Window cleaning robot for cleaning curved surfaces

Abstract

In order to provide a window cleaning robot which makes thorough cleaning of the curved surfaces possible without liquid being released into the surroundings of the surface in an undesired manner, it is proposed that the window cleaning robot (100) has a main body (10) and a conveying means (11), and, above all, that the window cleaning robot (100) has, furthermore, a vacuum jacket (12) which is fluidically connected to the main body (10) in such a way that a fluid can be sucked by means of the conveying means (11) from a vacuum chamber (13) which is configured in an interior space of the vacuum jacket (12), wherein the vacuum jacket (12) has a free end (14) with a contact lip (16) which runs around a cleaning opening (15) of the vacuum chamber (13), and the vacuum jacket (12) can be deformed elastically in such a way that, when the contact lip (16) is placed onto a curved surface (21, 22), the contact lip (16) enters into all-round contact with the surface (21, 22).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Window cleaning robot for cleaning curved surfaces

[0003] The invention relates to a window cleaning robot for cleaning curved surfaces, in particular vehicle windows, and a method for cleaning the vehicle window with such a window cleaning robot.

[0004] The invention relates to a window cleaning robot for cleaning curved surfaces, wherein the window cleaning robot has a base body with a conveyor device.

[0005] CN113329922A, for example, discloses a cleaning robot for cleaning a curved surface of a motor vehicle. The cleaning robot comprises a fluid-absorbing cleaning element that is elastically deformable to adapt to the surface of the motor vehicle. For example, the cleaning element is a sponge.

[0006] Compared to the prior art, the invention is based on the object of solving the following problem using the simplest and most cost-effective means possible:

[0007] The aim is to provide a window cleaning robot and a method for cleaning the vehicle window with such a window cleaning robot, which enable a thorough cleaning of the window without the accidental release of liquid in the area surrounding the window.

[0008] According to claim 1, the above object is achieved by a window cleaning robot which has a vacuum jacket which is in fluid communication with the base body in such a way that a fluid can be sucked out of the vacuum space by means of the conveying device, wherein the vacuum jacket has a free end with a contact lip which surrounds a cleaning opening of the vacuum space, and wherein the vacuum jacket is elastically deformable in such a way that when the contact lip is placed on a curved surface, the contact lip makes circumferential contact with the surface. According to claim 13, the above object is achieved by providing a method which has at least the following steps: a. placing the contact lip on the vehicle window by means of a feed device; and b. sucking a fluid out of the vacuum space by means of the conveying device.

[0009] Advantageous further developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

[0010] According to a first embodiment of the invention, a window cleaning robot for cleaning curved surfaces is proposed, wherein the window cleaning robot has a base body and a conveyor device.

[0011] According to claim 1, this object is achieved with the following features: The window cleaning robot is characterized in particular by the fact that the

[0012] Window cleaning robot further comprises a vacuum jacket which is in fluidic connection with the base body in such a way that a fluid can be sucked out of a vacuum space formed in an interior of the vacuum jacket by means of the conveying device, wherein the vacuum jacket has a free end with a contact lip circumferentially around a cleaning opening of the vacuum space, the vacuum jacket is elastically deformable in such a way that when the contact lip is placed on a curved surface, the contact lip makes circumferential contact with the surface.

[0013] In one embodiment, the window cleaning robot is designed to clean concave curved surfaces. In one embodiment, the

[0014] Window cleaning robot configured for cleaning convex surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, the window cleaning robot is configured for cleaning both concave and convex surfaces.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the vacuum jacket is designed to have different lengths along the circumferential direction in a pressing direction along which the window cleaning robot can be pressed onto a surface to be cleaned.

[0016] It should be noted that the pressing direction in this case does not necessarily mean that the window cleaning robot must be pressed firmly against the surface. For example, during operation, the window cleaning robot is simply pulled in the pressing direction due to the negative pressure in the vacuum chamber.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the contact lip of the vacuum jacket is arranged in an undeformed state in a curved starting surface.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the starting surface is convexly curved in the direction of the surface with respect to the base body.

[0019] In one embodiment, the curved starting surface is curved in one spatial direction. In a preferred embodiment, the starting surface is curved in two spatial directions. Preferably, the two spatial directions are orthogonal to the pressing direction.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, the vacuum jacket is made of rubber.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the vacuum jacket comprises air chambers which increase the elasticity of the vacuum jacket.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, the vacuum jacket is shaped in an undeformed state and elastically deformable by deformation during placement such that when the contact lips are placed on a most curved section of a surface of a vehicle window, preferably a windshield, the contact lip can be brought into circumferential contact with the surface.

[0023] In one embodiment, the vacuum jacket is elastically deformable such that when the contact lips are placed on the most convexly curved section of a surface of a vehicle window, preferably a windshield, the contact lip can be brought into circumferential contact with the surface.

[0024] In one embodiment, the vacuum jacket is curved in an undeformed state such that when the contact lips are placed on the most concavely curved section of a surface of a vehicle window, preferably a windshield, the contact lip can be brought into circumferential contact with the surface. According to one embodiment of the invention, the base body has at least one cleaning element, preferably a wiping element, a spray element, a sponge, or a brush.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the invention, the window cleaning robot has a delivery device by means of which the base body can be moved at least along two spatial directions, preferably along three spatial directions.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention, the delivery device is a robot arm.

[0027] In one embodiment, the window cleaning robot is hand-guided. In one embodiment, the base body with the vacuum jacket is connected to a suction device via a hose, whereby preferably only the base body with the vacuum jacket is hand-guided or guided by the feed device.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the invention, the conveying device is a pump by means of which a cleaning fluid can be sucked out of the vacuum space.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the invention, the conveying device is a fan by means of which aerosols can be sucked out of the vacuum space for cleaning purposes.

[0030] The conveying device is designed to generate a negative pressure in the vacuum space when the contact lip is in contact with the surface and thus the cleaning opening or the vacuum space is closed by the surface.

[0031] Furthermore, the underlying object is achieved by a method for cleaning a vehicle window using a window cleaning robot according to an embodiment as described above. Such a method comprises at least the following steps: a. placing the contact lip onto the vehicle window using a delivery device; and b. sucking a fluid out of the vacuum chamber using the conveying device.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises, in step c., at least one further cleaning step in addition to step b., which serves as the cleaning step. According to one embodiment of the invention, the cleaning step is at least one step from the following list:

[0033] - spraying the vehicle window by means of a spray element;

[0034] - by means of a wiping element, wiping the vehicle window; and

[0035] - using a brush, brushing the vehicle window.

[0036] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. They show:

[0037] Fig. 1: a window cleaning robot in a schematic side view,

[0038] Fig. 2: the window cleaning robot from Fig. 1 in a schematic cross-sectional view, Fig. 3: a curved vehicle window in a perspective view,

[0039] Fig. 4: a contact lip of a window cleaning robot according to Fig. 1 in an undeformed state in a sectional view,

[0040] Fig. 5: a window cleaning robot according to Fig. 1 on a convex surface,

[0041] Fig. 6: a contact lip of a window cleaning robot according to Fig. 5 when resting on a convex surface in a sectional view,

[0042] Fig. 7: a window cleaning robot according to Fig. 1 on a concave surface,

[0043] Fig. 8: a contact lip of a window cleaning robot according to Fig. 1 when resting on a flat surface in a sectional view, and

[0044] Fig. 9: a window cleaning robot with a delivery device in a schematic representation.

[0045] Fig. 1 shows a window cleaning robot 100 in a schematic side view. The window cleaning robot 100 has a base body 10 and a vacuum jacket 12. The window cleaning robot 100 is preferably designed for cleaning curved surfaces 21, 22 on motor vehicles, particularly preferably vehicle windows 200. To clean such a surface 21, 22, the window cleaning robot 100 is placed and pressed onto the surface by means of a contact lip 16 formed by the vacuum jacket 12.

[0046] The vacuum jacket 12 extends in a pressing direction 30, vertically downward as shown, from the base body 10 and is connected to it in a fixed or reversibly removable manner. The contact lip 16 is formed at the free end 14 of the vacuum jacket 12, which is the lower end as shown. The contact lip 16 encloses a cleaning opening 15 of the vacuum chamber 13 (not shown here, see Fig. 2). The surface 21, 22 to be cleaned can be reached through the cleaning opening 15 using cleaning agents. Such cleaning agents can be cleaning elements such as brushes, sponges, wiping elements, or the like, and / or a cleaning fluid, for example, a water-based cleaning fluid. The vacuum jacket 12 extends from the base body 10 in the pressing direction 30, along which the window cleaning robot 100 is placed and pressed onto the surface 21, 22 to be cleaned, that is to say vertically downwards as shown.The pressing direction 30 during placement and / or pressing essentially corresponds to a normal direction 31 of the corresponding surface section onto which the window cleaning robot 100 is placed.

[0047] The base body 10 and the vacuum jacket 12 or the vacuum chamber 13 preferably have a rectangular cross-section, viewed in the vertical direction as shown, i.e., along the pressing direction 30. Alternatively, the base body 10 and / or the vacuum jacket 12 are round, oval, or have a different cross-section.

[0048] Preferably, a cleaning fluid can be introduced into the vacuum chamber 13 by means of a cleaning element, for example a nozzle. For example, the cleaning fluid can be applied directly to the surface 21, 22 through the cleaning opening 15. Alternatively or additionally, another cleaning element can be impregnated or wetted with the cleaning fluid, which can be brought into contact with the curved surface 21, 22. To prevent excess or used cleaning fluid from being released into the environment, it can be sucked out of the vacuum chamber 13 by means of a negative pressure. The negative pressure can be generated by means of a conveying device 11, for example a pump or a fan.For example, it is possible to avoid cleaning fluid being unintentionally distributed inside the vehicle when cleaning an interior window, chemical cleaning substances being released into the environment, or streaks or residues being deposited on the surface 21, 22 if excess cleaning fluid remains on the surface 21, 22 or runs down it.

[0049] In order to efficiently provide a negative pressure in the vacuum chamber 13, circumferential contact between the contact lip 16 and the surface 21, 22 is advantageous. For this purpose, the vacuum jacket 12 or the contact lip 16 is designed to be elastic, at least in the pressing direction 30. When placed on the surface 21, 22, the cleaning jacket and the contact lip 16 deform such that the contact lip 16 is in contact with the surface 21, 22 all around the cleaning opening 15 and the surface 21, 22 thus closes the cleaning opening 15. The contact lip 16 does not have to seal the vacuum chamber 13 completely airtight from the environment. Rather, it is sufficient if the vacuum chamber 13 is sealed to such an extent that a sufficient negative pressure can be generated by the conveying device 11 to suck dirt and / or cleaning fluid out of the vacuum chamber 13.

[0050] As shown, the conveyor device 11 is arranged in the base body 10, in an alternative embodiment, for example shown in Figure 9, the

[0051] Conveying device 11 is arranged outside the base body 10 and connected to it, for example, by means of a hose 19. For example, a first reservoir 34 is arranged in the base body 10, in which a cleaning fluid for cleaning the surface 21, 22 can be stored. Alternatively, such a reservoir is arranged outside the base body 10 and connected to the base body 10 by means of a fluid line. In one embodiment, a second reservoir 35 for used cleaning fluid and / or dirt is arranged in the base body 10. In an alternative embodiment, such a reservoir is arranged outside the base body 10.

[0052] Preferably, the contact lip 16 is arranged in an undeformed state in a convex starting surface directed away from the base body 10. In other words, the length of the vacuum jacket 12 decreases along the contact direction 30 toward its corners.

[0053] Fig. 2 shows the window cleaning robot 100 according to Fig. 1 in a schematic cross-sectional view on a convex surface 21. The vacuum space 13 visible in the sectional view is bounded laterally by the circumferential vacuum jacket 12, upwards by the base body 10 and downwards by the convex surface 21.

[0054] Fig. 3 shows a vehicle window 200 in a perspective view. The vehicle window 200, here a windshield 20 of a motor vehicle, is curved about two spatial directions 32, 33. Accordingly, such a vehicle window 200 can be cleaned particularly well by means of a window cleaning robot 100, in which the contact lip 16, in an undeformed state, spans a starting surface that is also curved about the two spatial directions 32, 33. Both spatial directions 32, 33, about which the vehicle window 200 is curved, are arranged orthogonally to the normal direction 31 of the vehicle window 200, which essentially corresponds to the pressing direction 30 during pressing or placement. A cleaning robot proposed here is movable at least along the pressing direction 30 and one of the two spatial directions 32, 33. Preferably, the cleaning robot is movable along both spatial directions 32, 33.

[0055] Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of a contact lip 16 of a cleaning robot according to Fig. 1 in an undeformed state. Only a section of the contact lip of the vacuum jacket is shown. The curvature of the contact lip 16 in the pressing direction 30, i.e., downwards as shown, is clearly visible. The contact lip 16 optionally has air chambers 17. The elasticity of the contact lip 16 can be defined by means of the air chambers 17, for example, by their size and number.

[0056] Fig. 5 shows a window cleaning robot 100 according to Fig. 1, which is placed on a convex surface 21. Such a convex surface 21 is, for example, the outer side of a windshield 20 of a motor vehicle. The contact lip 16 is in contact with the convex surface 21 all the way around or is in contact with it. By placing the contact lip 16 on the convex surface 21, the contact lip 16 and the vacuum jacket 12 are elastically deformed. The central part of the contact lip 16, as shown, is deformed the most and is pushed upwards as shown. This creates a circumferential contact between the contact lip 16 and the convex surface 21.

[0057] Fig. 6 shows a sectional view of the contact lip 16 of the window cleaning robot 100 according to Fig. 5 resting on the convex surface 21. Only a section of the contact lip of the vacuum jacket is shown. The deformation caused by contacting the surface 21, which is more pronounced in the central part of the contact lip 16 than in the edge parts, is visible. In other words, the vacuum jacket 12 is shorter at the corners.

[0058] Fig. 7 shows a window cleaning robot 100 being placed on a concave surface, for example the inside of a windshield 20 of a motor vehicle. The curved shape of the contact lip 16 offers the advantage that the contact lip 16 rests better on the concave surface 22 even without deformation. If the curvature of the contact lip 16 and the curvature of the surface 22 are not identical, the contact lip 16 can be deformed by means of a contact force or a suction force upon placement until the contact lip 16 is in circumferential contact with the surface 22. Fig. 8 shows a contact lip 16 of a window cleaning robot 100 according to Fig. 1 when placed on a flat surface in a sectional view. Only a section of the contact lip of the vacuum jacket is shown. As with the placement of the window cleaning robot 100 in Fig. 4 and Fig.5, the contact lip 16 is most severely deformed in the central portion shown. The contact lip 16 is deformed to such an extent that it forms a planar plane and is thus in circumferential contact with the flat surface.

[0059] Fig. 9 shows a window cleaning robot 100 with a delivery device 18 in a schematic representation. The delivery device 18 shown is a robot arm by means of which the base body 10 and the vacuum jacket 12 can be moved in three spatial directions. One of the spatial directions is the contact pressure direction 30 or the normal direction 31 of the surface 21, 22 (not shown here). The other two spatial directions are arranged essentially orthogonal to the contact pressure direction 30 and enable the base body 10 with the vacuum jacket 12 to be moved or guided on a surface 21, 22.

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, the conveying device 11 is arranged outside the base body 10 and is connected to the base body 10 and the vacuum chamber 13 by means of a hose 19.

[0061] List of reference symbols

[0062] Window cleaning robot vehicle window base body conveyor system vacuum jacket vacuum chamber free end cleaning opening contact lip air chamber

[0063] Delivery device Hose Windshield Convex surfaces Concave surfaces Contact direction Normal direction Spatial directions Spatial directions First reservoir Second reservoir

Claims

Patent claims 1. Window cleaning robot (100) for cleaning curved surfaces (21, 22), wherein the window cleaning robot (100) comprises a base body (10) and a Conveying device (11); characterized in that the window cleaning robot (100) further comprises a vacuum jacket (12) which is in fluidic connection with the base body (10) in such a way that a fluid can be sucked out of a vacuum space (13) formed in an interior of the vacuum jacket (12) by means of the conveying device (11), wherein the vacuum jacket (12) has a free end (14) with a contact lip (16) circumferentially around a cleaning opening (15) of the vacuum space (13), the vacuum jacket (12) being elastically deformable in such a way that when the contact lip (16) is placed on a curved surface (21, 22), the contact lip (16) makes circumferential contact with the surface (21, 22).

2. Window cleaning robot (100) according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum jacket (12) is designed to have different lengths along the circumferential direction in a pressing direction (30), along which the window cleaning robot (100) can be pressed onto a surface (21, 22) to be cleaned.

3. Window cleaning robot (100) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the contact lip (16) of the vacuum jacket (12) is arranged in an undeformed state in a curved starting surface.

4. Window cleaning robot (100) according to claim 3, wherein the output surface is convexly curved in the direction of the surface (21) with respect to the base body (10).

5. Window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum jacket (12) is made of rubber.

6. Window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum jacket (12) comprises air chambers (17) which increase the elasticity of the vacuum jacket (12).

7. Window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vacuum jacket (12) is shaped in an undeformed state and is elastically deformable by deformation during placement such that when the contact lips (16) are placed on a most curved section of a surface (21, 22) of a vehicle window (200), preferably a windshield (20), the contact lip (16) can be brought into circumferential contact with the surface (21, 22).

8. Window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base body (10) has at least one cleaning element, preferably a wiping element, a spray element, a sponge or a brush.

9. Window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the window cleaning robot (100) has a delivery device (18) by means of which the base body (10) can be moved at least along two spatial directions, preferably along three spatial directions.

10. Window cleaning robot (100) according to claim 9, wherein the delivery device (18) is a robot arm.

11. Window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying device (11) is a pump by means of which a cleaning fluid can be sucked out of the vacuum space (13).

12. Window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying device (11) is a fan by means of which aerosols for cleaning can be sucked out of the vacuum space (13).

13. A method for cleaning a vehicle window (200) with a window cleaning robot (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: a. by means of a feed device (18), placing the contact lip (16) on the Vehicle window (200); and b. by means of the conveying device (11), sucking a fluid out of the vacuum space (13).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method comprises, in a step c., in addition to step b. serving as a cleaning step, at least one further cleaning step.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the further cleaning step is at least one step from the following list: - spraying the vehicle window (200) by means of a spray element; - by means of a wiping element, wiping the vehicle window (200); and - by means of a brush, brushing the vehicle window (200).

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