Optical sensor and automatic pool cleaning device

Abstract

The application provides an optical sensor (10), comprising: a light source (110) for generating a light signal; a lens assembly (120) through which the light signal is transmitted, wherein the lens assembly (120) comprises a lens (121) and a hydrophobic film (122) on the surface of the lens (121), and the hydrophobic film (122) can prevent water outside the optical sensor (10) from adhering to the surface of the lens (121); and a photoelectric conversion assembly (130) for converting the received light signal into an electric signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of optical sensor technology, and in particular to an optical sensor and an automatic water tank cleaning device. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of swimming pools, cleaning the pool surface has become a crucial aspect of pool operation. Pool cleaning robots are playing an increasingly important role in maintaining the aquatic environment. Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensors, due to their high precision and fast response, are widely used in pool cleaning robots to ensure their safe and efficient operation in complex aquatic environments. However, in practical use, it has been found that rainwater easily adheres to the lens surface of the TOF sensor during rainy weather. This rainwater adhesion interferes with the light propagation path, causing deviations in the reflected light signals received by the TOF sensor, resulting in abnormal distance measurements. This severely affects the detection function of the pool cleaning robot and may even lead to safety accidents such as collisions during operation. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application addresses the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an optical sensor for an automatic water tank cleaning device, thereby improving the detection performance of the automatic water tank cleaning device.

[0004] This application provides an optical sensor, comprising: a light source for generating an optical signal; a lens assembly through which the optical signal is transmitted, wherein the lens assembly includes a lens and a hydrophobic film on the surface of the lens, the hydrophobic film being able to prevent water from outside the optical sensor from adhering to the surface of the lens; and a photoelectric conversion component for converting the received optical signal into an electrical signal.

[0005] Furthermore, the hydrophobic membrane is made of one or more of the following materials: fluorides, organosilicon, polymers, and metal oxides.

[0006] Furthermore, the hydrophobic film includes a cured surface located on the outer side of the lens.

[0007] Furthermore, the optical sensor also includes a housing with a mounting structure on which the lens assembly is mounted.

[0008] Furthermore, the optical sensor also includes a filter disposed on the outside of the lens assembly.

[0009] Furthermore, the lens includes at least one lens.

[0010] Furthermore, the hydrophobic membrane has a nanostructure.

[0011] Furthermore, the lens has a heating layer on the surface away from the hydrophobic film; or, the thickness of the hydrophobic film ranges from 1 μm to 500 μm.

[0012] Furthermore, the automatic water tank cleaning device includes the optical sensor described in any of the above claims.

[0013] Furthermore, the automatic pool cleaning device is capable of floating on the water surface and moving on the water surface to clean the water surface. During the movement of the automatic pool cleaning device, at least a portion of the optical sensor of the automatic pool cleaning device is located above the water surface or the optical sensor is located below the water surface.

[0014] The embodiments described in this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0015] The optical sensor provided in this application has a hydrophobic film on its lens, which can effectively prevent water droplets or other dirt from adhering to the lens, thereby reducing the measurement deviation of the optical sensor caused by water droplets or other dirt adhering to the lens and improving the reliability of the optical sensor. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. The accompanying drawings described below are merely exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of the optical sensor of the automatic water tank cleaning device of this application. (Reference numbers are explained below.)

[0018] 10. Optical sensor; 110. Light source; 120. Lens assembly; 121. Lens; 122. Hydrophobic film; 130. Photoelectric conversion component; 140. Housing; 20. Automatic water tank cleaning device. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments described herein. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the protection scope of this application. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.

[0020] This application provides an optical sensor 10 and an automatic pool cleaning device 20 equipped with the optical sensor 10. The automatic pool cleaning device 20 can be an automatic cleaning equipment, a cleaning robot, or a similar device capable of cleaning pool-shaped structures. This application does not limit the specific presentation of the automatic pool cleaning device 20.

[0021] For the purpose of illustrating the technical principles of this application, Figure 1 The optical sensor 10 and the automatic water tank cleaning device shown are merely illustrative and not drawn to scale. The optical sensor 10 of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Reference Figure 1 This application provides an optical sensor 10, comprising: a light source 110 for generating light signals; a lens assembly 120 through which the light signals are transmitted, wherein the lens assembly 120 includes a lens 121 and a hydrophobic film 122 on the surface of the lens 121, the hydrophobic film 122 being able to prevent water from the outside of the optical sensor 10 from adhering to the surface of the lens 121; and a photoelectric conversion component 130 for converting the received light signals into electrical signals.

[0023] Reference Figure 1 The optical sensor 10 is located, for example, at the front of the automatic pool cleaning device 20. In one scenario, during surface cleaning operations, the entire optical sensor 10 is positioned above the water surface, facilitating its detection of obstacles and pool walls. In another scenario, a portion of the optical sensor 10 is positioned above the water surface. In yet another scenario, the optical sensor 10 is positioned below the water surface to detect obstacles below the surface, obstacles not fully above the surface, and pool walls. The front of the automatic pool cleaning device 20 may correspond to its direction of travel. It is understood that the optical sensor may also be mounted on the side of the automatic pool cleaning device, wherever convenient for its corresponding detection function.

[0024] The optical sensor 10 can, for example, emit a light signal in the direction of movement of the automatic pool cleaning device 20. When the light signal encounters an obstacle in front of the automatic pool cleaning device 20, the light signal will be reflected back to the optical sensor 10 by the obstacle. At this time, the optical sensor 10 can calculate the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and the obstacle in front by the time difference between the light signal emission and return. If the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and the obstacle in front is detected to be less than a predetermined threshold, the automatic pool cleaning device 20 can also perform obstacle avoidance or obstacle crossing operations.

[0025] The position of the optical sensor 10 described above is merely exemplary, and the arrangement of the optical sensor 10 described in this application is not limited to this. Figure 1 The position of the optical sensor 10 can be set according to the actual situation, as long as it can realize the technical principle of this application.

[0026] The optical sensor 10 may include a light source 110. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the light source 110 can be located between the lens assembly 120 (described in detail below) and the photoelectric conversion assembly 130 (described in detail below). The light source 110 may include devices capable of generating the desired light source, such as infrared LEDs or VCSEL lasers. This application does not limit the type of light source 110. Figure 1 As shown, the light source 110 can emit light signals in the forward direction of the automatic water cleaning device 20, and the optical sensor 10 detects the distance between the obstacle and the automatic water cleaning device 20 in the above manner.

[0027] The optical sensor 10 may include a lens assembly 120. For example... Figure 1 As shown, light signals can be emitted to the outside world via lens assembly 120. Lens assembly 120 may be provided with lens 121. Lens 121 is made of light-transmitting materials such as optical glass or sapphire, allowing light signals to pass smoothly through lens 121.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the surface of lens 121 is coated with a hydrophobic film 122. The hydrophobic film 122 can be made of materials such as fluorides and silicone, which possess properties such as water and dirt resistance, anti-condensation, and high light transmittance, giving it a low surface energy. When water droplets or oil adhere to the surface of the hydrophobic film 122, its low surface energy allows the droplets or oil to slide off more easily, preventing light signals from being refracted or reflected when passing through the water droplets, oil, and dust attached to the surface of lens 121, thus affecting the measurement accuracy of the optical sensor 10. During the sliding process of water droplets / oil, the droplets / oil can also carry away some dust and oil from the surface of the hydrophobic film 122, enabling lens 121 to achieve a "self-cleaning" effect, thereby maintaining the light transmittance of the lens 121 surface.

[0029] The above description of the positions of the lens assembly 120 and the lens 121 is exemplary. The positions of the lens assembly 120 and the lens 121 in the optical sensor 10 can be set according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principles of this application can be realized.

[0030] The optical sensor 10 may also include a photoelectric conversion component 130. For example... Figure 1As shown, the photoelectric conversion component 130 can be arranged coaxially behind the light source 110, allowing the optical axes of the light source 110 and the photoelectric conversion component 130 to coincide or partially coincide, thereby improving ranging accuracy. The photoelectric conversion component can use devices such as silicon-based photodiodes, single-photon avalanche diodes, or avalanche photodiodes to convert the received light signal into an electrical signal. Then, the photoelectric conversion component 130 can amplify and shape the electrical signal, calculate the flight time or phase difference of the light signal, and thus determine the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and the obstacle. The photoelectric conversion component 130 can efficiently and accurately convert the received light signal into a processable electrical signal, thereby quickly measuring the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and the obstacle in front of it, reducing the error caused by the automatic pool cleaning device 20 moving forward during cleaning operations while the optical sensor 10 is detecting data, which results in the detected distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and the obstacle being different from the actual distance. The photoelectric conversion component 130 can also be arranged off-axis of the light source 110, for example, arranged on... Figure 1 Distance measurement is performed above or below the light source 110, depending on the overlapping area of ​​the field of view. This application does not limit the position of the photoelectric conversion component 130, as long as the technical principle of this application can be achieved.

[0031] The hydrophobic membrane 122 is made of one or more of the following materials: fluorides, organosilicon, polymers, and metal oxides.

[0032] Hydrophobic films 122 are made of one or more materials selected from fluorides, organosilicon, polymers, and metal oxides. For example, in fluorides, the strong CF bond order and short bond length of fluorine atoms result in low surface energy and good chemical stability, thus giving fluorides good hydrophobic properties and strong corrosion resistance. Organosilicon is slightly less hydrophobic than fluorides, but its hydrophobicity can be improved by roughening the surface of organosilicon (e.g., doping with nanoparticles). Simultaneously, organosilicon has strong chemical stability and good flexibility. Polymers can control hydrophobicity and mechanical properties through chemical modification, copolymerization, doping, and surface modification to create hydrophobic films suitable for different environments. Metal oxides possess high hardness, high-temperature stability, and chemical stability.

[0033] In summary, the hydrophobic film 122 has wear resistance and corrosion resistance, which can protect the lens 121, reduce wear on the lens 121, and ensure the light transmission of the lens 121.

[0034] A coating is applied to the surface of lens 121, completely covering it with a hydrophobic film 122. In summary, the hydrophobic film 122 improves the reliability and optical performance of lens 121 in complex environments, thereby making the measurement results of optical sensor 10 more accurate. The selection of the material and proportion of the hydrophobic film 122 is not limited above, as long as it achieves the technical principles of this application.

[0035] The hydrophobic film 122 includes a curing surface located on the outer side of the lens 121.

[0036] The hydrophobic film 122 deposited on the surface of lens 121 can be cured using physical or chemical methods (e.g., UV curing or thermal curing). For example, thermal curing involves placing the hydrophobic film 122 in an oven, setting the temperature according to the material properties of the hydrophobic film 122, and allowing it to cool naturally after curing. This promotes cross-linking reactions and enhances the structural stability of the hydrophobic film 122. UV curing involves irradiating the hydrophobic film 122 containing photosensitive groups (such as acrylates) with a UV lamp for several minutes to several hours, forming a three-dimensional network structure through free radical reactions. Through the curing treatment described above, the hydrophobic film 122 can form a cured surface, enhancing its mechanical stability, chemical durability, and optimizing its hydrophobic properties. The above description of the curing treatment is exemplary, and those skilled in the art can select and set the curing treatment according to the technical principles of this application.

[0037] The cured surface is located on the outer side of the lens 121 and is in direct contact with the outside environment (e.g., air). The curing treatment can improve the hardness and abrasion resistance of the hydrophobic film 122, extending its service life. The curing treatment described above on the surface of the hydrophobic film 122 can effectively maintain and optimize its hydrophobic properties. The curing treatment on the outer surface of the hydrophobic film 122 can also, to some extent, enhance the adhesion between the inner surface of the hydrophobic film 122 and the lens 121, preventing the hydrophobic film 122 from peeling off from the lens 121.

[0038] The optical sensor 10 also includes a housing 140, which has a mounting structure, and the lens assembly 120 is mounted on the mounting structure.

[0039] The housing 140 can be made of an insulating and waterproof material (e.g., plastic). The housing 140 provides support, protection, and insulation for the various components inside the optical sensor 10, ensuring that the optical sensor 10 will not short-circuit due to water contact with the internal motor, sensor, and control board, thus preventing leakage and ensuring user safety. It also prevents external water from seeping into the optical sensor 10 and adhering to the surface of the light source 110, affecting the light signal emission path. The housing 140 has a mounting structure, for example, which can fix the lens assembly 120, thereby holding the lens 121 of the lens assembly 120 within the optical path of the light source 110, allowing the light signal to pass through the lens 121 and be emitted to the outside.

[0040] This application does not limit the arrangement of the lens assembly 120. It can be changed according to the different arrangements of the internal components of the optical sensor 10, as long as the purpose of the light signal can be emitted to the outside through the lens assembly 120 is achieved.

[0041] The optical sensor 10 also includes a filter, which is disposed on the outside of the lens assembly 120.

[0042] The filter is disposed, for example, on the outer side of the lens assembly 120. The filter can be made of materials such as optical glass, sapphire, or quartz, and the material can be selected according to the wavelength of different types of light emitted by different light sources 110. When the optical sensor 10 calculates the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and an obstacle in front based on the time difference or phase difference between the emission and return of the light signal, ambient light (such as sunlight, LED lights, etc.) may enter the optical sensor 10 earlier than the light signal reflected by the obstacle, causing errors in the detection data of the optical sensor 10 and affecting the obstacle avoidance of the automatic pool cleaning device 20. By disposing the filter on the outer side of the lens assembly 120, only light of the target wavelength (i.e., the wavelength of the light signal emitted by the light source 110) is allowed to pass through, thereby filtering out ambient light and preventing it from passing through the lens 121 and reaching the interior of the optical sensor 10, thus avoiding distance measurement errors.

[0043] The lens 121 includes at least one lens.

[0044] The lens of the optical sensor 10 can be a collimating lens and / or a diffuser lens. The collimating lens converts the emitted light from the light source 110 into a parallel beam, concentrating the beam's energy and improving ranging accuracy to the millimeter level. The diffuser lens expands the coverage area of ​​the emitted light from the light source 110, increasing the horizontal ranging range of the optical sensor 10. The lens 121 may include at least one of a collimating lens and a diffuser lens, making the obstacle avoidance of the automatic pool cleaning device 20 suitable for different environments. It is understood that the lens 121 may simultaneously include a collimating lens and a diffuser lens, enabling the optical sensor 10 to measure the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and obstacles directly in front of it, as well as the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and obstacles outside the straight-line range of its forward direction.

[0045] The hydrophobic membrane 122 has a nanostructure.

[0046] Nanomaterials can be silica nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanorod arrays, etc. The nanoscale structure exhibits hydrophobic properties; the nanoscale roughness combined with the micron-scale structure forms a Cassie-Baxter state, resulting in a contact angle of less than 10% between the water droplet and the hydrophobic film 122 with the nanostructure, and consequently, a roll-off angle of less than 10%. The nanostructure effectively reduces water droplet / film adhesion and has extremely low surface energy, making it difficult for particulate matter to adhere. The nanostructure enhances the hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic film 122, reducing the impact of the environment on the detection data of the optical sensor 10.

[0047] The lens 121 has a heating layer on the surface opposite to the hydrophobic film 122; or, the thickness of the hydrophobic film 122 ranges from 1 μm to 500 μm.

[0048] The heating layer can be made of highly transparent materials such as indium tin oxide or graphene thin film. The heating layer is provided on the lens 121 away from the surface of the hydrophobic film 122 to avoid the heating layer directly heating the hydrophobic film 122 and causing the hydrophobic film 122 to degrade at high temperature.

[0049] When the operating environment of the automatic water cleaning device 20 has a large temperature difference or is relatively cold, frost or freezing may occur on the surface of the lens 121. The heating layer effectively prevents water vapor condensation, thus preventing frost or freezing on the surface of the lens 121. Furthermore, the contact angle of the hydrophobic film 122 increases under high-temperature conditions, enhancing its hydrophobic properties. In summary, the heating layer on the surface of the lens 121 away from the hydrophobic film 122 allows the optical sensor 10 to cope with various complex environments, enhancing its environmental adaptability and reliability, and further strengthening the hydrophobic properties of the hydrophobic film 122.

[0050] The thickness of the hydrophobic film 122 can range from 1 μm to 500 μm. The closer the thickness of the hydrophobic film 122 is to 1 μm, the stronger its light transmittance and the better its flexibility. The closer the thickness of the hydrophobic film 122 is to 500 μm, the higher its mechanical strength and the more wear-resistant it is, making it suitable for extreme environments. Increasing the thickness of the hydrophobic film 122 can improve its mechanical strength and extend its service life. Those skilled in the art can select the thickness of the hydrophobic film 122 based on the technical principles of this application and the different environments in which the hydrophobic film will be used, as long as the technical principles of this application are achieved.

[0051] The automatic water tank cleaning device 20 includes any of the aforementioned optical sensors 10.

[0052] The automatic pool cleaning device 20 can be, for example, a pool cleaning robot or a pool sweeping robot. The optical sensor 10 has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, an optical sensor 10 with a hydrophobic membrane 122 is mounted on the upper part of the automatic pool cleaning device 20. The optical sensor 10 emits a light signal in the forward direction of the automatic pool cleaning device 20. If it encounters an obstacle, the light signal will be reflected back to the optical sensor 10 by the obstacle. Ideally, the return path of the light signal is almost identical to the emission path. After receiving the light signal, the optical sensor 10 converts the light signal into an electrical signal. After further calculation, it finally obtains the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and the obstacle in front of it.

[0054] The optical sensor 10 equipped with a hydrophobic film 122 is suitable for harsh weather conditions such as rain and fog, reducing the impact of the environment on the data detected by the optical sensor 10, enhancing the measurement accuracy of the optical sensor 10 in special environments, thereby improving obstacle avoidance performance and reducing the losses caused by obstacle avoidance failures of the automatic pool cleaning device 20.

[0055] The automatic water cleaning device 20 can float on the water surface and move on the water surface to clean the water surface. During the movement of the automatic water cleaning device 20, the optical sensor 10 of the automatic water cleaning device 20 is located entirely or partially above the water surface, or the optical sensor 10 may be located below the water surface.

[0056] When the automatic pool cleaning device 20 performs surface cleaning operations, it moves on the water surface. This movement can be random or along a planned path (e.g., a "bow-shaped" path). At least a portion of the optical sensor 10, used to detect the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device 20 and obstacles in its direction of movement, can be located above the water surface. This facilitates the detection and timely avoidance of obstacles or pool walls in the direction of movement while the automatic pool cleaning device 20 is performing surface cleaning operations. Alternatively, the optical sensor 10 can be located below the water surface, used to detect and timely avoid obstacles below the water surface, obstacles not fully above the water surface, or pool walls in the direction of movement while the automatic pool cleaning device 20 is performing surface cleaning operations.

[0057] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0058] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of those different embodiments or examples.

[0059] 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, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0060] In this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "up" and "down" are generally used in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings, or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational direction; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "left" and "right" are generally used in relation to the left and right shown in the accompanying drawings; "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component itself, but the above directional terms are not intended to limit this application.

[0061] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope described in this application, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An optical sensor (10), comprising: Light source (110), used to generate light signals; A lens assembly (120) through which the light signal is transmitted, wherein the lens assembly (120) includes a lens (121) and a hydrophobic film (122) on the surface of the lens (121), the hydrophobic film (122) preventing water from the outside of the optical sensor (10) from adhering to the surface of the lens (121); and A photoelectric conversion component (130) is used to convert received optical signals into electrical signals.

2. The optical sensor (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The hydrophobic membrane (122) is made of one of the following materials: fluoride, organosilicon, polymer and metal oxide.

3. The optical sensor (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The hydrophobic film (122) includes a cured surface located on the outside of the lens (121).

4. The optical sensor (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, It also includes a housing (140) having a mounting structure on which the lens assembly (120) is mounted.

5. The optical sensor (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, It also includes a filter disposed on the outside of the lens assembly (120).

6. The optical sensor (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The lens (121) includes at least one lens.

7. The optical sensor (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The hydrophobic membrane (122) has a nanostructure.

8. The optical sensor (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The lens (121) has a heating layer on the surface away from the hydrophobic film (122); or, the thickness of the hydrophobic film (122) ranges from 1 μm to 500 μm.

9. An automatic water tank cleaning device (20), wherein, The automatic water tank cleaning device (20) includes the optical sensor (10) according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. The automatic water tank cleaning device (20) according to claim 9, wherein, The automatic water cleaning device (20) can float on the water surface and move on the water surface to clean the water surface. During the movement of the automatic water cleaning device (20), the optical sensor (10) of the automatic water cleaning device (20) is located above the water surface or below the water surface.

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