Walking wheel assembly and cleaning equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a walking wheel assembly and cleaning equipment, the walking wheel assembly comprises a wheel support, a rolling wheel and a guide extension piece, and the wheel support provides a first guide face which inclines upwards towards the front side of the advancing direction; the roller is mounted on the wheel bracket and can rotate around the wheel shaft; the guide extension piece is installed on the front side of the wheel support in the advancing direction, the guide extension piece can be switched between the folded state and the stretching state, in the stretching state, the guide extension piece provides a second guide face, and the second guide face is connected with the first guide face in the direction inclining upwards towards the front side in the advancing direction. The walking wheel assembly can switch the state of the guide extension piece according to the height of the obstacle, and the obstacle crossing ability can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of cleaning robots, and in particular to a walking wheel assembly and a cleaning device. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of smart home technology, smart cleaning equipment has entered the lives of ordinary families and has gradually become popular. Smart cleaning equipment can clean the indoor floor on behalf of the user, saving the user's time and improving the user's quality of life.

[0003] Currently, higher requirements are placed on the ability of cleaning equipment to overcome obstacles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a walking wheel assembly and a cleaning device that have improved ability to cross obstacles.

[0005] This application is implemented through the following scheme.

[0006] The first aspect of the present application provides a walking wheel assembly, which includes: a wheel bracket, providing a first guide surface inclined upward toward the front side of the travel direction; a roller, mounted on the wheel bracket and capable of rotating around the wheel axle; a guide extension, mounted on the front side of the travel direction of the wheel bracket, the guide extension being capable of switching between a retracted state and an extended state, in which the guide extension provides a second guide surface, and the second guide surface is connected to the first guide surface along a direction inclined upward toward the front side of the travel direction.

[0007] In some embodiments, the wheel bracket is connected to a bracket rotating shaft and is rotatable around the bracket rotating shaft, and the axial direction of the bracket rotating shaft and the axial direction of the wheel axle intersect with each other.

[0008] In some embodiments, the guide extension is hinged to the wheel bracket, and can be rotated relative to the wheel bracket to the extended state, and can be rotated from the extended state to the retracted state.

[0009] In some embodiments, an elastic force-applying member is provided between the guide extension and the wheel bracket. The elastic force-applying member is installed in a state in which it always applies force to the guide extension. The guide extension can be rotated into the extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member, and can be rotated from the extended state to the retracted state under the action of an external force.

[0010] In some embodiments, the elastic force applying member includes a spring.

[0011] In some embodiments, the wheel bracket includes a roller shielding plate, wherein a portion of the roller shielding plate located in the front side of the travel direction extends to a position closer to a reference plane than a portion located in the rear side of the travel direction, and the reference plane is a surface for the roller to roll.

[0012] In some embodiments, a portion of the roller shielding plate located at the front side in the direction of travel provides the first guide surface.

[0013] In some embodiments, the wheel bracket is formed with a receiving groove on the front side in the traveling direction, and in the retracted state, the guide extension is received in the receiving groove.

[0014] The second aspect of the present application provides a cleaning device, which includes a device body and the travel wheel assembly provided by the first aspect of the present application.

[0015] In some embodiments, the cleaning device further includes a lifting assembly, which is respectively connected to the device body and the walking wheel assembly, and the distance between the device body and the wheel bracket is changed along the lifting direction through the lifting assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, when the device body is in a raised position away from the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in the extended state, and when the device body is in a lowered position close to the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in a limited state restricted to the retracted state.

[0017] In some embodiments, the guide extension is mounted on the wheel bracket via a pivot and switches between the retracted state and the extended state by rotating around the pivot. The device body has a limit member. In the raised position, the limit member is located at a position avoiding the path through which the guide extension rotates to the extended state. In the lowered position, the limit member is located in the middle of the path through which the guide extension rotates to the extended state, preventing the guide extension from becoming the extended state.

[0018] In some embodiments, the limiting member is located at the lower part of the equipment body and is located in front of the travel direction compared to the wheel bracket. In the raised position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction, the projection of the wheel bracket and the projection of the limiting member do not overlap. In the lowered position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction, the projection of the wheel bracket and the projection of the limiting member at least partially overlap.

[0019] In some embodiments, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the limiting member and the projection of the guide extension member at least partially overlap.

[0020] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly includes a lifting drive device and a lifting mechanism connected to the driving end of the lifting drive device, the lifting mechanism is respectively connected to the equipment body and the walking wheel assembly, and the lifting mechanism changes the distance between the equipment body and the wheel bracket under the drive of the lifting drive device.

[0021] In some embodiments, the lifting drive device is installed on the equipment body, and the lifting mechanism includes a transmission member, an abutment member and a sliding sleeve. The transmission member is connected to the driving end of the lifting drive device, the transmission member abuts against the abutment member, the abutment member is connected to the sliding sleeve, and the sliding sleeve is connected to the wheel bracket and the equipment body and can slide along the lifting direction relative to the equipment body.

[0022] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism further includes an elastic member, one end of the elastic member is connected to the abutting member, and the other end of the elastic member is connected to the device body.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the present application include: being able to provide a traveling wheel assembly that improves the ability to cross obstacles and a cleaning device utilizing the traveling wheel assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment below. The accompanying drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be considered as limiting the present application. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same components. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0026] Figure 2 Another schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the travel wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in an extended state;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the traveling wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a retracted state;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the travel wheel assembly in some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in an extended state;

[0030] Figure 6This is a structural cross-sectional view of the travel wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a retracted state;

[0031] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the structure of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in an extended state;

[0032] Figure 8 This is a structural cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a limited state;

[0033] Figure 9 A structural cross-sectional view of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a retracted state;

[0034] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application is shown;

[0035] Figure 11 A schematic perspective view of another partial structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0036] Figure 12 This is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of another partial structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the motion control module of the cleaning equipment in some embodiments of the present application.

[0038] Description of Reference Numerals

[0039] 10 walking wheel assembly; 1 wheel bracket; 11 first guide surface; 12 storage slot; 13 roller baffle; 2 roller; 3 guide extension; 31 second guide surface; 5 elastic force member; 6 bracket shaft; 7 lifting assembly; 71 lifting drive device; 72 lifting mechanism; 721 transmission member; 722 abutment member; 7221 inclined surface; 7222 horizontal surface; 723 sliding bushing; 724 elastic member; 725 abutment pulley; 8 pivot; 20 cleaning module; 30 visual navigation module; 40 driving wheel module; 100 equipment body; 101 collision plate; 102 limit member; 1000a first obstacle; 1000b second obstacle; 200 control module; 300 detection device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The following embodiments of the technical solution of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application and are therefore only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification of this application and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first," "second," "third," etc. are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0043] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by technical terms such as "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", and "circumferential" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present application.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, technical terms such as "installed," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; internal connections between two components or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application based on specific circumstances.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be understood in a broad sense, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact with essentially no interaction force between the two contacting parties, or contact with interaction force between the two contacting parties.

[0048] The optional embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application; Figure 2 This is another schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the cleaning equipment of some embodiments of the present application.

[0050] Some embodiments of the present application provide a cleaning device that can perform cleaning operations such as sweeping, suction, mopping, and washing. The cleaning device may be, but is not limited to, a vacuum robot, a sweeping and mopping robot, and the like. The vacuum robot is mainly used to remove dust and debris from the ground. It cleans the ground through a built-in suction system and a brush. Most vacuum robots are equipped with an automatic navigation system. In addition to the vacuuming function, the sweeping and mopping robot also has a wet mopping function. It is equipped with a water tank and a mop to clean stains on the ground. The above-mentioned cleaning equipment may also include a perception system, an energy system, and a human-computer interaction system. The above-mentioned systems are not shown in the figure. The various system components included in any existing cleaning equipment can be used and integrated into the cleaning equipment of the present invention to complete the overall operation function of the cleaning equipment described in the embodiments of the present application. The integration or positional relationship of the above-mentioned systems can be obtained by referring to the prior art and will not be elaborated here.

[0051] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of the present application, the cleaning device includes a device body 100 and at least one running wheel assembly 10, which is installed at the lower part of the device body 100. The running wheel assembly 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application can cross higher obstacles and has a high obstacle crossing function.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the device body 100 includes a cleaning module 20, which may include a water tank and a mop to clean stains on the floor. The cleaning module may also include a dust suction port, a sweeping brush, etc. The specific structure of the cleaning module 20 can be referred to the prior art and will not be repeated here.

[0053] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the device body 100 also includes a visual navigation module 30. This module uses a TOF camera or other sensors to perceive the surrounding environment for navigation and obstacle avoidance. It can intelligently avoid obstacles and more accurately plan cleaning paths. The specific structure of the visual navigation module 30 can be referenced in the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the device body 100 also includes a driving wheel module 40. The driving wheel module 40 may include a driving motor, a transmission mechanism and a driving wheel. The driving motor drives the driving wheel to roll through the transmission mechanism, thereby providing power for the device body 100 to enable the cleaning device to move along the surface to be cleaned to perform cleaning operations.

[0055] In order to enable the cleaning device to move more stably on the ground or have stronger movement ability, the cleaning device may include one or more travel wheel assemblies 10. The travel wheel assembly 10 may be located in front of the travel direction of the driving wheel module 40 or at other suitable positions.

[0056] Below, refer to Figures 3 to 13 Some embodiments of the present application are described in detail.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the travel wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in an extended state; Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the traveling wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a retracted state; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the travel wheel assembly in some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in an extended state; Figure 6 This is a structural cross-sectional view of the travel wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a retracted state; Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the structure of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in an extended state; Figure 8 This is a structural cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a limited state; Figure 9A structural cross-sectional view of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application when the guide extension member is in a retracted state; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application is shown; Figure 11 A schematic perspective view of another partial structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application; Figure 12 This is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of another partial structure of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present application; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the motion control module of the cleaning equipment in some embodiments of the present application.

[0058] For ease of explanation, Figures 3 to 9 As shown by the arrows in the figure, the direction of arrow X is the traveling direction, the direction indicated by the arrow is the front side of the traveling direction, and the opposite side is the right rear side of the traveling direction; the direction of arrow Y is the axial direction of the roller axle; the direction of arrow Z is the lifting direction, the direction indicated by the arrow is the lifting direction, and the opposite side is the lowering direction.

[0059] The embodiment of the present application provides a walking wheel assembly 10, such as Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the travel wheel assembly 10 includes a wheel bracket 1, a roller 2, and a guide extension 3. The wheel bracket 1 provides a first guide surface 11 that is inclined upward toward the front side of the travel direction X. The roller 2 is mounted on the wheel bracket 1 and is rotatable about the wheel axis. The guide extension 3 is mounted on the front side of the travel direction X of the wheel bracket 1. The guide extension 3 can switch between a retracted state and an extended state. In the extended state, the guide extension 3 provides a second guide surface 31. The second guide surface 31 is connected to the first guide surface 11 along the direction of the travel direction X. The connection means that the second guide surface 31 and the first guide surface 11 can be adapted to play a continuous guiding role. For example, the two can have at least partially overlapping sections, be connected, or be disconnected (with a certain distance). In addition, the two can form a complete guide surface, or have a smooth transition only at the connection, or there is no smooth transition between the two but it does not affect the continuous guiding role.

[0060] The travel wheel assembly 10 can be applied to any component that needs to be moved conveniently. For example, the travel wheel assembly 10 can be applied to cleaning equipment, and can also be applied to tables, chairs, beds, machine tools, etc. that are easy to move.

[0061] The wheel bracket 1 is used to support the roller 2 and connect the roller 2 to the device body (or mobile body). The roller 2 can be supported on the wheel bracket 1 via a wheel axle and can rotate about the wheel axle. The shape of the wheel bracket 1 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the roller 2. Alternatively, the wheel bracket 1 can be formed into a frame shape; similarly, the wheel bracket 1 can be formed into a cover shape that partially covers the roller 2.

[0062] A first guide surface 11 is formed on the front side of the wheel bracket 1 in the travel direction X. The first guide surface 11 can be formed so that the further it extends from the bottom to the top, the farther it moves away from the roller in the travel direction X. That is, the first guide surface 11 is formed to have a certain slope. The first guide surface 11 can be formed in a generally flat shape or in a curved shape with a certain curvature.

[0063] It can be understood that, since the first guide surface 11 is provided on the front side of the roller 2 along the travel direction X, when encountering an obstacle, the obstacle will first contact the first guide surface 11; and since the first guide surface 11 extends obliquely upward toward the front side of the travel direction X, when the roller 2 continues to roll and the device body continues to move toward the obstacle, the first guide surface 11 slides obliquely upward relative to the obstacle, causing the position of the walking wheel assembly 10 to move upward, thereby enabling the walking wheel assembly 10 to climb over the obstacle and cross the obstacle.

[0064] For ease of description, let's define an obstacle within the first height range as first obstacle 1000a, and an obstacle within the second height range as second obstacle 1000b. The lower limit of the first height range is not less than the upper limit of the second height range. When encountering first obstacle 1000a, due to its height, first obstacle 1000a may be higher than the upper end of first guide surface 11, making it difficult for the wheel assembly to climb over first obstacle 1000a. When encountering second obstacle 1000b, the lower obstacle 1000b can contact first guide surface 11. The relative sliding between the first guide surface 11 and second obstacle 1000b allows the wheel assembly to climb over and ultimately over the second obstacle 1000b. By providing a guide extension 3, one surface of the guide extension 3 is connected to the first guide surface 11, forming a guide surface that extends to a higher position, thereby enabling the wheel assembly to overcome higher obstacles.

[0065] When there are no obstacles, the guide extension 3 is in a non-extended state. When encountering a second obstacle 1000b of smaller size, the second obstacle 1000b is shorter. When the walking wheel assembly 10 approaches the second obstacle 1000b, the guide extension 3 in the non-extended state first contacts the second obstacle portion 1000b and is pushed by the obstacle to become a retracted state. At this time, the first guide surface 11 contacts the second obstacle 1000b. The guiding effect of the first guide surface 11 enables the walking wheel assembly 10 to cross the second obstacle 1000b. In addition, when there are no obstacles, the guide extension 3 is in a non-extended state, which reduces the space occupied by the guide extension 3 in the vertical direction Z and reduces the probability of the guide extension 3 interfering with the movement of the walking wheel assembly 10 or other components. Optionally, the guide extension 3 can also be configured to be in a retracted state under normal circumstances, and to be in an extended state when it is necessary to cross a higher first obstacle 1000a. Also optionally, the guide extension member 3 can be constructed to always be in an extended state, so that both the higher first obstacle 1000a and the lower second obstacle 1000b can be smoothly crossed; the guide extension member 3 can be in a retracted state when it is desired to lower the overall height of the walking wheel assembly or the height of the equipment body from the ground.

[0066] When encountering the first obstacle 1000a, the first obstacle 1000a is relatively high, while the length of the inclined extending first guide surface 11 is relatively short. The first obstacle 1000a cannot contact the first guide surface 11. In this case, the first guide surface 11 cannot play a guiding role. Therefore, the walking wheel assembly 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application switches the guide extension 3 to an extended state when encountering the first obstacle 1000a of relatively high height, so that the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension 3 is connected to the first guide surface 11. At this time, the second guide surface 31 and the first guide surface 11 are spliced to form a longer guide structure, so that the walking wheel assembly 10 can pass over the first obstacle 1000a. In this way, by setting the guide extension 3, the walking wheel assembly 10 can pass over the first obstacle 1000a, thereby improving the obstacle crossing function.

[0067] In this way, switching the state of the guide extension 3 according to the height of the obstacle not only improves the obstacle-crossing function, but also reduces the space occupied and reduces the probability of the guide extension 3 interfering with the movement of the running wheel assembly 10 or other components. Therefore, when the running wheel assembly 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied to the cleaning equipment, the obstacle-crossing function of the cleaning equipment is improved, and the probability of the guide extension 3 interfering with the up and down movement of the equipment body 100 is reduced, thereby improving the smoothness of the operation of the cleaning equipment.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present application, Figures 3 to 6As shown, the wheel bracket 1 is connected to the bracket shaft 6 and can rotate around the bracket shaft 6. The axial direction of the bracket shaft 6 and the axial direction of the wheel axle intersect with each other, that is, intersect, preferably intersect in different planes or are perpendicular to each other.

[0069] In this way, the roller 2 and the wheel bracket 1 can rotate relative to the bracket shaft 6 and around the bracket shaft 6, so that the roller 2 can rotate in all directions, which is convenient for the steering and walking of the walking wheel assembly 10.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present application, the guide extension 3 is hinged to the wheel bracket 1, and an elastic force-applying member 5 is provided between the guide extension 3 and the wheel bracket 1. The elastic force-applying member 5 is installed in a state in which it always applies force to the guide extension 3. The guide extension 3 can be rotated into an extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member 5, and can be rotated from the extended state to the retracted state under the action of an external force.

[0071] The guide extension 3 and the wheel bracket 1 are both provided with a pivot 8 , which extends along the axial direction Y of the wheel axle, and the wheel axle is the central axis of the roller 2 .

[0072] In this way, the connection structure of the rotational connection is simple, and the state switching is achieved through the action of the elastic force-applying member 5 and the external force. The state switching operation is simple and efficient. Moreover, the structure is simple, the space occupied is small, and the cost is low.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present application, the elastic force applying member 5 includes a spring.

[0074] The elastic force applying member 5 includes but is not limited to a tension spring, a compression spring, a torsion spring or a bending spring.

[0075] The spring provides a rotational force for the guide extension 3, thereby realizing the switching between the two states of the guide extension 3. The spring has a simple structure, low cost and small space occupation.

[0076] In some embodiments of the present application, the elastic force applying member 5 includes a torsion spring.

[0077] The torsion spring is mounted on the pivot 8 to provide a rotational force for the guide extension 3, thereby switching between two states of the guide extension 3. The torsion spring has a simple structure, low cost, and takes up little space.

[0078] In some embodiments of the present application, the guide extension 3 is a plate-shaped structure.

[0079] The guide extension 3 is a plate-like structure to reduce space occupation. The second guide surface 31 is a surface of the plate-like structure perpendicular to its thickness direction. In this way, the area of the second guide surface 31 is larger, which can better play the obstacle crossing function.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present application, the guide extension member 3 is slidably connected to the wheel bracket 1 through a sliding groove and a sliding protrusion, and the guide extension member 3 switches between the extended state and the retracted state by reciprocating sliding.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present application, the wheel bracket 1 includes a roller shield 13, and the portion of the roller shield 13 located on the front side of the travel direction X extends to a position closer to the reference plane than the portion located on the rear side of the travel direction X. The reference plane is the surface for the roller 2 to roll.

[0082] The portion of the roller shielding plate 13 located in front of the travel direction X extends to a position closer to the reference plane, that is, the front portion of the roller shielding plate 13 is longer in the lifting direction Z, so that the roller shielding plate 13 can better protect the roller 2.

[0083] In some embodiments of the present application, a portion of the roller shielding plate 13 located on the front side in the traveling direction X provides a first guide surface 11 .

[0084] In this way, the portion of the roller shielding plate 13 located in the front side of the travel direction X is longer in the lifting direction Z, so that the first guide surface 11 provided by it is longer in the inclined direction, which is beneficial to improving the obstacle crossing capability.

[0085] In some embodiments of the present application, a receiving groove 12 is formed on the front side of the wheel bracket 1 in the travel direction X, and in the retracted state, the guide extension 3 is received in the receiving groove 12 .

[0086] The storage groove 12 is used for the guide extension member 3 to avoid, so that the guide extension member 3 will not block the front side of the first guide surface 11 when it is in the retracted state, so that the second obstacle 1000b contacts the first guide surface 11, thereby allowing the first guide surface 11 to play a guiding role, thereby realizing the obstacle crossing function of the walking wheel assembly 10.

[0087] The present application also provides a cleaning device, such as Figures 7 to 12 As shown, the cleaning device includes a device body 100 and the above-mentioned travel wheel assembly 10.

[0088] Since the cleaning device includes the traveling wheel assembly 10 , the cleaning device has all the beneficial effects of the traveling wheel assembly 10 , and thus the cleaning device has a high obstacle-crossing function.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present application, the distance between the device body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 is fixed, that is, the position height of the device body 100 cannot be adjusted.

[0090] In this case, the height of the device body 100 remains unchanged, and the distance between the bottom of the device body 100 and the reference plane is sufficient to accommodate the guide extension member 3 in the extended state.

[0091] In some embodiments of the present application, the cleaning device further includes a lifting assembly 7, which is respectively connected to the device body 100 and the walking wheel assembly 10, and the distance between the device body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 is changed along the lifting direction Z through the lifting assembly 7.

[0092] By changing the distance between the equipment body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 along the lifting direction Z through the lifting component 7, the equipment body 100 is made to rise or fall along the lifting direction Z. When the equipment body 100 rises to a first position with a higher height, it is beneficial for the cleaning equipment to overcome obstacles. When the equipment body 100 falls to a second position with a lower height, the stability of the movement of the cleaning equipment is improved, and the space occupied by the cleaning equipment in the vertical direction Z is reduced. In addition, it is beneficial for the cleaning equipment to efficiently perform cleaning operations such as vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present application, when the device body 100 is in a raised position away from the wheel bracket 1, the guide extension 3 is in an extended state; when the device body 100 is in a lowered position close to the wheel bracket 1, the guide extension 3 is in a limited state restricted to an extended state.

[0094] The limited state is a state between the extended state and the retracted state. The guide extension member 3 is blocked in the process of becoming the extended state and becomes such a limited state.

[0095] When encountering a first obstacle 1000a of a relatively high height, the device body 100 is raised to the first position height, i.e., the distance between the device body 100 and the reference surface for the travel wheel assembly 10 is increased, thereby being sufficient to accommodate the extended guide extension 3. In this way, the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension 3 and the first guide surface 11 of the wheel bracket 1 are connected, extending the guide structure and thus improving the obstacle crossing effect. When encountering a second obstacle 1000b of a relatively low height or no obstacle, the device body 100 is lowered to the second position height, reducing the distance between the device body 100 and the reference surface, thereby lowering the height of the device body 100, improving the smoothness of the movement of the device body 100, and reducing the space occupied by the cleaning device in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, the cleaning equipment can cross the first obstacle 1000a with a higher height, and the obstacle crossing function of the cleaning equipment is improved. When there is no obstacle or encounters a second obstacle 1000b with a lower height, the height of the cleaning equipment is reduced, which improves the smoothness of the movement of the cleaning equipment. It can also enter a space with a lower height for cleaning, thereby expanding the cleaning range.

[0096] In some embodiments of the present application, the guide extension 3 is mounted on the wheel bracket 1 via a pivot 8 and switches between a retracted state and an extended state by rotating around the pivot 8. The device body 100 has a limit member 102. In the raised position, the limit member 102 is located at a position avoiding the path through which the guide extension 3 rotates to the extended state. In the lowered position, the limit member 102 is located in the middle of the path through which the guide extension 3 rotates to the extended state, thereby preventing the guide extension 3 from becoming an extended state.

[0097] like Figure 7 As shown, when the device body 100 is in the raised position, the limiting member 102 is located at a position avoiding the path of the guide extension member 3 when it rotates to the extended state. That is, the guide extension member 3 will not be blocked by the limiting member 102 during the rotation to the extended state, and the guide extension member 3 can smoothly rotate to the extended state; Figure 8 As shown, when the device body 100 is in the lowered position, the limit member 102 is located in the middle of the path through which the guide extension member 3 rotates to the extended state, that is, during the process of the guide extension member 3 rotating to the extended state, it will be blocked by the limit member 102, so that the guide extension member 3 is limited to the limited state. In this way, through the action of the limit member 102 of the device body 100, the guide extension member 3 is switched between the extended state and the non-extended state (a position that does not hinder the lowering of the device body, such as the above-mentioned limit position).

[0098] In some embodiments of the present application, the limiting member 102 is located at the lower part of the equipment body 100, and is located on the front side of the travel direction X compared with the wheel bracket 1. In the raised position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 do not overlap. In the lowered position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 at least partially overlap.

[0099] For example, Figure 8 As shown, the bottom of the device body 100 has a recessed area for accommodating the wheel bracket 1. A limiting member 102 is provided at the front side of the recessed area along the travel direction X and at the bottom of the device body 100. When the device body 100 is at the second height position (lowered position), part of the wheel bracket 1 is accommodated in the recessed area. At this time, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 at least partially overlap, and the guide extension member 3 is limited in a limited state by the limiting member 102. Figure 7As shown, when the equipment body 100 rises to the first position height (raised position), the wheel bracket 1 extends from the recessed area, and in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 does not overlap with the projection of the limiting member 102, so that the limiting member 102 avoids the restriction on the guide extension member 3, so that the guide extension member 3 can be turned to the extended state.

[0100] When the device body 100 is in the raised position, in the raised position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 do not overlap, so that there is enough space under the device body 100 to accommodate the guide extension 3 in the extended state; when the device body 100 is in the lowered position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 at least partially overlap, so that the limiting member 102 can prevent the guide extension 3 from rotating to the extended state, so that the guide extension 3 is limited to the limited state. In this way, the switching of the guide extension 3 between the extended state and the non-extended limited state is realized through the action of the limiting member 102 of the device body 100.

[0101] In some embodiments of the present application, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction Z, the projection of the limiting member 102 and the projection of the guide extension member 3 at least partially overlap.

[0102] Thus, when the device body 100 is at the first height position (raised position), the surface of the guide extension 3 facing away from the first guide surface 11 abuts against the stopper 102. Thus, when the guide extension 3 contacts the first obstacle 1000a, the device body 100 applies a force toward the front side of the travel direction X to the guide extension 3, providing assistance to the guide extension 3, thereby allowing the guide extension 3 to slide smoothly over the first obstacle 1000a, improving the smoothness of the obstacle traversal.

[0103] Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown, the bottom of the equipment body 100 of the cleaning equipment has a recessed area. When the equipment body 100 is at the second position height (lowered position), part of the first guide surface 11 of the wheel bracket 1 is accommodated in the recessed area. At this time, the vertical distance H1 between the bottom edge of the impact plate 101 of the equipment body 100 and the reference plane is the upper limit of the second height range, that is, the height of the second obstacle 1000b is less than the upper limit, and the second obstacle 1000b can pass through the lower area of the equipment body 100 and approach to contact the first guide surface 11. The vertical distance H1 between the bottom edge of the impact plate 101 of the equipment body 100 and the reference plane is the lower limit of the first height range, that is, the height of the first obstacle 1000a is greater than the lower limit. As shown Figure 7As shown, when the equipment body 100 rises to the first position height (raised position), the first guide surface 11 extends from the recessed area, and the guide extension 3 is in an extended state. At this time, the vertical distance H2 between the upper end of the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension 3 and the reference plane is the upper limit value of the first height range, that is, the height of the first obstacle 1000a is less than the upper limit value.

[0104] In some embodiments of the present application, an elastic force-applying member 5 is provided between the guide extension member 3 and the wheel bracket 1. The elastic force-applying member 5 is installed in a state in which it always applies force to the guide extension member 3. The guide extension member 3 can be rotated into an extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member 5, and can be rotated from the extended state to a non-extended limited state under the action of the limit member 102.

[0105] During the process of the device body 100 rising from the second position height to the first position height, the guide extension member 3 rotates to the extended state under the action of the elastic force member 5; during the process of the device body 100 descending from the first position height to the second position height, the guide extension member 3 rotates to the non-extended limit state under the joint action of the elastic force member 5 and the limit member 102 of the device body 100, and can be further rotated to the retracted state under the action of external force (such as the thrust of an obstacle).

[0106] like Figure 7 As shown, when the device body 100 moves to the first position height, the elastic force member 5 exerts force on the guide extension 3. Figure 7 The counterclockwise elastic force in the middle turns to Figure 7 During the process of the device body 100 moving downward from the first position height, the limiting member 102 of the device body 100 presses the guide extension member 3 downward, so that the guide extension member 3 moves along the Figure 7 Turn it clockwise downward until it reaches Figure 8 In the limiting state, the elastic force member 5 applies the guide extension 3 Figure 8 The elastic force in the counterclockwise direction is applied so that the guide extension 3 can flip upward under the elastic force of the elastic force-applying member 5 when the device body 100 is raised. In addition, the elastic force causes the guide extension 3 to press against the bottom of the device body 100 (such as the limit member 102), thereby limiting the position of the guide extension 3 and reducing the chance of the guide extension 3 swinging during movement.

[0107] In this way, during the process of the equipment body 100 moving to a different height, the guide extension member 3 switches its state synchronously. The state switching operation is simple and efficient. Moreover, the structure is simple, the space occupied is small, and the cost is low.

[0108] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 8As shown, the lifting assembly 7 includes a lifting drive device 71 and a lifting mechanism 72 connected to the driving end of the lifting drive device 71. The lifting mechanism 72 is respectively connected to the equipment body 100 and the walking wheel assembly 10. The lifting mechanism 72 changes the distance between the equipment body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 under the drive of the lifting drive device 71.

[0109] In this way, the lifting drive device 71 changes the distance between the equipment body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 through the lifting mechanism 72, thereby driving the equipment body 100 to rise or fall, thereby switching the state of the guide extension member 3.

[0110] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 9 As shown, the lifting drive device 71 is installed on the equipment body 100, and the lifting mechanism 72 includes a transmission member 721, an abutment member 722 and a sliding sleeve 723. The transmission member 721 is connected to the driving end of the lifting drive device 71, the transmission member 721 abuts against the abutment member 722, the abutment member 722 is connected to the sliding sleeve 723, and the sliding sleeve 723 is connected to the wheel bracket 1 and the equipment body 100 and can slide along the lifting direction Z relative to the equipment body 100.

[0111] The lifting drive device 71 drives the transmission member 721 to move, and the transmission member 721 presses downwardly along the lifting direction Z against the abutment member 722. The abutment member 722 moves downwardly along the lifting direction Z relative to the device body 100 with the sliding sleeve 723, thereby causing the device body 100 to move upward relative to the wheel bracket 1, thereby achieving the ascent of the device body 100. The lifting drive device 71 drives the transmission member 721 to move upwardly away from the abutment member 722 along the lifting direction Z. The device body 100 can move downwardly under the action of gravity or other external forces, thereby achieving the descent of the device body 100.

[0112] In this way, the lifting assembly 7 drives the device body 100 to rise or fall, and the lifting assembly 7 has a simple structure and occupies a small space.

[0113] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 10 As shown, the lifting mechanism 72 further includes an elastic member 724 , one end of the elastic member 724 is connected to the abutting member 722 , and the other end of the elastic member 724 is connected to the device body 100 .

[0114] The elastic member 724 includes, but is not limited to, a spring, a rubber strip, a bellows, or other elastic components. The elastic member 724 can be installed in a natural state or in a force-applied state, as long as it can apply a force that causes the abutment member 722 to move up and down, thereby driving the device body to move up and down.

[0115] Optionally, as the transmission member 721 moves upward away from the abutment member 722, the elastic member 724 exerts an upward elastic force on the abutment member 722, driving the abutment member 722 to move upward relative to the device body 100 along with the wheel bracket 1 and the roller 2, thereby lowering the height of the device body 100. The elastic member 724 accelerates the speed at which the device body 100 descends.

[0116] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 11 As shown, the abutment member 722 is provided with an inclined surface 7221 and a horizontal surface 7222 . The inclined surface 7221 is connected to the horizontal surface 7222 , and the inclined surface 7221 is higher than the horizontal surface 7222 . The transmission member 721 abuts against the inclined surface 7221 or the horizontal surface 7222 during the operation.

[0117] In this way, the position height of the abutting member 722 when the transmission member 721 abuts against the inclined surface 7221 is lower than the position height when the transmission member 721 abuts against the horizontal surface 7222 .

[0118] Optionally, the inclined surface 7221 may be an inclined plane or an inclined arc surface.

[0119] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 12 As shown, one end of the transmission member 721 is connected to the driving shaft of the lifting drive device 71 , and the other end of the transmission member 721 is provided with an abutting pulley 725 , and the transmission member 721 abuts against the abutting member 722 through the abutting pulley 725 .

[0120] The driving transmission member 721 of the lifting drive device 71 rotates around the driving shaft, driving the abutting pulley 725 to abut against the abutting member 722 and roll along the surface of the abutting member 722.

[0121] In this way, the friction force of the transmission member 721 in the process of applying the abutting pressure to the abutting member 722 is reduced, the wear rate of the transmission member 721 is slowed down, and the service life of the cleaning equipment is increased. Moreover, the driving force required to be output by the lifting drive device 71 can be reduced, which is conducive to saving energy consumption.

[0122] Specifically, the sliding sleeve 723 is sleeved on the bracket shaft 6, and the lifting drive device 71 can drive the transmission member 721 to move from Figure 9 The position shown is rotated counterclockwise by a set angle, so that the transmission member 721 presses the abutment member 722 to move downward relative to the device body 100, and the abutment member 722 moves downward relative to the device body 100 with the sliding sleeve 723, the bracket shaft 6, the wheel bracket 1 and the roller 2, thereby causing the device body 100 to move upward relative to the reference plane, thereby achieving the ascent of the device body 100. After crossing the first obstacle 1000a with a higher height, the lifting drive device 71 can drive the transmission member 721 to rotate clockwise to the position shown in FIG. Figure 9 In the position shown, the abutting pulley 725 of the transmission member 721 moves upward. During this process, the elastic member 724 applies an upward elastic force to the abutting member 722, driving the abutting member 722 to move upward with the bracket shaft 6, the wheel bracket 1 and the roller 2 relative to the equipment body 100. Since the roller 2 abuts against the bearing plane, the position height of the roller 2 remains unchanged, and the position height of the equipment body 100 is reduced, thereby lowering the equipment body 100.

[0123] In some embodiments of the present application, Figure 13 As shown, the cleaning device also includes a control module 200 and a detection device 300 provided on the device body 100. The control module 200 and the detection device 300 are communicatively connected. The detection device 300 is used to detect the status information of the front side of the roller 2 along the direction of travel. The status information at least includes whether there is an obstacle and the height of the obstacle. The control module 200 is used to control the guide extension 3 to switch between the extended state and the retracted state according to the status information detected by the detection device 300.

[0124] The obstacle status information detected by the detection device 300 includes whether an obstacle exists and the height and size of the obstacle. After obtaining the detected status information, the control module determines whether there is an obstacle ahead and whether the obstacle is the first obstacle 1000a or the second obstacle 1000b. This determines whether the state of the guide extension 3 needs to be switched. If switching is required, the control module controls the guide extension 3 to switch its state.

[0125] The detection device 300 includes, but is not limited to, a camera or sensor. The camera may be, but is not limited to, a laser scanning camera, a structured light camera, a stereo vision camera, a TOF (Time of Flight) camera, etc. The sensor may be, but is not limited to, a laser displacement sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a capacitive sensor, etc.

[0126] Exemplarily, the control module 200 is communicatively connected to the lifting drive device 71 , and controls the guide extension member 3 to switch between the extended state and the retracted state by controlling the start and stop of the lifting drive device 71 .

[0127] In this way, the automatic obstacle-crossing function of the cleaning equipment can be realized.

[0128] The following briefly describes the cleaning method of the cleaning equipment provided by the present application.

[0129] The control module 200 controls the roller 2 of the cleaning device to roll, so that the cleaning device moves forward. In the initial state, the guide extension 3 is in a retracted state. During the movement of the cleaning device, the detection device 300 detects the condition of the front side of the moving direction, obtains condition information, and transmits the condition information to the control module. When the control module 200 learns that there is an obstacle in the first height range on the front side of the moving direction based on the condition information, it controls the lifting component 7 to drive the device body 100 of the cleaning device to rise to the first position height. During the rising process of the device body 100, the guide extension 3 is under the action of the elastic force member 5. It rotates to the extended state, at which time the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension member 3 is connected to the first guide surface 11; the control module 200 controls the cleaning device to continue moving and cross the obstacle; when the control module 200 knows based on the status information measured by the detection device that there is an obstacle with a height within the second height range or no obstacle on the front side of the moving direction, the control module 200 controls the lifting component 7 to drive the device body 100 of the cleaning device to descend to the second position height. During the process of the device body 100 descending, the guide extension member 3 rotates to the retracted state under the joint action of the elastic force member 5 and the limit member 102 of the device body 100.

[0130] The above embodiments are intended only to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they may still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate from the essence of the corresponding technical solutions within the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should all be included within the scope of the specification of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner.

Claims

1. A walking wheel assembly, characterized in that: include: The wheel bracket provides a first guide surface inclined upward toward the front side of the traveling direction; A roller, mounted on the wheel bracket and capable of rotating around the wheel axle; A guide extension is mounted on the front side of the wheel bracket in the direction of travel, and the guide extension can be switched between a retracted state and an extended state. In the extended state, the guide extension provides a second guide surface. The second guide surface is continuous with the first guide surface along a direction inclined upward toward the front side of the traveling direction.

2. The travel wheel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wheel bracket is connected to the bracket rotating shaft and can rotate around the bracket rotating shaft. The axial direction of the bracket rotating shaft and the axial direction of the wheel axle intersect with each other.

3. The travel wheel assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The guide extension is hinged to the wheel bracket and can be rotated relative to the wheel bracket to the extended state, and can be rotated from the extended state to the retracted state.

4. The travel wheel assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: An elastic force-applying member is provided between the guide extension member and the wheel bracket. The elastic force-applying member is installed in a state of always applying force to the guide extension member. The guide extension member can be rotated into the extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member, and can be rotated from the extended state to the retracted state under the action of an external force.

5. The travel wheel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The wheel bracket includes a roller shielding plate, wherein a portion of the roller shielding plate located at the front side in the traveling direction extends to a position closer to a reference plane than a portion located at the rear side in the traveling direction. The reference plane is a surface for the roller to roll on.

6. The travel wheel assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The portion of the roller shielding plate located at the front side in the traveling direction provides the first guide surface.

7. The traveling wheel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The wheel bracket is formed with a receiving groove at the front side in the traveling direction, and in the retracted state, the guide extension is received in the receiving groove.

8. A cleaning device, characterized in that: The device comprises an equipment body and a walking wheel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that The cleaning device further comprises a lifting assembly, which is respectively connected to the device body and the travel wheel assembly, and the distance between the device body and the wheel bracket is changed along the lifting direction by the lifting assembly.

10. The cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that When the device body is in a raised position away from the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in the extended state, When the equipment body is in the lowered position close to the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in a limited state restricted to the extended state.

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