charging station

Abstract

The utility model relates to a charging station, including first seat body, second seat body and identification spare, first seat body has the surface for parking autonomous operation equipment, second seat body is connected with first seat body, second seat body has the first main part along longitudinal extension, identification spare is fixed in first main part, and identification spare has the reflection surface along longitudinal continuous extension.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of autonomous operating equipment technology, specifically to a charging station for autonomous operating equipment to charge at a reverse charging station. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners, smart lawnmowers, and other similar devices have automatic recharging capabilities, meaning they can automatically return to a charging station when their battery is low. Current recharging technologies are mostly based on navigation and positioning technologies, such as GPS positioning, guide lines, and virtual boundary patrol, or on physical sensing technologies, such as infrared / ultrasonic short-range detection recharging systems, which achieve near-field positioning through transmitter-receiver devices.

[0003] In addition, existing technologies also include solutions that use specific markers to assist image recognition and positioning to guide robots back to the charging station. However, when designing compact charging stations, existing visual recognition solutions reduce the width of the charging station and compress the spacing of reflective markers. Furthermore, when using LiDAR for long-distance detection, feature points may overlap, reducing positioning accuracy. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a charging station whose identification element allows a lidar to capture a clear and continuous signal to guide the device back to its charging station.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0006] A charging station, comprising:

[0007] A first base, the first base having a surface for docking autonomous operating equipment;

[0008] A second seat body, connected to the first seat body, and having a first main body extending longitudinally; and

[0009] The identification element is fixed to the first main body and has a reflective surface that extends continuously in the longitudinal direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, the height of the reflective surface of the marker extending continuously in the longitudinal direction is not less than half the height of the first main body extending in the longitudinal direction.

[0011] In one embodiment, the height of the reflective surface of the marker extending continuously in the longitudinal direction is not less than two-thirds of the height of the first main body extending in the longitudinal direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, the marker is a long strip structure, and the reflective surface is the surface of the marker.

[0013] In one embodiment, the sign is reflective paper.

[0014] In one embodiment, the number of the identification elements is at least two, and the at least two identification elements are distributed on opposite sides of the first main body.

[0015] In one embodiment, the surface of the first main body is provided with a recessed groove along its thickness direction, and the marker is fixed in the recessed groove.

[0016] In one embodiment, the first base is provided with a guide component, which has a guide groove planned on the upper surface of the first base for guiding the autonomous operating equipment to travel along its path.

[0017] In one embodiment, the guide assembly includes a pair of guide members symmetrically arranged on the first base, each guide member including a mounting portion and a guide protrusion, the guide protrusion being higher than the upper surface of the first base, and the distance between the two symmetrically arranged guide protrusions narrowing from the front end to the rear end.

[0018] In one embodiment, the first base is provided with a guide mounting groove, which is recessed relative to the adjacent surface; the mounting part is located in the guide mounting groove, and the upper surface of the mounting part is flush with the adjacent surface around the guide mounting groove.

[0019] In one embodiment, the mounting portion includes two pressure plates located on opposite sides of the guide protrusion, the two pressure plates being staggered on opposite sides of the guide protrusion.

[0020] In one embodiment, the length of the overlapping section of the two pressure plates is not less than half the total length of a single pressure plate.

[0021] In one embodiment, the second seat includes a second main body portion connected to the top of the first main body portion and extending laterally above the first seat.

[0022] In one embodiment, the charging station further includes a cleaning component fixed to the bottom of the second main body facing the first base.

[0023] The present invention adopts the above-mentioned technical solution and has the following beneficial effects: the charging station provided by the present invention replaces the discrete points in the prior art with continuous linear reflective surfaces on the markers. Even if the spacing is reduced, the lidar can still capture clear continuous signals, which can effectively avoid the problem of loss of identification feature points caused by structural reduction. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the charging station is shown.

[0025] Figure 2 An exploded view of the first body is shown.

[0026] Figure 3 An exploded view of the second seat is shown.

[0027] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the charging station is shown.

[0028] Figure 5 This diagram shows the charging station before the electrode holders are installed on the second base.

[0029] Figure 6 A schematic diagram is shown when the electrode holder of the charging station is installed on the second base.

[0030] Figure 7 A front view of the charging station is shown.

[0031] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the cleaning components is shown.

[0032] Figure 9 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the second seat from another perspective is shown.

[0033] Figure 10 It shows Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0034] Figure 11 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the guide component is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The preferred embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so as to better understand the purpose, features and advantages of this utility model. It should be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model, but are only for illustrating the essential spirit of the technical solution of this utility model.

[0036] In the following description, certain specific details are set forth for the purpose of illustrating various disclosed embodiments in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known apparatuses, structures, and techniques associated with this application may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

[0037] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the word “comprising” and its variations, such as “including” and “having”, shall be understood to have an open, inclusive meaning, that is, to be interpreted as “including, but not limited to”.

[0038] Throughout this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the appearance of "in an embodiment" or "an embodiment" in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be combined in any manner in one or more embodiments.

[0039] The singular forms “a” and “the” used in this specification and the appended claims include plural references unless otherwise expressly stated herein. It should be noted that the term “or” is generally used to mean “and / or” unless otherwise expressly stated herein.

[0040] In the following description, in order to clearly demonstrate the structure and working method of this utility model, a number of directional terms will be used. However, terms such as "front", "back", "left", "right", "outside", "inside", "outward", "inward", "up", and "down" should be understood as convenient terms and not as limiting terms.

[0041] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal," "vertical," and "sag" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, this utility model relates to a charging station, which generally includes a first base 10 extending mainly in the horizontal direction and a second base 20 extending mainly in the vertical direction. The first base 10 and the second base 20 are detachably connected by a base connection structure. The surface of the first base 10 provides a platform suitable for autonomous operating equipment to enter and exit. The second base 20 is connected to one side of the first base 10 to charge the autonomous operating equipment. The autonomous operating equipment can be a lawnmower robot, a sweeping robot, or other similar devices. For example, after completing its mowing work, the lawnmower robot can autonomously dock at the charging station, where it will be charged.

[0044] See Figures 2-4 The seat connection structure includes a first seat connection portion 11 on a first seat 10 and a second seat connection portion 21 on a second seat 20. The first seat 10 has a front end 101 and a rear end 102 facing each other, and the first seat connection portion 11 is located near the front end 101. The second seat 20 is formed by connecting a first outer shell 201 and a second outer shell 202 to form a second seat body having an inner cavity for accommodating a charging mechanism. The second seat body includes a first main body portion 203 extending longitudinally and a second main body portion 204 extending laterally above the first seat 10. The second seat connection portion 21 is located at the bottom of the first main body portion 203. In this embodiment, the first seat connection portion 11 and the second seat connection portion 21 are fixedly connected by screws, but this is not a limitation; other fixed connection methods in the prior art are also applicable, such as snap-fit ​​connections.

[0045] The first main body 203 of the second housing 20 is provided with an electrode holder 30, on which a pair of electrodes 31 are fixedly mounted. The charging interface of the autonomous operating device makes electrical contact with the electrodes 31 to charge the device. See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 The electrode holder 30 includes an electrode holder body 301 and an electrode holder connecting portion 302, with the connecting portion 302 located at the bottom of the body 301. The first outer shell 201 of the second housing 20 is provided with an electrode holder limiting member 2011 and a screw seat 2012, forming an electrode holder mounting groove that mates with the connecting portion 302. The first outer shell 201 has an electrode holder window in the area corresponding to the mounting groove, through which the body 301 passes. The connecting portion 302 is fitted into the mounting groove and fixedly connected to the screw seat 2012 by screws. The body 301 extends from the window to the outside of the first outer shell 201. In this embodiment, the electrode holder connecting part 302 and the screw holder 2012 are fixedly connected by screws, but it is not limited to this. Other fixed connection methods in the prior art are also applicable, such as snap-fit ​​connection.

[0046] The first main body 203 of the second housing 20 is also equipped with an identification element 40. The identification element 40 is used to guide and locate the lidar on the autonomous operating equipment, thereby allowing the autonomous operating equipment to navigate to the charging station for charging. See also Figure 7The marker 40 is fixed to the first main body 203. The marker 40 has a reflective surface that extends continuously along the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the marker 40 is a long strip structure, and the reflective surface is its surface. The reflective surface has a higher reflectivity to the lidar than the first main body 203, allowing for image recognition by the lidar. This embodiment replaces the discrete points in the prior art with a continuous linear reflective surface. Even with reduced spacing, the lidar can still capture a clear, continuous signal, effectively avoiding the problem of lost recognition feature points due to structural reduction. Preferably, there are at least two markers 40, distributed on opposite sides of the electrode holder 30. This embodiment shows two markers 40, but it is not limited to this; the number can also exceed two. In this embodiment, the marker 40 is reflective paper, which not only reduces cost but also facilitates installation.

[0047] To ensure the lidar can better capture clear, continuous signals, preferably, the height of the reflective surface of the marker 40 extending continuously in the longitudinal direction is at least half the height of the first main body 203. More preferably, the height of the reflective surface of the marker 40 extending continuously in the longitudinal direction is at least two-thirds the height of the first main body 203. By extending longitudinally, the marker 40 covers a larger vertical range, ensuring that the lidar always captures the marker signal even if there are height or angular deviations in the device, thus enhancing recognition robustness.

[0048] In one embodiment, due to compactness requirements, the height and width of the second base 20 are reduced. During installation, the marker 40 may partially rest on the curved surface of the transition section between the first main body 203 and the second main body 204 of the second base 20. This prevents the marker 40 from forming a flat surface, resulting in a smaller surface reflection area and affecting recognition performance. Furthermore, curved surface installation can cause microstructural damage to the marker 40 substrate, or edge warping, leading to adhesion failure. Therefore, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 A recessed groove 211 is provided on the surface of the second body 20 for installing the marker 40, ensuring that the marker 40 can be installed on a flat surface.

[0049] See also Figures 1-7 In one embodiment, the second main body 204 of the second seat 20 is provided with a cleaning component 50, which is mainly used to clean the lidar on the top of the autonomous operating device, for example, to clean the grass clippings adhering to the top of the lawnmower robot after it has finished mowing. See also Figures 8-10The cleaning component 50 includes a brush plate 51 and brush bristles 52 fixed on the brush plate 51. The brush plate 51 is provided with limiting protrusions 511 and brush plate snap fasteners 512. The second main body 204 of the second base 20 is provided with a brush plate mounting groove 2041 adapted to the brush plate 51. The edge of the brush plate mounting groove 2041 is provided with brush plate limiting grooves 2042 and snap fastener fixing grooves 2043, respectively adapted to the limiting protrusions 511 and the snap fasteners 512. During brush plate 51 assembly, the two limiting protrusions 511 engage with the corresponding brush plate limiting grooves 2042, and the brush plate snap fasteners 512 are pressed down and fixedly connected to the snap fastener fixing grooves 2043, thus achieving a fixed connection between the brush plate 51 and the second base 20.

[0050] See also Figure 1 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the first main body 203 of the second base 20 is provided with a buffer assembly 60. The buffer assembly 60 includes a pad 61 protruding from the outside of the first main body 203 and a buffer pad 62 fixed on the pad 61. The buffer pad 62 is made of a soft material with a certain elasticity, such as rubber or silicone, to reduce impact on the autonomous operating equipment and provide a cushioning effect. When the autonomous operating equipment returns to the charging pile for charging, the impact plate at the front of the equipment collides with the buffer assembly, causing the impact plate to shift, and the equipment can recognize that it has arrived at the station.

[0051] See also Figure 1 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the second main body 204 of the second base 20 is provided with an indicator component 80, which includes an indicator light 81 fixed to the end of the second main body 204 and a light-transmitting protective cover 82. When the autonomous operating equipment arrives at the charging station for docking and charging, the indicator light illuminates.

[0052] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the first base 10 is provided with a guide component 70, which has a guide groove 1011 on the upper surface of the front end 101 of the first base for guiding the walking path of the autonomous operating equipment. In this embodiment, the thickness of the rear end 102 of the first base is greater than the thickness of the front end 101 of the first base, and the connection between the rear end 102 and the front end 101 of the first base forms the termination end 1012 of the guide groove 1011.

[0053] The guide assembly 70 includes a pair of guide members 71 symmetrically arranged on the first base 10. See also Figure 11Each guide member 71 includes a mounting part 711 and a guide protrusion 712. The guide protrusion 712 is higher than the upper surface of the front end 101 of the first base body. The guide protrusion 712 is curved and the distance between two symmetrically arranged guide protrusions narrows from the front end to the rear end, so as to guide the autonomous operating equipment to the charging pile.

[0054] The front end 101 of the first base body is provided with a guide mounting groove 1013, which is recessed relative to the adjacent surface. The mounting part 711 is a wing plate extending horizontally from the bottom edge of the guide protrusion 712. The shape and structure of the wing plate are adapted to the guide mounting groove 1013, and the thickness of the wing plate is also adapted to the recessed depth of the guide mounting groove 1013. After installation, the upper surface of the wing plate is flush with the adjacent surface of the front end 101 of the first base body, with no height difference, ensuring the stable movement of the equipment on the first base body 10. In this embodiment, the guide 71 is fixed to the front end of the front end 101 of the first base body by a snap-fit ​​connection. The wing plate is provided with a hook 713, and the edge of the guide mounting groove 1013 is provided with a matching slot 1014. The hook 713 is hooked onto the bottom edge of the slot 1014, that is, the back of the first seat 10. The slot 1014 is sunk to a certain depth relative to its adjacent surface to reduce the lateral pressure on the bend of the hook 713 and prevent the hook 713 from breaking.

[0055] See also Figure 7 The mounting part 711 has a pressure plate 714 on each side of the guide protrusion 712. The pressure plate 714 is an extension of part of the mounting part 711 extending along the water direction. Since the guide protrusion 712 is curved, the inner side of the bending radius is a high stress area. In order to effectively disperse stress concentration, this embodiment adopts a staggered arrangement of the pressure plates 714 on both sides. At the same time, the staggered range is constrained by keeping the length of the overlapping section of the pressure plates not less than 1 / 2 of the total length of a single pressure plate, so as to prevent additional bending stress caused by excessive staggeration.

[0056] The preferred embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above. However, it should be understood that after reading the above teachings, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to this utility model. These equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A charging station, characterized in that, include: A first base, the first base having a surface for docking autonomous operating equipment; The second seat is connected to the first seat, and the second seat has a first main body extending longitudinally; as well as The identification element is fixed to the first main body and has a reflective surface that extends continuously in the longitudinal direction.

2. The charging station as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The height of the reflective surface of the marker extending continuously in the longitudinal direction is not less than half the height of the first main body extending in the longitudinal direction.

3. The charging station as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The height of the reflective surface of the marker extending continuously in the longitudinal direction is not less than two-thirds of the height of the first main body extending in the longitudinal direction.

4. The charging station as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The marker is a long strip structure, and the reflective surface is the surface of the marker.

5. The charging station as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The signage is made of reflective paper.

6. The charging station as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the identification elements is at least two, and the at least two identification elements are distributed on opposite sides of the first main body.

7. The charging station as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the first main body is provided with a recessed groove along its thickness direction, and the marking member is fixed in the recessed groove.

8. The charging station as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first base is provided with a guide component, and the guide component has a guide groove planned on the upper surface of the first base to guide the autonomous operating equipment to travel the path.

9. The charging station as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The guide assembly includes a pair of guide members symmetrically arranged on the first base. Each guide member includes a mounting portion and a guide protrusion. The guide protrusion is higher than the upper surface of the first base, and the distance between the two symmetrically arranged guide protrusions narrows from the front end to the rear end.

10. The charging station as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The first base is provided with a guide mounting groove, which is recessed relative to the adjacent surface; the mounting part is located in the guide mounting groove, and the upper surface of the mounting part is flush with the adjacent surface around the guide mounting groove.

11. The charging station as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The mounting part includes two pressure plates located on opposite sides of the guide protrusion, and the two pressure plates are staggered on opposite sides of the guide protrusion.

12. The charging station as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The length of the overlapping section of the two pressure plates is not less than one-half of the total length of a single pressure plate.

13. The charging station as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second seat includes a second main body portion, which is connected to the top of the first main body portion and extends laterally above the first seat.

14. The charging station as described in claim 13, characterized in that, The charging station also includes a cleaning component, which is fixed to the bottom of the second main body facing the first base.

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