Side brush assembly and cleaning device

Abstract

The side brush assembly comprises a base (1), a side brush body (2), and a drive element (3). The side brush body rests against a lateral portion of the base. The side brush body is provided with a first guide portion (21), and the drive element (3) is provided with a second guide portion (31). The second guide portion and the first guide portion cooperate to cause the side brush body to move up and down and / or to oscillate. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Side brush assembly and cleaning device. Technical field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electrical equipment and concerns more particularly a side brush assembly and a cleaning device.

[0002] Basic technology

[0003] Cleaning equipment such as sweeping robots is generally equipped with one or two side brushes arranged at the bottom of the machine body, which rotate while sweeping the surface to be cleaned.

[0004] In the associated technology, the usage scenarios for the side brush assembly are quite limited. As a result, the side brush assembly cannot adapt to a variety of sweeping conditions, so there is room for improvement.

[0005] Content of the invention

[0006] The present application proposes a side brush assembly and a cleaning device intended to adapt, at least to some extent, to a wide range of sweeping conditions.

[0007] In a first aspect of the present invention, the invention relates to a side brush assembly which comprises: a base, a side brush body which rests against a lateral part of the base, said side brush body being provided with a first guide part; a drive element, the drive element being provided with a second guide part, and the second guide part and the first guide part cooperating with each other to drive the side brush body to go up and down and / or to oscillate.

[0008] The side brush assembly provided in this application, through the cooperation between the second and first guide sections, allows the side brush body to be raised when the cleaning device crosses an obstacle or crawls over a carpet, thus avoiding the obstacle or carpet. This enables the device to operate normally and improves the user experience. When the cleaning device cleans corners and under other cleaning conditions, the second and first guide sections can cooperate, allowing the side brush body to oscillate and enhance the cleaning effect, which is of great practical benefit.

[0009] In some embodiments, the second guiding part is arranged at the top of the drive element.

[0010] In some embodiments, the drive element is rotationally connected to the side brush body, and the second guide part can be disposed below the first guide part and the second guide part and the first guide part cooperate with each other to drive the lifting of the side brush body.

[0011] In certain embodiments, at least a part of the second guiding part and / or the first guiding part which cooperate with each other is a helical surface.

[0012] In certain embodiments, at least a part of said second guiding part and / or of said first guiding part which cooperate with each other is an inclined surface.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second guiding part and the first guiding part both have flat parts for a planar contact.

[0014] In certain embodiments, said side brush body is provided with a first guide projection at the bottom of said side brush body, said first guide part being disposed at the bottom of said first guide projection.

[0015] In some embodiments, the side brush body is provided with a guide groove, and the first guide part is located at the bottom of said guide groove.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the drive element is provided with a second guide projection at the top of said drive element, said second guide part being disposed at the top of said second guide projection.

[0017] In some embodiments, a guide shaft is provided at the bottom of the side brush body and the drive element is rotationally connected to the guide shaft.

[0018] In certain embodiments, wherein said side brush body is provided with a first guide projection at the bottom of said side brush body, the projection of said first guide projection on said side brush body is curved, and said guide shaft is provided on the inner side of said first guide projection; the base is provided with a guide sleeve, the drive element being rotatably fixed to said guide sleeve, the guide shaft being inserted into said guide sleeve with the ability to move up and down, the first guide projection being able to be turned towards an outer peripheral surface of said guide sleeve.

[0019] In some embodiments, the side brush assembly further includes: a limiting element, disposed on the rotation path of the drive element, to limit the rotation angle of the drive element.

[0020] In some embodiments, the drive element is provided with a notch on its circumference and the limiting element is disposed in the notch.

[0021] In certain embodiments, the drive element is provided with a stop at the periphery of said drive element, and said limiting element is provided on the path of rotation of said stop.

[0022] In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the peripheral surface of the drive element is provided with drive teeth, and the side brush assembly further comprises: a power application element, the power application element having a gear provided at its output end, the gear being connected to the drive teeth.

[0023] In certain embodiments, a passage orifice is formed in the circumferential surface of the base, one end of said side brush body is fixed in the base, the other end of said side brush body passes through the passage orifice, and said side brush body can move up and down inside the passage orifice along the side wall of the passage orifice, and / or said side brush body can oscillate inside the passage orifice.

[0024] In certain embodiments, said passage orifice comprises an oscillation orifice and a limiting orifice which communicate with each other, said limiting orifice being provided above said oscillation orifice, said side brush body being able to oscillate inside said oscillation orifice and rotate in said limiting orifice.

[0025] In certain embodiments, said oscillation orifice has first and second opposing side walls, said limiting orifice has third and fourth opposing side walls, said third side wall and said first side wall are located on the same straight line, said fourth side wall is disposed between said first and second side walls, and said side brush body can move up and down along the straight line on which said first side wall and said third side wall are located.

[0026] In certain embodiments, said side brush assembly further includes a reset element, disposed between the top and / or bottom of the side brush body and the base.

[0027] In some embodiments, the reset element is a composite structure consisting of a compression spring and a torsion spring.

[0028] In some embodiments, two connection ends of the reset element are connected respectively to the base and the side brush body.

[0029] In certain embodiments, the base is provided with a first limiting groove on its circumferential surface, said first limiting groove being connected to the passage orifice, and one connecting end of said reset element being disposed in said first limiting groove; the side brush body is provided with a connecting block, a second limiting groove being formed between the connecting block and the side brush body, and the other connecting end of this reset element is disposed in this second limiting groove.

[0030] In some embodiments, the base is further equipped with a position sensor enabling the location of the side brush body to be determined.

[0031] In some embodiments, the present invention also provides a cleaning device which includes a main body and a side brush assembly according to the invention, said side brush assembly being assembled to said main body.

[0032] Before the cleaning device having the side brush assembly according to the invention encounters an obstacle or carpet, the second guide part and the first guide part can cooperate with each other, so that the side brush body can be raised to avoid the obstacle or carpet, thus allowing the equipment to be used normally and improving the user experience. When the cleaning device is cleaning corners and under other cleaning conditions, the second guide part and the first guide part can cooperate with each other, so that the side brush body can oscillate to improve the cleaning effect, which is of great practical use.

[0033] Description of the attached figures

[0034] In order to illustrate more clearly the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the description refers to the attached figures which are briefly presented below, as non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention.

[0035] [Fig.1] shows a structural diagram of the side brush assembly in a first sweeping position in one or more embodiments of the present application;

[0036] [Fig.2] shows the structural diagram of [Fig.1], according to another view;

[0037] [Fig.3] shows a structural diagram of the side brush assembly of [Fig.1] in an obstacle avoidance position;

[0038] [Fig.4] shows a structural diagram of [Fig.3] in another view;

[0039] [Fig.5] shows a structural diagram of a side brush body;

[0040] Fig. 6 shows an internal structural diagram of the side brush body;

[0041] [Fig.7] shows the structural diagram of [Fig.5] in another view;

[0042] [Fig.8] shows a structural diagram of the drive element;

[0043] [Fig.9] shows a diagram of the state of the body of the side brush and the element training in the situation in which the side brush assembly is in an obstacle avoidance position;

[0044] [Fig. 10] shows a structural diagram of the base;

[0045] Figure 11 shows an assembly diagram of the drive element and the power application element;

[0046] [Fig. 12] shows a structural diagram of the side brush assembly in the second sweeping position.

[0047] [Fig. 13] shows a structural diagram of the reset element;

[0048] Figure 14 shows a diagram of the state of the side brush body and the element training when the side brush assembly is in the first sweeping position and the second sweeping position.

[0049] Figure captions:

[0050] Base-1, Passage orifice-11, Oscillation orifice-111, Limiting orifice-112, Housing cavity-12, First limiting groove-13;

[0051] Side brush body-2, First guide part-21, Guide shaft-22; Drive gear-23, First guide protrusion-24, Connection block-25, Side brush-26, Second limiting groove-27;

[0052] Drive element-3, Second guide part-31, Second guide projection-32, Notch-33, Drive teeth-34;

[0053] First motor-4;

[0054] Guide bushing - 5;

[0055] Limitation element-6;

[0056] Position sensor-7;

[0057] Power application element-8, gear-81;

[0058] Reset element -9;

[0059] Helical surface - al, flat part - a2;

[0060] First side wall-bl, Second side wall-b2, Third side wall-b3, Fourth side wall-b4.

[0061] Specific embodiment

[0062] In order to enable competent persons in the field to which this application belongs to better understand it, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described clearly and completely in the following, in connection with the attached figures of embodiments of the present invention.

[0063] In the prior art, the side brush of a cleaning device such as a sweeping robot is always rotating when it is operating, and when the device When the cleaning robot encounters an obstacle or crawls on a carpet, this side brush prevents the machine from climbing or tends to cause the carpet to curl up, leading to abnormal device operation and affecting the user experience. Furthermore, when the sweeping robot and other cleaning devices are in a corner cleaning situation, the angle of the side brush assembly relative to the main body cannot be adjusted, thus limiting the cleaning effect. Therefore, there is room for improvement.

[0064] Based on the aforementioned technical problems, the present application proposes a side brush assembly applicable to a variety of cleaning conditions.

[0065] The side brush assembly supplied in this application comprises a base, a side brush body and a drive element, the side brush body resting against the lateral part of the base, the side brush body being provided with a first guide part, the drive element being provided with a second guide part, and the second guide part and the first guide part cooperating with each other to drive the side brush body to rise or fall and / or to oscillate.

[0066] More specifically, when the cleaning device encounters an obstacle or a rug, the second guide section and the first guide section can cooperate to raise the side brush body to avoid the obstacle or rug, allowing the device to operate normally and improving the user experience. When the cleaning device is in another cleaning situation, such as cleaning a corner, the second guide section and the first guide section can cooperate to oscillate the side brush body, enhancing the cleaning effect, which is of great practical benefit.

[0067] Based on the above design ideas, the side brush assembly is described in more detail in this application.

[0068] [Fig.1] shows a structural diagram of the side brush assembly in one or more embodiments of the present application in a first sweeping position, [Fig.2] shows the structural diagram of [Fig.1] in another view, [Fig.3] shows a structural diagram of the side brush assembly of [Fig.1] in an obstacle avoidance position, and [Fig.4] shows the structural diagram of [Fig.3] in another view.

[0069] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, the present invention provides a side brush assembly comprising a base 1, a side brush body 2 and a drive element 3, wherein the side brush body 2 rests against a lateral part of the base 1, the side brush body 2 is provided with a first guide part 21 at the level of a lower part of the side brush body 2, the element The drive element 3 is rotationally connected to the side brush body 2, and the upper part of the drive element 3 is provided with a second guide part. The second guide part 31 can be arranged at the lower part of the first guide part 21 to cooperate with it. At least a part of the second guide part 31 and / or of the first guide part 21 is a helical surface al.

[0070] In the side brush assembly provided in the present invention, insofar as the drive element 3 is rotationally connected to the guide shaft 22, the drive element 3 rotates relative to the side brush body 2. Since at least a portion of the second guide portion 31 and / or the first guide portion 21 is a helical surface 1a, the second guide portion 31 of the drive element 3 rotates against a surface of cooperation with the first guide portion 21, controlling the rotation of the drive element 3, so that the side brush body 2 is lifted along the lateral part of the base, thus enabling the side brush body 2 to be in the raised position (shown in [Fig. 3] and [Fig. 4]). In this way, the side brush body 2 can avoid obstacles or carpets, allowing the device to function correctly.

[0071] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, when the side brush body 2 rests against the base 1, the side brush body 2 is in normal sweeping mode, and the position in which the side brush body 2 is located can be defined as a first sweeping position. With reference to Figures 3 and 4, when the side brush body 2 is raised along the lateral part of the base 1 and is in the raised position, the position in which the side brush body 2 is located can be defined as an obstacle avoidance position. By controlling the side brush body 2 to move from the first sweeping position to the obstacle avoidance position, it can be adapted to different working conditions and offers good practicality.

[0072] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, in some embodiments the side brush assembly may also include a first motor 4, the first motor 4 being used to drive the rotation of the side brush 26 on the side brush body 2.

[0073] Figure 5 shows a structural diagram of the side brush body, and Figure 6 shows an internal structural diagram of the side brush body. In some embodiments, at least two drive gears 23 are provided in the side brush body 2, one of the drive gears 23 being mounted on the output end of the first motor 4, and the other drive gear 23 being mounted on the rotation shaft of the side brush 26, and the respective drive gears 23 being driven sequentially by the first motor 4 to drive the rotation of the Side brushes 26 are used to perform the sweeping task. The way in which the side brushes 26 are driven by at least two drive gears 23 allows space for the arrangement of other elements, provided that the dimensional requirements of the side brushes 26 are met. In other embodiments, the first motor 4 can also be directly connected to the rotation shaft of the side brushes 26, without limitation.

[0074] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, in some embodiments, the first motor 4 is arranged at the top of the side brush body 2, which reduces the overall height of the side brush body 2 in order to better perform the sweeping work.

[0075] Figure 7 shows a structural diagram of Figure 5 in another view. By reference In [Fig. 7], in certain embodiments, the bottom of the side brush body 2 may be provided with a cylindrical body that can be formed as a single piece with the housing of the side brush body 2 to serve as a guide shaft 22 for the drive body. The guide shaft 22 may or may not be coaxial with the output end of the first motor 4; the invention imposes no limitation in this regard.

[0076] With reference to [Fig.7], in some embodiments, a first guide protrusion 24 can be disposed at the bottom of the side brush body 2. The first guide protrusion can be formed in one piece with the housing of the side brush body 2. The first guide part 21 is disposed on a side of the first guide protrusion 24 which is opposite the side brush body 2, i.e. that the first guide protrusion 24 is disposed at the bottom of the side brush body 2.

[0077] In some cases, the drive element 3 is rotationally fitted onto the guide shaft 22, and the drive element 3 can be controlled to rotate around the guide shaft 22.

[0078] Figure 8 shows a structural diagram of the drive element. In some In embodiments, a second guide protrusion 32 can be disposed at the top of the drive element 3, and the second guide protrusion 32 can be formed in one piece with the drive element 3. The second guide part 31 is disposed on one side of the second guide protrusion 32 opposite the drive element 3, i.e. that the second guide part 31 is disposed at the top of the second guide protrusion 32.

[0079] Since at least a portion of the second guide portion 31 and / or the first guide portion 21 is a helical surface al, the rotation command of the drive element 3 around the guide shaft 22 causes the rotation of the second guide portion 31 of the drive element 3 relative to the first guide portion 21. When the side brush body 2 is in the first sweeping position, during the rotation of the drive element 3 around the guide shaft 22, since the side brush body 2 rests against the base 1, the brush body side 2 cannot rotate with the drive element 3, so the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 is rotated along the contact surface with the first guide part 21 in order to cause the first guide part 21 to lift up, then to lift the side brush body 2 to a determined height, so that the side brush body 2 moves from the first sweeping position to the obstacle avoidance position to avoid an obstacle or a carpet, so that the device can operate normally and improve the user experience.

[0080] With reference to Figures 7 and 8, in some embodiments, at least a part of the second guide part 31 and the first guide part 21 are helical surfaces al. In other embodiments, it is also possible to configure the second guide part 31 as a helical surface al and the first guide part 21 as a flat surface or, alternatively, to configure the second guide part 31 as a helical surface al and the first guide part 21 as a flat surface, which is not limited by this document.

[0081] With reference to Figures 7 and 8, in certain embodiments, the second guide part 31 and the first guide part 21 also have flat portions a2 which can be in planar contact. After the second guide part 31 causes the first guide part 21 to rise to a defined height, the second guide part 31 continues to rotate so that the flat portion a2 on the first guide part 21 rests against the flat portion a2 of the second guide part 31 as shown in [Fig. 9], thus stably supporting the side brush body 2 so that the side brush body 2 is stably in a raised position to be held in the obstacle avoidance position.Furthermore, if the power application element 8 which rotates the drive element 3 ceases to function, it is also possible to maintain the lateral brush body 2 in a stable lifting attitude to hold it in the obstacle avoidance position.

[0082] With reference to Figures 7 and 8, in certain embodiments, the projection of the first guide protrusion 24 onto the side brush body 2 and the projection of the second guide protrusion 32 onto the drive element 3 may be curved into arcs, i.e., the first guide protrusion 24 and the second guide protrusion 32 are both open structures. When the drive element 3 rotates around the guide shaft 22 and the second guide protrusion 32 of the drive element 3 rotates under the first guide protrusion 24, the second guide portion 31 and the first guide portion 21 cooperate to cause the first guide portion 21 to lift itself, and then to lift the body side brush 2 at a predetermined height, so that the side brush body 2 avoids an obstacle or carpet, in order to allow the equipment to function normally and improve the user experience.

[0083] With reference to [Fig.7], in some embodiments, the first guide projection 24 can be spaced from the guide shaft 22 so that a guide space is provided between the first guide projection 24 and the guide shaft 22.

[0084] Figure 10 shows a structural diagram of the base. With reference to Figures 1 to 4 and 10, the base 1 can be equipped with a guide sleeve 5, the drive element 3 being rotatably arranged on the guide sleeve 5. The guide shaft 22 can be inserted inside the guide sleeve 5 so as to allow it to move up and down. The first guide projection 24 can rotate on the peripheral outer surface of said guide sleeve 5.More specifically, when the side brush body 2 is in the first sweeping position, the guide bushing 5 is inside the first guide protrusion 24 (i.e. inside the guide space) to fill said guide space, so as not only to stably support the side brush body 2 and prevent it from vibrating or shaking, but also to prevent impurities, especially lint on the surface to be cleaned, from entering the guide space and affecting the operation of the equipment.Furthermore, during the passage of the side brush body 2 from the first sweeping position to the obstacle avoidance position, the first guide part 21 rotates relative to this guide sleeve 5, and the guide shaft 22 also rises relative to the inside of the guide sleeve 5, so that the guide sleeve 5 is rotated out of the inside of the first guide projection 24 (i.e. the guide space).

[0085] In some embodiments, the guide sleeve 5 can be formed in one piece with the base 1. The guide shaft 22 can be arranged in the guide sleeve 5 so as to fit the clearance, and the drive element 3 can be assembled to the guide sleeve 5 with a functional clearance, so that the guide shaft 22 and the drive element 3 can rotate relative to the guide sleeve 5, which will not be described in this document.

[0086] It should be noted that the bottom of the side brush body 2 can also be provided with a guide groove, and that the first guide part 21 described above can be disposed at the bottom of this guide groove; this specific embodiment is similar to that described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0087] With reference to Figures 1 and 10, in certain embodiments, the side brush assembly may also include a limiting element 6, which is disposed on the rotation path of the drive element 3 to limit the rotation angle of the drive element 3. In one specific embodiment, when the drive element 3 rotates and the flat part a2 of the first guide part 21 of the side brush body 2 is supported by the flat part a2 of the second guide part 31, the drive element 3 is blocked by the limiting element 6, and the drive element 3 stops rotating so that the side brush body 2 is in the obstacle avoidance position and maintains the lifting position, so that the side brush body 2 is able to avoid an obstacle or carpet.

[0088] With reference to Figures 1, 4 and 8, in some embodiments, the drive element 3 may be provided with a notch 33 on the circumferential surface of the drive element 3, and the restriction element 6 is disposed in the notch 33. There is a distance between the restriction element 6 and each of the two sides of the notch 33 to allow the drive element 3 to rotate at a defined angle to cause the side brush body 2 to be lifted, and when the side brush body 2 is lifted into place, the drive element 3 is blocked by the restriction element 6, the drive element 3 stops rotating, so that the side brush body 2 remains in the lifted position.

[0089] In other embodiments, the peripheral surface of the driving element 3 may not be provided with a notch 33. For example, the driving element 3 may be in the shape of a ring, the limiting element 6 is provided on the outside of the circumferential surface of the driving element 3, and a stop is disposed on the circumferential surface of the driving element 3. The stop may be blocked by the limiting element in order to block the rotation of the driving element 3. This approach is very bulky.

[0090] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, in certain embodiments, the side brush assembly may also include a position sensor 7, the position sensor 7 detecting the height position of the side brush body. In the embodiment, when the side brush body 2 rises to the obstacle avoidance position, the position sensor 7 confirms that the side brush body 2 has risen into position and sends a positioning signal for the side brush body 2 to the controller. In response to the positioning signal for the side brush body 2, the controller issues an instruction to stop the drive element 3 from rotating, thereby halting the rotation of the drive element 3 and maintaining the side brush body 2 in the raised position.

[0091] In some embodiments, the rotation of the drive element 3 can be controlled either by adjusting the limiting element 6 or by the position sensor 7. In some embodiments, it is possible to include both the limiting element 6 described above and the position sensor 7 in order to achieve simultaneous hardware and software control, or it is possible to include only one of the implementation methods described above, which is not limited by this document.

[0092] Figure 11 shows a diagram of the assembly of the drive element and the power application element, with reference to Figures 1 to 4, 8 and 11. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the peripheral surface of the drive element 3 may be provided with drive teeth 34. The side brush assembly may also include the power application element 8, and a gear 81 may be provided at the output end of the power application element 8. The gear 81 is driveably connected to the meshing teeth on the drive element 3.In a specific implementation, when the power application element (motor) 8 is activated, the gear 81 on the motor element 8 drives the motor element 3 to rotate around the guide shaft 22, so that the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 rotates along the contact surface with the first guide part 21, thereby causing the first guide part 21 to lift, and then to lift the side brush body 2. When the drive element 3 is blocked by the limiting element 6, the motor element 8 ceases to operate, and the drive element 3 ceases to rotate, so that the side brush body 2 remains in the lifted position.

[0093] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, in some embodiments the motor element 8 can be a second motor, which can be arranged next to the first motor 4, and the second motor can be arranged above the drive element 3, which can reduce the space occupied by the motor.

[0094] In other embodiments, the output end of the power element 8 can also be directly connected coaxially to the drive element 3. For example, the power element 8 is arranged under the drive element 3.

[0095] With reference to [Fig. 10], in certain embodiments, a through-hole 11 may be provided on a circumferential surface of the base 1. One end of the side brush body 2 is connected to the base 1, and the other end of the side brush body 2 passes through the through-hole 11. The side brush body 2 can move up and down inside the through-hole 11 and along the side wall of the through-hole 11. The base 1 is provided with a housing cavity 12, and the drive element 3, the power element 8, the limiting element 6, and the first motor 4 described above may be arranged in the base 1. The guide sleeve 5 may be arranged in the bottom of the base 1 as a single piece. The guide shaft 22 is inserted into the guide sleeve 5 with a functional clearance. The bottom of the drive element 3 can be adjusted against the bottom of the base 1 and fitted with a play onto the guide sleeve 5.The limiting element 6 can also be . fixed to the bottom of base 1 in one piece. The position sensor 7 can be placed inside or outside base 1, without any limitation.

[0096] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, 10 and 14, in certain embodiments, the above-mentioned passage orifice 11 may include an oscillation orifice 111 and a limiting orifice 112 communicating with each other. The limiting orifice 112 is provided above the oscillation orifice 111, and the side brush body 2 can oscillate in the oscillation orifice 111 and rotate in the limiting orifice 112.When the side brush body 2 rests against the side of the oscillation port 111, the side brush body 2 is in a first sweeping position, and the side brush body 2 is in normal sweeping mode, and if an obstacle or a carpet is encountered, the side brush body 2 can be lifted along the side of the oscillation port 111 by controlling the rotation of the drive element 3 to maintain the side brush body 2 in the lifted position, and the side brush body 2 is put into an obstacle avoidance position to allow the side brush body 2 to avoid the obstacle or the carpet.The side brush body 2 can also be controlled to oscillate from one side of the oscillation opening 111 to the other side of the oscillation opening 111 to adjust the angle of the side brush body 2 on the base 1 so that the side brush body 2 can clean the corners of walls under other special working conditions (as shown in [Fig. 12]). During the pivoting of the side brush body 2 to the other side of the pivot opening 111, the guide shaft 22 of the side brush body 2 rotates inside the guide bushing 5, and the position in which the side brush body 2 is located when the side brush body 2 is pivoted to the other side of the pivot opening 111 can be defined as the second cleaning position.

[0097] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, 10, 12, and 14, in certain embodiments, the oscillation orifice 111a of the first opposing side walls bl and the second side walls b2, and the limiting orifice 112a of the third opposing side walls b3 and the fourth side walls b4, with the third side walls b3 and the first side walls bl arranged along the same straight line, and the side brush body 2 can move up and down along the straight line on which the first side walls bl and the third side walls b3 are located. The fourth side wall b4 is disposed between the first side wall bl and the second side wall b2, i.e., a projection of the top view of the fourth side wall b4 lies inside the oscillation orifice 111.In a particular implementation, the oscillation orifice 111 extends over a larger angular sector than the limiting orifice 112, these angular sectors being measured from the guide shaft 22t, the size of the oscillation orifice 111 is larger than the size of the housing of the side brush body 2, and the size of the orifice. The limiting element 112 is approximately the same size as the housing of the side brush body 2. When the side brush body 2 is in its first sweeping position, the drive element 8 is not activated. The first motor 4 drives the rotation of the side brush on the side brush body 2. The second guide part 31 on the drive element 3 and the first guide part 21 on the side brush body 2 are in a position of mutual affinity. The side brush body 2 is resting against the first side wall of the oscillation port 111, and the drive element 3 and the limiting element 6 are separated from each other. Upon encountering an obstacle or passing over a mat, the drive element 8 is activated to rotate.When the drive element 8 is activated to rotate, the side brush body 2 cannot rotate because it rests against the first side wall of the oscillation port 111, and the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 drives the first guide part 21 upwards, so that the side brush body 2 rises along the straight line between the first and third side walls and rises up to the restriction port 112, so that the side brush body 2 remains in the raised position, in order to avoid an obstacle or passing over a carpet to allow the device to function properly and to improve the user experience.Once the device has avoided the obstacle or crossed the carpet, the drive element 8 can be commanded to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 rotates in the opposite direction to the first guide part 21 on the side brush body 2, so that the side brush body 2 descends from the limiting orifice 112 into the oscillation orifice 111 and rests against the first side wall of the oscillation orifice 111 to continue to remain in the first sweeping position.

[0098] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, in some embodiments, the side brush assembly may also include a reset element 9, which is provided between the side brush body 2 and the base 1. When the side brush body 2 is in the first sweeping position, the reset element 9 is deformed and the side brush body 2 is lifted to press the reset element 9 so that it continues to deform to move the side brush body 2 from the first sweeping position to the obstacle avoidance position.When the side brush body 2 moves from the obstacle avoidance position to the first sweeping position, the reset element 9 returns to its initial shape and exerts a force on the side brush body 2 to move the first guide part 21 of the side brush body 2 and the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 remain fixed, so that the side brush body 2 can return to the first sweeping position.

[0099] If the reset element 9 is provided, when the device avoids an obstacle or crosses a carpet, it is possible to reverse the rotation of the drive element 8 without controlling the drive element 8, and relying solely on the reset element 9 to restore the deformation in order to apply a force to the side brush body 2, which can cause the side brush body 2 to move downwards, causing the drive element 3 to reverse the rotation until the side brush body 2 moves down from the limit orifice 112 into the passage orifice 11 and rests against the first side wall of the oscillation orifice 111 while remaining in the first sweeping position.

[0100] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, in some embodiments the reset element 9 may be provided between the top of the side brush body 2 and the base 1 and be in a compressed state when the side brush assembly is in a sweeping position or in a lifting position.

[0101] Figure 13 shows a structural diagram of the reset element. With reference to Figures 1 to 4 and 13, in some embodiments, the reset element 9 can be fitted onto the first motor 4. The reset element 9 has two connection ends, a first connection end 91 and a second connection end 91, the first connection end 91 and the second connection end 91 being connected respectively to the base 1 and the side brush body 2.

[0102] With reference to Figures 1 to 4 and 13, in a specific embodiment, a first limiting groove 13 may be provided on the circumferential surface of the base 1. The first limiting groove 13 communicates with the through-hole, i.e., the opening of the first limiting groove 13 is oriented downwards, and a first connection end 91 of the reset element 9 is disposed in the first limiting groove 13. The side brush body 2 is provided with a connection block 25. A second limiting groove 27 with a circumferentially oriented opening is formed between the connection block 25 and the side brush body 2, and the other connection end of the reset element 9 is disposed in the second limiting groove 27 to allow the assembly of the reset element 9 onto the side brush assembly.In other embodiments, the two connection ends of the reset element 9 may be welded respectively to the side wall of the base 1 and to the top of the body of the side brush 2, without limitation in this document.

[0103] The reset element 9 is a composite structure consisting of a compression spring and a torsion spring, which can provide both an axial thrust force and a circumferential tension, so that the side brush body 2 is subjected to both an axial thrust and an axial tension, so that the first part guide 21 of the side brush body 2 and the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 are always in the adjusted state without the action of the power element 8 (shows in [Fig. 14]).

[0104] It should be noted that the reset element 9 can also be disposed between the bottom of the side brush body 2 and the base 1, the reset element 9 being in a deformed state when the side brush assembly is in the first sweeping position or passed into the obstacle avoidance position.

[0105] Since the size of the limiting orifice 112 is smaller than that of the oscillation orifice 111, the side brush body 2 can oscillate within the oscillation orifice 111 to allow adjustment of the angle of the side brush body 2 on the device. In a specific embodiment, the drive element 8 can be controlled to rotate in the opposite direction, and since the reset element 9 applies a force to the side brush body 2, the first guide portion 21 of the side brush body 2 and the second guide portion 31 of the drive element 3 are always in an adjusted state. Thus, the side brush body 2 and the drive element 3 rotate synchronously until the side brush body 2 rests against the second side wall of the oscillation orifice 111.At this point, the side brush body 2 is in its second sweeping position. The angle of the side brush body 2 on the device can be adjusted for cleaning in specific working conditions, for example, in corners.After cleaning in special working conditions such as corners, the drive element 8 can be commanded to rotate in the positive direction, and because the reset element 9 applies a force on the side brush body 2, the first guide part 21 of the side brush body 2 and the second guide part of the side brush body 2 are always in an adjusted state, so that the side brush body 2 and the drive element 3 rotate synchronously under the drive of the drive element 8, until the side brush body 2 resists against the first side wall of the pivoting mouth 111, so that the side brush body 2 is in the first sweeping position, to continue the normal sweeping mode.

[0106] It should be noted that when the first guide part 21 of the side brush body 2 and the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 are adjusted, if the side brush 26 encounters an obstacle or if the force applied to the side brush 26 by the user is greater than the force of the reset element 9, the first guide part 21 of the side brush body 2 may separate from the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3. In this case, the drive element 3 is not driven in rotation by the guide part, and the power element 8 and the transmission between the power element 8 and the drive element 3 can be protected against damage.

[0107] Furthermore, in certain embodiments, at least a part of the first guide part 21 of the side brush body 2 and the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 are inclined surfaces, and the drive element 3 moves back and forth along a straight line.When the side brush body 2 is in a first sweeping position, the drive element 3 moves towards the direction of the side brush body 2. As the side brush body 2 rests against the base 1, the side brush body 2 cannot be pushed by the drive element 3. Therefore, the second guide part 31 of the drive element 3 moves along the contact surface with the first guide part 21 to cause the first guide part 21 to lift, and then to lift the side brush body 2 to a predetermined height. Thus, the side brush body 2 moves from the first sweeping position to the obstacle avoidance position in order to avoid an obstacle or a carpet, which allows the device to operate normally and improves the user experience.

[0108] In summary, the side brush assembly supplied in this application can be switched between a first sweeping position, a second sweeping position and an obstacle avoidance position to adapt to different sweeping working conditions, which is of great practical use.

[0109] Based on the aforementioned side brush assembly, the present application also provides a cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising a main body and the aforementioned side brush assembly, the aforementioned side brush assembly being assembled to the main body.

[0110] The cleaning device with the side brush assembly described above has a side brush body 2 which can be switched between a first sweeping position, a second sweeping position and an obstacle avoidance position to adapt to different sweeping conditions, which is very convenient.

[0111] In certain embodiments, a control unit and various types of sensors can be installed on the main body. The sensors can monitor the surrounding environment and transmit the corresponding monitoring parameters to the controller, which commands the corresponding action of the side brush assembly based on the monitoring parameters. The sensors may include a visual sensor and a floor sensor. Using the monitoring data from the floor sensor and the visual sensor, the controller can determine if there is an obstacle, such as a rug, in the direction of travel of the cleaning device. The sensors used are not limited to the aforementioned visual sensor and floor material sensor, but may also can be chosen as an infrared sensor or similar, and is not limited in this document.

[0112] In some embodiments, the cleaning device may be a sweeping robot and, of course, other cleaning devices equipped with a side brush, without this being limiting.

[0113] In this application, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, the fact that a first element is "above" or "below" a second element may include direct contact between the first and second elements, or may include cooperation between the first and second elements not directly, but through another element between them. Furthermore, the fact that the first element is "above" the second element means that the first element is directly above the second element, or simply indicates that the first element is horizontally higher than the second element. The fact that the first element is "below," "under," and "lower than" the second element includes the fact that the first element is directly below it, or simply that the height (horizontal level) of the first element is less than that of the second element.

[0114] In the description of this application, it shall be understood that the terms "centre", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "lower", "upper", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the accompanying figures, solely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of this application, and are not exhaustive.

[0115] In this application, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, the terms "connection," "fastening," etc., shall be understood in a broad sense; for example, "fastening" may be a fixed connection, a removable connection, or a one-piece connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate support; it may be a connection within two elements or an interaction between two elements. For example, the term "fixed" may refer to a fixed connection, a removable connection, or a one-piece connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate support; it may be a connection within two elements or an interactive relationship between two elements.For those with ordinary skills in the field, the specific meanings of the aforementioned terms in this application can be understood on a case-by-case basis.

[0116] Furthermore, descriptions such as "first" and "second" in this application are used solely for descriptive purposes and shall not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may include one or more features, explicitly or implicitly. In the description in this application, "more than one" means two or more, unless expressly and specifically limited.

Claims

Demands

1. Side brush assembly characterized in that it comprises: a base (1), a side brush body (2), the side brush body (2) resting against a lateral part of the base, the side brush body being provided with a first guide part (21), a drive element (3), the drive element being provided with a second guide part (31), and the second guide part and the first guide part cooperating with each other to drive the side brush body to move up and down and / or to oscillate.

2. Side brush assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the second guide part (31) is disposed at the top of the drive element (3).

3. Side brush assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drive element (3) is rotationally connected to the side brush body (2), that the second guide part is disposed below the first guide part and that the second guide part and the first guide part cooperate with each other to drive the lifting of the side brush body.

4. Side brush assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at least a part of the second guide part (31) and / or the first guide part (21) which cooperate with each other is a helical surface.

5. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that at least a part of said second guide part (31) and / or of said first guide part (21) which cooperate with each other is an inclined surface.

6. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second guide part (31) and the first guide part (21) both have flat parts for planar contact.

7. A side brush assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said side brush body (2) is provided with a first guide projection (24) at the bottom said side brush body, said first guide part being disposed at the bottom of said first guide projection.

8. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the side brush body (2) is provided with a guide groove, and that the first guide part (21) is located at the bottom of said guide groove.

9. Side brush assembly according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the drive element (3) is provided with a second guide projection (32) at the top of said drive element, said second guide part being disposed at the top of said second guide projection.

10. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that a guide shaft (22) is provided at the bottom of the side brush body and the drive element is rotationally connected to the guide shaft.

11. Side brush assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, said side brush body (2) being provided with a first guide projection (24) at the bottom of said side brush body, the projection of said first guide projection on said side brush body is curved, and said guide shaft (22) is provided on the inner side of said first guide projection; the base is provided with a guide sleeve, the drive element being rotatably fixed to said guide sleeve (5), the guide shaft (22) being inserted into said guide sleeve with the ability to move up and down, the first guide projection being able to be turned towards an outer peripheral surface of said guide sleeve.

12. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 7 and 9 to 11, characterized in that the side brush assembly further comprises: a limiting element (6), disposed on the rotation path of the drive element, to limit the rotation angle of the drive element.

13. Side brush assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the drive element (3) is provided with a notch (33) on its circumference and the limiting element is disposed in the notch.

14. Side brush assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the drive element (3) is provided with a stop at the periphery of said drive element, and in that said limiting element is provided on the rotation path of said stop.

15. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 4, 7, 9 to 113 to 114, characterized in that at least a part of the peripheral surface of the drive element (3) is provided with drive teeth (34), and that the side brush assembly further comprises a power application element, the power application element (8) having a gear (81) provided at its output end, the gear being connected to the drive teeth.

16. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 7, 9 to 11 and 13 to 14, characterized in that a through-hole is formed in the circumferential surface of the base, one end of said side brush body is fixed in the base, the other end of said side brush body passes through said through-hole, and said side brush body can move up and down inside the through-hole along the side wall of the through-hole, and / or said side brush body can oscillate inside said through-hole, and / or said side brush body can oscillate inside the through-hole.

17. Side brush assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that said passage orifice (11) comprises an oscillation orifice (111) and a limiting orifice (112) which communicate with each other, said limiting orifice being provided above said oscillation orifice, said side brush body being able to oscillate inside said oscillation orifice and rotate in said limiting orifice.

18. Side brush assembly according to claim 17, characterized in that said oscillation orifice (111) has first and second lateral walls (bl, b2) opposite, said limiting orifice has third and fourth lateral walls (b3, b4) opposite, said third lateral wall and said first lateral wall are situated on the same straight line, said fourth lateral wall is disposed between said first and second lateral walls, and said side brush body can move up and down along the straight line on which said first lateral wall and said third lateral wall are situated.

19. Side brush assembly according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that said side brush assembly further comprises: a reset element (9), disposed between the top and / or bottom of the side brush body and the base.

20. Side brush assembly according to claim 19, characterized in that the reset element (9) is a composite structure composed of a compression spring and a torsion spring.

21. 1 Side brush assembly according to claim 20, characterized in that two connection ends of the reset element (9) are connected respectively to the base and the side brush body.

22. Side brush assembly according to claim 21, characterized in that the base is provided with a first limiting groove (13) on its circumferential surface, said first limiting groove being connected to the passage orifice, and a connection end of said reset element being disposed in said first limiting groove; the side brush body is provided with a connection block (25), a second limiting groove (27) being formed between the connection block and the side brush body, and the other connection end of this reset element being disposed in this second limiting groove.

23. Side brush assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, 7, 9 to 22, characterized in that the base (1) is further provided with a position sensor (7) enabling the location of the side brush body to be determined.

24. 4 Cleaning apparatus characterized in that it comprises a main body and a side brush assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23, said side brush assembly being assembled to said main body.

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