Method for preventing damage to a side brush

Abstract

A method for avoiding damage to a side brush (5) of a mobile, self-propelled device (10), in particular a floor cleaning device such as a vacuuming and / or sweeping and / or mopping robot, is described, comprising the following procedural steps: detection by the device (10) that the device (10) has been lifted from the floor; detection by the device (10) that the device (10) has been placed on the floor; and rotation of the side brush (5) after the device (10) has been placed on the floor.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for avoiding damage to a side brush of a mobile, self-driving device, in particular a floor cleaning device in the form of a vacuuming and / or sweeping and / or mopping robot, a mobile, self-driving device, a computer program product and a computer-readable data carrier.

[0002] Cleaning robots, such as vacuuming and / or sweeping robots, frequently take over recurring floor cleaning tasks these days. During their cleaning runs, the robot's cleaning units cover as much of the floor area as possible, collecting dust and dirt in a targeted manner. In addition to cleaning easily accessible, open floor areas, corners and edges along walls or around objects are crucial for a satisfactory cleaning result. For this purpose, cleaning robots usually have rotating side brushes at the front of their housing. The cleaning arms of these brushes, such as tufts of bristles or rubber arms, sweep dust away from walls and corners and transport it towards the robot's suction nozzle. The side brushes typically only rotate when the cleaning robot is performing a cleaning task.

[0003] The thin cleaning arms of the side brushes, which are exposed on the underside of the cleaning robot, are susceptible to damage in certain situations. Excessive force and / or prolonged exposure can cause the cleaning arms to bend permanently. If the deformation is too severe, the cleaning arm's sweeping action is impaired, and the cleaning robot's performance decreases, especially along edges, in corners, and generally on open areas where dirt is transported to the suction nozzle.

[0004] A particularly common cause of bent cleaning arms is manual handling and careless placement of the cleaning robot by the user. If a cleaning arm is bent or kinked when the robot is placed down, and it remains in place for a certain period of time, permanent damage to the cleaning arm can occur. This happens frequently, for example, when the cleaning robot is placed on carpets or when it is returned to its charging or service station.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide an improved method for avoiding damage to the side brush, in which the device selectively rotates its side brush after the device has been lifted and subsequently put down by a user.

[0006] This problem is solved by a method for preventing damage to a side brush of a mobile, self-propelled device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] According to the invention, a method for avoiding damage to a side brush of a mobile, self-propelled device, in particular a floor cleaning device in the form of a vacuuming and / or sweeping and / or mopping robot, comprises the following method steps: Detecting by the device that the device has been lifted from the floor, detecting by the device that the device has been placed on the floor, and rotating the side brush after the device has been placed on the floor.

[0008] The device automatically rotates its side brush several times, particularly after being moved to a different location by the user. This rotation frees the cleaning arms of the side brush from situations where they are bent or kinked, caught on the floor or an obstacle. This effectively resolves potential bending and kinking of the side brush's cleaning arms and prevents permanent damage. Overall, this advantageously extends the lifespan of the side brush.

[0009] According to the invention, the device rotates its side brush for a limited time whenever it detects a user lifting and setting it down. A cleaning arm of the side brush that has become bent or kinked due to the device being carelessly set down can be freed from its position by the rotation of the side brush. Permanent damage to the cleaning arms can thus be avoided.

[0010] A mobile, self-driving device is understood to be, in particular, a floor cleaning device that autonomously cleans floor surfaces, especially in the home. This includes, among other things, robotic vacuum cleaners, mops, and / or sweepers. These devices operate (during cleaning mode) preferably with little or no user intervention. For example, the device automatically moves to a designated room to clean the floor according to a pre-programmed cleaning strategy.

[0011] The device is preferably a cleaning robot equipped with a suction nozzle with a brush roller and a suction fan. The device may also include a wet cleaning module. To perceive its surroundings and detect obstacles, the device is equipped with navigation sensors, such as a LiDAR sensor, a camera, and / or a wall-following sensor. Accelerometers (IMU), sensors that can register wheel movement, and sensors that measure the distance between the device housing and the floor are used, for example, to detect when a user lifts and / or sets down the device. These sensors are part of the device and are specifically integrated into or attached to it. A side brush is positioned at the front of the device, on at least one side or front corner, with its cleaning arms extending beyond the contour of the device housing.

[0012] The floor area to be cleaned includes any floor space. This includes, among other things, sections of individual rooms, individual areas of an apartment, individual rooms within an apartment, and / or the entire floor area of ​​the entire apartment or living space.

[0013] A map of the surrounding area is understood to mean, in particular, any two- or three-dimensional plan suitable for depicting the area surrounding the fieldwork area, including all its walls, obstacles, and objects. This map is used, for example, for localization purposes within SLAM navigation. This navigation map, or a version derived from it, displays, for instance, a sketch of the surrounding area, including the fieldwork area and the furniture and walls within it.

[0014] Obstacles are understood to be any objects and / or items that are located in a soil processing area, for example lying or standing there, and that affect the processing by the mobile, self-propelled device, in particular hinder and / or disrupt it, such as furniture, walls, curtains, carpets and the like.

[0015] The map of the environment, including obstacles, is preferably displayed in an app on a portable input device. This serves in particular to visualize potential interactions for the user.

[0016] For the purposes of this document, an input device shall be understood to mean in particular any device that is portable for a user, that is located outside the mobile, self-driving device, in particular external and / or separate from the mobile, self-driving device, and that is suitable for displaying, providing, transmitting and / or transferring data via the interface, such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet and / or a computer or laptop.

[0017] The app, in particular a cleaning device app, is installed on the input device. This app facilitates communication between the mobile, self-driving device and the input device and, in particular, enables a visualization of the cleaning area, i.e., the living space or apartment to be cleaned. The app preferably displays the area to be cleaned as a map and shows the user any obstacles.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment, the side brush rotates for a predetermined period. In particular, if the device detects that the user has lifted it from the floor and subsequently placed it back down, it activates a drive motor for the side brush, even without a start command for a cleaning task. This motor remains activated for the predetermined period, causing the side brush to rotate several times around its axis. If one or more cleaning arms are bent when the user sets the device down, either on the floor or on an obstacle near the device, the cleaning arm can be straightened by the targeted rotation. After the side brush drive is switched off, the side brush remains in its current orientation. This advantageously prevents permanent bending or kinking of a cleaning arm.

[0019] In another advantageous embodiment, the predetermined time interval is between 0.5 seconds and 3 seconds. This short time interval is sufficient for the cleaning arms of the side brush to free themselves from any bent positions.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment, the rotation of the side brushes is performed directly after the device is placed on the floor. Thus, if the device's sensors register that it is lifted and then placed on the floor, the side brush rotates automatically for the predetermined period without any delay and, in particular, without a predetermined waiting time.

[0021] In an alternative advantageous embodiment, the side brush starts rotating after a predetermined waiting period following the device's placement on the ground. As an alternative to an immediate start of the side brush motor after the device is placed on the ground, a waiting period is introduced. During this predetermined waiting period, the device checks whether the user has initiated a cleaning task. If the device registers a start command for a cleaning task or a movement, the side brush motor is not activated independently of the cleaning task, and the side brush does not rotate independently of the cleaning task. Thus, the side brush does not rotate additionally beyond the cleaning task to prevent damage. However, if no start command is received before the predetermined waiting period expires, the side brush begins to rotate for the predetermined duration to prevent damage.

[0022] In a further advantageous embodiment, once the device is detected as being placed at a charging or service station, the rotation of the side brush is executed immediately without any waiting time. In this case, if the device detects that it has been placed at the charging or service station, it begins rotating the side brush without any waiting time. In particular, it is assumed in this case that the user has placed the device at the station for charging and that no immediate start command for a cleaning job will follow. Detection of placement at the charging or service station can be achieved by detecting a charging current for charging a device battery and / or by (wireless) communication between the device and the charging or service station.

[0023] In a further advantageous embodiment, the rotation of the side brush is also performed in the device's standby mode. In this case, the sensors that detect when the robot is lifted are permanently active (for example, for safety reasons), particularly in standby mode, thus enabling the side brush to rotate at any time after successful detection of the device being lifted, thereby preventing damage.

[0024] The invention further relates to a mobile, self-driving device, in particular a floor cleaning device such as a vacuuming and / or sweeping and / or mopping robot, which is equipped to carry out a method according to the invention.

[0025] It is understood that, in addition to the method and the device, a computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by the device, cause it to carry out the method according to the invention, is also part of the scope of this invention. Likewise, a computer-readable medium on which such a computer program product is stored is part of the scope of this invention.

[0026] Any features, designs, embodiments and advantages relating to the method also apply in connection with the device according to the invention, computer program product and computer-readable medium, and vice versa.

[0027] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the following examples. These examples show: Figures 1A, 1B: each a schematic view of a mobile, self-propelled device configured to carry out a method according to the invention; Figure 1C: a schematic view of a side brush of a mobile, self-propelled device of the exemplary embodiment of the Figures 1A, 1B , and Figure 2: a flowchart of an embodiment of a method according to the invention.

[0028] In the Figures 1A and 1B is a mobile, self-driving device 10 shown, which is in particular a robotic vacuum cleaner. Figure 1A represents a view of device 10. Figure 1BFigure 10 shows a bottom view of the device. The robotic vacuum cleaner perceives its surroundings using various sensors, in particular a LiDAR sensor 1, which is used to create a map of the environment including the contours of walls, objects, and obstacles. In addition, the robotic vacuum cleaner has a camera 2 that can detect objects in front of it and is used, for example, for object recognition and classification.

[0029] The robotic vacuum cleaner has a suction nozzle 3 with a brush roller 4 and a suction fan. The robotic vacuum cleaner can also include a wet cleaning module 8. Furthermore, the robotic vacuum cleaner has accelerometers (IMU), sensors that can register wheel oscillation, and sensors that can measure the distance of the robot housing from the floor in order to detect when the robotic vacuum cleaner is lifted by a user.

[0030] At the front of the robot vacuum, on at least one side or front corner, a side brush 5 is positioned, its cleaning arms 6 extending beyond the contour of the robot housing 7. Specifically, the side brush 5 is positioned next to the suction nozzle 3 on the underside of the robot vacuum in such a way that when the side brush 5 rotates, the cleaning arms 6 transport dust and dirt from the floor towards the suction nozzle 3. In particular, the rotating side brush 5, or its cleaning arms 6 (e.g., bristle tufts or rubber arms), sweeps dust from walls and corners in the front area of ​​the housing 7 and transports it towards the suction nozzle 3. The side brush 5 is in Figure 1C shown in detail.

[0031] The thin cleaning arms 6 of the side brush 5, which is exposed on the underside of the robot vacuum, can become permanently bent if subjected to excessive force and / or prolonged exposure to such force, thereby reducing the cleaning performance of the robot vacuum. In particular, the cleaning arms 6 can bend or kink if the user manually lifts and then sets the robot vacuum down.

[0032] To prevent this, the robot vacuum cleaner rotates its side brush 5 several times for a limited period as soon as its sensors detect that the user has lifted and set the robot vacuum down. This rotation frees the cleaning arms 6 of the side brush 5 from situations where they have become bent or kinked, caught on the floor or an obstacle. This resolves any potential bending or kinking of the side brush 5 and prevents permanent damage.

[0033] An exemplary sequence of the procedure for avoiding damage to the side brush 5 is shown in Figure 2As shown, in step 101, the robot vacuum cleaner uses its sensors to detect that the user is lifting it off the floor. If, in step 102, the robot vacuum cleaner registers that it is subsequently placed back on the floor, it automatically activates a drive motor for the side brush 5 (step 103a) even without a prior cleaning command. This motor remains activated for a predetermined period, specifically a short, limited time (for example, 0.5 to 3 seconds), causing the side brush 5 to rotate several times around its axis. If a cleaning arm 6 is bent by the user when placing the robot vacuum cleaner on the floor or by an obstacle near the robot vacuum cleaner, the cleaning arm 6 can be freed from this position. After the predetermined period, the robot vacuum cleaner stops rotating the side brush 5 and waits for a cleaning command to be initiated (step 104a).After the side brush drive is switched off, the side brush 5 remains in its current orientation. Permanent bending or kinking of a cleaning arm 6 can be avoided.

[0034] As an alternative to immediately starting the side brush motor (i.e., with a waiting time of 0 seconds) after the robot vacuum is placed on the surface (i.e., as an alternative to step 103a), a predetermined waiting time can be introduced during which the robot vacuum checks whether the user has started a cleaning job (step 103b). The predetermined waiting time is, for example, 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 3 minutes. If the robot vacuum registers a start command for a cleaning job or for a movement (step 104b), then no rotation of the side brush motor is necessary. The robot vacuum executes the cleaning job without first rotating the side brush 5 (step 105). If, however, no start command for a cleaning job is received before the waiting time expires, the procedure outlined in steps 103a and 104a is followed.This means that the robot vacuum cleaner rotates its side brush 5 for a short period of time (step 103a) and then stops it while it waits for a cleaning job to start (step 104a).

[0035] In addition to steps 103a and 103b, the robot vacuum can detect when it docks with its charging or service station (step 103c). In this case, the robot vacuum will begin rotating the side brush 5 (i.e., step 103a) without waiting, as it can be assumed that the user has placed the robot vacuum at the station to charge and will not immediately initiate a cleaning task. The station can be detected by the presence of a charging current for the robot battery or through other forms of communication between the robot vacuum and the station. Step 104a then completes the process (i.e., stopping the rotation of the side brush 5 and subsequently waiting for a cleaning task to begin).

[0036] The procedure for preventing damage to the side brush 5 is also applied in a standby mode of the robot vacuum cleaner, in case the sensors that detect when the robot vacuum cleaner is lifted are permanently operational for safety reasons.

Claims

1. Method for avoiding damage to a side brush (5) of a mobile, self-propelled device, in particular a floor cleaning device such as a vacuuming and / or sweeping and / or mopping robot, comprising the following method steps: - Detect by the device (10) that the device (10) has been lifted from the floor, - Detect by the device (10) that the device (10) has been placed on the floor, and - Rotate the side brush (5) after the device (10) has been placed on the floor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotation of the side brush (5) is performed for a predetermined period of time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined time interval is between inclusive 0.5 sec and inclusive 3 sec.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotation of the side breasts (5) is carried out directly after placing them on the floor.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotation of the side brush (5) starts after a predetermined waiting time following placement on the ground.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein during the predetermined waiting time the device (10) checks whether a cleaning order of the device (10) is started.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, after detection of the device (10) being placed at a charging or service station, the rotation of the side brush (5) is carried out directly without waiting time.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotation of the side brush (5) is also performed in a standby mode of the device (10).

9. Mobile, self-driving device (10) configured to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.

10. Computer program product comprising commands which, when the program is executed by the device (10), cause it to execute the method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8.

11. Computer-readable data carrier on which the computer program product according to claim 10 is stored.

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