Base station for maintenance of sweeping robot

Abstract

A base station for the maintenance of a sweeping robot, the base station comprising: a base station base (10); a maintenance tray (20), which comprises an execution tray body (21); coupling mechanisms (90), which are arranged on the execution tray body (21); and a lifting mechanism (30), which provides adjustable support for the maintenance tray (20), the adjustable support being configured to allow the execution tray body (21) to translate and move up and down between a first height position and a second height position in a first direction, the second height position being adjacent to a bottom mounting position of a wiping module (80) on a sweeping robot (70), and the first height position being lower than the second height position. The sweeping robot (70) generates a continuous coupling force at the bottom mounting position for sucking the wiping module (80), and the coupling mechanisms (90) are configured to generate a controllable coupling force, which is greater than the continuous coupling force, on the wiping module (80) to allow the wiping module (80) to be mounted on or dismounted from the sweeping robot (70) on the basis of the cooperation of the controllable coupling force / continuous coupling force and the translation and lifting of the execution tray body (21).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of robot cleaner, and in particular, to a base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner.BACKGROUND

[0002] Robot vacuum cleaners may perform floor cleaning tasks, where the robot vacuum cleaner may, on a basis of the configuration of hardware modules, selectively implement the dust removal and cleaning function, or the wiping cleaning function of wiping the floor by using a wiping medium such as a rag, or the combined functions of dust removal and wiping cleaning.

[0003] The dust removal and cleaning function may be considered as the basic function of the robot vacuum cleaner, which may be implemented based on the built-in cleaning module of the robot vacuum cleaner; and the wiping and cleaning function may be considered as an additional function of the robot vacuum cleaner, which may be implemented based on the wiping module detachably installed on the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0004] Therefore, for a robot vacuum cleaner that needs to be configured with a wiping cleaning function, it may have the need to detach and install the wiping module.SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments of the present application provide a base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner, which can implement automatic detachment and installation of a wiping module of the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0006] One of the embodiments provides a base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner, including: a base station base; a maintenance tray including an execution tray body; a coupling mechanism arranged on the execution tray body; a lift mechanism that provides an adjustable support for the maintenance tray, and the adjustable support is used to enable a translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body along a first direction between a first height position and a second height position; where the second height position is adjacent to a bottom installation position of a wiping module on a robot vacuum cleaner, and the first height position is lower than the second height position. The robot vacuum cleaner generates a continuous coupling force used to attract the wiping module at the bottom installation position, and the coupling mechanism is used to generate, for the wiping module, a controllable coupling force greater than the continuous coupling force, so as to implement automatic detachment and installation of the wiping module on the robot vacuum cleaner (70) based on coordination between the controllable coupling force / continuous coupling force and the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body.

[0007] In some examples, optionally, when the robot vacuum cleaner installed with the wiping module is docked at the base station base, the execution tray body is driven by the lift mechanism to ascend from the first height position to the second height position, when the execution tray body reaches the second height position, the coupling mechanism contacts the wiping module and generates the controllable coupling force; after the coupling mechanism generates the controllable coupling force, the execution tray body is driven by the lift mechanism to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism continues generating the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body, so as to enable the wiping module to overcome the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner and descend along with the execution tray body, thereby implementing automatic detachment of the wiping module from the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0008] In some examples, a wiping module to be installed is placed on the execution tray body, and the coupling mechanism starts to generate the controllable coupling force; when the robot vacuum cleaner for which the wiping module is to be installed with is docked at the base station base, the execution tray body is driven by the lift mechanism to ascend from the first height position to the second height position, and the coupling mechanism generates the controllable coupling force while ascending along with the execution tray body, so as to keep the wiping module stably supported on the execution tray body; when the execution tray body reaches the second height position, the wiping module reaches the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner, and the coupling mechanism stops generating the controllable coupling force, so as to enable the wiping module to be detachably installed at the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner under a constraint of the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner, thus implementing automatic installation of the wiping module on the robot vacuum cleaner; and after the coupling mechanism stops generating the controllable coupling force, the execution tray body is driven by the lift mechanism to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism still stops generating the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body.

[0009] In some examples, a wiping module to be installed is placed on the execution tray body, when the robot vacuum cleaner for which the wiping module is to be installed with is docked at the base station base, the execution tray body is driven by the lift mechanism to ascend from the first height position to the second height position, and the coupling mechanism does not generate the controllable coupling force while ascending along with the execution tray body, when the execution tray body reaches the second height position, the wiping module reaches the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner, so as to enable the wiping module to be detachably installed at the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner under a constraint of the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner, thus implementing automatic installation of the wiping module on the robot vacuum cleaner; and the execution tray body is driven by the lift mechanism to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism still does not generate the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body.

[0010] In some examples, optionally, the robot vacuum cleaner is installed with a host coupling assembly, the wiping module includes a module coupling assembly, and the continuous coupling force includes a permanent magnetic attraction force generated between the host coupling assembly and the module coupling assembly. The coupling mechanism includes an electromagnetic component, the controllable coupling force includes an electromagnetic attraction force generated between the electromagnetic component and the module coupling assembly, and the electromagnetic attraction force is greater than the permanent magnetic attraction force.

[0011] In some examples, optionally, the host coupling assembly includes a first iron member; the module coupling assembly includes a permanent magnetic member and a second iron member; where the wiping module includes a medium support. The permanent magnetic member is arranged on a side of the medium support facing the robot vacuum cleaner, and the second iron member is arranged on other side of the medium support facing the maintenance tray. The permanent magnetic attraction force is generated between the permanent magnetic member and the first iron member, and the electromagnetic attraction force is generated between the electromagnetic component and the second iron member.

[0012] In some examples, optionally, the base station further includes an electric drive module, and the electric drive module is electrically connected to the lift mechanism and the electromagnetic component, so as to cooperatively control the lifting / lowering drive of the lift mechanism and controllable power-on of the electromagnetic component.

[0013] In some examples, optionally, the medium support is capable of being driven to rotate by the robot vacuum cleaner, and the medium support is used to install a wiping medium. The host coupling assembly, the module coupling assembly, and the coupling mechanism are all arranged in alignment with a rotation axis of the medium support.

[0014] In some examples, optionally, the robot vacuum cleaner includes a drive module used to drive the medium support to rotate; where the host coupling assembly is installed on an output shaft of the drive module. The medium support has a rotating shaft sleeve on a side facing the robot vacuum cleaner, and the rotating shaft sleeve is used to be inserted into a plug-in shaft cavity at a bottom of the robot vacuum cleaner, so as to be coaxially connected to the output shaft of the drive module in the plug-in shaft cavity, and the permanent magnetic member of the module coupling assembly is arranged inside the rotating shaft sleeve.

[0015] In some examples, optionally, the maintenance tray further includes a hollow cylinder connected to the execution tray body; and the coupling mechanism is fixedly installed in the hollow cylinder.

[0016] In some examples, optionally, the hollow cylinder sinks and extends on a bottom surface side of the execution tray body.

[0017] In some examples, optionally, the base station base includes a base main shell used to dock the robot vacuum cleaner, where an interior of the base main shell forms a base inner cavity, and the base main shell has a tray opening exposing the base inner cavity. The execution tray body is suspended and supported by the lift mechanism at the tray opening; and the base station base further includes a guide cylinder arranged in the base inner cavity; where the hollow cylinder is slidably plugged in the guide cylinder along the first direction, so as to constrain the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body in the first direction.

[0018] In some examples, optionally, the maintenance tray further includes a hollow cylinder connected to the execution tray body; and the coupling mechanism is fixedly installed in the hollow cylinder. The host coupling assembly, the module coupling assembly, and the hollow cylinder accommodating the coupling mechanism are all arranged in alignment with the rotation axis of the medium support.

[0019] In some examples, optionally, the medium support has a positioning groove surrounding the module coupling assembly; and the hollow cylinder has an opening flange protruding from a top surface side of the execution tray body. The opening flange is used to form a plug-in fit capable of rotating and sliding against each other with the positioning groove.

[0020] In some examples, optionally, the lift mechanism includes a power module, a transmission mechanism, and a swing member. The power module is used to generate a driving force; and the transmission mechanism is used to apply the driving force generated by the power module to the swing member, so as to drive the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body through a swing of the swing member in response to the driving force.

[0021] In some examples, optionally, the swing member has a fulcrum rotation shaft, and a first end and a second end that are respectively located on opposite sides of the fulcrum rotation shaft; where the fulcrum rotation shaft is in rotational fit with a rotation shaft support of the base station base, so that the swing of the swing member in response to the driving force is constrained as a swing with the fulcrum rotation shaft as a fixed fulcrum; where the driving force is applied, by the transmission mechanism, to the first end along a second direction, and there is a preset angle difference between the first direction and the second direction; a first slip fit is formed between the first end and the transmission mechanism, and a second slip fit is formed between the second end and the execution tray body, and the first slip fit and the second slip fit are used to eliminate fitting interference between the swing member and the transmission mechanism as well as the execution tray body due to the angle difference.

[0022] In some examples, optionally, the transmission mechanism includes a guide member arranged along the second direction, and a moving assembly movably installed on the guide member; where the moving assembly has a transmission sliding groove, and the first end and the transmission sliding groove form the first slip fit; and, an extension direction of the transmission sliding groove is arranged to enable the first slip fit to: obtain an input force effective on the first end from resolution of the driving force, and an application direction of the input force on the first end is a tangential direction at the fixed fulcrum.

[0023] In some examples, optionally, the maintenance tray further includes a tray sliding groove located on the execution tray body; where the second end and the tray sliding groove form the second slip fit; where an extension direction of the tray sliding groove is arranged to enable the second slip fit to: obtain an output force effective on the execution tray body from resolution of the input force applied on the first end, and an application direction of the output force through the tray sliding groove on the execution tray body is the first direction.

[0024] In some examples, optionally, the maintenance tray further includes a flexible skirt surrounding a periphery of the execution tray body; where the flexible skirt is fixed to an opening edge of the tray opening, and the flexible skirt undergoes stretching and contracting deformation in response to the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body.

[0025] In some examples, optionally, the base station base further includes a stop buckle arranged in the base inner cavity; and the maintenance tray further includes a vertical buckle formed on the execution tray body; where the vertical buckle downwardly extends toward the base inner cavity, and when the execution tray body is located at the second height position, the vertical buckle is in interference fit with the stop buckle, so as to prevent the execution tray body from excessively ascending beyond the second height position.

[0026] In some examples, optionally, the maintenance tray further includes a laterally protruding lug arranged on the execution tray body; where the laterally protruding lug extends laterally from a lower edge of the flexible skirt, and when the execution tray body is located at the second height position, the laterally protruding lug engages with the opening edge of the tray opening by interference, so as to prevent the execution tray body from excessively ascending beyond the second height position.

[0027] Based on the above embodiments, the maintenance tray of the base station has an execution tray body for performing maintenance operations on the docked robot vacuum cleaner, where the execution tray body can perform translational ascent and descent between the first height position and the second height position based on the adjustable support of the lift mechanism, and the execution tray body may be arranged with a coupling mechanism. Since the coupling mechanism may generate a controllable coupling force, and the controllable coupling force is greater than the continuous coupling force of the robot vacuum cleaner to constrain the wiping module at the bottom, based on the controllable coupling force generated by the coupling mechanism and the coordination between the lifting / lowering adjustment of the lift mechanism on the execution tray body where the coupling mechanism is located, automatic detachment and installation of a wiping module at the bottom of the robot vacuum cleaner may be implemented.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] The following drawings are merely schematic illustration and explanation of the present application, and do not limit the scope of the present application: FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of automatic detachment and installation of a wiping module implemented by a base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present application; FIG. 2 is a structure diagram showing arrangement of a coupling mechanism of the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a state diagram of a base station in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 during contact detachment and installation operation of a wiping module by using a coupling mechanism; FIG. 4 is a placement state diagram of a wiping module separated from the robot vacuum cleaner and placed at a base station in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a decomposed structure diagram of a base station in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a working principle diagram of a lift mechanism of a base station in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a principle structure diagram of a lift mechanism of a base station in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 used to adapt to a direction deviation; FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the assembly relationship between a maintenance tray and a base station base in a base station in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 9 is a structure diagram of a base station in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 limiting the position of a maintenance tray by using a base station base; FIG. 10 is a deployment structure diagram of a cleaning mechanism in an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present application clearer, the following further describes the present application is further described hereinafter in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of automatic detachment or installation of a wiping module implemented by a base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present application. FIG. 2 is a structure diagram showing arrangement of a coupling mechanism of the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in the embodiments of the present application, the base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner may include a base station base 10, where the base station base 10 may be used to dock a robot vacuum cleaner to be maintained.

[0031] For example, the base station base 10 may be built in with a wireless communication module and a wired or wireless charging mechanism, so that the robot vacuum cleaner can pair with the base station based on the communication module while being docked on the base station base 10, and the base station can perform charging and maintenance based on the charging mechanism after the pairing is successful. In the embodiments of the present application, arrangement, installation structure, and configuration selection of the charging mechanism in the base station are not focused on, so in the graphic expression and text description of the charging mechanism will be omitted in the drawings and the text description below.

[0032] Still referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in one or more embodiments of the present application, in order to enable the base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner to perform other maintenance operations in addition to charging, the base station may further include a maintenance tray 20.

[0033] For example, the base station base 10 may include a base main shell 12. An interior of the base main shell 12 may form a base inner cavity 100, and the base main shell 12 may have a tray opening 122 exposing the base inner cavity 100. The maintenance tray 20 may be deployed above the tray opening 122. In some embodiments, the base station base 10 may further include a protective baffle 13, which is provided as a semicircular arc-shaped bending part surrounding the tray opening 122 and used to protect the robot vacuum cleaner and prevent the robot vacuum cleaner from falling off from a highest point of the base station base when the robot vacuum cleaner is docked on the base station base 10.

[0034] The maintenance tray 20 may include an execution tray body 21, and the execution tray body 21 may be used to perform maintenance operations on the robot vacuum cleaner 70 docked on the base station base 10. For example, the execution tray body 21 may be deployed with one or more operating mechanisms used to perform maintenance operations.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present application, the operating mechanism deployed on the execution tray body 21 may include a coupling mechanism 90, where the coupling mechanism 90 may be used to implement automatic detachment or installation of the wiping module for the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0036] The automatic detachment or installation of the wiping module requires an operating travel / stroke of switching between a contact position with the robot vacuum cleaner and a non-contact position with the robot vacuum cleaner. Therefore, in one or more embodiments of the present application, the base station for maintaining the robot vacuum cleaner may further include a lift mechanism 30, which may provide adjustable support for the maintenance tray 20. The adjustable support is used to enable a translational ascent / descent of the execution tray body 21 along a first direction D1 between a first height position and a second height position.

[0037] The second height position is adjacent to a bottom installation position of the wiping module 80 on the robot vacuum cleaner, and the first height position is lower than the second height position. For example, the first height position may be a position where the execution tray body 21 is flush or substantially flush with the tray opening 122.

[0038] That is, the first height position may be understood as the non-contact position between the execution tray body 21 and the robot vacuum cleaner. Before the robot vacuum cleaner is about to be docked on the base station base 10, and before the docked robot vacuum cleaner is about to leave the base station base 10, the execution tray body 21 is adjusted to the first height position by the lift mechanism 30 to avoid interference and collision between the execution tray body 21 and the robot vacuum cleaner. The second height position may be understood as the contact position between the execution tray body 21 and the robot vacuum cleaner. When the docked robot vacuum cleaner 70 is in a stopped state, the execution tray body 21 is allowed to be adjusted to the second height position. It may be understood that the base station for maintaining the robot vacuum cleaner in an embodiment of the present application may further include a detection mechanism used to detect a motion state of the robot vacuum cleaner and a positional relationship of the robot vacuum cleaner relative to the base station base 10. The specific implementation of the detection mechanism is not a focus of the embodiments of the present application, and therefore is not described in detail here.

[0039] The robot vacuum cleaner 70 may generate a continuous coupling force for attracting the wiping module 80 at the bottom installation position for installing the wiping module 80.

[0040] For example, the robot vacuum cleaner 70 may be installed with a host coupling component 71, the wiping module 80 may include a module coupling component 81, and the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner 70 at the bottom installation position may include a permanent magnetic attraction force generated between the host coupling component 71 and the module coupling component 81.

[0041] Accordingly, the coupling mechanism 90 may be used to generate a controllable coupling force greater than the continuous coupling force, so as to implement the detachment or installation of the wiping module 80 in the robot vacuum cleaner 70 based on the coordination of the controllable coupling force and the translational ascent / descent of the execution tray body 21.

[0042] For example, the coupling mechanism 90 may include an electromagnetic component, and the controllable coupling force controllably generated by the coupling mechanism 90 may include: an electromagnetic attraction force controllably generated between the electromagnetic component of the coupling mechanism 90 and the module coupling assembly 81 of the wiping module 80, and the electromagnetic attraction force may be greater than the permanent magnetic attraction force between the host coupling assembly 71 of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 and the module coupling assembly 81 of the wiping module 80. In this case, the electric drive module electrically connected to the lift mechanism 30 in the base station for maintaining the robot vacuum cleaner may further be electrically connected to the coupling mechanism 90 to coordinately control the lifting / lowering drive of the lift mechanism 30 and the controllable power-on of the electromagnetic component of the coupling mechanism 90, thereby implementing the coordination of the controllable coupling force and the translational ascent / descent of the execution tray body 21.

[0043] Based on the above embodiments, the maintenance tray 20 of the base station has the execution tray body 21 used to perform maintenance operations on the docked robot vacuum cleaner, where the lift mechanism 30 provides adjustable support for the execution tray body 21, so that the execution tray body 21 may be enabled to perform a translational ascent / descent between the first height position and the second height position. The second height position of the execution tray body 21 may be adjacent to the bottom installation position of the wiping module on the robot vacuum cleaner. Since the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20 may be arranged with the coupling mechanism 90, the coupling mechanism 90 may generate a controllable coupling force, and the controllable coupling force may be greater than the continuous coupling force of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 to constrain the wiping module 80 at the bottom, therefore, based on the coordination between the controllable coupling force generated by the coupling mechanism 90 / the continuous coupling force and the lifting / lowering adjustment of the execution tray body 21 where the coupling mechanism 90 is located by the lift mechanism 30, the automatic detachment or installation of the wiping module 80 at the bottom of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 may be implemented.

[0044] FIG. 3 is a state diagram of a base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 during contact detachment or installation operation of a wiping module by using a coupling mechanism. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing placement state of a wiping module separated from the robot vacuum cleaner and placed at the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the coordination between the controllable coupling force generated by the coupling mechanism 90 and the lifting / lowering adjustment of the execution tray body 21 where the coupling mechanism 90 is located by the lift mechanism 30 may implement automatic detachment process as illustrated in a sequence from FIG. 3 to FIG. 4 and automatic installation process as illustrated in a sequence from FIG. 4 to FIG. 3.

[0045] For an automatic detachment process: When the robot vacuum cleaner installed with the wiping module 80 is docked at the base station base 10, the execution tray body 21 may be driven by the lift mechanism 30 to ascend from the first height position to the second height position; when the execution tray body 21 reaches the second height position, the coupling mechanism 90 contacts the wiping module 80 and the coupling mechanism 90 may generate the controllable coupling force; after the coupling mechanism 90 starts to generate the controllable coupling force, the execution tray body 21 may be driven by the lift mechanism 30 to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism 90 may keep generating the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body 21, so that the wiping module 80 overcomes the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner 70 and descends along with the execution tray body 21, thereby implementing the automatic detachment of the wiping module 80 from the robot vacuum cleaner 70; and then, after the robot vacuum cleaner 70 from which the wiping module 80 is detached leaves the base station base 10, the coupling mechanism 90 may stop generating the controllable coupling force, so that the detached wiping module 80 may be easily taken out from the execution tray body 21.

[0046] In an embodiment, as to an automatic installation process: A wiping module 80 to be installed may be placed on the execution tray body 21, and the coupling mechanism 90 may start to generate a controllable coupling force; when the robot vacuum cleaner 70 for which the wiping module 80 is to be installed is docked at the base station base 10, the execution tray body 21 may be driven by the lift mechanism 30 to ascend from the first height position to the second height position, and the coupling mechanism 90 generates the controllable coupling force while ascending along with the execution tray body 21; when the execution tray body 21 reaches the second height position, the wiping module 80 reaches the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner 70, and the coupling mechanism 90 may stop generating the controllable coupling force, so as to enable the wiping module 80 to be detachably installed at the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 under the constraint of the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner 70, so as to implement automatic installation of the wiping module 80 on the robot vacuum cleaner 70; after the coupling mechanism 90 stops generating the controllable coupling force, the execution tray body 21 may be driven by the lift mechanism 30 to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism 90 still maintains a state of not generating the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body 21; and then, the robot vacuum cleaner 70 installed with the wiping module 80 may leave the base station base 10.

[0047] In another embodiment, as to an automatic installation process: A wiping module 80 to be installed may be placed on the execution tray body 21; when the robot vacuum cleaner 70 for which the wiping module 80 is to be installed is docked at the base station base 10, the execution tray body 21 may be driven by the lift mechanism 30 to ascend from the first height position to the second height position; the coupling mechanism 90 does not generate a controllable coupling force while ascending along with the execution tray body 21; when the execution tray body 21 reaches the second height position, the wiping module 80 reaches the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner 70, so as to enable the wiping module 80 to be detachably installed at the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 under a constraint of the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner 70, so as to implement automatic installation of the wiping module 80 on the robot vacuum cleaner 70; the execution tray body 21 may be driven by the lift mechanism 30 to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism 90 still maintains a state of not generating a controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body 21; and then, the robot vacuum cleaner 70 installed with the wiping module 80 may leave the base station base 10.

[0048] In addition, the wiping module 80 may include a medium support 82 that may be driven to rotate by the robot vacuum cleaner 70. The medium support 82 is used to install a wiping medium 800, e.g., a rag. The wiping medium may be installed on the side of the medium support 82 away from the robot vacuum cleaner 70 (i.e., the side of the medium support 82 facing the maintenance tray 20), and the host coupling assembly 71, the module coupling assembly 81, and the coupling mechanism 90 may all be arranged in alignment with the rotation axis of the medium support 82.

[0049] For example, the host coupling assembly 71 may include a first iron member; the module coupling assembly 81 may include a permanent magnetic member 81a and a second iron member 81b, where the permanent magnetic member 81a may be arranged on the side of the medium support 82 facing the robot vacuum cleaner 70, and the second iron member 81b is arranged on the other side of the medium support 82 facing the maintenance tray 20. Therefore, the permanent magnetic attraction force between the host coupling assembly 71 and the module coupling assembly 81 may be generated between the permanent magnetic member 81a of the module coupling assembly 81 and the first iron member of host coupling assembly 71; and the electromagnetic attraction force between the coupling mechanism 90 and the module coupling assembly 81 may be generated between the electromagnetic component of the coupling mechanism 90 and the second iron member 81b of the module coupling assembly 81.

[0050] Based on the above structure, if the first iron member of the host coupling assembly 71, the permanent magnetic member 81a and the second iron member 81b of the module coupling assembly 81, and the electromagnetic component of the coupling mechanism 90 are arranged in alignment with the rotation axis of the medium support 82, then a permanent magnetic attraction force used as a continuous coupling force and an electromagnetic attraction force used as a controllable coupling force may be generated along the rotation axis of the medium support 82, and neither the permanent magnetic attraction force nor the electromagnetic attraction force will affect the rotation of the medium support 82.

[0051] In order to more reasonably arrange the first iron member of the host coupling assembly 71, the permanent magnetic member 81a and the second iron member 81b of the module coupling assembly 81, and the electromagnetic component of the coupling mechanism 90 all in alignment with the rotation axis of the medium support 82: The robot vacuum cleaner 70 may include a drive module 72 at the bottom installation position and used to drive the medium support 82 to rotate, and the host coupling assembly 71 (e.g., the first iron member) may be installed on an output shaft (e.g., an end face of the output shaft) of the drive module 72; the medium support 82 may have a rotating shaft sleeve 85 on the side facing the robot vacuum cleaner 70, and the rotating shaft sleeve 85 is used to be inserted into a plug-in shaft cavity 75 at the bottom of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 to be coaxially connected with the output shaft of the drive module 72 in the plug-in shaft cavity 75, and the permanent magnetic member 81a of the module coupling assembly 81 may be arranged inside the rotating shaft sleeve 85 (e.g., the bottom of the rotating shaft sleeve 85); and the second iron member 81b of the module coupling assembly 81 may be installed on the other side of the media bracket 82 away from the robot vacuum cleaner 70 (i.e., the other side of the media bracket 82 facing the maintenance tray 20) to minimize interference with the permanent magnetic attraction force generated between the permanent magnetic member 81a of the module coupling assembly 81 and the first iron member of the host coupling assembly 71.

[0052] In order to better understand the translational ascent / descent function provided by the lift mechanism 30 for the execution tray body 21, the structure of the base station is further described in detail below.

[0053] FIG. 5 is an exploded structure diagram of the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a working principle diagram of a lift mechanism of the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, in the embodiments of the present application, the lift mechanism 30 may include a power module 31, a transmission mechanism 32, and a swing member 33. In some embodiments, the lift mechanism 30 may further include an installation bottom box 34, and the power module 31 may be accommodated in the installation bottom box 34. In an embodiment, the installation bottom box 34 is used to perform shock absorption for the power module 31, and may be made of materials such as rubber.

[0054] The power module 31 may include a power element such as a motor, and the power module 31 is used to generate a driving force.

[0055] The transmission mechanism 32 is used to apply the driving force generated by the power module 31 to the swing member 33, so as to drive the translational ascent / descent of the execution tray body 21 through a swing of the swing member 33 in response to the driving force.

[0056] For example, the power module 31 and the transmission mechanism 32 may be located outside the base inner cavity 100 of the base station base 10, and the swing member 33 may extend into the base inner cavity 100 of the base station base 10 and provide at the tray opening 122 the adjustable support for the execution tray body 21.

[0057] Hence, the maintenance tray 20 of the base station has an execution tray body 21 used to perform maintenance operations on the docked robot vacuum cleaner, where the lift mechanism 30 may provide adjustable support for the execution tray body 21 by using the swing of the swing member 33, so that the execution tray body 21 may be enabled to perform a translational ascent / descent between the first height position and the second height position; and the second height position of the execution tray body 21 may be adjacent to the bottom installation position of the wiping module on the robot vacuum cleaner. Therefore, based on the lifting / lowering adjustment of the execution tray body 21 by the lift mechanism 30, contact maintenance operations may be performed on the wiping module at the bottom of the robot vacuum cleaner by means of the operating mechanism deployed on the execution tray body 21.

[0058] In an embodiment of the present application, the switching of the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20 between the first height position and the second height position is in the first direction D1, and the transmission mechanism 32 may apply the driving force generated by the power module 31 to the swing member 33 in the second direction different from the first direction D1, i.e., there may be a direction deviation between the lifting / lowering direction of the execution tray body 21 (i.e., the first direction D1) and the transmission direction of the transmission mechanism 32 (i.e., the second direction D2), and the direction deviation may be represented as a preset angle difference / deviation between the first direction D 1 and the second direction D2.

[0059] For example, the base main shell 12 of the base station base 10 may have a bottom surface arranged in the horizontal direction, and the bottom surface may be provided with a base bottom plate 11 located below the base inner cavity 100. The base main shell 12 of the base station base 10 may also have a docking slope 121 inclined relative to the horizontal plane (i.e., the base bottom plate 11 or the bottom surface of the base station base 10), and the docking slope 121 may be used to dock the robot vacuum cleaner. The docking slope 121 is raised upward where it is close to the maintenance tray 20 (i.e., the tray opening 122) on the side, and the raised height may be determined according to the space height that the part of swing member 33 near the second end 332 needs to occupy in the bottom inner cavity 100. In addition, since the docking slope 121 is inclined, the surface of the inclined docking slope 121 may be provided with anti-slip particles 126.

[0060] In this case, the first direction D1 in which the execution tray body 21 undergoes lifting / lowering switching between the first height position and the second height position may be an inclined direction perpendicular to the docking slope 121; and the second direction D2 in which the transmission mechanism 32 applies a driving force to the swing member 33 may be a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane (i.e., the base bottom plate 11 or the bottom surface of the base station base 10).

[0061] FIG. 7 is a principle structure diagram of a lift mechanism of the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 used to adapt to a direction deviation. Referring to FIG. 7, in order to adapt to the above-mentioned direction deviation, in an embodiment of the present application, the swing member 33 may adopt a lever type structure with a slip fit allowance at both ends. In an embodiment, the swing member 33 may have a fulcrum rotation shaft 330, and a first end 331 and a second end 332 respectively located on opposite sides of the fulcrum rotation shaft 330.

[0062] The fulcrum rotation shaft 330 of the swing member 33 is in rotational fit with a rotation shaft support 123 of the base station base 10, so that the swing of the swing member 33 in response to the driving force is constrained to swing with the fulcrum rotation shaft 330 as a fixed fulcrum.

[0063] The driving force generated by the power module 31 may be applied, by the transmission mechanism 32, along the second direction D2 to the first end 331 of the swing member 33.

[0064] A first slip fit is formed between the first end 331 of the swing member 33 and the transmission mechanism 32, for example, the first end 331 of the swing member 33 may form the first slip fit with the transmission mechanism 32 outside the base inner cavity 100 of the base station base 10.

[0065] A second slip fit is formed between the second end 332 of the swing member 33 and the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20, for example, the second end 332 of the swing member 33 may extend into the base inner cavity 100 of the base station base 10, and the second end 332 of the swing member 33 may form the second slip fit with the execution tray body 21 at the tray opening 122.

[0066] In addition, the first slip fit and the second slip fit are used to eliminate fitting interference between the swing member 33 and the transmission mechanism 32 as well as the execution tray body 21 due to the angle difference between the first direction D1 and the second direction D2.

[0067] The transmission mechanism 32 of the lift mechanism 30 may include a guide member 321 arranged along the second direction D2, and a moving assembly 322 movably installed on the guide member 321, where the moving assembly 322 may move along the guide member 321 in the second direction D2 in response to the driving force generated by the power module 31, so as to apply the driving force along the second direction D2 to the first end 331 of the swing member 33.

[0068] Furthermore, the moving assembly 322 has a transmission sliding groove 323, and the first end 331 of the swing member 33 may form the above-mentioned first slip fit with the transmission sliding groove 323, for example, the first end 331 may have a first guide column protruding laterally, which is slidably inserted into the transmission sliding groove 323, and may form the first slip fit between the first end 331 of the swing member 33 and the transmission sliding groove 323.

[0069] An extension direction of the transmission sliding groove 323 of the moving assembly 322 is approximately at an acute angle to the horizontal plane, and by means of this extension direction, the first slip fit between the first end 331 and the transmission sliding groove 323 can, obtain an input force effective on the swing member 33 / the first end 331 from resolution of the driving force generated by the power module 31, and the applying direction of the input force on the first end 331 of the swing member 33 is a tangential direction at the fulcrum rotation shaft 330.

[0070] For example, the power module 31 may include a stepping motor, the guide member 321 may include a screw coaxially connected to an output shaft of the stepping motor of the power module 31, and the moving assembly 322 may include a nut flange 322a and a moving body 322b, where the nut flange 322a may mesh with the screw of the guide member 321. The nut flange 322a may also be fixedly connected to the moving body 322b, and the transmission sliding groove 323 may be formed in the moving body 322b.

[0071] In this case, the first end 331 of the swing member 33 not only forms a first slip fit by using slidable insertion of the first guide column thereof at the transmission sliding groove 323, but also forms an anti-rotation backing with the moving body 322b. The anti-rotation backing is configured to form an anti-rotation constraint to prevent the moving body 322b from rotating in the direction around the screw. In the illustration of this embodiment, for example, the first end 331 of the swing member 33 adopts a double-arm structure to clamp the moving body 322b on opposite sides of the moving body 322b.

[0072] Accordingly, the nut flange 322a fixedly connected to the moving body 322b is also subject to the above-mentioned anti-rotation constraint, i.e., the moving body 322b forming the first slip fit with the swing member 33 (i.e., the first end 331) may exert a anti-rotation constraint for the nut flange 322a.

[0073] Thus, when the screw of the guide member 321 rotates in response to the driving force generated by the stepping motor of the power module 31, the nut flange 322a meshed with the screw may, due to the anti-rotation constraint, in response to the meshing transmission with the rotating screw, be linearly lifted / lowered along the second direction D2, and then drive the moving body 322b fixedly connected thereto to be linearly lifted / lowered along the second direction D2, so as to apply the driving force generated by the power module 31 along the second direction D2 to the first end 331 of the swing member 33 forming the first slip fit with the transmission sliding groove. Furthermore, by switching rotation of the output shaft of the stepping motor of the power module 31 forward and reverse, the ascent / descent switching may be implemented.

[0074] The maintenance tray 20 may further include a tray sliding groove 25 located on the execution tray body 21, and the second end 332 of the swing member 33 may form the second slip fit with the tray sliding groove 25. For example, the second end 332 of the swing member 33 may have the second guide column protruding laterally, and the second guide column is slidably inserted into the tray sliding groove 25, so as to form the second slip fit between the second end 332 of the swing member 33 and the tray sliding groove 25.

[0075] An extension direction of the tray sliding groove 25 is approximately at an acute angle to the horizontal plane, and by means of this extension direction, the second slip fit between the second end 332 of the swing member 33 and the tray sliding groove 25 can, obtain an output force effective on the execution tray body 21 from resolution of the above-mentioned input force applied on the first end 331, and the direction of the output force through the tray sliding groove 25 on the execution tray body 21 is the first direction D1.

[0076] In addition, in order for the swing member 33 to avoid a 0° dead angle at the first end 331 where the first end 331 of the swing member 33 is parallel to the transmission sliding groove 323, and a 0° dead angle at the second end 332, where the second end 332 is parallel to the tray sliding groove 25, in an embodiment of the present application, the swing member 33 may be arched, with a top of the arch facing downward, and the fulcrum rotation shaft 330 for forming the fixed fulcrum may be located at the top of the arch.

[0077] While the lift mechanism 30 is used to drive the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20 to ascend / descend, the embodiments of the present application may also assist the maintenance tray 20 in guiding and position limiting, so as to further optimize the lifting / lowering stability and reliability of the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20.

[0078] In addition, the lift mechanism 30 may further include position detection components, which may be arranged at the limit positions of movement of the moving assembly 322 along the guide member 321, so that when the moving assembly 322 moves to a preset limit position along the guide member 321, a driving signal may be generated for causing the motor of the power module 31 to stop rotating. The limit positions of movement of the moving component 322 along the guide member 321 may be determined according to the first height position and the second height position.

[0079] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the assembly relationship between the maintenance tray and the base station base in the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a structure diagram showing limiting of the position of the maintenance tray by using a base station base in the base station in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, for a case in which the base station base 10 has a base inner cavity 100 formed inside the base main shell 12, the base main shell 12 has a tray opening 122 exposing the base inner cavity 100, and the maintenance tray 20 is arranged at the tray opening 122:

[0080] The base station base 10 may further include one or more guide cylinders 111 arranged in the base inner cavity 100, for example, the one or more guide cylinders 111 may be formed on the base bottom plate 11. The base bottom plate 11 may cover a bottom opening 120 in the base main shell 12 below the base inner cavity 100, so that the one or more guide cylinders 111 protrude toward the tray opening 122 along the first direction D 1.

[0081] Accordingly, the maintenance tray 20 may further include one or more hollow cylinders 22 connected to the execution tray body 21. The one or more hollow cylinders 22 may sink and extend on a side of the execution tray body 21 facing the base inner cavity 100, so that the hollow cylinders 22 may be slidably plugged in with the one or more guide cylinders 111 respectively along the first direction D1, so as to constrain the translational ascent / descent of the execution tray body 21 to realize switch between the first height position and the second height position in the first direction D1 .

[0082] The execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20 may be flush or substantially flush with the tray opening 122 when at the first height position, and when the execution tray body 21 is at the second height position higher than the first height position, a gap is formed between the execution tray body 21 and the tray opening 122.

[0083] As an optional scheme, the coupling mechanism 90 may be fixedly installed in the hollow cylinder 22. Since the hollow cylinder 22 may sink and extend on the bottom side of the execution tray body 21 toward the base inner cavity 100, so as to facilitate the sliding plug-in with the guide cylinder 111, installing the coupling mechanism 90 in the hollow cylinder 22 may also prevent the coupling mechanism 90 contained therein from interfering with the wiping module 80.

[0084] If the wiping module 80 includes a medium support 82 that may be driven to rotate by the robot vacuum cleaner 70, and the host coupling assembly 71, the module coupling assembly 81, and the coupling mechanism 90 may all be arranged in alignment with the rotation axis of the medium support 82, then the docking position of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 on the base station base 10 may be positioned to enable the output shaft of the drive module 72 of the robot vacuum cleaner 70 to be coaxially aligned with the hollow cylinder 22 along the first direction D 1.

[0085] In this case, the medium support 82 may have a positioning groove 83, which is arranged to surround the rotation axis. For example, the positioning groove 83 may be arranged to surround the module coupling assembly 81 (e.g., the second iron member 81b) which is at the rotation axis. Accordingly, the hollow cylinder 22 may have an opening flange 220 protruding on the top surface side of the execution tray body 21 away from the base inner cavity 100. The opening flange 220 is used to form a plug-in fit allowing rotating and sliding relative to each other with the positioning groove, so that the rotation axis of the medium support 82 can be positioned coaxially with the output shaft of the drive module 72 of the robot vacuum cleaner 70.

[0086] In order to cover the gap between the execution tray body 21 and the tray opening 122 when the execution tray body 21 is at the second height position, in the embodiment of the present application, the maintenance tray 20 may further include a flexible skirt 26 surrounding a periphery of the execution tray body 21.

[0087] The flexible skirt 26 is fixed to an opening edge of the tray opening 122, for example, an upper edge of the flexible skirt 26 is connected to the execution tray body 21, and a lower edge of the flexible skirt 26 may form a skirt flange 27. Moreover, the skirt flange 27 may be fixed to the opening edge of the tray opening 122 by riveting or screw connection. In an embodiment, the flexible skirt 26 may form a waterproof seal for the tray opening 122 by covering the tray opening 122.

[0088] In addition, the flexible skirt 26 may undergo stretching / contracting deformation in response to the translational ascent / descent between the first height position and the second height position, for example, the flexible skirt 26 may be in a pleated folded shape when the execution tray body 21 is at the first height position, and the flexible skirt 26 may be in a stretched state when the execution tray body 21 is at the second height position.

[0089] In the case that the hollow cylinder 22 and the guide cylinder 111 are slidably plugged in along the first direction D1 to form a guide, and the flexible skirt 26 is used to cover the tray opening 122, the embodiments of the present application may also arrange a position-limiting constraint between the base station base 10 and the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20.

[0090] The position-limiting constraint is used to constrain an upward limit position of the execution tray body 21, to avoid excessive ascent of the execution tray body 21 when the position detection component of the lift mechanism 30 fails; and a downward limit position of the execution tray body 21 may be set to a physical limit position of the transmission mechanism 32 of the lift mechanism 30 in the direction of driving the execution tray body 21 to descend, or, the downward limit position of the execution tray body 21 may be constrained by size interference between the execution tray body 21 and the tray opening 122.

[0091] An optional position-limiting constraint method for preventing excessive ascent is described below. the maintenance tray 20 may further include a vertical buckle 23 formed on the execution tray body 21, the vertical buckle 23 may extend downward from the execution tray body 21 toward the bottom inner cavity 100; the base station base 10 may further include a stop buckle 112 arranged in the base inner cavity 100, where the stop buckle 112 may be formed on the base bottom plate 11. With the base bottom plate 11 covering the bottom opening 120 of the base main shell 12, the stop buckle 112 protrudes toward the tray opening 122 in the base inner cavity 100; thus, when the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20 is at the second height position, the vertical buckle 23 engages with the stop buckle 112, so as to prevent the execution tray body 21 from ascending excessively beyond the second height position. Furthermore, it may avoid detachment of the hollow cylinder 22 from the guide cylinder 111 due to the excessive ascent of the execution tray body 21, and avoid the flexible skirt 26 being pulled apart or detached from the opening edge of the tray opening 122 due to the excessive ascent of the execution tray body.

[0092] Another optional position-limiting constraint method for preventing excessive ascent is described below.

[0093] The maintenance tray 20 may further include one or more laterally protruding lugs 24 installed on the execution tray body 21, and the laterally protruding lugs 24 extend laterally from the lower edge of the flexible skirt 26; thus, when the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20 is at the second height position, the laterally protruding lugs 24 abut the opening edge of the tray opening 122, to prevent the execution tray body 21 from excessively ascending beyond the second height position. Furthermore, it may avoid detachment of the hollow cylinder 22 from the guide cylinder 111 due to the excessive ascent of the execution tray body 21, and avoid the flexible skirt 26 from being pulled apart or detached from the opening edge of the tray opening 122 due to the excessive ascent of the execution tray body. In an embodiment of the present application, the combined use of the above two position-limiting constraint methods is taken as an example, but it may be understood that the above two position-limiting constraint methods may be used selectively according to needs.

[0094] In some examples, the execution tray body 21, the one or more hollow cylinders 22, the vertical buckle 23, the tray sliding groove 25, the flexible skirt 26, and the skirt flange 27 included in the maintenance tray 20 may be integrally formed by injection molding, while the one or more laterally protruding lugs 24 may be an independent rigid member. In this case, the execution tray body 21, the one or more hollow cylinders 22, the vertical buckle 23, the tray sliding groove 25, the flexible skirt 26, and the skirt flange 27 may all have flexibility of injection molding materials, where the flexibility of the flexible skirt 26 means that the flexible skirt 26 has a more easily deformable flexibility than other integrally formed parts of the maintenance tray 20, and is not intended to limit other integrally formed parts of the maintenance tray 20 to be rigid.

[0095] In an embodiment of the present application, the operating mechanism deployed on the execution tray body 21 may include not only the coupling mechanism 90 but also a cleaning mechanism 50, where the cleaning mechanism 50 may be used to clean the wiping module installed on the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0096] FIG. 10 is a deployment structure diagram of a cleaning mechanism in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the base station for maintaining the robot vacuum cleaner may further include a cleaning mechanism 50 used as an operating mechanism. The cleaning mechanism 50 may be arranged on the execution tray body 21 of the maintenance tray 20, and is used to perform contact cleaning of the wiping module installed on the robot vacuum cleaner. For example, the arrangement position of the cleaning mechanism 50 on the execution tray body 21 may be located outside the contact area where the lift mechanism 30 provides adjustable support to the execution tray body 21, so as to provide floating support for the cleaning mechanism 50 by utilizing the elastic deformation allowance of the execution tray body 21 itself.

[0097] In one embodiment, the cleaning mechanism 50 may include a spraying member 51 and a flow guiding member 52.

[0098] The spraying member 51 is used to spray fluid, where, when the robot vacuum cleaner installed with the wiping module is docked on the base station base 10 and the execution tray body 21 is lifted to the second height position, the execution tray body 21 may contact the wiping module (e.g., contact a wiping medium such as a rag installed on the wiping module), and the fluid sprayed by the spraying member 51 is sprayed from the spraying member 51 at an angle that avoids the wiping module (i.e., the wiping medium), i.e., the spraying member 51 is used to spray fluid at an angle avoiding the wiping module when the execution tray body 21 is at the second height position.

[0099] For example, the spraying member 51 may include a member body 511 protruding from a top surface of the execution tray body 21, and one or more jet outlets 512 on the side wall of the member body 511, so that the fluid ejected laterally from the one or more jet outlets 512 may avoid the wiping module. In one embodiment, the one or more jet outlets 512 may be opened at the bottom of the side wall of the member body 511 close to the execution tray body 21. In this case, the member body 511 may be a hollow rib integrally formed on the execution tray body 21, so that the fluid may be introduced into the hollow rib from a fluid supply pipeline below the execution tray body, and ejected from the one or more jet outlets 512 opened on the rib wall of the hollow rib.

[0100] The flow guiding member 52 is used to guide the fluid ejected by the spraying member 51 at an angle avoiding the wiping module to diffuse toward the wiping module (wiping medium).

[0101] For example, the flow guiding member 52 may be arranged separate from the spraying member 51, where space between the flow guiding member 52 and the spraying member 51 may allow the fluid to hit the flow guiding member 52 after being ejected from the spraying member 51. For example, the fluid may hit the flow guiding member 52 with a preset intensity after being ejected from the spraying member 51, and the flow guiding member 52 may splash and diffuse the impacted fluid to the surface area of the wiping module exposed at the space. For example, after the fluid hits the flow guiding member 52, it may be uniformly diffused and ejected to the surface area of the wiping module exposed at the space. In this case, the flow guiding member 52 may be a plate-shaped retaining rib integrally formed on the execution tray body 21, and the plate-shaped retaining rib may have an inclined rib wall facing the spraying member 51, so as to utilize the inclined rib wall to uniformly diffuse and eject the impacted fluid to the wiping module.

[0102] Hence, the cleaning mechanism 50 arranged on the execution tray body 21 may perform contact automatic cleaning on the wiping module installed on the robot vacuum cleaner without affecting the fluid injection when the execution tray body 21 contacts the wiping module. In addition, the cleaning mechanism adopts a flow supply method in which the fluid ejected by the spraying member 51 is uniformly guided to the wiping module through the flow guiding member 52, which helps to improve the uniformity of cleaning to the wiping module.

[0103] If the wiping module 80 includes a medium support 82 that may be driven to rotate by the robot vacuum cleaner 70, the member body 511 of the spraying member 1 and the flow guiding member 52 may both extend radially from the aligned position of the execution tray body 21 with the rotation axis of the medium support 82, and the side wall of the member body 511 may be arranged with a plurality of jet outlets 512 in the direction of the radial extension.

[0104] If the wiping module 80 includes a medium support 82 that may be driven to rotate by the robot vacuum cleaner 70, the cleaning mechanism 50 may further include a scraping member 53. For example, the scraping member 53 may include a boss base 531 and a plurality of raised bumps 532 distributed on a top surface of the boss base 531. When the execution tray body 21 is at the second height position, in response to the rotation of the medium support 82, the scraping member 53 may have interference friction with the wiping medium 800 installed on the medium support 82. The scraping member 53 may also extend radially from the aligned position of the execution tray body 21 with the rotation axis of the execution tray body 21, and the scraping member 53 may have a phase interval / gap with respect to the spraying member 51 and the flow guiding member 52 in the rotation direction of the medium support 82.

[0105] In addition, the base station base 10 may also have a drainage mechanism 124 and sewage discharge member 125, where the drainage mechanism 124 forms a drainage path for a dirt flow overflowing from the wiping module to flow from the maintenance tray 20 to the sewage discharge member 125. For example, the sewage discharge member 125 may be detachably installed on the base main shell 12, and the drainage mechanism 124 may be a diversion slope formed on the outer periphery of the maintenance tray 20, which may guide the dirt flow overflowing from the wiping module to flow naturally toward the sewage discharge member 125.

[0106] Combining the above-mentioned coupling mechanism 90 and cleaning mechanism 50, the base station for maintaining the robot vacuum cleaner in embodiments of the present application may support the robot vacuum cleaner to flexibly switch between different working modes, for example, sweeping-only mode, mopping-only mode, and combined mode.

[0107] The sweeping-only mode means that the robot vacuum cleaner 70 only uses a built-in cleaning assembly 73 to perform the dust removal task of sweeping floating dust on the ground, without an installation of a wiping module 80 for wiping the ground.

[0108] The mopping-only mode means that the robot vacuum cleaner 70 uses the installed wiping module 80 to perform the mopping task of wiping the floor, and the cleaning assembly 73 stops running during this period.

[0109] The combined mode means that the robot vacuum cleaner 70 uses the installed wiping module 80 to perform the mopping task of wiping the floor, and the cleaning assembly 73 continues running during this period.

[0110] The switching between the sweeping-only mode and any of mopping-only mode and combined mode may be implemented by automatic detachment or installation of the wiping module 80 by using the coupling mechanism 90.

[0111] Furthermore, for the mopping-only mode and the combined mode: before performing the mopping task, the robot vacuum cleaner 70 may use the cleaning mechanism 50 to wet the wiping medium 800 of the wiping module 80; after completing the mopping task, the robot vacuum cleaner 70 may use the cleaning mechanism 50 to clean the wiping medium 800 of the wiping module 80.

[0112] In addition, if a number of cleaning times of the wiping medium 800 of the wiping module 80 after completion of a plurality of mopping tasks reaches a preset threshold, automatic detachment and installation may also be performed by means of the coupling mechanism 90, to install the wiping module 80 with a clean wiping medium 800 for the robot vacuum cleaner 70.

[0113] The foregoing application is merely illustrative of preferred examples of the present application but not intended to limit the present application, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions, adaptations thereof made within the spirit and principles of the application shall be encompassed in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A base station for maintaining a robot vacuum cleaner, comprising: a base station base (10); a maintenance tray (20), wherein the maintenance tray (20) comprises an execution tray body (21); a coupling mechanism (90), wherein the coupling mechanism (90) is arranged on the execution tray body (21); a lift mechanism (30), wherein the lift mechanism (30) provides an adjustable support for the maintenance tray (20), and the adjustable support is configured to enable a translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body (21) along a first direction between a first height position and a second height position; wherein the second height position is adjacent to a bottom installation position of a wiping module (80) on the robot vacuum cleaner (70), and the first height position is lower than the second height position; and wherein the robot vacuum cleaner (70) generates a continuous coupling force used to attract the wiping module (80) at the bottom installation position, and the coupling mechanism (90) is used to generate, for the wiping module (80), a controllable coupling force greater than the continuous coupling force, so as to allow the wiping module (80) to be detached and installed on the robot vacuum cleaner (70) based on coordination between the controllable coupling force / continuous coupling force and the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body (21).

2. The base station according to claim 1, wherein when the robot vacuum cleaner (70) installed with the wiping module (80) is docked at the base station base (10), the execution tray body (21) is driven by the lift mechanism (30) to ascend from the first height position to the second height position, when the execution tray body (21) reaches the second height position, the coupling mechanism (90) contacts the wiping module (80) and generates the controllable coupling force; after the coupling mechanism (90) generates the controllable coupling force, the execution tray body (21) is driven by the lift mechanism (30) to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism (90) continues generating the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body (21), so as to enable the wiping module (80) to overcome the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner (70) and descend along with the execution tray body (21), thereby implementing automatic detachment of the wiping module (80) from the robot vacuum cleaner (70).

3. The base station according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, a wiping module (80) to be installed is placed on the execution tray body (21), the coupling mechanism (90) starts to generate the controllable coupling force; when the robot vacuum cleaner (70) for which the wiping module is to be installed is docked at the base station base (10), the execution tray body (21) is driven by the lift mechanism (30) to ascend from the first height position to the second height position, and the coupling mechanism (90) generates the controllable coupling force while ascending along with the execution tray body (21), so as to keep the wiping module (80) stably supported on the execution tray body (21); when the execution tray body (21) reaches the second height position, the wiping module (80) reaches the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner (70), and the coupling mechanism (90) stops generating the controllable coupling force, so as to enable the wiping module (80) to be detachably installed at the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner (70) under a constraint of the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner (70), and thus realizing automatic installation of the wiping module (80) on the robot vacuum cleaner (70); and after the coupling mechanism (90) stops generating the controllable coupling force, the execution tray body (21) is driven by the lift mechanism (30) to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism (90) still stops generating the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body (21); or; a wiping module (80) to be installed is placed on the execution tray body (21), when the robot vacuum cleaner (70) for which the wiping module is to be installed is docked at the base station base (10), the execution tray body (21) is driven by the lift mechanism (30) to ascend from the first height position to the second height position, and the coupling mechanism (90) does not generate the controllable coupling force while ascending along with the execution tray body (21); when the execution tray body (21) reaches the second height position, the wiping module (80) reaches the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner (70), so as to enable the wiping module (80) to be detachably installed at the bottom installation position of the robot vacuum cleaner (70) under a constraint of the continuous coupling force generated by the robot vacuum cleaner (70), thus realizing automatic installation of the wiping module (80) on the robot vacuum cleaner (70); and the execution tray body (21) is driven by the lift mechanism (30) to descend from the second height position to the first height position, and the coupling mechanism (90) still does not generate the controllable coupling force while descending along with the execution tray body (21).

4. The base station according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, the robot vacuum cleaner (70) is provided with a host coupling assembly (71), the wiping module (80) comprises a module coupling assembly (81), and the continuous coupling force comprises a permanent magnetic attraction force generated between the host coupling assembly (71) and the module coupling assembly (81); the coupling mechanism (90) comprises an electromagnetic component, the controllable coupling force comprises an electromagnetic attraction force generated between the electromagnetic component and the module coupling assembly (81), and the electromagnetic attraction force is greater than the permanent magnetic attraction force.

5. The base station according to claim 4, wherein, the host coupling assembly (71) comprises a first iron member; the module coupling assembly (81) comprises a permanent magnetic member (81a) and a second iron member (81b); wherein the wiping module (80) comprises a medium support (82), the permanent magnetic member (81a) is arranged on a side of the medium support (82) facing the robot vacuum cleaner (70), and the second iron member (81b) is arranged on other side of the medium support (82) facing the maintenance tray (20); and wherein the permanent magnetic attraction force is generated between the permanent magnetic member (81a) and the first iron member, and the electromagnetic attraction force is generated between the electromagnetic component and the second iron member (81b).

6. The base station according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising: an electric drive module, wherein the electric drive module is electrically connected to the lift mechanism (30) and the electromagnetic component, so as to cooperatively control the lifting / lowering drive of the lift mechanism (30) and controllable power-on of the electromagnetic component.

7. The base station according to claim 5, wherein, the medium support (82) is capable of being driven to rotate by the robot vacuum cleaner (70), and the medium support (82) is used to install a wiping medium (800); and the host coupling assembly (71), the module coupling assembly (81), and the coupling mechanism (90) are all arranged in alignment with a rotation axis of the medium support (82).

8. The base station according to claim 7, wherein the robot vacuum cleaner (70) comprises a drive module (72) used to drive the medium support (82) to rotate, and the host coupling assembly (71) is installed on an output shaft of the drive module (72); and the medium support (82) has a rotating shaft sleeve (85) on the side facing the robot vacuum cleaner (70), the rotating shaft sleeve (85) is used to be inserted into a plug-in shaft cavity (75) at a bottom of the robot vacuum cleaner (70), so as to be coaxially connected to the output shaft of the drive module (72) in the plug-in shaft cavity (75), and the permanent magnetic member (81a) of the module coupling assembly (81) is arranged inside the rotating shaft sleeve (85).

9. The base station according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, the maintenance tray (20) further comprises a hollow cylinder (22) connected to the execution tray body (21); and the coupling mechanism (90) is fixedly installed in the hollow cylinder ( 22).

10. The base station according to claim 9, wherein, the hollow cylinder (22) sinks and extends on a bottom side of the execution tray body (21).

11. The base station according to claim 10, wherein, the base station base (10) comprises a base main shell (12) used to dock the robot vacuum cleaner (70), wherein an interior of the base main shell (12) forms a base inner cavity (100), and the base main shell (12) has a tray opening (122) exposing the base inner cavity (100); the execution tray body (21) is suspended and supported by the lift mechanism (30) at the tray opening (122); and the base station base (10) further comprises a guide cylinder (111) arranged in the base inner cavity (100); wherein the hollow cylinder (22) is slidably plugged in the guide cylinder (111) along the first direction, so as to constrain the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body (21) in the first direction.

12. The base station according to claim 7, wherein, the maintenance tray (20) further comprises a hollow cylinder (22) connected to the execution tray body (21); the coupling mechanism (90) is fixedly installed in the hollow cylinder (22); and the host coupling assembly (71), the module coupling assembly (81), and the hollow cylinder (22) accommodating the coupling mechanism (90) are all arranged in alignment with the rotation axis of the medium support (82).

13. The base station according to claim 12, wherein, the medium support (82) has a positioning groove (83) surrounding the module coupling assembly (81); and the hollow cylinder (22) has an opening flange (220) protruding from a top surface side of the execution tray body (21); wherein the opening flange (220) is used to form a plug-in fit allowing rotating and sliding relative to each other with the positioning groove (83).

14. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the lift mechanism (30) comprises a power module (31), a transmission mechanism (32) and a swing member (33); the power module (31) is used to generate a driving force; and the transmission mechanism (32) is used to apply the driving force generated by the power module (31) to the swing member (33), so as to drive the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body (21) through a swing of the swing member (33) in response to the driving force.

15. The base station according to claim 14, wherein, the swing member (33) has a fulcrum rotation shaft (330), and a first end (331) and a second end (332) that are respectively located on opposite sides of the fulcrum rotation shaft (330); wherein the fulcrum rotation shaft (330) is in rotational fit with a rotation shaft support (123) of the base station base (10), so that the swing of the swing member (33) in response to the driving force is constrained to a swing with the fulcrum rotation shaft (330) as a fixed fulcrum; wherein the driving force is applied, by the transmission mechanism (32), to the first end (331) along a second direction, and there is a preset angle difference between the first direction and the second direction; a first slip fit is formed between the first end (331) and the transmission mechanism (32), and a second slip fit is formed between the second end (332) and the execution tray body (21), and the first slip fit and the second slip fit are used to eliminate fitting interference between the swing member (33) and the transmission mechanism (32) as well as the execution tray body (21) due to the angle difference.

16. The base station according to claim 15, wherein, the transmission mechanism (32) comprises a guide member (321) arranged along the second direction, and a moving assembly (322) movably installed on the guide member (321); wherein the moving assembly (322) has a transmission sliding groove (323), and the first end (331) and the transmission sliding groove (323) form the first slip fit; and an extension direction of the transmission sliding groove (323) is arranged to enable the first slip fit to: obtain an input force effective on the first end (331) from resolution of the driving force, and an application direction of the input force on the first end (331) is a tangential direction at the fixed fulcrum.

17. The base station according to claim 15 or 16, wherein, the maintenance tray (20) further comprises a tray sliding groove (25) located on the execution tray body (21); wherein the second end (332) and the tray sliding groove (25) form the second slip fit; wherein an extension direction of the tray sliding groove (25) is arranged to enable the second slip fit to: obtain an output force effective on the execution tray body (21) from resolution of the input force applied on the first end (331), and an application direction of the output force through the tray sliding groove (25) on the execution tray body (21) is the first direction.

18. The base station according to claim 11, wherein, the maintenance tray (20) further comprises a flexible skirt (26) surrounding a periphery of the execution tray body (21); wherein the flexible skirt (26) is fixed to an opening edge of the tray opening (122), and the flexible skirt (26) undergoes stretching and contracting deformation in response to the translational ascent and descent of the execution tray body (21).

19. The base station according to claim 18, wherein, the base station base (10) further comprises a stop buckle (112) arranged in the base inner cavity (100); and the maintenance tray (20) further comprises a vertical buckle (23) formed on the execution tray body (21); wherein the vertical buckle (23) downwardly extends toward the base inner cavity (100), and when the execution tray body (21) is located at the second height position, the vertical buckle (23) engages with the stop buckle (112) by interference, so as to prevent the execution tray body (21) from excessively ascending beyond the second height position.

20. The base station according to claim 18 or 19, wherein, the maintenance tray (20) further comprises a laterally protruding lug (24) provided on the execution tray body (21); wherein the laterally protruding lug (24) extends laterally from a lower edge of the flexible skirt (26), and when the execution tray body (21) is located at the second height position, the laterally protruding lug (24) engages with the opening edge of the tray opening (122) by interference, so as to prevent the execution tray body (21) from excessively ascending beyond the second height position.

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