Cleaning equipment and control method

Abstract

The invention relates to cleaning equipment and a control method thereof.The cleaning equipment comprises a floor brush shell and a disc brush module, and the disc brush module comprises a rotatable disc brush; the disc brush module is connected with the floor brush shell, and the disc brush module can rotate out from one side of the floor brush shell so as to clean an obstacle along the edge; the control method comprises the following steps that the cleaning equipment moves in the direction away from a user, and the disc brush module rotates out of the floor brush shell and cleans an obstacle in a facing mode; and when it is detected that the cleaning equipment moves in the direction close to the user, the disc brush module is controlled to rotate towards one side of the floor brush shell so as to be away from the obstacle. When the cleaning equipment is moved backwards, the disc brush of the cleaning equipment can automatically retract or ascend or rotate reversely, so that large resistance is prevented from being formed, and a user can save more labor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of cleaning equipment, and more particularly to a cleaning device and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, fully automatic or semi-automatic cleaning equipment has become increasingly widely used in people's lives. For example, vacuum cleaners or floor scrubbers can assist people in cleaning floors while being held by hand, thus reducing their workload. More intelligent robotic vacuum cleaners, robotic mops, or robotic vacuum and mop combos can automatically clean areas designated by the user according to the user's instructions, thereby freeing up the user's hands to a certain extent and providing greater convenience to their lives.

[0003] Floor brushes, as cleaning components of floor scrubbers, are typically used to clean surfaces. However, they are less effective at cleaning corners and low-ceilinged spaces. Current technology primarily uses roller brushes to clean floors, utilizing the protruding sides of the brush bristles to reach corners. However, because the roller brush requires structural support, a certain thickness of material exists between the brush side and the corner, preventing absolute contact and creating cleaning blind spots. Furthermore, existing floor brushes are limited in height and cannot reach low-ceilinged areas, also creating cleaning blind spots and affecting overall cleaning effectiveness. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problem of cleaning difficult-to-reach corners and low-ceilinged spaces, the applicant has designed a technical solution that involves setting a disc brush module on the bottom of the floor brush. The disc brush module can rotate at a certain angle relative to the floor brush housing, thereby extending a certain distance from the side of the floor brush.

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cleaning device and its control method to solve the technical problem of how to achieve automatic extension and retraction of the disc brush module, and to solve the technical problem of reducing the resistance of the disc brush when the user drags the floor brush backward.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: This invention provides a control method for a cleaning device, the cleaning device including a floor brush housing and a disc brush module, the disc brush module including a rotatable disc brush; the disc brush module is connected to the floor brush housing, and the disc brush module can rotate out from one side of the floor brush housing to clean along the edge of an obstacle; the control method includes a side-entry control step, during the process of the cleaning device moving away from the user and the disc brush module rotating out from the floor brush housing and cleaning along the edge of the obstacle; when it is detected that the cleaning device is moving towards the user, the disc brush module is controlled to rotate towards one side of the floor brush housing to move away from the obstacle. In the prior art, in order to enhance the cleaning ability of floor scrubbers, cleaning components are being added to the floor brushes of floor scrubbers. The cleaning components can be disc brushes, which are used to assist in cleaning. The above method is different from the existing sweeping machines, which are generally disc-shaped automatic machines with concentrated parts.

[0007] Therefore, the force of the entire component is relatively concentrated, and the external influence it receives during movement is small, making it less likely to lose control. Sweepers are generally equipped with two disc brushes that rotate relative to each other to cancel out each other's forces.

[0008] Unlike floor scrubbers, floor scrubbers have a flexible, rotatable body mounted above the floor brush, which is held by the user. As a result, the components are not concentrated, and the machine is subject to many external forces, making it easy to lose control due to external influences.

[0009] Current floor scrubbers are all equipped with a single disc brush structure. Therefore, in actual cleaning, the force of the disc brush can easily affect the operation of the entire floor scrubber.

[0010] In this application, when the floor brush is moved forward, the normal movement mode of the disc brush is set to rotate clockwise. During the forward push, when the distance between the floor brush and the obstacle is detected to be within the preset distance, it is controlled to extend for edge cleaning. At this time, the clockwise rotation of the disc brush can assist the floor brush to move forward. However, in the actual control of the floor brush, when the user controls the floor scrubber to move closer to the user, that is, when the floor brush is pulled backward, if the movement mode of the disc brush is still maintained clockwise, the entire floor brush will be vibrated by the surface to be cleaned because the disc brush is pulled backward, which may even affect the user's ability to pull it back.

[0011] Furthermore, when the user pulls the floor brush backward, the cleaning equipment controls the disc brush to retract, thereby preventing the disc brush from blocking the movement of the floor brush.

[0012] Furthermore, the disc brush can rise or fall relative to the surface to be cleaned, so that the disc brush moves away from or closer to the surface to be cleaned; the control method further includes the following steps: during the rotation of the disc brush module toward the side of the floor brush housing, the disc brush is controlled to rise so as to move away from the surface to be cleaned.

[0013] By controlling the upward movement of the disc brush during retraction, it can be ensured that the movement of the disc brush itself will not increase the friction between it and the surface to be cleaned, nor will it obstruct the movement of the floor brush.

[0014] Furthermore, the control method also includes the following steps: during the process of the disc brush module rotating toward the side of the floor brush housing, when it is detected that the cleaning device is moving away from the user and the distance between the side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle is less than a preset distance, the disc brush module is controlled to rotate out of the floor brush housing to achieve edge cleaning with the obstacle.

[0015] Furthermore, the control method also includes the following steps: when the disc brush module is in standby mode, and it is detected that the cleaning device is moving away from the user and the distance between one side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle is less than a preset distance, the disc brush module is controlled to rotate out of the floor brush housing to achieve edge cleaning with the obstacle.

[0016] Furthermore, the step of controlling the disc brush module to rotate out of the floor brush housing specifically includes the following steps: controlling the disc brush module to rotate towards the second movement position; the second movement position is the position where the disc brush module performs cleaning operations in the working mode; detecting the position of the disc brush module in real time, determining whether the disc brush module is located at the second movement position, and if so, issuing a first delayed stop command; according to the first delayed stop command, controlling the disc brush module to stop rotating after continuing to rotate for a preset period of time.

[0017] Furthermore, the step of controlling the disc brush module to rotate out of the floor brush housing also includes the following steps: when controlling the disc brush module to rotate in the direction of the second movement position, controlling the disc brush to rotate in the first direction, so that the disc brush can provide assistance for the movement of the cleaning equipment.

[0018] Furthermore, the control method also includes the following steps: during the process of the disc brush module rotating out of the floor brush housing and cleaning along the edge of the obstacle, when it is detected that the distance between one side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle is greater than a preset distance, the disc brush module is controlled to rotate toward one side of the floor brush housing to move away from the obstacle.

[0019] Furthermore, the step of controlling the disc brush module to rotate toward the side of the floor brush housing specifically includes the following steps: controlling the disc brush module to rotate toward a first movement position; the first movement position is the initial position of the disc brush module in standby mode; detecting the position of the disc brush module in real time, determining whether the disc brush module is located at the first movement position, and if so, issuing a second delayed stop command; according to the second delayed stop command, controlling the disc brush module to stop rotating after continuing to rotate for a preset period of time.

[0020] Furthermore, the step of controlling the disc brush module to rotate out of the floor brush housing also includes the following steps: when controlling the disc brush module to rotate in the direction of the first movement position, controlling the disc brush to stop rotating first and then rotate in the second direction, so that the disc brush can provide assistance for the movement of the cleaning equipment.

[0021] The present invention also provides a cleaning device, including a controller, the controller comprising: a memory for storing executable program code; and a processor for reading the executable program code to run a computer program corresponding to the executable program code to perform at least one step in the control method described above.

[0022] Furthermore, the cleaning equipment includes a first detection device disposed on the surface of one side of the floor brush housing, for real-time detection of the distance between one side wall of the floor brush housing and an obstacle.

[0023] Furthermore, the cleaning device includes a drive unit capable of driving the disc brush module to move at least between a first movement position and a second movement position; the first movement position is the initial position of the disc brush module in standby mode, and the second movement position is the position of the disc brush module during cleaning operations in working mode.

[0024] Further, the cleaning equipment includes a detection end and a second detection device, the detection end being connected to the disc brush module; the detection end includes at least a first detection object and a second detection object; the first detection object corresponds to the first movement position, and the second detection object corresponds to the second movement position; the first movement position is the initial position of the disc brush module in standby mode; the second movement position is the position of the disc brush module during cleaning operations in working mode; the second detection device is installed on the disc brush module for real-time detection of the position of the disc brush module; the second detection device includes a transmitting end and a receiving end, and a detection channel is formed between the transmitting end and the receiving end; when the first detection object is located within the detection channel, the controller determines that the disc brush module is located at the first movement position; when the second detection object is located within the detection channel, the controller determines that the disc brush module is located at the second movement position.

[0025] Furthermore, the cleaning equipment includes a third detection device installed inside the floor brush housing for real-time detection of the moving direction of the cleaning equipment.

[0026] The technical advantage of this invention lies in providing a cleaning device and its control method. By acquiring real-time information on the distance between the floor brush and obstacles, the position of the disc brush module, and the direction of the floor brush's movement, the device can automatically switch between standby and working modes. This allows for effective cleaning of both wall edges and low-ceilinged spaces, solving the technical problem of blind spots in room corners and low-ceilinged spaces in existing technologies. When the cleaning device is moved backward, the disc brush module automatically retracts into the floor brush housing, and the disc brush automatically rises or rotates in the opposite direction to avoid creating significant resistance to the surface being cleaned, thus reducing effort for the user. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the floor brush according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the disc brush module in the first moving position according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the disc brush module in the second moving position according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the brush module in the third movement position according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the detected end in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the disc brush module in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the detected end according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the first control method for the cleaning equipment according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the first side output control step in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the first side-entry control step in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a flowchart of the second control method for the cleaning equipment according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 12This is a flowchart of the second side output control step in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10. Floor brush housing; 20. Base; 21. Mounting shaft; 30. Disc brush module; 31. Disc brush housing; 32. Disc brush drive motor; 33. Transmission mechanism; 34. Disc brush assembly; 40. Bidirectional motor; 41. Gear; 50. Second detection device; 51. Detection channel; 60. The end being tested; 61. Baffle; 62. Long baffle; 63. Turntable; 611. First baffle; 612. Second baffle; 613. Third baffle; 621. First baffle notch; 622. Second baffle notch; 623. Third baffle notch; 631. Arc-shaped rack; 70. First detection device. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a floor brush in this embodiment, for reference. Figure 1 It should be noted that the cleaning equipment in this embodiment is preferably a floor scrubber. The figure only shows the floor brush of the cleaning equipment. The floor brush is a component at the bottom of the floor scrubber and directly contacts the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning equipment cleans the surface to be cleaned through the floor brush.

[0032] In this embodiment, the cleaning equipment is preferably a floor scrubber, including a floor brush, a body (not shown in the figure), and a handle. The body is the main support structure of the cleaning equipment and is connected to the top of the floor brush body, or in other words, the floor brush body is connected to the bottom of the body. The components inside the body and the components inside the floor brush body together form a cleaning liquid supply system and a dirt recovery system to realize the cleaning function of the cleaning equipment. The handle is connected to the upper part of the body and is, for example, integrally formed into the housing. The handle is used for the user to hold so that the user can control the forward direction of the cleaning equipment. In addition, the body is provided with a structural component that generates vacuum suction. Under the action of suction, the dirt on the surface to be cleaned is sucked away to realize the cleaning function of the cleaning equipment.

[0033] Currently, when cleaning surfaces, floor brushes use the sides of the roller brush to clean corners and low-ceilinged areas. During cleaning, the protruding bristles on the side of the roller brush are primarily used to remove debris. However, because the roller brush requires structural support, such as a 2-3mm thick partition, there is a certain thickness barrier between the side of the roller brush and the corner, preventing it from adhering to the edge at zero distance. Furthermore, floor brushes cannot currently access low-ceilinged areas (below 80mm) such as the bottom of cabinets or sofas, creating cleaning blind spots and affecting the cleaning effect.

[0034] When using the cleaning equipment of the present invention for cleaning operations, users can issue different operation commands to the cleaning equipment according to the specific needs of the work scenario. When the disc brush module 30 receives different movement commands, it can enter different working modes. In other embodiments, the data processing device of the cleaning equipment can acquire environmental data through various sensors. For example, it can use the distance sensor on the side wall of the floor brush housing 10 to obtain the distance between the obstacle and the floor brush housing 10, thereby determining the next stage of the working mode of the disc brush module 30 and automatically generating movement commands for the disc brush module 30 to control the disc brush module 30 to adjust its movement position.

[0035] In this embodiment, part or all of the disc brush module 30 can extend out of the brush housing 10; the disc brush module 30 has three working modes, namely standby mode, working mode and second working mode.

[0036] In standby mode, the disc brush module 30 is in the first moving position, and the disc brush module 30 is completely covered by the floor brush housing 10. The drive motor inside the disc brush module 30 does not start, and does not affect the normal use of other functions of the floor scrubber.

[0037] In working mode, the entire disc brush module 30 is rotated outward by 0°~20° relative to its standby mode. When it stops at the second movement position, the rotation angle of the disc brush module 30 is the largest, which is 20°. A part of the disc brush module 30 extends beyond the coverage area of ​​the floor brush housing 10. The maximum horizontal distance between the extended part of the disc brush module 30 and the floor brush housing 10 is about 3 cm, which can be used to achieve wall cleaning.

[0038] In the second working mode, the disc brush module 30 is rotated outward by 75°~90° relative to its standby mode. When it stops at the third moving position, the disc brush module 30 extends completely beyond the coverage area of ​​the floor brush housing 10. The maximum horizontal distance between the extended part of the disc brush module 30 and the floor brush housing 10 is approximately 10 cm. This can be used to clean low spaces (such as under beds or cabinets) and also to clean along walls. In other embodiments, there may only be two working modes.

[0039] The present invention also provides a controller disposed in a floor brush, including a memory and a processor. The processor is used to store executable program code. The processor is connected to the memory and runs a computer program corresponding to the executable program code by reading the executable program code to execute the floor brush control method. The processor reads the program code in the memory to realize the control and status judgment of the disk brush module, thereby realizing the hardware support for the control method.

[0040] Example 1 like Figures 1-7 As shown, the present invention provides a floor brush, including: a floor brush housing 10, a base 20, a disc brush module 30, a drive device (bidirectional motor) 40, a first detection device 70, a second detection device 50, a detection end 60, and a third detection device (not shown).

[0041] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the base 20 is fixed to the bottom surface inside the brush housing 10, and the base 20 includes a mounting shaft 21; the disc brush module 30 is rotatably mounted to the mounting shaft 21, and a turntable 63 is rotatably mounted on the mounting shaft 21. In this embodiment, the disc brush module 30 is mounted to the right side of the brush housing 10, and after being rotated, the disc brush module 30 extends a certain distance from the right side of the brush housing 10. In other embodiments, the disc brush module 30 can also be mounted to the left side of the brush housing 10.

[0042] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the disc brush module 30 includes a disc brush housing 31 and a disc brush drive motor 32, a transmission mechanism 33 and a disc brush assembly 34 installed in the disc brush housing 31. When the user starts the working mode, the disc brush drive motor 32 drives the disc brush to rotate and perform cleaning operations. During the mode switching process, the disc brush drive motor 32 can continue to work until the user switches back.

[0043] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the driving device is preferably a bidirectional motor 40, which includes a power output shaft. A gear 41 is mounted on the power output shaft, and an arc-shaped rack 631 is provided on the side wall of the turntable 63, which meshes with the gear 41. The power output shaft of the bidirectional motor 40 can drive the gear 41 to mesh with the rack, so that the brush module 30 rotates to three movement positions and stays in one of them.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the first detection device 70 is disposed on one side of the surface of the floor brush housing 10, and is located on the same side of the floor brush housing 10 as the disc brush module 30. The first detection device 70 is used to collect the distance between one side wall of the floor brush housing 10 and an obstacle (such as a wall) in real time. The first detection device is a distance measuring sensor, including any one of a laser distance measuring sensor, an ultrasonic distance measuring sensor, and an infrared distance measuring sensor.

[0045] In this embodiment, a laser rangefinder is preferred, which includes a light-emitting surface and a light-sensitive surface. The central axes of the light-emitting surface and the light-sensitive surface are both located on a horizontal plane, and the light-emitting surface and the light-sensitive surface face the right side of the brush module 30. When an obstacle (such as a wall) appears within the sensing distance of the laser rangefinder, the laser rangefinder collects the distance between the right side wall of the brush housing 10 and the obstacle (such as a wall) and transmits it to the data processing device.

[0046] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the second detection device 50 includes a transmitter and a receiver, forming a detection channel 51 between the transmitter and receiver. The detected end 60 is connected to the brush module 30 and includes three detection objects, each corresponding to a movement position of the brush module 30. When the brush module 30 is rotated to any movement position, the detection object corresponding to that movement position is located within the detection channel 51. In this embodiment, the first detection object corresponds to the first movement position, the second detection object corresponds to the second movement position, and the third detection object corresponds to the third movement position.

[0047] To enable users to conveniently clean surfaces in corners and low-ceilinged spaces, this invention features a precisely controllable disc brush module 30. The disc brush module 30 is mounted on a base 20 via a mounting shaft 21 and is powered by a bidirectional motor 40 to rotate around the shaft, switching between three movement positions. Position feedback is achieved through a second detection device 50 that detects a monitored end 60 that rotates along with the disc brush module 30. The monitored end 60 is designed with multiple detection objects, each uniquely corresponding to the disc brush module 30. The bidirectional motor 40 drives the disc brush module 30 to rotate, and the detected end 60 moves synchronously. Once the disc brush module 30 reaches the target position, the object to be detected at that position will enter the detection channel 51 formed by the second detection device 50 and trigger the detection signal. Based on this signal, it can be determined that the disc brush module 30 has reached the target position, and the bidirectional motor 40 is controlled to hold or run the disc brush module 30 again, so as to achieve precise positioning of the disc brush module 30 at multiple angles, so that the floor brush can adapt to multiple cleaning scenarios and improve the user experience.

[0048] It should be noted that the disc brush module 30 has three movement positions, and the rotation angle of the disc brush module 30 is controlled by the bidirectional motor 40, so that the degree to which it extends out of the floor brush housing 10 is different, realizing the retractable extension. The three positions correspond to the standby mode, working mode and second working mode, respectively. It combines invisible storage with flexible extension, and can adapt to various cleaning scenarios such as corners and low spaces, without affecting other cleaning functions of the floor brush.

[0049] like Figures 2-6As shown, in this embodiment, the detection object includes three baffles 61; the three baffles 61 are respectively connected to the side wall of the turntable 63, forming three movement positions. When the brush module 30 is in the first movement position, the first baffle 611 is located in the detection channel 51; when the brush module 30 is in the second movement position, the second baffle 612 is located in the detection channel 51; when the brush module 30 is in the third movement position, the third baffle 613 is located in the detection channel 51.

[0050] It should be noted that the detected end 60 consists of three independent baffles 61, each baffle 61 corresponding to a position of the disc brush module 30; the baffles 61 rotate with the disc brush module 30 and enter the detection channel 51 in sequence; after the second detection device 50 detects the obstruction signal, it determines its position and controls the bidirectional motor 40 to stop or continue running.

[0051] like Figure 7 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, the detected end 60 includes a long baffle 62, which is connected to the side wall of the turntable 63. Three baffle notches are provided at intervals on the long baffle 62. The detection object includes the three baffle notches. When the brush module 30 is in the first movement position, the first baffle notch 621 is located in the detection channel 51. When the brush module 30 is in the second movement position, the second baffle notch 622 is located in the detection channel 51. When the brush module 30 is in the third movement position, the third baffle notch 623 is located in the detection channel 51.

[0052] It should be noted that the long baffle 62 rotates with the disc brush module 30, and the three baffle notches can pass through the detection channel 51 in sequence to realize the signal detection of the three movement positions of the disc brush module 30; the second detection device 50 receives the signal at the notch and determines the movement position of the disc brush module 30.

[0053] More specifically, the second detection device 50 is a through-beam sensor, including a photoelectric sensor, which acquires light signals through the detection baffle 61 to determine the movement position. It offers design flexibility, allowing for the selection of a suitable second detection device 50 based on different needs such as cost and environmental adaptability. The second detection device 50 can also be an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor. In the first application scenario, the user moves the floor scrubber's brush to the wall for cleaning.

[0054] The data processing device can identify the disk brush start command from the control commands entered by the user, and control the disk brush drive motor 32 of the disk brush module 30 to start, driving the disk brush to rotate for floor cleaning. The disk brush drive motor 32 and the bidirectional motor 40 used to change the movement position of the disk brush module 30 are driven separately and do not interfere with each other.

[0055] This embodiment also includes a third detection device (not shown), installed inside the floor brush housing 10, for real-time detection of the movement direction of the floor brush housing 10, i.e., the movement direction of the cleaning equipment. The controller can determine whether the cleaning equipment is moving towards or away from the user based on the real-time collected movement direction of the cleaning equipment. The third detection device can be an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer, or an electronic compass, GPS module, or camera, etc. In this embodiment, an accelerometer is preferred.

[0056] like Figure 8 As shown, the data processing device of the cleaning equipment can collect environmental data through the first detection device, the second detection device, and the third detection device to generate motion commands for the disc brush module 30, or identify the motion commands for the disc brush module 30 from the control commands (mode switching commands for the disc brush module 30) entered by the user, and execute a control method for the cleaning equipment, including the following steps S101~S105.

[0057] In the first application scenario, when a user moves the floor brush of a cleaning device (such as a floor scrubber) near a wall, the device can automatically rotate its disc brush module out from one side of the brush housing. The user then moves the brush in a straight line along the wall, ensuring it cleans the area close to the wall for effective cleaning. If the user deems the area insufficiently clean and needs to move the brush backward to clean it again, the disc brush module automatically rotates back into the brush housing when the user pulls the brush backward.

[0058] As the floor brush moves forward, the disc brush module, located on the right side of the brush and rotating clockwise, provides forward assistance rather than resistance. However, as the brush moves backward, if the disc brush continues to rotate clockwise, it will create resistance, impacting the user experience. To make the process easier for users, the disc brush can be raised to separate from the surface being cleaned, preventing it from creating resistance to the brush's backward movement. Alternatively, the rotation direction can be changed from clockwise to counter-clockwise to provide assistance for the brush's backward movement.

[0059] like Figure 8 As shown, the data processing device of the cleaning equipment executes a control method for the cleaning equipment, including the following steps S1 to S3.

[0060] Step S1) First side exit control step: When the disc brush module is in standby mode, when the controller detects that the cleaning device is moving away from the user and the distance between one side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle (the obstacle is a wall in this embodiment) is less than a preset distance, the controller controls the disc brush module to rotate out of the floor brush housing to achieve edge cleaning with the obstacle.

[0061] The initial position of the disc brush module in standby mode is recorded as the first movement position; the position of the disc brush module during cleaning operations in working mode is recorded as the second movement position. When the user uses the cleaning equipment to clean non-wall areas in the room, the disc brush does not need to extend to achieve effective cleaning of the surface to be cleaned; when the disc brush module is in standby mode, it is located inside the floor brush housing, which is the first movement position. When the user needs to use the cleaning equipment to clean wall areas in the room, the user pushes the cleaning equipment to the wall area. The controller detects that the cleaning equipment has been pushed forward, and the distance between the right side wall of the floor brush housing and the wall is less than a preset distance (e.g., 30mm). It then controls the disc brush to rotate in the first direction (clockwise), and simultaneously controls the disc brush module to rotate out from the right side of the floor brush housing to achieve cleaning along the wall.

[0062] like Figure 9 As shown, step S1) specifically includes the following steps: Step S101) First distance detection step: The controller uses a first detection device to detect in real time whether the distance S between the right side wall of the floor brush housing and the obstacle on its right is less than a preset threshold L (e.g., 30mm). If yes, it means the distance between the right side of the floor brush housing and the right wall is less than 30mm, and the next step S102 should be executed. If no, no instruction needs to be generated or executed, and no action needs to be taken by the cleaning equipment. Step S102) First direction detection step: The controller uses a third detection device to detect the moving direction of the cleaning equipment in real time and determines whether the cleaning equipment is moving away from the user. If yes, it means the cleaning equipment is moved forward, and the next step S103 should be executed. If no, no instruction needs to be generated or executed. Step S103) First rotation control step: The controller controls the drive device to drive the disc brush module to rotate, so that the disc brush module rotates from the first movement position to the second movement position. Step S104) First position detection step: During the rotation of the brush module, the controller uses a second detection device to detect the position of the brush module in real time and determine whether the brush module is in the second movement position. If so, a delayed stop command is issued. Step S105) First stop step: According to the delayed stop command, the controller controls the drive device to stop after continuing to run for a preset period of time, so that the brush module stops rotating after continuing to rotate for a preset period of time and stays in the second movement position.

[0063] Step S2) First disc brush cleaning step: The disc brush module remains in the second movement position. The controller controls the disc brush to rotate continuously. The user slowly pushes the cleaning device forward along the wall, allowing the disc brush to continuously clean the wall area. As the user pushes the cleaning device forward, the disc brush extending from its right side can stay as close to the wall as possible, achieving thorough cleaning of the wall area. The disc brush extending from the right side of the disc brush housing rotates clockwise, providing some assistance to the forward movement of the floor brush housing. This cleaning process is best done continuously and consistently. Whether the wall length is 3 meters or 10 meters, as long as the user continuously and slowly pushes the cleaning device forward, the wall area can be effectively cleaned in one go. The operation is simple and the cleaning effect is excellent.

[0064] Step S3) First side entry control step: During the process of the cleaning device moving away from the user and the disc brush module rotating out of the floor brush housing and cleaning along the edge of the obstacle; when the controller detects that the cleaning device is moving closer to the user, the controller controls the disc brush module to rotate toward the side of the floor brush housing to move away from the obstacle.

[0065] The user pushes the cleaning device forward along the wall to clean it flush against the wall. If the user finds a surface behind the device that needs cleaning, they will naturally drag it backward. At this point, if the brush module is still in the second moving position and the brush is rotating clockwise, it may create resistance as the device moves backward. This resistance stems from the friction between the brush and the wall or the surface to be cleaned. Therefore, the brush module needs to retract into the brush housing to move the brush away from the wall as quickly as possible, preventing it from hindering the backward movement of the cleaning device.

[0066] like Figure 10 As shown, step S3) includes the following steps: Step S301) Second direction detection step: The controller uses a third detection device to detect the movement direction of the cleaning equipment in real time, and determines whether the cleaning equipment is moving towards the user. If yes, it means the cleaning equipment has been moved backward, and the next step S302) is executed. If no, no instruction needs to be generated or executed. Step S302) Second rotation control step: The controller controls the drive device to drive the disc brush module to rotate, so that the disc brush module rotates from the second movement position to the first movement position. Step S303) Second position detection step: During the rotation of the disc brush module, the controller uses the third detection device to detect the position of the disc brush module in real time, and determines whether the disc brush module is located at the first movement position. If yes, a delayed stop instruction is issued. Step S304) Second stop step: According to the delayed stop instruction, the controller controls the disc brush module to stop rotating after continuing to rotate for a preset period of time, and stops at the first movement position. The disc brush module switches back to standby mode and is placed statically inside the floor brush housing.

[0067] like Figure 10 As shown, the control method further includes a step 305) a lifting control step, in which the disc brush module is controlled to rise to a preset height during the rotation towards the side of the floor brush housing, so as to move away from the surface to be cleaned. Step 305) is executed synchronously with step S302). When the disc brush module starts to rotate from the second movement position, the disc brush is raised to a certain height, so that the disc brush moves away from the surface to be cleaned, so that the disc brush does not create resistance to the backward movement of the cleaning equipment.

[0068] like Figure 10 As shown, the control method may further include step 306), a first reverse control step, in which, during the rotation of the disc brush module toward the side of the floor brush housing, the disc brush is controlled to stop for a preset period of time (e.g., 2-3 seconds) before rotating in the opposite direction. Step 306) is executed synchronously with step S302), and the direction of the disc brush changes from clockwise rotation to counterclockwise rotation. In this way, when the disc brush rotates, the friction between the disc brush and the surface to be cleaned or the wall will not create resistance to the backward movement of the cleaning equipment, but will instead create effective assistance.

[0069] In this embodiment, the technical effect of steps S1-S3 is that when the user moves the floor brush to the wall, with the right side of the floor brush housing facing the wall, the disc brush module can automatically extend and stay in the preset working position. When the user pushes the floor brush forward along the wall, the disc brush rotates clockwise, which can clean the area to be cleaned along the wall, preventing it from becoming a cleaning dead corner, and also provides assistance for the floor brush to move forward. When the user pulls the floor brush backward along the wall, the disc brush module automatically retracts into the floor brush housing, and at the same time, the disc brush rises and / or rotates counterclockwise, without creating resistance to the floor brush moving backward.

[0070] Example 2 In this embodiment, the brush structure of the cleaning equipment (floor scrubber) is the same as in Embodiment 1, but the control method of the cleaning equipment is different from that in Embodiment 1.

[0071] In the second application scenario, the user moves the floor scrubber's brush to the wall to clean it. During cleaning, the user finds some areas are particularly dirty and require repeated cleaning. In response (a habit stemming from previous experience using a mop), the user will habitually move the brush back and forth. When the user pulls the brush backward, the disc brush module automatically rotates towards the brush housing. However, the backward movement is short, and the brush is quickly pulled back to move forward again. This means the disc brush module must move to a second position before reaching the first position within the brush housing. Correspondingly, the disc brush will rise a short distance and then quickly descend, or rotate counter-clockwise for a period and then quickly switch to clockwise rotation.

[0072] like Figure 11 As shown, in this embodiment, the data processing device of the cleaning equipment can collect environmental data through the first detection device and the second detection device to generate motion commands for the disc brush module, or identify the motion commands for the disc brush module from the control commands (mode switching commands for the disc brush module) entered by the user, and execute a control method for the cleaning equipment, including the following steps S1 to S6.

[0073] Step S1) First side-exit control step: When the disc brush module is in standby mode, and the controller detects that the cleaning device is moving away from the user, and the distance between one side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle (in this embodiment, the obstacle is a wall) is less than a preset distance, the controller controls the disc brush module to rotate out of the floor brush housing to achieve edge cleaning with the obstacle. The initial position of the disc brush module in standby mode is recorded as the first movement position; the position of the disc brush module performing cleaning operations in working mode is recorded as the second movement position. Step S1) in this embodiment is the same as step S1) in embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0074] Step S2) First disc brush cleaning step: The disc brush module remains in the second movement position. The controller controls the disc brush to rotate continuously. The user slowly pushes the cleaning device forward along the wall, allowing the disc brush to continuously clean the wall area. As the user pushes the cleaning device forward, the disc brush extending from its right side can stay as close to the wall as possible, achieving thorough cleaning of the wall area. The disc brush extending from the right side of the disc brush housing rotates clockwise, providing some assistance to the forward movement of the floor brush housing. This cleaning process is best done continuously and consistently. Whether the wall length is 3 meters or 10 meters, as long as the user continuously and slowly pushes the cleaning device forward, the wall area can be effectively cleaned in one go. The operation is simple and the cleaning effect is excellent.

[0075] Step S3) First side entry control step: During the process of the cleaning device moving away from the user and the disc brush module rotating out of the floor brush housing and cleaning along the edge of the obstacle; when the controller detects that the cleaning device is moving closer to the user, the controller controls the disc brush module to rotate toward the side of the floor brush housing to move away from the obstacle.

[0076] The user pushes the cleaning device forward along the wall to clean it flush against the wall. If the user finds a surface behind the device that needs cleaning, they will naturally drag it backward. At this point, if the brush module is still in the second moving position and the brush is rotating clockwise, it may create resistance as the device moves backward. This resistance stems from the friction between the brush and the wall or the surface to be cleaned. Therefore, the brush module needs to retract into the brush housing to move the brush away from the wall as quickly as possible, preventing it from hindering the backward movement of the cleaning device.

[0077] like Figure 10 As shown, step S3) includes the following steps: Step S301) The controller uses a third detection device to detect the movement direction of the cleaning equipment in real time and determines whether the cleaning equipment is moving towards the user. If yes, it indicates that the cleaning equipment has been moved backward, and the next step S302) is executed. If no, no instruction needs to be generated or executed. Step S302) The controller controls the drive device to drive the disc brush module to rotate, causing the disc brush module to rotate towards the first movement position. Step S303) During the rotation of the disc brush module, the controller uses a second detection device to detect the position of the disc brush module in real time and determines whether the disc brush module is located at the first movement position. If yes, a delayed stop instruction is issued. Step S304) According to the delayed stop instruction, the controller controls the drive device to stop after continuing to run for a preset period of time, so that the disc brush module stops rotating after continuing to rotate for a preset period of time and stays at the first movement position.

[0078] like Figure 10 As shown, the control method may further include step 305), a lifting control step, in which the disc brush module is controlled to rise to a preset height during its rotation toward the floor brush housing, so as to move away from the surface to be cleaned. Step 305) is executed synchronously with step S302). When the disc brush module starts to rotate from the second movement position, the disc brush is raised to a certain height, so that the disc brush moves away from the surface to be cleaned, and the disc brush does not create resistance to the backward movement of the cleaning equipment.

[0079] like Figure 10 As shown, the control method may further include step 306) during the rotation of the disc brush module toward the side of the floor brush housing, controlling the disc brush to first stop for a preset period of time (e.g., 2-3 seconds) and then rotate in the opposite direction, switching the rotation direction from the first direction to the second direction, which is opposite to the first direction. Step 306) is executed synchronously with step S302), and the direction of the disc brush changes from clockwise rotation to counterclockwise rotation. In this way, when the disc brush rotates, the friction between the disc brush and the surface to be cleaned or the wall will not create resistance to the backward movement of the cleaning equipment, but will instead create effective assistance.

[0080] Step S4) Second side exit control step: During the process of the disc brush module rotating toward the side of the floor brush housing, when it is detected that the cleaning device is moving away from the user and the distance between the side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle is less than a preset distance, the disc brush module is controlled to rotate out of the floor brush housing to achieve edge cleaning with the obstacle.

[0081] like Figure 11As shown, step S4) includes the following steps: Step S401) Third distance detection step: The controller uses the first detection device to detect in real time whether the distance S between the right side wall of the floor brush housing and the obstacle on its right is less than a preset threshold L (e.g., 30mm). If yes, it means that the distance between the right side of the floor brush housing and the right side wall is less than 30mm, and the next step S402 should be executed. If no, no instruction needs to be generated or executed, and no action needs to be taken by the cleaning equipment. Step S402) Third direction detection step: The controller uses the third detection device to detect the moving direction of the cleaning equipment in real time and determines whether the cleaning equipment is moving away from the user. If yes, it means that the cleaning equipment is moved forward, and the next step S403 should be executed. If no, no instruction needs to be generated or executed. Step S403) Third rotation control step: The controller controls the drive device to drive the disc brush module to rotate, so that the disc brush module rotates in the direction of the second movement position. Step S404) Third position detection step: During the rotation of the brush module, the controller uses the second detection device to detect the position of the brush module in real time and determine whether the brush module is in the second movement position. If so, a delayed stop command is issued. Step S405) Third stop step: According to the delayed stop command, the controller controls the drive device to stop after continuing to run for a preset period of time, so that the brush module stops rotating after continuing to rotate for a preset period of time and stays in the second movement position.

[0082] Steps S401) to S402) are executed in real time. During the execution of step S302), if S402) determines that the moving direction of the cleaning equipment has changed to moving forward, and the disc brush module has not yet reached the first movement position, the disc brush needs to change its rotation direction and move towards the second movement position again. At this time, steps S303) to S304) will not be executed, step S302) is forced to be interrupted, and step S403) is executed directly.

[0083] If the direction of movement of the cleaning equipment does not change during the execution of step S403), steps S403) to S405) can be executed smoothly, the brush module will stay in the second movement position, and steps S5 to S6 will be executed.

[0084] The control method may further include step 406), a descent control step, in which the disc brush module is controlled to descend by a preset height during its rotation toward the second movement position. Step 406) is executed synchronously with step S403. When the disc brush module begins to rotate toward the second movement position, the disc brush is lowered by a certain height, so that the disc brush approaches or even adheres to the surface to be cleaned, thereby allowing the surface to continue to be cleaned.

[0085] The control method may further include step 407), a second reversal control step, in which, during the rotation of the disc brush module toward the side of the floor brush housing, the disc brush is controlled to stop for a preset period of time (e.g., 2-3 seconds) and then rotate in the opposite direction, switching the rotation direction from the second direction to the first direction, which is opposite to the second direction. Step 407) is executed synchronously with step S403), and the direction of rotation of the disc brush changes from counterclockwise to clockwise. In this way, when the disc brush rotates, the friction between the disc brush and the surface to be cleaned or the wall will not create resistance to the forward movement of the cleaning equipment, but will instead create effective assistance.

[0086] If the direction of movement of the cleaning equipment changes again during the execution of step S403), steps S404) to S405) will not be executed, step S403) will be interrupted, and the process will return to and execute step S302.

[0087] When step S302) begins to be executed, step S305) and / or step S305) are executed synchronously with step S302). For details, please refer to step S3 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0088] Step S5) The second disc brush cleaning step: The disc brush module remains in the second movement position, and the controller controls the disc brush to continue rotating. The user slowly pushes the cleaning device forward along the wall, allowing the disc brush to continuously clean the wall area. As the user pushes the cleaning device forward, the disc brush extending from its right side can stay as close to the wall as possible, achieving thorough cleaning of the wall area. The disc brush extending from the right side of the disc brush housing rotates clockwise, providing some assistance to the forward movement of the floor brush housing. Step S5) is essentially the same as step S3) and requires no further explanation.

[0089] Step S6) Second side-entry control step: During the process of the cleaning device moving away from the user and the disc brush module rotating out of the floor brush housing and cleaning along the edge of the obstacle; when it is detected that the cleaning device is moving closer to the user, the disc brush module is controlled to rotate towards the side of the floor brush housing to move away from the obstacle. The specific steps of step S6) in this embodiment are the same as those of step S3) in embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0090] The user pushes the cleaning device forward along the wall to clean it flush against the wall. If the user finds a surface behind the device that needs cleaning, they will naturally drag it backward. At this point, if the brush module is still in the second moving position and the brush is rotating clockwise, it may create resistance as the device moves backward. This resistance stems from the friction between the brush and the wall or the surface to be cleaned. Therefore, the brush module needs to retract into the brush housing to move the brush away from the wall as quickly as possible, preventing it from hindering the backward movement of the cleaning device.

[0091] When the user pulls the floor brush backward, the disc brush module automatically rotates towards the floor brush housing. If the floor brush moves backward only a short distance, it will be pulled forward again quickly. This means that the disc brush module must move to the second position before reaching the first position inside the floor brush housing. Correspondingly, the disc brush will descend quickly after rising a certain distance, or it will quickly switch to clockwise rotation after rotating counterclockwise for a period of time, thus providing assistance and making it easier for the user to move the floor brush forward or backward.

[0092] When the user pushes the floor brush forward, if the forward movement is short, it will be pulled back quickly and needs to move backward again. This means that the disc brush module must move back to the first position before reaching the second position inside the floor brush housing. Correspondingly, the disc brush will rise again quickly after descending a certain distance, or it will quickly switch to counterclockwise rotation after rotating clockwise for a period of time, thus providing assistance and making it easier for the user to move the floor brush forward or backward.

[0093] In this embodiment, the technical effect of steps S1-S6 is that when the user moves the floor brush to the wall, with the right side of the floor brush housing facing the wall, the disc brush module can automatically extend and stay in the preset working position. When the user pushes the floor brush forward along the wall, the disc brush rotates clockwise, which can clean the area to be cleaned along the wall, preventing it from becoming a cleaning dead corner, and also provides assistance for the floor brush to move forward. When the user pulls the floor brush backward along the wall, the disc brush module automatically retracts into the floor brush housing, and at the same time, the disc brush rises and / or rotates counterclockwise, without creating resistance for the floor brush to move backward. In this embodiment, the user can also operate the floor brush to move back and forth within a short distance. Regardless of whether the floor brush moves forward or backward, the disc brush can automatically extend or retract, effectively improving the user experience.

[0094] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A control method of a cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device comprises: a floor brush housing; and a disc brush module comprising a rotatable disc brush; the disc brush module is connected to the floor brush housing and can be turned out from one side of the floor brush housing to clean along an obstacle; the control method comprises the following steps: during the process that the cleaning device moves away from a user and the disc brush module is turned out from the floor brush housing to clean along the obstacle, when it is detected that the cleaning device moves towards the user, the disc brush module is controlled to turn towards the side of the floor brush housing to move away from the obstacle. 2.The control method of claim 1, wherein the disc brush can be raised or lowered relative to a surface to be cleaned so that the disc brush moves away from or approaches the surface to be cleaned; the control method further comprises the following steps: during the process that the disc brush module turns towards the side of the floor brush housing, the disc brush is controlled to be raised to move away from the surface to be cleaned. The control method further comprises the following steps: during the process that the disc brush module turns towards the side of the floor brush housing, when it is detected that the cleaning device moves away from the user and the distance between the side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle is less than a preset distance, the disc brush module is controlled to be turned out from the floor brush housing to clean along the obstacle. The control method further comprises the following steps: when the disc brush module is in a standby state, when it is detected that the cleaning device moves away from the user and the distance between the side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle is less than a preset distance, the disc brush module is controlled to be turned out from the floor brush housing to clean along the obstacle. 5.The control method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the step of controlling the disc brush module to be turned out from the floor brush housing comprises the following steps: controlling the disc brush module to turn towards a second movement position; the second movement position is a position at which the disc brush module performs cleaning in a working mode; detecting the position of the disc brush module in real time to determine whether the disc brush module is located at the second movement position, and if so, issuing a first delay stop command; and according to the first delay stop command, controlling the disc brush module to stop turning after continuing to turn for a preset period of time. 6.The control method of claim 5, wherein the step of controlling the disc brush module to be turned out from the floor brush housing further comprises the following steps: when the disc brush module is controlled to turn towards the second movement position, the disc brush is controlled to rotate in a first direction so that the disc brush can provide assistance for the movement of the cleaning device. The control method further comprises the following steps: during the process that the disc brush module is turned out from the floor brush housing to clean along the obstacle, when it is detected that the distance between the side of the floor brush housing and the obstacle is greater than a preset distance, the disc brush module is controlled to turn towards the side of the floor brush housing to move away from the obstacle. 8.The control method of claim 1 or 7, wherein the step of controlling the disc brush module to turn towards the side of the floor brush housing comprises the following steps: ​ ​ 3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized by, ​ ​ ​ 4. The control method according to claim 1, characterized by, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized by, ​ ​ ​ ​ controlling the disc brush module to rotate to a first movement position; the first movement position is an initial position of the disc brush module in a standby mode; detecting the position of the disc brush module in real time, determining whether the disc brush module is located at the first movement position, and if so, issuing a second delay stop command; and controlling the disc brush module to stop rotating after continuing to rotate for a preset period of time according to the second delay stop command.

9. The control method of claim 8, wherein the step of controlling the disc brush module to rotate out of the ground brush housing further comprises the following steps: when controlling the disc brush module to rotate to the first movement position, controlling the disc brush to first stop rotating and then rotate in a second direction, so that the disc brush can provide assistance for the movement of the cleaning device.

10. A cleaning apparatus comprising a controller, characterised in that, The controller comprises: a memory for storing executable program code; and a processor for reading the executable program code to run a computer program corresponding to the executable program code to execute at least one step of the control method of any one of claims 1-9.

11. The cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein, including a first detection device arranged on the surface of one side of the ground brush housing for detecting the distance between the side wall of the ground brush housing and an obstacle in real time.

12. The cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein, including a driving device capable of driving the disc brush module to move between at least a first movement position and a second movement position; the first movement position is an initial position of the disc brush module in a standby mode, and the second movement position is a position of the disc brush module for cleaning in a working mode.

13. The cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein, including a detected end connected to the disc brush module; the detected end comprises at least a first detection object and a second detection object; the first detection object corresponds to the first movement position, and the second detection object corresponds to the second movement position; the first movement position is an initial position of the disc brush module in a standby mode; the second movement position is a position of the disc brush module for cleaning in a working mode; and a second detection device mounted to the disc brush module for detecting the position of the disc brush module in real time; the second detection device comprises a transmitting end and a receiving end, and a detection channel is formed between the transmitting end and the receiving end; when the first detection object is located in the detection channel, the controller determines that the disc brush module is located at the first movement position; when the second detection object is located in the detection channel, the controller determines that the disc brush module is located at the second movement position.

14. The cleaning device of claim 13, wherein the first detection object is a first baffle, and the second detection object is a second baffle; in the standby mode of the disc brush module, the first baffle is located in the detection channel; in the working mode of the disc brush module, the second baffle is located in the detection channel.

15. The cleaning device of claim 13, wherein the detected end comprises a long baffle with at least two baffle gaps arranged thereon; the first detection object is a first baffle gap, and the second detection object is a second baffle gap. In the standby mode of the disc brush module, the first baffle gap is located in the detection channel; In the working mode of the disc brush module, the second baffle gap is located in the detection channel.

16. The cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein, Comprise A third detection device is installed in the floor brush shell for real-time detection of the moving direction of the cleaning equipment.

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