveling towards the base station.

3. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to move to the first position when the cleaning robot executes an alignment program.

4. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, When in the first position, the edge of the movable cleaner (2) is located within the edge projection area of the body (1); when in the second position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner (2) is located outside the edge projection area of the body (1).

5. The cleaning robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The outer contour of the body (1) has a maximum edge in the forward direction. When in the second position, at least part of the edge of the movable cleaner (2) is located outside the maximum edge of the body (1).

6. The cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cleaning robot further includes a detection unit configured to be triggered when the movable cleaner (2) is subjected to an external force; the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to move in the direction of the first position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit.

7. The cleaning robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to move in the direction of the first position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit at least until its outer edge is located within the maximum edge of the body (1).

8. The cleaning robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to move to the first position or to other positions between the first position and the second position based on the signal triggered by the detection unit.

9. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein It further includes a distance detection unit (13) configured to detect at least obstacle information in the environment; the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to move in the direction of the first position in advance based on the obstacle information obtained by the distance detection unit (13).

10. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein After the movable cleaner (2) moves in the direction of the first position, the control unit is configured to control the movable cleaner (2) to reset to the second position within a predetermined time or after the cleaning robot travels a predetermined distance.

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