Pool cleaning robot

Abstract

This application relates to the field of robotics, and more particularly to a pool cleaning robot, comprising: a body with a suction port at the bottom and a water outlet at the top; a cleaning brush assembly disposed on the body and located in front of the suction port; a waste collection assembly disposed within the body and communicating with the suction port, with a filter screen on its side wall; a water pump assembly disposed within the body for drawing liquid and waste from the suction port to the waste collection assembly, with the liquid being filtered by the filter screen and discharged from the water outlet; a flexible baffle disposed at the bottom of the body and located behind the suction port; and a protrusion disposed at the bottom of the body and at least partially located in front of the flexible baffle, so that the protrusion can contact obstacles before the flexible baffle. This application can reduce the occurrence of pool cleaning robot jamming when encountering obstacles at the bottom of the pool.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics, and more particularly to a pool cleaning robot. Background Technology

[0002] Most commercially available pool cleaning robots are equipped with a soft rubber brush behind the suction port to guide debris from the pool bottom to the collection bin. However, when the robot moves to the drain area at the bottom of the pool, the soft rubber brush is easily squeezed and deformed by the raised structure on the drain cover. This causes it to come into contact with both the robot's chassis and the drain cover, significantly increasing friction. This can easily cause the robot to get stuck at the drain, making it difficult to escape, thus affecting cleaning efficiency and normal operation of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a swimming pool cleaning robot, which aims to improve the problem of the robot getting stuck at the drain outlet and having difficulty getting out of trouble.

[0004] This utility model embodiment provides a swimming pool cleaning robot, including: The machine body has a suction port at the bottom and a water outlet at the top. A cleaning brush assembly is disposed on the body and located in front of the suction port; A waste collection component is installed inside the machine body and communicates with the suction port, and a filter screen is provided on its side wall; A water pump assembly, located inside the machine body, is used to draw liquid and waste from the suction port to the waste collection assembly, and the liquid is discharged from the outlet after being filtered by the filter screen. A flexible baffle is provided at the bottom of the machine body and located behind the suction port; A protrusion is provided at the bottom of the body and at least partially located in front of the flexible baffle, so that the protrusion can contact the obstacle before the flexible baffle.

[0005] Optionally, the protrusion includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion, wherein the first protrusion is at least partially located between the suction port and the flexible baffle, and the second protrusion is located on the rear side of the flexible baffle.

[0006] Optionally, the protrusion is arc-shaped on the side away from the bottom of the body.

[0007] Optionally, the protrusion is a strip-shaped structure extending laterally along the bottom of the body.

[0008] Optionally, the protrusions include multiple protrusions, which are distributed laterally at intervals along the bottom of the body, and the protrusions are strip-shaped structures extending in the front-back direction of the body.

[0009] Optionally, the front surface of the protrusion is an inclined guide surface.

[0010] Optionally, the protrusion may be made of rigid plastic or metal.

[0011] Optionally, the flexible baffle includes a plurality of spaced flexible films, and the protrusion extends between two adjacent flexible films.

[0012] Optionally, the protrusion and the body are integrally formed.

[0013] Optionally, the flexible baffle extends forward along both ends of the bottom of the body, so that the flexible baffle protrudes forward to surround the suction port.

[0014] This utility model embodiment features a protruding part that extends downwards from the body. This protrusion allows the pool cleaning robot to preferentially contact the drain cover or other obstacles during its forward movement. This causes the body to be slightly lifted upon contact, increasing the gap between the bottom of the body and the obstacle. This provides sufficient space for the flexible baffle, reducing its deformation and thus decreasing the contact area between the flexible baffle and the obstacle. Consequently, it reduces the friction between the flexible baffle and the obstacle, minimizing the probability of the pool cleaning robot getting stuck due to friction. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is an overall diagram of a swimming pool cleaning robot provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a pool cleaning robot provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Body; 2. Suction port; 3. Cleaning brush assembly; 4. Flexible baffle; 41. Flexible film; 5. Protrusion; 51. First protrusion; 52. Second protrusion. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0018] Reference Figures 1 to 3This application provides a swimming pool cleaning robot, comprising a body 1, a cleaning brush assembly 3, a waste collection assembly, a water pump assembly, a flexible baffle 4, and a protrusion 5. The body 1 has a suction port 2 at its bottom and a water outlet at its top. The cleaning brush assembly 3 is mounted on the body 1 and located in front of the suction port 2. The waste collection assembly is located inside the body 1 and communicates with the suction port 2, with a filter screen on its sidewall. The water pump assembly is located inside the body 1 and is used to draw liquid and waste from the suction port 2 to the waste collection assembly; the liquid is filtered by the filter screen and discharged from the water outlet. The flexible baffle 4 is located at the bottom of the body 1 and behind the suction port 2. The protrusion 5 is located at the bottom of the body 1 and at least partially in front of the flexible baffle 4, allowing the protrusion 5 to contact obstacles before the flexible baffle 4.

[0019] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The machine body 1 is equipped with tracked wheels, which are located on the left and right sides of the machine body 1 to drive the machine body 1 to move smoothly on the bottom and walls of the pool. The water pump assembly is installed inside the machine body 1, with its inlet connected to the suction port 2 located at the bottom of the machine body 1 and its outlet connected to the spray nozzle located at the top of the machine body 1. When the water pump assembly is activated, water from the pool, along with debris from the bottom, enters the debris collection assembly inside the machine body 1 through the suction port 2. After being filtered by a filter screen, the clean water is sprayed out through the spray nozzle. The water jet from the top generates a reaction pressure towards the bottom of the pool, keeping the machine body 1 close to the ground during operation, improving stability and cleaning effectiveness.

[0020] A flexible baffle 4 is installed behind the suction port 2 to effectively guide the garbage approaching the suction port 2, allowing it to smoothly enter the suction port 2 and be sucked into the garbage collection assembly. However, in traditional structures, the flexible baffle 4 is easily squeezed and deformed when it encounters a drain cover or other protruding obstacles at the bottom of the pool. This causes the flexible baffle 4 to fit tightly against the surface of the drain cover or other protruding obstacles, resulting in greater friction between the flexible baffle 4 and the obstacles. This increases the friction of the body 1, hindering the forward and backward movement of the body 1, and easily causing the equipment to jam or even become stuck for a long time.

[0021] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3However, in this embodiment, a protrusion 5 is provided in front of the flexible baffle 4 and behind the suction port 2. The protrusion 5 protrudes downward from the body 1, and can preferentially contact the drain cover or other obstacles during the forward movement of the pool cleaning robot. This causes the body 1 to be slightly lifted at the moment of contact, increasing the gap between the bottom of the body 1 and the obstacle, thereby leaving sufficient space for the flexible baffle 4, reducing the degree of deformation of the flexible baffle 4, thereby reducing the contact area between the flexible baffle 4 and the obstacle, and further reducing the friction between the flexible baffle 4 and the obstacle, thus minimizing the probability of the pool cleaning robot getting stuck due to friction.

[0022] In one embodiment, the protrusion 5 includes a first protrusion 51 and a second protrusion 52, wherein the first protrusion 51 is at least partially located between the suction port 2 and the flexible baffle 4, and the second protrusion 52 is located on the rear side of the flexible baffle 4.

[0023] In this embodiment, the first protrusion 51 is located in front of the flexible baffle 4, and the second protrusion 52 is located behind the flexible baffle 4. During the forward movement of the pool cleaning robot, the first protrusion 51 preferentially contacts the drain cover or other obstacles, providing sufficient space for the flexible baffle 4. Subsequently, as the pool cleaning robot moves forward, the first protrusion 51 gradually moves away from the obstacle, while the second protrusion 52 gradually approaches and contacts the obstacle, at which point the second protrusion 52 provides sufficient space for the flexible baffle 4. The first protrusion 51 and the second protrusion 52, positioned one in front of the other, provide full protection for the flexible baffle 4, ensuring that the flexible baffle 4 can completely pass through obstacles.

[0024] In one embodiment, one end of the first protrusion 51 extends in the front-back direction to the middle of the second protrusion 52, so that the first protrusion 51 and the second protrusion 52 are seamlessly connected in the front-back direction, thereby improving the full protection of the flexible baffle 4.

[0025] In one embodiment, the protrusion 5 is arc-shaped on the side away from the bottom of the body 1. In this embodiment, the arc-shaped bottom of the protrusion 5 optimizes contact and friction. When the protrusion 5 contacts obstacles such as drain covers, its smooth curved surface transforms traditional, high-resistance surface contact into a near-line or point contact. This optimized contact method significantly reduces the effective contact area between the protrusion 5 and the obstacle, thereby directly reducing sliding friction resistance. This not only allows the pool cleaning robot to overcome obstacles more smoothly, reducing the risk of jamming, but also reduces noise and component wear caused by friction, contributing to improved efficiency and lifespan of the pool cleaning robot.

[0026] Secondly, the curved surface plays a crucial guiding and sloping role. The curved contour forms a natural, edgeless "ramp." Whether climbing over obstacles or descending after contact, this smooth transition surface continuously guides the robot's posture changes smoothly. This allows the pool cleaning robot to "climb" over obstacles more stably and smoothly, rather than "bumping" into them, effectively avoiding body vibration, wheel slippage, or deviation from the cleaning path caused by rigid collisions or abrupt posture changes, ensuring the continuity and stability of the cleaning operation.

[0027] In one embodiment, the protrusion 5 is a strip-shaped structure extending laterally along the bottom of the body 1. In this embodiment, the strip-shaped protrusion 5 has the advantages of simple structure and easy molding, and compared with the block-shaped protrusion 5, it has a smaller volume and occupies less bottom space of the pool cleaning robot.

[0028] In one embodiment, the protrusions 5 include multiple protrusions 5, which are laterally spaced along the bottom of the body 1. The protrusions 5 are strip-shaped structures extending in the front-rear direction of the body 1. The multiple spaced strip-shaped protrusions form a "detection array," which ensures that one or more protrusions 5 can preferentially contact the obstacle regardless of its shape or orientation, thereby significantly improving the reliability and versatility of obstacle-crossing guidance.

[0029] Moreover, compared to a single, large protrusion, the spaced-out pattern significantly reduces the space occupied by the protruding structure on the flat bottom. This frees up design space for other functional components such as the water flow channel near the suction port 2, maximizing functional density.

[0030] In this embodiment, multiple first protrusions 51 and second protrusions 52 are provided, and the first protrusions 51 and second protrusions 52 are distributed at intervals along the lateral direction.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first protrusion 51 is disposed between two adjacent second protrusions 52 in the lateral direction. This staggered distribution can effectively utilize the bottom space of the pool cleaning robot.

[0032] In one embodiment, the front surface of the protrusion 5 is an inclined guide surface. In this embodiment, the front surface is used as a guide surface to actively alter the effect of the force at the initial moment when the protrusion 5 contacts an obstacle (such as a drain cover). When a vertical plane impacts an obstacle, it generates a huge reverse impact force directly aimed at the robot, easily causing the robot to get "stuck" or even tilt backward. The inclined guide surface of this design can decompose this impact force into two components: a vertically upward component to lift the robot body 1, helping it begin its climbing action; and a horizontal component that is guided as far as possible to slide sideways.

[0033] In one embodiment, the protrusion 5 is made of rigid plastic or metal. As a "pioneer" component that directly contacts obstacles and withstands friction and impact, the protrusion 5 must possess extremely high wear resistance. Both rigid plastic and metal materials can effectively resist wear caused by long-term scratching, avoiding the problem of protective function failure due to rapid material wear, thereby ensuring the structural integrity and reliability of the product for long-term use.

[0034] Many specified rigid engineering plastics (such as POM) possess self-lubricating properties and have a very low coefficient of surface friction. Metal materials can also achieve a similar effect through surface smoothing. This property, working in conjunction with the aforementioned inclined guide surface, further reduces sliding friction resistance with obstacles such as drain covers, making obstacle-crossing smoother.

[0035] The protrusion 5 needs to bear part of the robot's weight and provide sufficient supporting torque when crossing obstacles. Both rigid plastic and metal materials can provide the necessary rigidity and strength to ensure that it will not bend or break under stress, thus reliably performing its core functions of "lifting" and "supporting".

[0036] In one embodiment, the surface of the protrusion 5 is covered with a coating that has anti-friction properties.

[0037] In one embodiment, the flexible baffle 4 includes a plurality of spaced flexible sheets 41, with the protrusion 5 extending between adjacent flexible sheets 41. Unlike the integral flexible baffle 4, the multiple independent flexible sheets 41 possess independent degrees of freedom of deformation when encountering obstacles. This means that when a part is compressed, only the individual or partial sheets in direct contact will deform (potentially bending forward, backward, or laterally), while the other flexible sheets 41 can maintain their original shape and continue to perform their sealing or blocking functions. This "individualistic" mode greatly reduces the probability of the entire baffle getting completely hooked and stuck with complex obstacles, improving the swimming pool cleaning robot's ability to escape obstacles.

[0038] Furthermore, since the strip-shaped protrusion 5 completely passes through the gap between two adjacent flexible films 41, it is equivalent to embedding a rigid "keel" in the flexible protective layer. This protrusion 5 can preferentially contact obstacles, absorb the scraping force and impact force that may directly act on the flexible films 41, and use its smooth surface to "pry open" the obstacles, thereby creating a protected deformation space for the flexible films 41 on both sides.

[0039] Because the protrusion 5 can extend directly into the middle and even the front region of the flexible baffle 4, it can provide continuous obstacle-crossing guidance and protection along the critical path using only its own structure. In this case, it is possible to eliminate the complex arrangement of the first protrusion 51 and the second protrusion 52, which are located at the front and rear of the flexible baffle 4 respectively, as described above. Using only a set of continuous or intermittent strip-shaped protrusions can achieve the same or even better end-to-end protection effect, which significantly simplifies the bottom structure and reduces the complexity of the mold and production costs.

[0040] In one embodiment, the protrusion 5 and the body 1 are integrally formed. In this embodiment, the protrusion 5 and the shell of the body 1 are integrally formed, and both are made of rigid plastic.

[0041] In one embodiment, the flexible baffle 4 extends forward laterally to both ends, protruding forward to surround the suction port 2. In this embodiment, the flexible baffle 4 is C-shaped with the opening facing forward. The flexible baffle 4 has the function of collecting debris and effectively guiding debris near the suction port 2, allowing the debris to smoothly enter the suction port 2.

[0042] In this application, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc., in this application (if any) are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0045] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0046] Unless otherwise specified, all steps in this application may be performed sequentially or randomly. For example, if the method includes steps A and B, it means that the method may include steps A and B performed sequentially, or it may include steps B and A performed sequentially. For example, if the method may also include step C, it means that step C may be added to the method in any order. For example, the method may include steps A, B, and C, or it may include steps A, C, and B, or it may include steps C, A, and B, etc.

[0047] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A swimming pool cleaning robot, characterized in that, include: The machine body has a suction port at the bottom and a water outlet at the top. A cleaning brush assembly is disposed on the body and located in front of the suction port; A waste collection component is installed inside the machine body and communicates with the suction port, and a filter screen is provided on its side wall; A water pump assembly, located inside the machine body, is used to draw liquid and waste from the suction port to the waste collection assembly, and the liquid is discharged from the outlet after being filtered by the filter screen. A flexible baffle is provided at the bottom of the machine body and located behind the suction port; A protrusion is provided at the bottom of the body and at least partially located in front of the flexible baffle, so that the protrusion can contact the obstacle before the flexible baffle.

2. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion being at least partially located between the suction port and the flexible baffle, and the second protrusion being located on the rear side of the flexible baffle.

3. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion is arc-shaped on the side away from the bottom of the body.

4. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion is a strip-shaped structure that extends laterally along the bottom of the body.

5. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusions include multiple protrusions, which are distributed laterally at intervals along the bottom of the body. The protrusions are strip-shaped structures extending in the front-back direction of the body.

6. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front surface of the protrusion is an inclined guide surface.

7. The swimming pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion is made of rigid plastic or metal.

8. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible baffle includes a plurality of spaced flexible films, and the protrusion extends between two adjacent flexible films.

9. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible baffle extends forward along both ends of the bottom of the machine body, so that the flexible baffle protrudes forward to surround the suction port.

10. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion and the body are integrally formed.

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