Cleaning module, cleaning device, and cleaning system

Abstract

Provided are a cleaning module, a cleaning device, and a cleaning system. The cleaning module comprises a shielding member (10) and a side brush assembly (4). The shielding member (10) is provided with a passage (101), and the side brush assembly (4) comprises a brush head (45) and a side brush member (46) connected to the brush head (45). The brush head (45) can be raised above the shielding member (10), the side brush member (46) can pass through the passage (101), and at least part of the side brush member (46) can rotate onto the shielding member (10), so that the side brush member (46) can be relatively retracted, causing the side brush member (46) of the side brush assembly (4) to be completely separated from a floor being cleaned, thereby facilitating the operation of a robot under special working conditions, in scenarios where the robot is climbing over obstacles in a normal cleaning mode, and the like.

Description

Cleaning modules, cleaning equipment and cleaning systems Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202421867468.6, filed on August 2, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of electrical equipment technology, specifically to a cleaning module, cleaning equipment, and cleaning system. Background Technology

[0003] In related technologies, side brush components are commonly used accessories for robotic vacuum cleaners to expand the cleaning range and improve cleaning efficiency. When the robotic vacuum cleaner is in normal cleaning mode, the side brushes of the side brush component will always be extended, which is not conducive to the operation of the robot in some special working conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to the present disclosure, a cleaning module is designed to at least partially solve the technical problem that when the robot is in normal cleaning mode, the side brush of the side brush assembly will always be in an extended state, which is not conducive to the operation of the robot under some special working conditions.

[0005] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning module is provided, comprising: a shield having a passage portion; and a side brush assembly including a brush head and a side brush member connected to the brush head, the brush head being elevable above the shield, the side brush member being passable through the passage portion, and at least a portion of the side brush member being rotatable onto the shield.

[0006] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning device is provided, the cleaning device including a main unit and the aforementioned cleaning module, the cleaning module being mounted on the main unit.

[0007] In a third aspect, this disclosure also provides a cleaning system comprising a cooperating base station and the aforementioned cleaning equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a cleaning module in a low-lying extended position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the cleaning module shown in Figure 1 in a low-position retracted posture;

[0011] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the cleaning module shown in Figure 1 in a high-level retracted posture;

[0012] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the base shown in Figures 1-3;

[0013] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the base with the cover removed as shown in Figure 4;

[0014] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the power assembly and the base;

[0015] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the structure in Figure 6 with the cap removed;

[0016] Figure 8 shows an assembly diagram of the position confirmation component;

[0017] Figure 9 shows an assembly schematic diagram of the Geneva mechanism;

[0018] Figure 10 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 9;

[0019] Figure 11 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 6;

[0020] Figure 12 shows a partial schematic diagram of the cleaning module in Figure 2;

[0021] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the swing part of the side brush assembly abutting against the limiting part on the base;

[0022] Figure 14 shows a partial schematic diagram of the side brush assembly;

[0023] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the central shaft and the third gear;

[0024] Figure 16 shows a schematic diagram of the lifting assembly;

[0025] Figure 17 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of Figure 16;

[0026] Figure 18 shows a schematic diagram of the rotating component in Figure 16;

[0027] Figure 19 shows a schematic diagram of the lifting component in Figure 16;

[0028] Figure 20 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 19;

[0029] Figure 21 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the side brush assembly and the lifting component;

[0030] Figure 22 shows a schematic diagram of the reset component;

[0031] Figure 23 shows a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the anti-collision mechanism;

[0032] Figure 24 shows a schematic diagram of the anti-collision mechanism in Figure 23;

[0033] Figure 25 shows a cross-sectional view of the lifting component in Figure 19 from the top perspective;

[0034] Figure 26 shows a cross-sectional view of the lifting component in Figure 19 from the bottom perspective;

[0035] Figure 27 shows a schematic diagram of the running trajectory of the side brush component;

[0036] Figures 28-30 show schematic diagrams of the running trajectory of the side brush assembly in other embodiments;

[0037] Figure 31 shows a schematic flowchart of a method for operating a cleaning device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 32 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the side brush assembly and the shielding member of a cleaning device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 33 shows a schematic diagram of the side brush assembly in cleaning mode as shown in Figure 32;

[0040] Figure 34 shows a schematic diagram of the side brush assembly in Figure 32 in the raised posture;

[0041] Figure 35 shows a schematic diagram of the side brush assembly of Figure 32 rotated onto the shielding member;

[0042] Figure 36 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the shielding component in Figures 32-35;

[0043] Figure 37 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 36;

[0044] Figure 38 shows a schematic diagram of the positions of the side brush component and the blocking component in Figure 32;

[0045] Figure 39 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the shielding component and the cleaning housing;

[0046] Figure 40 shows a schematic diagram of the side brush assembly in Figure 32;

[0047] Figure 41 shows a schematic diagram of the internal structure of Figure 40;

[0048] Figure 42 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a brush assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 43 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 42;

[0050] Figure 44 shows a front view of Figure 42;

[0051] Figure 45 shows a top view of Figure 42; and

[0052] Figure 46 shows a schematic diagram of the working state of the side brush assembly shown in Figure 42.

[0053] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0054] Power assembly-1, drive motor-11, first gear-12, second gear-13, third gear-14, fourth gear-15; actuation assembly-2, actuation part-21, Geneva wheel mechanism-22, dial-221, Geneva wheel-222, drive pin-223, radial groove-224, actuation arm-23, insert-24; lifting assembly-3, rotating part-31, tray-311, lifting part-32, cylindrical structure-321, base-322, connecting part-323, protrusion structure-324, drive Block-33, Drive slot-34, First slot-341, Second slot-342, First blocking part-35, Side brush assembly-4, Passive part-41, Blocking arm-42, Side brush housing-43, Connecting port-431, Passive protrusion-44, Brush head-45, Side brush piece-46, Side brush arm-461, First arm body-461a, Second arm body-461b, Third arm body-461c, Brush-462, Guide part-463, Second blocking part-464, Blocking protrusion-467, Second recess-4 68, First inclined plane - 469, Second inclined plane - 4610, Position confirmation component - 47, Side brush housing - 48, Side brush motor - 49, Gear set - 410, Base - 5, Connecting part - 51, Support part - 52, Receiving cavity - 521, Limiting space - 5211, Swinging space - 5212, Assembly port - 522, Limiting wall - 523, Loading part - 53, Loading cavity - 531, Cover - 532, Swinging hole - 533, Position confirmation component - 6, Outer shell - 61, Mounting plate - 62, Light shield - 63, Central shaft - 7, Reset component - 8, First free end - 81, Second free end - 82, Anti-collision mechanism - 9, Trigger component - 91, Detector component - 92, Spring piece - 93, Shielding component - 10, Passing part - 101, Passing hole - 1011, Notch - 1012, First recess - 102, First blocking component - 103, Second blocking component - 104, Cleaning housing - 11, Storage cavity - 1101, Low-position extended posture - A, Low-position retracted posture - B, High-position retracted posture - C, High-position extended posture - D. Detailed Implementation

[0055] To enable those skilled in the art to more clearly understand this disclosure, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0056] Robotic vacuum cleaners are intelligent mobile cleaning products. When performing cleaning tasks, they mainly rely on the central roller brush to pick up dust from the floor and use the airflow generated by the fan inside the main unit to suck the dust into the dustbin. Since the area that the roller brush can cover is limited, two cleaning modules are arranged on both sides of the front roller brush of the robotic vacuum cleaner. The cleaning modules gather the dust on both sides of the roller brush into the area that the roller brush can cover, making it easier for the roller brush to clean. This increases the coverage area when the robotic vacuum cleaner cleans, expands the cleaning range, improves cleaning efficiency, and cleans small debris that is difficult to remove by the roller brush and main mop.

[0057] In related technologies, robotic vacuum cleaners have one or two cleaning modules arranged on the bottom of the machine. The cleaning modules are fixed on the chassis. When working, the side brushes of the cleaning modules are constantly rotating. When the machine is climbing over obstacles, carpets, or cleaning corners, the cleaning modules may hinder the machine's progress or roll up the carpet, causing the machine to be unable to clean in certain scenarios, affecting cleaning efficiency and user experience.

[0058] Based on the above-mentioned technical problems, embodiments of this disclosure provide a cleaning module, cleaning equipment, and cleaning system that enable machines to perform cleaning work in specific scenarios, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and user experience.

[0059] The design concept of this disclosure is to control the side brush assembly of the cleaning module by controlling its swinging and / or lifting movements to maintain different postures and positions, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and user experience in various cleaning scenarios. The technical solution will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] The cleaning module disclosed herein includes a power component 1, a toggle component 2, a lifting component 3, and a side brush component 4. The toggle component 2 is drively connected to the power component 1 and is provided with a toggle part 21 that can pause and reciprocate. The lifting component 3 includes a rotating part 31 and a lifting part 32. The rotating part 31 is connected to the power component 1, and the lifting part 32 and the rotating part 31 are intermittently threaded together. The side brush component 4 is connected to the lifting part 32 to move up and down synchronously with the lifting part 32. The side brush component 4 and the toggle component 2 are in intermittent contact to reciprocate under the drive of the toggle component 2.

[0061] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the cleaning module in a low-lying extended posture A according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the cleaning module shown in Figure 1 in a low-lying retracted posture B. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the cleaning module shown in Figure 1 in a high-lying retracted posture C. Referring to Figures 1-3, the power component 1 of the cleaning module is controlled to operate, driving the actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2 to reciprocate, thereby driving the side brush component 4, which is intermittently in contact with the actuating component 2, to reciprocate, so that the side brush component 4 is in both extended and retracted postures to adapt to scenarios such as the machine climbing over obstacles. Controlling the power component 1 to operate causes the rotating part of the power component 1 to rotate, driving the rotating part 31 of the lifting component 3 to rotate. The lifting part 32 is threadedly driven with the driving part to lift the side brush component 4 connected to the lifting part 32, so that the side brush component 4 is in a raised posture to adapt to scenarios such as the machine climbing over carpets or cleaning corners, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and user experience.

[0062] Since the actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2 switches between resting and reciprocating oscillation, it can be set that the actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2 reciprocates during the first cycle and remains stationary outside the first cycle without reciprocating oscillation. Since the lifting member 32 and the rotating member 31 of the lifting component 3 are intermittently threadedly connected, it can be set that the lifting member 32 and the rotating member 31 of the lifting component 3 are threadedly connected during the second cycle. During the second cycle, the lifting member 32 is threadedly driven to rise and fall by the rotating member 31, and outside the second cycle, the lifting member 32 is not threadedly driven by the rotating member 31. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the first cycle and the second cycle are set alternately, that is, the actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2 reciprocates during the first cycle to drive the side brush component 4 to reciprocate during the first cycle. The rotating member 31 of the lifting component 3 is threadedly driven with the driving member during the second cycle to drive the side brush component 4 connected to the lifting member 32 to rise and fall during the second cycle, so that the reciprocating oscillation and rising and falling of the side brush component 4 alternate in different cycles. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the first cycle and the second cycle have overlapping periods. For example, after the side brush component 4 reciprocates for a certain period of time, the side brush component 4 rises and falls; after the reciprocating oscillation of the side brush component 4 ends, the side brush component 4 continues to rise and fall. Alternatively, the first cycle is set within the second cycle, that is, the side brush component 4 rises and falls during the reciprocating oscillation of the side brush component 4 in the first cycle. Alternatively, the second cycle is set within the first cycle, that is, the side brush component 4 reciprocates while rising and falling in the first cycle. The cleaning module shown in this disclosure will now be further described by alternating the reciprocating oscillation and rising and falling of the side brush component 4 in different cycles.

[0063] Figure 4 shows a structural schematic diagram of the base shown in Figures 1-3, and Figure 5 shows a structural schematic diagram of the base shown in Figure 4 without the cover. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the cleaning module of this disclosure includes a base 5, which includes a connecting part 51, a supporting part 52, and a loading part 53. The connecting part 51 is disposed at the bottom of the supporting part 52 for assembling the base 5 onto a cleaning device. The supporting part 52 is generally a shell structure, which has a housing cavity 521 inside. The side of the housing cavity 521 is provided with an assembly port 522. The loading part 53 is connected to the top of the supporting part 52, and has a loading cavity 531 inside. The top of the loading cavity 531 is sealed by a detachable cover 532. The connecting part 51, the supporting part 52, and the loading part 53 can be integrally formed, or they can be assembled together by a detachable connection method such as snaps or / and bolts, which is not limited here. According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the connecting portion 51 and the device portion can be disposed on the same side of the support portion 52 in the horizontal direction to reduce the space they occupy and the overall volume of the machine, in order to conform to the design trend of product miniaturization. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the support portion 52 is connected to the middle portions of the connecting portion 51 and the device portion, respectively.

[0064] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the power assembly and the base, and Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of Figure 6 without the cover. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the power assembly 1 of this disclosure includes a drive motor 11, the top of which is connected to the bottom of the loading part 53. The output shaft of the drive motor 11 passes through the bottom of the loading part 53 and extends into the loading cavity 531. The power assembly 1 also includes a first gear 12, a second gear 13, and a third gear 14. In some embodiments, the first gear 12 is fixedly sleeved on the output shaft of the drive motor 11, and the first gear 12 and the output shaft of the drive motor 11 rotate synchronously. The second gear 13 meshes with the first gear 12 for transmission, and the third gear 14 is connected to the second gear 13 for transmission, thereby enabling the power assembly 1 to have two rotating parts, namely a portion of the circumferential surface of the second gear 13 and a portion of the circumferential surface of the third gear 14. For ease of description, the portion of the circumferential surface of the second gear 13 is defined as the first rotating part, and the portion of the circumferential surface of the third gear 14 is defined as the second rotating part.

[0065] Referring to Figure 7, according to one embodiment of this disclosure, the power assembly 1 may further include a fourth gear 15, which is disposed between the third gear 14 and the second gear 13, and meshes with both the third gear 14 and the second gear 13, respectively. That is, power is transmitted through the fourth gear 15 to drive its rotation. The fourth gear 15 has a smaller diameter, serving as a transition gear and providing sufficient space for the rotation of the side brush assembly 4. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, if there is sufficient space for the rotation of the side brush assembly 4, the fourth gear 15 may be omitted, allowing the third gear 14 and the second gear 13 to directly mesh and transmit power.

[0066] It should be noted that the second gear 13, the third gear 14 and the fourth gear 15 are all assembled into the loading cavity 531 of the device through corresponding rotating shafts.

[0067] Referring to Figure 7, this disclosure also includes a position confirmation element 6 for confirming the position and orientation of the side brush assembly 4, so that the cleaning module can be automatically controlled according to instructions. Figure 8 shows an assembly schematic diagram of the position confirmation element 6. Referring to Figures 6-8, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, the position confirmation element 6 may include a light blocking sensor and has three housings 61. The three housings 61 can be connected to a mounting plate 62 by means of snap-fit ​​or the like. The mounting plate 62 can be mounted on the top of the cover 532. The housings 61 can be arranged at intervals around the central axis 7 of the second gear 13. The light blocking element 63 is disposed on the top end face of the second gear 13, rotates synchronously with the second gear 13, and passes through the three housings 61 in sequence to form three position and orientation detection confirmations. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the position confirmation element 6 can also be a contact sensor such as a contact switch, which can be connected to the bottom of the cover 532 by means of a snap-fit ​​or the like. A trigger element 91 is provided on the top end face of the second gear 13 so that the trigger element 91 triggers the corresponding position confirmation element 6 under different position postures of the side brush assembly 4, so as to form a detection confirmation with three position postures.

[0068] The toggle assembly 2 disclosed herein includes an intermittent motion mechanism, which is a mechanism in which a component periodically moves and stops, and can convert the continuous rotation of the driving member into the periodic movement and stopping of the driven member. The output of the intermittent motion mechanism is connected to the toggle part 21 of the toggle assembly 2.

[0069] Common intermittent motion mechanisms include ratchet mechanisms, Geneva mechanisms 22, linkage mechanisms, and incomplete gear mechanisms. We will now take Geneva mechanism 22 as an example of an intermittent motion mechanism and further describe its specific details based on Figures 9-11.

[0070] Figure 9 shows an assembly schematic of the Geneva mechanism, and Figure 10 shows a structural schematic from another perspective of Figure 9. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the Geneva mechanism 22 includes a cooperating dial 221 and a Geneva wheel 222. In some embodiments, the dial 221 is driven by a first rotating part of the power assembly 1, and the actuating part 21 is disposed on the Geneva wheel 222. Driven by the first rotating part of the power assembly 1, the dial 221 rotates continuously. When the drive pin 223 on the dial 221 does not enter the radial groove 224 of the Geneva wheel 222, the Geneva wheel 222 remains stationary. When the drive pin 223 on the dial 221 enters the radial groove 224 of the Geneva wheel 222, the Geneva wheel 222 rotates under the drive pin 223. When the drive pin 223 on the dial 221 leaves the radial groove 224 of the Geneva wheel 222, the Geneva wheel 222 changes from rotation to stationary, thereby realizing the periodic rotation and rest of the Geneva wheel 222. The actuating part 21 is connected to the grooved wheel 222, and the actuating part 21 and the grooved wheel 222 rotate and stop synchronously and periodically.

[0071] The dial 221 can be integrally formed or detachably connected to the bottom end face of the second gear 13 of the power assembly 1. The dial 221 and the second gear 13 share a rotating shaft to enable synchronous rotation of the dial 221 and the second gear 13 of the power assembly 1. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the middle part of the grooved wheel 222 is also mounted in the loading cavity 531 via a corresponding rotating shaft. Two radial grooves 224 can be provided on the grooved wheel 222, and the central angle between the two radial grooves 224 is approximately 90°, slightly smaller than the central angle of the swing hole 533 provided at the bottom of the loading part 53. Under the condition that the dial 221 rotates one revolution, the grooved wheel 222 rotates approximately one-quarter revolution. According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, three or more radial grooves 224 can be provided on the grooved wheel 222, and the central angle between two adjacent radial grooves 224 can also be other angles, such as 30°, 60°, etc., which are not limited here.

[0072] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, a toggle arm 23 may be integrally formed or detachably connected to the peripheral portion of the grooved wheel 222. The toggle arm 23 passes through the bottom of the loading portion 53 and extends toward the connecting portion 51. This swing arm may be configured as the toggle portion 21 of the toggle assembly 2.

[0073] Figure 11 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 6. Referring to Figure 11, a swing hole 533 is provided at the bottom of the loading part 53, and the actuating arm 23 passes through the swing hole 533 at the bottom of the loading part 53. The swing hole 533 can be approximately fan-shaped, and its central angle is greater than or equal to the swing angle of the actuating part 21 of the actuating assembly 2, providing a swing space 5212 for the reciprocating swing of the actuating part 21 of the actuating assembly 2.

[0074] Figure 12 shows a partial schematic diagram of the cleaning module in Figure 2. To clearly show the position of the side brush assembly 4, parts such as the motor and brushes of the side brush assembly 4 are omitted in Figure 12. Referring to Figure 12, the side brush assembly 4 is provided with a passive part 41 that intermittently contacts the actuating part 21. When the actuating part 21 is driven to swing, the passive part 41 of the side brush assembly 4 contacts the actuating part 21 of the actuating assembly 2, so that the swinging actuating part 21 drives the passive part 41 of the cleaning module to swing, thereby causing the side brush assembly 4 to swing, thus placing the cleaning module in two positions: extended and retracted, to adapt to scenarios such as the machine climbing over obstacles.

[0075] Referring to Figure 12, the cleaning module includes a central shaft 7 connected to a base 5. The side brush assembly 4 can reciprocate around the central shaft 7. The two ends of the central shaft 7 are respectively connected to the connecting part 51 and the supporting part of the base 5.

[0076] Referring to Figure 12, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, a passive part 41 is disposed on the periphery of the side brush assembly 4, and only one passive part 41 is provided. When the agitator 21 swings, the passive part 41 of the side brush assembly 4 contacts the agitator 21 of the agitator 2. The swinging agitator 21 drives the cleaning module to swing, so that the side brush assembly 4 switches from an extended posture to a retracted posture to adapt to scenarios such as the machine climbing over obstacles. In order to switch the side brush assembly 4 from a retracted posture to an extended posture, the cleaning module according to this disclosure also includes a reset member 8, which is connected to the side brush assembly 4. When the passive part 41 is driven to swing by the agitator 21, the reset member 8 deforms. When the passive part 41 and the agitator 21 are separated, the reset member 8 returns to its original shape to drive the side brush assembly 4 to switch from a retracted posture to an extended posture. That is, the switching between the extended posture and the retracted posture of the side brush assembly 4 is realized through the combination of the agitator 21 and the reset member 8. For the specific assembly method of reset component 8, please refer to the relevant description below.

[0077] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the swinging part of the side brush assembly abutting against the limiting part on the base. Referring to Figures 12 and 13, a limiting part is also provided on the base 5. When the passive part 41 of the side brush assembly 4 swings to the retracted position driven by the toggle part 21 of the toggle assembly 2, the side brush assembly 4 is blocked and limited by the limiting part of the base 5, so that the side brush assembly 4 cannot continue to swing.

[0078] Referring to Figure 13, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, the inner wall of the receiving cavity 521 of the support portion 52 of the base 5 is provided with a limiting wall 523 extending into the receiving cavity 521. This limiting wall 523 can be configured as a limiting portion of the base 5. The limiting wall 523 in the receiving cavity 521 is arranged generally vertically, dividing the receiving cavity 521 into two spaces, namely a limiting space 5211 and a swinging space 5212, in which the passive portion 41 swings. When the side brush assembly 4 is in a retracted posture, the passive portion 41 of the side brush assembly 4 is clamped between the actuating portion 21 of the actuating component 2 and the limiting wall 523. The actuating portion 21 of the actuating component 2 and the limiting wall 523 form a limiting channel to keep the side brush assembly 4 in a retracted posture. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the inner wall of the receiving cavity 521 of the support portion 52 of the base 5 is provided with a limiting block extending into the receiving cavity 521. The limiting block can be configured as a limiting portion of the base 5. The limiting block and the limiting wall 523 have similar structures and functions, except that the limiting block is suspended in the receiving cavity 521. The top and bottom of the limiting block do not have the connection portion 51 and the support portion 52 structure of the base 5, which will not be described in detail here.

[0079] Figure 14 shows a partial schematic diagram of the side brush assembly. Referring to Figures 13 and 14, the side brush assembly 4 may further include a blocking arm 42. One end of the blocking arm 42 is movably mounted on the central shaft 7, and the other end of the blocking arm 42 extends horizontally or nearly horizontally out of the side brush housing 43. The blocking arm 42 moves synchronously with the side brush assembly 4, swinging within the limiting space 5211, while the passive part 41 swings within the swinging space 5212. When the side brush assembly 4 swings to its retracted position, the passive part 41 abuts against the side of the swinging space 5212 facing the limiting wall 523, and the blocking arm 42 abuts against the side wall of the assembly opening 522 of the receiving cavity 521 located on the outer side, thereby restricting the side brush assembly 4 from maintaining its retracted position. During the process of the side brush assembly 4 switching from the retracted posture to the extended posture, the blocking arm 42 moves towards the limiting wall 523 within the limiting space 5211. When the side brush assembly 4 switches to the extended posture, the blocking arm 42 abuts against the limiting wall 523 to keep the side brush assembly 4 in the extended posture, so that the side brush assembly 4 can work normally.

[0080] Referring to FIG14, the side brush assembly 4 also includes a passive protrusion extending in a horizontal or near-horizontal direction, which can be configured as a passive portion 41 of the side brush assembly 4.

[0081] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, two passive parts 41 may be provided. The actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2 oscillates back and forth between the two passive parts 41 to switch the side brush component 4 from an extended posture to a retracted posture. When the actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2 oscillates, one passive part 41 of the side brush component 4 contacts the actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2. The oscillating actuating part 21 drives the cleaning module to oscillate, so that the side brush component 4 switches from an extended posture to a retracted posture to adapt to scenarios such as the machine climbing over obstacles. When the side brush component 4 switches from a retracted posture to an extended posture, the actuating part 21 is controlled by the power component 1 to oscillate in the opposite direction. The other passive part 41 of the side brush component 4 contacts the actuating part 21 of the actuating component 2. The oscillating actuating part 21 drives the side brush component 4 to oscillate, so that the side brush component 4 switches from a retracted posture to an extended posture.

[0082] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the central shaft and the third gear. Referring to Figure 15, the top end of the central shaft 7 is connected to the rotation shaft of the third gear 14, so that the central shaft 7 and the third gear 14 rotate synchronously while the third gear 14 rotates, thus enabling the central shaft 7 to also have a rotational function. In a specific implementation, the interior of the third gear 14 can be hollow, with the top end of the central shaft 7 extending into the interior of the third gear 14. The inner wall of the third gear 14 and the top end of the central shaft 7 are connected by an insert 24, so that the third gear 14 and the top end of the central shaft 7 are connected as a whole, allowing the rotating third gear 14 to drive the central shaft 7 to rotate synchronously. The central shaft 7 can be configured as the rotating component 31 of the lifting assembly 3.

[0083] Figure 16 shows a schematic diagram of the lifting assembly. Referring to Figure 16, the lifting member 32 of the lifting assembly 3 is positioned on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member 31 to allow the lifting member 32 to move up and down on the circumferential surface of the rotating member 31. Further details of the lifting assembly 3 are described based on Figures 15-26.

[0084] Figure 17 shows a cross-sectional view of Figure 16. Referring to Figures 16 and 17, a drive block 33 and a drive groove 34 are provided on the circumferential surface of the rotating member 31 and the lifting member 32. The drive block 33 reciprocates within the drive groove 34. The drive block 33 is spiral-shaped, and the drive groove 34 includes a spiral-shaped first groove and a planar second groove. When the side brush assembly 4 is driven to swing by the actuating component 2, the drive block 33 runs in the planar second groove, and the lifting member 32 idles within the rotating member 31. When the side brush assembly 4 is blocked and limited by the limiting part of the base 5, preventing the side brush assembly 4 from continuing to swing, the drive block 33 runs in the spiral first groove, causing the rotating member 31 and the lifting member 32 to be threadedly connected, thereby driving the lifting member 32 to rise and fall on the circumferential surface of the rotating member 31. Because the lifting member 32 is connected to the side brush assembly 4, the side brush assembly 4 can also rise and fall, allowing the side brush assembly 4 to switch between a retracted posture and a raised posture.

[0085] Figure 18 shows a structural schematic diagram of the rotating component in Figure 16, and Figure 19 shows a structural schematic diagram of the lifting component in Figure 16. Referring to Figures 18 and 19, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the drive block 33 can be integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating component 31. Two or more drive blocks 33 can be spaced apart, which can improve the balance and reliability of the drive blocks 33 running in the drive groove 34, thereby improving the reliability of the attitude switching of the side brush assembly 4. The lifting component 32 includes a cylindrical structure 321, which is sleeved on the rotating component 31, and the drive groove 34 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical structure 321. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the drive block 33 can be integrally formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lifting component 32, and the drive groove 34 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating component 31.

[0086] Referring to Figure 18, a tray 311 can also be integrally formed and connected to the outer periphery of the rotating member 31. The tray 311 is placed inside the lifting member 32 and located below the drive groove 34. When the side brush assembly 4 is in the low-position extended posture A or the low-position retracted posture B, the tray 311 supports the lifting member 32 to improve the reliability of the side brush assembly 4 connected to the lifting member 32 in the low-position operation.

[0087] Figure 20 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 19. Referring to Figure 20, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a protrusion structure 324 is integrally formed on the periphery of the rotating member 31 or the lifting member 32, and a driving groove 34 is formed on the periphery of the protrusion structure 324. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving groove 34 may also be formed in a first recessed structure within the periphery of the rotating member 31 or the lifting member 32.

[0088] Referring to Figure 20, a first blocking part 35 is also provided at both ends of the drive groove 34. The first blocking part 35 can be a protruding structure, which is integrally formed on the peripheral side wall of the rotating part 31 or the lifting part 32 to block the displacement of the drive block 33 in the drive groove 34 and improve the reliability of the attitude switching of the side brush assembly 4.

[0089] Referring to Figures 19 and 20, the lifting member 32 further includes a base 322 and a connecting portion 323. The cylindrical structure 321 and the connecting portion 323 are both connected to the base 322. The connecting portion 323 and the cylindrical structure 321 are arranged parallel or substantially parallel. The connecting portion 323 and the side brush assembly 4 can be connected by screws or snap-fit, so that the lifting member 32 and the side brush assembly 4 are connected together and can move synchronously. In some embodiments, referring to Figure 12, when the side brush assembly 4 is in the extended position, the connecting portion 323 also abuts against the side wall of the assembly port 522 of the receiving cavity 521 to limit the position of the side brush assembly 4 and keep the side brush assembly 4 in the extended position.

[0090] Figure 21 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the side brush assembly and the lifting member. Referring to Figure 21, the side brush assembly 4 includes a side brush housing 43 for mounting the components of the side brush assembly 4. The side brush housing 43 is provided with a through-hole. The bottom part of the side brush housing 43 is located on the base 322 of the lifting member 32. The cylindrical structure 321 of the lifting member 32 is connected to the through-hole. The connecting part 323 of the lifting member 32 is connected to the side brush housing 43.

[0091] Figure 22 shows a schematic diagram of the reset member. Referring to Figures 21 and 22, the reset member 8 can be a torsion spring, which is fitted onto the cylindrical structure 321 of the lifting member 32. The reset member 8 has a first free end 81 and a second free end 82. There can be two first free ends 81. The first free end 81 of the reset member 8 abuts against the connecting portion 323 of the lifting member 32, and the second free end 82 of the reset member 8 abuts against the side brush housing 43. During the process of the side brush assembly 4 switching from the extended posture to the retracted posture, the reset member 8 is compressed, and through the deformation of the reset member 8, the side brush assembly 4 switches from the retracted posture to the extended posture. In some embodiments, when the machine travels along obstacles such as walls, the walls or obstacles may force the side brush assembly 4 to move inwards. The reset member 8 can buffer the movement of the side brush assembly 4 inwards, avoiding damage to the side brush assembly 4 caused by hard contact.

[0092] Figure 23 shows a schematic diagram of the anti-collision mechanism arrangement. Referring to Figure 23, the cleaning module also includes an anti-collision mechanism 9, which is connected to the side of the side brush assembly 4. When the anti-collision mechanism comes into contact with an obstacle, a trigger signal is generated to control the side brush assembly 4 to retract inward, so that the machine can move normally.

[0093] Figure 24 shows a schematic diagram of the anti-collision mechanism in Figure 23. Referring to Figure 24, the anti-collision mechanism 9 includes a detection element 92 and a trigger element 91. The detection element 92 is disposed on the side of the side brush assembly 4, and the trigger element 91 protrudes from the side of the side brush assembly 4 and is elastically connected to the detection element 92. For example, the inner side of the trigger element 91 is connected to the detection element 92 via a spring piece 93. When the trigger element 91 collides with an obstacle, the trigger element 91 moves towards the detection element 92 and contacts the detection element 92 to generate a trigger signal. Under the condition of contact with the obstacle, the trigger element 91 returns to its initial position.

[0094] For ease of description, we define the side brush component 4 in the extended working posture as the low-position extended posture A, the side brush component 4 in the retracted posture as the low-position retracted posture B, the side brush component 4 in the raised retracted posture as the high-position retracted posture C, and the side brush component 4 in the raised extended posture as the high-position extended posture D.

[0095] Figure 25 shows a cross-sectional view of the lifting component in Figure 19 from the top, and Figure 26 shows a cross-sectional view of the lifting component in Figure 19 from the bottom. Referring to Figures 25 and 26, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, two first grooves 341 are provided, and the two first grooves 341 are respectively provided at both ends of the second groove 342. Figure 27 shows a schematic diagram of the running trajectory of the side brush assembly 4. Referring to Figure 27, when the side brush assembly 4 is in the low-position extended posture A, the drive block 33 is placed in the bottom second groove 342. When the side brush assembly 4 is tossed by the toggle component 2, the side brush assembly 4 swings from the low-position extended posture A to the low-position retracted posture B. During this process, the reset component 8 is compressed, and the drive block 33 runs in the bottom second groove 342 until it reaches the entrance end of the first groove 341. Since the second groove 342 is a planar portion, it can provide support for the drive block 33, enabling the side brush assembly 4 to stably switch postures. Driven by the power assembly 1, the rotating component 31 rotates, and the driving block 33 runs within the first groove 341 until it reaches the entrance of the second groove 342 at the top. Since the rotating component 31 and the lifting component 32 are threadedly connected, and the lifting component 32 is connected to the side brush assembly 4, the lifting component 32 is driven to rise on the circumference of the rotating component 31 during the movement of the driving block 33 within the first groove 341, thereby driving the side brush assembly 4 to rise along the limiting portion. This allows the side brush assembly 4 to switch from a low-position retracted posture B to a high-position retracted posture C. Driven by the power assembly 1, the rotating component 31 continues to rotate, and the driving block 33 runs into the second groove 342 at the top, at which point the power assembly 1 stops operating. During this process, the side brush assembly 4 remains stationary, and the driving block 33 rests within the second groove 342. Because the second groove 342 is a planar portion, it provides support for the driving block 33, enabling the side brush assembly 4 to stably switch postures. The power assembly 1 rotates in the reverse direction, and the drive block 33 moves from the top second groove 342 into the first groove 341. The side brush assembly 4 descends along the limiting part, switching from the high-retracted posture C to the low-retracted posture B. The power assembly 1 stops working, the compressed elastic element resets, and the drive block 33 moves in the bottom second groove 342, switching the side brush assembly 4 from the low-retracted posture B to the low-extended posture A for normal operation. In this embodiment, the side brush assembly 4 can switch between four postures (low-extended posture A, low-retracted posture B, and high-retracted posture C), which can meet different usage scenarios, improve cleaning efficiency, and enable the machine to operate normally. In some embodiments, when the side brush assembly 4 is in a certain posture, the drive block 33 is always located in the second groove 342 of the planar portion, which can support the side brush assembly 4 and improve the stability of the side brush assembly 4 during normal operation.

[0096] Referring to Figure 28, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, after the side brush assembly 4 switches from the low-retracted posture B to the high-retracted posture C, the power assembly 1 stops working, the compressed elastic element resets, and the drive block 33 reverses its movement in the second groove 342 at the top, causing the side brush assembly 4 to switch from the high-retracted posture C to the high-extended posture D, enabling the side brush assembly 4 to work at a certain height for cleaning parts at a certain height. The second output of the power assembly 1 is reversed, and the drive block 33 reverses its movement in the first groove 341 to drive the lifting member 32 and the side brush assembly 4 to switch from the high-extended posture D to the low-extended posture A. The power assembly 1 continues to reverse, and the drive block 33 moves to the second groove 342 at the bottom, at which point the power assembly 1 stops working, awaiting the next posture switch. In this embodiment, the side brush assembly 4 can switch between four postures (low-position extended posture A, low-position retracted posture B, high-position retracted posture C, and high-position extended posture D), which can meet different usage scenarios, improve cleaning efficiency, and enable the machine to operate normally. In some embodiments, when the side brush assembly 4 is in a certain posture, the drive block 33 is located in the second groove 342 of the planar portion, which can support the side brush assembly 4 and improve the stability of the side brush assembly 4 during normal operation.

[0097] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, only one of the second groove 342 and the first groove 341 may be provided. The second groove 342 may be located at the bottom or top of the first groove 341, allowing the side brush assembly 4 to be in different postures. For example, referring to FIG29, with the second groove 342 located at the bottom of the first groove 341, the side brush assembly 4 can sequentially switch from a low-end extension posture A to a low-end retracted posture B and a high-end retracted posture C. Alternatively, it can sequentially switch from a high-end retracted posture C to a low-end retracted posture B and a low-end extension posture A to meet different usage scenarios, improve cleaning efficiency, and ensure the normal operation of the machine. Referring to FIG30, with the second groove 342 located at the top of the first groove 341, the side brush assembly 4 can sequentially switch from a low-end extension posture A to a high-end extension posture D and a high-end retracted posture C. Alternatively, it can sequentially switch from a high-end retracted posture C to a high-end extension posture D and a low-end extension posture A to meet different usage scenarios, improve cleaning efficiency, and ensure the normal operation of the machine.

[0098] In summary, the cleaning module disclosed herein can switch the side brush assembly in different postures (extension and / or lifting) through a single drive motor to adapt to different cleaning scenarios, thereby improving cleaning effect and efficiency, and demonstrating excellent adaptability and practicality.

[0099] While the aforementioned cleaning module allows the side brush assembly to rise, facilitating the robot's movement over obstacles during normal cleaning, certain conditions, such as limited lifting height of the side brush assembly, mean that the brush bristles may still come into contact with the surface being cleaned. This is particularly problematic when there are easily tangled materials like carpets on the surface, hindering the robot's movement. Therefore, the cleaning module disclosed herein facilitates robot movement.

[0100] Figure 32 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the side brush assembly and the shielding member of a cleaning device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 33 shows a schematic diagram of the side brush assembly of Figure 32 in the cleaning mode. Figure 34 shows a schematic diagram of the side brush assembly of Figure 32 in the raised position. Figure 35 shows a schematic diagram of the side brush assembly of Figure 32 rotated onto the shielding member. Referring to Figures 32-35, the cleaning module according to the present disclosure includes a shielding member 10 and a side brush assembly 4. The shielding member 10 is provided with a passage portion 101. The side brush assembly 4 includes a brush head 45 and a side brush member 46 connected to the brush head 45. The brush head 45 can be raised above the shielding member 10. The side brush member 46 can pass through the passage portion 101. At least a portion of the side brush member 46 can be rotated onto the shielding member 10.

[0101] According to the cleaning module of this disclosure, as shown in Figure 33, in cleaning mode, at least a portion of the brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 and the side brush component 46 are positioned above the shield 10, as shown in Figure 34. The brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 can be raised above the shield 10 to drive the side brush connected to the brush head 45 to rise. Then, the brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 is controlled to rotate, driving the brush head 45 and the side brush component 46 to rotate synchronously, so that at least a portion of the side brush component 46 rotates onto the shield 10, forming the state shown in Figure 35. This allows the side brush component 46 to be relatively retracted, completely separating the side brush component 46 of the side brush assembly 4 from the cleaning surface. This facilitates the robot's operation under special working conditions, such as when the robot is in normal cleaning mode and is climbing over obstacles. In standby mode, this also reduces the space occupied by the side brush component 46 and improves the robot's aesthetics, demonstrating good practicality. Further details of the shield 10 are described based on Figures 32-40.

[0102] Figure 36 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the shielding member in Figures 32-35. Referring to Figure 36, the shielding member 10 of this disclosure can be a sheet structure. When the cleaning module is assembled on the robot, the shielding member 10 is located at the bottom of the robot. A through hole 1011 is provided on the side of the shielding member 10 near the robot. The through hole 1011 can be configured as the aforementioned through part 101.

[0103] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, as described above, the side brush assembly 4 of the cleaning module has a reciprocating oscillation function. To enable the side brush assembly 4 to oscillate normally, a notch 102 is provided on the edge of the shielding member 10. This notch 102 communicates with a through hole 1011, and the notch 102 and the through hole 1011 are combined to form the aforementioned through portion 101. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, if the diameter of the through hole 1011 is sufficient for the reciprocating oscillation of the side brush assembly 4, or if the side brush assembly 4 does not have a reciprocating oscillation function, the notch 102 may not be provided on the edge of the shielding member 10; this is not a limitation.

[0104] Figure 37 shows a structural schematic diagram from another perspective of Figure 36. Referring to Figure 37, a first recess 102 may be provided at the bottom of the shielding member 10. The first recess 102 is provided around the passage portion 101. The provision of the first recess 102 can provide rotation space for the rotation of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4, so as to avoid affecting the operation of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4.

[0105] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 can swing and move up and down within the passage portion 101, for example, using the cleaning module described above. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 may also move up and down only within the passage portion 101, for example, by eliminating the toggle component in the cleaning module described above. Alternatively, the side brush assembly 4 may be connected to a linear reciprocating motion mechanism, so that the side brush assembly 4 moves up and down within the passage portion 101 under the drive of the linear reciprocating motion mechanism; this is not limited to any particular embodiment.

[0106] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, if the lifting height of the side brush assembly 4 is insufficient, at least a portion of the side of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 rises to the side of the shield 10. Then, the brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 is controlled to rotate, and the side brush member 46 rotates synchronously with the brush head 45. At least a portion of the side brush member 46 deforms under the action of the shield 10, so that the side brush member 46 rotates to the top of the shield 10. At least a portion of the side brush member 46 contacts the top of the shield 10. The side brush member 46 rotates along the top of the shield 10 onto the shield 10, so that the side brush member 46 can be relatively retracted, and the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 is completely separated from the cleaning surface.

[0107] Figure 38 shows a schematic diagram of the positions of the side brush and the shielding member in Figure 32. Referring to Figure 38, in order to enable the shielding member 10 to rotate smoothly to the top of the shielding member 10, a guide portion 463 is provided at least one of the locations where the side of the side brush 46 and the side of the shielding member 10 come into contact. As shown in the figure, in one embodiment, the side brush 46 includes a side brush arm 461 and a brush 462. The side brush arm 461 is connected to the brush head 45, and the brush 462 is connected to the side brush arm 461. At least a portion of the side of the side brush arm 461 of the side brush 46 rises to the side of the shield 10. The side of the side brush arm 461 is provided with a guide portion 463. The side brush arm 461 rotates along the guide portion 463 until it deforms and rotates to the top of the shield 10. At least a portion of the side brush arm 461 of the side brush 46 contacts the top of the shield 10. The side brush arm 461 of the side brush 46 rotates against the top of the shield 10 to the shield 10 so that the bristles of the side brush 46 can be relatively retracted, so that the side brush 46 of the side brush assembly 4 is completely separated from the cleaning surface. In another embodiment, the guide portion 463 may also be provided on the side of the shielding member 10, or the guide portion 463 may be provided on both the side of the side brush member 46 and the side of the shielding member 10, without limitation.

[0108] Referring to FIG38, in one embodiment, the guide portion 463 includes a guide ramp so that the side brush arm 461 of the side brush member 46 can rotate along the slope of the guide ramp to the top of the shield member 10. In another embodiment, the guide ramp may also include an arcuate surface, or a combination of an arcuate surface and a guide ramp, which is not limited here.

[0109] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, if the rising height of the side brush assembly 4 is sufficient, the side brush 46 of the side brush assembly 4 can be raised above the shielding member 10. Then, the brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 is controlled to rotate, and the side brush 46 rotates synchronously with the brush head 45, so that at least a portion of the side brush 46 rotates onto the shielding member 10, so that the side brush 46 can be relatively retracted, and the side brush 46 of the side brush assembly 4 is completely separated from the cleaning surface.

[0110] Figure 39 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly of the shielding member and the cleaning housing. Referring to Figure 39, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to limit the rotational position of the side brush member 46, a first blocking member 103 may be provided on the top of the shielding member 10, and the side brush member 46 rotating on the shielding member 10 may abut against the first blocking member 103. In a specific implementation, a plate-like structure may be provided on the top of the shielding member 10. This plate-like structure can be configured as the first blocking member 103, which abuts against the bristles 462 of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 to limit the side brush assembly 4 from continuing to rotate. On the other hand, it can also be connected to the cleaning housing 11 of the machine, so that the shielding member 10 is connected and assembled to the cleaning housing 11 of the machine.

[0111] Referring to Figure 39, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, a second blocking member 104 may also be provided on the top of the blocking member 10. The second blocking member 104 and the first blocking member 103 are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the passage portion 101. The side brush member 46 rotating on the blocking member 10 can move between the first blocking member 103 and the second blocking member 104. When the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 returns to its original position, the second blocking member 104 can contact the side brush arm 461 or the brush 462 of the side brush assembly 4 to limit the position of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4, so that the side brush assembly 4 can quickly return to the cleaning position. In a specific implementation, the top of the shielding member 10 can be provided with another plate-like structure. This plate-like structure can be configured as a second blocking member 104, which abuts against the brush 462 or brush arm 461 of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 to restrict the side brush assembly 4 from continuing to rotate. On the other hand, it can also be connected to the cleaning housing 11 of the machine so that the shielding member 10 is connected and assembled to the cleaning housing 11 of the machine. The first blocking member 103, the second blocking member 104, the shielding member 10 and the housing of the machine can form a storage cavity 1101. When the side brush assembly 4 is in a raised position or in a standby mode, at least a portion of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 can be retracted into the storage cavity 1101.

[0112] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, referring to FIG39, the first blocking member 103 and the second blocking member 104 can be integrated into the cleaning housing 11 and assembled to corresponding positions on the top of the shielding member 10 by screws or other connecting members. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the first blocking member 103 and the second blocking member 104 can be integrated into the top of the shielding member 10 and assembled to corresponding positions on the cleaning housing 11 by screws or other connecting members, without limitation.

[0113] Figure 40 shows a structural schematic diagram of the side brush assembly of Figure 32, and Figure 41 shows a schematic diagram of the internal structure of Figure 40. Referring to Figures 39 and 40, in order to confirm the position of the side brush assembly 4, the side brush assembly 4 is also provided with a position confirming member 47 to confirm the position of the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 on the blocking member 10. Under the condition that the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 has been confirmed to have rotated into place, the brush head 45 of the side brush assembly 4 is controlled to stop rotating, so that the side brush member 46 of the side brush assembly 4 is held in the set position. In a specific implementation, the side brush assembly 4 includes a side brush housing 48, a side brush motor 49, and a gear set 410 connected by transmission. The position confirming member 47 may include a Hall element and a magnet that cooperate with each other. In some embodiments, the magnet is connected to a gear in the gear set 410 and rotates synchronously with the gear. The Hall element is placed on the side brush housing 48 to confirm the position of the magnet, and then confirm the position of the side brush member 46.

[0114] In one embodiment, referring to FIG40, two position confirmation elements 47 may be provided to respectively confirm that the side brush 46 is in the cleaning position and the position rotated onto the blocking member 10. In another embodiment, only one position confirmation element 47 may be provided. This position confirmation element 47 is used to confirm that the side brush 46 is in the cleaning position. When the side brush 46 rotates onto the blocking member 10 and abuts against the first blocking member 103, the instantaneous current of the side brush motor 49 increases, thereby confirming that the side brush 46 has rotated onto the blocking member 10.

[0115] In related technologies, during the operation of cleaning equipment, flexible debris such as hair and thread on the ground can easily get tangled on the side brush, affecting both the cleaning effect and the normal use of the cleaning equipment. During routine maintenance, the hair on the side brush is also difficult to clean, affecting the user experience.

[0116] Based on the aforementioned technical problems, a side brush assembly according to this disclosure aims to at least reduce or even avoid the phenomenon of flexible debris entangled on the side brush, thereby improving the cleaning effect, ensuring normal use of the cleaning equipment, and facilitating the cleaning of the side brush, thus enhancing the user experience. Further details of the side brush assembly are described based on Figures 42-46.

[0117] Figure 42 shows a structural schematic diagram of a side brush assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 43 shows a structural schematic diagram of Figure 42 from another perspective, and Figure 44 shows a front view of Figure 42. Referring to Figures 42-44, a side brush assembly according to the present disclosure includes a brush head 45 and a side brush member 46. The side brush member 46 is connected to the brush head 45 and includes bristles 462. A second blocking portion 464 is provided on the side brush member 46. The projection of the second blocking portion 464 on the brush head 45 at least coincides with the projection portion of the bristles 462 on the brush head 45, so as to prevent hair wrapped around the side brush member 46 from entering the brush head 45 along the direction of the side brush member 46.

[0118] According to the side brush assembly of this disclosure, since the side brush 46 is provided with a second blocking part 464, the projection of the second blocking part 464 on the brush head 45 at least partially overlaps with the projection of the bristles 462 on the brush head 45, that is, the second blocking part 464 protrudes from the periphery of the bristles 462. During the rotation of the side brush assembly, if hair, thread or other flexible debris gets tangled on a side brush edge, the second blocking part 464 can prevent the hair tangled on the side brush 46 from entering the brush head 45 along the direction of the side brush 46. This can prevent the drive shaft of the cleaning equipment connected to the brush head 45 from being tangled by hair, thread or other flexible debris, thus preventing it from stopping. This avoids affecting the cleaning effect, allows the cleaning equipment to be used normally, and improves the user experience.

[0119] Referring to Figures 42-44, in some embodiments, three side brushes 46 may be provided. These three side brushes 46 are evenly spaced around the circumference of the brush head 45 to ensure sufficient cleaning coverage. In other embodiments, one, two, four, or five side brushes 46 may be provided. When two or more side brushes 46 are provided, they may also be arranged at unequal intervals around the circumference of the brush head 45; this is not limited here.

[0120] Referring to Figures 42-44, in some embodiments, the side brush 46 may include a side brush arm 461 and bristles 462. In some embodiments, one end of the side brush arm 461 is connected to the brush head 45, and the other end of the side brush arm 461 extends away from the brush head 45. The bristles 462 are connected to the other end of the side brush arm 461 and extend away from the side brush arm 461. The bristles 462 and the part of the floor being cleaned can be defined as the cleaning end of the side brush 46. The second blocking part 464 mentioned above is provided on the side brush arm 461.

[0121] Referring to Figures 42-44, a blocking protrusion 467 may be provided on the side brush arm 461, and the blocking protrusion 467 can be configured with the aforementioned second blocking part 464.

[0122] Referring to Figures 42-44, a second recess 468 may be provided on the second blocking part 464, with the opening side of the second recess 468 facing the brush bristles. If flexible debris such as hair or thread gets tangled on the side brush 46, it will accumulate in the second recess 468 of the second blocking part 464. The second recess 468 can restrict the movement path of flexible debris such as hair or thread to a certain extent, further preventing hair from moving from the side brush 46 to other positions, such as to the brush head 45, or to components adjacent to the side brush 46 on the cleaning device, thereby avoiding malfunction of the cleaning device.

[0123] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the opening side of the second recess 468 has an included angle greater than or equal to 90°, so that the second blocking part 464 has a sufficiently large receiving space to prevent flexible debris such as hair and thread on the side brush 46 from entering the brush head 45 along the direction of the side brush 46. According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the included angle formed by the opening side of the second recess 468 can also be an acute angle, which can also prevent flexible debris such as hair and thread on the side brush 46 from entering the brush head 45 along the direction of the side brush 46.

[0124] Referring to Figure 44, in a specific implementation, the blocking protrusion 467 can be disposed near the other end of the side brush arm 461 to extend the distance between the hair and the brush head 45 to a certain extent, preventing the part of the hair protruding from the second blocking portion 464 from contacting the brush head 45 and thus being rolled into the brush head 45. In some embodiments, the blocking protrusion 467 is preferably disposed at the bottom of the side brush arm, and the bottom of the side brush arm 461 can be provided with a first inclined surface 469. The lower end of the first inclined surface 469 is connected to the side of the blocking protrusion 467 facing the bristles 462, and the upper end of the first inclined surface 469 extends towards the other end of the side brush arm 461, that is, the first inclined surface 469 is disposed obliquely upward, and the side of the blocking protrusion 467 facing the bristles 462 is provided with a second inclined surface 4610, the upper end of the second inclined surface 4610 being connected to the side brush arm 461. At the bottom of the brush arm 461, the lower end of the second inclined surface 4610 extends away from the bristles 462, that is, the second inclined surface 4610 is set at an angle downward. The bottom end of the first inclined surface 469 and the top end of the second inclined surface 4610 intersect to form the two sides of the second recess 468. The first inclined surface 469 and the second inclined surface 4610 form the two sidewalls of the second recess 468. The included angle between the first inclined surface 469 and the second inclined surface 4610 forms the included angle of the opening side of the second recess 468.

[0125] In other embodiments, only the first inclined surface 469 or only the second inclined surface 4610 can be provided to achieve the technical effect that the angle between the bottom of the other end of the side brush arm 461 and the side of the blocking protrusion 467 facing the bristles 462 is greater than or equal to 90°, which will not be elaborated here.

[0126] It should be noted that the second blocking part 464 can also be provided in the middle of the side brush arm 461 or at the top of the side brush arm 461. For example, an outwardly extending circumferential protrusion is provided on the circumferential surface of the middle part of the side brush arm 461, and this circumferential protrusion can be configured as the aforementioned second blocking part 464. No limitation is made here.

[0127] Referring to Figure 44, in some embodiments, the side brush arm 461 may include multiple arm segments, at least two of which have different thicknesses, so that the side brush arm 461 has a certain deformability. This is because the side brush arm 461 is usually made of soft rubber material. The cleaning end of the side brush 46 will deform when it comes into contact with the cleaned ground, but the side brush arm 461 needs to maintain a certain connection strength. Therefore, the side brush arm 461 can be divided into multiple arm segments, at least two of which have different thicknesses, to meet the above requirements.

[0128] Referring to Figure 44, the thickness of the multi-segment arm can gradually decrease in the direction away from the brush head 45. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the thickness of the middle part of the side brush arm 461 gradually changes from thick to thin in the direction away from the brush head 45, so that the strength of this part is reduced and the elasticity is enhanced.

[0129] Referring to Figure 44, in a specific implementation, the side brush arm 461 may include three arm sections: a first arm 211 connected to the brush head 45, a third arm 461c connected to the bristles 462, and a second arm 461b connecting the first arm 461a and the third arm 461c. In some embodiments, the first arm 211 is thicker to provide sufficient strength for connection, the second arm 461b has a gradually decreasing thickness from thick to thin, with its strength gradually decreasing and its elasticity gradually increasing, serving as the starting point for deformation when the side brush assembly rotates during operation, and the third arm 461c is thinner to provide sufficient elasticity to accommodate the deformation caused by the contact between the cleaning end of the side brush 46 and the cleaned surface.

[0130] In one embodiment, the multiple arm segments constituting the side brush arm 461 can be integrally molded. Since the side brush arm 461 is made of soft rubber and the brush head 45 is made of hard rubber, the side brush arm 461 can be formed onto the circumferential surface of the brush head 45 through secondary injection molding. In another embodiment, the side brush arm 461 can also be connected to the circumferential surface of the brush head 45 by means of plug-in connection or other methods, and there is no limitation on this.

[0131] Referring to Figure 43, the bristles 462 are connected to the blocking protrusion 467 and extend obliquely downward. In some embodiments, the bristles 462 can be at an angle of 40-60°, that is, the bristles 462 can have an angle of 40-60° with the plane where the brush head 45 is located, so as to have a better effect of preventing hair tangling while ensuring that the cleaning coverage of the side brush assembly meets the requirements. For example, the angle of the bristles 462 can be 40°, 60°, or 45°, which is not limited here.

[0132] In some embodiments, to achieve better cleaning results, the length of the bristles 462 needs to be set. The length of the bristles 462 can be between 20 and 60 mm to ensure that the cleaning coverage of the side brush assembly meets the requirements while effectively preventing hair tangling. For example, the length of the bristles 462 can be 20 mm, 40 mm, or 60 mm, and there is no limitation here.

[0133] Figure 45 shows a top view of Figure 42. Referring to Figure 45, the projection of the side brush arms 461 of the multiple side brush components 46 onto the plane where the brush head 45 is located can be a spiral involute. When the side brush assembly rotates, if there is hair on the side brush component 46, a centrifugal force will be generated on the hair, and the hair will be thrown out under the action of centrifugal force, thereby preventing hair from getting tangled on the side brush component 46 to a certain extent. If the hair on the side brush component 46 is not thrown out, due to the setting of the second blocking part 464 on the side brush component 46, the hair wrapped on the side brush component 46 can be prevented from entering the brush head 45 along the direction of the side brush component 46. This can prevent the technical problem of the drive shaft of the cleaning equipment connected to the brush head 45 being tangled by hair and causing it to stop rotating, so as to avoid affecting the cleaning effect and allow the cleaning equipment to be used normally.

[0134] Figure 46 shows a schematic diagram of the working state of the side brush assembly shown in Figure 42. Referring to Figure 46, when the bristle 462 assembly of this disclosure rotates counterclockwise, flexible debris such as hair and thread wrapped around the bristles 462 will generate a clockwise centrifugal force. Under the action of centrifugal force, the flexible debris such as hair and thread on the bristles 462 will be thrown off to automatically detach from the bristles 462, thereby preventing flexible debris such as hair and thread from getting tangled on the side brush 46 to a certain extent. If the hair on the side brush 46 is not flung out, it will accumulate on the second blocking part 464 due to the setting of the second blocking part 464 on the side brush 46. Since the centrifugal force of the object is proportional to its mass, after the hair, thread and other flexible debris accumulate to a certain mass, the side brush assembly, under the condition of increased rotation speed along the wall, will generate a sufficiently large centrifugal force to flung out the hair, thread and other flexible debris, so that the hair will automatically detach, thus avoiding affecting the normal operation of the equipment and ensuring the cleaning effect. At the same time, it also avoids the user from manually cleaning the hair, improving the user experience.

[0135] In one embodiment, the bristles 462 and the connected side brush arm 461 can be tangentially arranged on the plane where the brush head 45 is located, so as to ensure that during the operation of the side brush assembly, the bristles 462 can generate enough deformation with the ground to fling out flexible debris such as hair and thread on the bristles 462.

[0136] It should be noted that in extremely bad situations, soft debris such as hair and lint cannot be brushed off the bristles 462 and accumulates on the second blocking part 464. When cleaning hair, users can quickly and easily remove the soft debris such as hair that has accumulated on the second blocking part 464 in one go, which is convenient and quick and can also improve the user experience.

[0137] This disclosure also provides a cleaning device including a main unit and the aforementioned cleaning module, the cleaning module being mounted on the main unit. This cleaning device can be a robotic vacuum cleaner or other cleaning devices with side brush functionality.

[0138] According to a method for operating a cleaning device disclosed herein, Figure 31 shows a flowchart illustrating the method for operating a cleaning device in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 31, the method includes: S1: acquiring target cleaning state information; and S2: controlling the side brush assembly to be in different positional postures based on the target cleaning state information.

[0139] According to the operating method of the cleaning equipment disclosed herein, the side brush assembly of the cleaning module can be controlled to switch between extended, retracted, and raised positions to adapt to scenarios such as the machine climbing over obstacles, carpets, or cleaning corners, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and user experience.

[0140] S1 of this disclosure specifically includes: real-time acquisition of the target cleaning status information of the machine equipment through video sensors and / or infrared sensors installed on the cleaning equipment, the target cleaning status information including whether there are obstacles such as blankets in the target cleaning area, and whether it is a corner to be cleaned, etc.

[0141] S2 of this disclosure specifically includes: controlling the side brush component to repeatedly switch between a low-position extended posture and a low-position retracted posture; or controlling the side brush component to repeatedly switch between a low-position extended posture, a low-position retracted posture, and a high-position retracted state; or controlling the side brush component to cyclically switch between a low-position extended posture, a low-position retracted posture, a high-position retracted state, and a high-position extended posture; or controlling the side brush component to repeatedly switch between a low-position extended posture and a high-position retracted posture. For details, please refer to the description above, which will not be repeated here.

[0142] According to the present disclosure, a cleaning system includes a cooperating base station and the aforementioned cleaning equipment.

[0143] Cleaning equipment and systems equipped with the aforementioned cleaning modules can switch between different postures to adapt to different cleaning scenarios, thereby improving cleaning effect and efficiency, and have excellent adaptability and practicality.

[0144] The cleaning equipment and system disclosed herein, having included a cleaning module as described in any of the above-mentioned technical solutions, possess all the beneficial effects of the cleaning module described in the above-mentioned technical solutions, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0145] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning module is provided, comprising: a shield having a passage portion; and a side brush assembly including a brush head and a side brush member connected to the brush head, the brush head being elevable above the shield, the side brush member being passable through the passage portion, and at least a portion of the side brush member being rotatable onto the shield.

[0146] According to the cleaning module disclosed herein, the brush head of the side brush assembly can rise above the shielding member to lift the side brush connected to it. Then, the brush head of the side brush assembly is controlled to rotate, driving the brush head and the side brush to rotate synchronously. This allows at least a portion of the side brush to rotate onto the shielding member, enabling the side brush to retract and completely separate from the cleaning surface. This facilitates robot operation under special conditions, such as when the robot is in normal cleaning mode and needs to overcome obstacles. In standby mode, the space occupied by the side brush is reduced, improving the robot's aesthetics and demonstrating excellent practicality.

[0147] In some implementations, the side brush can be raised above the shielding member.

[0148] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the side of the side brush rises to the side of the shield, and the brush arm rotates along the top of the shield onto the shield.

[0149] In some embodiments, at least one of the locations where the side of the side brush and the side of the shielding member come into contact is provided with a guide portion.

[0150] In some embodiments, the guide portion includes a guide ramp and / or an arc surface.

[0151] In some implementations, a first blocking member is provided on the top of the shielding member, and the side brush member rotating on the shielding member can abut against the first blocking member.

[0152] In some embodiments, a second blocking member is provided on the top of the shielding member, the second blocking member and the first blocking member are disposed opposite to each other, and the side brush member rotating on the shielding member can move between the first blocking member and the second blocking member.

[0153] In some embodiments, the bottom of the shielding member is provided with a first recess, which is located around the periphery of the passage portion.

[0154] In some implementations, the side brush assembly is provided with a position confirmation element to confirm the position of the side brush of the side brush assembly on the blocking element.

[0155] In some implementations, the brush head of the side brush assembly is movable within the passageway.

[0156] In some implementations, the brush head of the side brush assembly is oscillating and rising / falling within the passageway.

[0157] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning device is provided, the cleaning device including a main unit and the aforementioned cleaning module, the cleaning module being mounted on the main unit.

[0158] Cleaning equipment equipped with the above-mentioned cleaning modules can overcome obstacles and other obstacles in the robot's normal cleaning mode, which is beneficial for the operation of the robot under special working conditions. When the robot is in standby mode, it can also reduce the space occupied by the side brushes and improve the robot's aesthetics, making it highly practical.

[0159] In a third aspect of this disclosure, a cleaning system is also provided, the cleaning system comprising a cooperating base station and the aforementioned cleaning equipment.

[0160] The cleaning system equipped with the above-mentioned cleaning equipment can overcome obstacles in scenarios such as when the robot is in normal cleaning mode, which is beneficial for the operation of the robot under special working conditions. When the robot is in standby mode, it can also reduce the space occupied by the side brush and improve the aesthetics of the robot, which has great practicality.

[0161] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0162] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” and “counterclockwise” indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.

[0163] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0164] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this disclosure is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0165] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cleaning module, comprising: The shielding component is provided with a passageway; as well as A side brush assembly includes a brush head and a side brush member connected to the brush head, the brush head being elevable above the shielding member, the side brush member being passable through the passage, and at least a portion of the side brush member being rotatable onto the shielding member.

2. The cleaning module according to claim 1, wherein, The side brush can be raised above the shielding member.

3. The cleaning module according to claim 1, wherein, At least a portion of the side of the side brush rises to the side of the shield, and the brush arm rotates along the top of the shield onto the shield.

4. The cleaning module according to claim 3, wherein, At least one of the portions where the side of the side brush and the side of the shielding member come into contact is provided with a guide portion.

5. The cleaning module according to claim 4, wherein, The guide portion includes a guide ramp and / or an arc surface.

6. The cleaning module according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The top of the shielding member is provided with a first blocking member, and the side brush member that rotates on the shielding member can abut against the first blocking member.

7. The cleaning module according to claim 6, wherein, The top of the shielding member is provided with a second blocking member, which is disposed opposite to the first blocking member. The side brush member that rotates on the shielding member can move between the first blocking member and the second blocking member.

8. The cleaning module according to any one of claims 1-5 and 7, wherein, The bottom of the shielding member is provided with a first recess, which is located around the periphery of the passage portion.

9. The cleaning module according to any one of claims 1-5 and 7, wherein, The side brush assembly is provided with a position confirmation element to confirm the position of the side brush component on the blocking element.

10. The cleaning module according to any one of claims 1-5 and 7, wherein, The brush head of the side brush assembly can move up and down within the passage.

11. The cleaning module according to any one of claims 1-5 and 7, wherein, The brush head of the side brush assembly can swing and move up and down within the passage.

12. A cleaning device, comprising a main unit and the aforementioned cleaning module, wherein, The cleaning module is mounted on the main unit.

13. A cleaning system comprising a cooperating base station and the cleaning equipment of claim 11.

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