EP2481333B1 - Mobile area treatment device that takes a random path over an area - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

• zumindest einem Arbeitselement, das an einem Träger angeordnet ist und die Fläche zu behandeln vermag, und mit
• einem motorisch angetriebenen hinsichtlich der Lenkung instabilen Antriebselement, das den Träger selbsttätig in verschiedene Richtungen über die Fläche zu bewegen vermag,
• wobei das Antriebselement zumindest ein Antriebsrad ist, das an einem Fahrwerkskörper gelagert ist.

The invention relates to a self-acting and arbitrarily a surface departing mobile surface treatment device for cleaning, nourishing or processing treatment of the surface, with

• at least one working element, which is arranged on a support and is able to treat the surface, and with
• a motor-driven drive element which is unstable with respect to the steering and which is capable of automatically moving the carrier over the surface in different directions,
• wherein the drive element is at least one drive wheel which is mounted on a chassis body.

State of the art

Such surface treatment devices are mobile robots for dust wiping from the European patent specification EP 1347701 B known. These known robots comprise a framework or a bell-shaped housing in which a drive device is arranged, which allows an arbitrary movement of the robot through the space. For this purpose, the drive device is not connected to the actual housing and consists of a ball which is motor-driven with eccentric center of gravity, so that the ball travels different trajectories. In doing so, she takes the housing and the mobile robot with her, enabling her to move arbitrarily in different directions within the room in order to cover the entire area of the room after a certain period of work.
Disadvantage of the known surface treatment devices is that the drive and the actual device are formed in two parts, so that on the one hand the impression arises that would initially occur within the device in direction reversal a standstill until the ball abuts within the housing to an opposite surface; and that on the other hand by the free mobility of the ball within the Casing bumping occurs when the ball strikes again after passing through the housing interior at the opposite side. In addition, there is of course the risk that the separate drive element is not recovered or lost when using the surface treatment device, since it is separated from the surface treatment device.

From the GB 2 411 820 A is a mobile floor cleaning device is known, which can automatically drive off a surface and is able to change its direction of travel automatically when abutting an obstacle. For this purpose, the drive axle is provided on a resiliently arranged in the housing axle, which is locked when driving straight by the spring force, and can be solved in the event of hitting an obstacle via an unlocking from the lock. As a result, the steering axle is released, and the device can move in a different direction. In straight-line running, however, the steering axle is again straightened by the caster, so that the lock engages again, and the floor cleaning device is being moved straight out.

The disadvantage of this floor cleaning device on the one hand is that it always drives straight, as long as it does not hit against an obstacle. However, this requires a variety of movements until the ground is completely worn, since a change of direction while driving without an obstacle is not possible.

Another disadvantage is that the locking of the steering axle when hitting an obstacle is indeed solved, but this does not ensure that the device automatically finds a way out of the blocking position in all cases, for example, when driving frontally against a wall or stuck in a corner. Although the steering axle can now deflect by unlocking; but this does not prevent the forces to turn into exactly the opposing forces that are triggered by the obstacle. This can only be achieved by an uneven distribution of the drive forces on the axis, but this has the disadvantage that the device along the wall transversely to the original direction of travel moves when it has turned so far that the blocking position is canceled.

The DE 10 2005 057 635 A shows a vehicle, for example, for vacuum cleaners or lawn mower, with a chassis which is supported by at least three attached thereto wheels on the ground, with the individual wheels respectively associated drive motors and at least one control device by which the drive motors separated from each other and / or can be activated together, the shunting and the drive should be optimized and improved. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that at least one of the wheels is rotatably supported on the chassis via an extension arm and that the extension arm is pivotably mounted about an axis oriented perpendicular to the ground.

The DE 10 2004 038 074 B3 describes a self-propelled and self-controlling cleaning robot with a cleaning unit for cleaning a bottom surface and a drive unit for moving the cleaning robot, wherein the drive unit comprises an impeller which is rotatably driven about a rotational axis and pivotable about an eccentric to the impeller arranged, aligned perpendicular to the bottom surface steering axis , The impeller is permanently driven in rotation and rolls upon impact of the cleaning robot on an obstacle on the bottom surface, wherein it pivots against the action of a restoring force arcuately about the steering axis.

Brief description of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide an arbitrary surface-traveling mobile surface treatment device which has an effective, integrated into the device drive and is inexpensive to produce.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the chassis body via a steering shaft bearing and a steering shaft connected to the carrier and is rotatable about a steering axis (A), wherein the chassis body is designed or mounted such that for forming a lead, the running surface of the drive wheel with the surface outside the steering axis (A) and the steering shaft bearing is a swash bearing, in which the steering shaft is held, and about which the steering shaft is pivotable.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to FIG. 1 ,

Due to the inventive design of the surface treatment device, it is now possible to connect the engine and the chassis body via the swash bearing with the carrier. The carrier will usually be a housing which, as in the known surface treatment devices, extends like a dome over the drive unit, wherein the carrier may as well be a framework or even an annular or angular frame. Furthermore, this carrier can be designed in several parts, for example, a stable annular frame with attached plastic dome for covering the functional parts.
The surface treatment devices according to the invention are used, for example, as dust wiping devices, wherein the working element in this case may be a dust brush or a dust wiper covering, for example arranged in a circle around the chassis body and fastened to the carrier. The latter can also be designed to be antistatic in order to effectively absorb dust with low energy consumption.

Alternatively, the surface treatment device can also realize any other form of treatment of a substrate, up to a lawnmower. Important is the fact that the surface treatment device between usually vertical, but at least inclined edge boundaries can go back and forth. These marginal boundaries are necessary to realize the required direction reversal by abutting a deckle. Also a damp floor wiping function is possible. For this purpose, the working element can be designed as a mob or a pick-up, which is either attached moist to the carrier or via a moistening function of the carrier, for example via a leak Water, which can seep into the working element from a carrier-side water tank via small openings, is moistened.

An essential feature of the new surface treatment device is the fact that the drive is arranged on the chassis body, and that this chassis is connected via the swash bearing to the carrier. For the purposes of the present invention, a wobble bearing is to be understood as meaning a bearing which is capable of holding an axle, optionally under load of a bearing clearance, in a surface which is arranged parallel to the surface to be treated or at an angle which is significantly smaller than 90 degrees. A possible embodiment of such a swash bearing, for example, a bearing eye, which may consist of a simple, circular breakthrough in the simplest case.

Alternatively, a classic bearing eye can be used, in which the component to be stored is held in a rotatably held, crowned on its outer side bearing segment. Due to the higher cost of such a classic Lagerauges this variant will be more likely to provide for complex surface treatment equipment. On the other hand, it will be sufficient for the usual functions if, in compliance with the required wear resistance, a mere breakthrough in the sense of a passage opening is used.

At the same time, the drive according to the invention is designed so that a forward or tail of the drive wheel is provided. This already known from motor vehicles technology, which is used there for straightening the steering and for stabilizing the straight line use is here reversed in their function. If a tail has stabilized the straight ahead, a forward run, so the fact that the drive wheel with its support surface on the ground in front of the axis of rotation of the drive wheel comes into contact with the ground, used to generate an arbitrary stability, so that the surface treatment device during of the flow is just not stable in a defined straight-ahead drive.

This will occur due to the instability in conjunction with the swash bearing the effect that blocking the movement of the Moving chassis moves in the context of its predetermined by the swash bearing degrees of freedom, and eventually finds a free direction of travel due to the flow, in which he can place the surface treatment device. Preferably, the surface treatment device and the carrier are designed so that there is no front and no back, but that the device has substantially the same driving characteristics in all directions.

During the normal driving movement, the drive wheel within the bearing will adjust so that then a caster occurs. This happens because the drive wheel is rotatable by 360 degrees in the swash bearing, so that in consequence of the free movement, the drive wheel will put to the rear, as is known for example from shopping carts of a supermarket. If, for example, the surface treatment device then strikes a wall on the opposite side of a room, the wobble bearing is arranged between the contact surface of the drive wheel on the floor and the wall.

From the point of view of the swash bearing, the drive wheel in this case then no caster, but, if a backward motion is to be staged, a flow on. The swash-bearing will ensure that the chassis is moved within its degrees of freedom as a result of the drive force until at some point a movement occurs that can create a component of force on the swash bearing that ensures that the carrier can be moved again. Once a certain minimum travel distance is achievable, the advance will have a positive effect, so that the surface treatment device moves in an arbitrary, generally rotated spatial direction.

Lead and wobble bearings have the further advantage that it is very unlikely that the surface treatment device is moved exactly in the opposite reverse direction; but that it is likely to drive another route. In this way, the arbitrary movement of the surface treatment device over the cleaning period is realized, so that with the necessary Probable after an acceptable period of time each area of the room could be traversed. In particular, the mobile surface treatment device also ensures that obstacles in the room, such as decorative items or carpets, do not cause the surface treatment device is blocked.

The chassis body is preferably arranged inside the carrier and has the drive components of the surface treatment device. The chassis body will preferably have one or more drive wheels that can be distributed on one or more axles. In the usual applications, it will be sufficient to provide a wheel axle with a drive wheel, wherein at the same time the drive motor is mounted on the chassis body. This motor is powered by a power supply in the form of a battery or batteries, which is also located on the chassis body.

More complex embodiments of the drive body are designed in the manner of a bogie, wherein two opposite axes are provided, of which, for example, the front is steerable and has the lead or lag. Here several axes or only one axis can be driven. Alternatively, it is possible to drive only one of the wheels.

The chassis geometry can be designed so that the surface treatment device tends to deviate from the straight-ahead direction and usually to exit curved lines.

In addition to the pre- and caster, the fact is advantageous that the chassis body is connected via the steering shaft bearing with the carrier. In principle, the steering shaft bearing can be arranged both on the chassis body and on the carrier, wherein the respective other component then has the steering shaft, which projects into the steering shaft bearing.

Thus, for example, it is possible that a passage opening is arranged on the carrier, in which the chassis body is inserted with the projecting in the direction of the passage opening steering shaft. To prevent inadvertent separation of the two components from each other, the steering shaft on the be provided opposite end with a fuse in the form of a lock washer, a nut screwed or a thickening, which prevents the removal of the steering shaft from the steering shaft bearing.

In an alternative embodiment, the steering shaft bearing is arranged on the chassis body, in which case the steering shaft protrudes from the carrier in the direction of the steering shaft bearing. Again, a corresponding safeguard against unintentional removal may be provided.

In both cases, the steering shaft bearing is designed so that the steering axle is pivotable in the bearing. In addition, a certain bearing clearance can be maintained in the direction of travel, which is only necessary for free pivoting and for generating the necessary degrees of freedom of movement of the chassis body.

The motor arranged inside the carrier can be operated via an operating unit. It can be operated in different speeds or also other functions, for example optional additional functions, which will be described later. At the same time, the operating unit may have a timer which, either after manual input or after a predetermined time interval, switches off the surface treatment device, since after this interval e.g. it is to be expected that the necessary work will be done.

So it makes it possible, e.g. The device can also be used overnight, without it moving the whole night the area. The operating unit can be arranged directly on the chassis carrier; which requires that either the chassis carrier is removable and so the control unit is accessible, or that the control unit is accessible through the shape of the carrier either with the device lifted from below or through the carrier. Alternatively, such a control unit can also be operated via a wireless data connection or a remote control.

In an alternative embodiment, the operating unit is arranged on the carrier, so that it is accessible from the outside. Here is the Communication either also via a wireless remote control or via sliding contacts or comparable transmission paths. Alternatively, the operating unit can also be arranged on the steering shaft, as long as it extends through the carrier to the outside. In this case, sliding contacts can be omitted, since here, too, the control unit is directly connected to the chassis body, if the steering shaft is also connected to the chassis body and the propeller shaft bearing is arranged on the carrier side.

The wireless connection to the operating unit can be realized particularly easily if the operating unit has a connection possibility to a small computer. It can e.g. be a bluetooth connection. In this case, using a small computer, for example via a so-called "app" of a smartphone, the operation is particularly comfortable and easy to be realized. In telephoning the serving small computer, for example in the case of said smartphone, beyond that, a remote control can be done from outside, so that the device can be contacted via the telephone network.

Similar to that of the operating unit can also be the power supply of a battery. Thus, for example, the operating unit may have a USB interface which is connected to the accumulator via corresponding power lines, optionally with the interposition of slip rings. The device can then be charged via this USB interface.

Alternatively, a recharging function of the accumulator can also take place in that a charging cable can be connected directly to these or that it has corresponding plug, which can be plugged directly into a socket. This can be done with mounted chassis body or even with the chassis body removed, wherein preferably the accumulator is removable from the chassis body, so that it can be charged separately from the device. This not only allows the interchangeability of the batteries for the purpose of maintenance, but also the provision of a secondary battery in the event that the first is consumed.

The working element can in turn be arranged movably to the carrier. In addition, several tools, the same or different types, may be arranged on the carrier. In optional embodiments, the implement may be motor driven so that it also moves in addition to the movement of the carrier to improve the cleaning result or processing result.

Finally, the working element is preferably connected to the carrier with a detachable connection so that it can be exchanged or so that e.g. a turning possibility can be provided. In the latter case, the working element is applied to the holding frame, which is detachably connected to the carrier, wherein the holding frame has a working element on both sides and in both orientations with the carrier is connectable.

If only one drive element is provided, the surface treatment device will be supported on the ground via the working element. The drive wheel is then mounted on the chassis body or the chassis body in turn mounted on the carrier that the drive wheel rests with the support surface on the ground and can transmit the driving force.

If the working element has to absorb larger forces, for example, if the surface treatment device is designed as a lawn mower or as a wet mop, a more complex chassis body can be used, which ensures stable storage of the surface treatment device of the surface to be processed. This is particularly advisable when the working element is arranged to be movable and motor driven on the carrier, so that additional demands on the directional stability of the chassis can arise over the dynamics of the working element and the associated abutment forces.

Another optional feature of the present invention may be that the motor is reversible in direction. Such a direction reversal can be switched, for example, when a corresponding sensor triggers. This sensor may, for example, be a circulating pressure sensor which detects when the surface treatment device is moving against a vertical surface. Such sensors are known, for example, from the flexible transport systems of industrial logistics and are realized by means of a circulating belt which is pressed in by an obstacle, wherein these impressions are detected by a sensor system.

Shock sensors, for example piezoelectric sensors, can also be used to detect such a shock. Furthermore, it is possible that the motor automatically detects when working against an obstacle. In this case, the drive wheel blocks, so that the drive shaft of the engine is blocked, which can lead to an automatic switching of the engine in another direction. This automatic switching can also be used to detect, for example, a bogus obstacle.

If the surface treatment device of such a bogus obstacle, such as a slightly higher floor tile held up, the motor can go back for a short period and then try again to go to the original direction. In order to be able to realize such a multiple change in direction, such a surface treatment device designed in this way is preferably provided with inherent logic in which a corresponding control circuit is stored.

Short description of the drawing figures

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention in a schematic view.

Description of the embodiments

This in FIG. 1 illustrated surface treatment device has a support 1, which has a cavity in the interior. In this cavity, a motor drive is arranged, which transmits its driving force via a drive wheel 2, which is guided by a breakthrough in the bottom of the surface treatment device to the treatment area on the surface to be treated. In the front and rear area of the processing element, here in the form of a brush-like mob, shown.

The engine is arranged on a chassis body 5 and operated via an operating unit 6. This operating unit 6 in turn can be actuated via a passage (not shown) from the outside. Alternatively, such an operation could also take place via a remote data transmission, for example via a remote control or via a computer.

The chassis body 5 is connected via a steering shaft 3 with the carrier 1 of the surface treatment device. In the illustrated embodiment, the steering shaft 3 is fixedly connected to the carrier 1; the chassis body 5 is movably mounted in a steering shaft bearing 4 on the steering shaft 3 about a steering axis A.

Thus, the surface treatment device automatically and arbitrarily can move off the surface, so arbitrarily changed its direction of movement, the steering shaft bearing 4 is designed as a swash bearing. In the present example, this means that this swash bearing is formed by a hollow cylindrical passage through which the steering shaft 3 is guided. This results in that the chassis body 5 is movable in storage and is not stored in a defined manner. Since at the same time the drive wheel 2 has a lead or a caster, that is arranged with its support surface on the surface to be treated outside the steering axis A, creates an unstable state, which leads to an arbitrary change in direction, but in particular enables the surface treatment device, when abutting an obstacle to move by a corresponding proper movement of the chassis support 5 in a new direction.

In the illustrated embodiment, the drive wheel 2 is formed as a classic wheel. Here are also all other forms of Drive elements into consideration; In particular, the drive wheel 2 may also be a ball or a roller.

As an alternative to the operating element 6 shown here inside the surface treatment device, the operating element 6 can also be arranged on the outside of the carrier 1. In this case, the operating command can then be transmitted to the drive motor either via sliding contacts, or there is a wireless data transmission, wherein in the case of wireless data transmission can be completely dispensed with the control element 6, which is then replaced by the remote control or a small computer ,

Furthermore, the steering shaft 3 can also be arranged on the chassis body 5, so that the steering shaft bearing 4 is in turn arranged on the carrier 1.

List of reference numbers

1 carrier

2 drive wheel

3 steering shaft

4 steering shaft bearings

5 chassis

6 operating element

A steering axle

Claims (14)

1. A mobile surface treatment device automatically and randomly travelling a surface for the cleaning, caring or processing treatment of the surface; with at least one working element that is arranged on a carrier (1) and capable of treating the surface, and with a motorically driven driving element that is unstable with respect to the steering, which is able to automatically move the carrier (1) in different directions over the surface, wherein the driving element is at least one driving wheel (2), which is mounted on a chassis body (5); characterized in that the chassis body (5) is connected to the carrier (1) via a steering shaft bearing (4) and a steering shaft (3) and can be rotated about a steering axis (A), wherein the chassis body (5) is designed or mounted in such a manner that for forming a forward motion the surface of the driving wheel (2) is located on the surface outside the steering axis (A), and in that the steering shaft bearing (4) is designed as wobble bearing, in which the steering shaft (3) is held, and about which the steering shaft (3) can be pivoted.
2. The mobile surface treatment device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the driving wheel (2) is mounted via a wheel axle on the chassis body (5), wherein on the chassis body (5) a driving motor and the steering shaft (3) mounted in the steering shaft bearing (4) is arranged.
3. The mobile surface treatment device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the carrier (1) is designed as dome-like housing or frame, wherein the chassis body (5) is arranged within the space enclosed by the dome-like housing or frame, and in that the steering shaft bearing (4) is arranged in the upper region of the dome-like housing or frame.
4. The mobile surface treatment device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that on the wheel axle two wheels are arranged, on which at least one is designed as driving wheel (2); preferably in that through motoric driving of the wheel axle, both wheels are designed as driving wheel (2).
5. The mobile surface treatment device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterized in that the chassis body (5) comprises a second wheel axle with at least one non-driven wheel.
6. The mobile surface treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for controlling its functions it comprises an operating unit (6) arranged on the chassis body (5), wherein the carrier (1) comprises a passage opening that is designed and arranged in such a manner that an operator can operate the operating unit (6) from outside.
7. The mobile surface treatment device with a driving motor according to any one of the Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that for controlling its functions it comprises an operating unit (6) that can be operated from the outside and that is arranged on the carrier (1), wherein the operating unit (6) is connected to the driving motor via a cable-bound or wireless connection, and is connected to the carrier (1) in a fixed or removable manner.
8. The mobile surface treatment device with a driving motor according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driving motor is an electric motor, and on the chassis body (5) or on the carrier (1) an accumulator is arranged, which is connected to the driving motor via cable and/or wiper contacts.
9. The mobile surface treatment device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the accumulator alone or together with a component of the surface treatment device, on which it is arranged, can be removed for charging or replacing.
10. The mobile surface treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steering shaft bearing (4) is designed as bearing eye, through which the steering shaft (3) subject to leaving a bearing plane, is passed.
11. The mobile surface treatment device according to Claim 10, characterized in that the steering shaft (3) is designed in two parts, wherein an upper part that cannot be rotated about the own axis is held in the steering shaft bearing (4), and a lower part that can be rotated about the own axis is rotatably mounted on the upper part.
12. The mobile surface treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working element is a wiping element having a wiping lower side sliding on the surface in a wiping manner, which in particular extends in a circumferential manner on the lower side of the carrier (1).
13. The mobile surface treatment device with a driving motor according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working element is motorically driven relative to the carrier (1) by the driving motor.
14. The mobile surface treatment device with a driving motor according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a sensor for detecting the striking against an obstacle, in particular a deformation sensor on the outside of the carrier (1) or a shock sensor, wherein a control of the surface treatment device is designed in such a manner that upon triggered sensor signal the driving direction of the driving motor is reversed.

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