Base station for an automatic pool cleaning device and an automatic pool cleaning system

Abstract

The application provides a base station (10) of a pool automatic cleaning device (20), comprising a main body (101) and a guide assembly (102), wherein at least a part of the guide assembly (102) is arranged on the main body (101), and the guide assembly (102) comprises a high-light material configured to be easily recognized and collected by a sensor (201) of the pool automatic cleaning device (20), so as to determine the position of the base station (10) relative to the pool automatic cleaning device (20). The base station provided by the application can accurately position the base station when the pool automatic cleaning device is docked with the base station, avoiding the pool automatic cleaning device from deviating or colliding with the base station due to the blocking of ultrasonic waves during the movement of the pool automatic cleaning device to the base station and the docking of the pool automatic cleaning device with the base station, and improving the stability and reliability of the pool automatic cleaning device in automatically docking with the base station and completing various types of work.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the technical field of a base station for an automatic water tank cleaning device, and more particularly to a base station for an automatic water tank cleaning device and an automatic water tank cleaning system. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing frequency of use and the expanding application scenarios of pool cleaning robots, charging them has become a crucial step. Considering that pool cleaning robots typically operate for extended periods in pools and are relatively heavy, traditional charging methods require users to remove the robot from the pool and place it in the charging dock, increasing workload and reducing convenience. More and more pool robots are adopting automatic recharging functionality, allowing them to return to the base station for charging when their battery is low. However, previous automatic return methods relied on simple ultrasonic or magnetic sensors. This method requires both the robot and the base station to be equipped with corresponding sensors, which is prone to accuracy issues due to ultrasonic wave blockage or reflection. This reduces the stability and reliability of the robot's interaction with the base station and its ability to complete various tasks, and also increases the robot's manufacturing cost. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application addresses the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a base station for an automatic pool cleaning device, comprising: a main body and a guiding component, wherein at least a portion of the guiding component is disposed on the main body; wherein the guiding component includes a high-gloss material, the high-gloss material being configured to be easily identified and collected by the sensors of the automatic pool cleaning device, thereby determining the orientation of the base station relative to the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0004] Furthermore, the reflectivity of the high-light material is greater than a predetermined threshold, causing the intensity value of the point cloud of the guiding component generated by the sensor to be greater than a predetermined intensity threshold.

[0005] Furthermore, the high-gloss material includes: a glass microsphere-type or microprism-type reflective film; or, a glass microsphere-type or microprism-type reflective strip.

[0006] Furthermore, the guiding component has a first structure, which takes on different shapes when the point cloud generated by the automatic water tank cleaning device at different locations is collected.

[0007] Furthermore, the point clouds corresponding to the different shapes are matched with the predetermined point clouds pre-stored in the automatic water tank cleaning device to determine the orientation of the base station relative to the automatic water tank cleaning device at different positions.

[0008] Furthermore, the first structure includes an L-shape, a triangle, or a trapezoid.

[0009] Furthermore, the guiding component includes a planar structure or a three-dimensional structure.

[0010] Furthermore, the sensor includes a lidar.

[0011] Furthermore, the base station also includes charging equipment, waste recycling equipment, or water quality testing equipment.

[0012] This application also provides an automatic pool cleaning system, including an automatic pool cleaning device and any one of the above-mentioned base stations, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device uses a sensor to identify the guide component returning to the base station.

[0013] The embodiments described in this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0014] The base station provided in this application enables the automatic water tank cleaning device to accurately locate the base station when docking with it. This avoids the automatic water tank cleaning device from deviating or colliding with the base station due to the blockage of ultrasonic waves during its movement towards and docking with the base station. This improves the stability and reliability of the automatic water tank cleaning device in automatically docking with the base station and completing various tasks. Attached Figure Description

[0015] 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 in the following description are merely exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram is shown of an automatic water tank cleaning device locating a base station.

[0017] Label Explanation

[0018] 10. Base station; 20. Automatic water tank cleaning device; 101. Main body; 102. Guiding component; 201. Sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The scale of the drawings in this application is merely illustrative. The described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0020] This application provides a base station 10 for an automatic pool cleaning device 20, and an automatic pool cleaning system. The automatic pool cleaning device 20 of this application is capable of cleaning pools. The pool is, for example, a pool-shaped structure. The pool-shaped structure can be a swimming pool, a water storage tank, a spa pool, a water storage tank, a water storage trough, etc. The automatic pool cleaning device 20 can be a device such as an automatic cleaning device or a pool cleaning robot, capable of cleaning the pool-shaped structure. This application does not limit the specific presentation of the automatic pool cleaning device 20 or the pool-shaped structure, as long as the principle of this application is achieved. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, a robot will be used as an example of the automatic pool cleaning device 20, and a swimming pool will be used as an example of a pool or pool-shaped structure. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the terms "pool bottom," "pool bottom surface," and "pool base" all refer to the bottom surface of the swimming pool.

[0021] This application provides a base station for an automatic pool cleaning device, comprising: a main body 101 and a guide component 102, wherein at least a portion of the guide component 102 is disposed on the main body 101; wherein the guide component 102 includes a high-gloss material, the high-gloss material being configured to be easily identified and collected by a sensor 201 of the automatic pool cleaning device 20, thereby determining the orientation of the base station 10 relative to the automatic pool cleaning device 20.

[0022] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, base station 10 can be installed on the pool bank. Alternatively, base station 10 can be installed on the pool wall. The base station 10 of the automatic pool cleaning device 20 can meet different needs of the automatic pool cleaning device 20 (described in detail below). The main body 101 of base station 10 is made of materials with properties such as corrosion resistance, water resistance, and high structural strength, such as metal or engineering plastics. The above description of the installation location and manufacturing materials of base station 10 of the automatic pool cleaning device 20 is merely exemplary; any location and manufacturing material conforming to the technical principles of this application is within the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] At least a portion of the guide component 102 is disposed on the body 101; for example, the upper or lower portion of the guide component 102 (described in detail below) is disposed on the body 101. As another example, such as... Figure 1 As shown, all of the guide components 102 are disposed on the main body 101. The above description is merely exemplary, and any implementation of the technical principles of this application is acceptable.

[0024] Robot 20 can move towards base station 10 from the bottom of the pool (e.g., the robot moves towards the base station by passing the bottom and the pool wall in sequence), or it can move towards base station 10 on the water surface (e.g., the robot moves towards the base station by passing the water surface and the pool wall in sequence). During the robot's movement, point cloud data of guidance component 102 can be collected by sensor 201 (described in detail below). Robot 20 can... Figure 1 As shown, the robot 20 is positioned on the water surface and moves towards the base station 10. During its movement on the water surface, the robot 20 collects data from the guidance component 102 via sensor 201 and generates a point cloud. Alternatively, the robot 20 can be positioned at the bottom of the pool and move towards the base station along the bottom, during which time the robot 20 collects data from the guidance component 102 via sensor 201 and generates a point cloud. Those skilled in the art can select the appropriate sensor 201 based on its field of view and the position of the base station 10 in practical applications; no limitation is made here, as long as the technical principles of this application are achieved.

[0025] The point cloud data of the guide component 102 collected by the sensor 201 of the robot 20 includes the coordinates of the guide component 102. Specifically, the point cloud can be a data set composed of multiple three-dimensional coordinate points, each point containing X, Y, and Z coordinates, and may also include attributes such as intensity and reflectivity. The point cloud is used, for example, to describe the spatial shape and surface features of an object. The robot 20 can obtain the contour information and position information of the guide component 102 based on the coordinates of the guide component 102, thereby determining the orientation of the base station 10 relative to the automatic water cleaning device 20, and then planning or adjusting the parameters of the robot 20 during its movement process based on the contour information and the position information, so that the robot 20 moves towards the base station 10.

[0026] The reflectivity of the high-gloss material is greater than a predetermined threshold, causing the intensity value of the point cloud of the guide component 102 generated by the sensor 201 to be greater than a predetermined intensity threshold.

[0027] In one scenario, the guide component 102 is a high-reflectivity material, configured to be easily identified and collected by the sensor 201 of the automatic pool cleaning device 20. Specifically, the reflectivity of the high-reflectivity material is, for example, greater than 85%. The higher the reflectivity of the guide component 102, the higher the intensity value of the point cloud generated by the sensor 201 emitting light towards the guide component 102 and being reflected back by the guide component 102. In other words, the point cloud intensity value of the area where the high-reflectivity material is located on the guide component 102 is greater than the point cloud intensity value of the area where the non-high-reflectivity material is located on the guide component 102. It is understood that the exemplary description of the reflectivity of the high-reflectivity material above is not an exhaustive list, and any high-reflectivity material and its reflectivity selection that conforms to the technical principles of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] In the above scenario, if the sensor 201 of the automatic water cleaning device 20 identifies a point cloud with an intensity value greater than a predetermined intensity threshold, it indicates that the automatic water cleaning device 20 has located the base station 10. Therefore, as described above, the automatic water cleaning device 20 can determine the relative position of the automatic water cleaning device 20 and the base station 10 based on specific point cloud data (such as contour information and location information).

[0029] The high-gloss material includes, for example, glass microsphere or microprism reflective film; or glass microsphere or microprism reflective strip.

[0030] Glass microsphere reflective materials are, for example, high-performance reflective materials. Glass microspheres can be, for example, hollow sodium-calcium glass, solid borosilicate microspheres, or silver-plated glass microspheres. By embedding tiny glass beads into a coating or substrate, their spherical geometry achieves wide-angle reflection. Glass microsphere reflective materials also possess corrosion resistance and a long service life. Embedding processes include, for example, spraying, in-film forming, and thermosetting. After embedding the glass microspheres into the coating or substrate, they are encapsulated with fluorosilicone resin to prevent water from seeping into the gaps between the microspheres and causing a change in refractive index.

[0031] In one scenario, the guiding component 102 is a glass microsphere-type reflective film composed of uniformly distributed tiny glass beads (approximately 50mm-150mm in diameter). The guiding component 102 covers at least a portion of the base station 10, for example, the lower part of the base station. The base layer of the glass microsphere-type reflective film is typically made of polyethylene (PE) or polyester (PET) film, providing support and flexibility. Glass microsphere-type reflective films are inexpensive, offer high processing flexibility, and have strong surface adaptability.

[0032] For example, the guide component 102 can be a reflective strip made of glass microsphere reflective material and installed on the base station.

[0033] Microprism-type reflective materials can achieve higher reflectivity than traditional glass microspheres through precise microstructure optical design. Examples of microprism-type reflective materials include right-angle pyramidal prisms or truncated pyramidal prisms. The substrates for microprism-type reflective materials are, for example, polycarbonate, PMMA, or fluorinated vinyl, which are characterized by corrosion resistance, high light transmittance, and long service life.

[0034] For example, the guiding component 102 is a microprism-type reflective film made of microprism-type reflective material. The guiding component 102 achieves efficient directional light reflection, for example, by forming a microprism-type reflective film using an array of micron-sized prism units. The thickness of the microprism-type reflective film is, for example, approximately 0.25 mm to 0.6 mm, allowing it to be adhered to curved or complex-shaped surfaces without affecting the reflective effect. Compared to traditional glass bead-type reflective films, the reflective efficiency of the microprism-type reflective film can be increased by 3-5 times. The surface of the microprism-type reflective film is typically covered with a weather-resistant resin layer, resisting ultraviolet rays, rain, oil, and abrasion, with a service life of 5-10 years, suitable for long-term outdoor use. The microprism-type reflective film can cover at least a portion of the base station 10, for example, covering the entire base station 10.

[0035] For example, the guide component 102 is a reflective strip made of microprism-type reflective material and is installed on the base station.

[0036] It is understood that the above description of the composition of the highlight material is merely exemplary and is not intended to exhaustively list all highlight materials. Any highlight material that can realize the technical principles of this application is within the protection scope of this application.

[0037] The guiding component 102 has a first structure, and the point cloud generated by the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 at different locations exhibits different shapes.

[0038] In one case, the guide component 102 has a first structure formed of the high-gloss material described above; in another case, the guide component 102 has a first structure formed of a common material.

[0039] The first structure of the guide component 102 is viewed from different angles (e.g., from the front, left / right, and oblique rear of the guide component 102), resulting in different views. This is because the relative position of the automatic cleaning device 20 and the guide component 102 changes depending on the location of the automatic cleaning device 20 in the pool. Consequently, the acquisition angle and relative distance change, causing differences in the shape of the point cloud data generated by the sensor 201. By identifying the specific shape of the point cloud corresponding to this first structure at different positions of the automatic cleaning device 20, functions such as positioning and path planning of the automatic cleaning device 20 can be achieved, improving the intelligence and accuracy of the automatic cleaning device 20's operation and movement in the pool environment.

[0040] The point clouds corresponding to the different shapes are matched with the predetermined point clouds pre-stored in the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 to determine the orientation of the base station 10 relative to the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 at different positions.

[0041] In one scenario, the first structure of the guiding component 102 can be pre-collected from different angles to generate corresponding point clouds of different shapes, and these point clouds can be pre-stored in the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 as predetermined point clouds. If the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 needs to return to the base station 10, i.e., it needs to accurately identify the location of the base station 10, the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 can use an algorithm to match the point cloud of the first structure of the guiding component 102 collected in real time with the predetermined point cloud. For example, if the matching degree between the real-time point cloud and the predetermined point cloud is greater than 90%, it is determined that the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 has found the base station 10. Then, the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 can obtain the orientation of the base station 10 based on the point cloud collected in real time, thereby determining the orientation of the base station 10 relative to the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 and improving the positioning accuracy.

[0042] In the case where the guide component 102 is a first structure formed of ordinary materials, the sensor 201 matches all the point cloud data it collects in real time with the predetermined point cloud described above. If there is point cloud data with a matching degree greater than 90%, it indicates that the automatic cleaning device 20 of the pool has found the base station 10.

[0043] It is understandable that the point cloud intensity of certain objects in or on the pool may exceed the predetermined intensity threshold mentioned above (for example, a trash can on the pool bank is covered with a layer of glass microsphere reflective film). In this case, if sensor 201 identifies the point cloud of these objects, robot 20 may misidentify these objects as guide structure 102. To prevent such misidentification, after acquiring a point cloud with an intensity greater than the predetermined intensity threshold, sensor 201 can match the acquired point cloud with high intensity with the predetermined point cloud mentioned above. Only when the matching degree is greater than 90% is it considered that the automatic pool cleaning device 20 has found the base station 10. The above steps improve the accuracy of the sensor's identification of the base station.

[0044] The guide component 102 may include a planar structure or a three-dimensional structure.

[0045] In one scenario, the guide component 102 includes a planar structure, which can be viewed as a simplified two-dimensional model. For example, the guide component 102 may be a highlight film, highlight strip, or highlight band made of a highlight material.

[0046] In another scenario, the guiding component 102 includes a three-dimensional structure, which refers to a physical structure with significant geometric features in all three spatial dimensions: length, width, and height. In other words, the guiding component 102 is a three-dimensional structure. For example, if the base station is a cube, and the guiding component 102 is a triangle, the first side of the triangle can be located on the front of the cube base station, the second side of the triangle can be located on the side of the cube base station, and the third side of the triangle can be selectively located on either the front or side of the base station. The above description of the triangular guiding component and the position settings of its sides is merely exemplary.

[0047] Both the planar structure and the three-dimensional structure can be identified by the sensor 201 and point clouds can be generated.

[0048] Specifically, the first structure includes an L-shape, a triangle, or a trapezoid. All of these shapes have clear outlines and can be distinguished from other point clouds collected by the sensor 201 from the surrounding environment. For example, if the first structure is L-shaped, the sensor can obtain L-shaped point clouds of different sizes and proportions when identifying the first structure from different angles. As another example, if the first structure is triangular or trapezoidal, identifying it from different angles will yield point clouds of regular geometric shapes of different sizes and proportions.

[0049] The sensor 201 may include, for example, a lidar.

[0050] Sensor 201 may include, for example, a lidar, see reference. Figure 1 The lidar can be positioned, for example, at the front of the automatic pool cleaning device 20, with the front of the device corresponding to its direction of travel. The lidar can emit light signals (e.g., lasers) in the direction of movement of the device. When the light signal encounters a target (e.g., a base station 10 located in front of the device), the light signal is reflected back to the lidar. The lidar then calculates the distance between the device and the target using the time difference or phase difference between the emission and return of the light signal. The lidar can also measure the deflection angle of the reflected light signal. The controller of the automatic pool cleaning device 20 can convert the measured distance and angle information into three-dimensional coordinates using the lidar, further generating a point cloud of the target. The controller can then analyze the contour and position information of obstacles in front of the device based on the collected point cloud data. The lidar can also be mounted on a rotatable base, allowing it to scan and identify the area around the device during rotation.

[0051] The base station 10 may also include charging equipment, waste recycling equipment, or water quality testing equipment.

[0052] Taking base station 10 as an example, which includes a charging device, the charging device can charge the automatic water tank cleaning device 20. The charging device can be connected to mains power or can have a pre-installed battery. The base station 10 will be further explained below with specific examples. If the robot's current battery level is lower than a predetermined battery threshold, it indicates that the robot's remaining battery power is insufficient to support continued cleaning operations. Therefore, the robot needs to return to base station 10 and recharge, and the robot needs to reserve some battery power to move from its current location to base station 10.

[0053] Taking base station 10, which includes a garbage recycling device, as an example, if the garbage basket inside the robot is dirty to a predetermined degree, affecting normal cleaning operations, the robot can return to base station 10 and dock with the garbage recycling device, thereby enabling the garbage recycling device to clean the garbage basket of the automatic cleaning device 20 for the pool.

[0054] Taking base station 10 as an example, which includes water quality testing equipment, the robot can return to base station 10 and obtain a water sample to be tested from the robot through the water quality testing equipment, and perform water quality testing on the water sample to obtain water quality data in the pool. The robot can adjust its cleaning strategy based on the water quality testing results, such as extending the cleaning time.

[0055] This application also provides an automatic pool cleaning system, including an automatic pool cleaning device 20 and any of the above-mentioned base stations 10, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device 20 identifies the guide component 102 returning to the base station 10 via a sensor 201.

[0056] The automatic pool cleaning device 20 is responsible for cleaning the water surface, pool bottom, and pool walls. The base station 10 provides multifaceted support to the automatic pool cleaning device 20, as described in detail above and will not be repeated here. The automatic pool cleaning system, consisting of the base station 10 and the automatic pool cleaning device 20, enables fully automated maintenance of the swimming pool and is suitable for various swimming pool scenarios.

[0057] The aforementioned automatic water tank cleaning device 20 is equipped with a sensor 201, and the sensor 201 can be used to identify the guide component 102 set on the base station 10, thereby locating the base station 10, and using a path planning algorithm to obtain the path for the automatic water tank cleaning device 20 to return to the base station 10 from the current location.

[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. A base station (10) for an automatic water tank cleaning device (20), comprising: The main body (101) and the guiding component (102), wherein, At least a portion of the guide component (102) is disposed on the body (101); The guiding component (102) includes a high-gloss material configured to be easily identified and collected by the sensor (201) of the automatic pool cleaning device (20) to determine the orientation of the base station (10) relative to the automatic pool cleaning device (20).

2. The base station (10) according to claim 1, wherein the reflectivity of the high-light material is greater than a predetermined threshold, such that the intensity value of the point cloud of the guiding component (102) generated by the sensor (201) is greater than a predetermined intensity threshold.

3. The base station (10) according to claim 2, wherein the high-brightness material comprises: Glass microsphere or microprism reflective film; Alternatively, glass microbead or microprism reflective strips.

4. The base station (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the guiding component (102) has a first structure, and the point cloud generated by the automatic water tank cleaning device (20) at different locations presents different shapes.

5. According to claim 4, the point cloud corresponding to the different shapes is matched with a predetermined point cloud pre-stored in the automatic water tank cleaning device (20) to determine the orientation of the base station (10) relative to the automatic water tank cleaning device (20) at different positions.

6. The base station (10) according to claim 4, wherein, The first structure includes an L-shape, a triangle, or a trapezoid.

7. The base station (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the guiding component (102) comprises a planar structure or a three-dimensional structure.

8. The base station (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The sensor (201) includes a lidar.

9. The base station (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the base station (10) further includes a charging device, a waste recycling device or a water quality testing device.

10. An automatic pool cleaning system, comprising an automatic pool cleaning device (20) and a base station (10) as claimed in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device (20) identifies the guide component (102) returning to the base station (10) via a sensor (201).

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