Cleaning method and cleaning robot

Abstract

The application discloses a cleaning method and a cleaning robot. The cleaning method is applied to the cleaning robot. The cleaning robot comprises a body, a swing arm mechanism and a skirting line cleaning module. The skirting line cleaning module is connected to the swing arm mechanism. The swing arm mechanism is movably connected to the body to move between a retracted position and a swing-out position. The method comprises the following steps: in response to a cleaning demand for a boundary of a working area, the cleaning robot is controlled to move to a boundary position; when the distance between the body and the boundary meets a predetermined requirement, the swing arm mechanism is controlled to move to an along-edge position to clean the boundary. The along-edge position is located between the retracted position and the swing-out position. The application controls the swing arm mechanism to be in the along-edge position to perform skirting line cleaning, which is beneficial to controlling the skirting line module and the boundary of the working area to keep a proper distance, and gives consideration to cleaning effect and working stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cleaning robot technology, and more particularly to a cleaning method and a cleaning robot. Background Technology

[0002] Cleaning robots can automate cleaning tasks and are typically used in homes, offices, or commercial environments. Their main goal is to reduce the labor intensity of human workers in cleaning surfaces while improving cleaning efficiency. Current cleaning robots primarily use their own cleaning devices, such as mops and roller brushes, to clean floors, baseboards, and other surfaces while moving.

[0003] However, current cleaning robots have difficulty cleaning surfaces such as baseboards, requiring additional cleaning components to be installed on the outside of the robot. However, the position of these additional cleaning components is relatively fixed to that of the robot, which can interfere with the cleaning process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a cleaning method and a cleaning robot to solve the problems in traditional solutions.

[0005] This application provides a cleaning method for a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot including a body, a swing arm mechanism, and a kickboard cleaning module, the kickboard cleaning module being connected to the swing arm mechanism, the swing arm mechanism being movably connected to the body to move between an inward position and an outward position, the method comprising: in response to a cleaning requirement for the boundary of a work area, controlling the cleaning robot to move to a boundary position; when the distance between the body and the boundary meets a predetermined requirement, controlling the swing arm mechanism to move to an edge-side position to clean the boundary, the edge-side position being located between the inward position and the outward position.

[0006] Optionally, the process of controlling the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the boundary may further include: controlling the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to drive the skirting board cleaning module to the skirting board cleaning position for cleaning, wherein the skirting board cleaning position includes at least one end of the swing arm mechanism connected to the skirting board cleaning module extending out of the edge of the machine body, or the skirting board cleaning position includes a direction perpendicular to the skirting board, and the distance between the one end of the swing arm mechanism connected to the skirting board cleaning module and the center of the machine body is greater than the maximum radius of the machine body.

[0007] Optionally, the cleaning robot further includes a floor cleaning module, which is detachably connected to the swing arm mechanism. The method further includes: determining whether the cleaning requirements of the boundary of the working area include the cleaning requirements of the baseboard; if so, controlling the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the baseboard area of ​​the boundary; if not, controlling the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the floor area of ​​the boundary when the floor cleaning module is installed on the swing arm mechanism.

[0008] Optionally, when the swing arm mechanism is used to install the floor cleaning module, when the swing arm mechanism moves to the edge position, the floor cleaning module extends beyond the widest edge of the body.

[0009] Optionally, before the swing arm mechanism installs the ground cleaning module, it further includes controlling the cleaning robot to return to the base station, and after installing the ground cleaning module, returning to the boundary.

[0010] Optionally, the swing distance of the swing arm mechanism to the outward swing position is greater than the swing distance of the swing arm mechanism to the edge position.

[0011] Optionally, the method further includes: after cleaning the boundary, controlling the cleaning robot to perform cleaning of other locations within the work area, excluding the boundary, while the ground cleaning module is installed.

[0012] Optionally, the method further includes: identifying corner areas within the working area; when it is determined that the machine body cannot enter the corner area, controlling the swing arm mechanism to move the floor cleaning module to the outward swing position for cleaning.

[0013] Optionally, when the baseboard cleaning module moves to the baseboard cleaning position, the bendable bristle portion of the baseboard cleaning module extends into the edge of the baseboard.

[0014] Optionally, the swing arm mechanism includes a primary swing arm and a secondary swing arm; when the swing arm mechanism moves to the retracted position, the primary swing arm and the secondary swing arm are in a maximum retracted state; when the swing arm mechanism moves to the edge position, the primary swing arm is in the maximum retracted state and the secondary swing arm is in the maximum extended state; when the swing arm mechanism moves to the outward swing position, the primary swing arm and the secondary swing arm are in the maximum extended state.

[0015] Optionally, the cleaning robot further includes an edge sensor, and correspondingly, the predetermined requirement includes at least the following: the distance between the robot body and the boundary is greater than or equal to the minimum recognition distance of the edge sensor.

[0016] Optionally, when the swing arm mechanism drives the skirting board cleaning module to perform boundary cleaning, the skirting board cleaning module extends beyond the widest edge of the body, and the distance beyond the widest edge is greater than the minimum recognition distance.

[0017] A second aspect of this application provides a cleaning robot, comprising: a body, a swing arm mechanism, and a kickboard cleaning module, wherein the kickboard cleaning module is connected to the swing arm mechanism, and the swing arm mechanism is movably connected to the body to move between an inward position and an outward position.

[0018] In this application, a swing arm mechanism is movably connected to the robot body, allowing it to move between an inward-swinging position and an outward-swinging position. This overcomes the size limitations of traditional cleaning robots, enabling cleaning of baseboard areas that the main body cannot reach, completely solving the problem of dead corners in baseboard cleaning and significantly improving boundary cleaning effectiveness. Controlling the swing arm mechanism to perform baseboard cleaning at the edge position ensures a suitable distance is maintained during baseboard cleaning, balancing cleaning effectiveness and operational stability, preventing baseboard cleaning modules from falling off, and helping to maintain a relatively constant edge distance between the cleaning robot and the baseboard area. Furthermore, using a unified edge position adapts to both baseboard and floor boundary cleaning, enabling the reuse of cleaning positions, avoiding the need to design complex position control logic for different cleaning objects, and simplifying the software algorithm. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the cleaning method according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a skirting board cleaning module moving to the skirting board cleaning position according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a skirting board cleaning module moving to the skirting board cleaning position according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the cleaning method according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom cleaning module moving to the boundary cleaning position according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom cleaning module moving to the boundary cleaning position according to another embodiment of this application; Figures 7a-7c This is a schematic diagram of the swing arm mechanism moving to different positions according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0022] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0023] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0024] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and their technical features can be combined with each other.

[0025] The cleaning robot mentioned in this application can be applied to automated cleaning operations in enclosed indoor environments such as homes, offices, and hotel rooms. Furthermore, the cleaning robot is an integrated, multi-functional cleaning device, including: a body that carries all functional modules, internally integrating a walking drive mechanism, power supply unit, main control unit, vacuuming system, and wastewater recycling system; a swing arm mechanism movably connected to the body, capable of switching between different working positions; and baseboard cleaning modules and floor cleaning modules (roller brush module and mop module), both detachably connected to the swing arm mechanism via a quick-release structure, enabling functional reuse of the same actuator. A supporting base station is included, featuring automatic charging, automatic water changing, automatic cleaning module replacement, and automatic dust collection functions, supporting fully unmanned operation of the cleaning robot.

[0026] The body can be circular or near-circular. One end of the swing arm mechanism can be rotatably connected to the mounting base on the side of the body via a DC servo motor with an encoder, and the other end is connected to the skirting board cleaning module. The servo motor can drive the swing arm mechanism to rotate steplessly between the retracted position (the swing arm is fully retracted into the groove on the side of the body) and the outward swing position (the distance between the swing arm and the side of the body reaches its maximum).

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the cleaning method according to an embodiment of this application, as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the cleaning method is applied to the above-mentioned cleaning robot, and the cleaning method includes the following steps: Step 101: In response to the need to clean the boundary of the work area, control the cleaning robot to move to the boundary position.

[0028] After the cleaning robot starts, it scans the work area using a lidar sensor installed in its body. It then constructs a two-dimensional grid map of the work area using the GMAPping algorithm, marking all boundaries (including the edges of walls, cabinets, sofas, and other obstacles) on the map. The controller automatically plans the cleaning path based on the constructed map. When the planned path includes boundary cleaning tasks, or when it receives a boundary cleaning command from the user via a mobile app, it generates a cleaning requirement for the work area boundary. In response to this cleaning requirement, the controller sends a command to the drive module, controlling the robot's left and right drive wheels to move at a differential speed, moving the robot to the boundary position. This boundary position can be an initial position 100mm away from the boundary to be cleaned.

[0029] Step 102: When the distance between the machine body and the boundary meets the predetermined requirements, control the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the boundary.

[0030] The edge-side position is located between the inward and outward positions. When the distance between the robot body and the boundary meets a predetermined requirement, for example, the swing arm mechanism is driven to rotate 45° around the first rotation axis, causing the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge-side position (which is located between the inward and outward positions). The kickline cleaning module is activated, and the cleaning robot is controlled to move at a constant speed along the boundary to clean the boundary.

[0031] In this embodiment, a swing arm mechanism is movably connected to the robot body, allowing movement between an inward-swinging position and an outward-swinging position. This overcomes the size limitations of traditional cleaning robots, enabling cleaning of areas inaccessible to the main body, such as the baseboard, thus completely solving the problem of dead corners in baseboard cleaning and significantly improving boundary cleaning effectiveness. The use of a unified edge position adapts to both baseboard cleaning and subsequent floor boundary cleaning, achieving reuse of cleaning positions and avoiding the need for complex position control logic designed for different cleaning objects, simplifying the software algorithm. Furthermore, control through a single, fixed edge position facilitates stable and precise edge distance control, reducing the risk of collisions.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the process of controlling the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the boundary may also include: The control arm mechanism moves to the edge position to move the skirting board cleaning module to the skirting board cleaning position for cleaning. The skirting board cleaning position includes at least one end of the control arm mechanism connected to the skirting board cleaning module extending beyond the edge of the machine body. Alternatively, the skirting board cleaning position includes a direction perpendicular to the skirting board where the distance between the end of the control arm mechanism connected to the skirting board cleaning module and the center of the machine body is greater than the maximum radius of the machine body.

[0033] Specifically, when the swing arm mechanism moves to the edge position, it drives the skirting board cleaning module to the skirting board cleaning position. At this time, through the above-mentioned distance setting, the skirting board cleaning module can completely exceed the body setting, so that the skirting board cleaning module can effectively fit the edge; furthermore, the skirting board cleaning module completely exceeds the maximum width setting of the body, so that when the body moves, the cleaning work of the skirting board cleaning module is not limited by the body contour.

[0034] The cleaning robot can integrate a controller, drive module, power module, and SLAM navigation module. The swing arm mechanism is rotatably connected to the middle of the left side wall of the robot body via a first rotating shaft. The first rotating shaft is rigidly connected to the output shaft of a first servo motor, which is fixedly mounted on a mounting bracket inside the robot body. The kickboard cleaning module is fixedly connected to the free end of the swing arm mechanism.

[0035] The movement of the swing arm mechanism can be controlled by the controller sending a PWM control signal to the first servo motor. The first servo motor drives the swing arm mechanism to rotate around the first rotation axis according to the duty cycle of the PWM signal. During rotation, the encoder built into the first servo motor feeds back the rotation angle data to the controller in real time, forming a closed-loop control. When the skirting board cleaning module moves to the skirting board cleaning position, the first servo motor locks, and the swing arm mechanism remains in the edge position.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, at this time, the end face of the swing arm mechanism 2 connected to the baseboard cleaning module 3 (i.e., the free end) extends beyond the edge of the left side wall of the body 1. The outer surface of the cleaning part of the baseboard cleaning module 3 is in close contact with the surface of the baseboard 4. At the same time, the cleaning robot moves at a constant speed along the boundary, so that the outer surface of the cleaning part wipes and cleans the surface of the baseboard 4 until the cleaning of the entire baseboard 4 is completed.

[0037] Alternatively, the baseboard cleaning position may also include: in a direction perpendicular to the baseboard, the distance between the end of the swing arm mechanism connected to the baseboard cleaning module and the center of the machine body is greater than the maximum radius of the machine body.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, when the skirting board cleaning module 3 moves to the skirting board cleaning position, the distance between the end of the swing arm mechanism 2 connected to the skirting board cleaning module 3 (i.e., the free end) and the center of the body 1 is greater than the maximum radius R of the body 1.

[0039] In this embodiment, the baseboard cleaning position includes a swing arm mechanism connecting one end of the baseboard cleaning module to the edge of the machine body. Structurally, this ensures that the baseboard cleaning module can bypass the physical obstruction of the machine body and directly act on the baseboard surface. By setting the baseboard cleaning position to include a direction perpendicular to the baseboard, and ensuring that the distance between the end of the swing arm mechanism connecting the baseboard cleaning module and the center of the machine body is greater than the maximum width of the machine body, it is ensured that the baseboard cleaning module can completely cover all vertical areas beyond the width of the machine body, completely eliminating cleaning blind spots caused by the size of the machine body itself, and achieving thorough cleaning of the baseboard.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the cleaning robot also includes a floor cleaning module that is detachably connected to the swing arm mechanism. Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the cleaning method according to another embodiment of this application, as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the cleaning method may include the following steps: Step 201: In response to the need to clean the boundary of the work area, control the cleaning robot to move to the boundary position.

[0041] In response to the need to clean the boundary of the work area, the controller included in the cleaning robot sends instructions to the drive module included in the cleaning robot to control the left and right drive wheels included in the cleaning robot to move at a differential speed, moving the robot body to the boundary position.

[0042] Step 202: When the distance between the machine body and the boundary meets the predetermined requirements, determine whether the cleaning requirements of the boundary of the work area include the cleaning requirements of the baseboard. If yes, proceed to step 203; otherwise, proceed to step 204.

[0043] When the distance between the machine body and the boundary meets the predetermined requirements, it can be determined whether the cleaning requirements of the boundary of the work area include the cleaning requirements of the baseboard.

[0044] Step 203: Control the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the skirting board area of ​​the boundary.

[0045] If the cleaning needs are determined to include the cleaning of the baseboards, such as when the cleaning robot identifies the baseboards or when the user manually marks the boundary as the area that needs cleaning in the mobile app, the swing arm mechanism is controlled to move to the edge position, and the baseboards are cleaned by the baseboard cleaning module.

[0046] Step 204: When installing the ground cleaning module on the swing arm mechanism, control the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the ground area at the boundary.

[0047] When installing the floor cleaning module on the swing arm mechanism, if it is determined that the cleaning needs do not include the cleaning needs of the skirting board, the swing arm mechanism is controlled to move to the edge position, and the boundary floor is cleaned by the floor cleaning module.

[0048] In this embodiment, the ground cleaning module can clean the boundary ground. Furthermore, since the ground cleaning module is detachably connected to the swing arm mechanism, it can be disassembled and assembled according to actual cleaning needs, making it suitable for different scenarios.

[0049] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 5 As shown, when the swing arm mechanism is used to install the ground cleaning module, the ground cleaning module extends beyond the widest edge of the machine body when the swing arm mechanism moves to the edge position.

[0050] When cleaning the boundary floor using the ground cleaning module, the swing arm mechanism extends outward until it reaches the edge position. At this point, the ground cleaning module extends beyond the widest edge of the body 1. Then, the ground cleaning module begins operation, sweeping dust, debris, and other waste from the boundary floor towards the center of the body 1, and collecting the swept-up waste into the dustbin. Simultaneously, the cleaning robot moves at a constant speed along the boundary, completing the cleaning of the boundary floor. When the distance between the body 1 and the facade is large, exceeding the distance at the edge position, then... Figure 6 As shown, the swing arm mechanism can also extend outwards until it reaches the outward swing position.

[0051] In this embodiment, by ensuring that the ground cleaning module extends beyond the widest edge of the body when the swing arm mechanism is installed, it is possible to avoid the body 1 from colliding with the facade corresponding to the boundary when the ground cleaning module is cleaning the boundary ground.

[0052] In one possible implementation, before the swing arm mechanism installs the ground cleaning module, the cleaning robot is controlled to return to the base station, and after the ground cleaning module is installed, it returns to the boundary.

[0053] The ground cleaning module does not need to be installed on the swing arm mechanism 2 for the entire process. Only when the ground cleaning module needs to clean the boundary ground, the cleaning robot is controlled to return to the base station, and after the ground cleaning module is installed, it returns to the boundary.

[0054] In this embodiment, by controlling the cleaning robot to return to the base station before installing the ground cleaning module in the swing arm mechanism, it is possible to avoid the ground cleaning module being installed in the swing arm mechanism 2 throughout the cleaning process, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the cleaning robot during the cleaning process.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the swing distance of the swing arm mechanism to the outward swing position is greater than the swing distance of the swing arm mechanism to the edge position.

[0056] In this embodiment, by using a smaller swing distance along the edge, the energy consumption of the driving swing arm mechanism is reduced, and the response speed and operational stability of the swing arm mechanism are improved. The larger swing distance at the outward swing position provides a longer extension length, laying the hardware foundation for subsequent cleaning functions in special scenarios such as corner cleaning.

[0057] In one possible implementation, the cleaning method further includes: after cleaning the boundary, controlling the cleaning robot, with the ground cleaning module installed, to perform cleaning of other locations within the work area except for the boundary.

[0058] The completion of boundary cleaning can be determined by the cleaning robot moving along all boundaries of the work area and returning to the starting point. If the boundaries of the work area are not closed, moving along all boundaries is sufficient; returning to the starting point is not required. After cleaning the boundaries, the controller sends a control command to the first servo motor. The first servo motor drives the swing arm mechanism from the edge position or the outward swing position back to the inward retraction position, and then locks the first servo motor. Next, based on the constructed two-dimensional grid map, the controller plans a bow-shaped internal cleaning path covering all ground areas within the work area except for the boundaries. The controller sends a command to the drive module, controlling the cleaning robot, with the ground cleaning module installed, to move along the planned bow-shaped path and simultaneously activate the ground cleaning module to thoroughly clean the internal ground within the work area.

[0059] In this embodiment of the application, by controlling the cleaning robot to perform cleaning of other locations within the work area except for the boundary after cleaning the boundary, the work area can be thoroughly cleaned.

[0060] In one possible implementation, the cleaning method further includes identifying corner areas within the work area. When it is determined that the machine cannot access a corner area, the swing arm mechanism is controlled to move the floor cleaning module to an outward swing position for cleaning.

[0061] During the cleaning process, the cleaning robot scans its surroundings in real time using its included LiDAR. When the LiDAR detects two mutually perpendicular boundaries whose intersection forms a 90° angle, the controller identifies this area as a corner and records the coordinates of the corner vertices. The controller determines whether the robot can enter a corner by calculating the distance between the robot's center and the corner vertices. If this distance exceeds the robot's minimum turning radius, the robot is deemed unable to enter the corner. When this is determined, the controller extends the floor cleaning module outwards, placing it in an outward-swinging position. Simultaneously, the controller controls the cleaning robot to rotate slowly and uniformly 360° around the corner vertices. During this rotation, the outward-swinging floor cleaning module covers the entire corner area, sweeping out dust, debris, and other trash before collecting it into the dustbin.

[0062] In this embodiment, by controlling the floor cleaning module to be in an outward position for cleaning when the machine body cannot enter the corner area, the cleaning area can be further covered to cover the work area.

[0063] In one possible implementation, when the baseboard cleaning module moves to the baseboard cleaning position, the bendable bristle portion of the baseboard cleaning module extends into the edge of the baseboard.

[0064] The baseboard cleaning module has evenly distributed flexible bristles on the surface opposite the baseboard. When the module moves to the baseboard cleaning position, the flexible bristles make close contact with the baseboard surface with a contact pressure of 0.5-1N. Under this pressure, the bristles bend naturally and extend into the 1-3mm gap between the baseboard and the floor. During operation, the bent bristles sweep through the gap, removing dust, hair, lint, and other debris. These debris is then swept into the dust box inside the unit by the floor cleaning module.

[0065] In this embodiment, by using flexible soft bristles, the brush can adapt to the gap structure between the baseboard and the ground, and clean deep into the gap, thus solving the problem of cleaning dead corners in the gap.

[0066] In one possible implementation, such as Figures 7a-7c As shown, the swing arm mechanism 2 includes a primary swing arm 21 and a secondary swing arm 22, which are rotatably connected. The primary swing arm 21 is rotatably connected to the body 1. When the swing arm mechanism 2 moves to the retracted position, the primary swing arm 21 and the secondary swing arm 22 are in their maximum retracted state. When the swing arm mechanism 2 moves to the edge position, the primary swing arm 21 is in its maximum retracted state, and the secondary swing arm 22 is in its maximum extended state. When the swing arm mechanism 2 moves to the outward swing position, the primary swing arm 21 and the secondary swing arm 22 are in their maximum extended state.

[0067] When the swing arm mechanism 2 moves to the retracted position, as follows: Figure 7a As shown, the first servo motor and the second servo motor used to drive the first-stage swing arm 21 and the second-stage swing arm 22 are both locked, so that the first-stage swing arm 21 and the second-stage swing arm 22 are completely housed in the groove on the side wall of the machine body.

[0068] When the swing arm mechanism 2 moves to the edge position, as follows Figure 7b As shown, the first servo motor driving the primary swing arm 21 is locked, and the primary swing arm remains in its maximum retracted state. The second servo motor driving the secondary swing arm 22 drives the secondary swing arm 22 to rotate outward, causing the skirting board cleaning module to extend out of the edge of the machine body side wall.

[0069] When the swing arm mechanism 2 moves to the outward swing position, as follows Figure 7c As shown, the first servo motor drives the first-stage swing arm 21 to rotate outward, while the second servo motor drives the second-stage swing arm 22 to rotate outward, so that the total extension of the skirting board cleaning module reaches the maximum.

[0070] In this embodiment, when retracted, the primary swing arm 21 and the secondary swing arm 22 are completely folded and stored, without increasing the lateral dimensions of the cleaning robot, thus ensuring the robot's maneuverability and overall aesthetics. Only the secondary swing arm 22 is driven along the edge, reducing the number of moving parts, lowering energy consumption and noise, while simultaneously improving the response speed of the swing arm mechanism 2.

[0071] In one possible implementation, the cleaning robot also includes an edge sensor, with a predetermined requirement that the distance between the body and the boundary is greater than or equal to the minimum detection distance of the edge sensor.

[0072] The edge sensor can be an infrared reflective sensor, installed at the front and rear ends of the machine's side wall. When the detection distance is less than the edge sensor's minimum recognition distance, the sensor outputs a low level; when the detection distance is between the edge sensor's minimum and maximum recognition distances, the sensor outputs an analog voltage signal proportional to the distance; when the detection distance is greater than the edge sensor's maximum recognition distance, the sensor outputs a high level.

[0073] The specific requirement is that the distance between the robot and the boundary detected by the edge sensors is greater than the minimum recognition distance of the edge sensors. When the distance detected by any edge sensor is less than the minimum recognition distance of the edge sensors, the controller determines that the distance between the robot and the boundary is too close, and controls the cleaning robot to move slowly away from the boundary at a constant speed until the distance detected by all edge sensors is greater than the minimum recognition distance of the edge sensors. Then, the controller controls the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to perform cleaning.

[0074] In this embodiment of the application, by pre-determining a requirement that the distance between the body and the boundary is greater than or equal to the minimum recognition distance of the edge sensor, the minimum distance requirement is set as the minimum recognition distance of the edge sensor, ensuring that the sensor can work normally, avoiding collision accidents caused by the sensor being unable to accurately recognize the boundary due to the distance being too close, and improving the reliability of robot operation.

[0075] In one possible implementation, when the swing arm mechanism 2 drives the kickboard cleaning module 3 to perform boundary cleaning, the kickboard cleaning module 3 extends beyond the widest edge of the body 1, and the distance beyond the widest edge is greater than the minimum recognition distance.

[0076] The widest edge of the machine body is: the maximum projected edge of the machine body 1's outline in a plane perpendicular to the baseboard to be cleaned. For Figure 2The widest edge of the circular body shown is the tangent position of the left and right sides of the body 1 in the direction perpendicular to the kick line. When the swing arm mechanism 2 drives the kick line cleaning module 3 to perform boundary cleaning, the horizontal distance between the outermost edge of the kick line cleaning module 3 and the widest edge of the body 1 on the same side in the direction perpendicular to the kick line is the distance exceeding the widest edge.

[0077] In this embodiment, when the swing arm mechanism 2 drives the skirting board cleaning module 3 to perform boundary cleaning, the skirting board cleaning module 3 exceeds the minimum recognition distance, ensuring that the distance between the edge sensor in the body 1 and the boundary is always greater than the minimum recognition distance. This guarantees that the edge sensor can stably output an effective distance signal, avoiding misjudgment or failure of the edge sensor due to excessive distance, and greatly improving the reliability of edge cleaning.

[0078] In this embodiment, an electronic device 800 is provided, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the electronic device 800 may include: a processor 801, a communications interface 802, a memory 803, and a communications bus 804. Wherein: The processor 801, communication interface 802, and memory 803 communicate with each other through communication bus 804.

[0079] Communication interface 802 is used for communication with other electronic devices or servers.

[0080] The processor 801 is used to execute program 805, which can specifically perform the relevant steps in the aforementioned cleaning method embodiments.

[0081] Specifically, program 805 may include program code that includes computer operation instructions.

[0082] Processor 801 may be a CPU, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or configured as one or more integrated circuits. A smart device may include one or more processors, which can be of the same type, such as one or more CPUs; or they may be of different types, such as one or more CPUs and one or more ASICs.

[0083] Memory 803 is used to store program 805. Memory 803 may include high-speed RAM memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device.

[0084] Specifically, program 805 can be used to cause processor 801 to execute the cleaning method in the foregoing embodiments.

[0085] The specific implementation of each step in program 805 can be found in the corresponding descriptions of the steps and units in the foregoing cleaning method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the devices and modules described above can be referred to the corresponding process descriptions in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0086] The electronic device 800 of this application adopts a unified edge position to simultaneously adapt to baseboard cleaning and subsequent floor boundary cleaning, thereby achieving the reuse of cleaning positions. This avoids designing complex position control logic for different cleaning objects and simplifies the software algorithm. Furthermore, by controlling the edge position with a single fixed position, it is easy to achieve stable and accurate edge distance control, reducing the risk of collision.

[0087] In this embodiment, a cleaning robot is provided, including: a body, a swing arm mechanism, a kickboard cleaning module, and the electronic device in the aforementioned embodiment. The kickboard cleaning module is connected to the swing arm mechanism, which is rotatably connected to the body to move between an inward position and an outward position.

[0088] The specific working process of each device and module in the cleaning robot can be referred to the corresponding process description in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0089] In this embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, storing instructions for causing a machine to perform cleaning methods as described herein. Specifically, a system or apparatus equipped with a storage medium storing software program code that implements the functions of any of the embodiments described above, and enabling the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus to read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

[0090] In this case, the program code read from the storage medium can itself implement the functions described in the above method embodiments, so the program code and the storage medium storing the program code constitute a part of this application.

[0091] Storage media embodiments for providing program code include floppy disks, hard disks, magneto-optical disks, optical disks (such as CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW), magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, and ROMs. Alternatively, program code can be downloaded from a server computer via a communication network.

[0092] In this embodiment, a computer program product is provided, including computer instructions that instruct a computing device to perform the operations corresponding to the above-described method embodiments.

[0093] It should be noted that, depending on the implementation needs, the various components / steps described in the embodiments of this application can be broken down into more components / steps, or two or more components / steps or parts of the operation of components / steps can be combined into new components / steps to achieve the purpose of the embodiments of this application.

[0094] The methods described above according to embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware, firmware, or implemented as software or computer code that can be stored in a recording medium (such as a CD-ROM, RAM, floppy disk, hard disk, or magneto-optical disk), or implemented as computer code originally stored on a remote recording medium or a non-transitory machine-readable medium and to be stored on a local recording medium after being downloaded via a network. Thus, the methods described herein can be stored on such software processing on a recording medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware (such as an ASIC or FPGA). It is understood that computers, processors, microprocessor electronic devices, or programmable hardware include storage components (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, etc.) capable of storing or receiving software or computer code, which, when accessed and executed by the computer, processor, or hardware, implements the methods described herein. Furthermore, when a general-purpose computer accesses code used to implement the methods shown herein, the execution of the code transforms the general-purpose computer into a dedicated computer for performing the methods shown herein. Although this application has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art based on a reading and understanding of this specification and the accompanying drawings. This application includes all such modifications and variations and is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the aforementioned components, the terminology used to describe such components is intended to correspond to any component (unless otherwise indicated) that performs the specified function of said component (e.g., is functionally equivalent to it), even if it is not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure that performs the functions in the exemplary implementations of this specification shown herein.

[0095] That is, the above description is only an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural changes made using the content of this application’s specification and drawings, such as the combination of technical features between different embodiments, or direct or indirect application in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

[0096] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0097] The above description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to implement and use this application. Various details are set forth in the above description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that this application can be implemented without using these specific details. In other embodiments, well-known processes will not be described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of this application with unnecessary detail. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0098] It should be noted that, without conflict, the various embodiments and / or technical features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other, and the resulting technical solutions should also fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0099] It should be understood that the specific examples in the embodiments of this application are only for the purpose of helping those skilled in the art to better understand the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications based on the above embodiments, and all such improvements or modifications fall within the protection scope of this application. The above descriptions are merely specific implementations of this application, but the protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A cleaning method applied to a cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a body, a swing arm mechanism, and a kickboard cleaning module. The kickboard cleaning module is connected to the swing arm mechanism, which is movably connected to the body to move between an inward position and an outward position. The method includes: In response to the need to clean the boundary of the work area, the cleaning robot is controlled to move to the boundary position; When the distance between the body and the boundary meets the predetermined requirements, the swing arm mechanism is controlled to move to the edge position to clean the boundary. The edge position is located between the inward position and the outward position.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position for cleaning the boundary includes: The swing arm mechanism is controlled to move to the edge position, so as to drive the skirting board cleaning module to the skirting board cleaning position for cleaning. The skirting board cleaning position includes one end of the swing arm mechanism connected to the skirting board cleaning module extending out of the edge of the machine body, or the skirting board cleaning position includes a direction perpendicular to the skirting board, and the distance between one end of the swing arm mechanism connected to the skirting board cleaning module and the center of the machine body is greater than the maximum radius of the machine body.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning robot also includes a ground cleaning module, which is detachably connected to the swing arm mechanism; The method further includes: Determine whether the cleaning requirements for the boundary of the work area include the cleaning requirements for the baseboards; If so, control the swing arm mechanism to move to the edge position to clean the skirting board area of ​​the boundary; If not, when the floor cleaning module is installed on the swing arm mechanism, the swing arm mechanism is controlled to move to the edge position to clean the ground area at the boundary.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the swing arm mechanism is used to install the floor cleaning module, when the swing arm mechanism moves to the edge position, the floor cleaning module extends beyond the widest edge of the body.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Before the swing arm mechanism installs the ground cleaning module, it also includes controlling the cleaning robot to return to the base station, and after installing the ground cleaning module, returning to the boundary.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing distance of the swing arm mechanism to the outward swing position is greater than the swing distance of the swing arm mechanism to the edge position.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cleaning robot also includes a ground cleaning module, which is detachably connected to the swing arm mechanism. The method further includes: after cleaning the boundary, controlling the cleaning robot to perform cleaning of other locations within the work area, excluding the boundary, while the ground cleaning module is installed.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Identify corner areas within the work area; When it is determined that the machine body cannot enter the corner area, the swing arm mechanism is controlled to move the ground cleaning module to the outward swing position for cleaning.

9. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the baseboard cleaning module moves to the baseboard cleaning position, the bendable bristle portion of the baseboard cleaning module extends into the edge of the baseboard.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing arm mechanism includes a primary swing arm and a secondary swing arm; The primary swing arm and the secondary swing arm are rotatably connected, and the primary swing arm is rotatably connected to the machine body; When the swing arm mechanism moves to the retracted position, the first-stage swing arm and the second-stage swing arm are in the extreme retraction state; When the swing arm mechanism moves to the edge position, the first-stage swing arm is in the extreme contraction state and the second-stage swing arm is in the extreme extension state. When the swing arm mechanism moves to the outward swing position, the first-stage swing arm and the second-stage swing arm are in the extreme extension state.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The cleaning robot also includes an edge sensor, and the predetermined requirement includes at least the following: the distance between the robot body and the boundary is greater than or equal to the minimum recognition distance of the edge sensor.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the swing arm mechanism drives the skirting board cleaning module to perform boundary cleaning, the skirting board cleaning module extends beyond the widest edge of the body, and the distance beyond the widest edge is greater than the minimum recognition distance.

13. A cleaning robot, characterized in that, include: The unit comprises a body, a swing arm mechanism, and a baseboard cleaning module, wherein the baseboard cleaning module is connected to the swing arm mechanism, which is rotatably connected to the body to move between an inward position and an outward position.

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