Cleaning device and cleaning method

Abstract

A cleaning device and a cleaning method are provided. The cleaning device comprises: a body (1); a brush (2) rotatably connected to the body (1); a front nozzle (3) provided on a front side of the brush (2), wherein the liquid drained from the front nozzle (3) can wet a cleaning area in front of the brush (2), and the front nozzle (3) can form diffused water flow distributed in a direction perpendicular to a linear advancing direction of the cleaning device; and a brush water outlet provided on the brush (2), wherein the liquid drained from the brush water outlet can wet a cleaning area under the brush (2).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of cleaning products, and in particular to a cleaning device and a cleaning method.BACKGROUND

[0002] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional scrubber discharges water from the brush. When the scrubber advances, most of the water flowing out from the bottom surface of the brush 2 will pass through the rear part (the lower side in FIG. 1) of the brush, resulting in uneven water distribution in the area where the brush 2 is located. Further, with the rotation of the brush 2, the water distribution on the ground to be cleaned is uneven, and the cleaning effect is not ideal. If sufficient cleaning water is distributed on the ground to be cleaned so as to ensure the cleaning effect, a large amount of water will be used.SUMMARY

[0003] The object of the present application is to provide a cleaning device that reduces water usage without reducing the cleaning effect.

[0004] According to an embodiment of the present application, a cleaning device is provided, comprising: a body; a brush, which is rotatably connected to the body; a front nozzle, which is provided on a front side of the brush, wherein liquid drained from the front nozzle can wet a cleaning area in front of the brush, and the front nozzle can form diffused water flow distributed in a direction perpendicular to a linear advancing direction of the cleaning device; and a brush water outlet, which is provided on the brush, wherein liquid drained from the brush water outlet can wet a cleaning area under the brush.

[0005] In at least one possible embodiment, a plurality of front nozzles are provided, which are respectively located on left and right sides of a radial direction of the brush parallel to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device.

[0006] In at least one possible embodiment, the left and right sides of the radial direction of the brush parallel to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device are each provided with one front nozzle, and water mist drained by the front nozzle is radial and the shape of its projection in a vertical direction is circular, fan-shaped, rectangular, or linear.

[0007] In at least one possible embodiment, the cleaning device further comprises a speed sensor, which is mounted on a wheel of the cleaning device, and configured to detect a traveling speed of the cleaning device.

[0008] In at least one possible embodiment, the front nozzle and the brush water outlet are connected to a water pump, and the cleaning device further comprises a sensing device, which is configured to identify degree of soiling of a cleaning area, so as to adjust water supply pressure and / or water outflow of the water pump.

[0009] In at least one possible embodiment, the cleaning device further comprises a heating module, which is provided at a water outlet pipeline connected to the front nozzle and / or the brush water outlet.

[0010] The present application further provides a cleaning method in the embodiment, characterized in that, the cleaning device according to any one of the above technical solutions is used, wherein the cleaning device comprises a first working mode and a second working mode, in the first working mode, the front nozzle drains liquid, and the brush water outlet does not drain liquid, in the second working mode, the brush water outlet drains liquid, and the front nozzle does not drain liquid.

[0011] In at least one possible embodiment, the first working mode is adopted, when the cleaning device is in a forward traveling state and the brush rotates, and the second working mode is adopted, when the cleaning device is in a stationary or nearly stationary state and the brush rotates.

[0012] In at least one possible embodiment, the first working mode and the second working mode can be automatically switched according to the traveling state of the cleaning device.

[0013] In at least one possible embodiment, the first working mode is adopted, when the sensing device identifies that the concentration degree of particles on the ground per unit area of the cleaning area is less than or equal to the preset value, corresponding to light soiling or moderate soiling; and the second working mode is adopted, when the sensing device identifies that the concentration degree of particles on the ground per unit area of the cleaning area is greater than the preset value, corresponding to heavy soiling.

[0014] In at least one possible embodiment, the first working mode and the second working mode can be automatically switched according to a soiling condition of the cleaning area identified by the sensing device.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solutions and draining water with the front nozzles, the water can be evenly distributed, and the water usage can be reduced without reducing the cleaning effect. When dealing with local areas with stubborn stains, water is drained from the brush water outlet to achieve a better cleaning effect.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of draining water distribution of an existing scrubber. FIG. 2 shows a schematic structural diagram of a scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application. FIGS. 3 and 4 show schematic diagrams of a bottom structure of the scrubber according to the embodiment of the present application. FIG. 5 shows a schematic structural diagram of a brush and front nozzles of the scrubber according to the embodiment of the present application. FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of draining water distribution of the scrubber according to the embodiment of the present application. FIG. 7 shows a working logic diagram of a cleaning method according to the embodiment of the present application. LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0017] 1scrubber body2brush21brush cover3front nozzle31mounting bracket4squeegee DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] To further clarify the foregoing objects, features and advantages of the present application, specific embodiments thereof are described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition to the various embodiments described herein, the present application can also be implemented in other different ways, and those skilled in the art can make corresponding improvements, variations and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein. The protection scope of the present application shall be defined by the claims.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 6, the present application provides a cleaning device in an embodiment. The cleaning device can be a scrubber for cleaning the ground, and the scrubber comprises a scrubber body 1, a brush 2, one or more front nozzles 3, one or more brush water outlets and a squeegee 4. In other possible embodiments, the cleaning device can also be used in other scenarios.

[0020] The scrubber body 1 may comprise components such as a frame, a housing, and a drive unit of the scrubber. The brush 2 is rotatably connected to a bottom of the scrubber body 1, and a rotating shaft of the brush 2 extends in a vertical direction (an up-down direction in FIG. 2). The brush drive motor can be connected to the scrubber body 1, and the main shaft of the brush drive motor can be connected to the brush 2, so that the brush drive motor can drive the brush 2 to rotate to clean the ground.

[0021] The scrubber body 1 can be provided with a brush cover 21, which can cover an upper portion and at least part of an outer peripheral edge of the brush 2.

[0022] The front nozzles 3 can be provided on the front side of the brush 2, the squeegee 4 can be provided on the rear side of the brush 2. When the scrubber moves forward (toward the left side in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) and performs cleaning, the front nozzles 3 can first drain cleaning liquid to a designated area of the ground, then the brush 2 passes through the area to brush, and at last, the squeegee 4 passes through the area to scrape off the residual dirty cleaning liquid on the ground, which can be collected by a recovery system comprising, for example, a vacuum apparatus. It can be understood that the cleaning liquid herein may be water, and a cleaning agent may or may not be added to the water.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, the front nozzles 3 can be mounted on the brush cover 21, and the front nozzles 3 can be fixed above the brush cover 21, for example, by screws, nuts, or the like via the mounting bracket 31, and the mounting bracket 31 can be made of plastic or metal. The mounting bracket 31 can extend forward from the brush cover 21. There can be a plurality of front nozzles 3 provided, for example, there can be two or two groups of front nozzles 3 provided, and the two or two groups of front nozzles 3 can be respectively provided on the left and right sides of the radial direction of the brush 2 parallel to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device. The plurality of front nozzles 3 can be connected to the same mounting bracket or respectively provided with independent mounting brackets. In the present embodiment, the front nozzles 3 can form diffused water flow distributed in the width direction of the cleaning device (i.e., perpendicular to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device). There can be only two front nozzles 3 provided, and the left and right sides of the radial direction of the brush 2 parallel to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device are each provided with one front nozzle 3.

[0024] It can be understood that, referring to FIG. 6, the front nozzles 3 can evenly drain the cleaning liquid on the ground in front of the brush 2, and the cleaning liquid has been evenly distributed on the ground, so the advance of the scrubber and the rotation of the brush 2 will not affect the cleaning effect.

[0025] The bottom of the brush 2 is provided with annular bristles or brush cloth, the brush water outlets can be located in the gap of the bristles or the brush cloth, and there can be one or more brush water outlets provided, in one example, a plurality of brush water outlets can be arranged annularly and distributed evenly.

[0026] It can be understood that the present application does not limit the specific form of the front nozzles 2, the front nozzles 2 can drain the cleaning liquid in a radial water mist, and the shape of the projection of the water mist in the vertical direction can be circular, fan-shaped, rectangular or linear. The diffused water flow distributed in the width direction (i.e., perpendicular to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device) formed by the single front nozzle 3 can cover or substantially cover the radius of the brush 2, so that on the premise that the uniform wetting of the ground does not affect the cleaning effect, water usage can be less, water can be saved, and the working time can be extended. Of course, the present application is not limited thereto, and the cleaning liquid can also drain in the form of water droplets or water flow.

[0027] The front nozzles 2 and the brush water outlets can be connected to a water pump, by which the cleaning liquid in the water tank is drained through the front nozzles 2 and the brush water outlets, and the solenoid valve can be used to control the front nozzles 2 or the brush water outlets to drain the cleaning liquid.

[0028] Different types of front nozzles 2 and brush water outlets can be provided in the same scrubber. The scrubber can be provided with a sensing device such as a camera, by which the degree of soiling of the ground can be identified. According to the degree of soiling, the scrubber can adjust the output power and water outflow of the water pump as well as the number and type of nozzles used, so that the cleaning liquid can be fully utilized, water can be saved. When encountering stubborn stains, the scrubber can switch to discharging water from the brush water outlets.

[0029] Furthermore, the scrubber may further comprise a heating module, which is provided in a water outlet pipeline connected to the front nozzles and / or the brush water outlets. To achieve a better cleaning effect, the heating module can be an instant heating device, which can heat the cleaning liquid to be drained from the front nozzles and / or the brush water outlets.

[0030] A wheel (e.g., a drive wheel) of the scrubber can be provided with a speed sensor such as a Hall sensor, which can detect the advance speed of the scrubber and feed it back to the central control unit. The central control unit can send a signal to control the working state of the water pump or the solenoid valve, so as to switch the working mode.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 7, the present application provides a cleaning method for a scrubber.

[0032] First, it is determined whether the scrubber advances, and whether the brush rotates.

[0033] If the scrubber is advancing and the brush rotates, the scrubber can work in a first working mode, and under the control of the water pump and the solenoid valve, the front nozzles 2 drain water, and the brush water outlets do not drain water.

[0034] If the scrubber does not advance and the brush rotates, the scrubber can work in a second working mode, and under the control of the water pump and the solenoid valve, the brush water outlets drain water, and the front nozzles 2 do not drain water.

[0035] If the brush does not rotate, the water pump is turned off, and neither the front nozzles 2 nor the brush water outlets drain water, regardless of whether the scrubber advances.

[0036] The scrubber can also automatically select the working mode according to the identification feedback of the cleaning area from the sensing device. For example, when the sensing device identifies that the concentration degree of particles on the ground per unit area of the cleaning area is less than or equal to a preset value, the scrubber can automatically select a daily cleaning mode (the first working mode). The scrubber can advance at a normal speed, and the solenoid valve control the front nozzles 3 to spray cleaning liquid so that the cleaning liquid can be evenly distributed on the floor in front of the brush, thereby reducing water usage without compromising the cleaning effect.

[0037] If a relatively stubborn stain on the ground needs to be cleaned, the cleaning effect of the daily cleaning mode may be less desirable in a single stroke. When the concentration degree of particles on the ground per unit area of the cleaning area identified by the sensing device is greater than the preset value, the scrubber can automatically switch the working mode according to the degree of soiling of the cleaning area identified by the sensing device. The scrubber can stop advancing and switch to a key area cleaning mode (the second working mode), the solenoid valve controls the brush water outlets to drain water, so as to focus on cleaning the cleaning area under the brush 2 to remove stubborn stains and achieve a better cleaning effect. The concentration degree of particles on the ground per unit area can reflect the aggregation or dispersion degree of particles (stains), and the above preset value can be either set during product production or adjusted by the user. Through experimental verification, compared with the solution of only using the brush to drain water, the solution of the present application of combining the front nozzles and the brush water outlets can save water up to 30%.

[0038] The movement state is detected by the Hall sensor. When the scrubber stops advancing (including advancing at a very low speed, i.e., in a nearly stationary state, for example, within 0.1 meter per second), the cleaning mode can be automatically switched to the second working mode without manual operation, in which the brush water outlets drain water in order to focus on cleaning the stubborn stains.

[0039] The scrubber and the cleaning method for the scrubber of the present application can obtain the following beneficial effects. (i) During daily cleaning, the front nozzles 3 are used to drain water so as to achieve the purpose of water saving. When dealing with local ground areas with relatively stubborn stains, the brush water outlets are switched to drain water for a better cleaning effect. The cleaning solution is more scientific and applicable to a wider variety of scenarios. A better cleaning effect can be achieved with the same amount of water, or the same cleaning effect can be achieved with less water, thereby saving water and prolonging the single working time of the scrubber. (ii) The water output can be adjusted by sensing the degree of soiling on the ground through the sensing device, so as to achieve efficient utilization of cleaning liquid and save water.

[0040] Of course, the present application is not limited to the above embodiments. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications to the above embodiments of the present application under the teachings of the present application without departing from the scope of the present application. (i) In the above embodiment, the front nozzles 3 are mounted on the brush cover 21, but the present application is not limited thereto, and the front nozzles 3 may be mounted on other components of the cleaning device as long as the ground in front of the brush can be wetted. (ii) The front nozzles are not limited to draining water in the form of spraying, and may also wet the ground by dripping, brushing, etc.

[0041] It should be understood that at least some aspects or features of the above embodiments, implementations or examples can be appropriately combined.

[0042] It can be understood that in the present application, when the number of parts or components is not specifically limited, the number thereof may be one or more, where "a plurality of" herein means two or more. For the case where the number of parts or components shown in the drawings and / or described in the specification is a specific number such as two, three, four, etc., such specific number is generally exemplary rather than limiting, and can be understood as a plurality, i.e., two or more. However, this does not mean that the present application excludes the case of one.

[0043] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly stated or limited, terms such as "mount", "install", "assemble", "attach", "connect", "couple", "join", "abut", "communicate", "intercommunicate", "conduct", "fix", and "fasten" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they may be direct or indirect. For example, the connection may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; may be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or may be internal communication between two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly specified or defined. For example, communication / conduction may be direct communication / conduction, or may be indirect communication / conduction through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application may be understood according to the actual situation.

[0044] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly stated or defined, one component being provided / mounted / located / contained / placed in / within / inside another component may be either of the following two cases: a part or most of the component is located within the other member; and the component is completely contained in the other component.

[0045] Although the present application has been described in detail using the above embodiments, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present application is not limited to the embodiments described in this specification. The present application can be modified and implemented as modified embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application determined by the claims. Therefore, the description in this specification is only for the purpose of illustration, and does not have any limiting meaning for the present application.

Claims

1. A cleaning device, <b>characterized by comprising: a body; a brush (2), which is rotatably connected to the body; a front nozzle (3), which is provided on a front side of the brush (2), wherein liquid drained from the front nozzle (3) can wet a cleaning area in front of the brush (2), and the front nozzle (3) can form diffused water flow distributed in a direction perpendicular to a linear advancing direction of the cleaning device; and a brush water outlet, which is provided on the brush (2), wherein liquid drained from the brush water outlet can wet a cleaning area under the brush (2).

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, a plurality of front nozzles (3) are provided, which are respectively located on left and right sides of a radial direction of the brush (2) parallel to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the left and right sides of the radial direction of the brush (2) parallel to the linear advancing direction of the cleaning device are each provided with one front nozzle (3), and water mist drained by the front nozzle (3) is radial and the shape of its projection in a vertical direction is circular, fan-shaped, rectangular, or linear.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the cleaning device further comprises a speed sensor, which is mounted on a wheel of the cleaning device, and configured to detect a traveling speed of the cleaning device.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the front nozzle (3) and the brush water outlet are connected to a water pump, and the cleaning device further comprises a sensing device, which is configured to identify degree of soiling of a cleaning area, so as to adjust water supply pressure and / or water outflow of the water pump.

6. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the cleaning device further comprises a heating module, which is provided at a water outlet pipeline connected to the front nozzle (3) and / or the brush water outlet.

7. A cleaning method, characterized in that, the cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and claim 6 is used, wherein the cleaning device comprises a first working mode and a second working mode, in the first working mode, the front nozzle drains liquid, and the brush water outlet does not drain liquid, in the second working mode, the brush water outlet drains liquid, and the front nozzle does not drain liquid.

8. The cleaning method according to claim 7, characterized in that, the first working mode is adopted, when the cleaning device is in a forward traveling state and the brush rotates, and the second working mode is adopted, when the cleaning device is in a stationary or nearly stationary state and the brush rotates.

9. The cleaning method according to claim 7, characterized in that, the first working mode and the second working mode can be automatically switched according to a traveling state of the cleaning device.

10. A cleaning method, characterized in that, the cleaning device according to claim 5 is used, wherein the cleaning device comprises a first working mode and a second working mode, in the first working mode, the front nozzle drains liquid, and the brush water outlet does not drain liquid, in the second working mode, the brush water outlet drains liquid, and the front nozzle does not drain liquid.

11. The cleaning method according to claim 10, characterized in that, the first working mode is adopted, when the sensing device identifies that concentration degree of particles on the ground per unit area of a cleaning area is less than or equal to a preset value, and the second working mode is adopted, when the sensing device identifies that the concentration degree of particles on the ground per unit area of the cleaning area is greater than the preset value.

12. The cleaning method according to claim 10, characterized in that, the first working mode and the second working mode can be automatically switched according to a soiling condition of the cleaning area identified by the sensing device.

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