Autonomous movement device and working method thereof

Abstract

An autonomous movement device and a working method thereof. The autonomous movement device comprises a housing (1), a first wheel assembly (2), a dry cleaning assembly (4), and a first transmission assembly (3) which are assembled together; the first wheel assembly (2) is provided with a castor (21) and is mounted on the housing (1); the dry cleaning assembly (4) is used for carrying out dry cleaning on a surface to be cleaned; the first wheel assembly (2) is linked with the dry cleaning assembly (4) by means of the first transmission assembly (3), so that in the process of the first wheel assembly (2) being lowered relative to the housing (1), the dry cleaning assembly (4) can be lifted in the opposite direction relative to the housing (1). The lifting / lowering movement of the first wheel assembly and the dry cleaning assembly relative to the housing (1) is achieved with a simple structure and a low cost, and in different working modes, the first wheel assembly and the dry cleaning assembly are positioned at different positions relative to the housing (1). Additionally, lifting / lowering the first wheel assembly (2) provided with a castor (21) and the dry cleaning assembly (4) enables the autonomous movement device to implement more working modes, and is therefore well-suited to multiple different application scenarios.

Description

Autonomous mobile device and operating method thereof

[0001] Citation of Related Applications

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on June 13, 2023, with application number 202310698790.4 and application name “Autonomous Mobile Device and Working Method Thereof,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the construction of an autonomous mobile device and a method of operating the autonomous mobile device. Background Art

[0004] Autonomous mobile devices refer to intelligent mobile devices that can autonomously perform preset tasks. Currently, autonomous mobile devices generally include but are not limited to cleaning robots (such as intelligent sweepers, intelligent floor scrubbers, and window cleaning robots), companion mobile robots (such as intelligent electronic pets and nanny robots), service mobile robots (such as reception robots in hotels, inns, and meeting places), industrial inspection intelligent devices (such as power inspection robots and intelligent forklifts), and security robots (such as household or commercial intelligent guard robots).

[0005] For an autonomous mobile device with a dry cleaning component, it may operate on a surface to be cleaned with different surface parameters. Based on the surface parameters of the surface to be cleaned, the autonomous mobile device needs to be in different working modes. For example, if the surface to be cleaned has a concave and convex shape with large variations, the autonomous mobile device may need to be in an obstacle-crossing working mode, in which the autonomous mobile device needs to have a strong obstacle-crossing capability; if the surface to be cleaned is working on a carpet or floor, the autonomous mobile device needs to be in a different cleaning working mode. For the above-mentioned different working modes, the wheel assembly with casters and the dry cleaning assembly of the autonomous mobile device need to be set in different positions relative to the housing. However, in existing autonomous mobile devices, the dry cleaning assembly is usually fixed relative to the housing and cannot be lifted or lowered relative to the housing, thereby limiting the types of working modes of the autonomous mobile device and failing to perform optimally in many application scenarios.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] In response to the aforementioned problems of the prior art, one object of the present disclosure is to provide an autonomous mobile device that can achieve lifting and lowering of a wheel assembly and a cleaning assembly relative to a housing with a relatively simple structure and low cost, thereby being suitable for a variety of different application scenarios. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an operating method for the autonomous mobile device.

[0008] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solutions.

[0009] The present disclosure provides an autonomous mobile device as follows, comprising:

[0010] chassis;

[0011] a first wheel assembly mounted on the housing and having casters;

[0012] A dry cleaning component for performing dry cleaning on a surface to be cleaned; and

[0013] The first wheel assembly and the dry cleaning assembly can be linked via the first transmission assembly, so that as the first wheel assembly descends relative to the housing, the dry cleaning assembly can rise relative to the housing.

[0014] In an optional solution, the first transmission assembly includes at least one rack and pinion mechanism, and the rack and pinion mechanism includes:

[0015] a first rack fixed to the first wheel assembly;

[0016] a second rack having a first drive connection; and

[0017] a gear that is constantly meshed with both the first rack and the second rack, such that the first rack and the second rack move in opposite directions when the gear rotates;

[0018] The dry cleaning component has a second transmission connection part, and after the first wheel assembly descends to a predetermined position relative to the housing, the first transmission connection part can abut against the second transmission connection part, thereby driving the dry cleaning component to rise as the first wheel assembly continues to descend from the predetermined position while the first transmission connection part abuts against the second transmission connection part.

[0019] In another optional solution, the first wheel assembly further includes a first suspension, a first spring, a first wheel frame and a lifting platform, the caster is mounted on the first suspension and the first suspension is fixed to the first rack, the first wheel frame is fixed to the housing, the lifting platform can drive the first suspension to descend via the first spring, and the lifting platform can directly drive the first suspension to rise.

[0020] Another optional solution also includes:

[0021] a lifting power source, mounted on the first wheel frame; and

[0022] The transmission includes a screw, which is connected to the lifting power source through transmission, and the screw is threadedly connected to the lifting platform to form a screw-nut mechanism, thereby connecting the lifting power source to the lifting platform through transmission, so that the lifting power source can drive the lifting platform to move up and down through the transmission.

[0023] Another optional solution also includes:

[0024] a second wheel assembly mounted on the housing and having a drive wheel; and

[0025] The second transmission assembly is configured such that the second wheel assembly and the dry cleaning assembly can be linked to each other via the second transmission assembly, so that as the dry cleaning assembly rises relative to the housing, the second wheel assembly can fall relative to the housing.

[0026] In another optional solution, the second transmission assembly includes:

[0027] a first connecting rod, one end of which is rotatably connected to the dry cleaning assembly, and the other end of which is rotatably connected to the housing or the second wheel assembly; and

[0028] A transmission rod is rigidly connected to the first connecting rod. The transmission rod can swing with the rotation of the first connecting rod, thereby allowing the dry cleaning assembly to drive the second wheel assembly to descend via the transmission rod while ascending.

[0029] In another optional scheme, the second transmission assembly also includes a second connecting rod, one end of which is rotatably connected to the dry cleaning assembly, and the other end is rotatably connected to the housing or the second wheel assembly, so that the dry cleaning assembly, the first connecting rod, the second connecting rod and the housing constitute a four-bar linkage.

[0030] In another optional scheme, the second wheel assembly is provided with a driven part, and the transmission rod abuts against the driven part after the dry cleaning assembly rises to a predetermined position relative to the housing, thereby driving the second wheel assembly to descend as the dry cleaning assembly continues to rise from the predetermined position while the transmission rod abuts against the driven part.

[0031] In another optional solution, a wet cleaning component is further included, which is used to wet clean the surface to be cleaned, and the wet cleaning component can be raised and lowered relative to the casing independently of the dry cleaning component.

[0032] The present disclosure also provides a method for operating the autonomous mobile device, the method comprising:

[0033] a first operating mode, wherein the dry cleaning assembly is in a lowered position relative to the housing so that the dry cleaning assembly is in an operating state, and the wet cleaning assembly is in a lowered position relative to the housing so that the wet cleaning assembly is in an operating state;

[0034] a second operating mode, wherein the dry cleaning assembly is in a raised position relative to the housing, such that the dry cleaning assembly is in a non-operating state, and the wet cleaning assembly is in a lowered position relative to the housing, such that the wet cleaning assembly is in an operating state;

[0035] a third operating mode, wherein the dry cleaning assembly is in a lowered position relative to the housing, such that the dry cleaning assembly is in an operating state, and the wet cleaning assembly is in a raised position relative to the housing, such that the wet cleaning assembly is in a non-operating state; and

[0036] A fourth working mode, wherein the dry cleaning component is in an ascending position relative to the housing, so that the dry cleaning component is in a non-working state, the wet cleaning component is in an ascending position relative to the housing, so that the wet cleaning component is in a non-working state, and the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are in a descending position relative to the housing.

[0037] The present disclosure also provides the following autonomous mobile device, comprising:

[0038] chassis;

[0039] A dry cleaning component, which is used for performing dry cleaning on the surface to be cleaned;

[0040] a wheel assembly mounted on the housing, the wheel assembly having a driving wheel and a driven portion;

[0041] at least one connecting rod connected to the housing and the dry cleaning assembly so that the at least one connecting rod can rotate during the process of raising and lowering the dry cleaning assembly relative to the housing; and

[0042] A transmission rod is rigidly connected to one of the at least one connecting rods, and the transmission rod can swing as the one connecting rod rotates. After the dry cleaning assembly rises to a predetermined position relative to the housing, the transmission rod abuts against the driven part, thereby driving the wheel assembly to descend as the dry cleaning assembly continues to rise from the predetermined position.

[0043] By adopting the above technical solution, the present disclosure provides a novel autonomous mobile device and its operating method. The autonomous mobile device includes a housing, a first wheel assembly, a dry cleaning assembly, and a first transmission assembly, all assembled together. The first wheel assembly has casters (e.g., universal wheels) and is mounted to the housing. The dry cleaning assembly is used to dry clean the surface to be cleaned. The first wheel assembly and the dry cleaning assembly are linked via a first transmission assembly, allowing the dry cleaning assembly to rise in the opposite direction relative to the housing as the first wheel assembly descends relative to the housing.

[0044] In this way, the wheel assembly with casters and the dry cleaning assembly are linked, and can be driven to rise and fall in opposite directions relative to the housing by the same lifting power source. This allows for the lifting movement of the two relative to the housing with a simple structure and low cost, allowing them to be positioned at different positions relative to the housing in different operating modes. Furthermore, by enabling the wheel assembly with casters and the dry cleaning assembly to rise and fall, the autonomous mobile device can achieve a wider range of operating modes, making it more suitable for a variety of different application scenarios. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] FIG1A is a perspective schematic diagram showing the overall structure of an autonomous mobile device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 1B is another schematic perspective view showing the overall structure of the autonomous mobile device in FIG. 1A .

[0047] 2A is a perspective schematic diagram illustrating an assembly of some components of the autonomous mobile device of FIG1A , including a first wheel assembly, a dry cleaning assembly, a first transmission assembly, a second wheel assembly, a second transmission assembly, and a wet cleaning assembly.

[0048] FIG. 2B is a perspective schematic diagram showing a partial structure of the assembly in FIG. 2A .

[0049] FIG3A is a perspective schematic diagram illustrating an assembly of some components of the autonomous mobile device in FIG1A , including a first wheel assembly and a first transmission assembly.

[0050] FIG. 3B is a perspective schematic diagram showing a partial structure of the assembly in FIG. 3A .

[0051] FIG. 3C is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the assembly in FIG. 3A .

[0052] FIG. 4A is a perspective schematic diagram illustrating a dry cleaning assembly of the autonomous mobile device of FIG. 1A .

[0053] FIG. 4B is another perspective schematic diagram showing the dry cleaning assembly in FIG. 4A .

[0054] FIG. 5A is a perspective schematic diagram illustrating an assembly of some components of the autonomous mobile device of FIG. 1A , including a second wheel assembly and a second transmission assembly.

[0055] FIG. 5B is a perspective schematic diagram showing a partial structure of the assembly in FIG. 5A .

[0056] FIG6 is a perspective schematic diagram showing an assembly of some components of an autonomous mobile device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, including a first wheel assembly, a first transmission assembly, a lifting power source, and a transmission. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The following describes embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. For ease of understanding, the elements shown in the drawings may include elements whose sizes and scales are different from the actual sizes and scales.

[0058] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, “front (front side)”, “rear (rear side)”, “left (left side)”, “right (right side)”, “up (upper side)”, and “down (down)” are all relative to the normal working state of the autonomous moving device according to the present disclosure. Specifically, “front (front side)” and “rear (rear side)” refer to the front side and the rear side in the positive forward direction of the autonomous moving device according to the present disclosure when the autonomous moving device according to the present disclosure is in a normal working state on the running surface (surface to be cleaned); “left (left side)” and “right (right side)” refer to the left side and the right side when viewed from the front side in the positive forward direction; and “up (upper side)” and “down (down)” refer to the upper side and the lower side in the height direction perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned when the autonomous moving device according to the present disclosure is in a normal working state on the running surface.

[0059] In the present disclosure, the autonomous mobile device can move autonomously according to the control scheme preset in its control component. The operating surface (surface to be cleaned) where the autonomous mobile device moves autonomously can be a flat surface or a curved surface with a large curvature radius, typically the floor of each room in a building.

[0060] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "lifting" refers to the rising and falling of other components of the autonomous mobile device (such as the wheel component and the cleaning component) relative to the housing in the up and down directions.

[0061] In the present disclosure, a self-moving cleaning device is taken as an example of the autonomous mobile device of the present disclosure, and the technical concept and specific technical scheme according to the present disclosure are explained in the following specific embodiments. The autonomous mobile device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is first explained in conjunction with the drawings in the specification.

[0062] (Autonomous Mobile Device According to the First Embodiment of the Present Disclosure)

[0063] The autonomous mobile device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is a self-moving cleaning device. As shown in Figures 1A to 5B, the autonomous mobile device includes a housing 1, a first wheel assembly 2, a first transmission assembly 3, a dry cleaning assembly 4, a second wheel assembly 5, a second transmission assembly 6, a wet cleaning assembly 7, a sensing assembly and a control assembly assembled together. The control assembly can obtain environmental parameters through the sensing assembly, and based on the obtained environmental parameters, the control assembly can control the wheel assembly (mainly referring to the second wheel assembly 5) to drive the entire autonomous mobile device to move autonomously on the surface to be cleaned, and then in this process, the cleaning assembly (including the dry cleaning assembly 4 and the wet cleaning assembly 7) is used to clean the surface to be cleaned. In different working modes, the cleaning operation includes but is not limited to one or more of sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, etc.

[0064] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the casing 1 as a whole has a roughly cylindrical shape. The shape of the casing 1 is not limited thereto, and in other optional schemes, the casing 1 may also have other shapes, such as D-shape, oval, square, etc. When the autonomous mobile device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is in normal working condition, the bottom surface of the casing 1 is opposite to the surface to be cleaned, and the bottom surface of the casing 1 is parallel to the surface to be cleaned. Here, "parallel" not only includes that the bottom surface of the casing 1 and the surface to be cleaned have a geometric parallel relationship, but also includes the situation where the two are roughly parallel. The above-mentioned "roughly" means that within the reasonable error range recognized by those skilled in the art, it can be determined that the parallel relationship between the two is established. In addition, other components are all arranged in the casing 1. In order to support and protect other components, most of the structures of the autonomous mobile device are housed and installed inside the casing 1.

[0065] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1B to 3C, the first wheel assembly 2 is arranged at the front of the casing 1, and the caster 21 (universal wheel) of the first wheel assembly 2 always extends relative to the bottom surface of the casing 1 so as to roll in contact with the surface to be cleaned. Furthermore, in addition to the caster 21, the first wheel assembly 2 also includes a first suspension 22, a first spring 23, a first wheel frame 24 and a lifting platform 25. As shown in Figures 2A to 3C, the caster 21 is mounted on the bottom of the first suspension 22 via a universal mechanism, so that the caster 21 can move in any direction relative to the first suspension 22 on the surface to be cleaned, but the caster 21 cannot be lifted or lowered relative to the first suspension 22. The first suspension 22 is also fixedly mounted with the first rack 31 described below of the first transmission assembly 3, and the first suspension 22 can be lifted or lowered relative to the casing 1, thereby driving the caster 21 to be lifted or lowered relative to the casing 1. Furthermore, two first springs 23 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction within the space defined by the first suspension 22. Each first spring 23 is a cylindrical coil spring, with one end of each first spring 23 capable of abutting the first suspension 22 and the other end constantly abutting the bottom of the lifting platform 25. This allows the lifting platform 25 to lower the first suspension 22 via the first springs 23. Furthermore, the top of the lifting platform 25 directly abuts the first suspension 22, allowing the lifting platform 25 to directly abut the first suspension 22. Furthermore, the first wheel frame 24 is mounted within the housing 1 and is fixed to the housing 1. It will be appreciated that, with the ends of the two first springs 23 respectively abutting the first suspension 22 and the lifting platform 25, they not only cushion the vibrations generated when the caster 21 travels over the surface to be cleaned, but also apply a spring force to the first suspension 22 to ensure that the caster 21 maintains close contact with the surface to be cleaned.

[0066] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2A to 3C, most of the structure of the first transmission assembly 3 is arranged in the first wheel frame 24 of the first wheel assembly 2, and the first transmission assembly 3 is installed on the first suspension 22 and the shell 41 of the dry cleaning assembly 4, so that the first wheel assembly 2 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 are linked via the first transmission assembly 3, so that as the first wheel assembly 2 descends relative to the casing 1, the dry cleaning assembly 4 can rise in the opposite direction relative to the casing 1.

[0067] Specifically, as shown in Figures 3A to 3C , the first transmission assembly 3 includes two rack-and-pinion mechanisms, arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Each rack-and-pinion mechanism comprises a first rack 31, a second rack 32, and a gear 33, which are assembled together. The first rack 31 and the second rack 32 can be arranged on opposite sides of the gear 33, such that the teeth of the first rack 31 and the second rack 32 face each other and are constantly meshed with the gear 33. The first rack 31 is fixed to the sidewall of the first suspension 22 of the first wheel assembly 2, so that the first rack 31 and the first suspension 22 rise and fall together relative to the housing 1. The second rack 32 includes an integral tooth portion 321 and a first transmission connection portion 322. The tooth portion 321 is constantly meshed with the gear 33. The first transmission connection portion 322 can abut against the second transmission connection portion 412 of the housing 41 of the dry cleaning assembly 4, thereby driving the dry cleaning assembly 4 to rise relative to the housing 1 when the first transmission connection portion 322 and the second transmission connection portion 412 abut against each other. Specifically, the first transmission connection portion 322 has an L-shaped structure. The vertical portion of the first transmission connection portion 322 is integrally formed with the tooth portion 321. The horizontal portion of the first transmission connection portion 322 is always located below the second transmission connection portion 412 and can be separated from or abutted against the second transmission connection portion 412. The rotation axis of the gear 33 can be mounted on the first wheel frame 24 or the housing 1. The gear 33 is always engaged with the first rack 31 and the second rack 32, so that when the gear 33 rotates, the first rack 31 and the second rack 32 move in opposite directions. In other words, when the gear 33 rotates in one direction, the first rack 31 rises relative to the housing 1 and the second rack 32 falls relative to the housing 1. When the gear 33 rotates in the opposite direction, the first rack 31 falls relative to the housing 1 and the second rack 32 rises relative to the housing 1. In this way, a relatively simple rack-and-pinion transmission mechanism is used to achieve the lifting of the first wheel assembly 2 having the caster 21 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 in opposite directions. Furthermore, the two rack-and-pinion mechanisms ensure smooth lifting and lowering of the first wheel assembly 2 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 without skewing. In fact, in this embodiment, only after the first wheel assembly 2 descends to a predetermined position relative to the housing 1 can the first transmission connection portion 322 abut against the second transmission connection portion 412. Thus, with the first transmission connection portion 322 abutting against the second transmission connection portion 412, as the first wheel assembly 2 continues to descend from the predetermined position, can the dry cleaning assembly 4 be driven to ascend.

[0068] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, most of the structure of the dry cleaning component 4 is housed in the housing 1, and is located on the rear side of the first wheel component 2 and on the front side of the second wheel component 5. The dry cleaning component 4 is mainly used for vacuuming and cleaning the surface to be cleaned.

[0069] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the dry cleaning assembly 4 includes a housing 41 and a main brush assembled together. The main brush is housed within the housing 41 and can rotate relative to the housing 41, thereby rolling up foreign matter on the surface to be cleaned while in contact with the surface to be cleaned. The housing 41 includes an integral housing body 411, a second transmission connection portion 412, and a first rotation connection portion 413. The housing body 411 is formed into a generally cubic shape and has a hollow structure to accommodate and mount the main brush. Two second transmission connections 412 protrude from the front side wall of the housing body 411 toward the second rack 32 of the first transmission assembly 3. Each second transmission connection portion 412 is formed into a horizontal plate shape and is always located above the first transmission connection portion 322 of the corresponding second rack 32 (see Figures 2A and 2B). Therefore, the second rack 32 can only drive the housing 41 upward when the second transmission connection portion 412 and the corresponding first transmission connection portion 322 are in contact with each other. Moreover, when the dry cleaning assembly 4 floats upward independently of the first wheel assembly 2, the second transmission connection portion 412 can be released from the abutment with the first transmission connection portion 322. First rotation connection portions 413 are provided on the left and right side walls of the housing body 411, with two first rotation connection portions 413 arranged side by side in an upper and lower direction on each of the left and right side walls. One end of each of the two connecting rods 61 and 62 of the second transmission assembly 6 is rotationally connected to one of the first rotation connection portions 413, thereby enabling the connecting rods to rotate around the first rotation connection portions 413.

[0070] Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG2A , two second wheel assemblies 5 are arranged side by side in the left and right directions, located in the middle of the housing 1 and located on the rear side of the dry cleaning assembly 4 and the front side of the wet cleaning assembly 7 in the front-to-back direction, and the driving wheel 51 (active wheel) of the second wheel assembly 5 is always extended relative to the bottom surface of the housing 1 so as to be in rolling contact with the surface to be cleaned. Furthermore, for each second wheel assembly 5, in addition to the driving wheel 51, the second wheel assembly 5 also includes a second suspension 52, a second spring 53, a second wheel frame 54 and a driven portion 55. As shown in FIG5A and FIG5B , the driving wheel 51 is mounted on the bottom of the second suspension 52 via a rotating shaft, so that the driving wheel 51 can roll relative to the second suspension 52 on the surface to be cleaned, but the driving wheel 51 cannot be raised or lowered relative to the second suspension 52. In addition, most of the structure of the second suspension 52 is housed in the second wheel frame 54. In addition, two second springs 53 are arranged side by side in the front and back in the space defined by the first wheel frame 24. Each second spring 53 is a cylindrical coil spring. One end of each second spring 53 abuts the second suspension 52 and the other end abuts the second wheel frame 54, so that the second spring 53 can be elastically deformed during the relative movement of the second suspension 52 and the second wheel frame 54. In addition, the second wheel frame 54 is installed inside the casing 1 and is fixed to the casing 1. It can be understood that the two second springs 53 can not only buffer the vibration generated during the driving wheel 51 running on the surface to be cleaned, but also apply spring force to the second suspension 52 so that the driving wheel 51 is always in close contact with the surface to be cleaned. Further, as shown in Figures 2B and 5B, the driven portion 55 is formed in the shape of a cylindrical protrusion and protrudes from the side wall of the second suspension 52. After the dry cleaning assembly 4 rises to a predetermined position relative to the housing 1, the transmission rod 63 of the second transmission assembly 6 abuts against the driven part 55. In this abutting state, the dry cleaning assembly 4 continues to rise from the predetermined position to drive the second wheel assembly 5 to descend.

[0071] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the second transmission assembly 6 is installed on the shell 41 of the dry cleaning assembly 4 and the second wheel frame 54 (or the casing 1) of the second wheel assembly 5, so that the second wheel assembly 5 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 are linked via the second transmission assembly 6, so that as the dry cleaning assembly 4 rises relative to the casing 1, the second wheel assembly 5 can descend relative to the casing 1.

[0072] Specifically, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the second transmission assembly 6 includes a first connecting rod 61, a second connecting rod 62, and a transmission rod 63. One end of the first connecting rod 61 is rotatably connected to the first rotating connection portion 413 of the dry cleaning assembly 4, and the other end can be rotatably connected to the rotating connection portion of the second wheel frame 54 (because the second wheel frame 54 is fixed to the housing 1, it can be considered that the other end of the first connecting rod 61 is rotatably connected to the housing 1). One end of the second connecting rod 62 is rotatably connected to the first rotating connection portion 413 of the dry cleaning assembly 4, and the other end is provided with a second rotating connection portion 621 for rotatably connecting to the second wheel frame 54 (which can also be considered to be rotatably connected to the housing 1). In this way, the housing 41 of the dry cleaning assembly 4, the first connecting rod 61, the second connecting rod 62, and the second wheel frame 54 (housing 1) constitute a four-bar linkage. In this four-bar linkage, the first connecting rod 61 and the second connecting rod 62 are parallel to each other and have equal lengths. This four-bar linkage ensures that the dry cleaning assembly 4 remains stable during the process of being raised and lowered relative to the housing 1. Furthermore, the transmission rod 63 is rigidly connected to the first connecting rod 61 and can swing with the rotation of the first connecting rod 61, thereby allowing the dry cleaning assembly 4 to simultaneously drive the driven portion 55 of the second wheel assembly 5 via the transmission rod 63 while ascending, thereby lowering the second wheel assembly 5. Thus, a relatively simple rod transmission mechanism is used to achieve the lifting and lowering of the wheel assembly having the driving wheel 51 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 in opposite directions.

[0073] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG2B , the majority of the wet cleaning assembly 7 is housed within the housing 1 and is located behind the second wheel assembly 5 in the front-to-back direction. The wet cleaning assembly 7 is primarily used for wet cleaning the surface to be cleaned using a liquid. The wet cleaning assembly 7 can be raised and lowered relative to the housing 1 independently of the dry cleaning assembly 4.

[0074] By adopting the above structure, the autonomous mobile device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure can implement multiple working modes, so that the autonomous mobile device of the present disclosure can adapt to more application scenarios.

[0075] Specifically, in the first operating mode (dry and wet dual operating mode), the dry cleaning assembly 4 is in a lowered position relative to the housing 1 so as to always be in contact with the surface to be cleaned, so that the dry cleaning assembly 4 is in an operating state, and the wet cleaning assembly 7 is in a lowered position relative to the housing 1 so as to always be in contact with the surface to be cleaned, so that the wet cleaning assembly 7 is in an operating state. In the present disclosure, the lowered position and the raised position are relative positions relative to the housing 1. For the same assembly, the lowered position is located below the raised position in the vertical direction.

[0076] In the second working mode (wet working mode), the dry cleaning assembly 4 is in an ascending position relative to the housing 1 so as to be out of contact with the surface to be cleaned, so that the dry cleaning assembly 4 is in a non-operating state, and the wet cleaning assembly 7 is in a descending position relative to the housing 1 so as to be in constant contact with the surface to be cleaned, so that the wet cleaning assembly 7 is in an operating state. It can be understood that, on the one hand, when the autonomous mobile device travels over a concave and convex surface to be cleaned, the dry cleaning assembly 4 can float upward independently of the first wheel assembly 2 (the height to which the dry cleaning assembly 4 independently floats upward can be limited by the four-bar linkage of the second transmission assembly 6), so that the autonomous mobile device can be considered to be in the above-mentioned wet working mode; on the other hand, the first wheel assembly 2 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 can be linked to control the first wheel assembly 2 to descend so that the dry cleaning assembly 4 rises and is in a non-operating state, so that the autonomous mobile device is in the wet working mode.

[0077] In the third operating mode (dry operating mode), the dry cleaning assembly 4 is in a lowered position relative to the housing 1 so as to be in constant contact with the surface to be cleaned, thereby placing the dry cleaning assembly 4 in an operating state, and the wet cleaning assembly 7 is in an elevated position relative to the housing 1 so as to be out of contact with the surface to be cleaned, thereby placing the wet cleaning assembly 7 in a non-operating state. It will be understood that the wet cleaning assembly 7 can be raised independently of the other components to be in a non-operating state, thereby placing the autonomous mobile device in the dry operating mode.

[0078] In the fourth working mode (obstacle crossing mode), the dry cleaning component 4 is in an ascending position relative to the housing 1 to disengage from the surface to be cleaned, so that the dry cleaning component 4 is in a non-working state, the wet cleaning component 7 is in an ascending position relative to the housing 1 to disengage from the surface to be cleaned, so that the wet cleaning component 7 is in a non-working state, and the first wheel assembly 2 and the second wheel assembly 5 are in a descending position relative to the housing 1, so that the autonomous mobile device can smoothly pass through a road section with large bumps and obstacles.

[0079] By adopting the above technical solution, the first wheel assembly 2 with casters 21 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 are linked through the first transmission assembly 3, and the same lifting power source can be used to drive the two to rise and fall in opposite directions relative to the housing 1, thereby achieving the lifting movement of the two with a simple structure and low cost. Furthermore, the second wheel assembly 5 with a drive wheel 51 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 are linked in a predetermined state through the second transmission assembly 7, thereby the same lifting power source 8 can be used to drive the first wheel assembly 2 with casters 21, the second wheel assembly 5 with drive wheels 51, and the dry cleaning assembly 4 to rise and fall relative to the housing 1, thereby achieving the linkage of the three with a simple structure and low cost to achieve their respective lifting and falling, thereby achieving the corresponding working mode, so that the autonomous mobile device can be suitable for more application scenarios with a better working state.

[0080] An autonomous mobile device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure is described below.

[0081] (Autonomous Mobile Device According to the Second Embodiment of the Present Disclosure)

[0082] The structure of the autonomous mobile device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure is substantially the same as that of the autonomous mobile device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, and the differences between the two are mainly described below.

[0083] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG6 , the autonomous mobile device further includes a lifting power source 8 and a transmission 9 , both of which are mounted on the first wheel assembly 2 . The lifting power source 8 is a motor. The transmission 9 may include a screw 91 threadedly coupled to the lifting platform 25 . The screw 91 and the lifting platform 25 form a screw-nut mechanism. The screw 91 is also transmission-coupled to the lifting power source 8 to receive driving force from the lifting power source 8 . Thus, the lifting power source 8 is transmission-coupled to the lifting platform 25 of the first wheel assembly 2 via the transmission 9 , enabling the lifting power source 8 to transmit driving force to the lifting platform 25 of the first wheel assembly 2 via the transmission 9 , thereby driving the first wheel assembly 2 to rise and fall via the lifting platform 25 .

[0084] It can be understood that when the two ends of the two first springs 23 are respectively against the first suspension 22 and the lifting platform 25, the descending driving force generated by the lifting power source 8 via the transmission 9 can be transmitted to the first suspension 22 via the two first springs 23, and the first suspension 22 and the caster 21 can descend together. The impact on the caster 21 will be cushioned by the first springs 23, and will not cause excessive impact on the lifting power source 8. Furthermore, the descent of the first wheel assembly 2 will drive the dry cleaning assembly 4 to rise in the opposite direction via the first transmission assembly 3, and then drive the second wheel assembly 5 to descend via the second transmission assembly 6.

[0085] It should be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art may, under the guidance of the present disclosure, make various modifications and alterations to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following supplementary explanations are provided for the technical solutions of the present disclosure.

[0086] i. It can be understood that in addition to the examples of self-moving cleaning devices described in the above specific embodiments, the technical concepts of the present disclosure can also be applied to other autonomous mobile devices. The above-mentioned autonomous mobile devices generally refer to intelligent mobile devices that autonomously perform preset tasks, including cleaning robots that implement similar functions to the self-moving cleaning devices described in the above embodiments (such as intelligent sweepers, intelligent floor scrubbers, window cleaning robots), companion mobile robots (such as intelligent electronic pets, nanny robots), service mobile robots (such as reception robots in hotels, inns, and meeting places), industrial inspection intelligent equipment (such as power inspection robots, intelligent forklifts, etc.), security robots (such as household or commercial intelligent guard robots), etc., which are two-dimensional planar mobile robots with wheels or tracks as drive units. Of course, the solution of the present disclosure can also be applied to other fields, which will not be exhaustively explained.

[0087] ii. It will be understood that the control component of the autonomous mobile device disclosed herein can receive parameters from the sensing component and perform relevant control of the autonomous mobile device through a preset program stored in the control chip. The second wheel assembly 5 is used to drive the entire autonomous mobile device on the surface to be cleaned under the control of the control component. In addition, by rotating the drive wheels 51 of the two second wheel assemblies 5 at the same speed and in the same direction (for example, rotating clockwise or counterclockwise at the same time), the autonomous mobile device can be driven to move linearly along the forward direction of travel; by rotating the drive wheels 51 of the two second wheel assemblies 5 at different speeds and / or different directions (for example, one drive wheel 51 rotates clockwise and the other drive wheel 51 rotates counterclockwise), the autonomous mobile device can be driven to turn in a direction different from the forward direction of travel. Because the casters 21 are universal wheels, the casters 21 of the first wheel assembly 2 can provide support for the entire autonomous mobile device regardless of how the drive wheels 51 roll on the surface to be cleaned. In addition, the dry cleaning component 4 may include a dust suction unit housed in the housing 1 for sucking foreign matter rolled up by the main brush under the control of the control component, thereby sucking the foreign matter into the dust collecting device.

[0088] iii. In variations of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first transmission assembly 3 may include only one rack-and-pinion mechanism, or may include three or more rack-and-pinion mechanisms. Furthermore, the first transmission assembly 3 may also employ other transmission structures, as long as they can achieve the function of raising and lowering the first wheel assembly 2 and the dry cleaning assembly 4 in opposite directions.

[0089] iv. In a variation of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second transmission assembly 6 may include one connecting rod or three or more connecting rods, enabling the connecting rod to rotate during the raising and lowering of the dry cleaning assembly 4 relative to the housing 1. The transmission rod 63 is rigidly connected to one of the connecting rods and can swing with the rotation of the one connecting rod. After the dry cleaning assembly 4 rises to a predetermined position relative to the housing 1, the transmission rod 63 abuts against the driven portion 55, thereby driving the second wheel assembly 5 to descend as the dry cleaning assembly 4 continues to rise from the predetermined position. In this way, on the one hand, before the transmission rod 63 and the driven part 55 are in contact with each other, the dry cleaning component 4 can work independently of the second wheel component 5 with the driving wheel 51. In this case, the dry cleaning component 4 can float independently according to the unevenness of the surface to be cleaned, and the second wheel component 5 will not rise or fall relative to the housing 1. On the other hand, after the transmission rod 63 and the driven part 55 are in contact with each other, the dry cleaning component 4 and the second wheel component 5 with the driving wheel 51 can be linked together, and then the second wheel component 5 with the driving wheel 51 can be lowered while the dry cleaning component 4 continues to rise, so that the autonomous mobile device can achieve an obstacle-crossing working mode.

[0090] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 1—housing; 2—first wheel assembly; 21—castor; 22—first suspension; 23—first spring; 24—first wheel frame; 25 lifting platform; 3—first transmission assembly; 31—first rack; 32—second rack; 321—tooth portion; 322—first transmission connection portion; 33—gear; 4—dry cleaning assembly; 41—housing; 411—housing body; 412—second transmission connection portion; 413—first rotating connection portion; 5—second wheel assembly; 51—driving wheel; 52—second suspension; 53—second spring; 54—second wheel frame; 55—driven portion; 6—second transmission assembly; 61—first connecting rod; 62—second connecting rod; 621—second rotating connection portion; 63—transmission rod; 7—wet cleaning assembly; 8—lifting power source; 9—transmission; 91 screw.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile device, characterized in that: include: Housing (1); A first wheel assembly (2), which is mounted on the housing (1) and has a caster (21); A dry cleaning component (4) for performing dry cleaning on a surface to be cleaned; and A first transmission assembly (3), wherein the first wheel assembly (2) and the dry cleaning assembly (4) can be linked via the first transmission assembly (3), so that as the first wheel assembly (2) descends relative to the housing (1), the dry cleaning assembly (4) can rise relative to the housing (1).

2. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 1, characterized in that The first transmission assembly (3) comprises at least one gear rack mechanism, and the gear rack mechanism comprises: A first rack (31), which is fixed to the first wheel assembly (2); a second rack (32) having a first drive connection (322); and a gear (33) which is always in meshing engagement with the first rack (31) and the second rack (32), so that when the gear (33) rotates, the first rack (31) and the second rack (32) move in opposite directions. The dry cleaning component (4) has a second transmission connection part (412), and after the first wheel component (2) descends to a predetermined position relative to the housing (1), the first transmission connection part (322) can abut against the second transmission connection part (412), thereby driving the dry cleaning component (4) to rise as the first wheel component (2) continues to descend from the predetermined position while the first transmission connection part (322) abuts against the second transmission connection part (412).

3. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 2, characterized in that The first wheel assembly (2) further comprises a first suspension (22), a first spring (23), a first wheel frame (24) and a lifting platform (25); the caster (21) is mounted on the first suspension (22), the first suspension (22) is fixed to the first rack (31), the first wheel frame (24) is fixed to the housing (1), the lifting platform (25) can drive the first suspension (22) to descend via the first spring (23), and the lifting platform (25) can directly drive the first suspension (22) to ascend.

4. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: A lifting power source (8) mounted on the first wheel frame (24); as well as The transmission (9) comprises a lead screw (91), wherein the lead screw (91) is connected to the lifting power source (8) by transmission, and the lead screw (91) is threadedly connected to the lifting platform (25) to form a lead screw nut mechanism, thereby enabling the lifting power source (8) and the lifting platform (25) to be connected by transmission via the transmission (9), so that the lifting power source (8) can drive the lifting platform (25) to rise and fall via the transmission (9).

5. The autonomous mobile device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Also includes: A second wheel assembly (5), which is mounted on the housing (1) and has a driving wheel (51); as well as A second transmission assembly (6), wherein the second wheel assembly (5) and the dry cleaning assembly (4) can be linked via the second transmission assembly (6), so that as the dry cleaning assembly (4) rises relative to the housing (1), the second wheel assembly (5) can descend relative to the housing (1).

6. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second transmission assembly (6) comprises: a first connecting rod (61), one end of which is rotatably connected to the dry cleaning assembly (4), and the other end of which is rotatably connected to the housing (1) or the second wheel assembly (5); and A transmission rod (63) is rigidly connected to the first connecting rod (61), and the transmission rod (63) can swing with the rotation of the first connecting rod (61), thereby enabling the dry cleaning assembly (4) to drive the second wheel assembly (5) to descend via the transmission rod (63) while ascending.

7. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second transmission assembly (6) further comprises a second connecting rod (62), one end of which is rotatably connected to the dry cleaning assembly (4), and the other end of which is rotatably connected to the housing (1) or the second wheel assembly (5), so that the dry cleaning assembly (4), the first connecting rod (61), the second connecting rod (62) and the housing (1) form a four-bar linkage.

8. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The second wheel assembly (5) is provided with a driven portion (55), and after the dry cleaning assembly (4) rises to a predetermined position relative to the housing (1), the transmission rod (63) abuts against the driven portion (55), thereby driving the second wheel assembly (5) to descend as the dry cleaning assembly (4) continues to rise from the predetermined position while the transmission rod (63) abuts against the driven portion (55).

9. The autonomous mobile device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: It also comprises a wet cleaning component (7) for wet cleaning the surface to be cleaned, and the wet cleaning component (7) can be raised and lowered relative to the housing (1) independently of the dry cleaning component (4).

10. A method for operating an autonomous mobile device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The working method comprises: a first working mode, wherein the dry cleaning component (4) is in a lowered position relative to the housing (1), so that the dry cleaning component (4) is in a working state, and the wet cleaning component (7) is in a lowered position relative to the housing (1), so that the wet cleaning component (7) is in a working state; a second working mode, wherein the dry cleaning component (4) is in an ascending position relative to the housing (1), so that the dry cleaning component (4) is in a non-operating state, and the wet cleaning component (7) is in a descending position relative to the housing (1), so that the wet cleaning component (7) is in an operating state; a third working mode, wherein the dry cleaning component (4) is in a lowered position relative to the housing (1), so that the dry cleaning component (4) is in a working state, and the wet cleaning component (7) is in an raised position relative to the housing (1), so that the wet cleaning component (7) is in a non-working state; and A fourth working mode, wherein the dry cleaning component (4) is in an ascending position relative to the housing (1), so that the dry cleaning component (4) is in a non-operating state, the wet cleaning component (7) is in an ascending position relative to the housing (1), so that the wet cleaning component (7) is in a non-operating state, and the first wheel component (2) and the second wheel component (5) are in an ascending position relative to the housing (1). The housing (1) is in the lowered position.

11. An autonomous mobile device, characterized in that: include: Housing (1); A dry cleaning component (4) for performing dry cleaning on the surface to be cleaned; A wheel assembly (5) mounted on the housing (1), wherein the wheel assembly (5) comprises a driving wheel (51) and is provided with a driven part (55); at least one connecting rod (61, 62), the at least one connecting rod (61, 62) being connected to the housing (1) and the dry cleaning component (4), so that the at least one connecting rod (61, 62) can rotate during the process of the dry cleaning component (4) being raised or lowered relative to the housing (1); and A transmission rod (63) is rigidly connected to one connecting rod (61) of the at least one connecting rod (61, 62), and the transmission rod (63) can swing as the one connecting rod (61) rotates. After the dry cleaning component (4) rises to a predetermined position relative to the housing (1), the transmission rod (63) abuts against the driven part (55), thereby driving the wheel assembly (5) to descend as the dry cleaning component (4) continues to rise from the predetermined position.

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