KR100762095B1 - Passivity charging station for wire and wireless robot vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A charging station for a wire and wireless robot vacuum cleaner is provided to utilize the robot cleaner by wire within the range of a cable as charging the robot cleaner and to utilize the robot cleaner out of the range of the cable. A charging station(100) for a wire and wireless robot vacuum cleaner has a docking structure(140), a guide system(150), and wheels(250). The docking structure is fit to a cleaner main body(200) with a wireless self cleaning function and an automatic charging function. The guide system is connected with a charging contact(220) by guiding the cleaner body. The wheel allows the charging station to move along the cleaner body docking with the charging station. The charging station is connected with a stationary station(300) outputting DC power for the robot cleaner by a cable(160).

Description

PASSIVITY CHARGING STATION FOR WIRE AND WIRELESS ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER}

1 is a block diagram of the present invention

2 is an embodiment of a docking structure according to the present invention

Figure 3 is another embodiment of the docking structure according to the present invention

Figure 4 is a cleaning operation by wired or wireless region according to the present invention

Explanation of major marks

The present invention relates to a driven mobile charging station for power supply of a wired or wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner, more specifically, a vacuum cleaner main body having a wireless self-propelled cleaning function, a fixed station for outputting a DC power for the cleaner, and a fixed station by a cable It is connected to the main body of the vacuum cleaner by the docking structure and is connected to the driven mobile charging station.It functions as a wired self-propelled vacuum cleaner connected to the fixed station and the cable within the limited distance of the cable. The present invention relates to a mobile charging station for power supply of a wired and wireless self-propelled cleaner to function as a wireless self-propelled cleaner.

Self-propelled vacuum cleaner is a device that performs cleaning work by moving a certain space by control of program or artificial intelligence, and processes various processes such as cleaning, moving, returning and recharging by combining various methods of location recognition technology and mapping technology or space scanning technology. It is configured to be able to do it yourself, and because of its convenience, many types of wired and wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaners (hereinafter referred to as robot cleaners) have recently been proposed.

The wired self-propelled vacuum cleaner has a structure of cleaning by moving by itself while receiving power directly through a cable. The wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner has a structure of cleaning by moving by itself using the power of an internal battery. And a technique for recharging itself by a return induction and docking system.

Existing self-propelled vacuum cleaners are mostly developed under the premise of wireless or wired, so there is a problem of battery capacity and driving power in the premise of wireless, and entanglement in the premise of wired.

Since the wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner uses a battery, there are a method of using an automatic charging function and a method of using a large capacity battery to overcome the short use time of the battery.

The method using the automatic charging function has a docking structure to form a contact point between the charging contacts formed in the cleaner body and the charging station, and includes a charging system that induces docking using a signal sensing and control system using infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, or RF. If the remaining battery level falls below the allowed range during the cleaning operation, it can find the charging station and automatically charge to secure the necessary power. In the wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner, the automatic charging function often moves a long distance for charging during cleaning, and the charging time is long, so there is almost no time saving effect for charging, and it is complicated to move to a designated place. The premise of the filling induction system has a problem that the production cost increases.

In order to increase uptime using a large capacity battery in a wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner, a method of connecting a plurality of battery packs in parallel is generally used. Such a structure requires a sequential charge control system to prevent overheating during the charging process. It takes a long time for charging, it is impossible to drive during the charging time, there is a problem that the cost increases by using a lot of high capacity battery.

Wired self-propelled vacuum cleaner uses the power converted into AC power or DC through the cable, so it has the advantage of using high-efficiency high-power power, but because the cleaning work is performed with the cable stretched long, the winding, tangling, Problems arise due to the movement resistance of the cable itself, the limitation of the cable distance, and the like. In an attempt to solve this problem, no attempt has been made other than the method of maintaining a proper tension of a cable by a wire tension maintaining device installed in a cleaner body or a fixing station (Korean Patent Publication 1996-0014579). A simple tension retainer is effective in reducing the cable's resistance to movement. However, if there are many obstacles, such as cleaning under a chair, the self-cleaning vacuum cleaner moves randomly, so the cable is wound around the fixture. There is a limitation to avoid or to limit the moving area, there is a disadvantage that the cleaning space is significantly smaller than the radio.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-0034851 proposes a general vacuum cleaner capable of both wired and wireless conditions, which is configured to selectively use DC power charged in a battery and AC power supplied from a power cord. Although it has a combined function, it belongs to the area of the traditional vacuum cleaner which is carried by the user. The conventional vacuum cleaner is intended to solve the limitation of the cleaning area according to the cord length, and has not been implemented, used or produced in the self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

The present invention combines the wired function with a wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner using a built-in battery to use the wire within the cable length range, and if the cable is out of the length or if there is an obstacle, wirelessly used, so that the charge is made when the wired connection This makes it possible to use high-output power with high cleaning efficiency even without increasing the capacity of the battery, and to secure battery capacity economically by reducing the function time as a wireless self-propelled cleaner by using the battery. This makes it possible to quickly switch to wireless if there is an obstacle so that the charged battery can be used so as not to limit or avoid the cleaning area, and to place the charging contact for charging in the vicinity of the work area. To shorten the travel distance It presents a power supply of the self-propelled cleaner wired so that one can reduce the overall cleaning time.

To this end, the present invention has a vacuum cleaner self-cleaning function and a vacuum cleaner body having a custom docking structure and a custom docking structure, the induction system is provided to connect the charging contact by inducing the cleaner body, the cleaner body and docking state of the cleaner body A mobile charging station for power supply of a wired or wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner having a wheel for moving according to movement and having a structure connected by a cable and a fixed station for outputting a DC power for a cleaner is proposed.

The passive mobile charging station separates the docking structure and the induction system which form the charging contact point with the cleaner body in the existing wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner into the passive mobile charging station, and the passive mobile charging station and the fixed station are connected by cables. In addition, the cleaner main body and the portable charging station function as a wired self-propelled vacuum cleaner connected to a fixed station and a cable within a limited distance of the cable, and function as a wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner when separated from the passive mobile charging station. It is characterized by.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is for showing the basic configuration of the present invention, the mobile charging station according to the invention is made of a structure that is separated from the fixed station and connected by a cable.

Since the driven mobile charging station 100 is docked with respect to the cleaner main body 200, power from the stationary station 300 is provided to the cleaner main body, and the cleaner main body having a function as a wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner functions as a wired self-propelled vacuum cleaner. Will have

The cleaner body 200 is configured to perform a cleaning operation while moving itself as a known element, the built-in battery 210 is coupled to the internal replaceable structure to be driven in a wireless state, the built-in battery is external It is connected to the charging contact 220 and the charge and discharge circuit. The charging and discharging circuit is configured to charge the battery while the external power source is connected, and to discharge the battery by the battery when the external power source is disconnected.

The charging contact 220 is installed in the docking structure 230 so that the contact is made by the charging station and the docking.

The cleaner body includes a movement detection sensor for detecting movement and movement of wheels, a return induction sensor for inducing a return of the cleaner body to the charging station, and a predetermined area while moving by itself through a method such as programming or artificial intelligence control. After cleaning, the docking induction system 240 is returned to the driven charging station through the docking guidance system of the mobile charging station 100 and the docking is made.

The cleaner body includes a wheel 250 composed of a BLDC motor, etc., a suction port 260 connected to an internal vacuum suction device, etc., to start by a command of an internal control device.

Fixed station 300 is a device for outputting the DC power through the cable to connect to the AC power, the AC / DC converter 310 for converting the AC power into usable DC power is installed inside the cord 320 Output AC power through cable with AC power connected through.

The driven mobile charging station 100 according to the present invention includes a case 110, a moving wheel 120 formed at the bottom of the case, a custom docking structure 130 and a charging contact point connected to the cleaner body, and a charging contact point. It consists of a contact point 140, a docking induction system 150 to guide the cleaner body to be docked, and a cable 160 connected to the stationary station.

The wheel for movement acts to be passively moved according to the movement of the cleaner body in a state coupled with the cleaner body.

The docking structure 130 is formed of a docking structure 230 and the charging contact 220 of the cleaner body and a custom structure.

1 and 2 form the docking structure 230 of the guide groove 231 structure in the cleaner body with the above-described custom docking structure to form a charging contact 220 therein, and the corresponding mobile charging station In Figure 100, the docking structure 130 is formed with a custom protrusion structure to show a structure in which the filling contact 140 is formed on the other side.

The docking structure may form a permanent magnet 232 in the docking structure of the cleaner body, and a separate coupling means having a structure in which the electromagnet 131 is formed to be adapted to the docking structure of the mobile charging station.

The magnet can be maintained in the docked state by changing the polarity of the N pole and the S pole by the control unit, it can be separated by pushing the vacuum cleaner body or the driven charging station by the magnetic force.

The docking structure and the charging contact is not limited in structure and form, and may be formed in various ways in consideration of the outer shape of the cleaner body.

3 illustrates another embodiment of the docking structure, and illustrates an example in which the docking structure is formed on the upper portion of the cleaner body. That is, the docking structure 230 and the charging contact 220 is formed on the upper part of the cleaner body, the movable charging station 100 is to maintain the charging contact on the upper part of the cleaner body is the case of the cleaner body It is supported by the legs 121 so as to be positioned at a position slightly higher than the docking structure, and has a structure in which the wheel 120 for movement is formed at the lower portion of each leg.

The docking structure 140 has a groove shape at the bottom of the case of the driven mobile charging station 100, and a charging contact 140 is formed therein. For docking and separation, the bottom of the cleaner body and the driven mobile charging station 100 includes a separate coupling means by an electromagnet 232 and a permanent magnet 131 which are mutually fitted to each other so that the polarity is changed by the control unit. Configured to be separated.

The structure is a spring 123 with respect to the case of the driven mobile charging station 100 when the cleaner body acts in the direction in which the electromagnets are attracted to each other in a state located under the driven mobile charging station 100 by the docking induction system When the hinge 122 is extended to a certain angle and the case is seated, the docking coupling is made by falling down, and the polarity of the electromagnet acts in the direction of pushing each other by pushing the spring force and the force of the magnetic force. The leg is erected so as to be separated from the cleaner body.

Figure 4 shows the movement trajectory of the cleaner body according to the present invention, in the cable 160 usable section, the cleaning operation is carried out by a wire in a state where the mobile charging station 100 and the cleaner body are docked, and obstacles are removed. If it detects or exceeds the length of the cable, it is disconnected from the mobile charging station and moved by a program or its own mobile system to perform cleaning.

When the cleaner main body passes through the driven charging station even in a wireless state, the docking induction system may be operated by a program so that the docking may be performed, and the built-in battery in the cleaner main body may continuously maintain the charging state. .

The present invention can be applied to the tension holding device of various methods as applied to the conventional wired self-propelled vacuum cleaner when the cleaning operation by the wire in the state in which the cleaner body and the passive mobile charging system is docked, the tension holding device is docked It works only in the state and maintains the phenomenon in the disconnected state, so that even if the passive mobile charging system is miniaturized, it is prevented from being pulled toward the fixed station by the action of the tension retainer in the detached state.

The present invention by the above configuration is because the wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner using a built-in battery is defective in the wire length within the cable length range and can be used wirelessly if the cable length is out of the way or there is an obstacle, the cleaning area is wide High efficiency and high efficiency cleaning work by high power.

In addition, by reducing the function time as a wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner using a battery, it is possible to secure battery capacity economically, charging is performed while cleaning in a wired state, and the mobile charging station is located in the vicinity of the cleaning area to perform charging. It provides an advantage to shorten the travel distance.

In addition, the docking and separating structure by the permanent magnet and the electromagnet according to the present invention makes it possible to easily maintain and separate the charging contact, and to quickly and reliably move the cleaner main body and the driven charging station closely induced by the docking guidance system. It provides the effect of being able to combine and separate.

Claims (4)

It has a vacuum cleaner body with a wireless self-propelled cleaning function and automatic charging function and a custom docking structure, the induction system is connected to the charging contact by inducing the cleaner body, and move according to the movement of the cleaner body in the docking state with the cleaner body Passive mobile charging station for power supply of a wired or wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner having a wheel for, and the structure is connected by a cable and a fixed station for outputting the DC power for use in the cleaner. The docking structure of claim 1, wherein the docking structure is formed in a custom structure to the cleaner body and a corresponding mobile charging station, and each of the charging contacts is formed in the docking structure so that the charging contacts are connected in a docking state. There is a permanent magnet and an electromagnet is formed, the mobile charging station for the power supply of the wired or wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner, characterized in that made of a structure that is docked or separated by switching the polarity. According to claim 2, wherein the docking structure formed on the driven charging station to correspond to the docking structure and the charging contact formed on the upper portion of the cleaner body consists of a docking structure of the groove-shaped at the bottom of the case and a charging contact formed therein The case is supported by the legs so as to be positioned at a position higher than the docking structure of the cleaner body, and movement wheels are formed at the bottom of each leg, and the electromagnets are mutually fitted to the bottom of the cleaner body and the driven charging station. Passive charging station for power supply of the wired or wireless self-propelled vacuum cleaner, characterized in that the structure comprises a separate coupling means by a permanent magnet. The passive charging station for power supply of the wired or wireless self-propelled cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a cable tension maintaining device is included in the mobile charging station or the fixed station.

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