Lawnmower system

Abstract

The application discloses a lawn mower system, which comprises a lawn mower and a base station; one of the lawn mower and the base station is provided with a charging connector, and the other of the lawn mower and the base station is provided with a charging pole; the charging connector has an extended position and a retracted position and can be switched between the extended position and the retracted position; the lawn mower system is configured to control the charging connector to be in the extended position when the lawn mower and the base station are in a docking state, so that the charging connector is docked with the charging pole and the lawn mower is charged by the base station; after the charging is completed, the charging connector can be controlled to be switched to the retracted position. With the design, the charging connector is less likely to be scratched with the shell of the lawn mower, and the probability of deformation and damage of the charging connector is reduced, so that the reliability and durability of the lawn mower system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of lawn mowing equipment technology, and more particularly to a lawn mowing system. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, intelligent lawnmowers have become widely known. Because they can perform tasks through pre-set programs without human intervention, they are widely used in industrial and household applications. Intelligent lawnmowers are typically battery-powered. When the battery is depleted, these lawnmowers cease operation. Therefore, they are usually programmed to connect to a base station when the battery level drops below a certain threshold, allowing the station to recharge the lawnmower.

[0003] In related technologies, a flexible conductive sheet is installed on the base station, and conductive contacts are installed on the lawnmower. The connection between the flexible conductive sheet and the conductive contacts is used to establish a charging circuit between the base station and the lawnmower. However, to ensure stable contact between the flexible conductive sheet and the conductive contacts, the flexible conductive sheet usually needs to protrude towards the lawnmower side. This inevitably leads to the flexible conductive sheet rubbing against the lawnmower's outer casing, easily scratching the casing and even causing the flexible conductive sheet to deform or be damaged. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application discloses a lawnmower system to solve the problem that the elastic conductive sheet of the base station in the related technology is prone to scratching the lawnmower casing.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows: This application discloses a lawnmower system, which includes a lawnmower and a base station; One of the lawnmower and the base station is provided with a charging connector, and the other of the lawnmower and the base station is provided with a charging electrode. The charging connector has an extended position and a retracted position, and can be switched between the extended position and the retracted position. The lawnmower system is configured to, when the lawnmower is connected to the base station, control the charging connector to be in the extended position so that the charging connector aligns with the charging electrode and charges the lawnmower through the base station.

[0006] The technical solution adopted in this application can achieve the following technical effects: The lawnmower system disclosed in this application improves upon related technologies by utilizing the mating of a charging connector and charging electrodes to establish a charging circuit between the lawnmower and a base station. Since the charging connector has an extended position and a retracted position, and can switch between these positions, when the lawnmower and base station are connected, the charging connector can be controlled to be in the extended position to align with the charging electrodes, allowing the base station to charge the lawnmower. After charging is complete, the charging connector can be controlled to retract. This design reduces the likelihood of the charging connector scratching the lawnmower's casing and also lowers the probability of deformation or damage, thereby improving the reliability and durability of the lawnmower system. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the lawnmower system disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the lawnmower system disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is the third schematic diagram of the lawnmower system disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the charging connector and housing disclosed in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the charging connector disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0008] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100-Lawnmower, 110-Charging connector, 111-Conductive rod assembly, 1111-First rod body, 1112-Second rod body, 1113-Connector, 1114-Slide groove, 112-Mounting base, 113-Drive assembly, 1131-Motor, 1132-Turntable, 1133-Eccentric shaft, 114-Sensor assembly, 1141-First position sensor, 1142-Second position sensor, 1143-Magnetic component, 115-Cover plate, 120-Housing shell, 121-Through hole, 130-Detection unit. 200 - Base station, 210 - Charging electrode, 220 - Identification department. Detailed Implementation

[0009] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0010] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and are not limited in number; for example, a first object can be one or more.

[0011] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5 This application discloses a lawnmower system, which may include a lawnmower 100 and a base station 200. The lawnmower 100 is equipped with a battery that can supply power to the lawnmower 100 to meet its power needs, such as the power needs during the lawnmower 100's movement and operation. The lawnmower 100 can be connected to the base station 200, and the base station 200 can charge the lawnmower 100.

[0012] One of the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200 is provided with a charging connector 110, and the other of the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200 is provided with a charging electrode 210. When the charging connector 110 is connected to the charging electrode 210, the charging circuit between the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200 is connected. The charging connector 110 has an extended position and a retracted position, and the charging connector 110 can switch between the extended position and the retracted position.

[0013] The lawnmower system is configured such that, when the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200 are in a connected state, the charging connector 110 is controlled to extend so that the charging connector 110 aligns with the charging electrode 210. At this time, the charging circuit between the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200 is connected, and the base station 200 can charge the lawnmower 100.

[0014] For example, the charging connector 110 can be set on the lawnmower 100, and the charging electrode 210 can be set on the base station 200. The lawnmower 100 can travel to the base station 200 according to a preset program and be in a connected state with the base station 200. The connected state can refer to the state in which the lawnmower 100 runs to a predetermined position of the base station 200 and is interconnected with the base station 200 through wireless communication modules such as Bluetooth and WIFI; or, the connected state can also include the state in which the lawnmower 100 moves slowly relative to the base station 200 before running to the predetermined position of the base station.

[0015] In the connected state, the charging connector 110 on the lawnmower 100 can be controlled to be in the extended position, allowing it to connect with the charging electrode 210 on the base station 200. Alternatively, the charging connector 110 can be placed on the base station 200, and the charging electrode 210 on the lawnmower 100. The lawnmower 100 can then travel to the base station 200 according to a preset program and connect with it. In this case, the charging connector 110 on the base station 200 can be controlled to be in the extended position, allowing it to connect with the charging electrode 210 on the lawnmower 100. After charging is complete, the charging connector 110 can be controlled to be in the retracted position, disconnecting it from the charging electrode 210. At this point, the lawnmower 100 can move normally and leave the base station 200.

[0016] It should be noted that when the charging connector 110 is mounted on the lawnmower 100 and the charging electrode 210 is mounted on the base station 200, one end of the charging connector 110 can be used to mate and electrically connect with the charging electrode 210, and the other end of the charging connector 110 can be connected to the control board of the lawnmower 100 via a wire, and then transferred to the battery of the lawnmower 100 via the control board. This allows the electrical energy transmitted from the base station 200 through the charging electrode 210 to be supplied to the battery, thus enabling the battery to be charged. Similarly, when the charging electrode 210 is mounted on the lawnmower 100 and the charging connector 110 is mounted on the base station 200, the charging electrode 210 can be connected to the control board of the lawnmower 100 via a wire, and then transferred to the battery of the lawnmower 100 via the control board. This allows the electrical energy transmitted from the base station 200 through the charging connector 110 to be supplied to the battery.

[0017] As described above, the lawnmower system disclosed in this application improves upon related technologies by utilizing the mating of the charging connector 110 and the charging electrode 210 to establish a charging circuit between the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200. Since the charging connector 110 has an extended position and a retracted position, and can switch between these positions, when the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200 are connected, the charging connector 110 can be controlled to be in the extended position so that it mates with the charging electrode 210, allowing the base station 200 to charge the lawnmower 100. After charging is complete, the charging connector 110 can be controlled to switch to the retracted position. With this design, the charging connector 110 is less likely to scratch the housing 120 of the lawnmower 100, and the probability of deformation or damage to the charging connector 110 is also reduced, thereby improving the reliability and durability of the lawnmower system.

[0018] In one optional embodiment of this application, taking the charging connector 110 as an example and the charging electrode 210 as an example, the lawnmower 100 may include a housing 120, the housing 120 having a cavity, the cavity being used to install components such as the control board and battery of the lawnmower 100, the aforementioned charging connector 110 may also be disposed in the cavity, the side of the housing 120 is provided with a through hole 121 connecting the cavity and the outside of the housing 120, and the charging electrode 210 is disposed on the base station 200.

[0019] When the charging connector 110 is in the extended position, its end protrudes through the through hole 121 of the housing 120. At this time, the end of the charging connector 110 protrudes from the housing 120, thus ensuring that the charging connector 110 aligns with the charging electrode 210 while preventing the housing 120 from getting too close and scraping against the base station 200. When the charging connector 110 is in the retracted position, its end retracts into the cavity, preventing it from scraping against components such as the base station 200, thereby protecting both the charging connector 110 and the base station 200.

[0020] The aforementioned charging connector 110 may include a conductive rod assembly 111, a mounting base 112, and a driving assembly 113. The mounting base 112 is connected to the housing 120 and serves as the mounting foundation for the charging connector 110. The conductive rod assembly 111 is slidably connected to the mounting base 112. The driving assembly 113 is driveably connected to the conductive rod assembly 111, and can drive the end of the conductive rod assembly 111 to extend or retract into the cavity through the through hole 121. In a specific application scenario, when the lawnmower 100 is running at a predetermined position on the base station 200 and is in a connected state with the base station 200, the driving assembly 113 can be used to drive the end of the conductive rod assembly 111 to extend through the through hole 121, so that the end of the conductive rod assembly 111 aligns with the charging electrode 210, thereby establishing a charging circuit between the base station 200 and the lawnmower 100. After charging is completed, the end of the conductive rod assembly 111 can be retracted into the cavity by the drive assembly 113, which can prevent the end of the charging connector 110 from scratching with components such as the base station 200.

[0021] like Figure 1 and Figure 5As shown, the conductive rod assembly 111 may include a first rod 1111, a second rod 1112, and a connector 1113. The connector 1113 is connected to both the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112. One of the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 can be a positive electrode, and the other is a negative electrode. The drive assembly 113 is connected to the connector 1113 in a transmission manner. The drive assembly 113 can drive the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 to move synchronously through the connector 1113, so that the ends of the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 extend or retract into the cavity through the through hole 121. Taking the first rod 1111 as the positive electrode and the second rod 1112 as the negative electrode as an example, the charging electrode 210 may also include a positive electrode for docking with the first rod 1111 and a negative electrode for docking with the second rod 1112. By utilizing the transmission cooperation between the drive assembly 113 and the connector 1113, the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 can be moved synchronously, which improves the consistency when the charging connector 110 and the charging electrode 210 are connected.

[0022] The drive assembly 113 can be a combination of a motor 1131, a lead screw, and a lead screw nut, or it can be a combination of a cylinder and a connecting rod. In one optional embodiment of this application, please refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The aforementioned drive assembly 113 may include a motor 1131 and a turntable 1132. The motor 1131 is connected to the housing 120, and the turntable 1132 is rotatably connected to the mounting base 112. The output shaft of the motor 1131 is connected to the axis of the turntable 1132 to drive the turntable 1132 to switch between a first position and a second position. An eccentric shaft 1133 is provided on the side of the turntable 1132 facing the connector 1113. The eccentric shaft 1133 is eccentrically positioned to the axis of the turntable 1132. A sliding groove 1114 is provided on the side of the connector 1113 facing the turntable 1132. The eccentric shaft 1133 extends into the sliding groove 1114 and is slidably connected to the sliding groove 1114. Alternatively, the sliding groove 1114 may also be a structure such as a slotted hole.

[0023] The turntable 1132 and the connecting member 1113 form a crank-connecting rod mechanism. When the motor 1131 drives the turntable 1132 to rotate, the turntable 1132 will drive the eccentric shaft 1133 to move. The movement of the eccentric shaft 1133 can be decomposed into a component movement along the extension direction of the slide groove 1114 and a component movement along the extension direction of the charging connector 110. Under the constraint of the mounting base 112, the first rod 1111, the second rod 1112 and the connecting member 1113 will only move along the extension direction of the charging connector 110. Then the component movement of the eccentric shaft 1133 along the extension direction of the charging connector 110 can provide driving force to the first rod 1111, the second rod 1112 and the connecting member 1113.

[0024] When the turntable 1132 rotates to the first position, the ends of the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 extend out through the through hole 121. When the turntable 1132 rotates to the second position, the ends of the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 retract into the cavity. The crank-connecting rod mechanism described above has a simple structure and good durability.

[0025] To accurately control the movement stroke of the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112, and to prevent the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 from excessively extending or retracting from the housing 120, the charging connector 110 may also include a sensor assembly 114, which is disposed on the mounting base 112. The lawnmower system is configured to control the motor 1131 to stop when the sensor assembly 114 detects that the turntable 1132 is in the first or second position, thereby enabling the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 to stop precisely at a preset position, which can improve the reliability of the contact between the charging connector 110 and the charging electrode 210.

[0026] The aforementioned sensor assembly 114 can be a Hall sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. In an optional embodiment of this application, the sensor assembly 114 may include a first position sensor 1141, a second position sensor 1142, and a magnetic element 1143. The first position sensor 1141 and the second position sensor 1142 can be Hall sensors. The first position sensor 1141 and the second position sensor 1142 are spaced apart in the sliding direction of the conductive rod assembly 111 and are respectively connected to the mounting base 112. The magnetic element 1143 can be disposed on the turntable 1132. During the rotation of the turntable 1132, the magnetic element 1143 will rotate synchronously, and the relative position between the magnetic element 1143 and the first position sensor 1141 and the second position sensor 1142 will change.

[0027] When the turntable 1132 is in the first position, the magnetic component 1143 is positioned opposite to the first position sensor 1141, thereby triggering the first position sensor 1141. The control board of the lawnmower 100 can be connected to the first position sensor 1141 and the second position sensor 1142. After the control board receives the signal that the first position sensor 1141 has been triggered, it can control the motor 1131 to be in a stopped state, thereby allowing the ends of the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 to stably extend out of the through hole 121 and dock with the charging electrode 210.

[0028] When the turntable 1132 is in the second position, the magnetic component 1143 is positioned opposite to the second position sensor 1142, thereby triggering the second position sensor 1142. After the control board receives the signal that the second position sensor 1142 has been triggered, it can control the motor 1131 to be in a stopped state, thereby allowing the ends of the first rod 1111 and the second rod 1112 to be stably retracted into the cavity.

[0029] To improve the stability of the first rod 1111, the second rod 1112, and the connector 1113 during sliding, the charging connector 110 may also include a cover plate 115. The cover plate 115 is placed on the mounting base 112. The cover plate 115 and the mounting base 112 can form a space for the first rod 1111, the second rod 1112, and the connector 1113 to slide. Under the limiting effect of the cover plate 115 and the mounting base 112, the first rod 1111, the second rod 1112, and the connector 1113 can be prevented from shaking or shifting.

[0030] To improve the stability of the charging electrode 210 installation, an installation groove can be provided on the side of the base station 200. The installation groove can extend along the traveling direction of the lawnmower 100, and along the traveling direction of the lawnmower 100, the installation groove has a first open end and a second open end.

[0031] The charging electrode 210 may include a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode. The first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode are all disposed in the mounting groove and are respectively connected to the groove wall of the mounting groove. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged opposite to each other to form a first clamping space for clamping the first rod 1111. The whole formed by the first electrode and the second electrode can be a positive electrode. The third electrode and the fourth electrode are arranged opposite to each other to form a second clamping space for clamping the second rod 1112. The whole formed by the third electrode and the fourth electrode can be a negative electrode.

[0032] When the base station 200 and the lawnmower 100 are in a connected state, the base station 200 and the lawnmower 100 can be relatively stationary. At this time, it is only necessary to align the charging connector 110 with the charging electrode 210 and then control the charging connector 110 to be in the extended position. Of course, the lawnmower 100 can also slowly slide the charging connector 110 into the first and second clamping spaces of the charging electrode 210 during movement. Specifically, when the lawnmower 100 is close to the base station 200, the charging connector 110 can be controlled to be in the extended position, and then the charging connector 110 can be slid from the first opening end of the mounting slot into the mounting slot, and further slid into the first and second clamping spaces of the charging electrode 210. After charging is completed, the lawnmower 100 can maintain its previous direction of travel and slide out from the second opening end of the mounting slot without performing a turning operation. This improves work efficiency and avoids repeated trampling of the lawn.

[0033] To ensure that the charging connector 110 can smoothly slide into the first clamping space and the second clamping space of the charging electrode 210, a guide structure, such as an arc-shaped chamfer or a guide slope, can be provided in at least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode. By utilizing the guide structure and the guiding cooperation of the first rod 1111 and / or the second rod 1112, the docking efficiency between the charging connector 110 and the charging electrode 210 can be improved.

[0034] To determine whether the base station 200 and the lawnmower 100 are in a connected state, an identification unit 220 can be installed on one of the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200, and a detection unit 130 can be installed on the other. When the detection unit 130 detects the identification unit 220, the lawnmower 100 and the base station 200 are in a connected state. The lawnmower system can control the extension and retraction timing of the charging connector 110 based on the status of the detection unit 130. The detection unit 130 can be an image sensor, and the identification unit 220 can be a reflective sticker or a QR code sticker, etc.

[0035] The above embodiments of this application focus on describing the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different optimization features between the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form a better embodiment. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0036] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A lawnmower system, characterized in that, Includes lawnmowers (100) and base stations (200); One of the lawnmower (100) and the base station (200) is provided with a charging connector (110), and the other of the lawnmower (100) and the base station (200) is provided with a charging electrode (210). The charging connector (110) has an extended position and a retracted position, and can be switched between the extended position and the retracted position. The lawnmower system is configured to control the charging connector (110) to be in an extended position when the lawnmower (100) and the base station (200) are in a connected state, so that the charging connector (110) is connected to the charging electrode (210) and the lawnmower (100) is charged through the base station (200).

2. The lawnmower system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lawnmower (100) includes a housing (120) having a cavity, a charging connector (110) being disposed in the cavity, a through hole (121) on the side of the housing (120) connecting the cavity to the outside of the housing (120), and a charging electrode (210) being disposed on the base station (200). When the charging connector (110) is in the extended position, the end of the charging connector (110) extends through the through hole (121) and protrudes from the housing (120). When the charging connector (110) is in the retracted position, the end of the charging connector (110) retracts into the cavity.

3. The lawnmower system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The charging connector (110) includes a conductive rod assembly (111), a mounting base (112), and a drive assembly (113). The mounting base (112) is connected to the housing (120), the conductive rod assembly (111) is slidably connected to the mounting base (112), and the driving assembly (113) is drively connected to the conductive rod assembly (111) to drive the end of the conductive rod assembly (111) to extend or retract into the cavity through the through hole (121).

4. The lawnmower system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The conductive rod assembly (111) includes a first rod body (1111), a second rod body (1112), and a connector (1113). The connector (1113) is connected to the first rod body (1111) and the second rod body (1112) respectively. The drive assembly (113) is connected to the connector (1113) for transmission, so that the ends of the first rod body (1111) and the ends of the second rod body (1112) can be driven to extend or retract into the cavity through the through hole (121) via the connector (1113).

5. The lawnmower system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive assembly (113) includes a motor (1131) and a turntable (1132). The motor (1131) is connected to the housing (120), and the turntable (1132) is rotatably connected to the mounting base (112). The output shaft of the motor (1131) is connected to the axis of the turntable (1132) to drive the turntable (1132) to switch between a first position and a second position. The turntable (1132) has an eccentric shaft (1133) on the side facing the connector (1113), the eccentric shaft (1133) is eccentrically set to the axis of the turntable (1132), the connector (1113) has a sliding groove (1114) on the side facing the turntable (1132), the eccentric shaft (1133) extends into the sliding groove (1114) and is slidably connected to the sliding groove (1114); The turntable (1132) and the connecting member (1113) form a crank-connecting rod mechanism. When the turntable (1132) rotates to the first position, the end of the first rod (1111) and the end of the second rod (1112) extend out through the through hole (121). When the turntable (1132) rotates to the second position, the end of the first rod (1111) and the end of the second rod (1112) retract into the cavity.

6. The lawnmower system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The charging connector (110) also includes a sensor assembly (114), which is disposed on the mounting base (112). The lawnmower system is configured to control the motor (1131) to stop when the sensor assembly (114) detects that the turntable (1132) is in the first position or the second position.

7. The lawnmower system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sensor assembly (114) includes a first position sensor (1141), a second position sensor (1142), and a magnetic component (1143). The first position sensor (1141) and the second position sensor (1142) are spaced apart in the sliding direction of the conductive rod assembly (111), and the magnetic element (1143) is disposed on the turntable (1132). When the turntable (1132) is in the first position, the magnetic element (1143) is positioned opposite to the first position sensor (1141) to trigger the first position sensor (1141). When the turntable (1132) is in the second position, the magnetic element (1143) is positioned opposite to the second position sensor (1142) to trigger the second position sensor (1142).

8. The lawnmower system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The charging connector (110) also includes a cover plate (115) which covers the mounting base (112).

9. The lawnmower system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The base station (200) is provided with an installation slot, and the charging electrode (210) includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode. The first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode and the fourth electrode are all disposed in the installation slot and are respectively connected to the slot wall of the installation slot. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged opposite to each other to form a first clamping space for clamping the first rod (1111), and the third electrode and the fourth electrode are arranged opposite to each other to form a second clamping space for clamping the second rod (1112). At least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode is provided with a guide structure, which is used to guide and cooperate with the first rod (1111) and / or the second rod (1112).

10. The lawnmower system according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the lawnmower (100) and the base station (200) is provided with an identification unit (220), and the other of the lawnmower (100) and the base station (200) is provided with a detection unit (130). When the detection unit (130) identifies the identification unit (220), the lawnmower (100) and the base station (200) are in a connected state.

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