Cleaning equipment control method, equipment and system and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a control method, equipment and system of cleaning equipment and a computer readable storage medium, the cleaning equipment comprises a first driving wheel and a first side brush, the first side brush comprises a side brush seat and at least one movable brush strip, the side brush seat can rotate around a first axis, the movable brush strip is connected with the side brush seat, and the movable brush strip is connected with the first driving wheel. And the movable part can move between a first position and a second position. In the process that the first driving wheel moves forwards to drive the cleaning equipment to move forwards, when the movable brush strip is not located at the first position and the first driving wheel presses the movable brush strip, the cleaning equipment controls the first driving wheel to move backwards for a first duration, and then the first driving wheel is controlled to move forwards to drive the cleaning equipment to move forwards continuously. By the adoption of the scheme, after the movable brush strip is pressed by the driving wheel in the non-retraction state, the driving wheel pressing the movable brush strip is controlled to retreat, so that the cleaning equipment gets rid of trouble to continue to execute tasks, and the purpose of improving the task execution efficiency is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the field of robotics, and in particular to a control method, device, system, and computer-readable storage medium for cleaning equipment. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, cleaning robots, as an intelligent cleaning tool, can effectively liberate human hands and are therefore very popular.

[0003] When the cleaning robot is performing cleaning tasks driven by the driving wheels, the side brush rotates to sweep dust, debris and other garbage into the suction port, and then the garbage is sucked into the dust box through suction force, thus completing the sweeping task. The side brush includes a side brush holder and a plurality of brush bars arranged on the side brush holder. Normally, in order to prevent the driving wheels from pressing on the brush bars during the movement of the cleaning robot, causing the cleaning robot to be trapped, the brush bars are required to be not too long. However, in order to clean the corner areas, the brush bars are required to be longer so that they can extend into the corner areas to achieve corner cleaning. Therefore, in order to take into account the cleaning of corners, the brush bars are set in a movable style. When performing normal cleaning, the length of the brush bars is shorter to prevent the driving wheels from pressing on the brush bars; when cleaning the corner areas, the length of the brush bars is longer to allow them to extend into the corner areas to achieve corner cleaning.

[0004] However, when the cleaning robot is performing routine cleaning, the brush bar may be unfolded for some reasons, causing its length to become longer, causing the cleaning robot to be trapped and unable to continue to perform the task, or even causing damage to the cleaning robot's components. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control method, device, system and computer-readable storage medium for a cleaning device. When the cleaning device is trapped due to the driving wheel pressing on the movable brush bar in a non-retracted state, the driving wheel pressing on the movable brush bar is controlled to move backward, so that the cleaning device can be freed and continue to perform the task, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the efficiency of performing the task.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a control method for a cleaning device, which is applied to the cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device includes a first drive wheel and a first side brush, the first side brush includes a side brush seat and at least one movable brush bar, the side brush seat is rotatable about a first axis, the movable brush bar is connected to the side brush seat and is movable between a first position and a second position, and when the movable brush bar is in the second position, the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis is greater than the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the first position, characterized in that the method includes:

[0007] When the first driving wheel moves forward to drive the cleaning device forward, when the movable brush bar is not in the first position and the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar, controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first time period;

[0008] The first driving wheel is controlled to move forward to drive the cleaning device to continue moving forward.

[0009] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a cleaning device, comprising a body, a first drive wheel and a first side brush arranged on the body, the first side brush comprising a side brush seat and at least one movable brush bar, the side brush seat being rotatable around a first axis, the movable brush bar being connected to the side brush seat and movable between a first position and a second position, and when the movable brush bar is in the second position, a radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis is greater than a radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the first position, and further comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store a computer program, the processor being used to execute the computer program stored in the memory to implement the method described in the first aspect or various possible implementation methods of the first aspect above.

[0010] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a cleaning system, comprising a base station and a cleaning device as described in the second aspect or various possible implementations of the second aspect.

[0011] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which computer instructions are stored. When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, they are used to implement the method described in the first aspect or various possible implementation methods of the first aspect.

[0012] The present disclosure provides a control method, device, system, and computer-readable storage medium for a cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device includes a first drive wheel and a first side brush, the first side brush including a side brush holder and at least one movable brush bar, the side brush holder being rotatable about a first axis, the movable brush bar being connected to the side brush holder and movable between a first position and a second position, and wherein when the movable brush bar is in the second position, the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis is greater than the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the first position, and during the process of the first drive wheel advancing to drive the cleaning device forward, when the movable brush bar is not in the first position and the first drive wheel presses the movable brush bar, the cleaning device controls the first drive wheel to retreat for a first period of time, and then controls the first drive wheel to advance to drive the cleaning device to continue advancing. With this solution, when the movable brush bar is in a non-retracted state and is pressed by the drive wheel, the cleaning device is freed to continue performing its task by controlling the drive wheel pressing the movable brush bar to retreat, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the efficiency of performing the task. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0014] Figure 1A is a bottom view of the cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure in a normal cleaning mode;

[0015] Figure 1B is a bottom view of the cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure in a corner cleaning mode;

[0016] Figure 1C is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram showing the movable brush bar of the first side brush in a first position when viewed from above the cleaning device;

[0018] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram showing the movable brush bar of the first side brush in the second position when looking upward at the cleaning device;

[0019] Figure 2C is a schematic diagram showing a first side brush with a movable brush bar in a first position when viewed from above the cleaning device;

[0020] Figure 2D is a schematic diagram of the cleaning device when viewed from above, with the movable brush bar of the first side brush in the second position;

[0021] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of a target direction in a method for controlling a cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 4B Is the cleaning equipment facing Figure 4A Schematic diagram of target direction rotation shown;

[0024] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a control device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a cleaning device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The side brush is an important component of the cleaning robot for completing the task of sweeping the floor. The side brush usually includes a side brush holder and a brush bar provided on the side brush holder. The brush bar is installed on the cleaning robot through the side brush holder, and the brush bar follows the rotation of the side brush holder to complete the task of sweeping the floor. During the movement of the cleaning robot, if the driving wheel of the cleaning robot presses on the brush bar, the cleaning robot will be trapped and the brush bar will be damaged. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the contact point between the driving wheel and the surface to be cleaned is outside the rotation range of the brush bar to avoid the driving wheel pressing on the brush bar. Due to the need for cleaning corners, the brush bar needs to be extended to facilitate cleaning the corners. Obviously, it is not possible to simply make the brush bar longer so that the brush bar extends into the corner area to clean the corner area.

[0027] To ensure both edge and corner cleaning, the cleaning robot is equipped with a first side brush. Compared to a conventional side brush, the first side brush includes at least one movable brush bar. A radial distance exists between the end of the movable brush bar and the rotation axis of the side brush holder, and this radial distance changes depending on the position of the movable brush bar. In other words, by adjusting the position of the movable brush bar, the radial distance between the end of the movable brush bar and the rotation axis of the side brush holder can be increased or decreased, thereby increasing or decreasing the length of the movable brush bar. During routine cleaning, the movable brush bar is shorter to prevent the drive wheel from pressing on it. When cleaning corners, the movable brush bar is longer, allowing it to reach into the corners for cleanliness.

[0028] However, when the cleaning robot is performing routine cleaning, the position of the movable brush bar may change due to reasons such as the speed switching of the first side brush, obstruction by obstacles, insufficient friction of the surface to be cleaned, etc., for example, it may move from a retracted state to an extended state, that is, the radial distance between the end of the movable brush bar and the rotating axis of the side brush holder is longer, causing the cleaning robot to be trapped and unable to continue to perform the task, and even damaging the working parts of the cleaning robot, for example, the motor of the drive wheel is stalled, the motor of the side brush is stalled, the bristles of the side brush are entangled and worn, etc.

[0029] Based on this, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control method, equipment, system and computer-readable storage medium for a cleaning device. After the movable brush bar is unfolded and pressed by the driving wheel of the cleaning device, the driving wheel pressing the movable brush bar is controlled to retreat, so that the cleaning device can be freed and continue to perform the task, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the efficiency of task execution.

[0030] The cleaning device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be any device that requires a side brush, including but not limited to vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbers, and cleaning robots. Cleaning robots include but are not limited to sweeping robots, mopping robots, and sweeping and mopping robots. Below, the cleaning device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure is described in detail using a cleaning robot as an example.

[0031] The cleaning device provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure has at least two working modes: a normal cleaning mode and a corner cleaning mode. Figure 1A is a bottom view of the cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure in a normal cleaning mode, Figure 1B This is a bottom view of the cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure when in corner cleaning mode. Figure 1C This is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 1A to 1C The cleaning device 100 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a body 10, and a suction port 11 is provided at the bottom of the body 10. The bottom of the body 10 is the side of the cleaning device 100 close to the surface to be cleaned. A mounting chamber 12 is formed by a depression from the suction port 11 toward the inside of the body 10, and a roller brush 13 is rotatably installed in the mounting chamber 12. Cleaning parts such as bristle brushes or rubber brushes are provided on the outer peripheral side of the roller brush 13, and at least part of the cleaning parts extends out of the suction port 11 to sweep away dust, debris and other garbage. With reference to the forward direction of the cleaning device when performing a cleaning task, the side brushes 17 and 18 are provided in front of the suction port 11. During the sweeping process, the side brushes rotate around their axis to sweep garbage and the like toward the suction port 11.

[0032] The housing 10 has a storage bin 14, which has a dust inlet 15, which is connected to the installation bin 12. A dust collection container 16 is detachably mounted in the storage bin 14. After the dust collection container 16 is mounted in the storage bin 14, the dust collection air inlet of the dust collection container 16 is connected to the dust inlet 15 of the storage bin 14. Thus, an air flow channel can be formed that passes through the suction port 11, the installation bin 12, the dust inlet 15 and the dust collection container 16 in sequence, as shown in FIG. Figure 1C As shown by the dashed arrow in the middle, a negative pressure device is provided at the end of the air flow channel. When the negative pressure device is in operation, a negative pressure is generated in the installation chamber 12, so that the garbage swept by the roller brush 13 and the air flow along the air flow channel together. When the garbage passes through the dust collection container 16, it is filtered by the filter structure in the dust collection container 16 and is collected in the dust collection container 16, while the clean air is discharged into the environment through the negative pressure device.

[0033] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a first side brush 17 is provided on at least one side of the suction port 11, and the first side brush 17 is specifically provided on the side front. For example, from a top-down perspective, with the forward direction of the cleaning device as the front, a first side brush 17 is provided on the right side of the suction port 11, and a second side brush 18 is provided on the left side. The second side brush 18 can be the same side brush as the first side brush 17, or it can be an ordinary side brush different from the first side brush 17. For another example, from a top-down perspective, with the forward direction of the cleaning device as the front, a first side brush 17 is provided on the right side of the suction port 11, and no side brush is provided on the left side. For another example, from a top-down perspective, with the forward direction of the cleaning device as the front, a first side brush 17 is provided on the left side of the suction port 11, and no side brush is provided on the right side. The above Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe following description is made by taking an example in which the first side brush 17 is provided on the right side of the suction port 11 and the second side brush 18 is provided on the left side, and the second side brush 18 is a common side brush. Figure 1B In the embodiment, since the first side brush 17 has a movable brush bar and the movable brush bar is unfolded, the rotation range of the movable brush bar is significantly greater than the rotation range of the brush bar of the second side brush 18.

[0034] When side brushes are provided on both sides of the suction port 11, in a top-down view, in normal cleaning mode, the second side brush 18 on the left rotates clockwise, and the first side brush 17 on the right rotates counterclockwise, thereby collecting garbage toward the suction port 11 at the bottom of the machine body 10. For example, please refer to Figure 1C , taking the forward direction X of the cleaning device 100 when performing the cleaning task as the front, a first side brush 17 is set on the right side of the front of the cleaning device 100, and a second side brush 18 is set on the left side. The suction port 11 is located between the two side brushes and is set behind the side brushes. The two side brushes extend out of the body 10, thereby sweeping the garbage around the cleaning device 100 to the suction port 11.

[0035] It should be noted that although the above Figures 1A to 1C The embodiment of the present disclosure is described by taking the roller brush 13 provided on the cleaning device as an example. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this. In other feasible implementations, the roller brush 13 may not be provided on the cleaning device 100. In addition, the cleaning device 100 also includes a driving wheel 19, etc. For the sake of clarity, the driving wheel on the same side as the first side brush 17 is referred to as the first driving wheel ( Figure 1A The left wheel in the figure), the driving wheel on the same side as the second side brush 18 is called the second driving wheel ( Figure 1A the right wheel in the figure).

[0036] In the disclosed embodiment, the first side brush 17 includes a side brush holder and at least one movable brush strip. The side brush holder is rotatable about a first axis. The movable brush strip is connected to the side brush holder and is movable between a first position and a second position. When the movable brush strip is in the second position, the radial distance from its free end to the first axis is greater than the radial distance from its free end to the first axis when the movable brush strip is in the first position. Since the movable brush strip can switch between the first position and the second position following the forward and reverse rotation of the side brush holder, when it is desired that the movable brush strip extend into the corner area to achieve corner cleaning, the movable brush strip can be moved to the second position to increase the radial distance from its free end to the first axis, so that the movable brush strip extends into the corner area, thereby improving the cleaning range of the corner area. Figure 1B During normal movement, the movable brush bar is in the first position, and the radial distance between the free end and the first axis is short, so as to avoid interference between the driving wheel of the cleaning machine and the movable brush bar, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the cleaning machine. Figure 1AThe state in which the movable brush bar is located at the first position is also referred to as the movable brush bar retracted state or the movable brush bar folded state, and the state in which the movable brush bar is located at the second position is also referred to as the movable brush bar expanded state or the movable brush bar unfolded state.

[0037] In the disclosed embodiment, the cleaning device has a normal cleaning mode and a corner cleaning mode, and the movable brush bar is switched between a first position and a second position by rotating the side brush holder forward and reverse. In normal cleaning mode, the first side brush rotates in a first direction; in corner cleaning mode, the first side brush rotates in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction. For example, if the first side brush is the right side brush, and from a top-down perspective, with the forward direction of the cleaning device as the front, in normal cleaning mode, the first side brush rotates counterclockwise, i.e., the first direction is counterclockwise; in corner cleaning mode, the first side brush rotates clockwise, i.e., the second direction is clockwise.

[0038] When the cleaning device switches from the edge and corner cleaning mode to the regular cleaning mode, the first side brush rotates along the first direction so that the movable brush bar moves to the first position, and then the movable brush bar is kept in the first position and continues to rotate along the first direction; when the cleaning device switches from the regular cleaning mode to the edge and corner cleaning mode, the first side brush rotates along the second direction so that the movable brush bar moves to the second position, and then the movable brush bar is kept in the second position and continues to rotate along the second direction.

[0039] When the movable brush bar moves from the first position to the second position, the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis continues to increase, and when the movable brush bar moves to the second position, the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis is the largest; when the movable brush bar moves from the second position to the first position, the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis continues to shorten, and when the movable brush bar moves to the first position, the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis is the smallest.

[0040] The embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the structure of the first side brush. Below, the structure of the first side brush is described in detail.

[0041] Figure 2A This is a schematic diagram showing the movable brush bar of the first side brush in the first position when looking up at the cleaning device. Figure 2B This is a schematic diagram showing the movable brush bar of the first side brush in the second position when looking up at the cleaning device. Figure 2C Schematic diagram of the movable brush bar of the first side brush in the first position when viewed from above the cleaning device. Figure 2D This is a diagram showing the first side brush's movable brush bar in the second position, viewed from above. Figure 2A and Figure 2DThe first side brush includes a side brush holder 21, a first brush strip 22, a second brush strip 23, and an extension arm 24. The second brush strip 23 is a movable brush strip. P1 represents the projection point of the first axis onto the side brush holder 21. The side brush holder 21 rotates about the first axis, which is perpendicular to the cross-section of the side brush holder 21. The extension arm 24 always protrudes from the outer circumference of the side brush holder 21. When the second brush strip 23 is in the first position, the radial distance between the free end of the second brush strip 23 and the first axis is d1. When the second brush strip 23 is in the second position, the radial distance between the free end of the second brush strip 23 and the first axis is d2, where d2>d1. In other words, the radial distance between the free end of the second brush strip 23 and the first axis is greater in the second position than in the first position. When the side brush holder 21 rotates about the first axis, the second brush strip 23 has a larger rotational diameter in the second position, thereby expanding the cleaning range of the first side brush.

[0042] Take the forward direction of the cleaning equipment when performing the cleaning task as a reference, Figures 2A to 2D Taking the first side brush 17 shown in the figure as being arranged on the right front side of the cleaning device as an example, when the cleaning device performs a conventional cleaning mode, such as sweeping and mopping, the first side brush 17 is controlled to rotate counterclockwise to perform the sweeping task, and the second brush bar 23 (that is, the movable brush bar) remains in a retracted state under the action of friction during the process of contacting the surface to be cleaned; when the cleaning device performs a corner cleaning mode, the first side brush 17 is controlled to rotate clockwise to perform the sweeping task. At this time, the second brush bar 23 is thrown out during the rotation process, that is, it moves from the first position to the second position until it becomes an expanded state, and in the process of contacting the surface to be cleaned, it remains in an expanded state under the action of friction, and cleans the corner area in the expanded state; when the cleaning device performs the corner cleaning mode, the cleaning device can be stationary, that is, the driving wheel does not rotate, so the driving wheel will not press the movable brush bar; after the cleaning device completes the corner cleaning, the first side brush 17 is controlled to rotate counterclockwise again, and the second brush bar 23 moves from the second position to the first position under the action of friction during the process of contacting the surface to be cleaned, until it becomes a retracted state. It can be seen from this that the second brush bar 23 can be controlled to be in the retracted state or the extended state by controlling the rotation direction of the first side brush 17 .

[0043] It should be noted that although the above Figures 2A to 2D The embodiment is described using the example of a first side brush including a first brush strip 22 and a second brush strip 23. However, the disclosed embodiment is not limiting, and in other optional implementations, the first side brush may include more or fewer brush strips, and the number of movable brush strips may be more than one, such as including two movable brush strips.

[0044] In addition, it should be noted that although the above Figures 2A to 2DIn the embodiment, the example of providing an extension arm to enable the movable brush bar to have a first position and a second position is used for illustration. However, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and any first side brush that can enable the movable brush bar to have a first position and a second position can be used with the cleaning device described in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Please refer to Figures 1A to 2D Normally, when the movable brush bar is desired to extend into corner areas for corner cleaning, the movable brush bar can be moved to the second position, where the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis is d2. This increases the rotation range of the movable brush bar, allowing the movable brush bar to extend into the corner areas, thereby improving the cleaning range of the corner areas. During normal movement, the movable brush bar moves to the first position, where the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis is d1. This reduces the rotation range of the movable brush bar, preventing interference between the driving wheel of the cleaning machine and the movable brush bar, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the cleaning machine.

[0046] However, during normal movement of the cleaning device, the movable brush bar may move from the first position to the second position due to factors such as the speed switching of the first side brush, obstruction by obstacles, and insufficient friction on the surface to be cleaned. At this point, the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis is greater than d1, and greater than the distance between the side brush holder and the drive wheel, causing the movable brush bar of the first side brush to press against the first side brush during movement of the first drive wheel. The distance between the side brush holder and the drive wheel refers to the distance between the center of the side brush holder and the bearing point of the drive wheel, that is, the distance between the center of the side brush holder and the point where the drive wheel contacts the ground.

[0047] Next, combined with the above Figures 1A to 2D , the control method of the cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail. For example, please refer to Figure 3 . Figure 3 : is a flow chart of a control method for a cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, which includes:

[0048] 301. When the first driving wheel moves forward to drive the cleaning device forward, when the movable brush bar is not in the first position and the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar, the first driving wheel is controlled to move backward for a first time period.

[0049] In the disclosed embodiment, the first drive wheel advances, thereby driving the cleaning device forward. Normally, the movable brush bar is in the first position, and the radial distance between the movable brush bar and the first axis is small. Therefore, the movable brush bar does not interfere with the first drive wheel, that is, the first drive wheel does not press the movable brush bar. However, because the movable brush bar can move between the first position and the second position, due to reasons such as the speed switching of the first side brush, obstruction, insufficient friction on the surface to be cleaned, etc., the movable brush bar is no longer in the first position, but is instead located between the first position and the second position or in the second position, causing the first drive wheel to press the movable brush bar. At this time, the cleaning device controls the first drive wheel to retract for a first duration. The first duration can be, for example, 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, etc., and the retraction speed can be, for example, 0.2 m / s, 0.3 m / s, etc., although this is not limited in the disclosed embodiment.

[0050] During normal movement of the cleaning device, such as when performing cleaning tasks in regular cleaning mode or during navigation and mapping, there are many reasons why the active brush bar may not be in the first position. For example, the cleaning device may detect an increase in dust, debris, and other debris and increase the rotation speed of the first side brush, causing the active brush bar to move out of the first position due to inertia, that is, the active brush bar is thrown out.

[0051] For another example, during the normal movement of the cleaning device, it encounters an obstacle and overcomes it. During the obstacle-overcoming process, the movable brush bar cannot fully contact the ground, resulting in insufficient friction, or is driven by the obstacle, causing the movable brush bar to switch from a retracted state to an extended state, that is, the movable brush bar moves from a first position to a second position.

[0052] In another example, the cleaning device moves from a wooden floor to floor tiles, and the friction of the floor tiles is relatively small, causing the movable brush bar to switch from a retracted state to an extended state, that is, the movable brush bar moves from a first position to a second position.

[0053] 302. Control the first driving wheel to move forward to drive the cleaning device to continue moving forward.

[0054] After the cleaning device controls the first drive wheel to retract for a first period of time, the movable brush bar is released, i.e., the first drive wheel no longer presses the movable brush bar. Since the cleaning device is now in a normal cleaning mode, the first side brush rotates in a first direction. After the rotation causes the movable brush bar to move to a first position, the movable brush bar remains in the first position and continues to rotate in the first direction.

[0055] The present disclosure provides a control method for a cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device includes a first drive wheel and a first side brush, the first side brush including a side brush holder and at least one movable brush bar, the side brush holder being rotatable about a first axis, the movable brush bar being connected to the side brush holder and being movable between a first position and a second position, and the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the second position is greater than the radial distance between the free end of the movable brush bar and the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the first position, and during the process of the first drive wheel advancing to drive the cleaning device forward, when the movable brush bar is not in the first position and the first drive wheel presses the movable brush bar, the cleaning device controls the first drive wheel to retreat for a first period of time, and then controls the first drive wheel to advance to drive the cleaning device to continue advancing. With this solution, when the movable brush bar is in a non-retracted state and is pressed by the cleaning device, the cleaning device is freed to continue performing its task by controlling the drive wheel pressing the movable brush bar to retreat, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the efficiency of performing the task.

[0056] Optionally, in the above embodiment, while controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first period of time, the cleaning device also controls the first side brush to rotate in a first direction to move the movable brush bar toward the first position.

[0057] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, taking the first side brush as the right side brush as an example, in normal cleaning mode, the side brush holder of the first side brush rotates in a first direction, which is counterclockwise for example. The movable brush bar is pressed by the first drive wheel, and during the process of the first drive wheel retreating, in one embodiment, the side brush holder of the first side brush stops rotating. After the movable brush bar is released, the side brush holder of the first side brush rotates in the first direction, causing the movable brush bar to move toward the first position. After the movable brush bar moves to the first position, the movable brush bar remains in the first position and continues to rotate in the first direction.

[0058] In another embodiment, while the first drive wheel retracts, the side brush holder of the first side brush simultaneously rotates in the first direction. Before the active brush bar is released, although the side brush holder cannot rotate, it attempts to rotate in the first direction, thereby accumulating force. After the active brush bar is released, the accumulated force causes the active brush bar to rapidly move toward the first position. After reaching the first position, the active brush bar remains in the first position and continues to rotate in the first direction.

[0059] With this solution, when the first driving wheel moves backward, the first side brush is released and rotates along the first direction, thereby achieving the purpose of quickly moving the movable side brush to the first position.

[0060] Optionally, during the process of the first drive wheel retracting for the first duration, the disclosed embodiments do not restrict the behavior of the cleaning device. In one embodiment, the cleaning device controls the cleaning device to rotate while controlling the first drive wheel to retract for the first duration. For example, during the process of the first drive wheel retracting, the cleaning device as a whole rotates clockwise, and the rotation angle can be 10°, 15°, etc., which is not limited by the disclosed embodiments.

[0061] With this solution, the entire rotation of the cleaning device is controlled during the backward movement of the first drive wheel. From the user's perspective, the cleaning device only rotates slightly, avoiding abrupt backward movement of the cleaning device that may cause user confusion, and improving the user experience to a certain extent.

[0062] In some embodiments, the cleaning device further includes a second drive wheel, which is symmetrically arranged with the first drive wheel relative to the forward direction of the cleaning device. The symmetrical arrangement of the first and second drive wheels allows the cleaning device to move smoothly during movement, and the forward, backward, or steering movement of the cleaning device can be controlled by controlling the movement of the first and second drive wheels. For example, from a top-down perspective of the cleaning device, the first drive wheel is the right wheel and the second drive wheel is the left wheel.

[0063] The embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit the manner in which the cleaning device rotates. For example, while the first drive wheel is retracting for a first period of time, the second drive wheel is controlled to stop rotating, thereby rotating the cleaning device while reducing power consumption of the cleaning device and improving the endurance of the cleaning device.

[0064] For example, while the first drive wheel is moving backward for a first period of time, the second drive wheel is controlled to move forward. The forward speed of the second drive wheel can be the same as or different from the backward speed of the first drive wheel. Because the two drive wheels move in opposite directions, the rotation amplitude of the cleaning device is smaller, avoiding abrupt rotation of the cleaning device that may cause confusion to the user, and to a certain extent improving the user experience.

[0065] For another example, during the first retreat for a first time period, the second driving wheel is also controlled to retreat, and the retreat speed of the second driving wheel is different from the retreat speed of the first driving wheel, so that the rotation of the cleaning device is achieved through the wheel speed difference.

[0066] Optionally, in the above embodiment, before the cleaning device controls the first driving wheel to move forward to drive the cleaning device to continue moving forward, it also controls the cleaning device to rotate until the cleaning device faces a target direction, which is the direction when the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar.

[0067] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the target direction in the control method of the cleaning device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 4B Is the cleaning equipment facing Figure 4A Schematic diagram of target direction rotation shown. Figure 4A The cleaning device is performing bow-shaped cleaning. When the movable brush bar is not in the first position and the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar, the forward direction of the cleaning device is as follows: Figure 4A As shown by the black solid arrow in the middle. Afterwards, the first driving wheel moves backward while the cleaning device rotates. Taking the first driving wheel moving backward and the second driving wheel moving forward as an example, after the first time period, the direction of the cleaning device is as follows: Figure 4B As shown by the solid arrow in Figure 4B Directions shown and Figure 4A The target direction shown is angled α. The cleaning device first rotates counterclockwise by an angle of α before continuing forward, driven by the first and second drive wheels. This allows the cleaning device to continue along the path planned before the active brush bar was pressed, eliminating the need to replan the path and improving cleaning efficiency.

[0068] In another embodiment, the cleaning device is controlled to move backward while the first drive wheel is controlled to move backward for a first period of time. For example, while the first drive wheel is moving backward, the cleaning device as a whole moves backward at a speed of 0.2 m / s, 0.3 m / s, etc., which is not limited in the present embodiment.

[0069] With this solution, the entire cleaning device moves backward as the first driving wheel moves backward. The control logic is simple, and the movable brush bar pressed by the first driving wheel can be quickly released.

[0070] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, when the first driving wheel moves backward for a first period of time, if the cleaning robot moves backward as a whole, the cleaning device controls the first driving wheel to move backward while controlling the second driving wheel to move backward, and the backward speeds of the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are the same.

[0071] With this solution, the cleaning equipment can move backward by controlling the two driving wheels to move backward at the same speed at the same time, and the control logic is simple.

[0072] The above description focuses on the action of the cleaning device after the movable brush bar of the cleaning device is pressed by the first drive wheel. In some embodiments, in order to adjust the control logic of the cleaning device as little as possible, the control logic of the first side brush, the second side brush, and the second drive wheel can be maintained without adjustment while controlling the first drive wheel to retreat for a first period of time. That is, the rotation direction and rotation speed of the first side brush are maintained at the same mode as before the first drive wheel pressed the movable brush bar, the rotation direction and rotation speed of the second side brush are maintained at the same mode as before the first drive wheel pressed the movable brush bar, and the rotation direction and rotation speed of the second drive wheel are maintained at the same mode as before the first drive wheel pressed the movable brush bar.

[0073] Next, how the cleaning device determines that the movable brush bar is pressed by the first driving wheel will be described in detail.

[0074] As the first drive wheel advances to drive the cleaning device forward, the cleaning device collects a first drive current for rotating the first side brush and a second drive current for rotating the first drive wheel. The cleaning device then compares the first drive current with a first threshold, and the second drive current with a second threshold. When the first drive current exceeds the first threshold and persists for longer than a second duration, and the second drive current exceeds the second threshold and persists for longer than a third duration, the cleaning device determines that the first drive wheel is pressing against the movable brush strip.

[0075] For example, while the cleaning device is moving forward driven by the first and second drive wheels, the cleaning device collects the first drive current of the first side brush and the second drive current of the first drive wheel at a certain frequency. The collection frequency may be, for example, 100 Hz, 300 Hz, 500 Hz, etc., and is not limited in the present embodiment.

[0076] The cleaning device periodically compares the first drive current with the first threshold, and the second drive current with the second threshold. For example, the comparison is performed every 30 milliseconds, every 50 milliseconds, or every 1 second. The first threshold is, for example, 0.2 amps, the second duration is, for example, 2 seconds, the second threshold is, for example, 0.5 amps, the third duration is, for example, 1 second, etc. When the first drive current is greater than the first threshold and lasts for longer than the second duration, and the second drive current is greater than the second threshold and lasts for longer than the third duration, the cleaning device determines that the first drive wheel is pressing the movable brush strip.

[0077] If the first drive current is greater than the first threshold and lasts longer than the second time period, but the second drive current is less than the second threshold, or if the second drive current is greater than the second threshold but lasts shorter than the third time period, the cleaning device deems the first side brush entangled or hooked, and attempts to untangle the first side brush. If untanglement is unsuccessful, a prompt message is issued, such as by voice or flashing light, to inform the user that there is a problem with the first side brush.

[0078] If the second drive current is greater than the second threshold and lasts longer than the third time period, but the first drive current is less than the first threshold, or if the first drive current is greater than the first threshold but lasts less than or equal to the second time period, the cleaning device will determine that the first drive wheel is entangled and attempt to free it. If freeing is unsuccessful, a prompt message will be issued through voice, flashing lights, etc. to inform the user that there is a problem with the first drive wheel.

[0079] During the normal movement of the cleaning equipment, the first side brush, the first driving wheel, etc. may be entangled by obstacles such as hair and wires. When both are prompted to be entangled separately, targeted escape actions can be performed; but when both are prompted to be entangled at the same time, it is considered that it is caused by the driving wheel pressing on the side brush, and corresponding escape actions can be performed.

[0080] By adopting this solution, the cleaning device determines whether the movable brush bar is pressed down based on the first driving current used to drive the first side brush to rotate and the second driving current used to drive the first driving wheel to rotate, thereby achieving the purpose of quickly and accurately determining whether the movable brush bar is pressed down.

[0081] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of a control device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The control device 500 is integrated into a cleaning device, which includes a first drive wheel and a first side brush. The first side brush includes a side brush holder and at least one movable brush bar. The side brush holder is rotatable about a first axis. The movable brush bar is connected to the side brush holder and movable between a first position and a second position. When the movable brush bar is in the second position, the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis is greater than the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the first position. The control device includes a first control module 51 and a second control module 52.

[0082] A first control module 51 is configured to control the first driving wheel to move backward for a first duration when the movable brush bar is not in the first position and the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar during the process in which the first driving wheel moves forward to drive the cleaning device forward;

[0083] The first control module 51 is further configured to control the first driving wheel to move forward to drive the cleaning device to continue moving forward.

[0084] In a feasible implementation, the second control module 52 is configured to control the first side brush to rotate in a first direction during the process of controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first period of time, so as to move the movable brush bar toward the first position.

[0085] In a feasible implementation, the first control module 51 is further configured to control the cleaning device to rotate during the process of controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first period of time.

[0086] In a feasible implementation, the cleaning device also includes a second driving wheel, which is symmetrically arranged with the first driving wheel relative to the forward direction of the cleaning device; the first control module 51 is also used to control the rotation of the cleaning device, and to control the second driving wheel to move forward when the first driving wheel moves backward and continues for a first period of time.

[0087] In a feasible implementation, before the first control module 51 controls the first driving wheel to move forward to drive the cleaning device to continue moving forward, it is also used to control the cleaning device to rotate until the cleaning device is facing a target direction, and the target direction is the direction of the cleaning device when the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar.

[0088] In a feasible implementation, the first control module 51 is further configured to control the cleaning device to move backward during the process of controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first period of time.

[0089] In a feasible implementation, the cleaning device also includes a second driving wheel, which is symmetrically arranged with the first driving wheel relative to the forward direction of the cleaning device; when the first control module 51 controls the cleaning device to move backward, it is used to control the second driving wheel to move backward when the first driving wheel moves backward, and the backward speed of the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are the same.

[0090] In a feasible implementation, before the first control module 51 controls the first driving wheel to move backward and last for a first period of time, the second control module 52 is also used to collect the first driving current that drives the first side brush to rotate during the process of the first driving wheel moving forward to drive the cleaning device forward, and the first control module 51 also collects the second driving current that drives the first driving wheel to rotate; when the first driving current is greater than the first threshold and lasts for more than the second period of time, and the second driving current is greater than the second threshold and lasts for more than the third period of time, it is determined that the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar.

[0091] The control device provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can execute the actions of the cleaning equipment in the above embodiment. Its implementation principle and technical effects are similar and will not be repeated here.

[0092] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, the cleaning device 600 includes:

[0093] Processor 61 and memory 62;

[0094] The memory 62 stores computer instructions;

[0095] The processor 61 executes the computer instructions stored in the memory 62 , so that the processor 61 executes the control method implemented by the cleaning device as described above.

[0096] The specific implementation process of the processor 61 can be found in the above-mentioned method embodiment. Its implementation principle and technical effects are similar and will not be repeated here in this embodiment.

[0097] Optionally, the cleaning robot 600 further includes a communication component 63 , wherein the processor 61 , the memory 62 and the communication component 63 may be connected via a bus 64 .

[0098] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed by a processor, they are used to implement the control method implemented by the cleaning device as described above.

[0099] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a computer program product, which includes a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the control method implemented by the cleaning device as described above is implemented.

[0100] In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a cleaning system, which includes the above-mentioned cleaning equipment and a base station. The cleaning equipment can be docked with the base station, and the base station is used to maintain the cleaning equipment. Maintenance includes but is not limited to: charging, dust collection, mop washing, drying, pumping sewage and / or adding clean water to the cleaning equipment, etc. It can be understood that the cleaning equipment can complete at least one of the following within the base station:

[0101] a. The base station charges the cleaning equipment.

[0102] b. The base station recycles the garbage in the cleaning equipment into its dust collection container.

[0103] c. Clean the cleaning parts of the cleaning equipment (e.g., mop, roller, etc.) in the base station.

[0104] d. The base station replenishes clean water to the clean water box of the cleaning equipment.

[0105] e. The base station recycles the dirt in the sewage box of the cleaning equipment into its dirt container.

[0106] The above maintenance types are merely exemplary descriptions and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The cleaning equipment described herein includes, but is not limited to, sweepers, mops, sweeper-mops, floor scrubbers, vacuum cleaners, and other cleaning equipment, including but not limited to those having cleaning functions.

[0107] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow from the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure being indicated by the following claims.

[0108] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the exact structures that have been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a cleaning device, applied to a cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device comprises a first driving wheel and a first side brush, the first side brush comprises a side brush holder and at least one movable brush bar, the side brush holder is rotatable about a first axis, the movable brush bar is connected to the side brush holder and is movable between a first position and a second position, and when the movable brush bar is in the second position, the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis is greater than the radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the first position, characterized in that: The method comprises: When the first driving wheel moves forward to drive the cleaning device forward, when the movable brush bar is not in the first position and the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar, controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first time period; The first driving wheel is controlled to move forward to drive the cleaning device to continue moving forward.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: During the process of controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first period of time, the first side brush is controlled to rotate in a first direction so that the movable brush bar moves toward the first position.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: During the process of controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first period of time, the cleaning device is controlled to rotate.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The cleaning device further comprises a second driving wheel, the second driving wheel and the first driving wheel being symmetrically arranged relative to the forward direction of the cleaning device; The controlling the cleaning device to rotate comprises: While the first driving wheel moves backward for a first period of time, the second driving wheel is controlled to move forward.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that Before controlling the first driving wheel to move forward to drive the cleaning device to continue moving forward, the method further includes: The cleaning device is controlled to rotate until the cleaning device faces a target direction, where the target direction is the direction of the cleaning device when the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: During the process of controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first period of time, the cleaning device is controlled to move backward.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The cleaning device further comprises a second driving wheel, the second driving wheel and the first driving wheel being symmetrically arranged relative to the forward direction of the cleaning device; The controlling the cleaning device to move backward includes: When the first driving wheel moves backward, the second driving wheel is controlled to move backward, and the backward speeds of the first driving wheel and the second driving wheel are the same.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that Before controlling the first driving wheel to move backward for a first time period, the method further includes: During the process of the first driving wheel moving forward to drive the cleaning device forward, a first driving current for driving the first side brush to rotate is collected, and a second driving current for driving the first driving wheel to rotate is collected; When the first driving current is greater than a first threshold and lasts for longer than a second time period, and the second driving current is greater than a second threshold and lasts for longer than a third time period, it is determined that the first driving wheel presses the movable brush bar.

9. A cleaning device, comprising a body, a first driving wheel and a first side brush arranged on the body, the first side brush comprising a side brush holder and at least one movable brush bar, the side brush holder being rotatable about a first axis, the movable brush bar being connected to the side brush holder and being movable between a first position and a second position, and when the movable brush bar is in the second position, a radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis is greater than a radial distance from the free end of the movable brush bar to the first axis when the movable brush bar is in the first position, characterized in that: Also includes: A processor and a memory, the memory being used to store a computer program, and the processor being used to execute the computer program stored in the memory to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A cleaning system, characterized in that: The cleaning device comprises a base station and the cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein the base station is used for maintaining the cleaning device.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is implemented.

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