A flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage sweeping device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of sidewalk cleaning devices, and discloses a flexible elephant trunk-type sidewalk cleaning device, comprising: a mobile vehicle; a dust collection box mounted on the mobile vehicle; a suction fan mounted on the mobile vehicle, the input end of which is connected to the interior of the dust collection box; a corrugated suction pipe mounted on one side of the mobile vehicle; a camera mounted on the mobile vehicle; and a traction mechanism mounted on the mobile vehicle and connected to the corrugated suction pipe for driving the corrugated suction pipe to change its spatial posture; wherein, the camera is electrically connected to the traction mechanism. This invention is specifically designed for small pieces of litter such as cigarette butts, paper scraps, and fallen leaves scattered on sidewalks. Using a flexible elephant trunk-type suction pipe combined with intelligent visual recognition, it can actively reach into areas inaccessible to traditional sweepers, such as paving stone seams, curb edges, and the bottom of railings, for targeted cleaning, significantly improving sidewalk cleaning coverage and significantly reducing the manpower required for street cleaning.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sidewalk garbage cleaning devices, specifically a flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage cleaning device. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk cleaning devices are widely used in urban sanitation, municipal cleaning, property management and public place cleaning. As a special cleaning equipment for sidewalks, it is used to remove small pieces of garbage such as cigarette butts, paper scraps, and fallen leaves scattered on the sidewalk surface and in the gaps, ensuring a clean environment for pedestrians.

[0003] Traditional sidewalk cleaning methods mainly rely on manual sweeping or large sweeping vehicles operating along the road. Manual sweeping is labor-intensive and inefficient, while large sweeping vehicles cannot enter narrow sidewalks or get close to the curb, paving joints, the bottom of railings and other corner areas, resulting in small garbage such as cigarette butts and paper scraps being left in dead corners for a long time and being difficult to remove, which seriously restricts the overall cleanliness coverage and cleaning quality of sidewalks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk cleaning device to solve the problem that traditional sidewalk cleaning methods mainly rely on manual sweeping or large sweepers operating along the road. Manual sweeping is labor-intensive and inefficient, while large sweepers cannot enter narrow sidewalks or get close to the curb, paving joints, the bottom of railings and other corner areas, resulting in small garbage such as cigarette butts and paper scraps being trapped in dead corners for a long time and difficult to remove, which seriously restricts the overall cleanliness coverage and cleaning quality of sidewalks.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution: This invention relates to a flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage cleaning device, comprising: a mobile carrier; A dust collection and removal mechanism is installed on the mobile carrier; A negative pressure dust collection fan is installed on the mobile carrier, and its input end is connected to the interior of the dust collection mechanism. A flexible, bendable, and telescopic vacuuming actuator, one end of which is connected to the input end of the dust collection mechanism or the negative pressure vacuuming fan; An environmental sensing component, mounted on the mobile carrier, is used to collect environmental information surrounding the device; and A flexible traction drive mechanism is installed on the mobile carrier and connected to the vacuuming actuator, used to drive the vacuuming actuator to change its spatial posture and / or extension length; The environmental sensing component is electrically connected to the flexible traction drive mechanism.

[0006] Furthermore, the flexible traction drive mechanism includes a mounting housing, a drive source, a transmission assembly, and at least one traction cable; The drive source drives the traction cable to move through the transmission assembly. The traction cable is connected to the vacuuming actuator to pull the vacuuming actuator to produce bending or stretching deformation.

[0007] Furthermore, the driving source is an electric motor, and the transmission assembly includes a gear driven by the electric motor and a gear ring meshing with the gear.

[0008] Furthermore, the flexible traction drive mechanism also includes a rotating shaft rotatably mounted inside the mounting housing, a gear ring fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft, and one end of the rotating shaft extending out and fixedly connected to a connecting plate.

[0009] Furthermore, the traction cable includes at least one connecting rope, one end of which is connected to the connecting plate, and the other end of which is connected to the vacuuming actuator via a retaining ring.

[0010] Furthermore, the environment sensing component includes at least one camera.

[0011] Furthermore, the vacuuming actuator is a corrugated suction tube or a flexible hose.

[0012] Furthermore, the vacuuming actuator 5 can be replaced with a clamping tool, which can grip small debris and then pull it into the cleaning device via the flexible traction drive mechanism 8.

[0013] Furthermore, the following approach can be adopted: YOLOv5n (garbage identification) + monocular coordinate mapping (positioning) + PID (traction control) + linear interpolation (path).

[0014] Furthermore, in addition to sidewalk cleaning, this cleaning device can also be used for garbage cleaning in residential areas, parks, public places, and indoor areas.

[0015] YOLOv5n is the lightest, smallest, and fastest object detection model in the YOLOv5 series, specifically designed for embedded devices, and can easily run on: Jetson Nano RK3588 / RK3568 Raspberry Pi 4B / 5 x86 CPUs (without even a graphics card) fully meet the low-cost requirements of sanitation equipment.

[0016] The core control logic described above is universal, adaptable not only to cleaning complex sidewalk terrain, but also to the closed-loop control process of overall perception and recognition, motion planning, dynamic adjustment, and data optimization, which can be adapted to flexible cleaning equipment with different application scenarios and configurations. No specific hardware structure or usage site is required; any equivalent implementation method that relies on the intelligent decision-making logic of this invention to complete flexible cleaning operations falls within the protection scope of this invention.

[0017] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) This invention is specifically designed for small litter such as cigarette butts, paper scraps, and fallen leaves scattered on sidewalks. It uses a flexible elephant trunk-shaped suction tube combined with intelligent visual recognition to actively reach into dead corners that traditional sweepers cannot reach, such as the joints of paving stones, the corners of the curb, and the bottom of railings, to perform fixed-point suction and cleaning, which greatly improves the cleaning coverage of sidewalks and significantly reduces the manpower input of cleaners to pick up litter along the street.

[0018] (2) The present invention uses three flexible ropes and a gear transmission mechanism to achieve multi-degree-of-freedom traction of the suction tube. The structure is simple and reliable, without the need for a complex large robotic arm. It has low manufacturing cost and small size. It is also equipped with a 360-degree camera and processor, which can support fully automatic identification and alignment of garbage, or switch to manual remote control mode. It can adapt to different operating scenarios, and the operation mode is flexible and easy to promote and use.

[0019] (3) The entire control process of perception processing, target recognition, trajectory generation, posture driving, dynamic obstacle avoidance and data optimization adopted in this invention can be applied to different types of products such as indoor home flexible vacuum cleaners, park large cleaning devices, and industrial enclosed space cleaning equipment. When applied, the judgment threshold and motion parameters are only finely adjusted according to the corresponding scene environment characteristics, and the core intelligent decision-making logic remains consistent, so that autonomous and refined flexible cleaning operations can be achieved.

[0020] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of part of the traction mechanism structure of the present invention; The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows: In the diagram: 1. Mobile carrier; 2. Dust collection mechanism; 3. Negative pressure vacuum fan; 4. Exhaust pipe; 5. Vacuuming actuator; 6. Environmental sensing component; 7. Processor; 8. Flexible traction drive mechanism; 801. Mounting housing; 802. Drive source; 803. Gear; 804. Rotating shaft; 805. Gear ring; 806. Connecting plate; 807. Traction cable; 808. Fixing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] like Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment provides a flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage cleaning device, including a mobile carrier 1. The mobile carrier 1 can be a mobile chassis capable of autonomous movement or manual pushing, such as an electric trolley, a handcart, or an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle). The mobile carrier 1 is used to carry and transport all other functional components of the device.

[0025] A dust collection mechanism 2 is fixedly installed on the mobile carrier 1. The dust collection mechanism 2 can be a dust collection box with an internal filter or cyclone separation structure, used to separate and store dust and debris in the intake air.

[0026] A negative pressure vacuum cleaner 3 is also fixedly installed on the mobile carrier 1. The input end of the negative pressure vacuum cleaner 3 is connected to the interior of the dust collection mechanism 2 via a pipe or direct connection. When the negative pressure vacuum cleaner 3 is working, a negative pressure is generated inside the dust collection mechanism 2. An exhaust pipe 4 is installed at the output end of the negative pressure vacuum cleaner 3 to discharge the filtered air.

[0027] The device also includes a flexible, bendable, and telescopic suction actuator 5. One end of the suction actuator 5 is connected to the input end of the dust collection mechanism 2 or the negative pressure suction fan 3. The suction actuator 5 is preferably a corrugated suction tube, one end of which is connected to the dust inlet of the dust collection mechanism 2. The corrugated suction tube has good flexibility and can bend, extend, or shorten freely under force, thereby adapting to cleaning positions at different angles and depths.

[0028] An environmental sensing component 6 is installed on the mobile carrier 1. The environmental sensing component 6 is used to collect environmental information around the device, such as obstacles in front, curb height, garbage location, and blind spots in cleaning. The environmental sensing component 6 includes at least one camera, preferably four wide-angle cameras, which are respectively installed at the front, rear, left, and right of the mobile carrier 1 to obtain 360-degree panoramic images.

[0029] A flexible traction drive mechanism 8 is also provided. This flexible traction drive mechanism 8 is also mounted on the mobile carrier 1 and is mechanically connected to the vacuuming actuator 5. The flexible traction drive mechanism 8 is used to drive the vacuuming actuator 5 to change its spatial posture.

[0030] The environmental sensing component 6 is electrically connected to the flexible traction drive mechanism 8 via wires or wireless communication. Its operation is as follows: When the environmental sensing component 6 detects trash at the base of curb stones, the edge of flower beds, or other corners to the side or in front of the mobile carrier 1, it sends the captured image or distance signal to the processor 7. The processor 7 analyzes and calculates the signal, generating a drive control signal, which is then sent to the flexible traction drive mechanism 8. The flexible traction drive mechanism 8 operates according to the control signal, pulling the vacuuming actuator 5 to bend in the designated direction and extend into the dead-end area, aligning the suction inlet of the vacuuming actuator 5 with the trash. Simultaneously, the negative pressure vacuum fan 3 starts, sucking the trash into the dust collection mechanism 2, completing the cleaning process.

[0031] The flexible traction drive mechanism 8 includes a mounting housing 801, a drive source 802, transmission components 803 and 805, and at least one traction cable 807.

[0032] The mounting housing 801 is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the mobile carrier 1. The drive source 802 is installed inside or outside the mounting housing 801. Transmission assemblies 803 and 805 connect the drive source 802 and the traction cable 807. The drive source 802 drives the traction cable 807 to perform push-pull movements through the transmission assemblies 803 and 805. One end of the traction cable 807 is connected to the transmission assemblies 803 and 805, and the other end is connected to the vacuuming actuator 5.

[0033] When the drive source 802 is working, the transmission components 803 and 805 pull the traction cable 807, which applies tension to the vacuuming actuator 5, causing it to bend and deform. When multiple traction cables 807 are set, such as three, and controlled separately, the vacuuming actuator 5 can bend and extend in multiple dimensions.

[0034] The drive source 802 is a servo motor or a stepper motor. The transmission assembly includes a gear 803 fixedly mounted on the motor output shaft, and a gear ring 805 meshing with the gear 803. The gear 803 and the gear ring 805 constitute a speed reduction and torque amplification mechanism.

[0035] Rotary shaft 804 is rotatably mounted inside mounting housing 801. Gear ring 805 is fixedly mounted on rotating shaft 804. One end of rotating shaft 804 extends out of mounting housing 801, and the extended end is fixedly connected to a connecting plate 806.

[0036] When the motor drives the gear 803 to rotate, the gear 803 drives the gear ring 805 and the rotating shaft 804 to rotate together, thereby causing the connecting plate 806 to swing around the axis of the rotating shaft 804.

[0037] The traction cable 807 includes at least one connecting rope 807. The connecting rope 807 can be made of steel wire rope, nylon rope, or high-strength fiber rope. One end of the connecting rope 807 is fixedly connected to a connecting plate 806; for example, the connecting plate 806 has multiple bolt holes or slots for fixing the connecting rope. The other end of the connecting rope 807 is connected to the outer surface of the vacuuming actuator 5 via a retaining ring 808. The retaining ring 808 can be a metal ring or a plastic ring that fits onto the outer surface of the corrugated suction tube.

[0038] In practical applications, three connecting ropes 807 can be installed on the connecting plate 806. The three connecting ropes 807 are distributed circumferentially at 120 degrees and are connected to different sides of the corrugated straw through fixing rings 808. When the connecting plate 806 swings, it will tighten one or more of the connecting ropes 807, thereby controlling the corrugated straw to bend in a specific direction.

[0039] The environmental perception component 6 includes at least one camera 6. In a preferred embodiment, four cameras 6 are respectively installed at the front, rear, left, and right sides of the mobile carrier 1 to acquire panoramic images of the mobile carrier 1, enabling omnidirectional waste identification and obstacle detection. The processor 7 receives the images acquired by the cameras 6, identifies the location and type of waste using a built-in image recognition algorithm such as a deep learning model, and controls the flexible traction drive mechanism 8 to automatically guide the vacuuming actuator 5 to the location of the waste.

[0040] The vacuuming actuator 5 is either a corrugated suction tube 5 or a flexible hose. The corrugated suction tube 5 has a pleated structure, making it easy to bend and not easily kinked, thus maintaining unobstructed airflow. The flexible hose can be a silicone hose, a rubber hose, or a PVC braided hose. Whether it is a corrugated suction tube or a flexible hose, one end is sealed and connected to the dust inlet of the dust collection mechanism 2, while the other end is a free end, i.e., the suction port.

[0041] This invention, through the linkage between the environmental sensing component 6 and the flexible traction drive mechanism 8, enables the vacuuming actuator 5 to actively bend and extend, reaching into blind spots inaccessible to traditional cleaning devices (such as the base of curbs, under seats, and corners of steps). Simultaneously, the overarching general claims protect multiple implementation methods (such as different numbers of traction cables, different types of hoses, and different sensing elements), without repeatedly defining each specific structure. This satisfies the requirement of full disclosure while securing the broadest possible scope of protection for the patentee.

[0042] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Alternatively, the vacuuming actuator 5 can be replaced by a clamping tool. By clamping small debris, the small debris can be put into the cleaning device by the traction of the flexible traction drive mechanism 8.

[0043] The control process provided in the above embodiments can also be adapted to various cleaning environments such as parks, indoor spaces, and industrial pipelines, and can automatically switch operating modes according to the on-site environment, regardless of the limited scene of the sidewalk.

[0044] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention. The invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage cleaning device, characterized in that, include: Mobile carrier (1); A dust collection and dust removal mechanism (2) is installed on the mobile carrier (1); A negative pressure dust collector (3) is installed on the mobile carrier (1), and its input end is connected to the interior of the dust collection mechanism (2); A flexible, bendable, and telescopic dust collection actuator (5) has one end connected to the input end of the dust collection mechanism (2) or the negative pressure dust collection fan (3); An environmental sensing component (6), mounted on the mobile carrier (1), is used to collect environmental information around the device; and A flexible traction drive mechanism (8) is installed on the mobile carrier (1) and connected to the vacuuming actuator (5) to drive the vacuuming actuator (5) to change its spatial posture and / or extension length. The environmental sensing component (6) is electrically connected to the flexible traction drive mechanism (8).

2. The flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible traction drive mechanism (8) includes a mounting housing (801), a drive source (802), a transmission assembly (803, 805), and at least one traction cable (807). The drive source (802) drives the traction cable (807) to move through the transmission components (803, 805). The traction cable (807) is connected to the vacuuming actuator (5) to pull the vacuuming actuator (5) to produce bending or stretching deformation.

3. The flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage sweeping device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The drive source (802) is a motor, and the transmission assembly includes a gear (803) driven by the motor and a gear ring (805) meshing with the gear (803).

4. The flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage sweeping device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flexible traction drive mechanism (8) further includes a rotating shaft (804) rotatably installed in the mounting housing (801), a gear ring (805) fixedly installed on the rotating shaft (804), and one end of the rotating shaft (804) extending out and fixedly connected to a connecting plate (806).

5. A flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage sweeping device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The traction cable (807) includes at least one connecting rope (807), one end of which is connected to the connecting plate (806), and the other end is connected to the vacuuming actuator (5) via a fixing ring (808).

6. The flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage sweeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The environment sensing component (6) includes at least one camera (6).

7. The flexible elephant trunk-shaped sidewalk garbage sweeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuuming actuator (5) is a corrugated suction tube (5) or other flexible hose.

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