Cliff sensor and self-moving device

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a cliff sensor and a self-moving device, the cliff sensor comprises a light emitter and a light receiver; a first convex lens is arranged on a light emitting path of the light emitter; a partition plate is arranged between the light emitter and the light receiver; a first total reflection structure is arranged on a portion of the first convex lens close to the partition plate; the first total reflection structure is used for totally reflecting first light; the first light is part of light emitted by the light emitter and directed to the partition plate in the first convex lens.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application filed on June 10, 2022, with application number “202210655181.6” and invention title “A cliff sensor and self-moving device”. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of sensors, and more specifically to a cliff sensor and a self-moving device. Background Technology

[0003] Self-moving devices are machines that move autonomously and operate automatically. In their operating environments, self-moving devices often encounter obstacles (such as cliffs, stairs, or thresholds). When encountering such obstacles, they may fall. If a self-moving device falls, it can easily be damaged.

[0004] To prevent self-moving devices from falling, existing mobile devices are usually equipped with cliff sensors to detect cliffs. When the cliff sensor detects a cliff, the self-moving device stops or takes an avoidance action, thus effectively preventing the self-moving device from falling from a height and being damaged. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. The summary section of this invention is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a cliff sensor, including a light emitter and a light receiver; The light emitter has a first convex lens in its light path; a partition is provided between the light emitter and the light receiver. The portion of the first convex lens near the partition is provided with a first total internal reflection structure, which is used to reflect the first light rays completely; wherein, the first light rays are the portion of the light rays emitted by the light emitter that are directed toward the partition within the first convex lens.

[0007] Optionally, a second convex lens is provided in the receiving optical path of the optical receiver.

[0008] Optionally, the portion of the second convex lens near the partition is provided with a second total internal reflection structure. The second total internal reflection structure is used to perform total internal reflection of the second light rays so that the second light rays are received by the light receiver. The second light rays are the portion of the light rays that are emitted from the first convex lens, reflected by the surface to be worked into the second convex lens, and then directed toward the partition.

[0009] Optionally, the first total internal reflection structure includes a first inclined surface located in the region of the first convex lens near the partition. The first inclined surface gradually tilts away from the partition from a first end to a second end. The first end is the end of the first inclined surface away from the light emitter, and the second end is the end of the first inclined surface near the light emitter.

[0010] Optionally, the second total internal reflection structure includes a second inclined surface located on the exit surface of the second convex lens in a region near the partition. The second inclined surface gradually tilts away from the partition from a third end to a fourth end. The third end is the end of the second inclined surface away from the light receiver, and the fourth end is the end of the second inclined surface near the light receiver.

[0011] Optionally, the cliff sensor includes a housing with a cavity inside, and the light emitter, light receiver, and partition are all disposed within the cavity. The first convex lens and the second convex lens are mounted on the supporting wall surface of the housing, and the supporting wall surface is a light-transmitting wall surface; wherein, the supporting wall surface is the wall surface through which the emitted light from the light emitter faces the light housing and through which the incident light from the light receiver passes.

[0012] Optionally, the incident surface of the first convex lens protrudes towards the light emitter, and the exit surface of the first convex lens is a plane; the exit surface of the second convex lens protrudes towards the light receiver, and the incident surface of the second convex lens is a plane.

[0013] Optionally, the accommodating cavity is further provided with external connectors, which are respectively connected to the light transmitter and the light receiver.

[0014] Optionally, the housing is further provided with a first opening at the position corresponding to the plug end of the connector, the connector is located at the first opening, and the outer edge of the connector is flush with the edge of the first opening.

[0015] Optionally, the connector is provided with a connecting wire, and the housing is provided with a second opening at the position corresponding to the connection between the connector and the connecting wire. The connecting wire passes through the second opening, and a sealing element is provided at the second opening to seal the second opening.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a self-moving device, including a body and the aforementioned cliff sensor, wherein the cliff sensor is disposed at the bottom of the body. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The following drawings, which are included as part of the embodiments of the present invention, are used to understand the invention. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and their descriptions, serving to explain the principles of the invention.

[0018] In the attached image: Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a cliff sensor based on existing technology; Figure 2 A perspective view of a self-moving device according to an optional embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A bottom view; Figure 4 A perspective view of a wet cleaning system according to an optional embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is an optical path diagram of the optical receiver of a cliff sensor according to an optional embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is an optical path diagram of the light emitter of a cliff sensor according to an optional embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of a cliff sensor according to an optional embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the first housing, the second housing, and the connector of a cliff sensor according to an optional embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 A perspective view of a cliff sensor according to an optional embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 for Figure 9 Top view; Figure 11 A cross-sectional view of a cliff sensor according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 A perspective view of a cliff sensor according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 for Figure 12 Top view.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10-Robot vacuum cleaner, 110-Main body, 111-Forward section, 112-Rearward section, 120-Sensing module, 121-Positioning sensor, 122-Front-collision structure, 123-Cliff sensor, 1231-Light emitter, 1232-Light receiver, 1233-First convex lens, 12331-First inclined surface, 1234-Second convex lens, 12341-Second inclined surface, 1235-Baffle, 1236-Cavity, 12361-First chamber, 12362-Second chamber, 1237-Connector, 1238-First opening, 1239-Outer shell 12391-First housing, 12392-Second housing, 123921-First sub-housing, 123922-Second sub-housing, 12393-Bearing wall, 12310-Second opening, 12311-Sealing component, 12312-Connecting wire, 130-Human-machine interaction module, 140-Left wheel, 141-Right wheel, 142-Driven wheel, 150-Cleaning system, 151-Dry cleaning system, 152-Side brush, 153-Wet cleaning system, 1531-Cleaning head, 1532-Drive unit, 1533-Drive platform, 1534-Support platform, 160 Charging electrode. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the invention.

[0021] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0022] Exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the invention is thorough and complete, and that the concept of these exemplary embodiments is fully conveyed to those skilled in the art.

[0023] Firstly, such as Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a cliff sensor, including a light emitter 1231 and a light receiver 1232; a first convex lens 1233 is provided on the emitting light path of the light emitter 1231, and a second convex lens 1234 is provided on the receiving light path of the light receiver 1232; a partition 1235 is provided between the first convex lens 1233 and the second convex lens 1234; a first total internal reflection structure is provided on the portion of the first convex lens 1233 near the partition 1235, the first total internal reflection structure is used to perform total internal reflection of a first light ray, so that the first light ray is emitted from the first convex lens 1233 in a direction approximately parallel to a preset direction; wherein, the first light ray is a portion of the light emitted by the light emitter 1231 and incident on the partition 1235 within the first convex lens 1233, and the preset direction is the light path direction emitted by the light emitter 1231 and converted into approximately parallel light by the first convex lens 1233.

[0024] The first convex lens 1233 can be a lens whose incident surface protrudes towards the light emitter 1231 and whose exit surface is a plane; see [reference needed] for details. Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 11 Alternatively, the second convex lens 1234 can be a lens whose incident surface protrudes towards the light emitter 1231 and whose exit surface protrudes away from the light emitter 1231. Similarly, the second convex lens 1234 can be a lens whose exit surface protrudes towards the light receiver 1232 and whose incident surface is flat; see [reference needed] for details. Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 11 It can also be a lens whose output surface protrudes towards the light receiver 1232 and whose incident surface protrudes away from the light receiver 1232. The light receiver 1232 and the light transmitter 1231 are generally infrared sensors, but can also be lidar.

[0025] The partition 1235 can be plate-shaped or other irregular shapes. The partition 1235 is made of opaque material to prevent light emitted from the light emitter 1231 from being received directly by the receiver 40 without passing through the surface of the work area.

[0026] In specific applications, such as Figure 5As shown, the light emitted by the light emitter 1231 is directed into the first convex lens 1233. Most of the light that does not reach the partition 1235 is converted into approximately parallel light by the first convex lens 1233 and emitted. The portion of the light that reaches the partition 1235, i.e., the first light, undergoes total internal reflection through the first total internal reflection structure, causing the first light to be emitted in a direction approximately parallel to the parallel light. In other words, the first light is also converted into approximately parallel light by the first total internal reflection mechanism. This reduces the intensity of stray light and increases the intensity of parallel light, thereby increasing the intensity of the light that enters the second convex lens 1234 after being reflected from the surface of the work area. Then, the light is focused by the converging effect of the second convex lens 1234 and directed to the light receiver 1232, further enhancing the light intensity received by the light receiver 1232. The light receiver 1232 then converts the received light intensity signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the controller. The controller determines whether a cliff exists based on the value of the electrical signal. If the value of the electrical signal is greater than a preset value, it is determined that there is no cliff; if the value of the electrical signal is less than or equal to the preset value, it is determined that there is a cliff.

[0027] It is understood that in this application, the incident surface refers to the surface into which light enters; the exit surface refers to the surface into which light exits; and the surface of the work area refers to the surface of the area where the self-moving device needs to perform the work, such as a robot vacuum cleaner, and the surface of the work area is the floor or carpet surface.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first total internal reflection structure of the first convex lens 1233 is used to perform total internal reflection on a portion of the light rays incident on the partition 1235 within the first convex lens 1233. This converts a portion of the light rays incident on the partition 1235 within the first convex lens 1233 into approximately parallel light rays, thereby reducing the intensity of stray light and increasing the intensity of parallel light. This prevents a portion of the light rays emitted by the light emitter 1231 from hitting the interface between the first convex lens 1233 and the partition 1235 (e.g., ...) after entering the first convex lens 1233. Figure 1 As shown by the dashed line, this portion of the light, after being reflected by the interface, is emitted from the first convex lens 1233 in a direction away from the light receiver 1232. This becomes stray light that, even if reflected by the surface of the work area, will not be received by the light receiver 1232, thus reducing the intensity of the light received by the light receiver 1232. This, in turn, increases the intensity of the light reflected from the work surface received by the light receiver 1232, reducing the false alarm rate of the cliff sensor and improving its accuracy. Furthermore, when the work area is a dark object (such as a dark carpet), the light receiver 1232 can also receive a stronger light signal, thereby reducing the influence of color on the cliff sensor.

[0029] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown, the first total internal reflection structure includes a first inclined surface 12331, which is located in the region of the first convex lens 1233 near the partition 1235. The first inclined surface 12331 gradually tilts away from the partition 1235 from the first end to the second end. The first end is the end of the first inclined surface 12331 away from the light emitter 1231, and the second end is the end of the first inclined surface 12331 near the light emitter 1231.

[0030] In this embodiment, the first inclined surface 12331 gradually tilts away from the partition 1235 from the first end to the second end, so that the distance between the first inclined surface 12331 and the partition 1235 gradually increases from the first end to the second end. That is, the gap between the first inclined surface 12331 and the partition 1235 gradually increases from the first end to the second end. This makes the medium on one side of the first inclined surface 12331 the material of the first convex lens 1233, i.e., an optically dense medium, while the medium on the other side is air, i.e., an optically sparse medium. In this way, the first inclined surface 12331 becomes a total reflection surface, thereby enabling total reflection of the first light ray.

[0031] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown, the portion of the second convex lens 1234 near the partition 1235 is provided with a second total internal reflection structure. The second total internal reflection structure is used to perform total internal reflection of the second light so that the second light is received by the light receiver 1232. The second light is a portion of the light that is emitted from the first convex lens 1233, reflected by the surface to be worked into the second convex lens 1234, and then directed toward the partition 1235.

[0032] In some implementations, some of the light rays emitted from the first convex lens 1233 and reflected by the surface to be worked onto the second convex lens 1234 are directed to the interface between the second convex lens 1234 and the partition 1235. After being reflected by the interface, these light rays change their original optical path. As a result, these light rays cannot be received by the light receiver 1232 after being emitted from the second convex lens 1234, thereby reducing the intensity of the light received by the light receiver 1232 to a certain extent.

[0033] In this embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the second total internal reflection structure of the second convex lens 1234 is used to perform total internal reflection of the second light rays, so that the second light rays can still be received by the second convex lens 1234 after they are emitted from it. This solves the problems existing in the prior art and improves the intensity of the light received by the light receiver 1232.

[0034] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown, the second total internal reflection structure includes a second inclined surface 12341. The second inclined surface 12341 is located on the exit surface of the second convex lens 1234 in the region near the partition 1235. The second inclined surface 12341 gradually tilts away from the partition 1235 from the third end to the fourth end. The third end is the end of the second inclined surface 12341 away from the light receiver 1232, and the fourth end is the end of the second inclined surface 12341 close to the light receiver 1232.

[0035] In this embodiment, the second inclined surface 12341 gradually tilts away from the partition 1235 from the third end to the fourth end, so that the distance between the second inclined surface 12341 and the partition 1235 gradually increases from the third end to the fourth end. That is, the gap between the second inclined surface 12341 and the partition 1235 gradually increases from the third end to the fourth end. This makes the medium on one side of the second inclined surface 12341 the material of the second convex lens 1234, i.e., an optically dense medium, while the medium on the other side is air, i.e., an optically sparse medium. In this way, the second inclined surface 12341 becomes a total reflection surface, thereby enabling total reflection of the second light rays.

[0036] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown, the cliff sensor includes a housing 1239, and a cavity 1236 is provided inside the housing 1239. A light emitter 1231, a light receiver 1232, and a partition 1235 are all disposed in the cavity 1236. A first convex lens 1233 and a second convex lens 1234 are mounted on the supporting wall 12393 of the housing 1239, and the supporting wall 12393 is a light-transmitting wall. The supporting wall 12393 is the wall through which the light emitted from the light emitter 1231 and the incident light from the light receiver 1232 pass.

[0037] The outer casing 1239 can have any shape, such as a cube or cylinder, and this embodiment is not strictly limited to any particular shape. The outer casing 1239 can protect the light emitter 1231 and the light receiver 1232, thereby improving the lifespan of the cliff sensor. Furthermore, the supporting wall 12393 is a light-transmitting wall, thus avoiding obstruction of light emitted from the first convex lens 1233 and light entering the second convex lens 1234. Other parts of the outer casing 1239 can be light-transmitting or not. The light-transmitting wall can be made of transparent or translucent materials, such as transparent plastic. Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, the incident surface of the first convex lens 1233 protrudes towards the light emitter 1231, and the exit surface is flat; the exit surface of the second convex lens 1234 protrudes towards the light receiver 1232, and the incident surface is flat. Thus, both the first convex lens 1233 and the second convex lens 1234 are located within the accommodating cavity 1236, thereby protecting the first convex lens 1233 and the second convex lens 1234 from wear by external objects. For ease of processing and installation, the partition 1235 is integrally formed with the outer shell 1239; of course, the partition 1235 and the outer shell 1239 can also be manufactured separately and then assembled.

[0038] Furthermore, the incident surface of the first convex lens 1233 protrudes towards the light emitter 1231, and the exit surface of the first convex lens 1233 is a plane; the exit surface of the second convex lens 1234 protrudes towards the light receiver 1232, and the incident surface of the second convex lens 1234 is a plane.

[0039] The incident surface of the first convex lens 1233 protrudes towards the light emitter 1231, thus placing the first convex lens 1233 within the accommodating cavity 1236. This allows the housing to protect the first convex lens 1233, preventing external objects from causing wear to its incident surface. The exit surface of the first convex lens 1233 is planar, which increases the contact area between the first convex lens 1233 and the sidewall of the housing 1239, resulting in a more stable connection between the first convex lens 1233 and the sidewall of the housing 1239.

[0040] Similarly, the exit surface of the second convex lens 1234 protrudes towards the light receiver 1232, thus placing the second convex lens 1234 within the accommodating cavity 1236. This allows the housing to protect the second convex lens 1234, preventing external objects from causing wear to its incident surface. Furthermore, the fact that the incident surface of the second convex lens 1234 is planar increases the contact area between the second convex lens 1234 and the sidewall of the housing 1239, resulting in a more secure connection between the second convex lens 1234 and the sidewall of the housing 1239.

[0041] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 11 As shown, the accommodating cavity 1236 is also provided with an external connector 1237, which is connected to the light transmitter 1231 and the light receiver 1232 respectively.

[0042] Connector 1237 is used to enable the optical transmitter 1231 and optical receiver 1232 to connect to external devices (such as controllers).

[0043] In some implementations, such as Figure 7 and Figure 11 As shown, the outer casing 1239 includes a first casing 12391 and a second casing 12392 connected to the first casing 12391, thereby dividing the accommodating cavity 1236 into two chambers, namely a first chamber 12361 disposed in the first casing 12391 and a second chamber 12362 disposed in the second casing 12392. The first convex lens 1233, the second convex lens 1234, the partition 1235, the light receiver 1232 and the light emitter 1231 are located in the first chamber 12361, and the connector 1237 is located in the second chamber 12362, so that each component has a corresponding installation area, thereby making the arrangement of each component more reasonable.

[0044] The first housing 12391 and the second housing 12392 can be connected by a fixed connection or a detachable connection. The fixed connection is a connection method such as adhesive, and the detachable connection is a connection method such as buckle or bolt.

[0045] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 11 As shown, the second housing 12392 includes a first sub-housing 123921 and a second sub-housing 123922. The first sub-housing 123921 and the second sub-housing 123922 are engaged to form a second chamber 12362. The first sub-housing 123921 and the second sub-housing 123922 can be connected in a detachable manner, such as by snap-fit, to facilitate the installation of the connector 1237 within the second chamber 12362. Alternatively, the first sub-housing 123921 and the second sub-housing 123922 can also be connected by a fixed method such as adhesive bonding.

[0046] In practical applications, connector 1237 can be disposed within accommodating cavity 1236 in two ways, as follows: The first method: such as Figures 7 to 10As shown, the housing 1239 is provided with a first opening 1238 corresponding to the insertion end of the connector. The connector 1237 is located at the first opening 1238, and the outer edge of the connector 1237 is flush with the edge of the first opening 1238.

[0047] The connector 1237 is located at the first opening 1238. When the connecting part of the external device is inserted into the first opening 1238, the connector 1237 can be connected to the connecting part of the external device; or the connecting part of the external device can be pulled out from the first opening 1238, thus disconnecting the connector 1237 from the external device, which facilitates the use of the cliff sensor.

[0048] When the outer casing 1239 is divided into a first casing 12391 and a second casing 12392, the first opening 1238 is located on the side wall of the second casing 12392 opposite to the first convex lens 1233 and the second convex lens 1234, thereby facilitating the insertion of the connector 1237 into the external device connection component.

[0049] The outer edge of connector 1237 is flush with the edge of the first opening 1238, meaning that connector 1237 is as close as possible to the edge of the first opening 1238. This ensures that the connection part of connector 1237 can make full contact with the external device, thereby improving the stability of the connection and avoiding the problem of easy disconnection due to the small contact part between connector 1237 and the external device.

[0050] The second method: such as Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the connector 1237 is provided with a connecting line 12312, and the housing 1239 is provided with a second opening 12310 at the position corresponding to the connection between the connector 1237 and the connecting line 12312. The connecting line 12312 passes through the second opening 12310, and a sealing member 12311 is provided at the second opening 12310 to seal the second opening 12310.

[0051] When the outer casing 1239 is divided into a first casing 12391 and a second casing 12392, the second opening 12310 is located on the side wall of the second casing 12392 opposite to the first convex lens 1233 and the second convex lens 1234, thereby facilitating the insertion of the connector 1237 into the external device connection component.

[0052] The sealing component 12311 can be made of soft rubber, such as thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer rubber or thermoplastic elastomer. The sealing component 12311 and the first sub-shell 123921 or the second sub-shell 123922 of the second shell 12392 can be an integral structure. The sealing component 12311 and the first sub-shell 123921 or the second sub-shell 123922 of the second shell 12392 are made of different materials. The sealing component 12311 and the outer shell 1239 are formed by secondary injection molding. Of course, the sealing component 12311 and the first sub-shell 123921 or the second sub-shell 123922 can also be separate structures. After the sealing component is injection molded separately, it is fixedly connected to the first sub-shell 123921 or the second sub-shell 123922 by means such as adhesive or hot melt. This makes it easy to replace the sealing component 12311 when its sealing performance decreases due to long-term use.

[0053] By sealing the second opening 12310 with the sealing component 12311, the overall sealing performance of the cliff sensor is improved, thereby preventing dust or moisture from the external environment from entering the accommodating cavity 1236, which could lead to rust and corrosion of the connector 1237 and reduce the service life of the cliff sensor. To ensure a smooth connection between the cliff sensor and external components, the connecting wire 12312 extends out of the second opening 12310, thus enabling the connector 1237 to connect to the connection part of the external device through the connecting wire 12312 extending out of the second opening 12310.

[0054] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a self-moving device, including a body and the aforementioned cliff sensor, wherein the cliff sensor is disposed at the bottom of the body.

[0055] The specific structure of the cliff sensor in this embodiment is the same as that in the above embodiments. Since this self-moving device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0056] The self-moving device of this embodiment is a device that can automatically move in the area to be cleaned and automatically perform tasks. The self-moving device can be a cleaning robot, such as a sweeping robot 10, a mopping robot, a floor polishing robot, or a lawn mowing robot. For ease of description, this embodiment uses a sweeping robot 10 as an example to describe the technical solution of this disclosure.

[0057] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the robotic vacuum cleaner 10 may include a main body 110, a sensing module 120, a controller, a drive module, a cleaning system 150, an energy system, and a human-machine interaction module 130. Among them, as... Figure 1As shown, the machine body 110 includes a front portion 111 and a rear portion 112, and has an approximately circular shape (both front and rear are circular). It may also have other shapes, including but not limited to an approximately D-shaped shape with a front and rear circle and a rectangular or square shape with a front and rear.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, the perception module 120 includes a position determination device 121 located on the main body 110, a collision sensor located on the forward collision structure 122 of the forward portion 111 of the main body 110, a proximity sensor (wall sensor) located on the side of the machine, a cliff sensor 123 located at the bottom of the main body 110, and sensing devices such as a magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, and odometer located inside the main body 110, used to provide the controller with various position and motion status information of the machine. The position determination device 121 includes, but is not limited to, a camera and a laser distance measuring device (LDS, short for LaserDistance Sensor). In some preferred implementations, the position determination device 121 (such as a camera or laser sensor) is located at the front of the main body 110, that is, at the very front of the forward portion 111, so as to more accurately sense the environment in front of the cleaning robot and achieve precise positioning.

[0059] like Figure 1 As shown, the forward portion 111 of the main body 110 can carry the front collision structure 122. During the cleaning process, when the drive wheel module 141 propels the cleaning robot 10 to walk on the ground, the front collision structure 122 detects one or more events in the travel path of the cleaning robot 10 via a sensor system installed thereon, such as a collision sensor or a proximity sensor (infrared sensor). The cleaning robot 10 can respond to the events detected by the front collision structure 122, such as obstacles or walls, by controlling the drive module to make the cleaning robot 10 respond to the events, such as performing obstacle avoidance operations by moving away from obstacles.

[0060] The controller is located on the main circuit board within the robot body 110. It includes non-transitory memory such as hard disks, flash memory, and random access memory, and a computing processor such as a central processing unit and application processor. The application processor uses localization algorithms, such as Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), to create a real-time map of the environment in which the cleaning robot 10 is located, based on obstacle information fed back by the laser rangefinder. Furthermore, it combines distance and speed information fed back by sensors on the front collision structure 122, the cliff sensor 123, magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, and odometry to comprehensively determine the current working state, location, and pose of the cleaning robot 10, such as crossing a threshold, stepping on a carpet, being on a cliff, being stuck above or below, having a full dustbin, or being picked up. It also provides specific next action strategies for different situations, resulting in better cleaning performance and a better user experience for the cleaning robot 10.

[0061] like Figure 2 As shown, the drive module can manipulate the robot body 110 to travel across the ground based on drive commands with distance and angle information. The drive module includes a main drive wheel module, which can control the left wheel 140 and the right wheel 141. For more precise control of the machine's movement, the main drive wheel module preferably includes a left drive wheel module and a right drive wheel module respectively. The left and right drive wheel modules are arranged along a transverse axis defined by the robot body 110. To enable the cleaning robot 10 to move more stably or with greater mobility on the ground, the cleaning robot 10 may include one or more driven wheels 142, including but not limited to omnidirectional wheels. The main drive wheel module includes a drive motor and a control circuit for controlling the drive motor. The main drive wheel module may also be connected to a circuit for measuring the drive current and an odometer. Furthermore, the left wheel 140 and the right wheel 141 may have an offset drop suspension system, which is movably secured, for example, rotatably attached to the robot body 110, and receives spring biases that are biased downwards and away from the robot body 110. Spring bias allows the drive wheel to maintain contact and traction with the ground with a certain ground force, while the cleaning element of the cleaning robot 10 also contacts the ground with a certain pressure.

[0062] The energy system includes rechargeable batteries, such as nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and lithium-ion batteries. The rechargeable batteries can be connected to a charging control circuit, a battery pack charging temperature detection circuit, and a battery undervoltage monitoring circuit. These circuits are then connected to a microcontroller control circuit. The main unit connects to a charging station via charging electrodes 160 located on the side or bottom of the unit for charging.

[0063] The human-machine interface module 130 includes buttons on the main control panel for users to select functions; it may also include a display screen and / or indicator lights and / or a speaker, which show the user the current machine mode or function selection; and it may also include a mobile client application. For the path navigation type automatic cleaning robot 10, the mobile client can display a map of the device's environment and the machine's location to the user, providing richer and more user-friendly functions. Specifically, the cleaning robot has multiple modes, such as working mode and self-cleaning mode. The working mode refers to the mode in which the cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning operations, while the self-cleaning mode refers to the mode in which the cleaning robot removes dirt from the roller brush and side brush 152 on the base, automatically collects the dirt, and / or automatically washes and dries the mop.

[0064] The cleaning system 150 may be a dry cleaning system 151 and / or a wet cleaning system 153.

[0065] like Figure 2 As shown, the dry cleaning system 151 provided in this embodiment may include a roller brush, a dustbin, a fan, and an air outlet. The roller brush, which interferes with the ground to a certain extent, sweeps up debris from the ground and carries it to the suction port between the roller brush and the dustbin. The debris is then drawn into the dustbin by the suction gas generated by the fan and passing through the dustbin. The dry cleaning system 151 may also include a side brush 152 with a rotating shaft at an angle relative to the ground to move debris into the roller brush area of ​​the cleaning system 150.

[0066] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the wet cleaning system 153 provided in this embodiment may include: a cleaning head 1531, a drive unit 1532, a water delivery mechanism, and a liquid storage tank. The cleaning head 1531 may be disposed below the liquid storage tank. The cleaning liquid inside the liquid storage tank is transferred to the cleaning head 1531 through the water delivery mechanism, enabling the cleaning head 1531 to perform wet cleaning of the surface to be cleaned. In other embodiments of this disclosure, the cleaning liquid inside the liquid storage tank may also be directly sprayed onto the surface to be cleaned, and the cleaning head 1531 cleans the surface by spreading the cleaning liquid evenly.

[0067] Among them, such as Figure 4As shown, the cleaning head 1531 is used to clean the surface to be cleaned, and the drive unit 1532 is used to drive the cleaning head 1531 to reciprocate substantially along a target surface, which is a part of the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning head 1531 reciprocates along the surface to be cleaned, and a mop is provided on the contact surface between the cleaning head 1531 and the surface to be cleaned. The drive unit 1532 drives the mop of the cleaning head 1531 to reciprocate and generate high-frequency friction with the surface to be cleaned, thereby removing stains from the surface to be cleaned; or the mop can be floated and always maintain contact with the surface to be cleaned during the cleaning process without the need for the drive unit 1532 to drive its reciprocating motion.

[0068] like Figure 3 As shown, the drive unit 1532 may also include a drive platform 1533 and a support platform 1534. The drive platform 1533 is connected to the bottom surface of the machine body 110 and is used to provide driving force. The support platform 1534 is detachably connected to the drive platform 1533 and is used to support the cleaning head 1531. It can be raised and lowered under the drive of the drive platform 1533.

[0069] The wet cleaning system 153 can be connected to the main body 110 via an active lifting module. When the wet cleaning system 153 is not in operation, for example, when the cleaning robot 10 docks at the base station to clean the cleaning head 1531 of the wet cleaning system 153 or fill the liquid tank with water; or when encountering a surface that cannot be cleaned by the wet cleaning system 153, the wet cleaning system 153 can be raised via the active lifting module.

[0070] The present invention has been described through the above embodiments. However, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention to the scope of the described embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and many more variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cliff sensor, characterized in that, Includes a light emitter, a light receiver, and a housing; The light emitter has a first convex lens in its light path, and a partition is provided between the light emitter and the light receiver. The portion of the first convex lens near the partition is provided with a first total internal reflection structure, which is used to totally reflect the first light ray; wherein, the first light ray is a portion of the light ray emitted by the light emitter and incident on the partition within the first convex lens; The optical receiver is provided with a second convex lens in its receiving optical path; The housing includes a first housing and a second housing connected to the first housing, thereby dividing the accommodating cavity of the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first convex lens, the second convex lens, the partition, the light receiver and the light emitter are located in the first chamber, and the connector is located in the second chamber. The connector is connected to the light emitter and the light receiver respectively.

2. The cliff sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The portion of the second convex lens near the partition is provided with a second total internal reflection structure. The second total internal reflection structure is used to perform total internal reflection of the second light rays so that the second light rays are received by the light receiver. The second light rays are the portion of the light rays that are emitted from the first convex lens, reflected by the surface to be worked into the second convex lens, and then directed toward the partition.

3. The cliff sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first total internal reflection structure includes a first inclined surface located in the region of the first convex lens near the partition. The first inclined surface gradually tilts away from the partition from a first end to a second end. The first end is the end of the first inclined surface away from the light emitter, and the second end is the end of the first inclined surface near the light emitter.

4. The cliff sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second total internal reflection structure includes a second inclined surface, which is located on the exit surface of the second convex lens in a region close to the partition. The second inclined surface gradually tilts away from the partition from the third end to the fourth end. The third end is the end of the second inclined surface away from the light receiver, and the fourth end is the end of the second inclined surface close to the light receiver.

5. The cliff sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first convex lens and the second convex lens are mounted on the supporting wall surface of the housing, and the supporting wall surface is a light-transmitting wall surface; wherein, the supporting wall surface is the wall surface through which the emitted light from the light emitter faces the light housing and through which the incident light from the light receiver passes.

6. The cliff sensor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The incident surface of the first convex lens protrudes towards the light emitter, and the exit surface of the first convex lens is a plane; the exit surface of the second convex lens protrudes towards the light receiver, and the incident surface of the second convex lens is a plane.

7. The cliff sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The housing is further provided with a first opening at the position corresponding to the plug end of the connector, the connector is located at the first opening, and the outer edge of the connector is flush with the edge of the first opening.

8. The cliff sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The connector is provided with a connecting wire, and the housing is provided with a second opening at the position corresponding to the connection between the connector and the connecting wire. The connecting wire passes through the second opening, and a sealing element is provided at the second opening to seal the second opening.

9. A self-moving device, characterized in that, It includes a fuselage and a cliff sensor as described in any one of claims 1-8, wherein the cliff sensor is disposed at the bottom of the fuselage.

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