Self-cleaning element and surface cleaning device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a self-cleaning piece and a surface cleaning device. The self-cleaning piece is configured to be mounted on a bottom wall of a cleaning body of the surface cleaning device to perform self-cleaning on a cleaning disc of the surface cleaning device, wherein the self-cleaning piece comprises: a main body; a cleaning bin formed on the main body; a self-cleaning assembly located in the cleaning bin and a suction port arranged adjacent to the self-cleaning assembly; a normally closed structure located in the cleaning bin, the normally closed structure is configured to be kept in a position of closing the suction port by a biasing force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a self-cleaning component and a surface cleaning device. Background Technology

[0002] Wet surface cleaning equipment refers to cleaning equipment suitable for cleaning various hard surfaces in home or office environments.

[0003] Existing floor cleaners clean floors with high-flow-rate cleaning fluid in a way that completely wets the floor to be cleaned. By wetting the hard floor surface, the cleaning head transfers dust from the floor into the cleaning fluid, which is then removed from the hard floor surface and stored in a recycling storage section as contaminated cleaning fluid.

[0004] Wet surface cleaning equipment typically includes: a cleaning solution storage unit for holding the cleaning solution; a recovery storage unit for recovering contaminants recovered from the cleaned floor; a motor-driven vacuum source to create a vacuum flow path from the cleaned floor to the recovery storage unit; a floor brush assembly that can move and clean the surface to be cleaned; a rechargeable battery to power the components; and a base station for charging the wet surface cleaning equipment and for post-cleaning maintenance.

[0005] However, when using wet surface cleaning equipment, because its cleaning section is located at the front of the entire equipment, in some situations, such as cleaning corners, no matter which direction the equipment approaches the wall from, there will always be some areas that cannot be cleaned, which affects the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0006] This disclosure provides a self-cleaning component and a surface cleaning device.

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a self-cleaning component is provided, the self-cleaning component being configured to be installed on the bottom wall of the cleaning body of a surface cleaning device to self-clean the cleaning tray of the surface cleaning device, wherein the self-cleaning component comprises:

[0008] main body;

[0009] A cleaning chamber formed on the main body;

[0010] The self-cleaning component located inside the cleaning chamber and the suction port located adjacent to the self-cleaning component;

[0011] A normally closed structure located within the cleaning chamber is configured to be held in the closed position by bias pressure.

[0012] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the self-cleaning component is configured to be detachably inserted into a socket in the bottom wall.

[0013] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the self-cleaning component includes a scraper and a dirt storage area disposed adjacent to the scraper, wherein the suction port is disposed within or adjacent to the dirt storage area.

[0014] According to at least one embodiment of the self-cleaning component of this disclosure, an interception portion is provided near the suction port.

[0015] According to at least one embodiment of the self-cleaning component of this disclosure, the interception portion includes at least one extension extending upward from the bottom surface of the body.

[0016] A self-cleaning component according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes an elastic element, wherein the biasing force is provided by the elastic element.

[0017] According to at least one embodiment of the self-cleaning component of this disclosure, the normally closed structure includes a lever structure mounted within the cleaning chamber via a fulcrum. A first end of the lever structure includes an actuating portion, and a second end opposite to the first end includes a cover plate. The cover plate normally closes the suction port, and the actuating portion can be actuated to remove the cover plate from the normally closed position of the suction port via the lever structure.

[0018] According to at least one embodiment of the self-cleaning component of this disclosure, the lever structure includes a fulcrum at which an elastic element is disposed for providing a biasing force to a second end of the lever structure.

[0019] According to at least one embodiment of the self-cleaning component of this disclosure, the cover plate includes a planar portion, and the lever structure passes through the planar portion via an extension of its second end and is not perpendicular to the planar portion.

[0020] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a surface cleaning apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0021] The cleaning unit includes a bottom wall;

[0022] A cleaning disc, which is located on the cleaning body and is capable of reciprocating relative to the cleaning body between a position away from the surface to be cleaned and a position engaged with the surface to be cleaned;

[0023] The self-cleaning component includes:

[0024] A cleaning chamber, wherein at least a portion of the cleaning disc is located within the cleaning chamber, and when the cleaning disc is in a position to engage with the surface to be cleaned, the scraper of the cleaning chamber engages with the cleaning disc;

[0025] The self-cleaning component located inside the cleaning chamber and the suction port located adjacent to the self-cleaning component;

[0026] A normally closed structure located within the cleaning chamber is configured to be held in a closed position by bias pressure, and when the cleaning disc is in a position engaging with the surface to be cleaned, the cleaning disc actuates the normally closed structure to open, thereby overcoming the bias pressure to hold the cover in the open position.

[0027] According to at least one embodiment of the surface cleaning apparatus of the present disclosure, a recycling pipeline is provided within the cleaning body, the recycling pipeline being disposed at the bottom of the cleaning body and configured such that when the self-cleaning component is connected to the bottom wall, the dirt storage area is fluidly connected to the recycling pipeline.

[0028] According to at least one embodiment of the surface cleaning device of the present disclosure, a fluid delivery pipe communicating with the dirt storage area is formed within the self-cleaning component, and when the self-cleaning component is connected to the bottom wall, the dirt storage area and the recovery pipeline are fluidly connected through the fluid delivery pipe.

[0029] According to at least one embodiment of the surface cleaning apparatus of the present disclosure, the normally closed structure includes a lever structure, the lever structure including a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and a fulcrum located between the first end and the second end; an actuation portion is formed on the first end for receiving the actuating force of the cleaning disc; the cover plate is connected to the second end.

[0030] According to at least one embodiment of the surface cleaning apparatus of this disclosure, a spring is provided at the fulcrum to provide the biasing force.

[0031] According to at least one embodiment of the surface cleaning apparatus of the present disclosure, when the actuating part engages with the cleaning disc, a portion of the cleaning disc is located outside the cleaning body. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. These drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a floor brush assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of a floor brush assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure from another angle.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic plan view of the bottom structure of a floor brush assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning disc assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a motor and actuation assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of an actuation component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an actuation component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a damping element according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the bottom structure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a surface cleaning device along a wall cleaning mode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 12 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of a surface cleaning device in wall-side cleaning mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a floor brush assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the engagement state of a self-cleaning component and a cleaning disc assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the liquid supply component of the cleaning disc assembly is shown.

[0047] Figure 15 This is a structural schematic diagram of a valve stem and valve cover according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a liquid supply assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the engagement state of a self-cleaning component and a cleaning disc assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the sensor assembly is shown.

[0050] Figure 18 This is a top view of a scraping assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 19 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a scraping assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figure 20 This is a side cross-sectional view of a scraping assembly in a first state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 21 This is a side cross-sectional view of the scraping assembly in a second state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0055] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other. The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0056] Unless otherwise stated, the exemplary implementations / embodiments shown are to be understood as providing exemplary features of various details that provide ways in which the technical concepts of this disclosure can be implemented in practice. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the features of various implementations / embodiments may be additionally combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged without departing from the technical concepts of this disclosure.

[0057] The use of crosshairs and / or shading in the accompanying drawings is generally used to clarify the boundaries between adjacent components. Thus, unless otherwise stated, the presence or absence of crosshairs or shading does not convey or indicate any preference or requirement for the specific material, material properties, dimensions, proportions, commonalities between the illustrated components, or any other characteristics, properties, etc., of the components. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the dimensions and relative dimensions of components may be exaggerated for clarity and / or descriptive purposes. When exemplary embodiments can be implemented differently, a specific process sequence may be performed in a different order than that described. For example, two consecutively described processes may be performed substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order of their description. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same components.

[0058] When a component is referred to as being "on" or "above" another component, "connected to," or "joined to" another component, the component may be directly on, directly connected to, or directly joined to the other component, or there may be intermediate components. However, when a component is referred to as being "directly on" another component, "directly connected to," or "directly joined to" another component, there are no intermediate components. Therefore, the term "connection" can refer to a physical connection, an electrical connection, etc., and may or may not have intermediate components.

[0059] For descriptive purposes, this disclosure may use spatial relative terms such as “below,” “under,” “below,” “down,” “above,” “above,” “higher,” and “side (e.g., in a “sidewall”)” to describe the relationship between one component and another component as shown in the accompanying drawings. In addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings, the spatial relative terms are also intended to encompass different orientations of the device during use, operation, and / or manufacture. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, a component described as “below” or “under” another component or feature would subsequently be positioned “above” said other component or feature. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both “above” and “below” orientations. Furthermore, the device may be otherwise positioned (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), thus interpreting the spatial relative descriptive terms used herein accordingly.

[0060] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well. Furthermore, when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” and variations thereof are used in this specification, it indicates the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, parts, components, and / or groups thereof, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, parts, components, and / or groups thereof. It should also be noted that, as used herein, the terms “substantially,” “about,” and other similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than as terms of degree, thus explaining the inherent biases in measurements, calculated values, and / or provided values ​​that would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0061] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] like Figure 1As shown, the surface cleaning device disclosed herein is configured to perform wet cleaning of a surface to be cleaned, wherein the surface to be cleaned can be a floor surface, preferably a household floor surface. Furthermore, after the surface cleaning device performs wet cleaning of the floor surface, the dirt and liquid (sewage) remaining from cleaning the surface can be recycled back to the surface cleaning device.

[0063] Figure 1 The surface cleaning equipment shown is shaped like a floor scrubber; however, those skilled in the art will understand that the term "surface cleaning equipment" can be used herein to describe various types of household cleaning equipment, including autonomous equipment configured to provide some semi-autonomous or autonomous capabilities. Examples of household cleaning equipment include: floor scrubbers, vacuum cleaners with mopping functions, robotic vacuum cleaners, robotic vacuum cleaners with scrubbing functions, robotic window cleaning robots, etc.

[0064] like Figure 1 As shown, taking a floor scrubber as an example, the surface cleaning equipment may include components such as a handle 100, a main body 200, a cleaning liquid tank 300, a dirt collection tank 400, a connecting part 500, and a floor brush assembly 600.

[0065] The handle 100 is detachably mounted on the main body 200. The user can operate the surface cleaning device by operating the handle 100, and the main body 200 can be in an upright state (non-working state) and an inclined state (working state). In the inclined working state, the main body 200 can be at approximately 180° to the surface to be cleaned, so that the floor brush assembly 600 and at least a portion of the main body 200 can enter the environment under the furniture for continuous cleaning.

[0066] More preferably, the handle 100 may be provided with a user interaction button, which the user can trigger to control the surface cleaning device, such as controlling the start and stop of the surface cleaning device, controlling the liquid supply speed and suction power of the electric suction source, and controlling the opening and closing of the user voice interaction system and voice volume control, thereby improving the user experience of the surface cleaning device.

[0067] In one example, the main body 200 and the handle 100 form an upright main body of the surface cleaning device; the main body 200 is pivotally connected to the floor brush assembly 600 via a connecting part 500; furthermore, the main body 200 and the floor brush assembly 600 can each or all of them accommodate components such as a cleaning fluid tank 300 and a dirt collection tank 400. In this disclosure, the dirt collection tank 400 can be detachably mounted to the rear side of the main body 200, and the cleaning fluid tank 300 can be detachably mounted on the floor brush assembly 600, forming a portion of the outer surface of the dirt collection tank 400 and a portion of the outer surface of the floor brush assembly 600, respectively. This configuration lowers the overall center of gravity of the surface cleaning device, allowing users to more easily move the surface cleaning device by hand.

[0068] In one example, after the cleaning fluid tank 300 is installed on the floor brush assembly 600, the overall thickness of the floor brush assembly 600 is set to be less than 120 mm.

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, the cleaning fluid tank 300 has a flat shape to fit the overall contour of the floor brush assembly 600. It includes a cavity formed by multiple walls to hold the cleaning fluid, and the capacity of the cleaning fluid tank 300 can be set to 500 mL, etc. The cleaning fluid tank 300 of this disclosure has an upper surface, on which an inlet cover 622 of a cavity protruding from the upper surface is provided. The cavity is used to hold the cleaning fluid; the upper surface of the inlet cover 622 is equal to or lower than the highest point on the upper surface of the cleaning fluid tank 300.

[0070] The cleaning fluid tank 300 is used to store cleaning fluid to be dispensed. Accordingly, the cleaning fluid tank 300 can be connected to a liquid dispenser (not shown in the figure), so that the cleaning fluid in the cleaning fluid tank 300 can be pressurized by the liquid dispenser and provided to the cleaning fluid outlet on the floor brush assembly 600, or provided to the surface to be cleaned near the floor brush assembly 600, thereby enabling wet cleaning of the surface to be cleaned by the cleaning fluid.

[0071] In a preferred example, the liquid dispenser may include a supply pump capable of drawing cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank 300, pressurizing the cleaning liquid, and supplying it to the dispensing component, which then supplies the pressurized cleaning liquid to the agitator 630 of the floor brush assembly 600 or to the surface to be cleaned near the agitator 630.

[0072] In this disclosure, the cleaning liquid can be one or more of any suitable liquid, including but not limited to cleaning water, concentrated detergent, diluted detergent, or mixtures thereof. Furthermore, the cleaning liquid can be a room-temperature cleaning liquid or a high-temperature cleaning liquid. The main body 200 has a receiving space, and the dirty waste collection bin 400 is detachably disposed in the main body 200 and located within the receiving space. This allows the user to remove the dirty waste collection bin 400 when it contains a large amount of liquid, empty the wastewater, and clean up the solid waste. At this time, a portion of the outer surface of the dirty waste collection bin 400 forms part of the outer surface of the surface cleaning device.

[0073] To recover the liquid after cleaning the surface, the dirt recovery tank 400 can be connected to the floor brush assembly 600 via a recovery pipe (not shown). Accordingly, the mixture of dirt, wastewater, and gas (solid-liquid mixture) can be recovered to the dirt recovery tank 400 via this recovery pipe. In one example, a solid-liquid separator can be installed inside the dirt recovery tank 400 to separate the solid and liquid mixture recovered by the surface cleaning equipment after cleaning the surface. This allows the separated solids to be retained in the separator, while the separated liquid is stored inside the dirt recovery tank 400.

[0074] In this disclosure, the surface cleaning device also includes an electric suction source (not shown), which may include a vacuum motor, thereby generating a vacuum (negative pressure). Simultaneously, the electric suction source can be connected to a dirt collection tank 400, thereby providing the negative pressure to the dirt collection tank 400, thus achieving forced flow of gas and wastewater within the collection pipeline. In this disclosure, the gas discharged from the electric suction source can flow to the outside of the surface cleaning device through gaps on a portion of its outer surface.

[0075] In one example, the connection 500 may include a universal joint to enable the main body 200 to rotate in two directions relative to the floor brush assembly 600.

[0076] In another example, the connection 500 may include a multi-axis joint that can couple the body 200 to the floor brush assembly 600 to allow the body 200 to rotate relative to the floor brush assembly 600 in a first direction and a second direction.

[0077] The main body 200 can be pivoted to an upright position (also known as a storage position) via the connecting part 500. In this position, the angle between the main body 200 and the surface of the floor brush assembly 600 (or the ground) is 80° to 90°, preferably around 80°. In this position, the surface cleaning device is in a self-supporting posture (also known as an upright posture), meaning that the main body 200 and the like can be supported by the floor brush assembly 600, and an upright posture can be achieved without the aid of other objects.

[0078] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the floor brush assembly 600 of this disclosure may include: a base portion 610, a cleaning fluid tank 300, a stirring element 630, a suction nozzle and cleaning disc assembly 650, and other auxiliary components. Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that the cleaning fluid tank 300 of this disclosure may also be mounted on the main body portion 200 and formed as part of the upright main body, rather than part of the floor brush assembly 600. In this disclosure, the base portion 610 may also be referred to as the cleaning body, which may include a bottom wall and two side walls; when the floor brush assembly 600 is placed on a generally horizontal surface to be cleaned, the bottom wall can be set generally horizontally, and correspondingly, the side walls are set generally vertically. Furthermore, when the surface cleaning device is a component such as a robotic vacuum cleaner, its cleaning body can be the body of the robotic vacuum cleaner; in this case, the surface cleaning device includes a self-moving cleaning body.

[0079] The base portion 610 and the cleaning fluid tank 300 of this disclosure can generally form the outline of the floor brush assembly 600, which is pivotally connected to the main body portion 200 via the connecting portion 500. Furthermore, the base portion 610 is configured to be suitable for movement on the floor surface to be cleaned. For example, the base portion 610 may be provided with two rollers, and the base portion 610 moves on the surface to be cleaned by the rolling of the rollers.

[0080] The base portion 610 defines a receiving chamber, specifically located in the front half of the floor brush assembly 600 (with the direction of movement of the surface cleaning device when cleaning the surface to be cleaned as the front), so as to accommodate the agitator 630 within the receiving chamber, which is also located in the front half of the floor brush assembly 600. In a specific example, the side of the base portion 610 is formed as at least a portion of the sidewall of the receiving chamber.

[0081] The agitator 630 is configured to agitate the surface to be cleaned. Specifically, the agitator 630 is detachably mounted on the base 610 and can be driven to rotate. That is, when the surface cleaning equipment is performing a cleaning operation or a self-cleaning operation, the agitator 630 can be driven by a motor to rotate, thereby enabling the agitator 630 to make frictional contact with the surface to be cleaned and achieving cleaning of the surface. During the frictional contact between the agitator 630 and the surface to be cleaned, cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank 300 can be supplied to the agitator 630, thereby achieving wet cleaning of the surface to be cleaned.

[0082] In one example, the agitator 630 of the floor brush assembly 600 can be a roller-type cleaning component; those skilled in the art will understand that the floor brush assembly 600 can also be configured as a tracked cleaning device, etc., in which case the agitator 630 of the floor brush assembly 600 can be a tracked cleaning component, etc. In this disclosure, a roller-type cleaning component is used as an example for explanation.

[0083] In one example, the motor can be disposed within the base portion 610 and drive the agitator 630 to rotate via a synchronous belt drive (i.e., the agitator 630 is operably connected to the motor); in another example, the motor can be disposed within the agitator 630 and can drive the agitator 630 to rotate; in this disclosure, the agitator 630 is capable of rotating along a first axis; more preferably, the first axis can be a horizontal straight line in the transverse direction, which is the direction perpendicular to the front-back direction; the front-back direction is the direction of movement of the surface cleaning device when cleaning the surface to be cleaned.

[0084] The cleaning liquid tank 300 is disposed on the base portion 610 and configured to partially surround the agitator 630. The cleaning liquid tank 300 is able to interfere with at least a portion of the outer surface of the agitator 630 so that the cleaning liquid on the agitator 630 is distributed more evenly.

[0085] In surface cleaning equipment with the above structure, the agitator 630, containing liquid, rotates at high speed during operation and adheres to a large amount of dirt. To avoid secondary pollution, the structural design requires the agitator 630 to maintain real-time self-cleaning. Typically, a cleaning liquid tank 300 is used to shield and collect dirt and liquid particles thrown out by centrifugal force during the high-speed rotation of the agitator 630, and scrapers interfering with this process are installed in the receiving chamber to scrape off the dirt adhering to the surface of the agitator 630 in real time and suck it away through a suction nozzle. Due to structural design reasons, the agitator 630 cannot be independently installed detached from the base 610. Therefore, wet household surface cleaning equipment may encounter hard-to-reach cleaning areas during operation, such as the junction of the floor and wall. To ensure cleaning efficiency, wet household surface cleaning equipment needs to continuously provide space for the agitator 630 to reach the edge cleaning area. However, due to the aforementioned design reasons, the agitator 630 itself rarely achieves the expected edge cleaning effect. Often, when the base of the surface cleaning equipment reaches the wall, the edge of the agitator 630 has not yet reached the target cleaning area, making it impossible to clean the target area.

[0086] Therefore, in order to further improve the edge cleaning ability of vacuum cleaners, such as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, an example of the floor brush assembly 600 of this disclosure includes a cleaning disc assembly 650 located near the side of the floor brush assembly 600. The cleaning disc assembly 650 is located at the bottom of the floor brush assembly 600 and is driven to move between a raised position and a lowered position. The cleaning disc assembly 650 is further away from the surface to be cleaned in the raised position than in the lowered position. Moreover, in the lowered position, the working range of the cleaning disc assembly 650 is outside the horizontal projection of the base portion 610. That is, the cleaning disc assembly 650 of this disclosure is capable of cleaning the area outside the horizontal projection of the base portion 610.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning disc assembly 650 of this disclosure is disposed near the right sidewall of the floor brush assembly 600. That is, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is located on the cleaning body and is capable of reciprocating between a position away from the surface to be cleaned and a position engaged with the surface to be cleaned relative to the cleaning body. Engaging with the surface to be cleaned means that the cleaning disc assembly 650 can make pressure contact with the surface to be cleaned, so that when the cleaning disc assembly 650 rotates, it can make frictional contact with the surface to be cleaned and clean the surface to be cleaned.

[0088] like Figure 5As shown, the cleaning pad assembly 650 of this disclosure may include a wettable cleaning pad 651 that can contact the surface to be cleaned to achieve wet cleaning relative to the surface. A rigid support 652, coaxially arranged with the cleaning pad 651, provides rigid support for the cleaning pad 651 as a whole, thereby enhancing the overall rotational rigidity when the cleaning pad 651 contacts the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning pad 651 may be disposed below the support 652, and the cleaning pad 651 may have a larger diameter than the support 652 to form an outer edge around the periphery of the rigidly supported support, thereby achieving a greater cleaning coverage area. In one example, the cleaning pad 651 may have a rounded edge. However, the shape of the outer edge of the cleaning pad 651 is not limited and can be diverse. For example, although not shown, the outer edge of the cleaning pad 651 may also have a wavy outer edge.

[0089] In one example, the cleaning pad 651 can be detachably fixed to the support 652 for easy replacement. For example, the cleaning pad 651 can be attached to the support 652 with Velcro, so that when the support 652 rotates, it can drive the cleaning pad 651 to rotate, causing the cleaning pad 651 to come into frictional contact with the surface to be cleaned, thereby achieving the cleaning of the surface to be cleaned.

[0090] In this disclosure, such as Figure 5 As shown, the cleaning pad 651 can be made of materials such as velvet and can be formed into a ring shape; moreover, an adhesive-coated portion 653 is formed on the outer side of the support member 652, and the adhesive-coated portion 653 can be located above the cleaning pad 651. In this disclosure, the support member 652 has multiple perforations. When cleaning liquid is provided to the perforations of the support member 652, the cleaning liquid can flow to the cleaning pad 651 under the action of gravity, thereby wetting the cleaning pad 651.

[0091] like Figure 6 As shown, the floor brush assembly 600 of this disclosure may further include a motor 660 and an actuation assembly 670. The motor 660 may be disposed within the base portion 610, thereby allowing the motor 660 to remain relatively fixed to the base portion 610. In a preferred embodiment, the motor 660 may be connected to a reducer, and power may be output outward through the output shaft of the reducer. In this disclosure, the reducer may be a gear reducer or the like, and by using a gear reducer, the rotation axis of the motor 660 may differ from the rotation axis of the reducer's output shaft.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment, the rotation axis of the motor 660 may be located in a vertical plane, and this vertical plane is perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, which is the direction of movement of the floor brush assembly 600 on the surface to be cleaned when the surface cleaning device cleans the surface. Within this vertical plane, the rotation axis of the motor 660 forms a preset angle with the vertical line.

[0093] Similarly, the rotation axis of the motor 660 can be arranged parallel or substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the output shaft of the reducer, thereby allowing the reducer of this disclosure to have a relatively simple structure.

[0094] The motor 660 is connected to the actuation component 670, thereby enabling the motor 660 to drive the actuation component 670 to lift and / or rotate.

[0095] The actuation component 670 of this disclosure is driven to move the cleaning disc assembly 650 between a first position and a second position, thereby changing the height of the cleaning disc assembly 650 relative to the bottom surface of the base portion 610. Specifically, during edge cleaning, the actuation component 670 drives the cleaning disc assembly 650 and positions the cleaning disc assembly 650 in the raised position, while during non-edge cleaning, the actuation component 670 drives the cleaning disc assembly 650 and positions the cleaning disc assembly 650 in the lowered position.

[0096] When the cleaning tray assembly 650 is in the lowered position, the actuation component 670 can be driven to rotate, and the actuation component 670 drives the cleaning tray assembly 650 to rotate. Similarly, when the cleaning tray assembly 650 is in the raising position, the actuation component 670 can also be driven to rotate, and the actuation component 670 drives the cleaning tray assembly 650 to rotate. The rotation directions of the cleaning tray assembly 650 in the raising and lowering directions are opposite.

[0097] like Figures 6 to 9 As shown, the actuation assembly 670 of this disclosure may include components such as a first bracket 671, a second bracket 672, and a limiting element 673.

[0098] The first bracket 671 is configured to receive the driving force of the first motor 660. That is, the first bracket 671 can be fixed to the output shaft of the first motor 660 or to the output shaft of the reducer. Thus, the position of the first bracket 671 in the height direction will not change. At the same time, the first bracket 671 can be driven and rotated by the first motor 660.

[0099] Specifically, the first bracket 671 of this disclosure is cylindrical in shape, and its upper end is provided with a non-circular hole for connecting with the output shaft of the first motor 660 or the output shaft of the reducer. In actual use, the output shaft of the first motor 660 or the output shaft of the reducer can be inserted into the non-circular hole, thereby realizing the transmission connection between the first motor 660 and the first bracket 671.

[0100] Additionally, a protrusion 671A is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first bracket 671, and the protrusion 671A is located near the lower end of the first bracket 671. The second bracket 672 cooperates with the first bracket 671 so that when the second bracket 672 is in the second position and the first bracket 671 rotates in the first direction, the first bracket 671 drives the second bracket 672 to rotate; when the second bracket 672 is in the second position and the first bracket 671 rotates in the second direction, the first bracket 671 drives the second bracket 672 to move from the second position to the first position. Specifically, a spiral groove 672A is formed on the inner surface of the second bracket 672, and the protrusion 671A is disposed in the spiral groove 672A and can slide along the spiral groove 672A so that the first bracket 671 and the second bracket 672 cooperate.

[0101] like Figure 6 As shown, the second bracket 672 is in the first position at this time. In this first position, if the first bracket 671 is driven and rotates clockwise (viewed from top to bottom, the same below), the protrusion 671A of the first bracket 671 will be restricted by the limiting block at the lower end of the spiral groove 672A of the second bracket 672, so that the second bracket 672 and the first bracket 671 rotate clockwise synchronously. At this time, although the cleaning disc assembly 650 is not in contact with the surface to be cleaned, cleaning liquid can be provided to the cleaning disc assembly 650 when it rotates, so that the cleaning disc assembly 650 is wetted and in a state that can clean the surface to be cleaned.

[0102] At this first position, if the first bracket 671 is driven and rotates counterclockwise (viewed from top to bottom, the same below), the protrusion 671A of the first bracket 671 will slide within the spiral groove 672A of the second bracket 672. Simultaneously, since the vertical position of the first bracket 671 remains unchanged, the second bracket 672 will be pushed and move downwards. Next, as the second bracket 672 gradually descends and reaches the second position, the protrusion 671A will be restricted in position by the limiting element 673. At this point, the second bracket 672 will not descend further but will rotate counterclockwise synchronously with the first bracket 671.

[0103] When the second bracket 672 is in the second position, at least a portion of the cleaning disc assembly 650 will be in contact with the surface to be cleaned. Thus, when the second bracket 672 rotates, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be driven and rotated by the second bracket 672, thereby achieving wet cleaning of the surface to be cleaned. In particular, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can clean corners and other locations, improving the cleaning effect of the surface cleaning equipment.

[0104] In this disclosure, a limiting element 673 is disposed on the second bracket 672 to limit the relative movement between the first bracket 671 and the second bracket 672. That is, the limiting element 673 of this disclosure can be fixed together with the second bracket 672, and at least a portion of the limiting element 673 is used to limit the protrusion of the first bracket 671.

[0105] Specifically, the lower end of the spiral groove 672A of the second bracket 672 does not penetrate the second bracket 672; that is, the lower end of the spiral groove 672A of the second bracket 672 has a limiting block, which prevents the protrusion 671A of the first bracket 671 from detaching from the lower end of the spiral groove 672A. Furthermore, the limiting element 673 is fixed to the upper end of the second bracket 672, and the limiting element 673 blocks the upper end of the spiral groove 672A of the second bracket 672, thus preventing the protrusion 671A of the first bracket 671 from detaching from the upper end of the spiral groove 672A.

[0106] During the assembly of the actuation component, the protrusion of the first bracket 671 can be placed in the spiral groove 672A first, and then the limiting element 673 can be installed on the upper end of the second bracket 672 to realize the installation of the actuation component. The installation process is convenient.

[0107] In a preferred embodiment, the second bracket 672 further includes an upwardly extending protrusion 672B, which can be inserted into the first bracket 671 from the lower end. Thus, when the second bracket 672 is in the first position, at least a portion of the protrusion 672B can be disposed inside the first bracket 671. At the same time, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be fixed to the protrusion 672B, that is, the upper end of the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be inserted into and fixed inside the protrusion 672B. Thus, the side cleaning module composed of the first motor 660, the actuation assembly 670 and the cleaning disc assembly 650 of this disclosure has a smaller height.

[0108] In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is detachably fixed to the protrusion 672B and can be driven and rotated by the protrusion 672B.

[0109] like Figure 6 and Figure 9As shown, the actuation assembly of this disclosure may include a damping element 674, which can be fixed to the housing assembly. For example, the damping element 674 is fixed to the base portion 610 of the housing assembly and is located below the base portion 610. In other words, the actuation assembly 670 of this disclosure can be located entirely below the base portion 610. Accordingly, the output shaft of the first motor 660 or the output shaft of the reducer can pass through the base portion 610 and be drive-connected to the actuation assembly.

[0110] The damping element 674 can be located outside the second support 672. For example, the damping element 674 can be cylindrical and sleeved on the outside of the second support 672, thereby applying a preset damping to the second support 672.

[0111] Specifically, the damping applied by the damping element 674 to the second support 672 must ensure that the second support 672 does not rotate during the rising or falling process, or even if the second support 672 rotates during the rising or falling process, the rotational speed of the second support 672 is less than that of the first support 671. In other words, during the rising or falling process, the second support 672 cannot rotate at the same speed as the first support 671; otherwise, the second support 672 will be unable to rise or fall.

[0112] In a specific embodiment, such as Figure 9 As shown, the damping element 674 includes a base 674A, which is a cylindrical component, and a slot is provided on the side wall of the base 674A. A damping part 674B is provided in the slot, which can apply damping to the second support 672.

[0113] In this disclosure, both ends of the damping portion 674B are connected to the sidewall of the slot via elastic members 674C. Thus, when the second support 672 is not provided inside the damping element 674, at least a portion of the damping portion 674B can be located inside the base 674A. Correspondingly, when the second support 672 is installed inside the damping element 674, the damping element 674 can apply a positive pressure to the second support 672, and the positive pressure causes friction to be formed between the damping element 674 and the second support 672. Furthermore, the damping effect of the damping element 674 on the second support 672 is formed by the friction.

[0114] On the other hand, the damping applied by the damping element 674 to the second support 672 should not be too large. Specifically, the maximum value of the damping applied by the damping element 674 to the second support 672 is set such that when the second support 672 is in the first position or in the second position, and when the second support 672 does not move up or down, the first support 671 can drive the second support 672 to rotate.

[0115] In this disclosure, the number of damping parts 674B can be set to multiple, for example, the number of damping parts 674B can be set to three, and these three damping parts 674B can be evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the base 674A.

[0116] In one example, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is raised or lowered to protrude from or retract from the sidewall. Specifically, when the surface cleaning device is positioned on the surface to be cleaned, which is generally horizontal, the cleaning pad 651 forms a first angle with the surface to be cleaned, the angle being greater than 0°. In other words, when the actuation component 670 is in the second position, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in an operational state. At this time, only the portion of the cleaning pad 651 away from the sidewall can contact the surface to be cleaned. Thus, through the rotation of the cleaning pad 651, frictional contact is achieved between the cleaning pad 651 and the surface to be cleaned, thereby cleaning the surface.

[0117] In this disclosure, the support member 652 has a rotation axis, and the cleaning pad 651 has a rotation axis. The rotation axis of the support member 652 is the same as that of the cleaning pad 651, meaning the cleaning disc assembly 650 has only one rotation axis. In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning pad 651 has a larger diameter than the support member 652.

[0118] Furthermore, the rotation axis of the cleaning disc assembly 650 forms an angle with a vertical line. More specifically, in this disclosure, the rotation axis of the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be located in a vertical plane, and this vertical plane is perpendicular to the front-back direction, which is the direction of movement of the floor brush assembly 600 on the surface to be cleaned when the surface cleaning device cleans the surface. In this vertical plane, the rotation axis of the cleaning disc assembly 650 has a preset angle with the vertical line, that is, the rotation axis of the cleaning disc assembly 650 is set at an inclination. Preferably, the rotation axis of the cleaning disc assembly 650 can also be parallel or substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the motor 660. Thus, the cleaning disc assembly 650 rises and falls relative to a vertical line, and its rotation axis is inclined towards the inside of the floor brush assembly 600, so that in the rising position, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can retract into the side wall, and in the descending position, a portion of the cleaning disc assembly 650 can protrude from the side wall.

[0119] To allow the cleaning disc assembly to move freely on the bottom and side walls of the floor brush assembly 600, such as Figure 10As shown, the base portion 610 of this disclosure restricts the clearance portion 611, and the cleaning disc assembly 650 is at least partially disposed within the clearance portion 611. In the engaged position, at least a portion of the cleaning disc assembly 650 protrudes through the clearance portion 611 and out of the sidewall. Preferably, the anti-collision member 790 is positioned on the sidewall above the clearance portion 611.

[0120] In one example, the lower surface of the base portion 610 is formed to be generally planar, that is, the base portion 610 has a generally planar bottom wall, wherein at least a portion of the bottom wall of the base portion 610 is recessed upward to form a clearance portion 611, thereby the clearance portion 611 includes a clearance space, and the clearance portion 611 includes a clearance side wall 611A, a clearance top wall 611B and a clearance edge 611C; the clearance side wall 611A and the clearance top wall 611B can enclose the clearance space, and the clearance edge 611C is the peripheral area of ​​the clearance space.

[0121] In this disclosure, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is rotatably disposed at the clearance portion, so that when the cleaning disc assembly 650 rotates or when the height of the cleaning disc assembly 650 relative to the bottom wall of the base portion 610 changes, the cleaning disc assembly 650 does not interfere with the clearance edge 611C of the clearance portion 611.

[0122] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in a preferred example, the base portion 610 includes a generally planar sidewall, for example, the sidewall may be located in a vertical plane, and at least a portion of the clearance portion 611 extends on the sidewall. That is, in this disclosure, even when the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the raised position, at least a portion of the cleaning disc assembly 650 may still be located outside the projection of the floor brush assembly 600 on the horizontal plane. Based on this, it is necessary to leave an area in the sidewall of the base portion 610 to clearance the cleaning disc assembly 650, and to allow at least a portion of the clearance portion 611 to extend on the sidewall of the base portion 610.

[0123] Furthermore, the clearance portion 611 forms clearance edges 611C on the bottom wall of the base portion 610, at least one of these clearance edges 611C is inclined, thereby the clearance edge 611C can be substantially parallel to the inclined cleaning tray assembly 650, so as to facilitate the housing of at least a portion of the cleaning tray assembly 650 in the clearance portion 611.

[0124] More preferably, at least a portion of the clearance sidewall 611A of the clearance portion 611 is formed in an arc shape, and accordingly, the disc-shaped cleaning disc assembly 650 can be better accommodated by the arc-shaped clearance sidewall 611A.

[0125] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the base portion 610 of this disclosure includes a vertical sidewall 621, on which at least one roller is disposed. This facilitates maintaining a distance between the sidewall of the base portion 610 (i.e., the sidewall of the floor brush assembly 600) and external objects (e.g., walls) when the surface cleaning device cleans along a wall, thus preventing collisions or wear on the cleaning disc assembly 650. To ensure that the cleaning pad 651 is as close as possible to the junction of the obstacle and the ground, the fibers of the cleaning pad 651 must extend as far beyond the sidewall as possible when the cleaning pad 651 extends out of the sidewall 621. However, to prevent the edge of the rigid support member 652 from colliding with the obstacle and breaking, an anti-collision member 790 is preferably used to restrict the distance between the edge of the support member 652 and the obstacle. In one example, the function of the anti-collision member 790 can be implemented by a roller or by a slider, in which case the slider is formed as a protrusion extending outward from the sidewall 621. Thus, the anti-collision component 790 of this disclosure is located on the side wall of the cleaning body and the outer edge of the anti-collision component 790 protrudes from the side wall.

[0126] like Figure 11 As shown, when the sidewall 621 approaches an obstacle (e.g., a wall), the roller slides or rolls against the obstacle to create an isolation distance D between the sidewall 621 and the obstacle. This isolation distance D should be less than the maximum distance the cleaning pad 651 extends beyond the sidewall 621 so that the cleaning pad can reach the joint. At the same time, this isolation distance D should be greater than the maximum distance the support 652 extends beyond the sidewall 621 to avoid the support colliding with the obstacle.

[0127] More specifically, such as Figure 12 As shown, when the surface cleaning device operates along the edge of an obstacle, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is positioned in engagement with the surface to be cleaned. At least a portion of the support 652 and the cleaning pad 651 protrude from the sidewall 621, and in a direction perpendicular to the sidewall, the outer edge of the anti-collision component (roller) is located between the outer edge of the support 652 and the outer edge of the cleaning pad (the dashed line in the figure represents the outline of the obstacle's outer edge). Therefore, when the roller abuts against the obstacle's outer edge, the cleaning pad 651 is interference-engaged with the obstacle's outer edge to effectively remove dirt from the junction between the obstacle and the ground. The rigid support 652 is able to isolate itself from the obstacle's outer edge when the roller abuts against it, thereby preventing direct collision between the support 652 and the obstacle and potential damage.

[0128] Preferably, two anti-collision components are provided, which are laterally spaced on the sidewall in the horizontal direction, thereby guiding the cleaning body and preventing it from veering off course. More preferably, two or more anti-collision components 790 are laterally spaced on the sidewall at the same horizontal height.

[0129] Taking the roller as an example, the axis of rotation of the roller is set roughly vertically, so that both rollers can roll in contact with the wall, thereby effectively reducing the frictional resistance between the surface cleaning device and the wall, and the surface cleaning device will not collide with the wall.

[0130] Preferably, the anti-collision component 790 is located on the right side wall in the direction of forward movement of the cleaning body, so that when the user pushes the surface cleaning device forward for cleaning, the anti-collision component 790 can come into contact with objects such as the wall on the right side of the surface cleaning device.

[0131] The floor brush assembly 600 disclosed herein also includes a liquid supply assembly 680, through which cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning disc assembly 650.

[0132] The liquid supply assembly 680 disclosed herein can be connected to a liquid supply pump; of course, the liquid supply assembly 680 can also be connected to the cleaning liquid tank 300 via a separately configured pump.

[0133] Specifically, the liquid supply assembly 680 may include a valve device 681 and a spray head 682; wherein, the valve device 681 can be fixed to the base portion 610 of the housing assembly, thereby the valve device 681 can be driven by an actuation assembly 670 (e.g., the second bracket 672 of the actuated assembly 670) to be in an open or closed state, wherein, when the valve device 681 is in the open state, cleaning liquid can be supplied to the cleaning tray assembly 650 through the liquid supply assembly 680, and when the valve device 681 is in the closed state, the liquid supply assembly 680 cannot supply cleaning liquid to the cleaning tray assembly 650.

[0134] In another embodiment, since the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be fixedly connected to the second bracket 672 of the actuation assembly 670, it can also be considered that the valve device 681 can be driven by the cleaning disc assembly 650 to be in an open or closed state.

[0135] The valve device 681 disclosed herein includes a valve body 681A, a valve stem 681B, and a valve cover 681C; wherein, the valve body 681A forms a liquid flow path, which can be arranged along the axial direction of the valve body 681A; at the same time, the valve body 681A also includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, both of which are connected to the liquid flow path of the valve body 681A; wherein, the inlet pipe can be connected to a liquid supply pump, and the outlet pipe can be connected to a spray head 682.

[0136] The valve cover 681C is disposed at the upper end of the valve body 681A and closes the valve body 681A from the top. The valve stem 681B is inserted into the valve body 681A from the lower end, so that the valve stem 681B has an open position and a closed position. When the valve stem 681B is in the open position, the valve device 681 can be in the open state. Correspondingly, when the valve stem 681B is in the closed position, the valve device 681 can be in the closed state.

[0137] In this disclosure, the valve stem 681B can be driven by the actuation assembly 670 to move between an open position and a closed position. Specifically, when the second support 672 of the actuation assembly 670 is in the second position, the valve stem 681B is in the open position; when the second support 672 moves upward from the second position to the first position, the second support 672 can drive the valve stem 681B to rise and move from the open position to the closed position. When the second support 672 descends and moves from the first position to the second position, the valve stem 681B can move from the open position to the closed position under the action of the spring 681D.

[0138] When the valve stem 681B is driven by the spring 681D and moves downward, the valve stem 681B can be in the open position, thus connecting the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

[0139] In this disclosure, the lower end of the second bracket 672 of the actuation assembly 670 has an outer flange. The lower end of the valve stem 681B can contact the upper surface of the outer flange of the second bracket 672. Therefore, when the second bracket 672 rotates, the lower end of the valve stem 681B can slide against the upper surface of the outer flange of the second bracket 672, thus the valve stem 681B will not affect the rotation of the second bracket 672 of the actuation assembly 670. Correspondingly, when the second bracket 672 moves upward, that is, when the second bracket 672 moves from the second position to the first position, the valve stem 681B is driven to move upward, and correspondingly, the valve stem 681B can move from the open position to the closed position. When the second bracket 672 moves downward, the valve stem 681B is allowed to move downward, and correspondingly, under the action of the restoring force provided by the spring 681D, the valve stem 681B can move from the closed position to the open position.

[0140] In this disclosure, the valve stem 681B includes a first sealing part 681B1 and a second sealing part 681B2. One end of the spring can be abutted on the valve cover, and the other end of the spring can be abutted on the second sealing part 681B2. Both the first sealing part 681B1 and the second sealing part 681B2 can make sealing contact with the inner wall of the liquid flow path of the valve body 681A.

[0141] Furthermore, the first sealing part 681B1 is positioned so as to always be below the outlet pipe; the second sealing part 681B2 is positioned such that it can be located between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, and can be located below the outlet pipe, but not above the inlet pipe. Therefore, during the up-and-down movement of the valve stem 681B, the valve device can be in an open or closed state. Specifically, when the valve stem 681B is in the open position, the second sealing part 681B2 is located below the outlet pipe; when the valve stem 681B is in the closed position, the second sealing part 681B2 is located between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

[0142] In this disclosure, since the valve stem 681B needs to be driven by the actuation assembly 670, the lower end of the valve stem 681B can pass through the clearance top wall 611B of the clearance portion 611 and be located within the clearance space of the clearance portion 611.

[0143] The spray head 682 is disposed on the base portion 610, and one end of the spray head 682 can pass through the side wall of the clearance portion 611 and be located in the clearance space of the clearance portion 611. Thus, the cleaning liquid provided by the spray head 682 can be provided to the cleaning disc assembly 650, for example, to the hollow of the rubber-coated portion 653 of the cleaning disc assembly 650.

[0144] Considering the improved operability of the cleaning tray assembly 650, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the floor brush assembly 600 of this disclosure also includes a sensor assembly 690, which is configured to at least generate usage data indicating that the surface cleaning device is approaching the sidewall of an obstacle. The sensor assembly 690 can be disposed on the base portion 610 of the floor brush assembly 600, for example, on the cleaning fluid tank 300 of the base portion 610; of course, the sensor assembly 690 can also be disposed on the base portion 610 of the base portion 610. More preferably, the sensor assembly 690 can be located above the cleaning disc assembly 650.

[0145] In one example, sensor assembly 690 can be a proximity sensor, such as a distance sensor, used to detect a first distance between the sidewall of the floor brush assembly 600 and a wall (i.e., an external object). In this case, the distance sensor can be mounted on the sidewall. In a preferred embodiment, the distance sensor can be an optical sensor.

[0146] In some examples, the sidewalls of the floor brush assembly 600 are arranged generally vertically. Specifically, the sidewall of the base portion 610 of the floor brush assembly 600 is formed as a generally vertical plane, which is generally perpendicular to the lateral direction of the floor brush assembly 600. More specifically, the base portion 610 of the floor brush assembly 600 and / or the cleaning fluid tank 300 both include generally vertically arranged sidewalls. Accordingly, a sensor assembly 690 is disposed on this generally vertical sidewall, thereby enabling accurate detection of the distance between the sidewall of the floor brush assembly 600 and the sidewall of the obstacle.

[0147] The floor brush assembly 600 of this disclosure may further include a self-cleaning component 700, wherein the self-cleaning component 700 is detachably mounted on the floor brush assembly 600 of the surface cleaning device to self-clean the cleaning disc assembly 650 in real time during operation of the surface cleaning device and during self-cleaning. Specifically, when the cleaning disc assembly 650 changes from a raised position to a lower position, at least a portion of the cleaning disc assembly 650 interferes with the self-cleaning component 700 so that, through the rotation of the cleaning disc assembly 650, the self-cleaning component 700 scrapes away dirt adhering to the cleaning disc assembly 650.

[0148] When users need to maintain the cleaning tray assembly and the self-cleaning component 700, they can remove the cleaning tray assembly and the self-cleaning component 700 from the base 610, and then clean or replace the cleaning tray assembly, as well as clean and maintain the self-cleaning component 700.

[0149] In this disclosure, such as Figure 4 As shown, the self-cleaning component 700 is mounted on the base portion 610. For example, the self-cleaning component 700 can be fixed to the bottom wall of the base portion 610, and at least a portion of the self-cleaning component 700 is located below the base portion 610 and below the cleaning tray assembly. Therefore, during disassembly, the removal and replacement of components of the cleaning tray assembly 650 (e.g., cleaning pad 651 and support 652) depends on the removal of the self-cleaning component 700. That is, the user needs to remove the self-cleaning component 700 first, and then remove the cleaning tray assembly 650.

[0150] In some examples, during operation, the roller and agitator 630 support the floor brush assembly 600, for example, the base portion 610 of the floor brush assembly, and prevent the self-cleaning component 700 from interfering with the surface to be cleaned; that is, during the operation of the surface cleaning device, the bottom surface of the self-cleaning component 700 is spaced apart from the surface to be cleaned, so that the self-cleaning component 700 does not come into contact with the surface to be cleaned. Thus, the self-cleaning component 700 will not damage the surface to be cleaned, and the surface to be cleaned will not damage the self-cleaning component 700.

[0151] In one specific embodiment, the cleaning component of this disclosure may include a body 714, wherein a cleaning chamber 715 is formed on the body 714. At least a portion of the cleaning disc assembly 650 is located within the cleaning chamber 715, and when the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in a position engaging with the surface to be cleaned, a scraper 705 disposed within the cleaning chamber 715 engages with the cleaning disc assembly 650; thereby, when the cleaning disc assembly 650 cleans the surface to be cleaned, the self-cleaning member 700 can simultaneously remove dirt from the cleaning disc assembly 650, thus preventing the dirty cleaning disc assembly 650 from failing to effectively clean the surface to be cleaned. In other words, when the cleaning disc assembly 650 rotates in the position engaging with the surface to be cleaned, the scraper 705 engages with the cleaning disc assembly 650 to scrape away dirt from the cleaning disc assembly 650. In a preferred embodiment, the scraper 705 can be detachably disposed within the cleaning chamber 715.

[0152] In one specific embodiment, a socket is provided on the bottom wall of the base portion 610, which can be formed as a recess on the bottom wall of the base portion 610. The self-cleaning component 700 is configured to be detachably inserted into the socket on the bottom wall. That is, when the self-cleaning component 700 is installed on the base portion 610, at least a portion of it can be inserted into the recess of the base portion 610, and correspondingly, at least a portion of the cleaning tray assembly 650 is located within the cleaning chamber 715.

[0153] In this disclosure, the main body 714 is provided with a snap-fit ​​portion 718, through which the self-cleaning component 700 is connected to or removed from the bottom wall. Specifically, the main body 714 of this disclosure includes a length direction and a width direction, and two snap-fit ​​portions 718 are provided, respectively located on both sides of the width direction of the main body 714. The snap-fit ​​portion 718 can be configured as an elastically deformable component, so that when pressure is applied to the snap-fit ​​portion 718 (for example, when the bottom wall of the base portion 610 applies force to the snap-fit ​​portion 718), the snap-fit ​​portion 718 can approach the main body 714 to facilitate pressing the snap-fit ​​portion 718 into the bottom wall of the base portion 610. After the snap-fit ​​portion 718 is pressed into the base portion 610, the snap-fit ​​portion 718 can be engaged into the side wall of the base portion 610 under the action of an elastic restoring force. Conversely, during operation, when the self-cleaning part 700 needs to be disassembled, the user can apply force to the snap-fit ​​part 718, thereby bringing the snap-fit ​​part 718 closer to the main body 714. Thus, the user can apply force in a direction away from the base part 610, thereby removing the snap-fit ​​part 718 from the base part 610.

[0154] Additionally, a guide portion 720 is provided on the main body 714, through which the self-cleaning component 700 is guided to connect to or detach from the bottom wall. In a preferred embodiment, the guide portion 720 can be a guide protrusion, and correspondingly, a guide groove is provided on the base portion 610. The guide protrusion slides within the guide groove, thereby guiding the self-cleaning component 700 during installation and removal, thus facilitating the installation and removal of the self-cleaning component 700.

[0155] In one example, such as Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, the self-cleaning component 700 is connected to the nozzle or recovery pipe of the floor brush assembly 600 via a suction port 710 and a dirt recovery pipe 709 communicating with the suction port 710; more preferably, the suction port 710 of this disclosure can be fixed to the base portion 610 and located inside the base portion 610. That is, after the self-cleaning component 700 of this disclosure removes dirt and cleaning liquid from the cleaning tray assembly 650, the dirt and cleaning liquid are moved to the dirt storage portion formed by the base plate 701 of the self-cleaning component 700, and then sucked into the nozzle or recovery pipe via the suction port 710, and then enter the dirt recovery box 400 with the airflow in the recovery pipe.

[0156] In one example of this disclosure, the dirt recovery pipe 709 has an outlet 708. After the self-cleaning component 700 is properly engaged with the bottom wall of the floor brush assembly 600, the outlet 708 can connect to the suction nozzle or recovery pipe of the floor brush assembly 600. Thus, under the negative pressure of the surface cleaning device, dirt entering through the suction port 710 can be transferred through the dirt recovery pipe 709 to the outlet 708 and further sucked into the suction nozzle or recovery pipe for recovery. In one example, to ensure the sealing of the outlet 708 and the recovery path on the floor brush assembly, a sealing ring 7081 is provided around the outlet 708 to prevent dirt from leaking from the connection between the outlet 708 and the floor brush assembly.

[0157] Generally speaking, a recycling pipe is provided inside the cleaning body (e.g., the base 610). The recycling pipe is located at the bottom of the cleaning body and is configured such that when the self-cleaning component is connected to the bottom wall, the dirt storage area is fluidly connected to the recycling pipe. More preferably, a fluid transmission pipe communicating with the dirt storage area is formed inside the self-cleaning component, and when the self-cleaning component is connected to the bottom wall, the dirt storage area and the recycling pipe are fluidly connected through the fluid transmission pipe.

[0158] like Figure 18 In a preferred example shown, an actuator 704 and a cover 707 are provided near the suction port 710. The actuator 704 and the cover 707 can be disposed within the cleaning chamber 715 and together form a normally closed structure, which is configured to be held in the closed position by bias pressure.

[0159] Specifically, the actuator 704 is configured to hold the cover 707 in a closed position by bias pressure, thereby controlling the actuator 704 to open or close the fluid flow between the suction port 710 and the nozzle or recovery line via the cover 707. In the non-operating state of the cleaning disc assembly, the suction port 710 should be normally closed to prevent pressure relief from the vacuum suction port of the floor brush assembly 600. When the cleaning disc assembly descends to engage the surface to be cleaned, the suction port 710 should remain open to utilize the vacuum force to recover the dirt scraped off the cleaning disc assembly by the self-cleaning component into the wastewater tank.

[0160] In one example, such as Figure 20 and Figure 21 As shown, the actuating part 704 includes a lever structure, the lever including a first end L1, a second end L2 opposite to the first end L1, and a fulcrum L3 located between the first end L1 and the second end L2; the actuating part 704 is formed on the first end L1 for receiving external actuating force; the cover plate 707 is connected to the second end L2. This lever structure should be configured such that when the actuating part 704 is not subjected to external force, the cover plate 707 naturally biases against the suction port 710 and closes the suction port through the lever action. When the vacuuming action of the surface cleaning equipment is activated, the suction port 710 is connected to the vacuum motor air passage. Under the action of the vacuuming force, the biasing force of the cover plate 707 at the suction port 710 can be further strengthened, thereby ensuring that the suction port 710 is stably in a closed state. In a preferred embodiment, this biasing force can be provided by an elastic element, which can be a torsion spring, and the torsion spring can be located at the fulcrum.

[0161] To facilitate the smooth descent of the cover plate 707 into the suction port 710, the interface between the suction port 710 and the cover plate 707 should be at an angle to the vertical. In one example, the cover plate 707 includes a flat portion, through which the straight extension of the lever structure passes but is not perpendicular to the flat portion. This angled contact interface ensures that when the second end L2 of the lever falls, the cover plate 707 smoothly engages with the contact interface and seals the suction port 710.

[0162] When the first end L1 is subjected to an external force, under the action of a lever, if the torque generated by the external force is greater than the torque generated by at least one of the gravity of the cover plate 707 and the vacuum force of the suction port 710, then the cover plate 707 moves away from the contact interface position of the suction port 710, and the suction port 710 is opened. Specifically, in the example of this disclosure, when the cleaning disc assembly 650 of this disclosure is in the working state (at this time, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the lowered position), the cleaning disc assembly 650 engages with the first end L1 and applies an actuating force to the first end. The actuating force is sufficient to open the cover plate so that when the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the lowered position, the dirty liquid mixture scraped off by the self-scraper 705 is sucked into the dirty recovery tank 400.

[0163] In one example, an auxiliary self-cleaning component L11 is provided at the contact point between the first end L1 and the cleaning disc assembly, so that self-cleaning is achieved while abutting the actuating part 704 when the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the lowered position. On the other hand, when the cleaning disc assembly 650 of this disclosure is in a non-working state (at which time the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the raised position), the first end L1 loses the effect of external actuation force, and the suction port 710 is closed by the cover plate under the action of at least one of the gravity of the cover plate 707 and the vacuum suction force of the suction port 710. This allows the negative pressure to be completely provided to the suction nozzle, improving the cleaning effect of the floor brush assembly 600. At the same time, since the electric suction source can operate at a lower power, the battery life of the surface cleaning equipment can also be improved.

[0164] In one example of this disclosure, such as Figure 19 As shown, a solid-liquid separator 711 is provided on the side of the base plate 701 near the suction port 710. During operation, the solid-liquid separator 711 can intercept larger dirt particles. Thus, the suction port 710 can draw in the solid-liquid mixture stored in the self-cleaning component 700. Correspondingly, larger dirt particles are retained within the base plate 701 of the self-cleaning component 700, effectively preventing solids in the solid-liquid mixture from clogging the liquid flow path of the suction port 710 when the diameter of the liquid flow path is small. In this disclosure, the solid-liquid separator 711 includes at least one extension extending upward from the bottom surface of the main body 714. When multiple extensions are provided, they are arranged side-by-side. A gap exists between two adjacent extensions, allowing the extension to block solid waste, while liquid can flow through the gap between the extensions, thereby achieving solid-liquid separation. Overall, the extensions form an interception section, thus achieving solid-liquid separation.

[0165] After the surface cleaning equipment has completed the cleaning operation, the self-cleaning component 700 can be removed from the base 610 of the floor brush assembly 600 so that the solids in the solid-liquid mixture held in the self-cleaning component 700 can be cleaned in a timely manner.

[0166] The specific structure is as follows: Figure 18 As shown, the self-cleaning component 700 disclosed herein may include: a main body 714, which may include a base plate 701, a first side plate 702 extending outward from the base plate 701, a second side plate 703, and a scraper 705, etc.

[0167] The base plate 701 includes a length direction and a width direction. In the length direction, along the direction close to the suction port, the upper surface of the base plate 701 is inclined downward, which is conducive to the liquid flowing towards the suction port 710 under the action of gravity.

[0168] The base plate 701 has a first side plate 702 and a second side plate 703 on both sides along the length direction in the width direction. In this disclosure, the first side plate 702 and the second side plate 703 have approximately the same structure and are symmetrically arranged.

[0169] The base plate 701 is also provided with a baffle component 706. In this disclosure, the baffle component 706 is located at one end of the base plate 701 in the length direction (the end away from the suction port). Thus, the base plate 701, the first side plate 702, the second side plate 703 and the baffle component 706 of this disclosure can together form the cleaning chamber 715 of this disclosure.

[0170] The base plate 701 is also provided with a scraper 705, which includes a serrated part 705B and a scraper part 705A disposed adjacent to the serrated part 705B. The serrated part 705B is closer to the dirt storage area than the scraper part 705A, so as to scrape off the liquid and the adhering solid dirt on the cleaning pad at the same time.

[0171] In this disclosure, the serrated portion includes a base and a plurality of tooth tips extending upward from the base, and the scraper portion includes an upwardly extending edge, the tooth tips not exceeding the edge of the scraper portion. That is, in the vertical direction, the height of the serrated portion 705B is lower than that of the scraper portion 705A, thereby preventing the serrated portion 705B from rapidly damaging the cleaning pad 651.

[0172] The scraper 705 of this disclosure has an extension length that is substantially the same as the radius of the cleaning pad of the cleaning disc assembly of the face cleaning device, thereby enabling the scraper 705 of this disclosure to completely clean the dirt on the cleaning pad without leaving any areas uncleaned.

[0173] Generally speaking, one side of the scraper 705 of this disclosure is formed as a dirt storage area, which is part of the cleaning chamber 715. Accordingly, the dirt storage area is capable of storing dirt from the cleaning tray assembly 650. In a preferred embodiment, the dirt storage area and the scraper 705 can together form a self-cleaning assembly.

[0174] The scraper 705 is configured to extend upward from the upper surface of the base plate 701 by a predetermined distance. That is, the scraper 705 of this disclosure has a predetermined dimension in the height direction, and the upper end of the scraper 705 is higher than the upper end of the second side plate 703, and also higher than the upper end of the first side plate 702. In other words, when the cleaning tray assembly 650 of this disclosure is in the working state, i.e., in the lowered position, at least a portion of the cleaning tray assembly 650 can interfere with the scraper 705, but not with the first side plate 702, and correspondingly, not with the second side plate 703. Thus, the dirt and cleaning liquid carried on the cleaning tray assembly 650 can be scraped off by the scraper 705 and recycled into the aforementioned dirt storage section. In other words, considering that the cleaning disc assembly 650 has different rotation directions, the dirt and cleaning liquid scraped by the scraper 705 can be recycled to the area between the scraper 705 and the first side plate 702, or to the area between the scraper 705 and the second side plate 703; then, the dirt and cleaning liquid can flow to the suction port 710 under the action of gravity and negative pressure adsorption.

[0175] In a preferred example, one end of the scraper 705 is connected to the base plate 701, and the portion of the scraper 705 located on the base plate 701 has a through hole 705C, so that the solid-liquid mixture on both sides of the scraper 705 can flow toward the suction port 710.

[0176] The surface cleaning apparatus of this disclosure may further include a controller, to which a sensor assembly 690 is connected. The controller is able to receive a distance signal between the floor brush assembly 600 and the wall detected by the sensor assembly 690, and control the movement of the motor 660 based on this distance. Specifically, the controller can turn the power supply to the motor 660 on and off, and output a steering control signal to the motor 660. When the power supply to the motor 660 is turned on, the motor 660 is in a working state, and correspondingly, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is also in a working state. Thus, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can clean the surface to be cleaned, especially, for example, the junction between the wall and the floor, or switch between raised and lowered positions. When the power supply to the motor 660 is turned off, the motor 660 is in a non-working state, and correspondingly, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is also in a non-working state.

[0177] The controller can compare the first distance detected by the sensor assembly 690 between the floor brush assembly 600 and the wall with a preset distance threshold. When the first distance is greater than the preset distance threshold, it indicates that the floor brush assembly 600 is not close to the wall. At this time, when the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the raised position, the controller keeps the cleaning disc assembly 650 in the raised position. When the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the lowered position, the controller can control the motor 660 to reverse, thereby raising the cleaning disc assembly 650 from the lowered position to the raised position and putting the cleaning disc assembly 650 in a non-working state. After the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the raised position, the power supply to the motor 660 is turned off.

[0178] In another scenario, when the first distance is less than or equal to a preset distance threshold, it indicates that the floor brush assembly 600 is operating close to the wall. At this time, when the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the raised position, the power supply to the motor 660 is turned on, causing the motor 660 to be in working condition. When the motor 660 is in working condition, it can cause the cleaning disc assembly 650 to descend, that is, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be lowered from the raised position to the lowered position. In the lowered position, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can clean the surface to be cleaned. When the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the lowered position, the motor 660 is kept in working condition so that the cleaning disc assembly 650 can continuously clean the surface to be cleaned.

[0179] In one example, when the surface cleaning device first enters the edge cleaning mode (i.e., the controller determines that it is approaching the edge of an obstacle and is about to perform edge cleaning), the controller causes the cleaning disc assembly 650 to descend to a position engaging with the surface to be cleaned. At this time, the liquid distributor assembly is activated, and cleaning fluid is applied to the cleaning disc assembly 650. Since this is the first time the surface cleaning device is performing this action, the cleaning pad of the cleaning disc assembly 650 is usually in a relatively dry state. To avoid a decrease in cleaning power at the beginning of edge cleaning, the aforementioned liquid supply assembly 680 is usually required to ensure that the cleaning fluid in the cleaning disc assembly 650 quickly reaches a certain saturation level to rapidly wet the cleaning pad. In one example, the liquid distribution power of the liquid supply assembly 680 is configured to be adjustable. During the initial liquid supply, in order to ensure that the cleaning disc assembly quickly reaches the target liquid saturation, the cleaning fluid should be distributed at maximum power for a period of time during the initial stage. For example, after the initial start-up, the liquid supply assembly 680 is configured to deliver liquid to the cleaning disc assembly 650 at maximum power, so that the liquid saturation of the cleaning pad is between 30% and 50%, in order to quickly achieve the cleaning power of wet cleaning.

[0180] In one example, after the surface cleaning device initiates edge cleaning related actions (e.g., the cleaning disc assembly 650 descends to engage with the surface to be cleaned, and further applies cleaning fluid to the cleaning disc assembly 650), if the sensor assembly 690 first senses that the preset distance threshold is not met, it will not immediately stop the related edge cleaning actions. This is to avoid real-time operational errors of the cleaning device causing the surface cleaning device to temporarily move away from the obstacle edge, for example, the surface cleaning device temporarily moves away from the obstacle edge without actually stopping the continuous edge cleaning command. At this time, the controller should determine the duration of the sensing signal. If the duration of the identified distance threshold feature disappearing is not greater than the threshold, the surface cleaning device will maintain the related edge cleaning actions and will not immediately stop the engagement of the cleaning disc assembly with the surface to be cleaned.

[0181] In a similar working process, the controller of this disclosure can also increase and decrease the output power of the motor 660; specifically, when the first distance is greater than a preset distance threshold, if the motor 660 is in working state, the output power of the motor 660 can be reduced; when the first distance is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, the output power of the motor 660 can be increased over time, thereby enabling the cleaning disc assembly 650 to have a better edge cleaning effect.

[0182] On the other hand, the controller disclosed herein can also increase and decrease the rotational speed of the motor 660. Specifically, when the first distance is greater than a preset distance threshold, if the motor 660 is in operation, the rotational speed of the motor 660 can be reduced; when the first distance is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, the rotational speed of the motor 660 can be increased over time, thereby enabling the cleaning disc assembly 650 to have a better edge cleaning effect.

[0183] In one example, the controller controls the pumping power of the liquid dispenser and reduces the power of the liquid dispenser when the liquid saturation of the cleaning pad reaches the expected level during one operating cycle of the first edge cleaning mode. This reduces the rate of consumption of the cleaning liquid and avoids oversaturation of the cleaning pad, which could result in excessive water residue on the surface to be cleaned.

[0184] In this disclosure, the controller processes usage data of the motor 660 and receives notifications that maintenance of the cleaning disc assembly 650 is required based on the usage data of the motor 660. Specifically, the notifications for maintenance of the cleaning disc assembly 650 include: the cleaning disc assembly 650 is tangled; the cleaning disc assembly 650 is stuck in rotation; and / or, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is stuck in movement, etc.

[0185] In addition, the controller processes the usage data of the motor 660 and obtains a notification that the cleaning pad 651 needs maintenance based on the usage data of the motor 660. Specifically, the surface cleaning device of this disclosure may also include a current sensor for detecting the current flowing through the motor 660; thereby, the controller can obtain the operating time of the motor 660 based on the current flowing through the current sensor, and correspondingly, can obtain the operating time of the cleaning pad 651 based on the operating time of the motor 660; when the operating time of the cleaning pad 651 exceeds a first preset time threshold, the cleaning pad 651 needs to be cleaned. At this time, the surface cleaning device can dock at the base station and perform self-cleaning of the cleaning pad 651 of the surface cleaning device through the base station.

[0186] When the controller detects that the surface cleaning device is located on the base station, according to the instruction information of the self-cleaning cycle, the surface cleaning device performs the following actions: initiating the first self-cleaning action, including lowering the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device to a state of engagement with the self-cleaning component of the cleaning disc assembly and rotating it at least once. The self-cleaning component can scrape off the stains adhering to the cleaning pad. The specific description of the self-cleaning component will be described in detail below.

[0187] In one example, the cleaning disc assembly can be operated in a continuous or intermittent manner while maintaining engagement with the self-cleaning component. By setting instructions, the rotation in the engagement state can be maintained continuously for a period of time until most of the stains on the cleaning pad are removed.

[0188] After the engagement action is completed, the cleaning pad of the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be heat-treated to dry it quickly and prevent odors. In one example, the cleaning pad is heat-dried by a hot airflow generated by the base station. During heat drying, the controller can send a command to the motor 660 to drive the actuator 670 to control the cleaning pad away from the self-cleaning component, so that the hot airflow has sufficient space to flow.

[0189] In one example, the motor 660 can be driven in both directions according to instructions, so that the actuation component 670 moves repeatedly within the stroke of the lower and upper positions and maintains the lifting and rotating of the cleaning disc assembly, thereby further enhancing the airflow rate on the surface of the cleaning pad and thus further shortening the duration of heat drying.

[0190] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a control method for a surface cleaning device is provided, which can be implemented based on the surface cleaning device described above.

[0191] The control method of the surface cleaning equipment disclosed herein includes:

[0192] The surface cleaning equipment detects and identifies features that indicate that the distance between the surface cleaning equipment and the side obstacle is not greater than a set value.

[0193] During one operating cycle of the surface cleaning equipment, upon detecting a recognized feature, the surface cleaning equipment performs the following actions:

[0194] The surface cleaning equipment initiates a first action, which includes lowering the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning equipment to engage simultaneously with the surface to be cleaned and the self-cleaning component, the self-cleaning component being detachably disposed on the bottom wall of the surface cleaning equipment.

[0195] During the first action, if the duration of the identification feature disappearance is not greater than a threshold, the surface cleaning device maintains the first action; otherwise, the surface cleaning device initiates the second action, which includes raising the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device and disengaging it from the surface to be cleaned and the self-cleaning component.

[0196] In other words, when the surface cleaning device is determined to be near a corner such as a wall, the cleaning disc assembly is controlled to contact and clean the surface to be cleaned, thus achieving wet cleaning of corners and other areas.

[0197] Additionally, when the duration of the identified feature is less than a threshold, the surface cleaning equipment can be controlled to maintain its primary behavior to prevent frequent raising and lowering of the cleaning disc assembly. Simultaneously, the cleaning disc assembly's cleaning of the surface also serves as a reasonable supplement to the agitator's cleaning of the surface.

[0198] In this disclosure, during the first act, a liquid dispenser dispenses liquid to a cleaning tray assembly, thereby enabling the cleaning tray assembly to perform wet cleaning of the surface to be cleaned, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the surface cleaning equipment on the surface to be cleaned.

[0199] The control method for the surface cleaning equipment also includes: during the first operation, the liquid distribution power of the liquid distributor is set to be variable. Specifically,

[0200] The control method for the surface cleaning equipment also includes: during an operating cycle, for the first action of initial startup, the liquid distribution power of the liquid distributor is set to the maximum, thereby enabling the liquid distributor to quickly provide cleaning liquid to the cleaning tray assembly, so that the cleaning tray assembly can be in a state capable of wet cleaning the surface to be cleaned as soon as possible.

[0201] In the control method of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, identification features are obtained by using usage data generated by a distance sensor indicating that the surface cleaning device is approaching a wall. Based on these identification features, the power supply to the motor can be turned on and off; the output power of the motor can be increased and decreased; and / or, the output shaft speed of the motor can be increased and decreased.

[0202] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a control method for a surface cleaning device is provided, which can be implemented based on the surface cleaning device described above.

[0203] In the control method of the surface cleaning device, the surface cleaning device detects and identifies features that indicate that the surface cleaning device is located on the base station; that is, when the surface cleaning device is located on the base station, the self-cleaning program of the surface cleaning device can be activated.

[0204] At this point, upon detecting the identification feature, the surface cleaning equipment performs the following actions:

[0205] Initiating the first action, the first action includes lowering the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device to a state of engagement with the self-cleaning component and rotating it at least one revolution, the self-cleaning component being detachably disposed on the bottom wall of the surface cleaning device;

[0206] Within the first action's operating schedule, liquid is dispensed to the cleaning tray assembly according to the first schedule;

[0207] After the first action's operation schedule is fully completed, the second action is initiated, which includes raising the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device to disengage from the self-cleaning component.

[0208] During the second action's operating schedule, hot airflow is distributed to the cleaning disc assembly.

[0209] Therefore, the surface cleaning device of this disclosure can self-clean the cleaning tray assembly by a combination of the first and second actions when docked at a base station; in particular, during the self-cleaning of the cleaning tray assembly, the cleaning tray assembly can be cleaned more thoroughly by providing cleaning liquid to the cleaning tray assembly.

[0210] The first action involves continuously or intermittently rotating the cleaning tray assembly. This first action enables the cleaning tray assembly to engage with the self-cleaning component, allowing the self-cleaning component to clean the cleaning tray assembly. More preferably, the start of the first timetable is later than the start of the first action's operating timetable, and the end is earlier than the end of the first action's operating timetable. That is, considering that the first action requires lowering the cleaning tray assembly, the start of the first timetable being later than the start of the first action's operating timetable allows cleaning fluid to be supplied to the cleaning tray assembly only when it engages with the self-cleaning component, thus saving cleaning fluid and facilitating control over the fluid supply to the cleaning tray assembly. Furthermore, stopping the supply of cleaning fluid to the cleaning tray assembly before the first action ends ensures that most of the fluid in the cleaning tray assembly is scraped away by the self-cleaning component at the end of the first action, leaving only a small amount of cleaning fluid, allowing the cleaning tray assembly to be dried as quickly as possible.

[0211] Within the operating schedule of the second action, the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device first rises to disengage from the self-cleaning component, and then descends to engage with the self-cleaning component. This allows the cleaning disc assembly to move up and down and / or rotate during the drying process, thereby increasing the surface airflow speed of the cleaning disc assembly and allowing the cleaning disc to dry faster. Preferably, at least one combination of rising and falling is performed within the operating schedule of the second action.

[0212] Within the first action's operating schedule, when the identification feature disappears, the cleaning tray assembly of the surface cleaning device rises and disengages from the self-cleaning component, and liquid dispensing to the cleaning tray assembly ceases. In other words, when the identification feature disappears, indicating that the surface cleaning device has left the base station, stopping liquid dispensing to the cleaning tray assembly at this point avoids improper liquid dispensing.

[0213] Furthermore, during the second action's operating schedule, when the identification feature disappears, the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device rises and disengages from the self-cleaning component, and the distribution of hot airflow to the cleaning disc assembly stops, thereby ceasing the drying of the cleaning disc assembly.

[0214] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning device may further include a communication component and a controller. The communication component is configured to at least generate usage data indicating that the surface cleaning device is located on a base station. The controller detects the presence of an identification feature based on the usage data generated by the communication component and generates a control signal indicating that the surface cleaning device is located on a base station. The control signal is configured to at least: perform a first action that lowers the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device to a state of engagement with a self-cleaning component and rotates it at least one revolution, the self-cleaning component being detachably disposed on the bottom wall of the surface cleaning device; during the operation schedule of the first action, distribute liquid from the cleaning fluid tank to the cleaning disc assembly according to the first time schedule; after the operation schedule of the first action is completed, perform a second action that raises the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device to disengage from the self-cleaning component; during the operation schedule of the second action, distribute hot airflow to the cleaning disc assembly.

[0215] In this embodiment, the base station includes a hot airflow generator that distributes hot airflow to the cleaning disc assembly of the surface cleaning device during the operation schedule of the second action.

[0216] The control method for the surface cleaning device may include: obtaining usage data generated by the sensor assembly 690 indicating that the surface cleaning device is approaching a wall; and, based on the usage data generated by the sensor assembly 690, turning the power supply to the motor 660 on and off; increasing and decreasing the output power of the motor 660; and / or increasing and decreasing the rotational speed of the motor 660; and / or changing the output direction of the motor 660's shaft; turning the power supply to the liquid supply assembly 680 on and off; and increasing and decreasing the output power of the liquid supply assembly 680, etc.

[0217] Additionally, the control method of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein may also include: turning on and off the power supply to the electric suction source based on usage data generated by the sensor assembly 690; and / or increasing and decreasing the suction power of the electric suction source.

[0218] In a preferred embodiment, the control method of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein may further include: obtaining the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 300; and obtaining the amount of cleaning liquid used during the operating cycle of the motor 660 based on the change in the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 300.

[0219] The control method of the surface cleaning equipment disclosed herein may further include: acquiring usage data of the motor 660, and obtaining a notification that maintenance of the cleaning disc assembly 650 is required based on the usage data of the motor 660; specifically, the usage data of the motor 660 includes the current flowing through the motor 660.

[0220] The control method of the surface cleaning equipment disclosed herein may further include: obtaining a notification that maintenance of the cleaning pad 651 is required based on the usage data of the motor 660. Specifically, the usage data of the motor 660 includes the operating time of the motor 660; the requirement to maintain the cleaning pad 651 includes one of the following: the cleaning pad 651 needs to be cleaned, or the cleaning pad 651 needs to be replaced.

[0221] In one specific implementation, the power supply to the motor 660 is turned on and off based on the usage data generated by the sensor component 690. This includes: obtaining a first distance between the floor brush component 600 and the wall based on the usage data generated by the sensor component 690; when the first distance is greater than a preset distance threshold, keeping the cleaning disc component 650 in a raised position, or controlling the motor 660 to move and causing the cleaning disc component 650 to rise; when the first distance is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, keeping the cleaning disc component 650 in a lowered position, or controlling the motor 660 to move and causing the cleaning disc component 650 to fall. Thus, based on the usage data generated by the sensor component 690, when it is determined that the surface cleaning device is against the wall, the cleaning disc component 650 is controlled to fall and perform floor cleaning; on the other hand, when it is determined that the surface cleaning device is not against the wall, the cleaning disc component 650 is controlled to rise.

[0222] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a control method for another surface cleaning device is provided, which can be the surface cleaning device described above. The surface cleaning device includes a normal cleaning mode and an edge-cleaning mode. In the normal cleaning mode, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in a raised position and does not contact the surface to be cleaned; correspondingly, the motor 660 is also in a non-operating state. In the edge-cleaning mode, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in a lowered position and contacts the surface to be cleaned, performing cleaning on the surface.

[0223] The control method of the surface cleaning device includes: obtaining a power-on signal for the surface cleaning device and putting the surface cleaning device into a working state according to the power-on signal; selectively applying cleaning liquid to the cleaning disc assembly 650 for a selected period of time to wet the contact surface between the cleaning disc assembly 650 and the surface to be cleaned; and stopping the application of cleaning liquid to the cleaning disc assembly 650 after a selected period of time, wherein either or both of selectively applying cleaning liquid or stopping the application of cleaning liquid are performed after the electric suction source of the surface cleaning device is started.

[0224] In other words, in the control method of the surface cleaning equipment disclosed herein, when the surface cleaning equipment is turned on, a large flow of cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning disc assembly 650, thereby making the cleaning disc assembly 650 fully wetted. Accordingly, when the surface cleaning equipment is close to the wall and in the edge cleaning mode, the wet cleaning disc assembly 650 can immediately clean the wall edge, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the surface cleaning equipment.

[0225] In the control method of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, when the surface cleaning device is cleaning along the edge, that is, when the cleaning device provides cleaning liquid to the cleaning disc assembly 650 at a moderate flow rate, the surface cleaning device maintains the edge cleaning mode when the sensor assembly identifies that the time for the outer edge of the obstacle to continuously disappear does not exceed a threshold.

[0226] In the control method of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, when the surface cleaning device is cleaning along the edge, cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning disc assembly 650 at a moderate flow rate. When the sensor assembly identifies that the time for the outer edge of the obstacle to continuously disappear is greater than a threshold, the surface cleaning device stops the edge cleaning mode.

[0227] In this disclosure, the surface cleaning device is determined to be in edge cleaning mode based on the difference between a first distance and a preset distance threshold. Specifically, when the first distance is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold, it is determined that the surface cleaning device is in edge cleaning mode. In this edge cleaning mode, the working time of the edge cleaning mode is recorded, i.e., the duration of the edge cleaning mode. Further, when the duration is greater than or equal to a preset time threshold, the application of cleaning liquid to the cleaning tray assembly 650 is not stopped after the selected time is reached. Thus, when the surface cleaning device is in edge cleaning mode from the moment it is turned on, it can remain in edge cleaning mode, and the cleaning tray assembly 650 is applied with cleaning liquid until the edge cleaning mode ends.

[0228] In this disclosure, the selective application or cessation of the application of cleaning liquid is controlled by a user-interactive button (trigger). Thus, the user can control the application or cessation of the application of cleaning liquid according to the degree of dirt on the surface to be cleaned, thereby avoiding waste of cleaning liquid and increasing the service life of the cleaning liquid in the surface cleaning equipment.

[0229] In some examples, the cleaning disk assembly 650 is kept rotating while the cleaning liquid is applied to it, thereby enabling uniform wetting of the entire cleaning disk assembly 650. Accordingly, when the cleaning disk assembly 650 contacts and cleans the surface to be cleaned, it can perform uniform wet cleaning of the surface to be cleaned, preventing water stains from appearing on some parts of the surface to be cleaned while other parts of the surface to be cleaned are not provided with cleaning liquid.

[0230] After cleaning fluid is applied to the cleaning tray assembly 650, the user is notified that cleaning fluid has been applied to the cleaning tray assembly 650. In this way, the user can accurately know the status of the cleaning tray assembly 650 and thus avoid issuing incorrect commands to the surface cleaning equipment.

[0231] In a preferred example, a selected time period is greater than or equal to 5 seconds and less than or equal to 10 seconds; on the one hand, within this time period, the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be sufficiently wetted; on the other hand, this time will not excessively affect the user's use of the surface cleaning equipment.

[0232] In this disclosure, when the application of cleaning liquid to the cleaning disc assembly 650 is selectively stopped, the application of cleaning liquid to the agitator 630 is continued, thereby enabling the agitator 630 to be used to clean the surface to be cleaned. At this time, the surface cleaning device is not in the edge cleaning mode, but in the normal cleaning mode.

[0233] In a preferred example, when cleaning liquid is selectively applied, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the raised position. At this time, the actuator 670 can be controlled to trigger the valve device 681 to supply cleaning liquid to the cleaning disc assembly 650. In another example, when cleaning liquid is selectively applied, the cleaning disc assembly 650 is in the lowered position. After the application of cleaning liquid is stopped, the cleaning disc assembly 650 moves from the lowered position to the raised position. At this time, cleaning liquid can be supplied to the cleaning disc assembly 650 through the valve device 681. The raising and lowering of the cleaning disc assembly 650 can be accompanied by the opening or closing of the valve device 681, so that the cleaning disc assembly 650 is effectively wetted before moving to the raised position, and in the raised position, it waits for the surface cleaning equipment to enter the edge cleaning mode.

[0234] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment / mode," "some embodiments / modes," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment / mode or example is included in at least one embodiment / mode or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment / mode or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments / modes or examples. Furthermore, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments / modes or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments / modes or examples.

[0235] 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. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0236] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely for illustrating the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make other changes or modifications based on the above disclosure, and these changes or modifications still fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning component, characterized in that, The self-cleaning component is configured to be installed on the bottom wall of the cleaning body of the surface cleaning device to self-clean the cleaning tray of the surface cleaning device, wherein the self-cleaning component includes: main body; A cleaning chamber formed on the main body; The self-cleaning component located inside the cleaning chamber and the suction port located adjacent to the self-cleaning component; A normally closed structure located within the cleaning chamber is configured to be held in the closed position by bias pressure.

2. The self-cleaning component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-cleaning component is configured to be detachably inserted into a socket on the bottom wall.

3. The self-cleaning component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-cleaning component includes a scraper and a dirt storage area adjacent to the scraper, and the suction port is disposed within or adjacent to the dirt storage area.

4. The self-cleaning component according to claim 1, characterized in that, An interceptor is provided near the suction port.

5. The self-cleaning component according to claim 4, characterized in that, The intercepting part includes at least one extension extending upward from the bottom surface of the main body.

6. The self-cleaning component according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes an elastic element, and the biasing force is provided by the elastic element.

7. The self-cleaning component according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The normally closed structure includes a lever structure, which is installed in the cleaning chamber via a fulcrum. The first end of the lever structure includes an actuating part, and the second end opposite to the first end includes a cover plate. The cover plate normally closes the suction port, and the actuating part can be actuated to remove the cover plate from the normally closed position of the suction port via the lever structure.

8. The self-cleaning component according to claim 7, characterized in that, The lever structure includes a fulcrum, at which an elastic element is provided to provide a biasing force to a second end of the lever structure.

9. The self-cleaning component according to claim 7, characterized in that, The cover plate includes a planar portion, and the lever structure passes through the planar portion via an extension line from the second end, but is not perpendicular to the planar portion.

10. A surface cleaning device, characterized in that, include: The cleaning unit includes a bottom wall; A cleaning disc, which is located on the cleaning body and is capable of reciprocating relative to the cleaning body between a position away from the surface to be cleaned and a position engaged with the surface to be cleaned; The self-cleaning component includes: A cleaning chamber, wherein at least a portion of the cleaning disc is located within the cleaning chamber, and when the cleaning disc is in a position to engage with the surface to be cleaned, the scraper of the cleaning chamber engages with the cleaning disc; The self-cleaning component located inside the cleaning chamber and the suction port located adjacent to the self-cleaning component; A normally closed structure located within the cleaning chamber is configured to be held in a closed position by bias pressure, and when the cleaning disc is in a position engaging with the surface to be cleaned, the cleaning disc actuates the normally closed structure to open, thereby overcoming the bias pressure to hold the cover in the open position.

11. The surface cleaning equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that, The cleaning unit is provided with a recycling pipeline located at the bottom of the cleaning unit and configured such that when the self-cleaning component is connected to the bottom wall, the dirt storage area is fluidly connected to the recycling pipeline.

12. The surface cleaning equipment according to claim 11, characterized in that, The self-cleaning component forms a fluid delivery pipe that communicates with the dirt storage area. When the self-cleaning component is connected to the bottom wall, the dirt storage area and the recycling pipeline are fluidly connected through the fluid delivery pipe.

13. The surface cleaning device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The normally closed structure includes a lever structure, which includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and a fulcrum located between the first end and the second end; an actuation part is formed on the first end for receiving the actuating force of the cleaning disc; the cover plate is connected to the second end.

14. The surface cleaning device according to claim 13, characterized in that, A spring is provided at the fulcrum to provide the bias force.

15. The surface cleaning equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that, When the actuating part engages with the cleaning disc, a portion of the cleaning disc is located outside the cleaning body.

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