CN111329396A

CN111329396A - Virtual wall equipment and sweeping robot system

Info

Publication number: CN111329396A
Application number: CN202010163690.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈远; 艾博文; 林周雄
Original assignee: Midea Group Co Ltd; Jiangsu Midea Cleaning Appliances Co Ltd
Current assignee: Midea Robozone Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-03-10
Filing date: 2020-03-10
Publication date: 2020-06-26

Abstract

The application provides a virtual wall device and a sweeping robot system, wherein the virtual wall device comprises a plurality of signal transmitting devices; each signal transmitting device is arranged on the surface of the shell and is in communication connection with the controller; the plurality of signal emitting devices includes at least one first signal emitting device capable of rotating relative to the housing. Virtual wall equipment has a plurality of signal emission device in this application, can set up many operation boundaries simultaneously through a virtual wall equipment, and the figure of the virtual wall equipment that the significantly reduced needs used, reduce cost, equipment occupation space is little. And the first signal transmitting device can rotate relative to the shell, and the signal transmitting direction is adjusted through rotation, so that the included angle between the first signal transmitting device and other signal transmitting devices can be conveniently adjusted, a user can flexibly set an operation boundary, and the use is convenient and flexible.

Description

Virtual wall equipment and sweeping robot system

Technical Field

The application belongs to the technical field of household appliances, and particularly relates to a virtual wall device and a floor sweeping robot system.

Background

Under the normal working condition, the sweeping robot can effectively avoid obstacles in the open area to smoothly walk, so that the sweeping work of the open area is completed. When a user wishes to limit the operation range of the sweeping robot in an open area, the user needs to set an operation boundary for the sweeping robot in the open area.

At present, a virtual wall device is provided in the related art, and an infrared transmitting tube is provided on the virtual wall device, and infrared rays are transmitted through the infrared transmitting tube. The user can rationally place virtual wall equipment to the infrared ray of the infrared emission tube transmission on the virtual wall equipment is as the operation border. The robot of sweeping the floor is last to be provided with infrared receiving tube, when the robot of sweeping the floor moves to the operation border that the infrared ray was drawn a mark, the infrared receiving tube on the robot of sweeping the floor received the infrared ray of virtual wall equipment transmission, thereby the robot of sweeping the floor can think that there is the barrier in operation the place ahead and change the traffic direction, avoids crossing the operation border.

However, the virtual wall device in the related art can only set one operation boundary, and when a user needs to set multiple operation boundaries, only one virtual wall device can be correspondingly used in each operation boundary, and the number of used virtual wall devices is too many, which results in high cost, large occupied space, inflexible operation boundary setting, complex arrangement of virtual wall devices, and inconvenience.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a virtual wall equipment and robot system of sweeping floor, and virtual wall equipment has a plurality of signal emission device, sets up many operation boundaries simultaneously through a virtual wall equipment. And the first signal transmitting device can rotate relative to the shell, the signal transmitting direction is adjusted through rotation, the number of virtual wall equipment required to be used is greatly reduced, the cost is reduced, the occupied space of the equipment is small, and the use is convenient and flexible.

The embodiment of the first aspect of the application provides a virtual wall device, which comprises a shell, a controller arranged in the shell and a plurality of signal transmitting devices;

each signal transmitting device is arranged on the surface of the shell and is in communication connection with the controller;

the plurality of signal emitting devices include at least one first signal emitting device capable of rotating relative to the housing.

In some embodiments of the present application, the first signal transmitting device comprises a base, a bracket, and a transmitting tube;

the base is fixedly arranged on the surface of the shell, and a hinge part is arranged on the base;

the launching tube is installed at one end of the support, and the other end of the support is hinged with the hinged part;

the transmitting tube is in communication connection with the controller.

In some embodiments of the present application, the first signal transmitting device further comprises a signal line;

wiring cavities are arranged in the support and the base, a first hole is formed in the bottom of the base, a second hole is formed in the shell, and the base is fixed on the surface of the shell so that the first hole is aligned with the second hole;

one end of the signal wire is connected with the transmitting tube, the other end of the signal wire extends into the shell through the wiring cavity, the first hole and the second hole, and the other end of the signal wire is connected with the controller.

In some embodiments of the present application, the hinge comprises a spherical groove; one end of the bracket, which is hinged with the hinged part, is provided with a connecting ball;

the connecting ball is embedded into the spherical groove, so that the support is in universal connection with the base.

In some embodiments of the present application, the virtual wall device further includes a plurality of switches, and the switches are in one-to-one correspondence with the signal transmitting apparatuses;

the switch is arranged on the surface of the shell, or the switch is arranged on the corresponding signal transmitting device;

the switch is in communication connection with the controller, and the controller receives a starting instruction triggered by the switch and controls the triggered signal transmitting device corresponding to the switch to transmit a blocking signal.

In some embodiments of the present application, the plurality of signal emitting devices are two signal emitting devices;

the two signal transmitting devices comprise a first signal transmitting device and a second signal transmitting device with fixed signal transmitting direction;

and adjusting the included angle between the first signal transmitting device and the second signal transmitting device by rotating the first signal transmitting device.

In some embodiments of the present application, the angle between the first signal transmitting device and the second signal transmitting device is adjusted in a range of 0 ° to 360 °.

In some embodiments of the present application, the vehicle further comprises an infrared transmitting tube for transmitting the collision avoidance signal; the infrared emission tube is mounted on a surface of the housing.

In some embodiments of the present application, the signal emitting device comprises an infrared emitting device, an ultrasonic emitting device, or a laser emitting device.

An embodiment of a second aspect of the present application provides a floor sweeping robot system, including a floor sweeping robot and the virtual wall device of the first aspect;

the sweeping robot is provided with a signal receiving device;

and the sweeping robot changes the running direction according to the blocking signal received by the signal receiving device and transmitted by the signal transmitting device on the virtual wall equipment.

The technical scheme provided in the embodiment of the application at least has the following technical effects or advantages:

in the embodiment of the application, the virtual wall equipment is provided with the plurality of signal transmitting devices, and a plurality of operation boundaries can be simultaneously set through one virtual wall equipment, so that the number of virtual wall equipment required to be used is greatly reduced, the cost is reduced, and the occupied space of the equipment is small. And the first signal transmitting device can rotate relative to the shell, and the signal transmitting direction is adjusted through rotation, so that the included angle between the first signal transmitting device and other signal transmitting devices can be conveniently adjusted, a user can flexibly set an operation boundary, and the use is convenient and flexible.

Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present application.

Drawings

Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the application. Also, like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings:

fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a virtual wall device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a first signal transmitting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a first signal transmitting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a first signal transmitting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a virtual wall device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 shows a working schematic diagram of a virtual wall device and a sweeping robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 7 shows another schematic structural diagram of a virtual wall device according to an embodiment of the present application.

The meanings represented by the reference numerals in the above drawings are as follows:

1: housing, 2: controller, 3: signal transmitting device, 4: a hinge portion, 5: switch, 6: sweeping robot, 7: the infrared transmitting tube is used for transmitting the anti-collision signal;

31: first signal transmitting device, 32: a second signal transmitting device;

311: a base, 312: support, 313: transmitting end, 314: a signal line;

3111: spherical groove, 3121: and connecting the ball.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present application may be embodied in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

It is to be noted that, unless otherwise specified, technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs.

The following describes a virtual wall device and a sweeping robot system according to an embodiment of the present application with reference to the drawings.

The embodiment of the application provides a virtual wall device, as shown in fig. 1, comprising a housing 1, a controller 2 arranged in the housing 1, and a plurality of signal emitting devices 3 arranged on the surface of the housing 1;

each signal transmitting device 3 is in communication connection with the controller 2; the plurality of signal emitting devices 3 includes at least one first signal emitting device 31 that is rotatable with respect to the housing 1.

Wherein, fig. 1 only schematically shows three signal transmitting devices 3, two of the three signal transmitting devices 3 are first signal transmitting devices 31 capable of rotating relative to the housing 1, and the number of the signal transmitting devices 3 included in the virtual wall apparatus and the number of the first signal transmitting devices 31 included therein can be designed according to requirements in practical application. Since the connection lines between the signal emitting devices 3 and the controller 2 cannot be directly seen from the outside of the virtual wall apparatus, the connection lines between the respective signal emitting devices 3 and the controller 2 are not shown in fig. 1.

The plurality of signal emitting devices 3 are arranged in the virtual wall equipment, each signal emitting device 3 can emit a blocking signal, and therefore a plurality of running boundaries can be simultaneously set for the sweeping robot through the virtual wall equipment. And the plurality of signal transmitting devices 3 include at least one first signal transmitting device 31 capable of rotating relative to the housing 1, through rotating the first signal transmitting device 31, the signal transmitting direction of the blocking signal transmitted by the first signal transmitting device 31 can be adjusted, so that the included angle between the first signal transmitting device 31 and other signal transmitting devices 3 can be conveniently adjusted, a user can flexibly set an operation boundary for the sweeping robot, and the virtual wall equipment provided by the embodiment of the application is used under the situation that a plurality of operation boundaries need to be set, the number of virtual wall equipment required to be used can be greatly reduced, so that the cost is reduced, the occupied space of the equipment is small, and the setting is convenient and flexible.

As shown in fig. 2, the first signal transmitting device 31 includes a base 311, a bracket 312 and a transmitting tube 313;

the base 311 is fixedly arranged on the surface of the shell 1, and the base 311 is provided with a hinge part 4; one end of the bracket 312 is provided with a transmitting tube 313, and the other end of the bracket 312 is hinged with the hinge part 4; the launch tube 313 is communicatively connected to the controller 2.

The above-mentioned hinge 4 is also shown in fig. 1.

Because the support 312 is hinged to the base 311, pushing the support 312 can make the support 312 rotate around the hinge portion 4, and the support 312 rotates to drive the transmitting tube 313 mounted on the support 312 to rotate, so that the signal transmitting direction of the transmitting tube 313 transmitting the blocking signal can be changed. After the pushing support 312 is rotated around the hinge portion 4 and adjusted in place, and the pushing force applied to the support 312 is removed, the support 312 stops rotating under the effect of friction, thereby maintaining the set signal transmitting direction.

In this embodiment, the transmitting tube 313 may be in wireless communication connection with the controller 2, and the transmitting tube 313 may specifically be in wireless communication with the controller 2 in a bluetooth mode, a WiFi (wireless internet access) mode, and the like.

In another embodiment of the present application, the transmitting tube 313 may also be connected in wired communication with the controller 2. As shown in fig. 3, the first signal transmitting apparatus 31 further includes a signal line 314;

wiring chambers are arranged in the support 312 and the base 311, a first hole is arranged at the bottom of the base 311, a second hole is arranged on the shell 1, and the base 311 is fixed on the surface of the shell 1 so that the first hole is aligned with the second hole; one end of the signal line 314 is connected to the transmitting tube 313, the other end of the signal line 314 extends into the housing 1 through the routing chamber, the first hole and the second hole, and the other end of the signal line 314 is connected to the controller 2.

Through set up at support 312 and base 311 inside and walk the line cavity, and set up the hole on base 311 bottom and shell 1, make the signal line 314 of connecting transmitting tube 313 and controller 2 can be in walking the line cavity, first hole and second hole wiring, avoid signal line 314 to expose in signal emission device 3 outsidely, signal line 314 has carried out fine protection, the life of extension signal line 314, and signal line 314 so the wiring makes the structural arrangement of virtual wall equipment more orderly, the equipment outward appearance is more pleasing to the eye.

In the embodiment of the present application, the hinge portion 4 of the base 311 and the bracket 313 may be hinged by a hinge structure. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 4, the hinge portion 4 on the base 311 includes a spherical groove 3111; one end of the bracket 312 hinged with the hinge part 4 is provided with a connecting ball 3121; the connecting ball 3121 is inserted into the spherical groove 3111, so that the bracket 312 is coupled with the base 311 in a universal manner.

Through the hinge joint mode or the universal connection mode, the bracket 312 can freely rotate by 0 to 360 degrees relative to the base 311, so that a user can conveniently adjust the signal transmitting direction of the first signal transmitting device 31, the included angle between two adjacent operation boundaries which need to be set can be freely adjusted, and the adjusting range of the included angle is 0 to 360 degrees.

In the embodiment of the present application, the virtual wall device may further include, in addition to the first signal transmitting device 31, a second signal transmitting device 32 with a fixed signal transmitting direction in the plurality of signal transmitting devices 3, and the three signal transmitting devices 3 included in the virtual wall device shown in fig. 1 include one second signal transmitting device 32. The second signal transmitting device 32 is fixedly mounted on the housing 1 and is not rotatable relative to the housing 1, and the second signal transmitting device 32 also includes a base, a bracket and a transmitting tube. The launching tube is installed at one end of the support, the other end of the support is fixed on the base, and the base is fixedly installed on the surface of the shell 1. Wherein, the base and the bracket can also be integrally formed. The communication connection between the transmitting tube and the controller 2 may be wireless connection or wired connection. For the wired connection mode, the second signal transmitting device also includes a signal line, and the wiring mode of the signal line and the structure related to the wired connection are the same as those of the first signal transmitting device, and are not described herein again.

The plurality of signal emitting devices 3 included in the virtual wall apparatus may all be the first signal emitting device 31, or may be a combination of the first signal emitting device 31 and the second signal emitting device 32.

As shown in fig. 1, the virtual wall device further includes a plurality of switches 5, the number of the switches 5 is equal to the number of the signal transmitting devices 3 included in the virtual wall device, and the switches 5 correspond to the signal transmitting devices 3 one to one;

the switch 5 is arranged on the surface of the shell 1, or the switch 5 is arranged on the corresponding signal transmitting device 3; each switch 5 is in communication connection with the controller 2, and the controller 2 receives an opening instruction triggered by the switch 5 and controls the signal emitting device 3 corresponding to the triggered switch 5 to emit a blocking signal.

Since the virtual wall device includes a plurality of signal transmitting devices 3, a user may only need to use a few signal transmitting devices 3 of the plurality of signal transmitting devices 3 when using the virtual wall device, in the embodiment of the present application, a corresponding switch 5 is respectively provided for each signal transmitting device 3, and the switches 5 are all connected to the controller 2. If a user wants to use a certain signal emitting device 3, the user can press the switch 5 corresponding to the signal emitting device 3, and the switch 5 triggers the turn-on command corresponding to the signal emitting device 3 and transmits the turn-on command to the controller 2. The controller 2 receives the opening instruction, and transmits a signal transmitting instruction to the signal transmitting device 3 corresponding to the switch 5 according to the opening instruction. The signal transmitting device 3 receives the signal transmitting command transmitted by the controller 2 and transmits the blocking signal according to the signal transmitting command.

By arranging the corresponding switch 5 for each signal transmitting device 3, a user can freely select the signal transmitting device 3 which the user wants to use, and the flexibility of setting the running boundary for the sweeping robot by the user is improved.

In one embodiment of the present application, as shown in fig. 5, the plurality of signal transmitting devices 3 included in the virtual wall device is two signal transmitting devices 3, that is, the number of signal transmitting devices 3 included in the virtual wall device is 2.

The two signal transmitting devices 3 comprise a first signal transmitting device 31 and a second signal transmitting device 32 with fixed signal transmitting direction; the angle between the first signal transmitting means 31 and the second signal transmitting means 32 is adjusted by rotating the first signal transmitting means 31.

Wherein the adjusting range of the included angle between the first signal transmitting device 31 and the second signal transmitting device 32 is 0-360 deg.

As shown in fig. 6, if the user needs to set two operation boundaries with an included angle of 60 ° for the sweeping robot 6, the user can push the bracket 312 of the first signal transmitting device 31, so that the included angle between the signal transmitting direction of the first signal transmitting device 31 and the signal transmitting direction of the second signal transmitting device 32 is 60 °. When the user places the virtual wall device with the set included angle at a position where the operation range needs to be limited, the blocking signals emitted by the first signal emitting device 31 and the second signal emitting device 32 form two operation boundaries. If the sweeping robot receives the blocking signal transmitted by the first signal transmitting device 31 or the blocking signal transmitted by the second signal transmitting device 32 during the traveling process, it is determined that an obstacle exists in front of the traveling process, and therefore the sweeping robot changes the current running direction, and the sweeping robot is prevented from crossing the running boundary set by the first signal device and the second signal device.

For example, a pile of toys is arranged in a room, the virtual wall equipment is placed in front of the toys, and the included angle between the first signal transmitting device 31 and the second signal transmitting device 32 is adjusted to enable the included angle range to just cover the angles of the toys, at the moment, the sweeping robot is started, the sweeping robot cannot collide with the toys in the traveling process, and the area capable of being swept is enlarged to the maximum extent.

For another example, the angle of the included angle between the first signal transmitting device 31 and the second signal transmitting device 32 on the virtual wall device is adjusted to 180 °, and the virtual wall device is placed on the doorway of the bathroom, so that the sweeping robot can be prevented from entering the bathroom.

For another example, a certain area in a room is very dusty, a virtual wall device can be placed in front of the area, and the corresponding angle of the first signal emitting device 31 is adjusted, so that the sweeping robot can sweep only in the area, and the important sweeping of the area is realized.

As shown in fig. 7, the virtual wall device further includes an infrared transmitting tube 7 for transmitting the collision avoidance signal; the infrared emission tube 7 is mounted on the surface of the housing 1. The anti-collision signal transmitted by the infrared transmitting tube 7 can cover an area which takes the virtual wall equipment as a circle center and takes a preset distance as a radius, and the preset distance can be 5 cm or 8 cm and the like.

In the traveling process of the sweeper, if the anti-collision signal transmitted by the infrared transmitting tube 7 is received, the sweeper stops traveling and changes the traveling direction to prevent the sweeper from colliding with the virtual wall equipment.

In the embodiment of the present application, the signal emitting device 3 includes an infrared emitting device, an ultrasonic emitting device, or a laser emitting device, and when the signal emitting device 3 is the infrared emitting device, the carrier of the blocking signal emitted is infrared. When the signal emitting device 3 is an ultrasonic wave emitting device, the carrier of the blocking signal emitted is an ultrasonic wave. When the signal emitting device 3 is a laser emitting device, the carrier of the emitted blocking signal is laser.

In the embodiment of the application, the plurality of signal transmitting devices are arranged on the virtual wall equipment, so that a plurality of operation boundaries can be set simultaneously, the number of virtual wall equipment required by the plurality of operation boundaries is reduced, and the cost is reduced. First signal emission device can rotate relative to the shell, can freely adjust first signal emission device's signal transmission direction through rotating, has improved the flexibility that operation boundary set up, convenient to use.

The embodiment of the application provides a sweeping robot system, and as shown in fig. 6, the system comprises a sweeping robot and the virtual wall equipment in the embodiment; the sweeping robot is provided with a signal receiving device; the sweeping robot changes the running direction according to the blocking signal received by the signal receiving device and transmitted by the signal transmitting device on the virtual wall equipment.

If the signal transmitting device on the virtual wall equipment is an infrared transmitting device, the signal receiving device on the sweeping robot is an infrared receiving device. If the signal transmitting device on the virtual wall equipment is an ultrasonic transmitting device, the signal receiving device on the sweeping robot is an ultrasonic receiving device. If the signal transmitting device on the virtual wall equipment is a laser transmitting device, the signal receiving device on the sweeping robot is a laser receiving device.

Because the virtual wall equipment comprises a plurality of signal transmitting devices and a first signal transmitting device with adjustable signal transmitting direction, a user adjusts the included angle between the first signal transmitting device and other signal transmitting devices by adjusting the signal transmitting direction of the first signal transmitting device, the virtual wall equipment with the set included angle is placed at the position where the operation range needs to be limited, and the set blocking signals transmitted by the first signal transmitting device and other signal transmitting devices form a plurality of operation boundaries. If the sweeping robot receives the blocking signal transmitted by the first signal transmitting device or the blocking signals transmitted by other signal transmitting devices in the process of traveling, the front of the traveling robot is considered to have an obstacle, so that the sweeping robot can change the current running direction, and the sweeping robot is prevented from crossing a running boundary set by the virtual wall equipment.

In the embodiment of the application, the plurality of signal transmitting devices are arranged on the virtual wall equipment, so that a plurality of operation boundaries can be set simultaneously, the number of virtual wall equipment required by the plurality of operation boundaries is reduced, and the cost is reduced. First signal emission device can rotate for the shell of virtual wall equipment, can freely adjust first signal emission device's signal transmission direction through rotating, has improved the flexibility that operation boundary set up, convenient to use.

It should be noted that:

the algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer, virtual machine, or other apparatus. Various general purpose devices may be used with the teachings herein. The required structure for constructing such a device will be apparent from the description above. In addition, this application is not directed to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present application as described herein, and any descriptions of specific languages are provided above to disclose the best modes of the present application.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the application may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the application, various features of the application are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the application and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. However, the disclosed method should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that: this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this application.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the modules in the device in an embodiment may be adaptively changed and disposed in one or more devices different from the embodiment. The modules or units or components of the embodiments may be combined into one module or unit or component, and furthermore they may be divided into a plurality of sub-modules or sub-units or sub-components. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and all of the processes or elements of any method or apparatus so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or processes or elements are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, rather than other features, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the application and form different embodiments. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

The various component embodiments of the present application may be implemented in hardware, or in software modules running on one or more processors, or in a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor (DSP) may be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some or all of the components in the creation apparatus of a virtual machine according to embodiments of the present application. The present application may also be embodied as apparatus or device programs (e.g., computer programs and computer program products) for performing a portion or all of the methods described herein. Such programs implementing the present application may be stored on a computer readable medium or may be in the form of one or more signals. Such a signal may be downloaded from an internet website or provided on a carrier signal or in any other form.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the application, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The application may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The usage of the words first, second and third, etcetera do not indicate any ordering. These words may be interpreted as names.

The above description is only for the preferred embodiment of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present application should be covered within the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A virtual wall device comprises a shell and a controller arranged in the shell, and is characterized by further comprising a plurality of signal transmitting devices;

2. The virtual wall apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal transmitting device comprises a base, a bracket, and a transmitting tube;

the transmitting tube is in communication connection with the controller.

3. The virtual wall apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first signal transmitting device further comprises a signal line;

4. The virtual wall apparatus of claim 2 or 3, wherein the hinge comprises a spherical groove; one end of the bracket, which is hinged with the hinged part, is provided with a connecting ball;

5. The virtual wall apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the switches are in one-to-one correspondence with the signal transmitting devices;

6. The virtual wall apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of signal emitting devices are two signal emitting devices;

7. The virtual wall apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the angle between the first signal emitting device and the second signal emitting device is adjusted within a range of 0-360 °.

8. The virtual wall apparatus of any of claims 1-3, 5-7, further comprising an infrared transmitting tube for transmitting a collision avoidance signal; the infrared emission tube is mounted on a surface of the housing.

9. The virtual wall apparatus of any one of claims 1-3, 5-7, wherein the signal emitting device comprises an infrared emitting device, an ultrasonic emitting device, or a laser emitting device.

10. A sweeping robot system, characterized in that it comprises a sweeping robot and a virtual wall device according to any one of claims 1 to 9;

the sweeping robot is provided with a signal receiving device;