Lidar assembly, cleaning device and cleaning system

Abstract

A LiDAR assembly (100), a cleaning device and a cleaning system. The LiDAR assembly (100) comprises a LiDAR housing (1), a LiDAR main body (2) and an accommodating member (3). An opening (11) is provided in the upper side of the LiDAR housing (1) located in the direction of the height of the LiDAR assembly (100). The LiDAR main body (2) passes through the opening (11) in a liftable manner and is at least partially located in the LiDAR housing (1), and in a horizontal plane where the opening (11) is located, a gap is provided between the LiDAR main body (2) and the opening (11). The accommodating member (3) is located in the LiDAR housing (1), is arranged on the LiDAR main body (2), and extends in the circumferential direction of the main LiDAR body (2). In a projection plane perpendicular to the direction of the height of the LiDAR assembly (100), the projection region of at least part of the accommodating member (3) overlaps with the projection region of the gap. The LiDAR assembly (100) comprises the accommodating member (3), and the projection region of the accommodating member (3) overlaps with the projection region of the gap, thereby effectively reducing the possibility of impurities entering the interior of the LiDAR main body (2); thus, the reliability and stability are higher.

Description

LiDAR components, cleaning devices and cleaning systems Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202422531701.X, filed on October 18, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of cleaning equipment technology, and in particular to a lidar component, cleaning device and cleaning system. Background Technology

[0003] Intelligent cleaning devices are being used more and more widely in daily life and industry, with more and more users using them to replace manual cleaning of various indoor and outdoor surfaces.

[0004] With the continuous development of technology, how to improve the reliability and stability of the lidar components of intelligent cleaning devices has become one of the research topics in the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a highly reliable and stable lidar component, cleaning device, and cleaning system.

[0006] This application is achieved through the following technical solution.

[0007] A first aspect of this application provides a lidar assembly, the lidar assembly comprising:

[0008] The lidar housing has an opening on the upper side along the height direction of the lidar assembly;

[0009] A lidar body, the lidar body being vertically and retractably inserted through the opening and at least partially located within the lidar housing, wherein a gap is formed between the lidar body and the opening in the horizontal plane of the opening; and

[0010] A receiving component is located inside the lidar housing, disposed within the lidar body, and extends circumferentially along the lidar body. In a projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly, at least a portion of the projection area of ​​the receiving component overlaps with the projection area of ​​the gap.

[0011] In some embodiments, the lidar body includes a base and a light-transmitting cover, the light-transmitting cover being supported on the base;

[0012] The receiving element is disposed on the base and extends circumferentially along the light-transmitting cover.

[0013] In some embodiments, the receiving member and the base are formed as an integral structural member.

[0014] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the wall surface of the base is recessed along the height direction of the lidar assembly toward the side away from the opening to form a recess, the recess being an annular recess extending around the outer periphery of the light-transmitting cover, the annular recess defining the receiving member.

[0015] In some embodiments, the lidar housing includes a top wall with the opening provided;

[0016] The base has a raised rib that extends toward the opening along the height direction of the lidar assembly and is located on the outer periphery of the recess.

[0017] When the lidar body is in the raised state, the rib is in contact with the inner wall of the top wall of the shell.

[0018] In some embodiments, the lidar body further includes a top cover, which is disposed on the side of the light-transmitting cover away from the base. In a projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly, the projection area of ​​the top cover is larger than the projection area of ​​the opening, and the projection area of ​​the opening is located within the projection area of ​​the top cover.

[0019] At least one first positioning part is formed on the top cover, and at least one second positioning part is formed on the inner periphery of the opening. When the lidar body is in a lowered state, the first positioning part and the second positioning part cooperate with each other.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first positioning part includes a first guide slope, and the second positioning part includes a second guide slope;

[0021] Along the height direction of the lidar assembly, from the side closer to the opening to the side farther from the opening, the first guide slope is inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane where the opening is located; from the side farther from the top cover to the side closer to the top cover, the second guide slope is inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane where the opening is located.

[0022] In some embodiments, there are multiple first positioning portions and multiple second positioning portions, with multiple first positioning portions arranged at intervals along the circumference of the top cover and multiple second positioning portions arranged at intervals along the circumference of the opening.

[0023] The number of the plurality of first positioning parts is the same as the number of the plurality of second positioning parts, and each of the first positioning parts corresponds to the position of each of the second positioning parts.

[0024] In some embodiments, the base and the light-transmitting cover are formed as an integral injection-molded structural component.

[0025] A second aspect of this application provides a cleaning apparatus, the cleaning apparatus comprising:

[0026] shell; and

[0027] The lidar assembly described in the first aspect of this application is at least partially located within the housing.

[0028] A third aspect of this application provides a cleaning system comprising:

[0029] Clean base stations; and

[0030] The cleaning device described in the second aspect of this application is docked at the cleaning base station when the cleaning device is not performing cleaning operations.

[0031] Technical effects of this application

[0032] The lidar unit of this embodiment can be raised and lowered along the height of the lidar unit, thus providing better environmental adaptability and enabling detection in relatively low spaces. Furthermore, since the lidar unit includes a housing, dust, foreign objects, and other impurities that fall into the lidar housing through gaps will fall into the housing, reducing the likelihood of these impurities entering the lidar unit. This helps protect the sensitive optical and electronic components inside the lidar unit, reducing performance degradation and malfunctions caused by contamination, resulting in higher reliability and better stability for the lidar unit. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a lidar component in a raised state provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lidar component in a lowered state according to some embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lidar housing provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 4 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the base, light-transmitting cover, and housing provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the raised state of a lidar component provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 6 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the lidar housing shown in Figure 3.

[0040] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0041] 1. LiDAR housing; 1a. Top wall of the housing; 11. Opening; 111. Second positioning part; 1111. Second guide slope; 12. Window; 2. LiDAR body; 21. Base; 211. Rib; 22. Light-transmitting cover; 23. Top cover; 231. First positioning part; 2311. First guide slope; 3. Housing; 4. Drive device; 41. Output shaft; 5. Linkage mechanism; 51. First link; 52. Second link; 53. Third link; 54. Fourth link; 100. LiDAR assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having” and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0045] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to 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 the embodiments of this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be interpreted broadly, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact between two contacting parties with substantially no interaction force, or contact between two contacting parties with interaction force.

[0050] The following describes some embodiments of this application in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

[0051] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a lidar component in a raised state according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a lidar component in a lowered state according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a lidar housing according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a base, a light-transmitting cover, and a housing according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a lidar component in a raised state according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 6 is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the lidar housing shown in Figure 3.

[0052] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first aspect of this application provides a lidar assembly 100, which includes a lidar housing 1, a lidar body 2, and a housing 3.

[0053] The lidar component 100 is a type of sensing component used to detect surrounding obstacles and environmental information. Taking a cleaning device as an example, the lidar component 100 plays an important role in the cleaning device's mapping, navigation, and obstacle avoidance operations.

[0054] In some embodiments, the lidar component 100 can perform distance detection.

[0055] The lidar housing 1 is the external protective shell of the lidar assembly 100, used to house various functional components that enable the lidar assembly 100 to perform its functions. In some embodiments, the lidar housing 1 houses the lidar body 2.

[0056] In some embodiments, the lidar housing 1 may be made of plastic. The plastic material includes, but is not limited to, ABS plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). ABS plastic is a high-strength, tough, and easy-to-process material with good insulation properties, and is almost unaffected by temperature and humidity, making it suitable for use in most environments.

[0057] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that the lidar housing 1 can also be made of any other suitable material.

[0058] The lidar main body 2 is a crucial component for realizing the functions of the lidar assembly 100. Although not shown in the figure, the lidar main body 2 typically includes a laser emitting unit and a laser receiving unit, which are used to emit laser light and receive the returned laser light, respectively. By measuring the time from laser emission to reception, the distance between itself and obstacles in front is calculated, and an environmental model is derived through algorithm processing.

[0059] As shown in Figure 3, the lidar housing 1 has an opening 11 on the upper side along the height direction of the lidar assembly 100, and the lidar body 2 is vertically and vertically inserted through the opening 11 and is at least partially located inside the lidar housing 1.

[0060] The "upper side" here refers to the side of the cleaning surface that is away from the cleaning device along the height direction of the lidar component 100.

[0061] The shape of the opening 11 is not limited, as long as it allows the lidar main body 2 to pass through.

[0062] The phrase "at least a portion of the lidar body 2 is located inside the lidar housing 1" means that the lidar body 2 may have a portion of its area located inside the lidar housing 1, or the entire area may be located inside the lidar housing 1.

[0063] In this embodiment, the lidar body 2 can be lowered when encountering low-lying areas, thereby reducing the overall height of the lidar assembly 100. This facilitates the lidar assembly 100's entry into and detection of low-lying areas. In more open areas, the lidar body 2 can be raised, allowing the lidar assembly 100 to perceive the surrounding environment from all angles, increasing detection accuracy. Therefore, because the lidar body 2 can be raised and lowered within the opening 11 of the lidar housing 1, the lidar assembly 100 can adapt to different environments and scenarios, resulting in a wider range of applications and greater flexibility.

[0064] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a window 12 is formed on a portion of the outer periphery of the lidar housing 1. When the lidar body 2 is in a lowered state, at least a portion of the lidar body 2 corresponds to the position of the window 12, so that the lidar body 2, located inside the lidar housing 1 in the lowered state, can emit laser light outward through the window 12 and receive the returned laser light through the window 12, thereby sensing and detecting the surrounding environment.

[0065] In some embodiments, the inner peripheral wall of the window 12 is coated with a light-absorbing layer, which can absorb reflected laser light through the light-absorbing layer, reduce the generation of stray light, and thereby improve the measurement accuracy and reliability of the lidar component 100.

[0066] The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the material of the light-absorbing layer, as long as it can reduce or eliminate stray light reflected or scattered by window 12.

[0067] In this embodiment, a gap is formed between the lidar body 2 and the opening 11 in the horizontal plane where the opening 11 is located. Therefore, during the lifting and lowering process of the lidar body 2, the lidar shell 1 is less likely to come into contact with the lidar body 2, thereby reducing the possibility of damage to the lidar body 2 due to friction or slippage, and also reducing the possibility of adverse effects on the optical path of the lidar body 2 due to scratches, thus improving the measurement accuracy and reliability of the lidar body 2.

[0068] Because there is a gap between the lidar body 2 and the opening 11, dust, foreign objects and other impurities from the outside may enter the lidar housing 1 through the gap, and then enter the lidar body 2. This may contaminate the optical components such as the laser emitting unit and the laser receiving unit inside the lidar body 2, causing a decrease in the performance of the lidar body 2, affecting the measurement accuracy, and may also cause damage to the components, thereby affecting the service life of the lidar assembly 100.

[0069] Therefore, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the lidar assembly 100 of this embodiment further includes a receiving member 3. The receiving member 3 is located inside the lidar housing 1, disposed in the lidar body 2, and extends circumferentially along the lidar body 2. In a projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly 100, at least a portion of the projection area of ​​the receiving member 3 overlaps with the projection area of ​​the gap. In this way, dust, foreign objects, and other impurities that enter the lidar housing 1 through the gap will fall into the receiving member 3 and be temporarily stored there, making it less likely for them to enter the interior of the lidar body 2. This helps protect the sensitive optical and electronic components inside the lidar body 2, reduces performance degradation and malfunctions caused by contamination, and makes the lidar assembly 100 more reliable and stable, and also helps to improve the service life of the lidar assembly 100.

[0070] Furthermore, since the housing 3 is located on the lidar body 2, the housing 3 can move up and down together with the lidar body 2. This allows the lidar body 2 to contain impurities that fall into the lidar housing 1 through the gaps during the rising, lowering, and lifting processes, thereby reducing the possibility of impurities entering the lidar body 2.

[0071] In some embodiments, the housing 3 can be formed as an integral structural component with the lidar body 2, thereby reducing the number of parts and lowering assembly costs.

[0072] In other embodiments, the housing 3 may be detachably disposed on the lidar body 2, thereby facilitating the user to clean dust, foreign objects and other impurities inside the housing 3.

[0073] In some embodiments, a sensor may be provided inside the housing 3 to detect the amount of impurities contained inside the housing 3, and to issue an alarm signal when the impurities inside the housing 3 are detected to be overflowing, so as to remind the user to clean the impurities inside the housing 3 in time.

[0074] Alarm signals include, but are not limited to, visual alarm signals such as flashing indicator lights and auditory alarm signals such as sound alarms.

[0075] In some embodiments of this application, the opening 11 is generally circular, the gap between the lidar body 2 and the opening 11 is generally annular, and the receiving member 3 is also generally annular. In some embodiments of this application, in the projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly 100, the projected area of ​​the receiving member 3 is larger than the projected area of ​​the gap, and the projected area of ​​the gap completely falls into the projected area of ​​the receiving member 3. In this way, dust and impurities falling into the lidar housing 1 from various parts of the annular gap will fall into the annular receiving member 3, further reducing the possibility of these impurities entering the lidar body 2.

[0076] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the projected area of ​​the receiving member 3 may be equal to the projected area of ​​the gap in the projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar component 100, and the projected area of ​​the receiving member 3 may only partially overlap with the projected area of ​​the gap. Furthermore, the embodiments of this application do not limit the shape of the receiving member 3. In some embodiments, the receiving member 3 may also be in any other suitable shape, such as a semi-circular shape, and can be specifically set according to the shape, position, and size of the actual gap.

[0077] In some embodiments of this application, the width of the receiving member 3 is 2 mm along the horizontal direction of the horizontal plane where the opening 11 is located. In some other embodiments, the width of the receiving member 3 can also be any other suitable size such as 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, etc., which can be specifically set according to the size of the gap.

[0078] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, the lidar body 2 of this embodiment is installed in the opening 11 in a liftable manner through the cooperation of the drive device 4 and the linkage mechanism 5. This allows the lidar body 2 to be raised or lowered for different detection environments, increasing the application range of the lidar component 100 and enabling the lidar component 100 to be applied to more different scenarios and environments.

[0079] Drive unit 4 is a device that provides power.

[0080] In some embodiments, the drive device 4 includes, but is not limited to, a drive motor.

[0081] The linkage mechanism 5 is a transmission mechanism that can transmit the power provided by the drive device 4 to the lidar body 2, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the lidar body 2.

[0082] The linkage mechanism 5 has a simple structure, is easy to process, has high wear resistance, and can realize a variety of motion forms.

[0083] As shown in Figure 5, the linkage mechanism 5 includes a first link 51, a second link 52, a third link 53, and a fourth link 54. The first link 51 is connected to the output shaft 41 of the drive device 4. One end of the second link 52 is hinged to the first link 51, and the other end of the second link 52 is hinged to one end of the third link 53 and one end of the fourth link 54, respectively. The other end of the third link 53 is hinged to the side of the lidar housing 1 away from the opening 11, and the other end of the fourth link 54 is hinged to the lidar body 2. The axial direction of the output shaft 41 is perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly 100.

[0084] The linkage mechanism 5 in this embodiment includes four links, which, through their cooperation, convert the rotational motion of the drive device 4 into the reciprocating motion of the lidar body 2 along the height direction of the lidar assembly 100. Specifically, the first link 51 is connected to the output shaft 41 of the drive device 4 and rotates with the rotation of the output shaft 41, thereby transmitting the power of the drive device 4 to the second link 52, causing the second link 52 to rotate. The second link 52 transmits the motion of the first link 51 to the third link 53 and the fourth link 54, thereby causing the third link 53 and the fourth link 54 to rotate respectively. The third link 53 is hinged to the side of the lidar housing 1 away from the opening 11, thereby providing some support for the fourth link 54. The fourth link 54 can transmit the motion of the second link 52 to the lidar body 2, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the lidar body 2. This four-bar linkage mechanism in this embodiment can transmit the power of the drive device 4 to the lidar body 2 more smoothly, thus making the lifting and lowering of the lidar body 2 more stable and reliable.

[0085] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the linkage mechanism 5 may also include more or fewer linkages, as long as it can achieve the lifting and lowering of the lidar body 2.

[0086] In some embodiments of this application, when the output shaft 41 of the drive device 4 rotates clockwise, the lidar body 2 can be lowered through the opening, and when the output shaft 41 of the drive device 4 rotates counterclockwise, the lidar body 2 can be raised through the opening.

[0087] In some other embodiments, the lidar body 2 may be raised through the opening when the output shaft 41 of the drive device 4 rotates clockwise, and the lidar body 2 may be lowered through the opening when the output shaft 41 of the drive device 4 rotates counterclockwise.

[0088] As shown in Figure 4, in some embodiments of this application, the lidar body 2 includes a base 21 and a light-transmitting cover 22, with the light-transmitting cover 22 supported on the base 21. A housing 3 is disposed on the base 21 and extends circumferentially along the light-transmitting cover 22.

[0089] The base 21 is the supporting structure for the lidar body 2. The light-transmitting cover 22 is supported on the base 21. The optical components such as the laser emitting unit and the laser receiving unit, as well as the electrical components inside the lidar body 2, are located inside the light-transmitting cover 22 and are supported on the base 21.

[0090] The light-transmitting cover 22 is the external protective cover of the lidar body 2, which can protect the optical components such as the laser emitting unit and the laser receiving unit, as well as the electrical components inside.

[0091] In some embodiments of this application, the light-transmitting cover 22 is generally cylindrical. In some other embodiments, the light-transmitting cover 22 may also be any other suitable shape.

[0092] In some embodiments, the light-transmitting cover 22 may be made of a light-transmitting material. In some embodiments, the light-transmitting material may be a (polycarbonate) material, a resin material, etc. This application does not specifically limit the material of the light-transmitting cover 22, as long as it can transmit laser light.

[0093] In some embodiments of this application, the housing 3 and the base 21 are formed as an integral structural component, thereby reducing the number of parts and lowering assembly costs.

[0094] Specifically, as shown in FIG4, at least a portion of the wall surface of the base 21 is recessed along the height direction of the lidar assembly 100 toward the side away from the opening 11 to form a recessed portion. The recessed portion is an annular recessed portion extending around the outer periphery of the light-transmitting cover 22, and the annular recessed portion defines the receiving member 3.

[0095] Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that in some other embodiments, the housing 3 may also be a separate structure from the base 21 and be detachably mounted on the base 21. Additionally, the recess may be in any other suitable shape, such as a semi-circular shape.

[0096] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, in some embodiments of this application, the lidar housing 1 includes a top wall 1a with an opening 11. A rib 211 is formed on the base 21, extending along the height direction of the lidar assembly 100 toward one side of the opening 11, and is located on the outer periphery of the recess. When the lidar body 2 is in the raised state, the rib 211 contacts the inner wall of the top wall 1a.

[0097] In some embodiments, the rib 211 may be formed as an integral structural member with the recess.

[0098] In other embodiments, the rib 211 may be a separate structure from the recess and then assembled together.

[0099] Because of the ribs 211, the depth of the housing 3 can be increased, which makes it easier for the housing 3 to accommodate more impurities. It also reduces the possibility that impurities will fall out of the housing 3 due to rebounding after contacting the bottom wall of the housing 3, further reducing the possibility of impurities entering the lidar body 2 and improving the reliability and stability of the lidar assembly 100.

[0100] In some embodiments of this application, the depth of the housing 3 along the height direction of the lidar assembly 100 is approximately 2 mm. In some other embodiments, the depth of the housing 3 may also be any other suitable size such as 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, etc.

[0101] The top wall 1a refers to the top part of the lidar housing 1, which has an opening 11 so that the lidar body 2 can be raised and lowered.

[0102] When the lidar body 2 is in the raised state, the rib 211 contacts the inner wall of the shell top wall 1a. As a result, the receiving part 3 can basically seal the gap, so that impurities falling into the lidar shell 1 from the gap can basically fall into the receiving part 3 completely, reducing the possibility of impurities entering the lidar body 2 and improving the reliability and stability of the lidar assembly 100.

[0103] In some embodiments, a seal may be formed on the rib 211. When the lidar body 2 is in the raised state, the rib 211 forms a sealed contact with the inner wall of the top wall 1a of the housing through the seal, thereby providing a seal for the lidar assembly 100, further reducing the ingress of dust and moisture, and further improving the reliability of the lidar assembly 100.

[0104] This application does not specify the material of the seal, as long as it can seal with the inner wall of the top wall 1a of the shell.

[0105] In some embodiments, the seal is an elastic element.

[0106] In some embodiments of this application, the lidar body 2 further includes a top cover 23, which covers the side of the light-transmitting cover 22 away from the base 21. In the projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly 100, the projection area of ​​the top cover 23 is larger than the projection area of ​​the opening 11, and the projection area of ​​the opening 11 is located within the projection area of ​​the top cover 23.

[0107] The top cover 23 can seal the light-transmitting cover 22 on the outside, reducing the possibility of external dust, foreign objects, etc. directly entering the interior of the lidar body 2. Moreover, when the lidar body 2 is in the lowered state, the top cover 23 can support the outer peripheral surface of the top wall 1a of the lidar housing 1 and completely cover the opening 11. This can directly reduce the possibility of external dust, foreign objects, etc. entering the lidar housing 1 through the opening 11, making it more difficult for external dust, foreign objects, etc. to enter the interior of the lidar body 2. This improves the protection of the components located inside the lidar housing 1 and the lidar body 2, which is conducive to improving the service life of the components and improving the stability and reliability of the lidar assembly 100.

[0108] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, at least one first positioning part 231 is formed on the top cover 23, and at least one second positioning part 111 is formed on the inner periphery of the opening 11. When the lidar body 2 is in the lowered state, the first positioning part 231 and the second positioning part 111 cooperate with each other.

[0109] This facilitates the positioning and assembly of the top cover 23 and the opening 11, allowing the lidar body 2 to be in a lowered state. The top cover 23 can maintain a fixed relative position through the cooperation of the first positioning part 231 and the second positioning part 111, so that the lidar body 2 will not shake or rotate at the opening 11, thereby improving the measurement stability and reliability of the lidar body 2 in the lowered state.

[0110] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in some embodiments of this application, the first positioning part 231 includes a first guide slope 2311, and the second positioning part 111 includes a second guide slope 1111. Along the height direction of the lidar assembly 100, from the side near the opening 11 to the side away from the opening 11, the first guide slope 2311 is inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane where the opening 11 is located, and from the side away from the top cover 23 to the side near the top cover 23, it is inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane where the opening 11 is located.

[0111] The inclined first guide slope 2311 and the second guide slope 1111 can play a certain guiding role in guiding the cooperation between the first positioning part 231 and the second positioning part 111, so that the first positioning part 231 can enter into the second positioning part 111 more smoothly and slide out of the second positioning part 111 more smoothly. This makes the top cover 23 fit better with the opening 11, and makes the lifting and lowering of the lidar body 2 smoother.

[0112] This application does not specifically limit the inclination angle of the first guide slope 2311 and the second guide slope 1111 relative to the horizontal plane where the opening 11 is located, as long as the inclination angle of the first guide slope 2311 and the second guide slope 1111 are the same.

[0113] In some embodiments of this application, there are multiple first positioning parts 231 and multiple second positioning parts 111. Multiple first positioning parts 231 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the top cover 23, and multiple second positioning parts 111 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the opening 11. The number of multiple first positioning parts 231 and multiple second positioning parts 111 is the same, and each first positioning part 231 corresponds to the position of each second positioning part 111.

[0114] This improves the positioning and assembly of the top cover 23 and the opening 11, making the lidar body 2 lowered and less prone to shaking relative to the opening, thus further improving the measurement accuracy and stability of the lidar body 2.

[0115] In some embodiments of this application, the number of the first positioning part 231 and the second positioning part 111 is eight. In some other embodiments, the number of the first positioning part 231 and the second positioning part 111 may be fewer or more. This application does not specifically limit the number of the first positioning part 231 and the second positioning part 111, and can set them according to the actual situation.

[0116] In some embodiments of this application, the base 21 and the light-transmitting cover 22 are formed as an integral injection-molded structural component.

[0117] In some embodiments of this application, the base 21 and the light-transmitting cover 22 are an integral structural component, and the integral structural component is an injection-molded structural component made by injection molding process. The injection molding process has a fast production speed and high efficiency, and is suitable for products with complex shapes. Therefore, it is possible to stably and quickly manufacture integral structural components of different shapes according to actual needs.

[0118] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the integrated structure of the base 21 and the light-transmitting cover 22 can also be made by any other suitable process.

[0119] In some embodiments, since the light-transmitting cover 22 and the base 21 are made of different materials, the one-piece structural component can be manufactured using a double-shot molding process.

[0120] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the base 21 and the light-transmitting cover 22 may also be separate structures, and then assembled together by any suitable means such as snap-fit ​​or adhesive.

[0121] The second aspect of this application provides a cleaning device including a housing and a lidar assembly 100 as described in the first aspect of this application, the lidar assembly 100 being at least partially located within the housing.

[0122] A cleaning device is a device used to clean surfaces that need to be cleaned. Cleaning devices include, but are not limited to, robotic vacuum cleaners, robotic mops, robotic vacuum and mop combos, or robotic window cleaners. Surfaces to be cleaned include, but are not limited to, floors, ceilings, glass, tabletops, or the surfaces of other objects and components.

[0123] The housing is the external protective casing of the cleaning device, and the interior of the housing is used to house the functional components that enable the various functions of the cleaning device. In some embodiments, the functional components may include drive components, sensing components, dust boxes, or liquid storage tanks, etc.

[0124] The lidar component 100 is a type of sensing component. The location of the lidar component 100 within the housing of the cleaning device is not limited. In some embodiments, the lidar component 100 may be disposed at the front, middle, or rear of the housing. This application also does not specifically limit the number of lidar components 100. In some embodiments, only one lidar component 100 may be provided. In other embodiments, multiple (two or more) lidar components 100 may be provided.

[0125] The third aspect of this application provides a cleaning system, which includes a cleaning base station and the cleaning device described in the second aspect of this application, wherein the cleaning device is docked at the cleaning base station when the cleaning device is not performing cleaning operations.

[0126] A cleaning base station is a fixed component of a cleaning system, typically serving as a charging, maintenance, and storage center for cleaning equipment. When cleaning equipment is not performing cleaning operations, it is docked at the cleaning base station.

[0127] In some other embodiments, the clean base station also includes scheduling and control functions.

[0128] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and all should be covered within the scope of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way.

Claims

1. A lidar component, characterized in that, The lidar component includes: A lidar housing, wherein an opening is provided on the upper side along the height direction of the lidar assembly; A lidar body, the lidar body being vertically and retractably inserted through the opening and at least partially located within the lidar housing, wherein a gap is formed between the lidar body and the opening in the horizontal plane of the opening; and A receiving component is located inside the lidar housing, disposed within the lidar body, and extends circumferentially along the lidar body. In a projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly, at least a portion of the projection area of ​​the receiving component overlaps with the projection area of ​​the gap.

2. The lidar component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lidar body includes a base and a light-transmitting cover, with the light-transmitting cover supported on the base. The receiving element is disposed on the base and extends circumferentially along the light-transmitting cover.

3. The lidar component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The receiving component and the base are formed as an integral structural component.

4. The lidar component according to claim 3, characterized in that, At least a portion of the wall surface of the base is recessed along the height direction of the lidar assembly toward the side away from the opening to form a recessed portion, the recessed portion being an annular recessed portion extending around the outer periphery of the light-transmitting cover, the annular recessed portion defining the receiving member.

5. The lidar component according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lidar housing includes a top wall with the opening provided; The base has a raised rib that extends toward the opening along the height direction of the lidar assembly and is located on the outer periphery of the recess. When the lidar body is in the raised state, the rib is in contact with the inner wall of the top wall of the shell.

6. The lidar component according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The lidar body also includes a top cover, which is disposed on the side of the light-transmitting cover away from the base. In the projection plane perpendicular to the height direction of the lidar assembly, the projection area of ​​the top cover is larger than the projection area of ​​the opening, and the projection area of ​​the opening is located within the projection area of ​​the top cover. At least one first positioning part is formed on the top cover, and at least one second positioning part is formed on the inner periphery of the opening. When the lidar body is in a lowered state, the first positioning part and the second positioning part cooperate with each other.

7. The lidar component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first positioning part includes a first guide slope, and the second positioning part includes a second guide slope; Along the height direction of the lidar assembly, from the side closer to the opening to the side farther from the opening, the first guide slope is inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane where the opening is located; from the side farther from the top cover to the side closer to the top cover, the second guide slope is inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane where the opening is located.

8. The lidar component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of the first positioning part and the second positioning part are both multiple, with the multiple first positioning parts arranged at intervals along the circumference of the top cover, and the multiple second positioning parts arranged at intervals along the circumference of the opening; The number of the plurality of first positioning parts is the same as the number of the plurality of second positioning parts, and each of the first positioning parts corresponds to the position of each of the second positioning parts.

9. The lidar component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base and the light-transmitting cover are formed as an integral injection-molded structural component.

10. A cleaning device, characterized in that, The cleaning device includes: shell; and The lidar assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lidar assembly is at least partially located within the housing.

11. A cleaning system, characterized in that, The cleaning system includes: Clean base stations; and The cleaning device of claim 10, when not performing cleaning operations, is docked at the cleaning base station.

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