MOBILE WHEEL LIFTING MECHANISM AND CLEANING EQUIPMENT

Abstract

The present application relates to a movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) mounted on an equipment body (200) and cleaning equipment (1000). The movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) comprises a movable wheel component (10), a power component (20) and a flexible connector (30). The movable wheel component (10) comprises a driving device (112), a transmission (11) and a driven movable wheel (12). The flexible connector (30) is connected between the free part (b) of the transmission (11) and the power component (20) to drive the transmission (11) to rotate under the drive of the power component (20) relative to the equipment body (200), so that the movable wheel component (10) is raised or lowered relative to the equipment body (200). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: MOBILE WHEEL LIFTING MECHANISM AND CLEANING EQUIPMENT Technical field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of cleaning equipment and relates more particularly to a mobile wheel lifting mechanism and cleaning equipment. PRIOR ART

[0002] Cleaning equipment is a common intelligent cleaning electric equipment, such as robot vacuum cleaners and automatic sweepers. The obstacle crossing ability of the cleaning equipment while moving automatically is essential for the cleaning equipment, and the obstacle crossing height limits the operating range and operational reliability of the cleaning equipment.

[0003] Currently, the solution to the obstacle crossing problem relies on software strategies to solve the problem by adjusting the approach angle of the cleaning equipment to the obstacle and the speed to achieve the obstacle crossing function, which is limited by physical constraints such as the height of the cleaning equipment from the ground and therefore has a limited effect.

[0004] SUBJECT OF THE REQUEST

[0005] In order to improve the obstacle crossing capability of cleaning equipment, the present application provides a mobile wheel lifting mechanism and cleaning equipment.

[0006] The present application provides according to one embodiment, a mobile wheel lifting mechanism, mounted on an equipment body, comprising:

[0007] A movable wheel component, placed on the equipment body in a rotatable manner;

[0008] A power component, mounted on the equipment body, the power component comprises a rotating power element and a rotating disc, the rotating power element is used for driving the rotating disc to rotate in two opposite directions; and

[0009] A flexible connector, placed between the movable wheel component and the rotating disc for rotating the movable wheel component relative to the equipment body by varying the length of the flexible connector between the movable wheel component and the rotating disc during rotation of the rotating disc#; the rotating disc rotating at an angle not exceeding 360 degrees during rotation of the movable wheel component.

[0010] In some embodiments, the rotating disc rotates through an angular sector of 0 to 300 degrees during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component.

[0011] In some embodiments, the connection between the flexible connector and the rotating disc is eccentric relative to a rotating shaft of the rotating disc.

[0012] In some embodiments, the rotating disc rotates through an angular sector of 0 to 90 degrees during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component.

[0013] In some embodiments, the rotating disc comprises a transmission disc, an inner fixing disc and an outer fixing disc connected to each other, the connection between the flexible connector and the rotating disc is located between the inner fixing disc and the outer fixing disc.

[0014] In some embodiments, a torsion spring is placed at the connection between the flexible connector and the rotating disc, so that the flexible connector is always clamped when the rotating disc is rotating.

[0015] In some embodiments, the rotating power element is a servomotor or motor of an integrated encoder, and an output shaft of the servomotor or motor is connected to the rotating disk.

[0016] In some embodiments, the movable wheel lifting mechanism further comprises a controller and a sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the movable wheel component, the sensor and the rotating power element are both electrically connected to the controller; the controller is positioned to determine, based on the rotation angle of the movable wheel component and the rotation angle of the rotating power element, whether there is a failure of the rotating power element or the flexible connector.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sensor comprises a rotary sensor disposed on a rotary shaft of the movable wheel component and / or an optical sensor disposed on the movable wheel component.

[0018] In some embodiments, an upper limit portion and a lower limit portion are provided on the equipment body and configured to limit, respectively, an upper limit position and a lower limit position of the movable wheel component.

[0019] In some embodiments, the movable wheel component comprises a transmission and a movable wheel driven by the transmission; the transmission comprises a main wheel portion and a free portion, the main wheel portion is closer to the movable wheel than the free portion; the main wheel portion is divided from the free portion by the ground-normal axis of the movable wheel, and the free portion is closer to a forward direction of the equipment body than the main wheel portion;

[0020] The free part of the transmission is connected to the equipment body in a rotatable manner; the flexible connector is connected to the free part of the transmission.

[0021] In some embodiments, a mounting seat is placed on the free portion of the transmission, the mounting seat is connected to the equipment body in a rotatable manner, the transmission rotating with the rotating shaft of the mounting seat as the center of rotation;

[0022] A hooking point portion is placed on the free portion of the transmission and the flexible connector is connected to the hooking point portion.

[0023] In some embodiments, the mounting seat is placed in the lower portion of the free portion; the attachment point portion is placed in the upper portion of the free portion.

[0024] In some embodiments, the transmission includes a reducer and a drive device mounted on the reducer, and the rotating shaft of the mounting seat has a different axis than that of the drive device.

[0025] In some embodiments, the movable wheel lifting mechanism further comprises a spring, one end of which is attached to the free portion of the transmission and the other end of the spring is attached to the equipment body.

[0026] In some embodiments, a hook portion is placed on both the free portion and the equipment body, and the two ends of the spring are hooked to two hook portions respectively, and the two hook portions are hooked in opposite directions.

[0027] In some embodiments, when the rotating disk rotates in the first direction, the flexible connector is tightened by reducing its length, located between the movable wheel component and the rotating disk, the flexible connector pulls the movable wheel component to rotate it relative to the equipment body;

[0028] When rotating the rotating disc in the second direction opposite to the first, the length of the flexible connector, located between the movable wheel component and the rotating disc, increases, and the movable wheel component rotates in the opposite direction relative to the equipment body.

[0029] The present application provides according to one embodiment, cleaning equipment comprising an equipment body and the movable wheel lifting mechanism described above.

[0030] The movable wheel elevation mechanism provided in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present application comprises a movable wheel component, a power component, and a flexible connector. The movable wheel component is rotatably disposed on the equipment body, and the power component is also mounted on the equipment body to provide a driving force for raising or lowering the movable wheel component relative to the body. of equipment, the power component comprises a rotating power element and a rotating disc, the rotating power element is used to drive the rotating disc to rotate in two opposite directions. The flexible connector is placed between the movable wheel component and the rotating disc, and the length of the flexible connector between the movable wheel component and the rotating disc changes during the rotation of the rotating disc, so as to enable the movable wheel component to rotate relative to the equipment body to realize the function of raising and lowering relative to the equipment body.

[0031] The rotation angle of the rotating disc during rotation of the movable wheel component does not exceed 360 degrees, thereby reducing the length of the flexible connector between the movable wheel component and the rotating disc, so as to avoid loosening and detachment of the rotating disc due to the increase in the length of the flexible connector or the failure of the movable wheel elevating mechanism due to the increase in the length of the flexible connector due to the interference with the peripheral parts due to the excessive length of the flexible connector. Reduce the failure rate of the movable wheel elevating mechanism and improve the reliability of the operation of the movable wheel elevating mechanism.

[0032] Since the movable wheel component is always in contact with the ground during movement, the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component relative to the equipment body is manifested in the equipment by a change in the height of the equipment body relative to the ground, and when the height of the equipment body relative to the ground increases, the parts located under the equipment body can be higher than the obstacle, so that no part of the equipment interferes with the obstacle during obstacle crossing, thereby realizing the effect of increasing the obstacle crossing height, improving the obstacle crossing height, the release capacity, and the adaptability to different road surfaces of the equipment equipped with the movable wheel raising mechanism.

[0033] According to a preferred embodiment, the present application provides a movable wheel lifting mechanism, mounted on the equipment body, comprising:

[0034] A movable wheel component comprising a driving device, a transmission and a driven movable wheel; the transmission is connected to the equipment body in a rotatable manner, the transmission comprises a main wheel portion and a free portion, the main wheel portion is closer to the movable wheel than the free portion;

[0035] A power component; and

[0036] A flexible connector, the flexible connector is connected between the free portion of the transmission and the power component to drive the transmission to rotate under the drive of the power component relative to the equipment body, such that the movable wheel component is raised or lowered relative to the equipment body, wherein the movable wheel component remains in contact with the ground during movement and elevation of the movable wheel component relative to the equipment body.

[0037] In some embodiments, the free portion of the transmission is rotatably connected to the equipment body.

[0038] In some embodiments, a mounting seat is placed on the free portion of the transmission, the mounting seat is rotatably connected to the equipment body, the transmission rotating with the rotating shaft of the mounting seat as the center of rotation.

[0039] In some embodiments, the rotating shaft of the mounting seat has a different axis than that of the drive device.

[0040] In some embodiments, the mounting seat is placed in the lower portion of the free portion.

[0041] In some embodiments, the main wheel portion is divided from the idler portion by the ground-normal axis of the movable wheel and the idler portion is closer to the equipment body in the forward direction than the main wheel portion.

[0042] In some embodiments, a hooking point portion is placed on the free portion of the transmission and the flexible connector is connected to the hooking point portion; the hooking point portion is placed in an upper portion of the free portion.

[0043] In some embodiments, the power component comprises a rotatable power element; one end of the flexible connector is attached to the free portion of the transmission and the other end is connected to the output shaft of the rotatable power element, the flexible connector is tightened or loosened when the rotatable power element is rotated.

[0044] In some embodiments, the rotatable power element rotates through an angle not exceeding 360 degrees during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component.

[0045] In some embodiments, the rotatable power element rotates through an angular sector of 0 to 300 degrees during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component.

[0046] In some embodiments, the power component further comprises a rotating disc coaxial with the output shaft of the rotating power element; connection between the flexible connector and the rotating disc is eccentric relative to the output shaft of the rotating power element.

[0047] In some embodiments, the rotating disc rotates through an angular sector of 0 to 90 degrees during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component.

[0048] In some embodiments, the rotating disc comprises a transmission disc, an inner fixing disc and an outer fixing disc connected to each other, the connection between the flexible connector and the rotating disc is located between the inner fixing disc and the outer fixing disc.

[0049] In some embodiments, a torsion spring is placed at the connection between the flexible connector and the rotating disc.

[0050] In some embodiments, the rotary power element is a servo motor or a motor of an integrated encoder, and the movable wheel lifting mechanism further comprises a controller, the rotary power element is electrically connected to the controller.

[0051] In some embodiments, the movable wheel lifting mechanism further comprises a sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the movable wheel component, the sensor is electrically connected to the controller; the controller is positioned to determine, based on the rotation angle of the movable wheel component and the rotation angle of the rotating power element, whether there is a failure of the rotating power element or the flexible connector.

[0052] In some embodiments, the sensor comprises a rotary sensor placed on the rotating shaft of the movable wheel component and / or an optical sensor placed on the transmission.

[0053] In some embodiments, the equipment body comprises a seat; the transmission is rotatably connected to the seat.

[0054] In some embodiments, an upper limit portion and a lower limit portion are provided on the seat to limit an upper limit position and a lower limit position, respectively, of the movable wheel component.

[0055] In some embodiments, the movable wheel lifting mechanism further comprises a spring, one end of which is attached to the free portion of the transmission and the other end to the seat.

[0056] In some embodiments, a hook portion is placed on both the free portion and the seat, and the ends of the spring are hooked to each of the hook portion, and the two hooks of the hook portion are hooked in opposite directions.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the present application provides cleaning equipment comprising an equipment body and the movable wheel lifting mechanism described above.

[0058] The movable wheel elevating mechanism provided in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present application comprises a movable wheel component, a power component, and a flexible connector. The movable wheel component comprises a drive device, a transmission, and a movable wheel, the transmission is connected to the equipment body in a rotatable manner, and the power component is used to provide a driving force for raising or lowering the movable wheel component relative to the equipment body.A flexible connector is used to transmit power from the power component and act on the movable wheel component, the flexible connector is connected between the free part of the transmission and the power component, to drive the transmission to rotate under the drive of the power component relative to the equipment body, so that the movable wheel component is raised or lowered relative to the equipment body, the movable wheel component always being in contact with the ground during the movement and raising of the movable wheel component relative to the equipment body.

[0059] Since the movable wheel component is always in contact with the ground during movement, the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component relative to the equipment body is manifested in the equipment by a change in the height of the equipment body relative to the ground, and when the height of the equipment body relative to the ground increases, the parts located under the equipment body can be higher than the obstacle, so that no part of the equipment interferes with the obstacle during obstacle crossing, thereby realizing the effect of increasing the obstacle crossing height, improving the obstacle crossing height, the release capacity, and the adaptability to different road surfaces of the equipment equipped with the movable wheel raising mechanism.

[0060] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0061] In order to illustrate more clearly the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the Figures used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly presented below, and it is obvious that the Figures in the description below are some of the embodiments of the present application, and for the person skilled in the art, other Figures can be obtained based on these Figures without resorting to any creative work.

[0062] [Fig.l] illustrates a structural diagram of the movable wheel elevation mechanism in one or more embodiments of the present application, in a raised state of the movable wheel component.

[0063] [Fig.2] illustrates a structural diagram of the movable wheel lifting mechanism in one or more embodiments of the present application, in a lowered state of the transmission.

[0064] [Fig.3] illustrates a structural diagram of the transmission in the movable wheel lifting mechanism of Figures 1 and 2.

[0065] [Fig.4] illustrates a structural diagram of the assembly of a transmission and a spring in the movable wheel lifting mechanism of Figures 1 and 2.

[0066] [Fig.5] illustrates an exploded diagram of the power component and flexible connector in the mobile wheel lift mechanism of Figures 1 and 2.

[0067] [Fig. 6] illustrates a diagram of the obstacle crossing process of the cleaning equipment in one or more embodiments of the present application.

[0068] [Fig.7] illustrates a diagram of the obstacle crossing process of the cleaning equipment in other embodiments of the present application.

[0069] Description marked with Figures: 100-moving wheel lifting mechanism; 10-moving wheel component, 11-transmission, 111-reducer, 112-drive device, 113-wheel cover, 12-moving wheel; 20-power component, 21-rotary power element, 211-output shaft, 22-rotary disc, 221-transmission disc, 222-inner fixing disc, 223-outer fixing disc; 30-flexible connector; 40-rotary sensor; 50-optical sensor; 60-mounting seat, 61-rotary shaft; 70-spring; 80-hanging point part; 90-hook parts. 200 - equipment body, 210 - seat; 1000 - cleaning equipment, a - part of the main wheel; b - free part, c - obstacle, d - ground.

[0070] SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0071] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely in the following, in connection with the Figures of the embodiments of the present application, and it is clear that the described embodiments represent only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by the person skilled in the art without resorting to any creative work fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0072] Furthermore, the present application may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in various embodiments, and such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and is not in itself an indication of a relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. Furthermore, various specific embodiments of methods and materials are provided in the present application, but the skilled person may realize the application of other methods and / or the use of other materials.

[0073] When the cleaning equipment encounters an obstacle during its automatic movement, it must avoid or cross it, and the obstacle crossing height limits the operating range and operational reliability of the cleaning equipment. The solution to the obstacle crossing problem in the related techniques relies on software strategies for solving the problem by adjusting the approach angle of the cleaning equipment to the obstacle and the speed to realize the obstacle crossing function, which is limited by the physical constraints such as the height of the cleaning equipment from the ground and therefore has a limited effect.

[0074] In order to improve the obstacle crossing capability of the cleaning equipment from a physical point of view, one or more embodiments of the present application provide a movable wheel elevating mechanism as well as cleaning equipment that will elevate the equipment body, so that the lower parts of the equipment are higher than the obstacle, so that no part of the equipment interferes with the obstacle during the obstacle crossing process, thereby realizing the effect of increasing the obstacle crossing height. The present application is described in detail below in relation to specific embodiments and the Figures.

[0075] Embodiments of an embodiment of the present application provide a moving wheel elevating mechanism 100. The moving wheel elevating mechanism 100 is mounted on the equipment body 200 of the automation equipment requiring an obstacle crossing function, and can realize the function of raising and lowering the moving wheel 12 relative to the equipment body 200, so as to raise the equipment body 200 and realize an increase in the obstacle crossing height. The moving wheel elevating mechanism 100 can be applied to cleaning equipment such as robot vacuum cleaners, automatic sweepers, etc., and can also be applied to other automatic moving equipment that needs the obstacle crossing function, such as automatic food delivery robots, mail sorting robots, etc.

[0076] Referring to Figures 1 and 2 illustrating an overall structural diagram of the mobile wheel lifting mechanism 100. The mobile wheel lifting mechanism 100 comprises a mobile wheel component 10, a power component 20 and a flexible connector 30. The mobile wheel component 10 is placed on the equipment body 200 in a rotatable manner, and the mobile wheel component 10 may be an active wheel component that provides the power for moving the equipment or a follower wheel component that follows the rotation of the active wheel, which is not limited by the present application. The power component 20 is also mounted on the equipment body 200, used for providing a driving force for raising or lowering the movable wheel component 10 relative to the equipment body 200. The flexible connector 30 is used for transmitting the power of the power component 20 and acting on the movable wheel component 10, so as to enable the movable wheel component 10 to rotate relative to the seat 210 to realize the function of raising and lowering relative to the equipment body 200. The power component 20, together with the flexible connector 30, can drive only the corresponding movable wheel component 10 to swing for raising or lowering, or can also drive both movable wheel components 10 at the same time to swing for raising or lowering, which is not limited by the present application.

[0077] Since the movable wheel component 10 is always in contact with the ground d during movement, the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 relative to the equipment body 200 is manifested in the equipment by a change in the height of the equipment body 200 relative to the ground, and when the height of the equipment body 200 relative to the ground increases, the portions below the equipment body 200 can be higher than the obstacle c, so that no portion of the equipment interferes with the obstacle c during obstacle crossing, thereby realizing the effect of increasing the obstacle crossing height, improving the obstacle crossing height, the release capacity, and the adaptability to different road surfaces of the equipment equipped with the movable wheel raising mechanism 100.

[0078] In some embodiments, the power component 20 outputs rotary power. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the power component 20 comprises a rotary power element 21 and a rotary disk 22. The rotary power element 21 may be a servo motor or a motor (not limited to a brushed motor, a brushless motor, a stepping motor, etc.), and the rotary power element 21 is used to drive the rotary disk 22 to rotate in two opposite directions, for example, clockwise and counterclockwise. The rotary disk 22 is fixedly connected to the output shaft 211 of the rotary power element 21, and the rotary disk 22 may also be part of the projection on the output shaft 211 of the rotary power element 21, the specific structure of which is not limited by the present application.

[0079] The flexible connector 30 is placed between the movable wheel component 10 and the rotating disc 22. It is possible that one end of the flexible connector 30 is attached to the movable wheel component 10 and the other end is attached to the rotating disc 22 to transmit the rotary power of the rotating power element 21. It is also possible that the flexible connector 30 is attached to one of the movable wheel components 10 or rotating disc 22 and that it is wound around the other movable wheel component 10 or rotating disc 22 to change the spatial position of the free part b of the movable wheel component 10. The length of the flexible connector 30 between the movable wheel component 10 and the rotating disc 22 changes during the rotation of the rotating disc 22, so as to enable the movable wheel component 10 to rotate relative to the equipment body 200 to realize the function of raising and lowering relative to the equipment body 200.

[0080] In some embodiments, the rotating power member 21 tightens or loosens the flexible connector 30 by driving the rotating disk 22 to rotate, thereby changing the effective length of the flexible connector 30. When the rotating disk 22 rotates in the first direction (e.g., clockwise), the length of the flexible connector 30 between the movable wheel component 10 and the rotating disk 22 decreases to enable the flexible connector 30 to be tightened, to transmit force when the flexible connector 30 is tightened, and to be able to pull the movable wheel component 10 when the flexible connector 30 is tightened, to enable the movable wheel component 10 to rotate for raising or lowering relative to the equipment body 200.When the rotating disc 22 rotates in the second direction (e.g. counterclockwise) opposite to the first direction, the length of the flexible connector 30 between the movable wheel component 10 and the rotating disc 22 increases, the flexible connector 30 is loosened, and the movable wheel component 10 can rotate in the opposite direction relative to the equipment body 200 under the action of the self-weight and / or the reset spring. Of course, in other embodiments, the rotating power element 21 can also change the action position of the flexible connector 30 by driving the rotating disc 22, during which the flexible connector 30 is always tightened.

[0081] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the directional extension of the tension force exerted by the flexible connector 30 on the transmission 11 does not pass through the rotating shaft 61 on which the movable wheel component 10 rotates relative to the equipment body 200, so that the tension force can create a downward / outward torque on the movable wheel component 10 such that the transmission 11 is forced to oscillate outward in the axial direction centered on the rotating shaft 61.

[0082] In some embodiments, the rotating disc 22 rotates at an angle not exceeding 360 degrees during rotation of the movable wheel component 10. In other words, the unidirectional rotation of the rotating disc 22 during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 does not exceed one revolution, thereby reducing the overall length of the flexible connector 30 when relaxed, avoiding as well as the flexible connector 30 loosens and detaches from the rotating disc 22, or interferes with the peripheral parts by being too long, or cannot be properly tightened or is torn off by catching on the peripheral parts. In some embodiments, the rotation angle of the rotating disc 22 during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 is between 0 and 300 degrees, for example 30°, 45°, 60°, 70°, 90°, 120°, 180°, 235°, 270°, 290°, etc.

[0083] Referring to [Fig.3] illustrating a structural diagram of the movable wheel component 10 in some embodiments. The movable wheel component 10 is an active wheel component that provides the moving power of the equipment, and the movable wheel component 10 comprises a transmission 11 and a movable wheel 12 driven thereby. The transmission 11 may comprise only a power unit or may comprise a power unit and a reduction mechanism. The transmission 11 comprises a main wheel portion a and a free portion b, the main wheel portion a is closer to the movable wheel 12 than the free portion b. The main wheel portion a of the transmission 11 has an overlapping area with the movable wheel 12 to transmit torque directly to the movable wheel 12. The free portion b has a non-overlapping area with the movable wheel 12, thereby fixing the transmission 11 to the peripheral structure.

[0084] In some embodiments, the main wheel portion a and the idler portion b are divided by an axis normal to the ground of the movable wheel 12. In other embodiments, it is also possible to define the boundary between the main wheel portion a and the idler portion b as the outer contour line of the movable wheel 12. In some embodiments, the idler portion b is closer to the forward direction of the equipment body 200 than the main wheel portion a, so that the increase in elevation of the equipment may be manifested by an overall lifting of the equipment body 200 and the increase in elevation, or by the lifting of the front end of the equipment body 200 and the increase in elevation.

[0085] Since the free part b of the transmission 11 is located away from the movable wheel 12 (Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3), in some embodiments, the connections between the movable wheel component 10 and the peripheral parts are placed at the free part b. In other words, the free part b of the transmission 11 is connected to the equipment body 200 in a rotatable manner, the flexible connector 30 is also connected to the free part b of the transmission 11.

[0086] The equipment body 200 may be of integrated structure or of separate structure. Referring to [Fig. 4], in some embodiments, a seat 210 is placed on the equipment body 200 for mounting the movable wheel component 10 and the power component 20, and the components such as the cleaning parts, the guide wheels, etc. of the cleaning equipment may also be mounted on the seat 210. The transmission 11 of the movable wheel component 10 is rotatably connected to the seat 210. To facilitate the connection of the movable wheel component 10 to the peripheral parts, in some embodiments, a mounting seat 60 is placed on the free part b of the transmission 11, the mounting seat 60 is rotatably connected to the equipment body 200 (or to the seat 210 when the seat 210 is present), the transmission 11 rotates with the rotating shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60 as the center of rotation. In some embodiments, a hooking point part 80 is placed on the free part b of the transmission 11 and the flexible connector 30 is connected to the hooking point part 80.

[0087] Referring to [Fig. 4], in some embodiments, the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 further comprises a spring 70, and one end of the spring is fixed to the free part b of the transmission 11 and the other to the equipment body 200. The damping effect of the spring 70 enables the movable wheel 12 to attenuate vibrations when passing over uneven surfaces. Also, to facilitate the mounting of the spring 70, in some embodiments, hook parts 90 are provided on the free part b of the transmission 11 and the equipment body 200, and the ends of the spring 70 are hooked to each of the two hook parts 90.In some embodiments, the hook portion 90 of the free part b of the transmission 11 is placed in the opposite direction to the hook portion 90 of the equipment body 200, in other words, the direction of the hooking point of the spring 70 is reversed, which makes the fixing of the spring 70 more stable.

[0088] Referring to [Fig.l], in some embodiments, the extension direction of the flexible connector 30 is substantially the same as that of the spring 70, provided that the two are parallel within the range of permissible mounting errors, for example, the angle between the extension direction of the flexible connector 30 and the extension direction of the spring 70 is not greater than 10 degrees. The flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 both extend in the direction opposite to the direction of travel, so that the hook portion 90 and the power component 20 of the equipment body 200 are located behind the free portion b of the transmission 11. In other words, when the equipment body 200 crosses an obstacle, its front end is raised, the hook portion 90 and the power component 20 of the equipment body 200 are positioned rearward, and their spatial positions do not change too much.Furthermore, the position of the hook portion 90 and the power component 20 of the equipment body 200 are positioned toward the rear, which can better lift the front end of the equipment body 200 and thus better clear obstacles and prevent slipping.

[0089] In some embodiments, the spring 70 is always in tension, in other words, the spring 70 always exerts a tension force on the transmission 11, and in the case where the extension direction of the flexible connector 30 is substantially the same as that of the spring 70, the spring 70 can assist the flexible connector 30 to jointly pull on the transmission 11 to allow the movable wheel component 10 to rotate for raising or lowering relative to the equipment body 200.

[0090] Referring to [Fig. 4], in some embodiments, the mounting seat 60 is placed in the lower part of the free part b; the hooking point part 80 and the hook part 90 are both placed in the upper part of the free part b. The flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 are positioned upward at the point of action on the free part b, so that the flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 can be placed at relatively high locations in the equipment body 200, which prevents the flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 from being exposed when the equipment body 200 is elevated for obstacle clearance.

[0091] Referring to [Fig. 3], in some embodiments, the transmission 11 comprises a reducer 111 and a drive device 112 mounted on the reducer 111, with the rotary shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60 having a different axis than that of the drive device 112. More specifically, the axis of the drive device 112 is located above the rotary shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60, so that the drive device 112 is placed relatively upward in the equipment body 200 relative to the rotary shaft 61 of the movable wheel component 10, which prevents the drive device 112 from being exposed when the equipment body 200 is elevated for obstacle clearance. Referring to [Fig.3], in some embodiments, the transmission 11 further comprises a wheel cover 113, the wheel cover 113 is connected to one side of the gearbox housing 111, and the wheel cover 113 is spaced above the movable wheel 12, which may provide a mounting base for the bearings of the movable wheel 12. In some embodiments, the wheel cover 113 may be integrated with the gearbox housing 111.

[0092] Embodiments of an embodiment of the present application provide a movable wheel elevating mechanism 100. The movable wheel component 10 may be an active wheel component that provides the moving power of the equipment. The movable wheel elevating mechanism 100 is mounted on the equipment body 200 of the automation equipment requiring an obstacle clearing function, and can realize the function of raising and lowering the movable wheel 12 relative to the equipment body 200, so as to raise the equipment body 200 and realize an increase in the obstacle clearing height. The movable wheel elevating mechanism 100 can be applied to cleaning equipment such as robot vacuum cleaners, automatic sweepers, etc., and can also be applied to other automatic moving equipment that needs the obstacle crossing function, such as automatic food delivery robots, mail sorting robots, etc.

[0093] Referring to Figures 1 and 2 illustrating an overall structural diagram of the mobile wheel lifting mechanism 100. The mobile wheel lifting mechanism 100 comprises a mobile wheel component 10, a power component 20 and a flexible connector 30. The mobile wheel component 10 is used to provide the power required for moving the equipment. The power component 20 is also mounted on the equipment body 200, used to provide a driving force for raising or lowering the mobile wheel component 10 relative to the equipment body 200. The flexible connector 30 is used to transmit the power from the power component 20 and act on the mobile wheel component 10, so as to enable the mobile wheel component 10 to rotate relative to the seat 210 to perform the function of raising and lowering relative to the equipment body 200.Two moving wheel components 10 are generally required for moving the equipment, the power component 20, together with the flexible connector 30, can drive only the corresponding moving wheel component 10 to swing for raising or lowering, or can also drive both moving wheel components 10 to swing for raising or lowering at the same time, which is not limited by the present application.

[0094] Since the movable wheel component 10 is always in contact with the ground d during movement, the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 relative to the equipment body 200 is manifested in the equipment by a change in the height of the equipment body 200 relative to the ground, and when the height of the equipment body 200 relative to the ground increases, the portions below the equipment body 200 can be higher than the obstacle c, so that no portion of the equipment interferes with the obstacle c during obstacle crossing, thereby realizing the effect of increasing the obstacle crossing height, improving the obstacle crossing height, the release capacity, and the adaptability to different road surfaces of the equipment equipped with the movable wheel raising mechanism 100.

[0095] Referring to [Fig.3] illustrating a structural diagram of the transmission 11 in some embodiments. The movable wheel component 10 comprises a drive device 112, a transmission 11 and a driven movable wheel 12, and the drive device 112 drives the movable wheel 12 to rotate through the transmission 11, thereby driving the complete cleaning equipment to move. The transmission 11 comprises a main wheel portion a and a free portion b, and the main wheel portion a is closer to the movable wheel 12 than the free portion b. The main wheel portion a of the transmission has an overlapping area with the movable wheel 12 to transmit the travel drive torque directly to the movable wheel 12. The free portion b has a non-overlapping area with the movable wheel 12, thereby fixing the transmission 11 to the peripheral structure.

[0096] The flexible connector 30 is connected between the power component 20 and the free part b of the transmission 11, either the ends of the flexible connector 30 are connected to the power component 20 and to the free part b of the transmission 11, or the flexible connector 30 is connected to the power component 20 and is wound around the free part b of the transmission 11 in order to change the spatial position of the free part b of the transmission 11. The flexible connector 30 is driven by the power component 20 to rotate the transmission 11 relative to the equipment body 200, which causes the movable wheel component 10 to be raised or lowered relative to the equipment body 200.

[0097] In some embodiments, the main wheel portion a and the idler portion b are divided by an axis normal to the ground of the moving wheel 12. In other embodiments, it is also possible to define the boundary between the main wheel portion a and the idler portion b as the outer contour line of the moving wheel 12. In some embodiments, the idler portion b is closer to the forward direction of the equipment body 200 than the main wheel portion a, so that the elevation increase of the equipment may be manifested by an overall lifting of the equipment body 200 and the elevation increase, as illustrated in [Fig. 6]; or by the lifting of the front end of the equipment body 200 and the elevation increase, as illustrated in [Fig. 7].

[0098] Since the free part b of the transmission 11 is located away from the movable wheel 12 (Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3), in some embodiments, the connections between the movable wheel component 10 and the peripheral parts are placed at the free part b. In other words, the free part b of the transmission 11 is connected to the equipment body 200 in a rotatable manner, the flexible connector 30 is also connected to the free part b of the transmission 11. The equipment body 200 may be of integrated structure or of separate structure. Referring to [Fig. 4], in some embodiments, a seat 210 is placed on the equipment body 200 for mounting the movable wheel component 10 and the power component 20, and the components such as the cleaning parts, the follower wheels, etc. cleaning equipment can also be mounted on the 210 seat.The transmission 11 of the movable wheel component 10 is connected to the seat. 210 rotatably. The drive device 112 and the movable wheel 12 of the movable wheel component 10 are both connected to the transmission 11.

[0099] Referring to [Fig. 3], in some embodiments, the movable wheel component 10 further comprises a wheel cover 113, the wheel cover 113 is connected to one side of the transmission housing 11, and the wheel cover 113 is spaced above the movable wheel 12, which may provide a mounting base for the bearings of the movable wheel 12. In some embodiments, the wheel cover 113 may be integrated with the transmission housing 11.

[0100] To facilitate the connection of the movable wheel component 10 to the peripheral parts, in some embodiments, a mounting seat 60 is placed on the free part b of the transmission 11, the mounting seat 60 is connected to the seat 210 in a rotatable manner, the transmission 11 rotates with the rotating shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60 as the center of rotation. Since the mounting seat 60 is located in the free part b of the transmission 11, so that the spacing between the rotating shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60 and the grounding point of the movable wheel 12 is larger, a smaller rotation angle of the transmission 11 can result in a significant increase in the elevation of the equipment.

[0101] Referring to [Fig.4], in some embodiments, the rotating shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60 is different from the axis of the driving device 112, which allows the mounting seat 60 and the driving device 112 to be located at different positions, avoiding oversizing of the movable wheel component 10 in the axial direction of its rotating shaft 61 due to the coaxial adjustment of the rotating shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60 with the driving device 112, in order to facilitate the arrangement of the mounting seat 60 as well as the driving device 112.

[0102] Referring to [Fig.4], in some embodiments, the mounting seat 60 is placed on the lower side of the free part b, the axis of the driving device 112 is located above the rotating shaft 61 of the mounting seat 60, so that the driving device 112 is placed relatively upward in the equipment body 200 with respect to the rotating shaft 61 of the movable wheel component 10, which prevents the driving device 112 from being exposed when the equipment body 200 is raised for obstacle crossing.

[0103] The flexible connector 30 is connected to the free part b of the transmission 11, and likewise, the spacing between the position of the attachment point of the flexible connector 30 on the free part b and the grounding point of the moving wheel 12 is larger. This allows for a larger power arm, which can reduce the requirement for the magnitude of the output power of the power component 20. The flexible connector 30 may be directly connected to the free part b of the transmission 11. In some embodiments, it is also possible to provide a point part 80 to the free part b of the transmission 11, and the flexible connector 30 is connected to the hooking point part 80. In some embodiments, the hooking point part 80 is placed on the upper side of the free part b so that the flexible connector 30 is placed in a relatively upwardly facing area inside the equipment body 200, preventing the flexible connector 30 from falling downward to expose the equipment body 200 and contacting the ground when in the loosened state.

[0104] Referring to [Fig. 4], in some embodiments, the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 further comprises a spring 70, and one end of the spring 70 is fixed to the free portion b of the transmission 11 and the other to the seat 210 of the equipment body 200. The damping effect of the spring 70 enables the movable wheel 12 to attenuate vibrations when passing over uneven surfaces. Also, to facilitate the mounting of the spring 70, in some embodiments, hook portions 90 are provided on the free portion b of the transmission 11 and the seat 210 of the equipment body 200, and the ends of the spring 70 are hooked to each of the two hook portions 90.In some embodiments, the hook portion 90 of the free part b of the transmission 11 is placed in the opposite direction to the hook portion 90 of the seat 210, in other words, the direction of the hooking point of the spring 70 is reversed, which makes the fixing of the spring 70 more stable.

[0105] Referring to [Fig.l], in some embodiments, the extension direction of the flexible connector 30 is substantially the same as that of the spring 70, with the understanding that the two are parallel within the range of allowable mounting errors, for example, the angle between the extension direction of the flexible connector 30 and the extension direction of the spring 70 is not more than 10 degrees. The flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 both extend in the direction opposite to the moving direction, so that the hook portion 90 and the power component 20 of the seat 210 are located behind the free portion b of the transmission 11. In other words, when the equipment body 200 passes over an obstacle, its front end is raised, the hook portion 90 and the power component 20 of the seat 210 are positioned rearward, and their spatial positions do not change too much.Furthermore, the position of the hook portion 90 and the power component 20 of the seat 210 are positioned rearward, which makes it possible to better lift the front end of the equipment body 200 and, thus, to better overcome obstacles and prevent slipping.

[0106] In some embodiments, the spring 70 is always in tension, in other words, the spring 70 always exerts a tension force on the transmission 11, and in the case where the extension direction of the flexible connector 30 is substantially the same as that of the spring 70, the spring 70 can assist the flexible connector 30 to pull jointly on the transmission 11 to allow the movable wheel component 10 to rotate for raising or lowering relative to the seat 210.

[0107] Referring to [Fig. 4], in some embodiments, the mounting seat 60 is placed in the lower part of the free part b; the hooking point part 80 and the hook part 90 are both placed in the upper part of the free part b. The flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 are positioned upward at the point of action on the free part b, so that the flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 can be placed at relatively high locations in the equipment body 200, which prevents the flexible connector 30 and the spring 70 from being exposed when the equipment body 200 is elevated for obstacle clearance.

[0108] The power component 20 is the actuating element that implements the obstacle clearing function. The power component 20 may provide rotary power or movable power, in other words, the power component 20 may comprise a rotary power element such as a motor, a servo motor, etc. or a telescopic power element such as a cylinder, an electrically operated telescopic rod, etc. It is not limited by the present application.

[0109] In some embodiments, the power component 20 outputs rotary power. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the power component 20 comprises a rotary power element 21. The rotary power element 21 may be a servo motor or a motor (not limited to a brushed motor, a brushless motor, a stepping motor, etc.). One end of the flexible connector 30 is fixed to the free portion b of the transmission 11, and the other end is connected to the output shaft 211 of the rotary power element 21, as shown in [Fig. 5], and the flexible connector 30 is used to transmit the rotary power of the rotary power element 21.

[0110] The rotating power element 21 tightens or loosens the flexible connector 30 as it rotates, in other words, the length of the flexible connector 30 between the movable wheel component 10 and the rotating disc 22 is changed to transmit force when the flexible connector 30 is tightened. In some embodiments, the rotating power element 21 may also change the acting position of the flexible connector 30 as it rotates, during which the flexible connector 30 is always tightened.

[0111] In some embodiments, the rotatable power member 21 tightens or loosens the flexible connector 30 when it rotates, and the flexible connector 30 can pull on the transmission 11 when tightened, to allow the movable wheel component 10 to rotate for raising or lowering relative to the seat 210. The directional extension of the tension force exerted by the flexible connector 30 on the transmission 11 does not pass through the rotating shaft 61 of the mounting seat of the movable wheel component 10, so that the tension force can create a downward / outward torque on the movable wheel component 10 so that the transmission 11 is forced to swing outward in the axial direction centered on the rotating shaft 61.

[0112] In some embodiments, the rotating power member 21 rotates at an angle not exceeding 360 degrees during the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10. In other words, the unidirectional rotation of the output shaft 211 of the rotating power member 21 during the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 does not exceed one revolution, thereby reducing the overall length of the flexible connector 30 when relaxed, thereby preventing the flexible connector 30 from interfering with the peripheral portions by being too long, or from not being able to be properly tightened or from being torn off by catching on the peripheral portions. In some embodiments, the rotation angle of the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21 during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 is between 0 and 300 degrees, for example 30°, 45°, 60°, 70°, 90°, 120°, 180°, 235°, 270°, 290°, etc.

[0113] Referring to [Fig.5], in some embodiments, the power component 20 further comprises a rotating disc 22 coaxial with the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21, wherein the rotating power element 21 tightens or loosens the flexible connector 30 by driving the rotating disc 22. The rotating disc 22 is fixedly connected to the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21, and the rotating disc 22 may also be part of the projection on the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21, the specific structure of which is not limited by the present application.The rotation angle of the rotating power element 21 does not exceed 360 degrees during the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10, and the corresponding rotation angle of the rotating disk 22 does not exceed 360 degrees during the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10, thereby preventing the flexible connector 30 from loosening and detaching from the rotating disk 22, or from interfering with the peripheral parts by being too long, or from not being able to be properly tightened or from being torn off by catching on the peripheral parts.

[0114] The following description of the embodiments applies to both of the above embodiments.

[0115] In some embodiments, the rotatable power member 21 tightens or loosens the flexible connector 30 by driving the rotatable disk 22 to rotate. In order to reduce the situation in which the flexible connector 30 is snagged by a foreign object when loosened or is not easily retrieved when disengaged from the rotatable disk 22, in some embodiments, a torsion spring is placed at the connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disc 22, which can tension the flexible connector 30 in real time such that the flexible connector 30 is not at risk of being disengaged from the rotating disc 22. In some embodiments, a clockwork mechanism may also be used to tension the flexible connector 30 in real time.

[0116] It should be noted that the flexible connector 30 of the present application is not limited to flexible materials. The flexible connector 30 may be a flexible traction rope such as a wire rope, a nylon rope or the like, or a combined structure of a flexible traction rope and a rigid connecting member, such as a combined structure of a flexible traction rope and a tie rod. In other words, the flexible connector 30 is at least partly a flexible structure. It adopts the flexible structure as a power transmission means and can to some extent solve the space arrangement problem of the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100. The power component 20 (such as motors, cylinders, etc.) can be arranged at any position in the equipment body 200 by means of a number of fixed sliding wheel structures, so as to realize optimal space utilization.

[0117] Referring to Figures 1 and 2 illustrating the operation of the flexible connector 30 of the mobile wheel lifting mechanism 100 in some embodiments. The flexible connector 30 uses a traction rope with one end fixed to a traction rope suspension point on the mobile wheel component 10 and the other end fixed to the rotating disk 22, the traction rope extending completely in a straight line without winding around a commutative structure in the middle. The rotating disk 22 rotates at an angle of no more than 360 degrees during rotation, which indicates that the traction rope will not be wound around the rotating disk 22 in a full circle, and this non-winding method can reduce problems such as knotting of the traction rope and snagging of the traction rope by a foreign object during the relaxation process, compared to a twisted winding solution.

[0118] In some embodiments, the rotating disc 22 is coaxial with the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21, and the connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disc 22 is eccentric with respect to the rotating shaft of the rotating disc 22, as illustrated in [Fig. 5]; or, the connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disc 22 is coaxial with the rotating shaft of the rotating disc 22, and the rotating disc 22 is eccentric with respect to the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21; or, the rotating disc 22 is coaxial with the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21, and the connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disc 22 is eccentric with respect to the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21. In other words, during rotation of the rotating disk 22, the spatial position of connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disk 22 changes as a result of the rotation of the rotating disk 22, which, in combination with the overall linear extension of the flexible connector 30, causes a change in the spatial attitude of the flexible connector 30 during rotation of the rotating disk 22. The flexible connector 30 is always clamped during rotation of the rotating disk 22. Since the spatial position of one end of the flexible connector 30 connected to the rotating disk 22 changes, the spatial position of one end of the flexible connector 30 connected to the movable wheel component 10 changes accordingly, while the length of the flexible connector 30 remains unchanged, causing the transmission 11 to swing outward in the axial direction centered on the rotating shaft 61.

[0119] In some embodiments, the effective length of the flexible connector 30 remains constant because the flexible connector 30 is always clamped during rotation of the rotating disc 22. Accordingly, the rotation angle of the rotating disc 22 during raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 is between 0 and 90 degrees, for example, 10°, 25°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 85°, etc. When the rotation angle of the rotating disc 22 exceeds 90 degrees, for example, 150 degrees, the spatial attitude of the flexible connector 30 at that time is substantially the same as that of the flexible connector 30 when the rotation angle of the rotating disc 22 is 30 degrees.Therefore, by setting the rotation angle of the rotating disk 22 to 0~90 degrees during the raising or lowering of the moving wheel component 10, on the one hand, it is possible to form different spatial attitudes for the flexible connector 30; on the other hand, the maximum rotation angle of the rotating disk 22 is only 90 degrees, therefore, it is possible to shorten the switching time between the raised or lowered states of the moving wheel component 10 compared with the solution of winding and retracting the flexible connector 30 over a whole circle or over several circles, thereby improving the efficiency of obstacle crossing.

[0120] In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disc 22, the rotating disc 22 is placed as a separate structure comprising at least two detachable parts which secure the connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disc 22 therein. Referring to [Fig. 5] illustrating an exploded diagram of the power component 20 in some embodiments, the rotating disc 22 comprises a transmission disc 221, an inner fixing disc 222, and an outer fixing disc 223 connected to each other, the transmission disc 221 is fixedly connected to the output shaft 211 of the rotating power element 21, and the transmission disc 221, the inner fixing disc 222, and the outer fixing disc 223 are stacked with each other and connected to each other by threaded fasteners. The connection between the flexible connector 30 and the rotating disc 22 is located between the inner fixing disc 222 and the outer fixing disc 223, for example, one end of the flexible connector 30 is attached to a pin, which is attached by passing through the pin holes opened on the edges of the inner fixing disc 222 and the outer fixing disc 223, as shown in [Fig. 5]. The spacing between the inner fixing disc 222 and the outer fixing disc 223 allows movement of the flexible connector 30, and the flexible connector 30 does not wrap around the pin during rotation of the rotating disc 22, but rather produces a change in spatial attitude when the position of the pin changes.

[0121] In some embodiments, in order to prevent accidents when the rotating power element 21 becomes uncontrollable, an upper limit portion and a lower limit portion are provided on the equipment body 200 to limit an upper limit position and a lower limit position, respectively, of the moving wheel component 10. The moving wheel component 10 swings between an upper limit position and a lower limit position. In the normal traveling state, the moving wheel component 10 is closer to the upper limit position and does not cross the upper limit position; in the obstacle crossing state, the moving wheel component 10 swings downward, closer to the lower limit position and does not cross the lower limit position.

[0122] In some embodiments, the upper limit portion and the lower limit portion may be a mechanical limit structure or an electronic limit device. In some embodiments, a lower limit portion of the mechanical structure is provided on the housing of the equipment body 200 to prevent the movable wheel component 10 from swinging downward. A downwardly protruding, length-adjustable bolt attached to the hook portion 90 of the equipment body 200 is used as an upper mechanical limit of the movable wheel component 10 to prevent the movable wheel component 10 from swinging upward. In other embodiments, the upper limit portion and the lower limit portion are electronic devices, such as microswitches, displacement switches, photoelectric sensors, etc. The movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 also includes a controller.When the movable wheel component 10 swings to a position that triggers the electronic devices, the electronic devices return a position signal to the controller, and the controller commands the rotating power element 21 to stop rotating.

[0123] In some embodiments, in order to facilitate closed-loop control of the oscillation position of the movable wheel component 10, the rotary power element 21 is a servo motor or a motor of an integrated encoder, and the output shaft 211 of the servomotor or motor is connected to the rotating disc 22. The encoder can detect the actual rotation angle of the servomotor or motor. Accordingly, the mobile wheel lifting mechanism 100 further comprises a controller, the rotating power element 21 and its encoder are both electrically connected to the controller, and the rotation speed and / or rotation angle of the rotating power element 21 are controlled in a closed loop by the controller.

[0124] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the rotary power element 21 is a servomotor, which has the advantage of integrating a gearbox, a motor, and a position encoder, reducing the footprint. The position encoder is used to provide feedback information on the position of the motor in a closed loop. However, since active raising or lowering generally requires only two positions, namely the retracted position and the extended position, it is also possible, in some embodiments, to replace the servomotor with an ordinary brushed or brushless motor, and to realize closed-loop control of the position of the ordinary motor by placing the position sensing element at the upper and lower limit positions of the movable wheel component 10.

[0125] In some embodiments, the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 further comprises a sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10. The number and type of sensors are not limited by the present application, and it is sufficient to be able to detect the rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10. The sensor is electrically connected to the controller, and the sensor feeds back to the controller the detected rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10. The controller can determine whether there is a failure of the rotating power element 21 and the flexible connector 30 based on the rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10 and the rotation angle of the rotating power element 21.

[0126] Under normal circumstances, there is a defined correspondence relationship between the rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10 and the rotation angle of the rotating power element 21, and if either of the measured rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10 and the measured rotation angle of the rotating power element 21 does not satisfy the correspondence relationship, this indicates that there is a failure of the rotating power element 21 and / or the flexible connector 30. The controller can then control the device equipped with the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 to issue a warning message, such as flashing a failure indicator light, popping up a warning box via a mobile phone application, etc.

[0127] In some embodiments, the sensor comprises a rotary sensor 40 placed on the rotary shaft 61 of the movable wheel component 10, and / or an optical sensor 50 placed on the transmission 11. In other words, only the rotary sensor 40 or the optical sensor 50 can be placed, or both the rotary sensor 40 and the optical sensor 50 can be placed at the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100.

[0128] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an optical sensor 50 is mounted on the outer side of the housing of the main wheel part a of the transmission 11 to determine whether the movable wheel 12 has retracted into the slot of the equipment body 200 when it returns to its normal moving state from the raised state, and the optical sensor 50 triggers the setting signal after detecting the change in the direction of the light of the retracted slot. Referring to [Fig. 3], a rotary sensor 40 is mounted on the rotary shaft 61 of the movable wheel component 10 to detect and record the actual rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10.

[0129] When the sensor only comprises the rotary sensor 40 placed on the rotary shaft 61 of the movable wheel component 10, the rotary sensor 40 can detect the actual rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10. When the feedback on the position of the servomotor or the motor fails, for example in the event of a failure of the servomotor or a breakage of the flexible connector 30, the controller, using the feedback signal from the rotary sensor 40, can determine whether the movable wheel 12 is actually rotating to a normal travel position or to a fully extended position to allow obstacle clearance.

[0130] When the sensor comprises only an optical sensor 50 placed on the transmission 11, the optical sensor 50 can detect whether the movable wheel 12 has successfully retracted into the slot. When the feedback on the position of the servomotor or the motor fails, for example in the event of a failure of the servomotor or a breakage of the flexible connector 30, the controller, using the feedback signal from the optical sensor 50, can determine whether the movable wheel 12 is completely retracted and returned to the normal travel position.

[0131] When the sensors include both the rotary sensor 40 and the optical sensor 50, in the event of a failure in feedback on the position of the servomotor or the motor, for example, in the event of a failure of the servomotor or a breakage of the flexible connector 30, etc., the optical sensor 50 and the rotary sensor 40 detect whether the movable wheel 12 has successfully retracted into the slot as well as the actual rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10, and it is possible to determine whether the movable wheel 12 has actually returned to the normal travel position.Furthermore, by comparing the information on whether the movable wheel 12 has successfully retracted into the slot and the actual rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10 detected by the optical sensor 50 and the rotary sensor 40, with that on the rotation angle of the rotary power element 21 returned by the encoder, it is also possible to determine whether there is a failure of the rotary power element 21. or the flexible connector 30. Furthermore, the simultaneous adjustment of the rotary sensor 40 and the optical sensor 50 is equivalent to a redundant adjustment which, on the one hand, improves the accuracy of detection and, on the other hand, in the event of failure of either of the rotary sensors 40 and optical sensors 50, the normal use of the mobile wheel lifting mechanism 100 is not affected.

[0132] The working principle of the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 is described below by taking the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 of one embodiment as an example. In this embodiment, the movable wheel lifting mechanism 100 is applied to a robot vacuum cleaner, and two movable wheel lifting mechanisms 100 are provided in the robot vacuum cleaner, and in each movable wheel lifting mechanism 100, the power component 20 and the flexible connector 30 drive the corresponding movable wheel component 10 to swing for lifting or lowering. The movable wheel component 10 comprises a drive device 112, a transmission 11, and a movable wheel 12. The transmission 11 is a reduction mechanism and the flexible connector 30 is a traction rope.The power component 20 comprises a servo motor and a rotating disc 22, and a rotating sensor 40 and an optical sensor 50 are simultaneously placed on the movable wheel component 10.

[0133] The positional state of the moving wheel component 10 during normal movement of the robot vacuum cleaner is shown in [Fig.l]. One end of the traction rope is fixed to a traction rope suspension point on the transmission 11, and the other end is fixed to the inner fixing disc 222 and the outer fixing disc 223 of the rotating disc 22. The traction rope is in an elongated state. One end of the spring 70 is fixed to the hook portion 90 of the transmission 11, and the other end is fixed to the hook portion 90 of the equipment body 200. The transmission disc 221, the inner fixing disc 222, and the outer fixing disc 223 are fixed to the servo motor by screws.

[0134] When the robot vacuum cleaner detects the need to overcome an obstacle during its movement, the servo motor rotates about 120 degrees, and the rotating disc 22 of the servo motor rotates the traction rope in a similar rotation of about 120 degrees. The traction rope is in a shortened state, wound around the gap between the inner fixing disc 222 and the outer fixing disc 223. The other end of the traction rope is attached to a traction rope attachment point, which causes the moving wheel component 10 to rotate downward, centered on the rotating shaft 61, as shown in [Fig. 2].

[0135] The moving wheel components 10 on both sides of the robot vacuum cleaner simultaneously rotate downward to a lower limit position, which makes the total height of the equipment body 200 of the robot vacuum cleaner above the ground d to 4 cm, as shown in [Fig.6]. The movement acceleration provided by the moving wheel component 10 enables the robot vacuum cleaner to better lift the front end and, thus, better move forward and cross the obstacle c the robot vacuum cleaner, as shown in [Fig.7], thereby achieving the purpose of obstacle crossing. The obstacle crossing height of the robot vacuum cleaner has increased from 20 mm to 32 mm and above.

[0136] An optical sensor 50 is mounted on the outer side of the main wheel portion a of the transmission housing 11 to determine whether the movable wheel 12 has retracted into the slot of the lower housing when it returns to its normal moving state from the raised state, and the optical sensor 50 triggers the retraction set signal after detecting the change in the direction of the light of the retracted slot. A rotary sensor 40 is mounted on the rotary shaft 61 to detect and record the actual rotation angle of the movable wheel component 10. The servo motor incorporates an encoder that can detect the actual rotation angle of the servo motor. In the event of a failure of the servo motor position feedback, for example, in the event of a servo motor failure or a traction rope breakage, etc., it is possible to determine whether the movable wheel 12 has actually returned to the normal moving position based on the information on whether the movable wheel 12 has successfully retracted into the slot as well as the actual rotation angle of the rotating shaft 61 detected by the optical sensor 50 and the rotary sensor 40, and whether there is a failure of the servomotor or the traction rope by comparing them with the information on the rotation angle of the servomotor returned by the servomotor.

[0137] The embodiments of the present application provide a cleaning equipment 1000, which may be a robot vacuum cleaner or an automatic sweeper. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the cleaning equipment 1000 comprises an equipment body 200 and a movable wheel elevation mechanism 100 of either of the embodiments of the embodiment described above. The movable wheel elevation mechanism 100 is integrally mounted in the equipment body 200. The movable wheel 12 of the movable wheel elevation mechanism 100 partially exits the equipment body 200 and contacts the ground d, causing the entire cleaning equipment 1000 to move.

[0138] The moving drive force is provided by the moving wheel component 10 when the cleaning equipment 1000 is moving normally (including forward, reverse, and turning). When the cleaning equipment 1000 detects an impassable obstacle c in front of it (identifying the position and size of an obstacle by means of an ultrasonic sensor, a mechanical vision system, etc., placed in front of the equipment body 200), or when the cleaning equipment 1000 is prevented from moving normally during its movement, it determines that it has encountered an obstacle. At this time, the controller controls the action of the power component 20 on the movable wheel component 10 via the flexible connector 30, so as to rotate the movable wheel component 10 relative to the equipment body 200 to realize the function of raising and lowering relative to the equipment body 200.

[0139] Since the movable wheel component 10 is always in contact with the ground d during movement, the raising or lowering of the movable wheel component 10 relative to the equipment body 200 is manifested in the equipment by a change in the height of the equipment body 200 relative to the ground, and when the height of the equipment body 200 relative to the ground increases, the portions below the equipment body 200 can be higher than the obstacle c, so that no portion of the equipment interferes with the obstacle c during obstacle crossing, thereby realizing the effect of increasing the obstacle crossing height, improving the obstacle crossing height, the release capacity, and the adaptability to different road surfaces of the equipment equipped with the movable wheel raising mechanism 100.

[0140] Referring to [Fig. 6], in some embodiments, when the controller determines that an obstacle c has been encountered, the power component 20 drives the movable wheel component 10 to rotate for extension relative to the equipment body 200, causing the complete equipment body 200 to rise above the height of the obstacle c. The movable wheel component 10 drives the cleaning equipment 1000 to continue moving, allowing it to clear the obstacle c.

[0141] Referring to [Fig.7], in some embodiments, when the controller determines that an obstacle c has been encountered, the power component 20 drives the movable wheel component 10 to rotate for extension relative to the equipment body 200, thereby raising the front end of the equipment body 200 for elevation above the height of the obstacle c. The movable wheel component 10 accelerates the cleaning equipment 1000, allowing it to clear the obstacle c.

[0142] In the present application, unless expressly provided and limited otherwise, the first feature "above" or "below" the second feature may include direct contact between the first and second features, or may include non-direct contact between the first and second features, but contact through another feature therebetween. Further, the first feature being "on", "above" and "on top of" the second feature means that the first feature is directly above and diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is horizontally higher than the second feature. The fact that the first feature is "under", "below", and "at the bottom of" the second feature means that the first feature is directly below and diagonally below the second feature, or only indicates that the first feature is horizontally lower than the second feature.

[0143] In the description of the present application, it is understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those illustrated in the Figures, solely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of the present application, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or elements mentioned must have a particular orientation and be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, which therefore cannot be construed as a limitation of the present application.

[0144] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, relative motion, etc. between the components in a particular attitude, and that if the particular attitude is changed, the directional indications are changed accordingly.

[0145] In the present application, the terms "connection", "fixing", etc. are to be understood in a broad sense, unless expressly provided and limited otherwise, for example "fixing" can be a fixed connection, a removable connection or an integral connection; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; a connection within two elements or an interaction between two elements, unless expressly specified otherwise. For the person skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above-mentioned terms in the present application can be understood on a case-by-case basis.

[0146] Furthermore, descriptions such as "first" and "second" in the present application are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Accordingly, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may expressly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of the present application, the term "plurality" means two or more, unless expressly and specifically limited.

[0147] In the description of the present application, the description of the reference terms "an embodiment", "certain embodiments", "examples", "specific examples" or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or traits described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in more than one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present application, the schematic representations of the aforementioned terms need not necessarily correspond to the same embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the described specific features, structures, materials or traits may be suitably combined in one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the person skilled in the art may associate and combine different embodiments or examples described in the present application.

[0148] Furthermore, the technical solutions between the different embodiments may be combined with each other, but this must be done on the basis that the person skilled in the art can carry them out. Where the combination of technical solutions appears to be contradictory or impracticable, it must be considered that the combination of these technical solutions does not exist and is outside the scope of protection claimed in the present application.

[0149] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of changes, modifications, substitutions and variations of these embodiments may be made without departing from the principles and objectives of the present application, the scope of which is limited by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

Claims

1. A mobile wheel lifting mechanism (100), mounted on an equipment body (200), characterized in that the mobile wheel lifting mechanism (100) comprises: a mobile wheel component (10) comprising a drive device (112), a transmission (11) and a driven mobile wheel (12); the transmission (11) is rotatably connected to the equipment body (200), the transmission (11) comprises a main wheel part (a) and a free part (b), the main wheel part (a) is closer to the mobile wheel (12) than the free part (b); a power component (20);and a flexible connector (30), the flexible connector (30) is connected between the free part (b) of the transmission (11) and the power component (20) to drive the transmission (11) to rotate under the drive of the power component (20) relative to the equipment body (200), so that the movable wheel component (10) is raised or lowered relative to the equipment body (200), wherein the movable wheel component (10) remains in contact with the ground during the movement and raising of the movable wheel component (10) relative to the equipment body (200).;

2. A movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the free part (b) of the transmission (11) is rotatably connected to the equipment body (200).

3. A movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that a mounting seat (60) is placed on the free part (b) of the transmission (11), the mounting seat (60) is rotatably connected to the equipment body (200), the transmission (11) rotating with the rotating shaft (61) of the mounting shaft seat (60) as the center of rotation.

4. A movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the rotary shaft (61) of the mounting seat (60) has a different axis from that of the drive device (112).

5. A movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the mounting seat (60) is placed in the lower part of the free part (b).

6. A movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the main wheel portion (a) is divided from the free portion (b) by the axis normal to the ground of the movable wheel (12) and the free portion (b) is closer to the equipment body (200) in the forward direction than the main wheel portion (a).

7. A movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a hooking point portion (80) is placed on the free portion (b) of the transmission (11) and the flexible connector (30) is connected to the hooking point portion (80); the hooking point portion (80) is placed in an upper portion of the free portion (b).

8. A mobile wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the power component (20) comprises a rotating power element (21); one end of the flexible connector (30) is fixed to the free part (b) of the transmission (11) and the other end is connected to the output shaft (211) of the rotating power element (21), the flexible connector (30) is tightened or loosened when the rotating power element (21) is rotated.

9. A mobile wheel lifting mechanism (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the equipment body (200) comprises a seat (210); the transmission (11) is rotatably connected to the seat (210).

10. Cleaning equipment (1000), characterized in that the cleaning equipment comprises an equipment body (200) and a movable wheel lifting mechanism (100) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images