Self-cleaning maintenance station and self-cleaning maintenance system

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a self-cleaning maintenance station and a self-cleaning maintenance system. The self-cleaning maintenance station includes a maintenance station base plate, a maintenance station body, a fresh water tank, and a cleaning liquid tank. The maintenance station body includes a water storage chamber disposed at the top of the maintenance station body with its opening facing upward, and the fresh water tank is assembled to and removed from the maintenance station body along a vertical direction. The maintenance station body further includes a cleaning liquid chamber disposed in the maintenance station body along an opening direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the water storage chamber, and the cleaning liquid tank is assembled to and removed from the maintenance station body along a direction substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction of the fresh water tank.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims priority based on a Chinese patent application filed on January 4, 2023, bearing application number 202310010388.2, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of cleaning robots, and more particularly to a self-cleaning maintenance station and a self-cleaning maintenance system. [Background technology]

[0003] In recent years, with the development of science and technology, various cleaning products have appeared one after another. These cleaning products have reduced the burden of cleaning and fulfilled people's needs, and brought great convenience to people's lives. Among them, automatic cleaning equipment has been favored due to its highly intelligent features.

[0004] Although the self-cleaning maintenance station can automatically replenish clean water to the automatic cleaning equipment, collect dust, and clean the mop, adding cleaning liquid requires a too complicated structure or is inconvenient to operate, which makes the application of the self-cleaning maintenance station inconvenient. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a self-cleaning maintenance station and a self-cleaning maintenance system that allow a user to easily add cleaning liquid at will. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides a self-cleaning maintenance station, the self-cleaning maintenance station including a maintenance station base plate, a maintenance station body, a fresh water tank, and a cleaning liquid tank; the maintenance station body includes a water storage chamber, the water storage chamber is provided at the top of the maintenance station body with an opening facing upward, and the fresh water tank is assembled and removed vertically relative to the maintenance station body; The maintenance station main body further includes a cleaning liquid chamber, the cleaning liquid chamber being provided in the maintenance station main body along an opening direction substantially perpendicular to an opening direction of the water storage chamber; The cleaning liquid tank is assembled to and removed from the maintenance station body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction of the fresh water tank.

[0007] The drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, and illustrate embodiments consistent with the present invention, and are used to explain the principles of the present invention together with the description of the specification. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can derive other drawings from these drawings without inventive step. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a self-cleaning maintenance station according to some embodiments of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a cleaning liquid tank in a self-cleaning maintenance station according to some embodiments of the present invention; [Figure 3] Schematic front view of the cleaning liquid tank according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a front exploded structural schematic diagram of a cleaning liquid tank according to some embodiments of the present invention; [Figure 5]Schematic diagram of the internal structure of a cleaning liquid tank according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 6] Schematic diagram of the rear structure of the cleaning liquid tank in some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 7] Schematic diagrams of the rear structure of the cleaning liquid tank in some other embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of a self-cleaning maintenance station according to some embodiments of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In order to make the purpose, solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, any other embodiments made by those skilled in the art without any inventive effort are also included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0010] The terms used in the present invention are merely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used in the present invention and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "the," and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless otherwise clearly indicated by the context, and "plurality" generally includes at least two.

[0011] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this document is simply used to describe the relationship between related objects, and can represent the existence of three types of relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone. Furthermore, the symbol " / " in this document generally represents an "or" relationship between the related objects before and after it.

[0012] It should be understood that although the embodiments of the present invention may be described using terms such as first, second, and third, these are not limited to these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish between the same types of items. For example, a first item may be referred to as a second item, and similarly, a second item may be referred to as a first item, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0013] It should be further explained that the terms "comprise," "include," "comprise," or any other synonyms are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. Thus, a product or device having a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not expressly listed or inherent in such product or device. Unless further limited, an element qualified by the phrase "comprises a ..." does not preclude a product or device having said element from further including other identical elements.

[0014] The following detailed description of alternative embodiments of the present invention will be given in conjunction with the drawings.

[0015] In the related art, the cleaning liquid tank is integrated with the fresh water tank. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank is pumped into the fresh water tank with a pump to achieve mixing of the cleaning liquid and the fresh water. This structure is inconvenient for adding cleaning liquid, and requires the cleaning liquid tank and the fresh water tank to be removed together. That is, every time one of them is removed, the other unnecessary part must also be removed. This makes it inconvenient to add cleaning liquid or fresh water.

[0016] Therefore, an embodiment of the present invention provides a self-cleaning maintenance station. The self-cleaning maintenance station includes a maintenance station body, a fresh water tank, and a cleaning liquid tank. The maintenance station body includes a water storage chamber, which is located at the top of the maintenance station body with its opening facing upward, and the fresh water tank is assembled to and removed from the maintenance station body in a vertical direction. The maintenance station body further includes a cleaning liquid chamber, which is located in the maintenance station body along an opening direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the water storage chamber, and the cleaning liquid tank is assembled to and removed from the maintenance station body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction of the fresh water tank.

[0017] The self-cleaning maintenance station of the present invention is provided with a cleaning liquid tank that can be removed independently along the horizontal direction. By providing the cleaning liquid tank that can be removed independently along the horizontal direction and aligning it perpendicular to the direction in which the fresh water tank is removed, the two do not interfere with each other, making it easier to add cleaning liquid. Furthermore, because the cleaning liquid tank is located below the fresh water tank, the flow path of the cleaning liquid is made shorter, making it easier to add cleaning liquid when fully utilizing the limited space resources of the self-cleaning maintenance station.

[0018] Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a self-cleaning maintenance station. For example, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a self-cleaning maintenance station according to some embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a cleaning liquid tank in a self-cleaning maintenance station according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0019] To more clearly describe the behavior of the self-cleaning maintenance station, the following directions are defined: the self-cleaning maintenance station can be oriented along three mutually perpendicular axes: a horizontal axis Y, a front-to-rear axis X, and a central vertical axis Z. The direction opposite to the direction along the arrow of the front-to-rear axis X, i.e., the direction in which the self-cleaning device enters the self-cleaning maintenance station, is labeled the "rear direction," and the direction along the arrow of the front-to-rear axis X, i.e., the direction in which the self-cleaning device leaves the self-cleaning maintenance station, is labeled the "forward direction." The horizontal axis Y is a direction substantially along the width of the body of the self-cleaning maintenance station, and the direction along the arrow of the horizontal axis Y is the "left side" of the self-cleaning maintenance station, and the direction opposite to the direction along the arrow of the horizontal axis Y is the "right side" of the self-cleaning maintenance station. The vertical axis Z is the direction extending upward from the bottom surface of the self-cleaning maintenance station, the direction along the arrow of the vertical axis Z is the "upper side" of the self-cleaning maintenance station, and the direction opposite to the direction along the arrow of the vertical axis Z is the "lower side" of the self-cleaning maintenance station.

[0020] 1, the self-cleaning maintenance station according to this embodiment includes a self-cleaning maintenance station base plate 1000 and a self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000. The self-cleaning maintenance station base plate 1000 is detachably or non-detachably connected to the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000. The detachable connection makes it convenient for transportation and maintenance of the self-cleaning maintenance station base plate 1000 and the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2 , the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 includes a water storage chamber 2700 and a dust collection chamber 2800. The water storage chamber 2700 is located at the top of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 with its opening facing upward. The water storage chambers include a fresh water chamber for accommodating a fresh water tank and a dirty water chamber for accommodating a dirty water tank 5000. The dust collection chamber 2800 is located at the top end of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 alongside the water storage chamber 2700 with its opening facing upward. The upward-facing design of the water storage chamber 2700 and the dust collection chamber 2800 facilitates the installation and removal of the fresh water tank, dirty water tank 5000, and dust collection cover 6000. The fresh water tank, dirty water tank 5000, and dust collection cover 6000 are all assembled and removed in a substantially vertical direction from the top of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000. This structural design is in line with the user's usage habits, and the upward opening design makes it convenient to carry out daily maintenance on the devices in the fresh water tank, the dirty water tank 5000, and the dust collection cover 6000.

[0022] 2, the water storage chamber 2700 and the dust collection chamber 2800 are surrounded by a rear wall, a front wall, and multiple side walls of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000. The rear and front walls of the water storage chamber 2700 and the dust collection chamber 2800 are flush with each other, and one side wall is also flush with each other. Here, the height of the rear wall of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 is slightly lower than the height of the front wall of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000, and the front wall of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 corresponds to the height of the fresh water tank, the dirty water tank 5000, and the dust collection cover 6000. The side walls of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 connect the rear wall and the front wall, and the end faces of the side walls of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 have a sloped structure. The upward-facing design of the water storage chamber 2700 and the dust collection chamber 2800 facilitates the installation and removal of the fresh water tank 4000, the waste water tank 5000, and the dust collection cover 6000. The sloped sidewall edges ensure the stability and aesthetic appeal of the fresh water tank, the waste water tank 5000, and the dust collection cover 6000 attached to the water storage chamber 2700 and the dust collection chamber 2800. The water storage chamber 2700 accommodates the fresh water tank and the waste water tank 5000. The water storage chamber 2700 includes a vertically extending partition plate that divides the water storage chamber 2700 into two sections: one section is a fresh water chamber for accommodating the fresh water tank 4000, and the other section is a waste water chamber for accommodating the waste water tank 5000.

[0023] The outer wall of the self-cleaning maintenance station body 2000 encloses the water storage chamber 2700 and the dust collection chamber 2800 to form a U-shaped enclosure structure, for example, enclosing at least the front wall and parts of the left and right side walls of the water storage chamber 2700 and the dust collection chamber 2800. In this way, after the fresh water tank 4000, the waste water tank 5000, and the dust collection cover 6000 are assembled on top of the self-cleaning maintenance station body 2000, the fresh water tank 4000, the waste water tank 5000, and the dust collection cover 6000 are not exposed to the outside at the front and rear sides of the self-cleaning maintenance station body 2000. This improves the aesthetics and cleanliness of the entire self-cleaning maintenance station.

[0024] The bottom of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body 2000 and the self-cleaning maintenance station bottom plate 1000 together form a cleaning chamber 2100 with its opening facing forward. The cleaning chamber 2100 accommodates the automatic cleaning device when it returns to the self-cleaning maintenance station for maintenance. A cleaning basin 2200 is provided at the bottom of the self-cleaning maintenance station main body, and the cleaning basin is configured to clean cleaning parts, such as a mop, on the automatic cleaning device through the cleaning basin 2200 after the automatic cleaning device fits into the cleaning chamber 2100.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 2, the maintenance station main body 2000 further includes a cleaning liquid chamber 2400. The cleaning liquid chamber 2400 is installed in the maintenance station main body 2000 along an opening direction that is approximately perpendicular to the water storage chamber 2700; that is, the cleaning liquid chamber 2400 is installed front to back along an approximately horizontal direction. The cleaning liquid tank 3000 is installed in and removed from the maintenance station main body 2000 along a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the assembly direction of the fresh water tank 4000. That is, the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is removed from the maintenance station main body 2000 in a pull-out manner along an approximately front to back direction. The opening of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400 is located on the inclined surface 2300 at the upper edge of the washing chamber 2100.

[0026] The cleaning liquid chamber 2400 is located below the water storage chamber 2700, the fresh water tank 4000 is removed from the water storage chamber 2700 in a generally vertical direction, and the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is removed from the cleaning liquid chamber 2400 in a generally front-to-rear direction. The two tanks are removed independently without interfering with each other. Positioning the cleaning liquid tank 3000 below the fresh water tank 4000 saves space and makes it easier for users to refill the cleaning liquid.

[0027] In some embodiments, slide rails (or chutes) (not shown) are provided on both sides of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400, and chutes (or slide rails) 3400 are provided on the outer walls of both sides of the cleaning liquid tank 3000, and the chutes (or slide rails) 3400 of the cleaning liquid tank 3000 slide the cleaning liquid chamber 2400 along the slide rails (or chutes) of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400.

[0028] 3, the cleaning liquid tank 3000 includes a cleaning liquid tank case 3100 and a cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. The cleaning liquid tank case 3100 is integrally formed with the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 by injection molding or adhesive bonding, and the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is attached to the front side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100. The cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is configured to be flush with the outer surface of the maintenance station main body 2000 when the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is assembled to the maintenance station main body 2000.

[0029] In some embodiments, the side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 that is attached to the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is inclined, and the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is attached along the front side of the inclined cleaning liquid tank case 3100. The projection surface of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 on the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is located within the inner surface of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200, i.e., the area of ​​the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is slightly larger than the area of ​​the front side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100. As shown in FIG. 1 , the upper edge of the cleaning chamber 2100 has a sloped surface 2300 at a position that contacts the outer periphery of the water storage chamber 2700. In this way, the maintenance station main body 2000 forms a sloped structure on the edge of the cleaning chamber 2100. The sloped structure makes it easier for automatic cleaning equipment to enter and exit the cleaning chamber 2100. After the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is attached along the front side of the inclined cleaning liquid tank case 3100, the angle of inclination becomes the same as the angle of inclination of the inclined surface 2300. In this way, after the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is inserted into the cleaning liquid chamber 2400, the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 becomes flush with the inclined surface 2300, thereby ensuring that the automatic cleaning equipment can freely enter and exit the wash chamber 2100, while still keeping the inclined surface 2300 smooth and clean.

[0030] The cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 has an edge 3210 that wraps around the entire circumference of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. The edge 3210 extends toward the maintenance station main body 2000 along a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the surface of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. This ensures that after the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is inserted into the cleaning liquid chamber 2400, the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 fully engages with the edge of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400, thereby ensuring that the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is flush with the inclined surface 2300.

[0031] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped structure. It may have other structures, such as a cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto. The following description will be given taking a rectangular parallelepiped structure as an example. The cleaning liquid tank case 3100 includes a slanted front side (not shown), a top surface 3190, a bottom surface 3160, left and right side surfaces, and a rear side surface (not shown). Here, the left and right side surfaces are provided with chutes (or slide rails) 3400. In some embodiments, the top surface 3190 of the cleaning liquid tank case has a transparent structure, allowing the user to observe the level of the cleaning liquid through the transparent top surface 3190. At least the left and right side surfaces of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 are provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs inside the left and right side surfaces to strengthen the strength of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 and prevent the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 from deforming after multiple drawdowns, which could affect the smoothness of subsequent drawdowns.

[0032] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 includes a liquid replenishment port 3110, which is provided on a top surface 3190 of the cleaning liquid tank case and located on a side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 away from the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. The liquid replenishment port 3110 is configured to add cleaning liquid from the liquid replenishment port 3110 when the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is removed from the maintenance station main body 2000. Optionally, the liquid replenishment port 3110 is provided close to the inner edge of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100, for example, at the innermost corner of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100. Only when the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is completely removed from the maintenance station main body 2000, is the liquid replenishment port fully exposed, allowing cleaning liquid to be added thereto. In this way, the inconvenience of adding cleaning liquid when no extraction has occurred is avoided, and the risk of spilling cleaning liquid when adding cleaning liquid when no extraction has occurred is also avoided.

[0033] In this embodiment, the infusion port 3110 includes an infusion hole 3114 and an infusion lid 3111. An infusion plug 3113 is provided on the underside of the infusion lid 3111. The infusion plug 3113 is inserted into the infusion hole 3114 to seal the infusion port 3110. Optionally, the infusion lid 3111 is made of hard plastic, and the infusion plug 3113 is made of an elastic plastic or rubber material. In some embodiments, the infusion port 3110 further includes a pivot hole 3116 provided on the edge of the infusion hole 3114, and a pivot shaft 3115 is provided on a corresponding end of the infusion lid 3111. After the pivot shaft 3115 is inserted into the pivot hole 3116, it can rotate freely, cooperating with the opening and closing of the infusion lid 3111. In some embodiments, the fluid refill port 3114 further includes a handle 3112 on the side away from the pivot hole 3116. The handle 3112 has a recessed structure, making it easy for a user to access the handle 3112 and open the fluid refill lid 3111. Optionally, the handle 3112 is located near the rear side. The fluid refill lid 3111 is opened from the back to the front from the cleaning solution tank 3000. This design allows the user to open the fluid refill port 3110 and add cleaning solution only after completely removing the cleaning solution tank 3000.

[0034] 5, the cleaning liquid tank 3000 has a cleaning liquid filter screen 3120 therein, which is provided on the bottom surface of the inside of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100. When the cleaning liquid is extracted, the cleaning liquid passes through the cleaning liquid filter screen 3120 to be filtered, and then passes through the cleaning liquid pipe 3130 and is extracted from the cleaning liquid tank 3000 via the cleaning liquid outlet 3140. The cleaning liquid filter screen 3120 filters the cleaning liquid to prevent impurities from damaging the cleaning liquid pump 3300 or components in the subsequent flow path.

[0035] In some embodiments, the cleaning liquid tank further includes a float valve 3150. The float valve 3150 is located within the cleaning liquid tank 3000 and detects the level of the cleaning liquid and whether the cleaning liquid tank is assembled to the maintenance station main body. In some embodiments, the float valve 3150 uses a small float. The small float occupies less space, is low cost, and can increase the amount of cleaning liquid that can be stored in the cleaning liquid tank. Furthermore, the small volume of the small float has little impact on the volume of cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank, which can increase the sensitivity of the float's rotation and thereby increase the detection sensitivity. In some embodiments, the float valve 3150 includes a cleaning liquid float base and a cleaning liquid float. The cleaning liquid float base is located at the bottom of the cleaning liquid tank 3000, and the cleaning liquid float is rotatably connected to the cleaning liquid float base and configured to detect the level of the cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid float ball descends due to gravity as the cleaning liquid level descends. When the cleaning liquid float ball descends to a predetermined threshold, the controller recognizes that the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 3000 has run out and issues a warning to add cleaning liquid. In some embodiments, the maintenance station main body 2000 is equipped with a cleaning liquid status indicator lamp. When the level of the cleaning liquid falls below a predetermined threshold, the cleaning liquid status indicator lamp is controlled to light up.

[0036] In some embodiments, the maintenance station body includes a Hall element (not shown), which is located on the maintenance station body. Optionally, the Hall element is located on the rear wall of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400. A magnetic element is located within the float valve 3150, and after the magnetic element and the Hall element are induced, the magnetic element detects the level of the cleaning liquid and whether the cleaning liquid tank is assembled on the maintenance station body. For example, if the distance between the magnetic element and the Hall element is too far and there is no induced signal, the system will sound an alarm, indicating that the cleaning liquid tank is not assembled in the proper position on the maintenance station body and the cleaning liquid tank needs to be reassembled, or that the cleaning liquid level is below a threshold and cleaning liquid needs to be added.

[0037] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6 , the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 includes a recess 3170, which is located on the side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 away from the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. Optionally, the recess 3170 is located at the boundary between the bottom surface 3160 and the rear side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100, and the recess 3170 forms a rearward-facing notch in the bottom surface of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100, and the recess 3170 forms a recess protrusion 3171 at a corresponding position inside the cleaning liquid tank case 3100. As shown in FIG. 5 , a positioning post 3180 is formed in the recess 3170 and extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the bottom surface 3160. The positioning post 3180 is located in the recess, and the positioning post 3180 may have, but is not limited to, a cylindrical or rectangular columnar structure. To reduce material, the positioning post 3180 may have a hollow structure. The bottom surface 3160 of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs for enhancing the strength of the bottom surface 3160 .

[0038] The maintenance station main body 2000 is provided with a position restricting claw 2420. Optionally, the position restricting claw 2420 is mounted on the rear wall of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400 via a fixing device 2430. Optionally, the position restricting claw 2420 is an elastic member, and when the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is assembled to the cleaning liquid chamber 2400, the position restricting post 3180 extends to the elastic position restricting claw 2420, which then spreads and embraces the position restricting post 3180, causing the position restricting claw 2420 to engage with the position restricting post 3180, preventing the cleaning liquid tank 3000 from sliding further back, and thereby causing the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 to be flush with the front slope of the maintenance station main body 2000. When the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is removed from the cleaning liquid chamber 2400, the position restriction claws 2420 spread apart due to the action of their elastic force, releasing the position restriction post 3180 and allowing the cleaning liquid tank 3000 to be completely removed from the cleaning liquid chamber 2400. Optionally, the position restriction claws 3180 are two arc-shaped elastic sheets in their natural state, and the ends of the two arc-shaped elastic sheets have outwardly open arc-shaped ends, which makes it easy for the position restriction post 3180 to enter the two arc-shaped elastic sheets. When the position restriction claws 3180 engage with the position restriction post 3180, the two arc-shaped elastic sheets press against the position restriction post 3180.

[0039] The rear surface of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 further includes a handle 3220, which is located on the side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 closest to the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. The handle 3220 forms a recess facing inward along the bottom surface of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100, thereby forming the handle 3220 between the recess and the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. The recess formed by the handle 3220 has a handle protrusion 3221 formed at a corresponding position inside the cleaning liquid tank case 3100. As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom shape of the handle 3220 includes, but is not limited to, a rectangle, a circle, etc.

[0040] In some other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7 , the side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 that is bonded to the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is inclined, and the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is bonded along the front side of the inclined cleaning liquid tank case 3100. The projection surface of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100 on the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is located within the inner surface of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200, that is, the area of ​​the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is much larger than the area of ​​the front side of the cleaning liquid tank case 3100. The cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 has an edge 3210 that is formed around the entire circumference of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. The edge 3210 extends toward the maintenance station main body 2000 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. Here, the distance that the edge 3210 extends at the top of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 is smaller than the distance that the edge 3210 extends at the bottom of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200, and the distance that the edge 3210 extends at the top of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 continuously increases to the distance that the edge 3210 extends at the bottom of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200. In this way, the distance that the edge 3210 extends at the bottom of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 has a constant width, and the edge 3210 at the bottom of the cleaning liquid tank end cap 3200 has an inwardly recessed handle 3220 formed thereon. A user can conveniently extract the cleaning liquid tank 3000 via the recessed handle 3220. After the cleaning liquid tank 3000 is assembled to the cleaning liquid chamber 2400, the handle 3220 is located substantially below the cleaning liquid chamber 2400. The shape of the bottom surface of the handle 3220 includes, but is not limited to, a rectangle, a circle, and the like.

[0041] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8 , the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a cleaning liquid pump 3300. The cleaning liquid pump 3300 is provided on the side of the maintenance station main body 2000 opposite the opening of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400. That is, the cleaning liquid pump 3300 is provided on the rear side of the maintenance station main body 2000. The cleaning liquid pump 3300 communicates with a cleaning liquid outlet 3140. The cleaning liquid pump 3300 pumps a required amount of cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank 3000, and the cleaning liquid flows out of the cleaning liquid outlet 3140 and enters the cleaning liquid pump 3300. The cleaning liquid pump 3300 may be a peristaltic pump.

[0042] In some embodiments, the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a fresh water pump 4100. The fresh water pump 4100 is provided on the side of the maintenance station main body 2000 opposite the opening of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400. In other words, the fresh water pump 4100 is provided on the rear side of the maintenance station main body 2000. The fresh water pump 4100 communicates with the water outlet of the fresh water tank 4000. The fresh water pump 4100 pumps the required amount of fresh water from the fresh water tank 4000.

[0043] In some embodiments, the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a three-way valve 4200. The three-way valve 4200 has two liquid inlets and one liquid outlet. The two liquid inlets are connected to the liquid outlet of the cleaning liquid pump 3300 and the liquid outlet of the fresh water pump 4100, respectively. The cleaning liquid and the fresh water enter the three-way valve and are mixed therein. The mixing of the cleaning liquid and the fresh water within the three-way valve may be controlled in real time by adjusting the power of the cleaning liquid pump 3300 and the fresh water pump 4100 in accordance with different cleaning demands, and the amounts of cleaning liquid and fresh water may be controlled in real time to meet different cleaning demands. For example, since a high concentration of cleaning liquid is required when cleaning a mop, the power of the cleaning liquid pump may be increased to obtain a highly concentrated mixed liquid. On the other hand, the power of the cleaning liquid pump may be reduced to reduce the concentration of the cleaning liquid when supplied to the water tank of the cleaning device, allowing more fresh water to be used to mop floors.

[0044] In some embodiments, the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a solenoid valve 4300. The solenoid valve 4300 is located on the side of the maintenance station main body 2000 opposite the opening of the cleaning liquid chamber 2400. That is, the solenoid valve 4300 is located on the rear side of the maintenance station main body 2000. The solenoid valve 4300 controls the opening and closing of the liquid outlet of the three-way valve 4200 to allow the mixture of the cleaning liquid and the clean water to flow. The solenoid valve 4300 is divided into two parts via a pipe. One part is connected to the cleaning tub, and the other part is connected to a water supply port that adds water to the water tank of the automatic cleaning device. Furthermore, the solenoid valve 4300 also controls the mixture of the controlled cleaning liquid and the clean water to flow into the cleaning tub to wash the mop of the automatic cleaning device or into the water tank of the automatic cleaning device for floor mopping, as needed.

[0045] The self-cleaning maintenance station of the present invention is provided with a cleaning liquid tank that can be removed horizontally, and the cleaning liquid tank is provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fresh water tank is removed, so that the two do not interfere with each other and cleaning liquid can be added more conveniently.

[0046] The cleaning liquid tank of the self-cleaning maintenance station of the present invention is provided with a three-way valve, which extracts the cleaning liquid and fresh water and mixes them in the three-way valve, and controls the mixing ratio and flow direction of the mixed liquid as needed to make the mixed liquid more accurate.

[0047] In the cleaning liquid tank of the self-cleaning maintenance station of the present invention, the liquid refill port is located inside the cleaning liquid tank, and the liquid refill lid opens from rear to front, so that the user can only add cleaning liquid when the cleaning liquid tank is completely removed from the cleaning liquid chamber, thus avoiding the risk of cleaning liquid spilling on the self-cleaning maintenance station or on the automated cleaning equipment on the self-cleaning maintenance station.

[0048] The cleaning liquid tank end cap of the present invention is attached to the front side of the cleaning liquid tank case, and is configured so that when the cleaning liquid tank is assembled to the maintenance station body, the cleaning liquid tank end cap is flush with the outer surface of the maintenance station body. This ensures a simple appearance of the self-cleaning maintenance station, and the hidden handle makes it easy to remove the cleaning liquid tank at any time. Furthermore, when the automatic cleaning device is positioned in the self-cleaning maintenance station for maintenance, the operation buttons of the automatic cleaning device are usually located inside the self-cleaning maintenance station. When a user attempts to manually operate the operation buttons, the design of the cleaning liquid tank end cap flush with the outer surface of the maintenance station body avoids interference with the user's hand movement, making operation easier.

[0049] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a self-cleaning maintenance system, which includes an automatic cleaning device and any one of the self-cleaning maintenance stations described above. The automatic cleaning device enters the self-cleaning maintenance station to perform functions such as dust collection, mop cleaning, adding fresh water, or removing dirty water, and the self-cleaning maintenance station uses a control system to perform corresponding operations according to the current functional demands of the automatic cleaning device, which will not be described in detail.

[0050] The present application further provides the following examples.

[0051] In some embodiments, the cleaning fluid chamber is located below the water storage chamber.

[0052] In some embodiments, the self-cleaning maintenance station further comprises a cleaning liquid pump arranged on the maintenance station body on the opposite side to the opening direction of the cleaning liquid chamber, the cleaning liquid pump being configured to pump cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank.

[0053] In some embodiments, the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a fresh water pump arranged on the maintenance station body on the opposite side to the opening direction of the cleaning liquid chamber, and the fresh water pump is configured to pump fresh water from the fresh water tank.

[0054] In some embodiments, the self-cleaning maintenance station further comprises a three-way valve connected to the cleaning liquid pump and the fresh water pump, respectively, wherein the cleaning liquid and the fresh water mix in the three-way valve.

[0055] In some embodiments, the self-cleaning maintenance station further comprises a solenoid valve configured to control the opening and closing of a liquid outlet of the three-way valve to allow the mixture of the cleaning liquid and the fresh water to flow into a cleaning tank and / or an automatic cleaning device.

[0056] In some embodiments, slide rails or chutes are provided on both sides of the cleaning liquid chamber, and chutes or slide rails are provided on the outer walls of both sides of the cleaning liquid tank, and the cleaning liquid tank is removed from the cleaning liquid chamber along the slide rails or chutes.

[0057] In some embodiments, the cleaning liquid tank includes a float valve disposed within the cleaning liquid tank, the float valve being configured to detect the level of the cleaning liquid and / or whether the cleaning liquid tank is assembled to the maintenance station body.

[0058] In some embodiments, the cleaning liquid tank includes a handle provided on its underside.

[0059] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a self-cleaning maintenance system, the self-cleaning maintenance system including an automatic cleaning device and a self-cleaning maintenance station according to any one of the preceding claims.

[0060] The embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages over the prior art. The self-cleaning maintenance station of the present invention is provided with a cleaning liquid tank that can be removed horizontally, and the cleaning liquid tank is provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fresh water tank is removed, so that the two do not interfere with each other and cleaning liquid can be added more conveniently.

[0061] Finally, it should be noted that each embodiment of the present invention is described in a progressive manner, with the focus being on the differences between each embodiment and other embodiments, and reference may be made to the same or similar parts between the embodiments.

[0062] The above embodiments are merely for illustrating the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting thereof. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can still understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments can be modified, or some or all of the technical features thereof can be replaced with equivalents, and such modifications or replacements do not deviate from the gist of the corresponding technical solutions and the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1000 Self-Cleaning Maintenance Station Bottom Plate 2000 Self-Cleaning Maintenance Station Main Unit 2100 Wash Chamber 2200 cleaning tank 2300 Slope 2400 cleaning fluid chamber 2700 Water Storage Chamber 3000 cleaning fluid tank 4000 fresh water tank 3400 Cleaning liquid tank chute (or slide rail) 3100 Cleaning liquid tank case 3200 Cleaning Liquid Tank End Cap 3210 Edge 3110 Replacement fluid 3111 Fluid replacement lid 3112 Handle part 3113 Refill Plug 3114 Replenishment hole 3115 Pivot axis 3116 Pivot hole 3220 Handle 3221 Handle protrusion 3130 Cleaning liquid pipe 3140 Cleaning fluid outlet 3150 Float Valve 3190 Top 3160 bottom 3170 recess 3171 Concave protrusion 3180 Position Control Post 2420 Position control claw 2430 Fixation device 3300 Cleaning Fluid Pump 4100 Freshwater Pump 4200 Three-way valve 4300 Solenoid valve

Claims

1. 1. A self-cleaning maintenance station, comprising: The maintenance station includes a bottom plate, a maintenance station body, a fresh water tank, and a cleaning liquid tank. the maintenance station body includes a water storage chamber, the water storage chamber is provided at the top of the maintenance station body with an opening facing upward, and the fresh water tank is assembled and removed vertically relative to the maintenance station body; The maintenance station main body further includes a cleaning liquid chamber, the cleaning liquid chamber being provided in the maintenance station main body along an opening direction substantially perpendicular to an opening direction of the water storage chamber; The cleaning liquid tank is assembled to and removed from the maintenance station body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction of the fresh water tank. Self-cleaning maintenance station.

2. 2. The self-cleaning maintenance station of claim 1, wherein the cleaning fluid chamber is located below the water storage chamber.

3. the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a cleaning liquid pump provided on the maintenance station body on the opposite side to the opening of the cleaning liquid chamber; The cleaning liquid pump is configured to pump cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank. The self-cleaning maintenance station of claim 2 .

4. the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a fresh water pump provided on the maintenance station body on the opposite side to the opening of the cleaning liquid chamber; The fresh water pump is configured to pump fresh water from the fresh water tank. The self-cleaning maintenance station of claim 3 .

5. the self-cleaning maintenance station further includes a three-way valve connected to the cleaning liquid pump and the fresh water pump, The cleaning liquid and the fresh water are mixed in the three-way valve.

5. The self-cleaning maintenance station of claim 4.

6. the self-cleaning maintenance station further comprises a solenoid valve; The solenoid valve is configured to control the opening and closing of the liquid outlet of the three-way valve to allow the mixture of the cleaning liquid and the fresh water to flow into the cleaning tank and / or the automatic cleaning device.

6. The self-cleaning maintenance station of claim 5.

7. The cleaning liquid chamber is provided with slide rails or chutes on both sides, and the cleaning liquid tank is provided with chutes or slide rails on outer walls on both sides, and the cleaning liquid tank is removed from the cleaning liquid chamber along the slide rails or chutes. A self-cleaning maintenance station according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. the cleaning liquid tank includes a float valve provided therein; The float valve is configured to detect the level of the cleaning liquid and / or whether the cleaning liquid tank is assembled to the maintenance station main body. A self-cleaning maintenance station according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. 9. The self-cleaning maintenance station according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning liquid tank has a handle provided on its underside.

10. 10. A self-cleaning maintenance station comprising an automatic cleaning device and a self-cleaning maintenance station according to any one of claims 1 to 9. Self-cleaning maintenance system.

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