Traveling wheel assembly and cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A traveling wheel assembly (10) and a cleaning apparatus. The traveling wheel assembly (10) comprises a wheel support (1), a rolling wheel (2) and a guide extension member (3), wherein the wheel support (1) provides a first guide surface (11) inclined upwards towards the front side of a traveling direction; the rolling wheel (2) is mounted to the wheel support (1) and can rotate around a wheel axle; the guide extension member (3) is mounted to the front side of the wheel support (1) in the traveling direction, and the guide extension member (3) can be switched between a retracted state and an extended state; in the extended state, the guide extension member (3) provides a second guide surface (31), and the second guide surface (31) is connected to the first guide surface (11) in a direction inclined upwards towards the front side of the traveling direction. The traveling wheel assembly (10) can switch the state of the guide extension member (3) on the basis of the height of an obstacle, thereby improving the obstacle crossing capability.

Description

Wheel assembly and cleaning equipment Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202411455637.X, filed on October 17, 2024, and Chinese patent application No. 202422518570.1, filed on October 17, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of cleaning robot technology, and more particularly to wheel assemblies and cleaning equipment. Background Technology

[0003] With the continuous development of smart home technology, smart cleaning equipment has entered ordinary household life and gradually become popular. Smart cleaning equipment can replace users in cleaning indoor floors, saving users time and improving their quality of life.

[0004] Currently, higher requirements are being placed on the ability of cleaning equipment to overcome obstacles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a walking wheel assembly and a cleaning device.

[0006] This disclosure is achieved through the following scheme.

[0007] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a walking wheel assembly, comprising: a wheel bracket providing a first guide surface inclined upward toward a forward direction of travel; a roller mounted on the wheel bracket and rotatable about a wheel axle; and a guide extension mounted on the forward side of the wheel bracket in the direction of travel, the guide extension being switchable between a retracted state and an extended state, wherein in the extended state, the guide extension provides a second guide surface along a direction inclined upward toward a forward direction of travel, the second guide surface being continuous with the first guide surface.

[0008] In some embodiments, the wheel bracket is connected to and rotatable about the bracket pivot, wherein the axial direction of the bracket pivot intersects the axial direction of the wheel axle.

[0009] In some embodiments, the guide extension is hinged to the wheel bracket, and is rotatable relative to the wheel bracket to the extended state, and is rotatable from the extended state to the retracted state.

[0010] In some embodiments, an elastic force-applying member is provided between the guide extension and the wheel bracket. The elastic force-applying member is installed in a state that always applies force to the guide extension. The guide extension can be rotated into the extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member, and can be rotated from the extended state to the retracted state under the action of an external force.

[0011] In some embodiments, the elastic force-applying member includes a spring.

[0012] In some embodiments, the wheel bracket includes a roller shield, the portion of the roller shield located on the front side in the direction of travel extending closer to a reference surface than the portion located on the rear side in the direction of travel, the reference surface being the surface for the roller to roll.

[0013] In some embodiments, the portion of the roller shield located forward in the direction of travel provides the first guide surface.

[0014] In some embodiments, the wheel bracket has a storage groove formed on the front side in the direction of travel, and in the retracted state, the guide extension is stored in the storage groove.

[0015] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a cleaning device that includes a device body and a walking wheel assembly provided in the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0016] In some embodiments, the cleaning equipment further includes a lifting assembly, which is connected to the equipment body and the wheel assembly respectively, and changes the distance between the equipment body and the wheel bracket along the lifting direction through the lifting assembly.

[0017] In some embodiments, when the device body is in a raised position away from the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in the extended state; when the device body is in a lowered position close to the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in a limited state that restricts it to the retracted state.

[0018] In some embodiments, the guide extension is pivotally mounted to the wheel bracket and switches between the retracted state and the extended state by rotating about the pivot. The device body has a limiting member that, in the raised position, is located away from the path through which the guide extension rotates to the extended state, and in the lowered position, is located midway through the path through which the guide extension rotates to the extended state, preventing the guide extension from entering the extended state.

[0019] In some embodiments, the limiting member is located at the lower part of the device body and is located in front of the travel direction compared to the wheel bracket. In the raised position, the projection of the wheel bracket and the projection of the limiting member do not overlap in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction. In the lowered position, the projection of the wheel bracket and the projection of the limiting member at least partially overlap in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction.

[0020] In some embodiments, the projection of the limiting member and the projection of the guide extension member at least partially overlap in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction.

[0021] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly includes a lifting drive device and a lifting mechanism connected to the drive end of the lifting drive device. The lifting mechanism is connected to the device body and the wheel assembly, respectively. The lifting mechanism changes the distance between the device body and the wheel bracket under the drive of the lifting drive device.

[0022] In some embodiments, the lifting drive device is mounted on the device body, and the lifting mechanism includes a transmission member, an abutment member, and a sliding bushing. The transmission member is connected to the drive end of the lifting drive device, the transmission member abuts against the abutment member, the abutment member is connected to the sliding bushing, and the sliding bushing is connected to the wheel bracket and the device body and is capable of sliding relative to the device body in the lifting direction.

[0023] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism further includes an elastic element, one end of which is connected to the abutment member, and the other end of which is connected to the device body. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the embodiments described below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 2 is another perspective structural schematic diagram of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the walking wheel assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the extended state;

[0028] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the walking wheel assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in a retracted state;

[0029] Figure 5 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the walking wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the extended state;

[0030] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the walking wheel assembly according to some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the retracted state;

[0031] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the extended state;

[0032] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the limited state;

[0033] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the retracted state;

[0034] Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of the cleaning equipment according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 11 is a perspective view of another partial configuration of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 12 is a partial perspective view of the cleaning equipment according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the action control module of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0039] 10. Walking wheel assembly; 1. Wheel bracket; 11. First guide surface; 12. Storage slot; 13. Roller cover plate; 2. Roller; 3. Guide extension; 31. Second guide surface; 5. Elastic force application component; 6. Bracket shaft; 7. Lifting assembly; 71. Lifting drive device; 72. Lifting mechanism; 721. Transmission component; 722. Abutment component; 7221. Inclined surface; 7222. Horizontal surface; 723. Sliding bushing; 724. Elastic component; 725. Abutment pulley; 8. Pivot; 20. Cleaning module; 30. Visual navigation module; 40. Drive wheel module; 100. Equipment body; 101. Impact plate; 102. Limiting component; 1000a. First obstacle; 1000b. Second obstacle; 200. Control module; 300. Detection device. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The embodiments of the technical solutions disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions disclosed herein and are therefore intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0041] 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 disclosure belongs; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification and the foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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 or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0043] 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 disclosure. 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.

[0044] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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 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, be constructed, operated, or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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 disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, 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.

[0048] The embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is another three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0050] Some embodiments of this disclosure provide a cleaning device capable of sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, and washing. This cleaning device can be, but is not limited to, a robotic vacuum cleaner or a robotic vacuum and mop combo. The robotic vacuum cleaner is primarily used to remove dust and debris from the floor, using a built-in suction system and brushes. Most robotic vacuum cleaners are equipped with an automatic navigation system. In addition to vacuuming, the robotic vacuum and mop combo also has a wet mopping function, equipped with a water tank and mop cloth to clean stains on the floor. The aforementioned cleaning device may also include a sensing system, an energy system, and a human-machine interaction system. These systems are not illustrated and can utilize components from any existing cleaning device, integrated into the cleaning device of this disclosure to complete the overall operation of the cleaning device described in the embodiments of this disclosure. The integration or positional relationships of the aforementioned systems can be obtained with reference to existing technologies and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0051] The beneficial effects of this disclosure include: providing a walking wheel assembly that improves the ability to cross obstacles and a cleaning device that utilizes the walking wheel assembly.

[0052] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the cleaning device includes a device body 100 and at least one walking wheel assembly 10, which is mounted on the lower part of the device body 100. The walking wheel assembly 10 provided in the embodiments of this disclosure is capable of overcoming higher obstacles and has a high obstacle-crossing function.

[0053] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device body 100 includes a cleaning module 20. The cleaning module 20 may include a water tank and a mop, which can clean stains on the floor. The cleaning module may also include a vacuum port, a sweeping brush, etc. The specific structure of the cleaning module 20 can be found in the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0054] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device body 100 further includes a visual navigation module 30. The visual navigation module 30 is a module that uses a TOF camera or other sensors to perceive the surrounding environment for navigation and obstacle avoidance. It can intelligently avoid obstacles and plan cleaning paths more accurately. The specific structure of the visual navigation module 30 can be found in the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0055] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device body 100 further includes a drive wheel module 40. The drive wheel module 40 may include a drive motor, a transmission mechanism, and a drive wheel. The drive motor drives the drive wheel to roll through the transmission mechanism, thereby providing power to the device body 100 so that the cleaning device can move along the surface to be cleaned to perform cleaning operations.

[0056] In order to enable the cleaning equipment to move more stably on the ground or to have stronger movement capabilities, the cleaning equipment may include one or more walking wheel assemblies 10, which may be located in front of the driving wheel module 40 in the direction of travel or at other suitable positions.

[0057] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to Figures 3 to 13.

[0058] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the walking wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the extended state; Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the walking wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the retracted state; Figure 5 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the walking wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the extended state; Figure 6 is a structural cross-sectional view of the walking wheel assembly of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the retracted state; Figure 7 is a structural cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the extended state; Figure 8 is a structural cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the limited state; Figure 9 is a structural cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present disclosure when the guide extension is in the retracted state; Figure 10 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a partial configuration of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 11 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of another partial configuration of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 12 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of yet another partial configuration of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 13 is a structural schematic diagram of the motion control module of the cleaning device of some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0059] For ease of explanation, as shown by the arrows in Figures 3 to 9, the direction of arrow X is the direction of travel, the direction the arrow points to is the front side of the direction of travel, and the opposite side is the rear side of the direction of travel; the direction of arrow Y is the axis direction of the roller axle; the direction of arrow Z is the lifting direction, the direction the arrow points to is the lifting direction, and the opposite side is the lowering direction.

[0060] This disclosure provides a walking wheel assembly 10, as shown in Figures 3 to 6. The walking wheel assembly 10 includes a wheel bracket 1, a roller 2, and a guide extension 3. The wheel bracket 1 provides a first guide surface 11 that is inclined upward toward the front of the traveling direction X. The roller 2 is mounted on the wheel bracket 1 and can rotate about a wheel axle. The guide extension 3 is mounted on the front of the traveling direction X of the wheel bracket 1 and can switch between a retracted state and an extended state. In the extended state, the guide extension 3 provides a second guide surface 31. Along the direction of inclination upward toward the front of the traveling direction X, the second guide surface 31 is connected to the first guide surface 11. This connection means that the second guide surface 31 and the first guide surface 11 can be adapted to connect and provide a guiding function. In some embodiments, the two have at least a partially overlapping section, are connected, or are not connected (with a certain distance); in addition, the two can form a complete guide surface, or have a smooth transition only at the connection point, or there is no smooth transition between the two but it does not affect the connected guiding function.

[0061] The wheel assembly 10 can be applied to any component that requires convenient relocation. In some embodiments, the wheel assembly 10 can be applied to cleaning equipment, as well as to tables, chairs, beds, machine tools, etc., that are easy to move.

[0062] The wheel bracket 1 supports the roller 2 and connects the roller 2 to the device body (or the moving body). The roller 2 can be supported on the wheel bracket 1 via an axle and can rotate around the axle. The shape of the wheel bracket 1 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the roller 2. In some embodiments, the wheel bracket 1 can be formed in a frame shape. In some embodiments, the wheel bracket 1 can also be formed in a cover shape that covers a portion of the roller 2.

[0063] A first guide surface 11 is formed on the front side of the wheel bracket 1 facing the direction of travel X. The first guide surface 11 can be formed such that the further it extends from the bottom to the top, the further away it is from the roller along the direction of travel X. That is, the first guide surface 11 is formed with a certain slope. The first guide surface 11 can be formed into a generally planar shape or into an arc shape with a certain curvature.

[0064] It is understandable that, since the first guide surface 11 is located on the front side of the roller 2 along the travel direction X, when it encounters an obstacle, the obstacle will first come into contact with the first guide surface 11; and since the first guide surface 11 extends upward at an incline toward the front side of the travel direction X, as the roller 2 continues to roll and the device body continues to move toward the obstacle, the first guide surface 11 slides upward relative to the obstacle, causing the position of the walking wheel assembly 10 to move upward, thereby enabling the walking wheel assembly 10 to climb over the obstacle and pass over the obstacle.

[0065] For ease of description, obstacles with heights within a first height range are designated as first obstacle 1000a, and obstacles with heights within a second height range are designated as second obstacle 1000b. The lower limit of the first height range is not less than the upper limit of the second height range. When encountering the first obstacle 1000a, due to its higher height, it may be higher than the upper end of the first guide surface 11, making it difficult for the wheel assembly to climb over it. When encountering the second obstacle 1000b, because it is lower, it can contact the first guide surface 11. Through the relative sliding between the first guide surface 11 and the second obstacle 1000b, the wheel assembly can climb over the second obstacle 1000b and eventually pass over it. By providing a guide extension 3, one surface of the guide extension 3 can be connected to the first guide surface 11 to form a guide surface that extends to a higher position, thereby enabling the wheel assembly to pass over higher obstacles.

[0066] When there are no obstacles, the guide extension 3 is in a non-extended state. When encountering a smaller, shorter second obstacle 1000b, as the wheel assembly 10 approaches the second obstacle 1000b, the non-extended guide extension 3 first contacts the second obstacle 1000b and is pushed by the obstacle to a retracted state. At this time, the first guide surface 11 contacts the second obstacle 1000b, and the guiding effect of the first guide surface 11 allows the wheel assembly 10 to pass over the second obstacle 1000b. Furthermore, when there are no obstacles, the guide extension 3 is in a non-extended state, reducing the space occupied by the guide extension 3 in the vertical Z direction and lowering the probability of the guide extension 3 interfering with the movement of the wheel assembly 10 or other components. In some embodiments, the guide extension 3 may also be configured to be in a retracted state under normal circumstances, and extended when it is necessary to pass over a taller first obstacle 1000a. In some embodiments, the guide extension 3 may also be configured to always be in an extended state, so that it can easily pass over both the higher first obstacle 1000a and the lower second obstacle 1000b; the guide extension 3 may be retracted when it is desired to reduce the overall height of the walking wheel assembly or the ground height of the equipment body.

[0067] When encountering a first obstacle 1000a, which is relatively tall, the first guide surface 11, which extends at an angle, is relatively short. The first obstacle 1000a cannot reach the first guide surface 11, rendering it ineffective as a guide. Therefore, the wheel assembly 10 provided in this embodiment, when encountering a relatively tall first obstacle 1000a, allows the guide extension 3 to switch to an extended state, connecting the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension 3 to the first guide surface 11. At this point, the second guide surface 31 and the first guide surface 11 form a longer guide structure, enabling the wheel assembly 10 to overcome the first obstacle 1000a. Thus, by providing the guide extension 3, the wheel assembly 10 can overcome the first obstacle 1000a, thereby improving its obstacle-crossing capability.

[0068] Thus, by switching the state of the guide extension 3 according to the height of the obstacle, not only is the obstacle-crossing function improved, but the space occupied is also reduced, and the probability of the guide extension 3 interfering with the movement of the walking wheel assembly 10 or other components is lowered. Therefore, when the walking wheel assembly 10 provided in this embodiment is applied to a cleaning device, the obstacle-crossing function of the cleaning device is improved, and the probability of the guide extension 3 interfering with the vertical movement of the device body 100 is reduced, thereby improving the smoothness of the cleaning device's operation.

[0069] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, the wheel bracket 1 is connected to the bracket shaft 6 and is rotatable around the bracket shaft 6. The axial direction of the bracket shaft 6 intersects with the axial direction of the wheel shaft. In some embodiments, the axial direction of the bracket shaft 6 intersects or is perpendicular to the axial direction of the wheel shaft in opposite planes.

[0070] Thus, the roller 2 and the wheel bracket 1 can rotate around the bracket pivot 6 relative to the bracket pivot 6, allowing the roller 2 to rotate in all directions, which facilitates the turning and walking of the walking wheel assembly 10.

[0071] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the guide extension 3 is hinged to the wheel bracket 1, and an elastic force-applying member 5 is provided between the guide extension 3 and the wheel bracket 1. The elastic force-applying member 5 is installed in a state that always applies force to the guide extension 3. The guide extension 3 can rotate into an extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member 5, and can rotate from the extended state to a retracted state under the action of an external force.

[0072] Both the guide extension 3 and the wheel bracket 1 are provided with a pivot 8, which extends along the axis Y of the wheel axle, which is the central axis of the roller 2.

[0073] Thus, the rotating connection has a simple connection structure, and the state switching is achieved through the elastic force-applying component 5 and the action of external force. The state switching operation is simple and efficient. Moreover, the structure is simple, occupies little space, and has low cost.

[0074] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the elastic force-applying member 5 includes a spring.

[0075] The elastic force-applying component 5 includes, but is not limited to, tension springs, compression springs, torsion springs, or bending springs.

[0076] The spring provides rotational force to the guide extension 3, enabling the switching between the two states of the guide extension 3. The spring has a simple structure, low cost, and small space occupation.

[0077] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the elastic force-applying member 5 includes a torsion spring.

[0078] A torsion spring is mounted on pivot 8 to provide rotational force to guide extension 3, enabling the guide extension 3 to switch between two states. The torsion spring has a simple structure, low cost, and small space occupation.

[0079] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the guide extension 3 is a plate-like structure.

[0080] The guide extension 3 is a plate-like structure, which reduces the space occupied. The second guide surface 31 is a plate-like structure with a surface perpendicular to its thickness direction. Thus, the area of ​​the second guide surface 31 is larger, which can better perform the obstacle-crossing function.

[0081] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the guide extension 3 is slidably connected to the wheel bracket 1 via a sliding groove and a sliding protrusion, and the guide extension 3 switches between an extended state and a retracted state by reciprocating sliding.

[0082] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the wheel bracket 1 includes a roller shield 13, the portion of the roller shield 13 located in front of the travel direction X extending closer to a reference surface than the portion located in the travel direction X rear of the roller shield 13, the reference surface being the surface for the roller 2 to roll.

[0083] The portion of the roller shield 13 located in the forward direction X extends to a position closer to the reference plane. That is, the front part of the roller shield 13 is longer in the lifting direction Z, which enables the roller shield 13 to better protect the roller 2.

[0084] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the portion of the roller shield 13 located in front of the direction of travel X provides a first guide surface 11.

[0085] Thus, the portion of the roller shield 13 located in front of the travel direction X is longer in the lifting direction Z, making the first guide surface 11 it provides longer in the tilt direction, thereby improving obstacle crossing ability.

[0086] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the wheel bracket 1 has a storage groove 12 formed on the front side of the travel direction X, and in the retracted state, the guide extension 3 is stored in the storage groove 12.

[0087] The storage slot 12 is used to allow the guide extension 3 to pass through, so that the guide extension 3 will not block the front side of the first guide surface 11 when it is in the retracted state, so that the second obstacle 1000b can contact the first guide surface 11, thereby enabling the first guide surface 11 to play a guiding role and thus realize the obstacle crossing function of the walking wheel assembly 10.

[0088] This disclosure also provides a cleaning device, as shown in Figures 7 to 12, which includes a device body 100 and the aforementioned wheel assembly 10.

[0089] Since the cleaning equipment includes a wheel assembly 10, and has all the beneficial effects of the wheel assembly 10, the cleaning equipment has a high obstacle-crossing capability.

[0090] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the distance between the device body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 is fixed, that is, the position and height of the device body 100 cannot be adjusted.

[0091] In this case, the position and height of the device body 100 remain unchanged, and the distance between the bottom of the device body 100 and the reference surface is sufficient to accommodate the guide extension 3 in the extended state.

[0092] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the cleaning equipment further includes a lifting assembly 7, which is connected to the equipment body 100 and the wheel assembly 10, respectively. The distance between the equipment body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 is changed along the lifting direction Z by the lifting assembly 7.

[0093] The distance between the device body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 is changed along the lifting direction Z by the lifting component 7, so that the device body 100 rises or falls along the lifting direction Z. When the device body 100 rises to a higher first position, it is easier for the cleaning equipment to overcome obstacles. When the device body 100 falls to a lower second position, it improves the stability of the cleaning equipment's movement and reduces the space occupied by the cleaning equipment in the vertical direction Z. In addition, it is conducive to the cleaning equipment to perform cleaning operations such as vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping efficiently.

[0094] In some embodiments of this disclosure, when the device body 100 is in a raised position away from the wheel bracket 1, the guide extension 3 is in an extended state; when the device body 100 is in a lowered position close to the wheel bracket 1, the guide extension 3 is in a limited state that restricts it from being in an extended state.

[0095] The limited state is the state between the extended state and the retracted state. The guide extension 3 is blocked during the process of becoming the extended state, thus entering this limited state.

[0096] When encountering a tall first obstacle 1000a, the device body 100 rises to a first position height, increasing the distance between the device body 100 and the reference surface for the walking wheel assembly 10, thus accommodating the extended guide member 3 in its extended state. This connects the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension member 3 with the first guide surface 11 of the wheel bracket 1, extending the guide structure and improving obstacle-crossing performance. When encountering a short second obstacle 1000b or no obstacle, the device body 100 descends to a second position height, reducing the distance between the device body 100 and the reference surface. This lowers the device body 100's position height, improving the stability of its movement and reducing the space occupied by the cleaning equipment in the vertical Z direction. Therefore, the cleaning equipment can overcome the first obstacle 1000a, which is relatively high, thus improving its obstacle-crossing function. Furthermore, when there are no obstacles or when it encounters the second obstacle 1000b, which is relatively low, the height of the cleaning equipment is reduced, improving the stability of its movement. It can also enter spaces with lower heights for cleaning, thereby expanding the cleaning range.

[0097] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the guide extension 3 is mounted on the wheel bracket 1 via a pivot 8 and switches between a retracted state and an extended state by rotating about the pivot 8. The device body 100 has a limiting member 102. In the raised position, the limiting member 102 is located at a position that avoids the path that the guide extension 3 would take when rotating into the extended state. In the lowered position, the limiting member 102 is located at a position in the middle of the path that the guide extension 3 would take when rotating into the extended state, thus preventing the guide extension 3 from becoming extended.

[0098] As shown in Figure 7, when the device body 100 is in the raised position, the limiting member 102 is located at a position that avoids the path that the guide extension 3 takes when rotating to the extended state. That is, during the process of the guide extension 3 rotating to the extended state, it will not be blocked by the limiting member 102, and the guide extension 3 can smoothly rotate to the extended state. As shown in Figure 8, when the device body 100 is in the lowered position, the limiting member 102 is located at a position in the middle of the path that the guide extension 3 takes when rotating to the extended state. That is, during the process of the guide extension 3 rotating to the extended state, it will be blocked by the limiting member 102, so that the guide extension 3 is limited to the limiting state. In this way, through the action of the limiting member 102 of the device body 100, the guide extension 3 can switch between the extended state and the non-extended state (a position that does not hinder the lowering of the device body, such as the limiting position mentioned above).

[0099] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the limiting member 102 is located at the lower part of the device body 100 and is located in front of the travel direction X compared to the wheel bracket 1. In the raised position, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 do not overlap in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X. In the lowered position, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 at least partially overlap in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X.

[0100] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the bottom of the device body 100 has a recessed area for accommodating the wheel bracket 1. A limiting member 102 is provided on the front side of the recessed area along the travel direction X and at the lower part of the device body 100. When the device body 100 is at the second position height (lowered position), part of the wheel bracket 1 is accommodated in the recessed area. At this time, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 at least partially overlap, and the guide extension 3 is limited to the limiting state by the limiting member 102. As shown in FIG7, when the device body 100 rises to the first position height (raised position), the wheel bracket 1 extends from the recessed area. In the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 do not overlap, so that the limiting member 102 avoids restricting the guide extension 3, allowing the guide extension 3 to rotate to the extended state.

[0101] When the device body 100 is in the raised position, in the raised position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 do not overlap, so that there is enough space below the device body 100 to accommodate the extended guide extension 3 in the extended state; when the device body 100 is in the lowered position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the travel direction X, the projection of the wheel bracket 1 and the projection of the limiting member 102 at least partially overlap, so that the limiting member 102 can prevent the guide extension 3 from rotating to the extended state, so that the guide extension 3 is limited to the limited state. Thus, through the action of the limiting member 102 of the device body 100, the guide extension 3 can switch between the extended state and the non-extended limited state.

[0102] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the projection of the limiting member 102 and the projection of the guide extension member 3 at least partially overlap in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction Z.

[0103] Thus, when the device body 100 is at the first position height (raised position), the surface of the guide extension 3 facing away from the first guide surface 11 abuts against the limiting member 102. Thus, when the guide extension 3 contacts the first obstacle 1000a, the device body 100 applies a force to the guide extension 3 in the forward direction X, providing assistance to the guide extension 3, thereby enabling the guide extension 3 to smoothly slide over the first obstacle 1000a and improving the success rate of obstacle crossing.

[0104] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the bottom of the cleaning equipment body 100 has a recessed area. When the equipment body 100 is in the second position height (lowered position), part of the first guide surface 11 of the wheel bracket 1 is accommodated in the recessed area. At this time, the vertical distance H1 between the bottom edge of the impact plate 101 of the equipment body 100 and the reference surface is the upper limit of the second height range. That is, the height of the second obstacle 1000b is less than this upper limit, and the second obstacle 1000b can pass through the lower area of ​​the equipment body 100 to approach and contact the first guide surface 11. The vertical distance H1 between the bottom edge of the impact plate 101 of the equipment body 100 and the reference surface is the lower limit of the first height range. That is, the height of the first obstacle 1000a is greater than this lower limit. As shown in Figure 7, when the device body 100 rises to the first position height (raised position), the first guide surface 11 extends out from the recessed area, and the guide extension 3 is in the extended state. At this time, the vertical distance H2 between the upper end of the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension 3 and the reference surface is the upper limit value of the first height range, that is, the height of the first obstacle 1000a is less than this upper limit value.

[0105] In some embodiments of this disclosure, an elastic force-applying member 5 is provided between the guide extension 3 and the wheel bracket 1. The elastic force-applying member 5 is installed in a state that always applies force to the guide extension 3. The guide extension 3 can rotate into an extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member 5, and can rotate from the extended state to a non-extended limited state under the action of the limiting member 102.

[0106] During the process of the device body 100 rising from the second position height to the first position height, the guide extension 3 rotates to the extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member 5; during the process of the device body 100 falling from the first position height to the second position height, the guide extension 3 rotates to the non-extended limited state under the combined action of the elastic force-applying member 5 and the limiting member 102 of the device body 100, and can be further rotated to the retracted state under the action of external force (such as the pushing force of an obstacle).

[0107] As shown in Figure 7, when the device body 100 moves to the first position height, the elastic force-applying member 5 applies a counterclockwise elastic force to the guide extension member 3 as shown in Figure 7, thereby rotating it to the extended state shown in Figure 7. During the downward movement of the device body 100 from the first position height, the limiting member 102 of the device body 100 presses down on the guide extension member 3, causing the guide extension member 3 to rotate downwards clockwise as shown in Figure 7 until it reaches the limiting state shown in Figure 8. In the limiting state, the elastic force-applying member 5 applies a counterclockwise elastic force to the guide extension member 3 as shown in Figure 8, so that the guide extension member 3 can flip upwards under the elastic force of the elastic force-applying member 5 when the device body 100 rises. Furthermore, this elastic force causes the guide extension member 3 to abut against the bottom of the device body 100 (e.g., the limiting member 102), limiting the position of the guide extension member 3 and reducing the probability of the guide extension member 3 swaying during movement.

[0108] Thus, as the equipment body 100 moves to a higher position, the guide extension 3 simultaneously switches states. The state switching operation is simple and efficient, and the structure is simple, occupies little space, and has low cost.

[0109] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in FIG8, the lifting assembly 7 includes a lifting drive device 71 and a lifting mechanism 72 connected to the drive end of the lifting drive device 71. The lifting mechanism 72 is connected to the equipment body 100 and the walking wheel assembly 10 respectively. The lifting mechanism 72 changes the distance between the equipment body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 under the drive of the lifting drive device 71.

[0110] Thus, the lifting drive device 71 changes the distance between the equipment body 100 and the wheel bracket 1 through the lifting mechanism 72, thereby driving the equipment body 100 to rise or fall, and thus realizing the switching of the state of the guide extension 3.

[0111] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in FIG9, the lifting drive device 71 is installed on the equipment body 100, and the lifting mechanism 72 includes a transmission member 721, an abutment member 722 and a sliding bushing 723. The transmission member 721 is connected to the drive end of the lifting drive device 71, the transmission member 721 abuts against the abutment member 722, the abutment member 722 is connected to the sliding bushing 723, and the sliding bushing 723 is connected to the wheel bracket 1 and to the equipment body 100 and can slide relative to the equipment body 100 in the lifting direction Z.

[0112] The lifting drive device 71 drives the transmission component 721 to actuate. The transmission component 721 presses down against the abutment component 722 along the lifting direction Z. The abutment component 722, carrying the sliding bushing 723, moves downward relative to the equipment body 100 along the lifting direction Z, thereby causing the equipment body 100 to move upward relative to the wheel bracket 1, thus achieving the raising of the equipment body 100. The lifting drive device 71 drives the transmission component 721 to actuate. The transmission component 721 moves upward away from the abutment component 722 along the lifting direction Z, allowing the equipment body 100 to move downward under the action of gravity or other external forces, thus achieving the lowering of the equipment body 100.

[0113] In this way, the lifting component 7 drives the device body 100 to rise or fall, and the lifting component 7 has a simple structure and occupies little space.

[0114] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in FIG10, the lifting mechanism 72 further includes an elastic element 724, one end of which is connected to the abutment element 722, and the other end of which is connected to the device body 100.

[0115] The elastic element 724 includes, but is not limited to, elastic components such as springs, rubber strips, and bellows. The elastic element 724 can be installed in a natural state or in a force-applied state, as long as a spring force can be applied to make the abutment 722 move up and down, thereby driving the equipment body to rise and fall.

[0116] In some embodiments, as the transmission member 721 moves upward away from the abutment member 722, the elastic member 724 applies an upward elastic force to the abutment member 722, driving the abutment member 722, along with the wheel bracket 1 and the roller 2, to move upward relative to the device body 100, thereby reducing the height of the device body 100. The elastic member 724 accelerates the descent speed of the device body 100.

[0117] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in FIG11, the abutment member 722 is provided with an inclined surface 7221 and a horizontal surface 7222. The inclined surface 7221 is connected to the horizontal surface 7222, and the inclined surface 7221 is higher than the horizontal surface 7222. The transmission member 721 abuts against the inclined surface 7221 or the horizontal surface 7222 during the operation.

[0118] Thus, the position height of the abutting member 722 when the transmission member 721 abuts against the inclined surface 7221 is lower than the position height of the transmission member 721 when it abuts against the horizontal surface 7222.

[0119] In some embodiments, the inclined surface 7221 may be an inclined plane or an inclined arc surface.

[0120] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in FIG12, one end of the transmission member 721 is connected to the drive shaft of the lifting drive device 71, and the other end of the transmission member 721 is provided with an abutting pulley 725. The transmission member 721 abuts against the abutting member 722 through the abutting pulley 725.

[0121] The lifting drive device 71 drives the transmission component 721 to rotate around the drive shaft, causing the abutment pulley 725 to abut against the abutment component 722 and roll along the surface of the abutment component 722.

[0122] In this way, the friction of the transmission component 721 during the process of applying pressure to the contact component 722 is reduced, the wear rate of the transmission component 721 is slowed down, and the service life of the cleaning equipment is improved. In addition, the driving force required by the lifting drive device 71 can also be reduced, which helps to save energy.

[0123] Specifically, the sliding bushing 723 is fitted onto the bracket rotating shaft 6. The lifting drive device 71 can drive the transmission component 721 to rotate counterclockwise by a set angle from the position shown in Figure 9, so that the transmission component 721 presses against the abutment component 722 and moves downward relative to the equipment body 100. The abutment component 722, along with the sliding bushing 723, the bracket rotating shaft 6, the wheel bracket 1, and the roller 2, moves downward relative to the equipment body 100, thereby causing the equipment body 100 to move upward relative to the reference surface, thus realizing the raising of the equipment body 100. After passing the first obstacle 1000a, which is relatively high, the lifting drive device 71 can drive the transmission component 721 to rotate clockwise to the position shown in Figure 9. The abutting pulley 725 of the transmission component 721 moves upward. During this process, the elastic component 724 applies an upward elastic force to the abutting component 722, causing the abutting component 722 to move upward relative to the equipment body 100 along with the bracket shaft 6, wheel bracket 1 and roller 2. Since the roller 2 abuts against the bearing plane, the position height of the roller 2 remains unchanged, and the position height of the equipment body 100 decreases, thereby lowering the equipment body 100.

[0124] In some embodiments of this disclosure, as shown in FIG13, the cleaning device further includes a control module 200 and a detection device 300 disposed on the device body 100. The control module 200 and the detection device 300 are communicatively connected. The detection device 300 is used to detect the condition information of the front side of the roller 2 along the direction of travel. The condition information includes at least whether there is an obstacle and the height of the obstacle. The control module 200 is used to control the guide extension 3 to switch between an extended state and a retracted state according to the condition information detected by the detection device 300.

[0125] The obstacle status information detected by the detection device 300 includes whether there is an obstacle and the height and dimensions of the obstacle. After obtaining the detected status information, the control module determines whether there is an obstacle ahead, and whether the obstacle belongs to the first obstacle 1000a or the second obstacle 1000b, in order to determine whether it is necessary to switch the state of the guide extension 3. When a switch is required, the control module controls the guide extension 3 to switch its state.

[0126] The detection device 300 includes, but is not limited to, a camera or a sensor. The camera may be, but is not limited to, a laser scanning camera, a structured light camera, a stereo vision camera, a TOF (Time of Flight) camera, etc. The sensor may be, but is not limited to, a laser displacement sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a capacitive sensor, etc.

[0127] In some embodiments, the control module 200 is communicatively connected to the lifting drive device 71, and controls the guide extension 3 to switch between the extended state and the retracted state by controlling the start and stop of the lifting drive device 71.

[0128] In this way, the cleaning equipment can automatically overcome obstacles.

[0129] The cleaning method of the cleaning equipment provided in this disclosure is briefly described below.

[0130] The control module 200 controls the rollers 2 of the cleaning equipment to roll, causing the cleaning equipment to move. Initially, the guide extension 3 is in a retracted state. During the movement of the cleaning equipment, the detection device 300 detects the situation in front of the moving direction, obtains situation information, and transmits the situation information to the control module. When the control module 200 determines that there is an obstacle with a height within a first height range in front of the moving direction based on the situation information, it controls the lifting assembly 7 to drive the equipment body 100 of the cleaning equipment to rise to the first position height. During the rising of the equipment body 100, the guide extension 3, under the action of the elastic force-applying member 5... When rotated to the extended state, the second guide surface 31 of the guide extension 3 is connected to the first guide surface 11. The control module 200 controls the cleaning equipment to continue moving and overcoming obstacles. When the control module 200 learns from the status information measured by the detection device that there is an obstacle at a height within the second height range or no obstacle in front of the direction of travel, the control module 200 controls the lifting assembly 7 to drive the equipment body 100 of the cleaning equipment to descend to the second position height. During the descent of the equipment body 100, the guide extension 3 rotates to the retracted state under the combined action of the elastic force application member 5 and the limiting member 102 of the equipment body 100.

[0131] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure 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 disclosure, and all should be covered within the scope of this disclosure. 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 walking wheel assembly, characterized in that, include: The wheel bracket provides a first guide surface that is tilted upwards towards the front of the direction of travel; A roller, mounted on the wheel bracket and capable of rotating about the wheel axle; A guide extension, mounted on the front side of the wheel bracket in the direction of travel, is switchable between a retracted state and an extended state. In the extended state, the guide extension provides a second guide surface. The second guide surface is connected to the first guide surface along the direction of travel, which is inclined upwards towards the front side.

2. The walking wheel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wheel bracket is connected to the bracket pivot and can rotate around the bracket pivot. The axial direction of the bracket pivot and the axial direction of the wheel axle intersect each other.

3. The walking wheel assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The guide extension is hinged to the wheel bracket and can rotate relative to the wheel bracket to the extended state, and can rotate from the extended state to the retracted state.

4. The walking wheel assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, An elastic force-applying member is provided between the guide extension and the wheel bracket. The elastic force-applying member is installed in a state that always applies force to the guide extension. The guide extension can rotate into the extended state under the action of the elastic force-applying member, and can rotate from the extended state to the retracted state under the action of an external force.

5. The walking wheel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The wheel bracket includes a roller shield, the front portion of which extends closer to a reference surface than the rear portion in the direction of travel, the reference surface being the surface on which the roller rolls.

6. The walking wheel assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The portion of the roller baffle located on the front side in the direction of travel provides the first guide surface.

7. The walking wheel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The wheel bracket has a storage groove on its front side in the direction of travel, and in the retracted state, the guide extension is stored in the storage groove.

8. A cleaning device, characterized in that, It includes the device body and the walking wheel assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The cleaning equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment also includes a lifting assembly, which is connected to the equipment body and the wheel assembly respectively. The lifting assembly changes the distance between the equipment body and the wheel bracket along the lifting direction.

10. The cleaning equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, With the device body in the raised position away from the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in the extended state. When the device body is in a lowered position close to the wheel bracket, the guide extension is in a limited position that restricts it to the extended state.

11. The cleaning equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that, The guide extension is pivotally mounted to the wheel bracket and switches between the retracted state and the extended state by rotating about the pivot. The device body has a limiting component. In the raised position, the limiting member is positioned to avoid the path traversed by the guide extension member as it rotates to the extended state. In the lowered position, the limiting member is located midway along the path through which the guide extension rotates to the extended state, preventing the guide extension from reaching the extended state.

12. The cleaning equipment according to claim 11, characterized in that, The limiting member is located at the lower part of the device body and is positioned at the front side in the direction of travel compared to the wheel bracket. In the raised position, within the same projection plane perpendicular to the direction of travel, the projection of the wheel bracket and the projection of the limiting member do not overlap. In the lowered position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the direction of travel, the projection of the wheel bracket and the projection of the limiting member at least partially overlap.

13. The cleaning equipment according to claim 12, characterized in that, Within the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the limiting member and the projection of the guide extension member at least partially overlap.

14. The cleaning equipment according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that, The lifting assembly includes a lifting drive device and a lifting mechanism connected to the drive end of the lifting drive device. The lifting mechanism is connected to the equipment body and the walking wheel assembly respectively. The lifting mechanism changes the distance between the equipment body and the wheel bracket under the drive of the lifting drive device.

15. The cleaning equipment according to claim 14, characterized in that, The lifting drive device is installed on the main body of the equipment. The lifting mechanism includes a transmission component, an abutment component, and a sliding bushing. The transmission component is connected to the drive end of the lifting drive device, the transmission component abuts against the abutting member, the abutting member is connected to the sliding bushing, the sliding bushing is connected to the wheel bracket and to the device body and can slide relative to the device body in the lifting direction.

16. The cleaning equipment according to claim 15, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism also includes an elastic element, one end of which is connected to the abutment element, and the other end of which is connected to the device body.

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