JPH10314078A - Controller for cleaning system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a controller for a cleaning system which shortens a stoppage distance while avoiding any malfunctions, at the time of an emergency stoppage. SOLUTION: It relates to a controller 10 which controls each function by the main controller 12 mounted on a cleaning system 1 performing a cleaning operation by a cleaning means to pivot and drive left and right drive wheels 30 by means of a drive motor 32. When an emergency stoppage switch 50 is pushed down, current feeding to the drive motor 32 is shut off by means of a delay signal which delays for a predetermined period of time generated from a delay part 60 after the control operation of the drive motor 32. In this instance, a stoppage means which shuts off current feeding to the drive motor 32 to prevent the drive motor driver 34 not only from malfunctions but also from running. Thereby, even when the drive motor driver 34 and motor driver 58 are not functioning properly, current feeding to each motor is shut off after a predetermined period of time (e.g. 0.3 seconds) elapses, and the cleaning system 1 reduces in speed and stops from running, by force of inertia.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device, and more particularly to a control device for a cleaning device which is driven and moved by wheels.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Cleaning work in a human activity space is an indispensable work in terms of environmental hygiene, and is not limited to a relatively small area such as a home or office, but is also applied to stations, airports, factories, large-scale stores, and the like. It requires a lot of labor even in a wide area, and the working conditions are harsh. Various self-propelled cleaning devices have been developed for cleaning the floor surface with the aim of saving labor and manpower in the cleaning work.

[0003] This self-propelled cleaning device has a detection unit, a tank unit, a cleaning unit, a sewage suction unit (squeegee), a driving unit, a power supply unit, a cover unit, a frame unit,
An emergency stop switch and a control unit that controls these switches are generally used. Further, a cleaning device used for a floor surface on which a carpet or the like is laid has a dust suction unit instead of the cleaning unit and the sewage suction unit.

[0004] Such cleaning devices, unlike devices such as industrial robots that are spatially separated from humans, move and work in a common environment in which surrounding humans are active. Therefore, for example, many adopt a structure and function aimed at improving safety represented by, for example, reducing the corners of the outer periphery of the cleaning device, including shock absorbing means such as a bumper, and slowing down the moving speed. There is also known a control unit having a control function of avoiding a collision with an obstacle including a human using various detection means.

[0005] On the other hand, even if a control function aimed at improving safety such as collision avoidance or the like is provided, if the control function is not properly performed, for example, a disturbance of a high voltage from the outside of the cleaning device may occur. In addition, when the system of the control unit malfunctions, the cleaning device may be erroneously controlled. Therefore, in the conventional cleaning device, a function of monitoring an abnormality of the control unit is added, and when an abnormality or a failure occurs in the control unit, the current supply to the traveling motor which is a self-propelled driving device is immediately shut off. It stopped without generating driving force. The stopping of the cleaning device due to the interruption of the current supply is performed in the same manner when the emergency stop switch is pressed by a surrounding person.

[0006]

However, when the current supply to the traveling motor is cut off, the stopping distance is unnecessarily long due to the inertial force of the entire cleaning device because the braking force of the motor is not applied. Therefore, in the case of an emergency stop that should be stopped on the spot, there is no effective stopping method,
There has been a demand for a control system for a cleaning device that always minimizes the stopping distance during an emergency stop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control device for a cleaning device that shortens the stopping distance at the time of an emergency stop while avoiding a malfunction.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a control device for a cleaning device as described below. That is, the control device for a cleaning device according to the first aspect includes a stop unit that cuts off current supply to a traveling unit such as a traveling motor after a predetermined time has elapsed.

According to the control device for a cleaning device having such a configuration, even when a control means such as a motor driver for controlling the traveling means malfunctions, the traveling means can be prevented from being erroneously controlled. Then, for example, it is possible to cause the traveling means to maintain the operation of stopping traveling before the predetermined time elapses and to brake the traveling means.

In the control device for a cleaning device according to a second aspect, the stop means outputs an emergency stop signal based on an emergency stop operation to the cleaning device, and receives the stop signal. A delay unit that holds a stop signal and sends a delay signal after a predetermined time elapses, and a stop maintaining unit that controls the current based on the stop signal and continues the operation of stopping the traveling to the traveling means. And a current interrupting unit for interrupting the current supply to the traveling means in response to the delay signal.

According to the control device for a cleaning device having such a configuration, the stop maintaining unit can cause the traveling means to maintain the operation of stopping the traveling by the stop signal from the emergency stop instruction unit and exert the predetermined braking force. Further, it is possible to prevent the traveling means from being erroneously controlled when the stop maintaining unit malfunctions due to the interruption of the current supply.

In the control device for a cleaning device according to a third aspect, the stopping means according to the first aspect is configured to cut off the current supply to the cleaning means in addition to the traveling means after a predetermined time has elapsed. I have.

According to the control device for a cleaning device having such a configuration, it is possible to avoid not only the traveling device but also the cleaning device from being erroneously controlled when the control device malfunctions.

Further, in the cleaning device control device according to the fourth aspect, in addition to the configuration of the stopping device according to the second aspect, the stopping device controls the current based on the stop signal to stop the cleaning by the cleaning device. And a second current interrupting unit that interrupts the current supply to the cleaning unit in response to the delay signal.

According to the control device for a cleaning device having such a configuration, each stop maintaining unit causes the traveling unit and the cleaning unit to maintain the stopping operation by the stop signal from the emergency stop instruction unit to exert a predetermined braking force. In addition, even if the current supply is cut off and the respective stop maintaining sections malfunction, the traveling means and the cleaning means are erroneously controlled, so that it can be avoided.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a cleaning device 1 used for floor cleaning.

The cleaning by the cleaning device 1 is performed by a cleaning liquid tank 5.
The cleaning is performed by dropping the cleaning liquid from 1 and rotating the cleaning brush in contact with the floor surface. This cleaning is usually performed while moving, and the sewage generated in the cleaning operation is sent to the rear of the cleaning device 1 by the movement, collected from the sewage suction unit 57 into the sewage recovery tank 59, and discarded after a predetermined cleaning operation. . The movement of the cleaning device 1 is performed by driving the driving wheels 30 provided one by one on the left and right sides by the control device 10 described later in detail according to a planned route that is planned and input in advance. A front caster wheel and a rear caster wheel for preventing the fall in the front-rear direction are each rotatably attached to a front portion and a rear portion of the lower surface of the cleaning device 1 (not shown).

The cleaning device 1 is provided with a bumper section 40 which is a shock absorbing means in case of collision or collision with an obstacle due to movement. Further, in order to avoid obstacles during movement and cleaning, a bumper unit 40 and a contact sensor 42 and an optical sensor 44 in the vicinity of the bumper unit 40 are provided as detection means therefor. Further, an emergency stop switch 50 is provided on the upper surface of the cleaning device 1 as an emergency stop instruction unit for an operator or a surrounding person to stop various operations of the cleaning device 1 urgently.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 10 for the above-described cleaning device 1 controls the entire system and controls a main controller 12 serving as a central control unit, an operation panel 13 operated by a work instructor, and the like. Panel controller 14, drive wheel 30, and drive motor 32 for driving the same
And a drive motor controller 16 for controlling the drive motor 32 as a traveling means. Each controller includes a central processing unit (hereinafter, CPU) and controls each control target. A motor driver 58 for controlling the cleaning brush motor 56 using the cleaning brush and the cleaning brush motor 56 for rotating the cleaning brush as cleaning means.
Are configured to be directly controlled by the main controller 12.

As shown in the system configuration diagram of FIG. 3, the main controller 12 further detects the abnormality of the CPU and the low voltage detector 62 for detecting a drop in the power supply voltage and outputting a predetermined signal, and outputs a predetermined signal. A CPU monitoring unit 64 for outputting is provided.

A current interrupting section 66 for interrupting a current for driving the drive motor 32 is provided between the drive motor driver 34 and the drive motor 32, and a motor driver 58 is provided between the main controller 12 and the motor driver 58. A second current interrupting section 68 for interrupting the current to be applied is provided. Further, the drive motor 32 and the cleaning brush motor 5
Non-fuse breakers 46 and 48 are provided between the power supply and the drive motor driver 34 and between the power supply and the motor driver 58, respectively, to protect the 6 from overcurrent.

In the drive motor controller 16 described above,
Speed control of the drive motor 32 is performed based on a command from the main controller 12. The data of the left and right drive wheels 30 is transmitted from the main controller 12 to the drive motor controller 16, and the drive motors 32 are independently driven and controlled via the drive motor driver 34. An encoder 36 that generates a pulse according to the rotation of the drive motor 32
Are directly connected to and mounted on the drive shafts of the left and right drive motors 32, respectively.
The data is fed back to the counter 38 and is integrated by the counter 38. The integrated data is transmitted to the main controller 12 and read.

When the cleaning device 1 functions normally and normally stops during the cleaning operation according to a predetermined plan, or when an obstacle detection signal from the optical sensor 44 or the like is detected, the main controller 12 sends a drive motor driver. The data of the deceleration stop is transmitted to 34, and the drive motor 32 performs a predetermined deceleration drive to stop.

Even when the drive motor driver 34 and the motor driver 58 do not operate normally, the current supply to each motor is cut off after a predetermined time (for example, 0.3 seconds).
The cleaning device 1 decelerates from running due to inertial force and stops.

When the power supply voltage of the cleaning device 1 falls below a predetermined value, the power supply output inside each controller decreases, which may cause malfunction of each function. In order to avoid this, the low voltage detection unit 62 detects the power supply voltage, and when this voltage is confirmed to be equal to or lower than a predetermined value (for example, 19 V DC), resets (initializes) the CPU and interrupts the current. A signal for operating the section 66 and the second current interrupting section 68 is sent. As a result, the current supply to the drive motor 32 and the cleaning brush motor 56 is interrupted, and the running and cleaning of the cleaning device 1 are interrupted, and a malfunction is effectively avoided.

The main controller 1 of the cleaning device 1
If there is any abnormality or failure in the second CPU, the main controller 12 may cause each function to malfunction. To avoid this, the CPU monitoring unit 64 confirms whether the arithmetic processing by the CPU is normal, for example, by monitoring the reset state of a watchdog timer. When an abnormality of the CPU is detected, the CPU resets the CPU and sends a signal for operating the current interrupting unit 66 and the second current interrupting unit 68. As a result, the running of the cleaning device 1 and the cleaning operation are interrupted, and malfunctions are effectively avoided. Here, in consideration of erroneous detection of the CPU monitoring unit 64 due to electric noise, etc.
The CPU monitoring unit 64 determines that an abnormality has occurred four times or more within two seconds.
Is set so that the signal is output from the CPU monitoring unit 64 when it is confirmed.

Further, when the drive motor 32 or the cleaning brush motor 56 is restrained from rotating due to the drive wheel 30 hitting a step which cannot be climbed over, an overcurrent flows through each motor. The operation of 46 and 48 cuts off the current supply, so that it is possible to avoid overheating of the drive motor 32 and the like.

In the present embodiment, a system for the purpose of further reducing the stopping distance at the time of an emergency stop is added to the control device 10 configured and functioning as described above. That is, the main controller 12 is provided with a delay unit 60 that holds an input signal for a predetermined time and outputs the signal as a delay signal.

The operation of the delay unit 60 is as follows. If you want to stop the operation of the cleaning device 1 urgently,
An operator or a surrounding person presses the emergency stop switch 50. By this operation, the CP of the main controller 12 is
U is the drive motor driver 34 which is a stop maintaining unit and the second
A stop signal of each motor is transmitted to the motor driver 58, which is a stop maintaining unit. In particular, the drive motor driver 34
Is sent through a dedicated line 40 provided separately for the purpose of avoiding data communication errors.

Here, if there is an abnormality in the drive motor driver 34 and the motor driver 58, it is assumed that each motor does not stop even if a stop signal is received. Therefore, the CPU of the main controller 12 sends a signal for operating the current interrupting unit 66 and the second current interrupting unit 68 via the delay unit 60. This signal is held by the intervening delay unit 60 and is released after a predetermined time has elapsed, and is sent to the current interrupting unit 66 and the second current interrupting unit 68. As a result, the current supply to the drive motor 32 and the cleaning brush motor 56 is cut off with a delay of a predetermined time.

Therefore, when the drive motor driver 34 and the motor driver 58 operate normally, the drive motor 32
After the rotation of the cleaning brush motor 56 is stopped for a predetermined time to exert a braking force, the current supply is cut off.
The operation of the drive wheel 30 and the cleaning brush 54 after the braking is stopped almost in place, or if there is an inertial force remaining after the braking, the running due to the inertial force is decelerated due to rotational resistance or the like, and stops.

According to a running test of the cleaning device 1 having the control device 10 according to the present embodiment, the delay time of the delay unit 60 is 0.3 seconds, and the running speed of the cleaning device 1 is 10 m / mi.
n and the emergency stop switch 50 is pressed,
The travel distance before the stop was 60 mm, and the deceleration stop distance at the normal time under the same speed was 70 mm. On the other hand, when the delay time was made equal, the traveling speed was set to a high speed of 30 m / min, and the emergency stop switch 50 was pressed, the traveling distance until the stop was 135 mm. The normal deceleration stop distance at the same speed requires 450 mm, and the emergency stop is stopped at about one third of that, so that the effect of reducing the emergency stop distance is remarkable.

Since the cleaning device 1 is manufactured so that the distance from the tip of the bumper section 40 to the center of the front caster wheel is 170 mm, a step detecting sensor or the like (not shown) is attached to the tip of the bumper section 40. If the above-mentioned emergency stop is set by the signal from the sensor, the stop distance becomes 170
mm, the front caster wheel does not fall off the floor. Accordingly, the above-mentioned stopping distance of 135 mm is preferable because the falling of the cleaning device 1 from the floor surface can be prevented.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the configuration of each of the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the control device 10 according to the present invention
Are the above-mentioned cleaning liquid tank 51, sewage recovery tank 59,
Cleaning brush motor 56, cleaning brush and sewage suction unit 5
7 may be used in a suction type cleaning device having a dust collection tank, a dust suction motor and a dust suction unit. Also,
The control device of the present invention may be provided in a device for cleaning a road surface or the like. Further, in each embodiment, the driving motor 3
2 and the cleaning brush motor 56 (dust suction motor) are simultaneously controlled. However, in order to simplify the control, only the driving motor 32 for traveling may be controlled.

[0035]

As described above, according to the control device for a cleaning device of the present invention, when the emergency stop switch is pressed, the drive motor is delayed by a predetermined time after the braking operation of the drive motor. By interrupting the supply of electric current to the motor, an excellent effect of stopping the traveling and shortening the stopping distance at the time of an emergency stop while avoiding a malfunction of the drive motor driver or the like is exhibited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of a cleaning device having a control device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a basic system configuration diagram in the cleaning device control device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram for avoiding malfunction and shortening an emergency stop distance in the cleaning device control device according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 cleaning device 10 control device 12 main controller 16 drive motor controller 30 drive wheel 32 drive motor 34 drive motor driver 50 emergency stop switch 56 cleaning brush motor 58 motor driver 60 delay unit 66 current cutoff unit 68 second current cutoff unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] Claims: 1. An electric current is supplied and a vehicle travels by traveling means.
A cleaning device control device mounted on a cleaning device performing a cleaning operation by a cleaning device and controlling each function of the cleaning device by a central control unit, wherein a stopping device for interrupting a current supply to the traveling device after a predetermined time has elapsed. A control device for a cleaning device, comprising: 2. An emergency stop instruction unit for outputting a stop signal based on an emergency stop operation to the cleaning device, a delay for holding the stop signal and sending a delay signal after a predetermined time has elapsed. A stop maintaining unit that controls a current based on the stop signal to maintain a running stop operation of the running unit; and a current interrupting unit that shuts off current supply to the running unit based on the delay signal. The control device for a cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The control device for a cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the stopping unit cuts off current supply to the traveling unit and the cleaning unit after a predetermined time has elapsed. 4. The stopping means controls the current based on the stop signal to perform a cleaning stop operation of the cleaning means, in addition to the emergency stop instruction unit, the delay unit, the stop maintaining unit, and the current interrupting unit. The control device for a cleaning device according to claim 2, further comprising: a second stop maintaining unit that maintains the current; and a second current interrupting unit that interrupts current supply to the cleaning unit based on the delay signal. .