Blade mechanism, lawn mowing robot and lawn mowing control method, control device

Abstract

This application relates to a blade disc mechanism, a lawnmower robot, and a lawnmower control method and control device. The blade disc mechanism is applied to a lawnmower robot, which includes a robot body. The blade disc mechanism includes a blade disc body and a first adjustment component. The first adjustment component is disposed on the base plate of the robot body and connected to the blade disc body. The first adjustment component drives the blade disc body to move along a preset path at least in a plane parallel to the base plate. When at least a portion of the blade disc body is positioned along the preset path, at least a portion of the blade disc body is located outside the edge of the robot body. With the aforementioned blade disc mechanism, driven by the first adjustment component, at least a portion of the blade disc body can be exposed outside the robot body, making the cutting range of the blade disc body larger than the coverage area of ​​the robot body. This allows the cutting range of the blade disc body to cover corner areas near obstacles, achieving effective trimming of the grass in those corner areas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of lawn mowing equipment technology, and in particular to a blade disc mechanism, a lawn mowing robot, and a lawn mowing control method and control device. Background Technology

[0002] Lawn-mowing robots primarily use rotating blades to trim grass on the ground. These blades are typically mounted on the bottom of the robot, for example, in the middle of the chassis. Currently, in most lawn-mowing robots, the blades are fixed to the chassis, meaning their position is fixed and cannot be adjusted.

[0003] In this situation, for the corner areas of the site to be mowed that are close to obstacles such as walls and steps, the blades cannot effectively trim the grass in these corner areas even if the main body of the mowing robot is in contact with the obstacles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a blade disc mechanism, a lawn mowing robot, a lawn mowing control method, and a control device to solve the problem that existing lawn mowing robots cannot effectively trim grass in the corner areas near obstacles.

[0005] A blade disc mechanism is provided for use in a lawnmower robot. The lawnmower robot includes a robot body, and the blade disc mechanism includes a blade disc body and a first adjustment component. The first adjustment component is disposed on the base plate of the robot body and connected to the blade disc body. The first adjustment component is used to drive the blade disc body to move along a preset path at least in a plane parallel to the base plate; wherein, when at least a portion of the blade disc body is located on the preset path, at least a portion of the blade disc body is located outside the edge of the robot body.

[0006] The aforementioned blade disc mechanism uses a first adjustment component to drive the blade disc body to adjust its position, so that at least a portion of the blade disc body moves to the outside of the robot body's edge. That is, in a direction parallel to the ground, at least a portion of the blade disc body can be exposed outside the robot body, making the cutting range of the blade disc body larger than the coverage range of the robot body. Thus, while maintaining a distance between the robot body and the obstacle, the cutting range of the blade disc body can cover the corner area near the obstacle, achieving effective trimming of the grass in that corner area.

[0007] In some embodiments, the preset path intersects with the walking direction of the robot body.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first adjustment component includes a connector and a first drive component. One end of the connector is connected to the cutter head body; the first drive component is disposed on the base plate, and its output shaft is connected to the other end of the connector. The first drive component is used to drive the cutter head body to move along a preset arc-shaped path.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first drive member and the connector are both located on the side of the base plate facing the inside of the robot body, and the cutter head body is located on the side of the base plate away from the inside of the robot body; the base plate has a cutout, and the cutter head body and the connector are connected to each other through the cutout.

[0010] In some embodiments, a bracket is also included, which is disposed on the side surface of the base plate facing the interior of the robot body, and a first drive member is disposed on the bracket, with the output shaft of the first drive member facing the base plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the bracket includes a main body and a lifting part. The main body is spaced apart from the base plate, and a first drive member is connected to the main body. The lifting part is disposed on the base plate and connected to the main body, and is used to adjust the distance between the main body and the base plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, a second drive member is also included. The second drive member is disposed on the connector. The output shaft of the second drive member is connected to the cutter head body to drive the cutter head body to rotate. The connector is connected to the cutter head body through the second drive member.

[0013] In some embodiments, a guide assembly is also included, which includes a guide groove and a guide block, with the guide block slidably fitted in the guide groove; wherein, a bracket for mounting a first driving member is provided on the base plate, a second driving member is disposed on the connector, and the output shaft of the second driving member is connected to the cutter head body; the positions of the guide groove and the guide block can be configured such that: the guide groove is formed on the base plate or the bracket, and the guide block is disposed on the connector or the second driving member.

[0014] In some embodiments, a second adjustment component is further included. The second adjustment component is disposed on the connector and connected to the cutter head body. The second adjustment component is used to drive the cutter head body to move along the connector to adjust the distance between the cutter head body and the first drive component.

[0015] In some embodiments, the connector has a groove, the second drive member is engaged with the groove, and the second adjustment component is connected to the cutter head body through the second drive member.

[0016] In some embodiments, the second adjustment assembly includes a third drive member, a screw, and an adjusting member. The third drive member is disposed on the connecting member. The screw is disposed along the extension direction of the connecting member, and one end of the screw is connected to the output shaft of the third drive member. The adjusting member is sleeved on the screw and threadedly engaged with the screw, and the adjusting member is connected to the second drive member. Alternatively, the second adjustment assembly includes a first electric push rod, which is disposed along the extension direction of the connecting member, with one end fixed to the connecting member and the other end connected to the second drive member.

[0017] In some embodiments, a third adjustment component is also included, which is used to adjust the tilt angle of the cutter head body during operation. The third adjustment component includes at least one second electric push rod or at least one fourth drive member connected to the first drive member. The first drive member is hinged to the base plate, one end of the second electric push rod is hinged to the base plate and the other end is hinged to the first drive member, and the output shaft of the fourth drive member is connected to the hinge point of the first drive member on the base plate.

[0018] A lawnmower robot includes a robot body, a sensing component, a control component, and the aforementioned blade mechanism. The robot body includes a base plate, and the blade mechanism is mounted on the base plate. The sensing component is located within the robot body and is used to detect external obstacles and the distance between the robot body and the external obstacles. The control component is located within the robot body and is electrically connected to both the sensing component and the blade mechanism. The control component controls the blade body of the blade mechanism to move relative to the base plate along a preset path.

[0019] A lawn mowing control method is applied to a lawn mowing robot, the lawn mowing robot including a robot body and a blade disc mechanism. The lawn mowing control method includes: controlling a sensing component on the robot body to emit a probe wave outward; receiving a reflected signal of the probe wave, determining whether an external obstacle exists and determining the distance between the robot body and the external obstacle based on the reflected signal; when the distance is less than or equal to a first distance threshold, controlling the blade disc body of the blade disc mechanism to move relative to the robot body, so that at least a portion of the blade disc body moves to the outside of the robot body, wherein the first distance threshold is the maximum width of the robot body.

[0020] In some embodiments, when controlling the movement of the cutter head body relative to the robot body, the method further includes: controlling the cutter head body to move toward the direction of the external obstacle based on the orientation of the external obstacle relative to the robot body.

[0021] In some embodiments, when determining whether an external obstacle exists based on the reflected signal, the method further includes: determining the type of the external obstacle, including vertical obstacles and slope obstacles; and when the external obstacle is a slope obstacle, determining whether the slope surface of the slope obstacle needs to be cleared of grass.

[0022] In some embodiments, determining whether the slope surface of a slope obstacle needs to be cleared includes: acquiring an image of the slope surface; determining the grass condition on the slope surface based on the image of the slope surface; and determining whether the slope surface needs to be cleared based on the grass condition.

[0023] In some embodiments, after determining whether the slope of the obstacle needs to be cleared, the method further includes: when it is determined that the slope needs to be cleared, determining the slope gradient based on an image of the slope; and adjusting the cutter head body to be parallel to the slope based on the slope gradient.

[0024] In some embodiments, the method further includes: using an external obstacle as a reference, maintaining a second distance threshold between the robot body and the external obstacle, wherein the second distance threshold is less than or equal to the maximum distance between the portion of the cutter head body located outside the robot body and the robot body; controlling the robot body to walk along an extended path along the edge of the external obstacle to remove grass at the edge of the external obstacle.

[0025] A lawnmowing control device is applied to a lawnmowing robot, which includes a robot body and a blade mechanism. The control device includes a first control module, a second control module, and a third control module. The first control module controls sensing components on the robot body to emit probe waves outward. The second control module receives reflected signals from the probe waves and determines the presence of external obstacles and the distance between the robot body and the external obstacles based on the reflected signals. The third control module controls the blade body of the blade mechanism to move relative to the robot body when the distance is less than a first distance threshold, so that at least a portion of the blade body moves to the outside of the robot body, wherein the first distance threshold is the maximum width of the robot body. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a lawnmower robot in some embodiments of this application.

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the bottom of the lawnmower robot.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cutter head mechanism in some embodiments of this application.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the mowing range of the blade mechanism in some embodiments of this application.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base plate where the cutter head mechanism is located in some embodiments of this application.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the support structure of the cutter head mechanism in some embodiments of this application.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cutter head mechanism in some other embodiments of this application.

[0033] Figure 8 for Figure 7 The top view of the cutter head mechanism shown.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment of the third adjustment component of the cutter head mechanism in some embodiments of this application.

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a lawnmower robot removing grass from a slope in some embodiments of this application.

[0036] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a lawnmower robot removing grass from an arc-shaped area of ​​an external obstacle in some embodiments of this application.

[0037] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a lawnmower robot in some embodiments of this application removing grass from the corner area of ​​an external obstacle.

[0038] Figure label:

[0039] 10-Robot body, 11-Base plate, 20-Cutter head body, 30-First adjustment component, 31-First drive component, 32-Connector, 40-Second drive component, 50-Bracket, 51-Main body, 52-Lifting part, 60-Second adjustment component, 61-Third drive component, 62-Screw, 63-Adjustment component, 70-Guide component, 71-Guide block, 80-Third adjustment component, 81-Second electric push rod, 90-External obstacle. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0042] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0045] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0046] In some embodiments, please refer to Figures 1 to 3This application provides a blade disc mechanism applied to a lawnmower robot, for example, it can be mounted on the base plate 11 of the robot body 10 of the lawnmower robot. The blade disc mechanism serves as the actuating component for mowing, realizing lawn mowing. The blade disc mechanism includes a connected blade disc body 20 and a first adjustment component 30. The blade disc body 20 performs the mowing action, and the first adjustment component 30 is used to at least adjust the position of the blade disc body 20 relative to the robot body 10.

[0047] Specifically, the cutter head body 20 is the blade used to cut grass. Depending on the needs, the cutter head body 20 can adopt different types and structures, such as rigid blades or flexible blades (e.g., grass cutting ropes).

[0048] The first adjustment component 30 is disposed on the base plate 11 of the robot body 10 and connected to the cutter head body 20, that is, the cutter head body 20 is connected to the base plate 11 through the first adjustment component 30. Exemplarily, the base plate 11 can be broadly interpreted, not only referring to the plate at the bottom, but also including frame structures such as the chassis. The first adjustment component 30 is used to adjust and control the cutter head body 20, specifically, to adjust and control at least the position of the cutter head body 20. For example, the first adjustment component 30 can drive the cutter head body 20 to move at least in a plane parallel to the base plate 11. Depending on the specific structure of the first adjustment component 30 (i.e., different driving methods), the cutter head body 20 can move in different ways in the plane parallel to the base plate 11, and its movement path can be multiple. Since the specific structure and driving method of the first adjustment component 30 are determined, the movement path of the cutter head body 20 in the plane parallel to the base plate 11 can be determined, and this movement path is the preset path.

[0049] For example, the first adjustment component 30 can be a rotating structure, thereby driving the cutter head body 20 to perform circular motion in a plane parallel to the base plate 11. In this case, the movement path (i.e., the preset path) of the cutter head body 20 can be circular or arc-shaped. Alternatively, the first adjustment component 30 can be a linear reciprocating structure, thereby driving the cutter head body 20 to perform linear reciprocating motion in a plane parallel to the base plate 11. In this case, the movement path (i.e., the preset path) of the cutter head body 20 can be linear. The first adjustment component 30 can also be a combination of the above two structures. In this case, the specific shape of the movement path (i.e., the preset path) of the cutter head body 20 can be a combination of circular motion and linear reciprocating motion.

[0050] Based on the aforementioned first adjustment component 30, it can drive the cutter head body 20 to move along a preset path in a plane parallel to the base plate 11, thereby adjusting the position of the cutter head body 20. When the cutter head body 20 moves along the preset path, and when it is at a partial position on the preset path, at least a portion of the cutter head body 20 (e.g., the edge region) can extend beyond the edge of the robot body 10. For example, when the rotation center of the cutter head body 20 is located near the edge of the base plate 11, because the cutter head body 20 has a certain size (width or diameter), the edge region of the cutter head body 20 can be located outside the edge of the robot body 10.

[0051] Please refer to the following for further information. Figure 4 When it is necessary to perform grass cutting operations on areas near obstacles (such as walls, steps, and fences) on the ground, the first adjustment component 30 drives the blade body 20 to adjust its position, so that at least a part of the blade body 20 moves to the outside of the edge of the robot body 10. That is, in the direction parallel to the ground, at least a part of the blade body 20 is exposed outside the robot body 10, so that the grass cutting range of the blade body 20 is greater than the coverage range of the robot body 10. Thus, while the robot body 10 is kept apart from the obstacle, the grass cutting range of the blade body 20 can cover the corner area near the obstacle, thereby achieving effective trimming of the grass in the corner area.

[0052] In some examples, the aforementioned lawnmower robot may include a self-moving main unit and functional modules mounted on the self-moving main unit. The functional modules can be used for mowing, and the self-moving main unit is used to drive the functional modules to move. For example, the functional modules can be mounted in front of, behind, to the left of, or to the right of the self-moving main unit in its forward direction. That is, the functional modules can be the robot body 10.

[0053] In other examples, the lawnmower robot may include a self-moving main unit, with the robot body (not shown in the figure) serving as the self-moving main unit. That is, in this embodiment, the self-moving main unit integrates the lawnmower function, and the blade mechanism can be installed at the bottom of the self-moving main unit.

[0054] In some examples, the preset path by which the cutter head body 20 moves in a plane parallel to the base plate 11 intersects the walking direction of the robot body 10. For example, if the preset path is a straight path, it can be perpendicular to the walking direction of the robot body 10; if the preset path is an arc-shaped path, the walking direction of the robot body 10 can be radial along the arc-shaped path.

[0055] Based on the intersection of the aforementioned preset path and the walking direction of the robot body 10, the cutter head body 20 can be laterally adjusted relative to the walking direction of the robot body 10, thereby extending from at least both sides of the robot body 10. This allows the cutter head body 20 to trim the grass in the area between the robot body 10 and the obstacle while the robot body 10 is moving along the extension direction of the obstacle.

[0056] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 3 The first adjustment component 30 includes a connector 32 and a first drive component 31. The first drive component 31 is fixed to the base plate 11 of the robot body 10, for example, the housing of the first drive component 31 is fixed to the base plate 11. One end of the connector 32 is connected to the output shaft of the first drive component 31 (a shock-absorbing rubber sleeve can be provided at the connection to reduce vibration), and the other end is connected to the cutter head body 20. The connector 32 can be a long strip structure, such as a connecting rod. Depending on different needs, the length of the connector 32 can be of different specifications to adapt to different sizes of lawnmower robots; for example, the length of the connector 32 can be 5cm to 30cm.

[0057] In this way, driven by the first driving member 31, the connecting member 32 can drive the cutter head body 20 to make a circular motion centered on the output shaft of the first driving member 31, and the output shaft of the first driving member 31 is perpendicular to the base plate 11. At this time, the cutter head body 20 makes a circular motion in a plane parallel to the base plate 11, and its movement path (i.e. the preset path) is a circle or an arc.

[0058] Furthermore, based on actual assembly considerations, the cutter head body 20 requires a large movement space to perform a complete circular motion in the plane parallel to the base plate 11, which may affect the assembly of other components. Therefore, by controlling the rotation angle of the first driving member 31, the cutter head body 20 can perform a partial circular motion in the plane parallel to the base plate 11. That is, the preset path for the movement of the cutter head body 20 can be a partial arc (e.g., a semi-circular arc), thereby reducing the movement space of the cutter head body 20.

[0059] Furthermore, the preset path for the movement of the cutter head body 20 can be a partially circular arc (e.g., a semi-circular arc), and this preset path can be set to be symmetrical about the central axis of the robot body 10. Specifically, the central axis of the robot body 10 is a straight line parallel to the walking direction of the robot body 10 and passing through the center of the robot body 10. Taking a semi-circular arc as an example, the preset path is symmetrical about the aforementioned central axis, meaning that the center of the preset path is located at the center of the base plate 11, and the central angles corresponding to the portions of the preset path located on both sides of the central axis are both 90°.

[0060] In this way, the blade body 20 can move along a preset path to both sides of the robot body 10 in the direction of travel, and the maximum travel distance of the blade body 20 to both sides of the robot body 10 in the direction of travel is the same, so that the same size area can be mowed on either side of the robot body 10 in the direction of travel as needed.

[0061] In some examples, the first drive member 31 and the connector 32 are both located on the side of the base plate 11 facing the inside of the robot body 10, that is, the first drive member 31 and the connector 32 are both located on the side of the base plate 11 away from the ground, that is, inside the robot body 10. However, since the cutter head body 20 needs to perform the mowing operation, it must be located outside the robot body 10, that is, on the side of the base plate 11 away from the inside of the robot body 10, that is, on the side of the base plate 11 facing the ground.

[0062] At this time, please refer to Figure 5 The base plate 11 blocks the cutter head body 20 from the connector 32. In order to connect the cutter head body 20 and the connector 32, a cutout is made on the base plate 11, and the cutter head body 20 and the connector 32 are connected through the cutout.

[0063] Furthermore, since the cutter head body 20 and the connector 32 are connected through a perforation in the base plate 11, and the connector 32 also drives the cutter head body 20 to move along a preset path, the size and shape of the perforation need to meet the movement requirements of the cutter head body 20. Since the preset path is an arc path, the perforation can be an arc-shaped structure extending along the preset path; or the perforation can adopt other shapes, but it must ensure that the preset path is within the coverage area of ​​the perforation.

[0064] In other examples, a bracket 50 is provided on the side surface of the base plate 11 facing the interior of the robot body 10. The bracket 50 is used to mount the first drive member 31. For example, the bracket 50 can adopt a gantry-like structure, so that the first drive member 31 is disposed between the bracket 50 and the base plate 11, and the housing of the first drive member 31 is fixed to the bracket 50. The output shaft of the first drive member 31 faces the base plate 11. In particular, the output shaft of the first drive member 31 faces the base plate 11, that is, towards the location of the cutter head body 20, so that the output shaft of the first drive member 31 can be connected to the cutter head body 20 through the connector 32.

[0065] Further, please refer to Figure 6The aforementioned support 50 is configured as a height-adjustable structure. Specifically, the support 50 includes a main body 51 and a lifting part 52. The main body 51 is spaced apart from the base plate 11 and connected to the base plate 11 via the lifting part 52. For example, lifting parts 52 can be provided at both ends of the main body 51 to connect to the base plate 11. The distance between the main body 51 and the base plate 11 can be adjusted by raising and lowering the lifting part 52.

[0066] Based on this, the first driving component 31 is disposed on the main body 51, for example, it can be located between the main body 51 and the base plate 11. The lifting and lowering of the lifting part 52 can drive the first driving component 31 to adjust the distance between it and the base plate 11. Furthermore, the distance between the cutter head body 20 and the base plate 11 can be further adjusted by the connecting part 32, which in effect adjusts the distance between the cutter head body 20 and the ground to meet the needs of different stubble heights in different mowing operations.

[0067] For example, the lifting part 52 can be an electric push rod. The lifting part 52 drives the cutter head body 20 to adjust the distance between the cutter head body 20 and the ground. The adjustment range can be 2cm to 15cm, that is, the distance between the cutter head body 20 and the ground is 2cm to 15cm.

[0068] In some embodiments, the cutter head mechanism further includes a second drive member 40 for driving the cutter head body 20 to rotate for mowing operations. The output shaft of the second drive member 40 is connected to the rotating shaft of the cutter head body 20, or the cutter of the cutter head body 20 is directly connected to the output shaft of the second drive member 40. The second drive member 40 is disposed on the connecting member 32, for example, the housing of the second drive member 40 is fixed to the end of the connecting member 32.

[0069] At this time, the first drive component 31 is responsible for adjusting the position of the cutter head body 20 through the connector 32 and the second drive component 40, and the second drive component 40 is responsible for driving the cutter head body 20 to rotate for grass cutting.

[0070] Furthermore, the aforementioned second drive member 40 can be located inside the robot body 10, that is, the second drive member 40 is located on the side of the base plate 11 facing the inside of the robot body 10, that is, the second drive member 40, the first drive member 31, and the connector 32 are located on the same side of the base plate 11. The output shaft of the second drive member 40 faces the base plate 11, and the output shaft of the second drive member 40 can pass through the cutout on the base plate 11 and connect to the cutter head body 20 on the other side of the base plate 11.

[0071] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 7The cutter head mechanism also includes a guide assembly 70, which guides the movement of the cutter head body 20 along a preset path to improve the smoothness of the movement of the cutter head body 20 and serves as one of the force-bearing points between the cutter head body 20 and the base plate 11, thereby improving the stability of the cutter head body 20 when rotating to cut grass. The guide assembly 70 includes a guide groove (not shown in the figures) and a guide block 71 that is at least partially engaged in the guide groove, and the guide block 71 slides in the guide groove.

[0072] The guide groove can be disposed on the surface of the base plate 11 (e.g., on the side of the base plate 11 facing the inside of the robot body 10), or on the surface of the bracket 50 when there is a bracket 50 on the base plate 11 (e.g., on the side of the bracket 50 facing the base plate 11), or it can be disposed on both the surface of the base plate 11 and the surface of the bracket 50.

[0073] As for the guide block 71, since it needs to cooperate with the guide groove, its placement can be determined based on the location of the guide groove. For example, if the guide groove is located on the side surface of the base plate 11 facing the inside of the robot body 10, both the connector 32 and the second drive member 40 can cooperate with the guide groove on the surface of the base plate 11. Therefore, the guide block 71 can be placed on the connector 32 or on the second drive member 40 (e.g., on the housing). If the guide groove is located on the side surface of the bracket 50 facing the base plate 11, the connector 32 is more likely to cooperate with the guide groove on the surface of the bracket 50. Therefore, the guide block 71 is preferably placed on the connector 32.

[0074] Based on the guide assembly 70 composed of the guide groove and the guide block 71, in addition to guiding the movement of the cutter head body 20 along a preset path, it can also limit the stroke of the cutter head body 20. For example, the guide block 71 can slide along the guide groove to the end of the guide groove at most. When it reaches the end of the guide groove, the guide block 71 cannot slide further, which can in turn limit the further movement of the cutter head body 20. At this time, the end of the guide groove is the end point of the stroke of the cutter head body 20.

[0075] Therefore, the guide assembly 70, composed of the guide groove and the guide block 71, can also limit the stroke of the cutter head body 20 to avoid problems caused by excessive movement of the cutter head body 20. For example, excessive movement of the cutter head body 20 may exceed the center of gravity range of the robot body 10, which may cause the lawnmower robot to tip over.

[0076] Furthermore, since the sliding of the guide block 71 relative to the guide groove is synchronized with the movement of the cutter head body 20 along the preset path, the sliding path of the guide block 71 relative to the guide groove is consistent with the aforementioned preset path. Therefore, the shape and extension path of the guide groove need to be consistent with the preset path.

[0077] In addition, in order to reduce the resistance of the guide block 71 sliding relative to the guide groove, the surfaces of the guide groove and the guide block 71 can be polished, or a lubricating coating, such as a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coating, can be applied to the groove wall of the guide groove and / or the surface of the guide block 71.

[0078] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The cutter head mechanism also includes a second adjustment component 60 disposed on the first adjustment component 30. The second adjustment component 60 is specifically disposed on the connector 32 of the first adjustment component 30. The second adjustment component 60 is connected to the cutter head body 20. For example, the second adjustment component 60 can be connected to the aforementioned second drive component 40, thereby indirectly connecting to the cutter head body 20. In this case, the connector 32 is also indirectly connected to the cutter head body 20 through the second adjustment component 60.

[0079] The second adjustment component 60 drives the cutter head body 20 to move along the extension direction of the connecting member 32, adjusting the position of the cutter head body 20 on the connecting member 32, thereby adjusting the distance between the cutter head body 20 and the first driving member 31. In this way, the second adjustment component 60 can cooperate with the first adjustment component 30 to further enrich the adjustment methods of the cutter head body 20 position and expand the adjustable range of the cutter head body 20 position.

[0080] Specifically, taking the example that the first adjustment component 30 can drive the cutter head body 20 to perform at least a partial circular motion in a plane parallel to the base plate 11, the preset path is a circle or an arc, but the radius of the circle or arc corresponding to the preset path cannot be adjusted. Therefore, the position of the cutter head body 20 can only be on the preset path of the circle or arc.

[0081] After the second adjusting member 63 is provided on the connecting member 32, the position of the cutter head body 20 on the connecting member 32 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the distance between the cutter head body 20 and the first driving member 31. That is, the radius of the aforementioned circular or arc-shaped path can be adjusted, meaning the cutter head body 20 can move radially along the original circular or arc-shaped preset path. At this time, the preset path in which the cutter head body 20 actually moves is no longer just a circular or arc-shaped path, but a path composed of a circular or arc-shaped path and a circular or arc-shaped radial path, thereby enriching the adjustment methods of the cutter head body 20 position and expanding the adjustable range of the cutter head body 20 position.

[0082] Furthermore, the aforementioned connector 32 is provided with a sliding groove extending along the extension direction of the connector 32. The second driving member 40, which is connected to the cutter head body 20, cooperates with the sliding groove. For example, a sliding seat can be provided in the sliding groove, and the second driving member 40 is fixed on the sliding seat. The second driving member 40 is connected to the second adjusting component 60 and can slide along the sliding groove as a whole with the cutter head body 20 under the drive of the second adjusting component 60. The sliding groove serves as a guide for the second adjusting component 60 to adjust the position of the cutter head body 20.

[0083] In some examples, the second adjustment component 60 described above may adopt a telescopic structure. For example, the second adjustment component 60 includes a first electric push rod, the main body end of which is fixed to the connector 32, and the telescopic end of which is connected to the cutter head body 20 (for example, indirectly connected to the cutter head body 20 by connecting the second drive component 40).

[0084] In other examples, the second adjustment component 60 described above can adopt another structure, that is, the second adjustment component 60 includes a third drive member 61, a screw 62 and an adjustment member 63. The third drive member 61 is fixed to the connector 32, the output shaft of the third drive member 61 is connected to the screw 62, the adjustment member 63 (specifically, a nut, etc.) is sleeved on the screw 62, and the adjustment member 63 is connected to the cutter head body 20 (for example, it can be indirectly connected to the cutter head body 20 by connecting the second drive member 40).

[0085] At this time, the third driving component 61 can drive the screw 62 to rotate, thereby converting the rotation of the screw 62 into the movement of the adjusting component 63 along the screw 62 based on the threaded engagement between the screw 62 and the adjusting component 63. This, in turn, drives the cutter head body 20 to move along the extension direction of the connecting component 32, thereby adjusting the position of the cutter head body 20 on the connecting component 32. The screw 62 remains parallel to the aforementioned sliding groove.

[0086] In some other examples, the connector 32 in the first adjustment assembly 30 can be improved to replace the second adjustment assembly 60 described above. For example, the connector 32 itself can be made into a telescopic structure, such as using an electric push rod as the connector 32. In this case, the extension and retraction of the connector 32 can directly adjust the distance between the cutter head body 20 and the first drive member 31.

[0087] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10The cutter head mechanism also includes a third adjustment component 80, which is used to adjust the tilt angle of the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11, that is, the tilt angle of the cutter head body 20 relative to the ground or horizontal plane, which is also the working tilt angle of the cutter head body 20 in the working state, so that the cutter head body 20 can adapt to the working requirements of some uneven areas (such as slopes) on the ground. The third adjustment component 80 can be located at the first drive member 31, and the tilt angle of the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11 can be indirectly adjusted by adjusting the tilt angle of the first drive member 31 relative to the base plate 11. The third adjustment component 80 can be powered by a motor or an electric actuator.

[0088] Specifically, the other end of the first drive member 31 opposite to its output shaft is hinged to the base plate 11. Specifically, a bracket 50 can be provided and hinged to the base plate 11, thus indirectly hinged to the base plate 11. Based on this, if the third adjustment component 80 uses a motor (i.e., the fourth drive member), the fourth drive member is fixed to the base plate 11, specifically fixed to the bracket 50 where the first drive member 31 is located. The output shaft of the fourth drive member is connected to the hinge axis at the hinge point of the first drive member 31 and the bracket 50, which can easily drive the first drive member 31 to swing relative to the bracket 50 around the aforementioned hinge axis, thereby adjusting the tilt angle of the first drive member 31 and even the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11.

[0089] Similarly, if the third adjustment component 80 adopts an electric push rod (i.e., the second electric push rod 81), one end of the second electric push rod 81 is hinged to the housing of the first drive member 31, and the other end is hinged to the base plate 11 or the bracket 50 on the base plate 11. In this case, the extension and retraction of the second electric push rod 81 can drive the first drive member 31 to swing relative to the bracket 50 around the aforementioned hinge axis, thereby adjusting the tilt angle of the first drive member 31 and even the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11.

[0090] Furthermore, multiple fourth drive members and second electric push rods 81 can be provided to adjust the tilt angle of the first drive member 31 and even the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11 in multiple directions, thereby meeting more diverse adjustment needs.

[0091] Taking the third adjustment component 80, which includes multiple second electric push rods 81, as an example, the number of second electric push rods 81 can be two or more. For the two second electric push rods 81, the first drive member 31 and the base plate 11 are hinged together via a universal joint. In this case, the two second electric push rods 81 are respectively connected between the first drive member 31 and the base plate 11 (specifically, the bracket 50 on the base plate 11) by hinges. Furthermore, the projections of the axes of the two second electric push rods 81 onto the base plate 11 are not parallel; that is, in the circumferential direction of the first drive member 31, the two second electric push rods 81 are arranged in orientations other than 0° and 180°. Thus, through the combined action of the two second electric push rods 81, the tilt angle of the first drive member 31 and even the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11 can be adjusted in multiple directions.

[0092] It should be noted that the tilt angle range of the first driving component 31 and even the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11 can be designed as needed. In this embodiment, the tilt angle range is 0°~30°.

[0093] In some embodiments, based on the adjustability of the tilt angle of the first drive member 31 and even the cutter head body 20 relative to the base plate 11, the first drive member 31 and the cutter head body 20 are engaged with the base plate 11 by the guide assembly 70. At this time, the base plate 11 can be further configured to be composed of a fixed plate and a movable plate.

[0094] The fixed plate is fixedly connected to the robot body 10, the bracket 50 is set on the fixed plate, the movable plate is movably connected to the fixed plate, and the guide groove of the guide assembly 70 is only opened on the movable plate. At this time, the movable plate can be rotated relative to the fixed plate as the tilt angle of the first drive member 31 relative to the base plate 11 is adjusted, thereby maintaining the cooperation state between the guide groove of the guide assembly 70 and the guide block 71.

[0095] Furthermore, based on adjusting the tilt angle of the first driving member 31 relative to the base plate 11 in multiple directions, the movable plate can be connected to the fixed plate via a flipping frame to achieve flipping relative to the fixed plate in multiple directions. The flipping frame is configured as a ring-shaped frame structure (including circular and polygonal rings), which is fitted over the movable plate. Opposite sides of the flipping frame (e.g., the first and second sides) are rotatably connected to the fixed plate, and opposite sides of the movable plate (e.g., the third and fourth sides) are rotatably connected to the flipping frame. The line connecting the first and second sides intersects (e.g., can be further perpendicular to) the line connecting the third and fourth sides. In this case, the flipping of the movable plate relative to the fixed plate in multiple directions can be a combination of the flipping of the movable plate relative to the flipping frame and the flipping of the flipping frame relative to the fixed plate.

[0096] It should be noted that the driving components (including the first driving component 31 to the fourth driving component) of the cutter head mechanism in the above embodiments can specifically be motors.

[0097] In some embodiments, this application provides a lawnmower robot, which includes a robot body 10 and a blade mechanism as described in the above embodiment, the blade mechanism being disposed on the base plate 11 of the robot body 10. Furthermore, the lawnmower robot also includes a sensing component and a control component, wherein the control component is electrically connected to the sensing component and the blade mechanism, respectively.

[0098] The sensing component is used to sense the external obstacle 90 and detect the distance between the robot body 10 and the external obstacle 90. The control component is used to receive the distance value detected by the sensing component and, by comparing it with a distance threshold, determine whether the lawnmower robot has entered a corner area close to the external obstacle 90. If the control component determines that the lawnmower robot has entered the corner area, it further controls the blade mechanism to move, causing the corresponding adjustment component in the blade mechanism to drive the blade body 20 to move relative to the base plate 11 along a preset path, so that at least a portion of the blade body 20 extends beyond the coverage area of ​​the robot body 10 to trim the grass in the aforementioned corner area.

[0099] In addition, the control component is also used to control the blade body 20 to move in the opposite direction along a preset path after the sensing component detects that the mowing robot has left the aforementioned corner area, so as to return to the coverage area of ​​the robot body 10, for example, to return to directly below the robot body 10.

[0100] In some examples, the control components described above can adopt an architecture of MCU (Microcontroller Unit) + FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The MCU can be an STM32H7, responsible for logic decisions; the FPGA is responsible for real-time processing of data from the sensing components.

[0101] In some embodiments, this application provides a lawn mowing control method applied to the above-mentioned lawn mowing robot, the lawn mowing control method comprising the following steps:

[0102] Step S200: Control the sensing components on the robot body to emit detection waves outward.

[0103] Specifically, the sensing components detect external obstacles by emitting probe waves, which can be sound waves, light waves, etc. Therefore, the sensing components of a lawnmower robot can specifically include ultrasonic sensors and infrared sensors.

[0104] Taking ultrasonic sensors as an example, one set is installed at the front end and both sides of the control robot body. The ultrasonic sensors have a detection range of 0-50cm, an accuracy of ±0.5cm, a sampling frequency of 10Hz, and a height of 8-12cm above the ground.

[0105] In some examples, the robot's body state can be calibrated before or during step S200, i.e., the horizontal state of the robot body can be calibrated. That is, before step S200, the following step S100 is also included.

[0106] Step S100: Obtain the tilt angle of the robot body, and perform calibration when the tilt angle is greater than the angle threshold.

[0107] Specifically, the tilt angle of the lawnmower can be obtained using the gyroscope in the sensing component (i.e., the sensing component includes a gyroscope with a sampling frequency of 50Hz and an accuracy of ±0.1°). If the tilt angle of multiple consecutive sets of data (e.g., 10 sets of data) is less than or equal to an angle threshold (e.g., 1°), then the robot is confirmed to be level, i.e., on a level surface. Otherwise, the robot is confirmed not to be level, which may affect the error of subsequent interval distance detection, and calibration is required in this case.

[0108] Calibration methods can include physical calibration and algorithm calibration: physical calibration can involve moving the robot body in a small range to avoid local uneven areas on the ground; algorithm calibration can involve calculating the actual interval distance of external obstacles when the robot body is not in a horizontal state, based on the specific tilt angle of the robot body, using trigonometric function relationships and other methods.

[0109] Step S400: Receive the reflected signal of the probe wave, and determine whether there is an external obstacle and the distance between the robot body and the external obstacle based on the reflected signal.

[0110] Specifically, if there is an external obstacle within the coverage area of ​​the sensing component's detection wave, the obstacle will reflect the detection wave, forming a reflected signal. The sensing component can receive this reflected signal to determine the presence of an external obstacle and, through the reflected signal, determine the distance between the robot body and the obstacle. For example, the distance between the robot body and the obstacle can be determined by the time difference between the emission time of the detection wave and the reception time of the reflected signal, combined with the propagation speed of the detection wave.

[0111] Furthermore, in practical applications, the sensing component can continuously emit probe waves. In this case, a set of distance data between the sensor and external obstacles is collected every 0.1 seconds, and then processed by a moving average filter (N=5). The moving average filter calculates the average value of N sets of raw data continuously as the effective output, thereby eliminating random noise.

[0112] Furthermore, to eliminate interference from ground reflections of the probe waves and avoid misjudgments, the aforementioned sensing component is installed at a certain angle relative to the ground. That is, the direction of the probe wave's emission is at a certain angle relative to the ground. For example, based on this installation angle, the sensing component can be installed at an angle away from the ground, meaning the direction of the probe wave's emission is obliquely upwards from the ground. The installation angle can be between 20° and 30°.

[0113] In some examples, the aforementioned sensing components may include ultrasonic sensors and infrared sensors, wherein the ultrasonic sensor can serve as the main sensor, performing the function of detecting external obstacles and distances; while the infrared sensor can serve as an auxiliary sensor, performing the function of assisting in the verification of external obstacle detection.

[0114] Specifically, since the ultrasonic sensors can be installed at the front and sides of the robot body, the infrared sensors can be installed at least at the bottom of both sides of the robot body. The infrared sensors have a detection range of 0-20cm, a sampling frequency of 10Hz, and strong light resistance; that is, in strong light environments (light intensity > 50000 lux), the infrared sensor's emission power automatically increases by 20% to ensure accurate detection of reflected light intensity.

[0115] Taking the detection of an external obstacle by the ultrasonic sensor on the right side of the robot as an example, after the ultrasonic sensor detects the obstacle, an infrared sensor on the same side (i.e., the right side) is used for verification. For example, the infrared sensor on the right side can detect the intensity of reflected light, and the presence of an external obstacle is determined by the intensity level of the reflected light. Generally, depending on the object reflecting the light, the reflected light intensity (i.e., the intensity of reflected light) in a level grassy area is >1500 lux, while the reflected light intensity of an external obstacle will be less than that in a level grassy area. Therefore, the presence of an external obstacle can be verified based on the level of reflected light intensity.

[0116] Furthermore, different types of external obstacles will have different reflected light intensities. For example, for sloping obstacles such as earthen slopes on the ground, the reflected light intensity is typically in the range of 800 lux to 1200 lux. For vertical obstacles such as walls and steps, the reflected light intensity is typically <500 lux.

[0117] Therefore, the intensity of reflected light detected by the infrared sensor can, to some extent, distinguish the types of external obstacles. Based on this, step S400, when determining whether an external obstacle exists based on the reflected signal, also includes the following steps:

[0118] Step S410: When it is determined that there is an external obstacle, determine the type of the external obstacle, which includes vertical obstacles and ramp obstacles.

[0119] Step S420: When the external obstacle is a slope obstacle, determine whether the slope surface of the slope obstacle needs to be cleared of grass.

[0120] Specifically, referring to the preceding text, in step S410, the type of external obstacle can be determined by the level of reflected light intensity detected by the infrared sensor. When the type of external obstacle is determined to be a slope obstacle, since the slope obstacle can be an earthen slope, and grass may grow on the slope surface, it is necessary to determine whether the slope surface of the slope obstacle needs to be cleared of grass. This can be done through the following sub-steps of step S420:

[0121] Step S421: Acquire an image of the slope.

[0122] Step S422: Determine the grass condition on the slope based on the image of the slope.

[0123] Step S423: Determine whether the slope needs weeding based on the condition of the grass on the slope.

[0124] Specifically, the camera of the sensing component (i.e., the sensing component includes a camera) acquires images of the cross-section of the slope obstacle. By processing and analyzing the images, the grass condition on the slope is determined (e.g., whether there is grass, as well as the height and density of the grass). Based on the grass condition, it is determined whether weeding is necessary.

[0125] One set of cameras is installed on the top of the robot body at a downward angle of 15°. The camera's shooting direction is adjustable, covering a range of 1-3m around the robot body. The resolution is 1080p, and the shooting frame rate is 30fps.

[0126] For example, the above image processing and analysis steps may include: cropping the ROI region in the image (e.g., the area within 1-3m to the right of the robot body, covering the grass area at the bottom of the slope obstacle), and then performing grayscale conversion, 5×5 Gaussian blurring, and Canny edge detection (threshold 50 / 150) in sequence.

[0127] The ROI mentioned above, or Region of Interest, is a specific area that is artificially defined in image processing and needs to be analyzed in detail. Simply put, it is to "select" the key part from the whole image and only perform algorithmic processing (such as edge detection and feature recognition) on this area, ignoring irrelevant background areas.

[0128] 5×5 Gaussian blur is a noise reduction technique in image processing. Its core is to use a 5x5 Gaussian kernel (weight matrix) to perform a weighted average of image pixels, thereby smoothing the image and removing high-frequency noise (such as grass texture, pebble reflection, and sensor acquisition noise), providing clearer input for subsequent edge detection, feature recognition and other algorithms.

[0129] Canny edge detection (threshold 50 / 150) is a core algorithm for extracting object contours in image processing. By setting two thresholds (e.g., low threshold 50 and high threshold 150), it accurately filters out strong edges (such as wall and slope boundaries) and removes weak edge noise (such as grass texture) from images that have been denoised by Gaussian blur, providing clear edge input for subsequent calculations and control.

[0130] Based on the above image processing and analysis, regarding the direct determination of whether there is grass on the slope, the determination of grass height and density can be performed as follows: Extract the grass area through HSV color space segmentation (H35-77 / S40-255 / V40-255), and then calculate the grass height at the pixel level, where 100 pixels = 10cm, with an accuracy of ±1cm. For example, if the detected grass height is 10cm, the grass density percentage is >60% (i.e., high density).

[0131] It should be noted that since the corresponding image algorithms are all existing technologies, the above content only briefly explains the principles of the corresponding image algorithms. Further details can be found in existing literature and will not be elaborated here.

[0132] Furthermore, since the slope is inclined relative to the horizontal ground, the blade of the lawnmower robot obviously needs to be approximately parallel to the slope in order to perform lawnmowing operations. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the slope gradient. Thus, after step S423, the following steps are also included:

[0133] Step S424: When it is determined that the slope needs to be cleared, the slope gradient is determined based on the image of the slope.

[0134] Step S425: Based on the slope of the slope, adjust the cutter head body to be parallel to the slope.

[0135] Specifically, the slope (i.e., the inclination angle) of a slope can be calculated and determined as follows: extract the slope edge points (x, y, z, where z is the actual height converted from pixel depth) within the ROI, fit the slope plane equation z=ax+by+c using the least squares method, and calculate the slope inclination angle α. For example, α = 12°. In a grass-cutting scenario at the bottom of a sloping slope, the camera captures a 2D image (only x and y pixel coordinates), but we need to know the actual 3D slope of the ground (i.e., the slope angle α) in order to rotate the cutter head to be parallel to the slope.

[0136] The "feature points" of the slope are extracted from the image and converted into actual 3D coordinates (x, y, z), where x and y are the actual horizontal distances to the ground, and z is the actual height of the feature point. The least squares method is used to find a plane that best fits these 3D points (i.e., the true plane of the slope), resulting in the plane equation z = ax + by + c. Using the parameters (a, b) of the plane equation, the angle α between the slope and the horizontal ground is calculated, ultimately guiding the rotation of the cutterhead body.

[0137] Where 'a' represents the increase of z (height) by 'a' cm for every 1 cm increase in the x direction (i.e., the slope in the x direction); 'b' represents the increase of z (height) by 'b' cm for every 1 cm increase in the y direction (i.e., the slope in the y direction); and 'c' represents the initial height of z when x=0 and y=0 (which can be understood as the "baseline height" of the slope).

[0138] Step S600: When the interval distance is less than or equal to the first distance threshold, control the movement of the cutter head body relative to the robot body, so that at least a portion of the cutter head body moves to the outside of the robot body.

[0139] Specifically, the first distance threshold can be selected and determined according to the specific situation. Taking a first distance threshold of 10cm as an example, when the filtered interval distance is less than or equal to 10cm and the distance data of 5 consecutive groups remain stable (fluctuation ≤ 0.5cm), the "distance threshold warning" is triggered, indicating that the robot body has entered the vicinity of the external obstacle.

[0140] For example, if five sets of distance data are collected continuously, the filtered data results (i.e., the interval distance values) are (9.8cm, 9.7cm, 9.9cm, 9.8cm, 9.7cm). All five sets of distance data are less than the first distance threshold (10cm), and the fluctuation is less than 0.5cm, which meets the conditions for triggering the "distance threshold warning".

[0141] At this time, according to the "distance threshold warning", the cutter body of the cutter body mechanism (driven by the corresponding adjustment component of the cutter body mechanism) moves relative to the robot body (for example, it can move along a preset path), so that at least a part of the cutter body moves to the outside of the robot body, that is, at least a part of the cutter body moves to the edge of the robot body and the external obstacle, so as to be able to perform grass cutting operation on the corner area near the external obstacle.

[0142] It should be noted that the dimensions of the portion of the cutter head that moves to the outside of the robot body must meet the mowing requirements of the aforementioned corner areas. Specifically, the width of the portion of the cutter head located between the edge of the robot body and the external obstacle (hereinafter referred to as the extended portion) needs to match the distance between the edge of the robot body and the external obstacle.

[0143] For example, if the distance between the edge of the robot body and the external obstacle is exactly equal to the first distance threshold (10cm), the width of the extended part of the cutter head body needs to match the width of 10cm. For example, the width of the extended part can be 10cm. Considering the actual detection error and movement error, the width of the extended part can also be increased or decreased based on 10cm. For example, it can be 10cm ± 0.5cm, 10cm ± 1cm, etc.

[0144] For example, the first distance threshold can be the maximum width of the robot body (specifically, the width in the direction of the sensing component detection), so that the maximum extension distance of the blade body matches the maximum width of the robot body (e.g., equal or fluctuating within a certain range), avoiding excessive extension of the blade body causing excessive shift of the overall center of gravity of the mowing robot and resulting in the mowing robot tipping over.

[0145] In some examples, when the cutter head body of the control cutter head mechanism moves relative to the robot body, the above step S600 includes the following sub-steps:

[0146] Step S610: Based on the position of the external obstacle relative to the robot body, control the cutter head body to move towards the direction of the external obstacle.

[0147] Specifically, for example, if the external obstacle is located to the right of the robot body, the cutter head body moves to the right of the robot body to perform grass cutting operations on the corner area of ​​the robot body's right side near the external obstacle.

[0148] In other examples, for grass-cutting needs that require controlling the tilt of the cutter head body to adapt to slope obstacles, step S600, before or after controlling the movement of the cutter head body (i.e. before or after step S610 above), also includes the following sub-steps:

[0149] Step S620: Based on the slope of the slope, control the adjusting component in the cutter head mechanism to drive the cutter head body to rotate so that the cutter head body rotates to be parallel to the slope.

[0150] Specifically, after determining the slope angle based on step S424, step S425 determines that the cutter head body needs to be adjusted to be parallel to the slope. The adjustment of the cutter head body is then performed in step S620. This involves controlling the adjustment components (e.g., the third adjustment component) in the cutter head mechanism to rotate the cutter head body relative to the horizontal plane by the same angle as the slope angle, causing the cutter head body to tilt at the same angle as the slope angle, thus making the cutter head body parallel to the slope, i.e., the rotation axis of the cutter head body is perpendicular to the slope.

[0151] One approach is to first control the movement of the cutter head body and then control its tilt; another approach is to first control the tilt of the cutter head body and then control its movement.

[0152] In some embodiments, after step S600, the above-described lawn mowing control method further includes a step of removing grass (i.e., mowing) in the corner areas at the edge of the external obstacle (i.e., step S700), which includes the following sub-steps:

[0153] Step S710: Using an external obstacle as a reference, maintain the distance between the robot body and the external obstacle as a second distance threshold. The second distance threshold is less than or equal to the maximum distance between the portion of the cutter head body located outside the robot body and the robot body itself. The maximum distance between the portion of the cutter head body located outside the robot body and the robot body itself is the distance between the farthest edge of the cutter head body and the edge of the robot body after the cutter head body extends from the edge of the robot body.

[0154] Step S720: Control the robot body to walk along the extended path of the edge of the external obstacle and remove grass at the edge of the external obstacle.

[0155] Specifically, after step S600, the lawnmower robot begins to mow the corner areas at the edges of the external obstacles. The robot body needs to travel along the extended path of the external obstacle edge to continuously mow the corner areas at the edge of the external obstacle.

[0156] During the robot's movement, it maintains a fixed interval distance (i.e., the second distance threshold) relative to external obstacles. This allows it to plan a walking path by referring to the obstacles. The robot can use sensing components to acquire the interval distance in real time to calibrate its walking direction (e.g., calibrate once every 0.2 seconds). The second distance threshold can be the same as the first distance threshold, for example, both being 10cm; depending on the specific situation, the second distance threshold can also be different from the first distance threshold.

[0157] During the weeding process, the slope of the slope may change locally. Therefore, the aforementioned step of detecting the slope of the profile can be performed in real time during the weeding process of the robot body, so as to adjust the tilt angle of the cutter head body in real time to maintain the parallel relationship with the profile.

[0158] In some examples, the density of grass can be determined by the robot's previous walking on level ground, combined with the torque sensor in the sensing component (i.e., the sensing component includes a torque sensor), before the cutter head body moves to the outside of the robot body.

[0159] Specifically, a torque sensor (range 0-20 N·m, accuracy ±0.1 N·m, sampling frequency 50 Hz) is installed on the cutter head body, for example, at the shaft of the cutter head body, to detect the torque of the cutter head body. When the robot body walks on a horizontal surface, the density of the grass will affect the torque of the cutter head body when it rotates to cut the grass. For example, if the resistance to cutting grass on a horizontal surface is >6 N·m (lasting 1 second), it can help verify the "high-density grass" characteristic of the grass area detected by the aforementioned camera through image processing.

[0160] In some embodiments, after step S700 above, the following step is further included:

[0161] Step S800: Continuously acquire the interval distance, and after the interval distance is greater than the third distance threshold, control the cutter head body of the cutter head mechanism to reset.

[0162] Specifically, during the weeding process, the interval distance is continuously acquired to determine whether the weeding operation at the edge of the external obstacle has been completed. For example, the robot body may have already walked along the edge of the external obstacle to leave the area where the external obstacle is located. At this time, the cutter head body needs to be reset.

[0163] For example, if there is an external obstacle on the right side of the robot body, the ultrasonic sensor on the right side detects that the distance between the robot body and the external obstacle is greater than the third distance threshold (the third distance threshold is greater than the first distance threshold, for example, 15cm), and the distance between the five consecutive sets of distance data is greater than the third distance threshold, then it is determined that the robot body has moved away from the external obstacle, and the cutter head body is controlled to reset and move.

[0164] Furthermore, taking the external obstacle as a slope obstacle, and the cutter head body previously clearing weeds on the slope obstacle as an example, the cutter head body is in a tilted and extended state before resetting. The following steps need to be followed during resetting to avoid collision.

[0165] In some embodiments, taking the external obstacle as a slope obstacle, and the slope surface of the slope obstacle requiring weed removal as an example, and referring to the embodiments of the above-described blade mechanism, lawnmower robot, and control method, the control flow from the movement control of the blade body to the reset control of the blade body after the lawnmower operation is completed is further explained regarding the lawnmower control method. Specifically, as follows:

[0166] 1. Cutter head tilt and extension control (response time ≤ 0.3s):

[0167] (11) Third adjustment component: Based on the slope inclination angle α=12° detected by the camera, drive the first drive component of the first adjustment component to tilt by 12°, so that the cutter head body is parallel to the slope.

[0168] (12) First adjustment component and / or second adjustment component (if necessary, the cutter body can be driven by the second adjustment component alone): drive the cutter body to extend outward, the extension distance can be referenced to the first distance threshold, for example, the extension distance D=10cm (first distance threshold)+α×0.1cm (extended area of ​​the slope)=10+12×0.1=11.2cm.

[0169] (13) Encoder (i.e., the sensing component includes an encoder, which is located at the motor of the above-mentioned adjustment component): Confirm that the tilt angle error of the cutter body is ≤0.5°, the extension distance error is ≤0.2cm, and the position is locked.

[0170] 2. Walking control and dynamic parameter adaptation:

[0171] (21) The robot body moves horizontally along the bottom of the slope at a speed of 0.4 m / s. The ultrasonic sensor on the right side (where the slope is located) calibrates the distance every 0.1 s. If the distance deviates from the second distance threshold (e.g., 10 cm) ± 0.5 cm, the direction of the drive wheel is finely adjusted (the right wheel decelerates by 0.03 m / s or accelerates by 0.03 m / s) to maintain a stable distance.

[0172] (22) The camera updates grass height in real time (every 0.03s, i.e. 30fps) (response time ≤0.2s): If the detected grass height is >10cm (e.g. 12cm), the extension distance of the cutter head body is increased by 1cm (e.g. D=11.2cm+1cm), and the cutting speed is increased by 100rpm (e.g. from 3200rpm to 3300rpm); if the grass density is >60%, the cutting speed is reduced by 0.1m / s.

[0173] Among them, for low-height grass (≤5cm): the outward extension distance is set to 5cm~8cm, and the cutting speed remains normal (3000rpm); for medium-height grass (5-10cm): the outward extension distance is set to 8cm~12cm, and the cutting speed is increased to 3500rpm; for high-height grass (>10cm) or high-density grass (torque sensor detects resistance >8N·m): the outward extension distance is set to 12cm~15cm, the cutting speed is reduced to 2500rpm, and the robot body's movement speed is further reduced to 0.3m / s to avoid overloading the cutter head mechanism.

[0174] (23) Torque sensor feedback adjustment: The cutting resistance is collected every 0.02s. If the resistance is >8N·m (lasts for 0.5s), it is determined that the grass density is too high. The walking speed of the robot body is reduced to 0.3m / s to avoid grass clipping. If the resistance is >10N·m (lasts for 3s), the extension distance of the cutter head body is increased by 2cm, and the moving speed of the robot body is reduced to 0.2m / s to avoid grass clipping. If the resistance is <2N·m (lasts for 0.5s), it is determined that the cutter head body is suspended. The tilt angle of the cutter head body is increased by 1° to ensure that it is parallel and close to the slope.

[0175] Furthermore, based on the aforementioned torque sensor, the maximum torque threshold of the cutter head body can be set. When the cutting resistance exceeds the maximum torque threshold (e.g., encountering a stone or branch), the cutter head body automatically stops rotating (i.e., the second drive unit stops). If the cutter head body is in an extended state, it is further driven to reset through the corresponding adjustment components.

[0176] Alternatively, an elastic impact element (such as a silicone coating) can be installed on the edge of the cutter head body, along with a pressure sensor. When the cutter head body collides with a foreign object, the pressure sensor is triggered, initiating a reset procedure to prevent damage to the cutter head body or the corresponding motor.

[0177] (3) Grass cutting at the edge of the slope is completed and the cutter head body is reset (sensor triggers exit):

[0178] (31) The interval distance detected by the ultrasonic sensor (right side) is >15cm (5 consecutive sets of data), and the intensity of the reflected light from the infrared sensor recovers to >1500 lux (representing the grassy area on the horizontal ground), and the bottom edge of the slope is determined to be the end.

[0179] No slope features were detected in three consecutive frames of images from the camera (i.e., tilt angle α < 5°), and the grass height recovered to 5cm~8cm (normal horizontal grass area).

[0180] (32) Reset of the cutter head body:

[0181] (321) The first adjustment component and / or the second adjustment component drive the cutter head body to retract by 1cm (i.e., the extension distance is reduced from 11.2cm to 10.2cm), and disengage from the grassy area on the slope.

[0182] (322) The third adjustment component drives the cutter head body to flip in the opposite direction, resetting it from the tilted state to the horizontal state (tilt angle is 0°), and the encoder confirms that the angle error is ≤0.5°.

[0183] (323) The first adjustment component and / or the second adjustment component drive the cutter head body to retract to the middle of the robot body (i.e., the outward extension distance is 0cm) to complete the reset.

[0184] Then, if there is a further need for mowing operations, the mowing robot will be restored to the normal mowing mode: the robot's walking speed will be restored to 0.8m / s, the cutting speed will be restored to 3200rpm, and the sensing components will be restored to the normal monitoring mode.

[0185] In some examples, Table 1 below lists the timetable of each control node of the lawn mowing control method of the above embodiments.

[0186]

[0187] In other examples, Table 2 below lists the statistical results of the measured verification of the mowing control method of the above embodiments.

[0188]

[0189] In some embodiments, prior to step S600 above, the following pre-control steps may also be included:

[0190] Step S500: When the detected interval distance is the fourth distance threshold (greater than the first distance threshold, for example, 15cm~10cm), the "edge preparation mode" is activated, the robot body's moving speed is reduced (for example, from the normal 0.8m / s to 0.4m / s), the cutter head body maintains a different position, and the corresponding adjustment components enter standby mode.

[0191] Subsequently, when the detected interval distance becomes smaller and less than or equal to the first distance threshold, the "edge mowing mode" is triggered, and the above step S600 is entered. Based on the location of the external obstacle relative to the robot body (left, right or front), the extension direction of the cutter head body is determined, and the extension of the cutter head body is controlled.

[0192] Furthermore, when the detected interval distance is ≤3cm, the robot body immediately stops moving, the cutter head body stops rotating, and its outward extension distance is reduced by 50% to avoid colliding with obstacles.

[0193] In some embodiments, when the robot body walks, in addition to the method described in step S710, other methods can also be used, that is, step S710 can be replaced by the following steps:

[0194] Step S710a: When the sensing component detects that the edge of the external obstacle is an arc-shaped edge, determine the radius of the arc-shaped edge.

[0195] Step S710b: Move the robot body along a straight line parallel to the arc edge, and dynamically adjust the extension length of the cutter head body relative to the robot body according to the radius of the arc edge, so that the motion trajectory of the cutter head body matches the arc edge when the robot body moves.

[0196] Specifically, please refer to Figure 11 When the edge of an external obstacle (such as a circular or wavy flower bed) is detected to be curved by distance detection of ultrasonic sensors and / or visual detection of cameras, the radius of the curved edge is calculated by fitting a curve with continuous distance data. The extension distance of the cutter head body is controlled to dynamically change with the radius of the curved edge. The movement trajectory of the cutter head body is consistent with the shape of the curved edge, that is, to ensure that it fits the curved edge.

[0197] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 12 If the sensing components detect that the external obstacle is a corner structure (such as a wall corner), for example, if the ultrasonic sensors on the side and front of the robot body both detect the external obstacle, then it is determined that the external obstacle is a corner structure, and the "corner enhancement mode" is triggered.

[0198] Taking a corner as an example, in the corner enhancement mode described above, the robot body first moves along the first surface of the corner structure, and the blade body extends outward to complete the mowing of one side edge; after reaching the corner, the robot body or the blade body turns 90°, and at the same time, the blade body finely adjusts the outward direction and outward distance to complete the mowing of the other side edge of the wall, ensuring that no corner is missed.

[0199] Furthermore, multiple scene modes can be preset for different scenarios, automatically controlling the operation of the lawnmower robot in the corresponding scenarios. For example, scene modes such as "wall-following mode," "corner mode," and "slope mode" can be preset. After the specific type of external obstacle is determined by the sensing components, the corresponding scene mode can be applied. In wall-following mode, the blade body maintains a constant outward extension distance (e.g., 15cm) and moves at a uniform speed with the robot body; in corner mode, the blade body first extends to the maximum distance and then rotates 90° to cover right-angle corners that the robot body cannot reach; in slope mode, the blade body automatically adjusts its angle to keep cutting parallel to the slope.

[0200] In some embodiments, when the cutter head body is in the extended state, the robot body's moving speed is automatically reduced (e.g., ≤0.5m / s). Safety features are also incorporated, such as an infrared sensor located below the cutter head body to detect any other objects nearby. If a human body or foreign object is detected approaching the cutter head body (e.g., at a distance ≤5cm), the rotation of the cutter head body is immediately stopped and the cutter head body is reset.

[0201] In addition, the aforementioned safety design also includes a warning light on the side of the robot body. When the cutter head extends outward, the warning light will illuminate to alert people in the vicinity.

[0202] In some embodiments, this application provides a lawn mowing control device applied to the aforementioned lawn mowing robot. The lawn mowing control device includes a first control module, a second control module, and a third control module. The first control module controls sensing components on the robot body to emit probe waves outwards; the second control module receives reflected signals from the probe waves and determines the presence of external obstacles and the distance between the robot body and the external obstacles based on the reflected signals; the third control module controls the blade body of the blade mechanism to move relative to the robot body when the distance is less than a first distance threshold, so that at least a portion of the blade body moves to the outside of the robot body, wherein the first distance threshold can be the maximum width of the robot body.

[0203] It should be noted that the numerical range of the corresponding parameters described in the above embodiments of this application refers to the endpoint values ​​of the corresponding numerical range, which are also the possible values ​​of the corresponding parameters.

[0204] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0205] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A blade disc mechanism applied to a lawnmower robot, the lawnmower robot comprising a robot body, characterized in that, The cutter head mechanism includes: Cutterhead body; A first adjustment component is disposed on the base plate of the robot body and connected to the cutter head body. The first adjustment component is used to drive the cutter head body to move along a preset path at least in a plane parallel to the base plate. Wherein, when at least a portion of the position is on the preset path, at least a portion of the area of ​​the cutter head body is located outside the edge of the robot body.

2. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset path intersects with the walking direction of the robot body.

3. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first adjustment component includes: A connector, one end of which is connected to the cutter head body; A first driving member is disposed on the base plate, and its output shaft is connected to the other end of the connecting member. The first driving member is used to drive the cutter head body to move along the arc-shaped preset path.

4. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first driving component and the connecting component are both disposed on the side of the base plate facing the inside of the robot body, and the cutter head body is disposed on the side of the base plate away from the inside of the robot body; The base plate has a hollow opening, and the cutter head body and the connector are connected to each other through the hollow opening.

5. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: A bracket is disposed on the side surface of the base plate facing the interior of the robot body, and the first drive member is disposed on the bracket, with the output shaft of the first drive member facing the base plate.

6. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support includes: The main body is spaced apart from the base plate, and the first driving member is connected to the main body; A lifting unit is disposed on the base plate and connected to the main body, and the lifting unit is used to adjust the distance between the main body and the base plate.

7. The cutter head mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A second driving member is disposed on the connecting member. The output shaft of the second driving member is connected to the cutter head body to drive the cutter head body to rotate. The connecting member is connected to the cutter head body through the second driving member.

8. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A guide assembly includes a guide groove and a guide block, the guide block being slidably fitted in the guide groove; The base plate is provided with a bracket for mounting the first driving component, the second driving component is disposed on the connector, and the output shaft of the second driving component is connected to the cutter head body; The positions of the guide groove and the guide block can be configured such that the guide groove is formed on the base plate or the bracket, and the guide block is disposed on the connector or the second drive member.

9. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A second adjustment component is disposed on the connector and connected to the cutter head body. The second adjustment component is used to drive the cutter head body to move along the connector to adjust the distance between the cutter head body and the first drive component.

10. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, The connector has a sliding groove, the second drive component is engaged with the sliding groove, and the second adjustment component is connected to the cutter head body through the second drive component.

11. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, The second adjustment component includes: A third driving component is disposed on the connecting component; A screw is provided along the extending direction of the connector, and one end of the screw is connected to the output shaft of the third drive member; An adjusting component is sleeved on the screw and threadedly engaged with the screw, and the adjusting component is connected to the second driving component; Alternatively, the second adjustment component includes: A first electric push rod is provided along the extension direction of the connector, with one end of the first electric push rod fixed to the connector and the other end connected to the second drive member.

12. The cutter head mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The third adjustment component is used to adjust the tilt angle of the cutter head body during operation. The third adjustment component includes at least one second electric push rod or at least one fourth drive component connected to the first drive component. The first driving member is hinged to the base plate, one end of the second electric push rod is hinged to the base plate and the other end is hinged to the first driving member, and the output shaft of the fourth driving member is connected to the hinge point of the first driving member on the base plate.

13. A lawnmower robot, characterized in that, include: The robot body, which includes a base plate; The cutter head mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the cutter head mechanism is disposed on the base plate; A sensing component is disposed on the robot body, the sensing component being used at least to detect external obstacles and to detect the distance between the robot body and the external obstacles; A control component is disposed within the robot body. The control component is electrically connected to the sensing component and the cutter head mechanism. The control component is used to control the cutter head body of the cutter head mechanism to move relative to the base plate along a preset path.

14. A lawn mowing control method applied to a lawn mowing robot, the lawn mowing robot comprising a robot body and a blade mechanism, characterized in that, include: Control the sensing components on the robot body to emit probe waves outward; The robot receives the reflected signal of the probe wave and determines whether there is an external obstacle and the distance between the robot body and the external obstacle based on the reflected signal. When the interval distance is less than or equal to a first distance threshold, the cutter head body of the cutter head mechanism is controlled to move relative to the robot body, so that at least a portion of the cutter head body moves to the outside of the robot body, wherein the first distance threshold is the maximum width of the robot body.

15. The lawn mowing control method according to claim 14, characterized in that, When controlling the movement of the cutter head body relative to the robot body, the mechanism further includes: Based on the position of the external obstacle relative to the robot body, the cutter head body is controlled to move towards the external obstacle.

16. The lawn mowing control method according to claim 14, characterized in that, When determining the presence of an external obstacle based on the reflected signal, the method further includes: When the presence of the external obstacle is determined, the type of the external obstacle is determined, including vertical obstacles and ramp obstacles; When the external obstacle is the slope obstacle, determine whether the slope surface of the slope obstacle needs to be cleared of grass.

17. The lawn mowing control method according to claim 16, characterized in that, Determining whether the slope surface of the slope obstacle needs weeding includes: Acquire images of the slope surface; Based on the image of the slope, determine the grass condition on the slope; Based on the condition of the grass on the slope, determine whether the slope needs to be cleared of grass.

18. The lawn mowing control method according to claim 16, characterized in that, After determining whether the slope surface of the slope obstacle needs to be cleared of grass, the process also includes: When it is determined that the slope needs weeding, the slope gradient is determined based on the image of the slope. Based on the slope of the slope, the cutter head body is adjusted to be parallel to the slope.

19. The lawn mowing control method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that, Also includes: Using the external obstacle as a reference, the distance between the robot body and the external obstacle is maintained as a second distance threshold, and the second distance threshold is less than or equal to the maximum distance between the portion of the cutter head body located outside the robot body and the robot body; The robot body is controlled to walk along the extended path of the edge of the external obstacle to remove grass at the edge of the external obstacle.

20. A lawn mowing control device, applied to a lawn mowing robot, the lawn mowing robot comprising a robot body and a blade mechanism, characterized in that, include: The first control module is used to control the sensing components on the robot body to emit probe waves outward. The second control module is used to receive the reflected signal of the probe wave, determine whether there is an external obstacle based on the reflected signal, and determine the distance between the robot body and the external obstacle. The third control module is used to control the cutter head body of the cutter head mechanism to move relative to the robot body when the interval distance is less than a first distance threshold, so that at least a portion of the cutter head body moves to the outside of the robot body, wherein the first distance threshold is the maximum width of the robot body.

Images