Mobile cleaning robot for cleaning dirty surfaces, with propeller system to prevent slipping, and associated use

Abstract

A cleaning robot (1) for cleaning dirty surfaces (7), wherein the cleaning robot (1) has a drive (2) with a crawler track (3) with which the cleaning robot (1) can travel over a dirty surface (7), and wherein the cleaning robot (1) has at least one movable brush (4a, 4b, 13a, 13b) with which the dirty surface (7) can be cleaned while traveling, wherein the cleaning robot (1) has a propeller system (8) with which a force (K) can be exerted on the traveling cleaning robot (1) by a fluid flow (14) of an ambient fluid, is characterized in that, with an alignment device (12), namely with a rotary holder (11), the propeller system (8) is rotatable about a rotation axis (DA) that is perpendicular to a local surface on which the cleaning robot (1) travels,and that by rotating the propeller system (8) with the rotary holder (11), a direction of the force (K) generated by the propeller system (8) can be aligned relative to the cleaning robot (1) and its direction of travel. The mobile cleaning robot according to the invention enables simple cleaning of surfaces even when the surfaces are tilted significantly relative to the horizontal, and flexible adaptation to inclined surfaces is possible.

Claims

[1] Cleaning robot (1) for cleaning dirty surfaces (7), wherein the cleaning robot (1) has a drive (2) with which the cleaning robot (1) can travel over a dirty surface (7), wherein the drive (2) is equipped with a crawler track (3) comprising at least two crawlers (3a, 3b), wherein the cleaning robot (1) and the drive (2) are set up for a main direction of travel (HFR), and wherein the cleaning robot (1) has at least one movable brush (4a, 4b, 13a, 13b) with which the soiled surface (7) can be cleaned when moving, wherein the cleaning robot (1) has a propeller system (8) with which a force (K) can be exerted on the moving cleaning robot (1) by a fluid flow (14) of an ambient fluid, characterized by , that an alignment device (12) is provided with which the propeller system (8) can be aligned with respect to the rest of the cleaning robot (1), wherein the alignment device (12) comprises a rotary holder (11) on which the propeller system (8) is arranged, that with the alignment device (12), namely with the rotary holder (11), the propeller system (8) is rotatable about a rotation axis (DA), wherein the rotation axis (DA) is perpendicular to the main direction of travel (HFR) and perpendicular to a lateral direction (SRa, SRb) which runs transversely to the main direction of travel (HFR), and thus the rotation axis (DA) is perpendicular to a local surface on which the cleaning robot (1) travels, and that by rotating the propeller system (8) with the rotary holder (11), a direction of the force (K) generated by the propeller system (8) can be aligned relative to the cleaning robot (1) and its direction of travel. [2] Cleaning robot (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the propeller system (8) has one or more propellers (9a-9d; 17a-17b), each arranged in a cylindrical housing (10a-10d). [3] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the propeller system (8) is aligned and / or alignable such that the force (K) exerted by the fluid flow (14) also acts at least transversely to the main direction of travel (HFR). [4] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the propeller system (8) is aligned and / or alignable such that the force (K) exerted by the fluid flow (14) acts at least parallel to the main direction of travel (HFR). [5] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the alignment device (12) is designed for rotation by at least 180°, preferably by at least 360°. [6] Cleaning robot according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the propeller system (8) is aligned so that the direction of the force (K) through the fluid flow lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation (DA). [7] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the alignment device (12) further comprises a pivot holder (19) arranged on the rotary holder (11), with which the propeller system (8) can additionally also be pivoted about a pivot axis (SA), wherein the pivot axis (SA) crosses the rotation axis (DA) at a right angle. [8] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the caterpillars (3a, 3b) rotate in parallel orbital planes (UEa, UEb), preferably wherein the main direction of travel (HFR) for which the cleaning robot (1) and the drive (2) are set up runs parallel to the parallel circulation planes (UEa, UEb). [9] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that one or more first movable brushes (4a, 4b) are arranged at the front of the cleaning robot (1) with respect to the main direction of travel (HFR). [10] Cleaning robot (1) according to claim 9, characterized by that one or more second movable brushes (13a, 13b) are arranged at the rear of the cleaning robot (1) with respect to the main direction of travel (HFR). [11] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the propeller system (8) comprises at least two, preferably at least four, individual propellers (9a-9d; 17a-17b). [12] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the propeller system (8) has a partial propeller system (16) with which at least one additional normal force (ZN) can be exerted on the cleaning robot (1) by a partial fluid flow (18a, 18b) of the ambient fluid, which additional normal force presses the cleaning robot (1) onto the contaminated surface (7) to be cleaned, and / or that the propeller system (8) is aligned and / or alignable in such a way that at least one additional normal force (ZN) can be exerted on the cleaning robot (1) by the fluid flow (14), which additional normal force presses the cleaning robot (1) onto the dirty surface (7) to be cleaned. [13] Cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cleaning robot (1) has at least one application device (6) for a cleaning liquid, with which the soiled surface (7) can be cleaned when driving over. [14] Use of a cleaning robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims for cleaning a soiled surface (7), wherein the cleaning robot (1) moves over the soiled surface (7) and cleans it with the at least one movable brush (4a, 4b, 13a, 13b) and optionally with a cleaning liquid, and wherein a force (K) is exerted on the moving cleaning robot (1) by means of the propeller system (8) through a fluid flow (14) of an ambient fluid. [15] Use according to claim 14, characterized by , that the soiled surface (7) which the cleaning robot (1) travels over is inclined relative to a horizontal plane (HE), so that a downward force (H) acts on the cleaning robot (1), and that with the propeller system (8) a force (K) is exerted on the cleaning robot (1) by the fluid flow (14), which force acts at least partially counter to the slope force (H). [16] Use of a cleaning robot (1) according to claim 14 or 15, characterized by that the cleaning robot (1) travels along the dirty surface (7) along a direction of travel (FR), that the soiled surface (7) runs transversely to the direction of travel (FR) with respect to a horizontal plane (HE) with a lateral inclination α, with 25° ≤ |α|, in particular 35° ≤ |α|, and that with the propeller system (8) a force (K) is exerted on the cleaning robot (1) by the fluid flow (14), which force acts on the cleaning robot (1) at least partially transversely to the direction of travel (FR) of the cleaning robot (1). [17] Use of a cleaning robot (1) according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized by that the cleaning robot (1) travels along the dirty surface (7) along a direction of travel (FR), that the soiled surface (7) runs in the direction of travel (FR) with respect to a horizontal plane (HE) with an incline or a decline β, with 35° ≤ |β|, in particular 45° ≤ |β|, and that with the propeller system (8) a force (K) is exerted on the cleaning robot (1) by the fluid flow (14), which force acts on the cleaning robot (1) at least partially parallel to or opposite to the direction of travel (FR) of the cleaning robot (1). [18] Use according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized by that the dirty surface (7) to be cleaned is formed by at least one solar panel (30). [19] Use according to claim 18, characterized by that the at least one solar panel (30) is arranged on a roof (20) of a building (21). [20] Use according to claim 18, characterized bythat the at least one solar panel (30) is arranged in an open-space system (49), in particular wherein the at least one solar panel (30) is installed in a stand construction. [21] Use according to claim 18, characterized by that the at least one solar panel (30) is arranged on a substructure (53) floating on the water (52). [22] Use according to any one of claims 18 to 21, characterized by that before cleaning the at least one solar panel (30), the cleaning robot (1) is brought flying with a heavy-duty drone device (24) onto the at least one solar panel (30) or onto a landing area (57) near the at least one solar panel (30), and after cleaning, the cleaning robot (1) is removed flying with the heavy-duty drone device (24) from the at least one solar panel (30) or from a take-off area (58) near the at least one solar panel (30), where either - the heavy-duty drone device (24) is designed as an independent heavy-duty drone (24a) which has a flexible holding device (22), in particular comprising at least two holding cables (23a-23b) and preferably at least three holding cables (23a-23b), is connected to the cleaning robot (1), or - the heavy-duty drone device (24) is designed as a heavy-duty drone attachment (24b) which is rigidly attached to the cleaning robot (1). [23] Use according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized by that the dirty surface (7) to be cleaned is arranged under water (42).

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