EP4646983A1

EP4646983A1 - Obstacle crossing assembly and robotic cleaner

Info

Publication number: EP4646983A1
Application number: EP25166364.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Chengyang Wang; Peng KONG
Original assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co Ltd
Current assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co Ltd
Priority date: 2024-05-11
Filing date: 2025-03-26
Publication date: 2025-11-12
Also published as: US20250344926A1; CN222693280U

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of terminals and provides an obstacle crossing assembly and a robotic cleaner. The obstacle crossing assembly includes traveling wheel groups, a first connecting member and a second connecting member, each traveling wheel group includes a front wheel and a rear wheel; the first connecting member is rotatably connected to the front wheel and the rear wheel; the second connecting member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member and a device main body of an owning device, and the second connecting member is disposed by extending towards a front end of the front wheel relative to the first connecting member. In an obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the first connecting member anticlockwise rotates to a stop position, and/or the second connecting member clockwise rotates to a stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the technical field of terminals, in particular to an obstacle crossing assembly and a robotic cleaner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, a robotic cleaner is usually equipped with a universal wheel and a traveling wheel, usually only a single traveling wheel is configured on one side of the robotic cleaner, resulting in no auxiliary support when the robotic cleaner crosses an obstacle, the obstacle crossing height of the robotic cleaner is limited, and the ability to cross the obstacle is low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an obstacle crossing assembly and a robotic cleaner, so as to overcome the defects in the related art.
According to examples of the invention, an obstacle crossing assembly is provided, including:

a traveling wheel group, each traveling wheel group includes a front wheel and a rear wheel;
a first connecting member, wherein the first connecting member is rotatably connected to the front wheel and the rear wheel respectively; and
a second connecting member, wherein the second connecting member is rotatably connected to the first connecting member, the second connecting member is rotatably connected to a device main body of an owning device, and the second connecting member is disposed by extending towards a front end of the front wheel relative to the first connecting member,
where, in an obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the first connecting member anticlockwise rotates to a stop position, and/or the second connecting member clockwise rotates to a stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel.

Optionally, the obstacle crossing assembly includes:

a first elastic member, wherein the first elastic member is connected to the first connecting member and the second connecting member,
wherein, in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the first elastic member drives the first connecting member to anticlockwise rotate to the stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel.

Optionally, the obstacle crossing assembly includes:

a second elastic member, wherein the second elastic member is connected to the device main body and the second connecting member,
wherein, in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the second elastic member drives the second connecting member to clockwise rotate to the stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel.

Optionally, the first elastic member is connected to the first connecting member and the second connecting member, the first elastic member is configured to drive the first connecting member to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate, and in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the first elastic member drives the first connecting member to anticlockwise rotate to the stop position; and
the obstacle crossing assembly further includes a second elastic member, the second elastic member is connected to the device main body and the second connecting member, the second elastic member is configured to drive the second connecting member to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate, and in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the second elastic member drives the second connecting member to clockwise rotate to the stop position.
Optionally, after the front wheel is contacted with an obstacle to be supported, the first connecting member clockwise rotates to an initial position, so as to produce downward pressure acting on the front wheel and upward tension acting on the rear wheel.
Optionally, after the front wheel is contacted with an obstacle to be supported, the second connecting member anticlockwise rotates to an initial position, so as to produce downward pressure acting on the traveling wheel group.
Optionally, the first elastic member includes: a tension spring, a torsion spring, or a pressure spring; and/or,
the second elastic member includes: a tension spring, a torsion spring, or a pressure spring.
Optionally, the first connecting member includes a first connecting bar, and the second connecting member includes a second connecting bar.
Optionally, the obstacle crossing assembly further includes a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, the first connecting member and the second connecting member are rotatably connected by the first rotating shaft, and the device main body and the second connecting member are rotatably connected by the second rotating shaft.
Optionally, a diameter of the front wheel and a diameter of the rear wheel are the same.
Optionally, a diameter of the front wheel is larger than a diameter of the rear wheel.
According to a second aspect of examples of the invention, a robotic cleaner is provided, including:

a device main body; and
the obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of the above-mentioned examples, wherein the front wheel and the rear wheel are rotatably connected to the device main body, respectively.

The technical solution provided by the examples of the invention may include the following beneficial effects:
It can be seen from the above-mentioned examples that according to the obstacle crossing assembly in the invention, in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the first connecting member anticlockwise rotates or the second connecting member clockwise rotates, which can provide upward tension for the traveling wheel group and help the front wheel to climb the obstacle smoothly, which is conducive to increasing an elevation height of the front wheel and thus improving the obstacle crossing ability of a device side provided with the obstacle crossing assembly.
It needs to be understood that the above general descriptions and later detailed descriptions are merely examples and illustrations, and do not limit the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate examples consistent with the invention and together with the specification serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a simplified structural diagram of a robotic cleaner including an obstacle crossing assembly according to an example.
FIG. 2 is a schematic upward diagram of the robotic cleaner in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an obstacle crossing assembly according to an example.
FIGS. 4a to 4c is an obstacle crossing schematic diagram of an obstacle crossing assembly according to an example.
FIG. 5 is a simplified structural diagram of another obstacle crossing assembly according to an example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Examples will be described in detail here, instances of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar elements. The implementations described in the following examples do not represent all implementations consistent with the invention. Rather, they are merely instances of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the invention as detailed in the appended claims.
The terms used in the disclosure are merely for the purpose of describing specific examples, and not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms "one", "said" and "the" used in the disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates other meanings. It should also be understood that the term "and/or" as used here refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.
It should be understood that, although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. may be used to describe various information in the disclosure, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the same type of information from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the invention, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used here may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determining that".
FIG. 1 is a simplified structural diagram of a robotic cleaner including an obstacle crossing assembly according to an example. FIG. 2 is a schematic upward diagram of the robotic cleaner in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an obstacle crossing assembly according to an example. In the following examples, by taking the obstacle crossing assembly being applied to a commonly used household robotic cleaner as an example, the obstacle crossing assembly, of course, may also be applied to other types of robotic cleaners, which is not limited in the invention.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the robotic cleaner includes an obstacle crossing assembly and a device main body 1, and the device main body 1 may include a universal wheel, a housing, a main board, a sensor, a cleaning assembly, and other components. As shown in FIG. 3, the obstacle crossing assembly includes a traveling wheel group 2, a first connecting member 3, a second connecting member 4, a first elastic member 5, and a second elastic member 6. The quantity of traveling wheel groups 2 may be an odd number, and the traveling wheel groups 2 of the odd number are disposed basically in a straight line in a front-and-back direction. Of course, the quantity of traveling wheel groups 2 may be an even number, and the traveling wheel groups of the even number are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the device main body 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the robotic cleaner may include two traveling wheel groups 2 symmetrically distributed, each of which includes a front wheel 21 and a rear wheel 22, where the front wheel 21 and the rear wheel 22 are rotatably connected to the device main body 1 respectively, and the front wheel 21 is closer to a front end of the robotic cleaner than the rear wheel 22, which could be understood that the front wheel 21 is closer to the universal wheel of the robotic cleaner than the rear wheel 22.
The first connecting member 3 is rotatably connected to the front wheel 21 and the rear wheel 22 respectively, the second connecting member 4 is rotatably connected to the first connecting member 3 and the device main body 1 respectively, and the second connecting member 4 is disposed by extending towards the front end of the robotic cleaner relative to the first connecting member 3. The first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4 may adopt any structural form respectively, as long as the necessary avoidance design is made according to the structure of the robotic cleaner. For example, the first connecting member 3 may be a first connecting bar or housing, similarly, the second connecting member 4 may be a second connecting bar or housing, and the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4 may be of the same structure or different structures, which is not limited by the invention. The second connecting member 4 extends towards the front end of the robotic cleaner relative to the first connecting member 3. Specifically, the second connecting member 4 may extend in a direction perpendicular to a height direction of the robotic cleaner, or may extend at an angle of no zero and no 90 degrees relative to the height direction of the robotic cleaner, which could be specifically designed as required.
In order to realize the rotatable connection between the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4, the robotic cleaner further includes a first rotating shaft 7, the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4 are rotatably connected by the first rotating shaft 7, and the first rotating shaft 7 may be fixedly connected to one of the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4 and rotatably connected to the other. Similarly, in order to realize the rotatable connection between the second connecting member 4 and the device main body 1, the robotic cleaner further includes a second rotating shaft 8, the second connecting member 4 and the device main body 1 are rotatably connected by the second rotating shaft 8, and the second rotating shaft 8 may be fixedly connected to one of the second connecting member 4 and the device main body 1 and rotatably connected to the other.
The first elastic member 5 is connected to the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4, and the second elastic member 6 is connected to the device main body 1 and the second connecting member 4. As shown in FIG. 4a, in an obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel 21, that is, in the stage when the front wheel 21 goes upstairs or uphill, the second elastic member 6 could provide acting force to the second connecting member 4, so as to drive the second connecting member 4 to clockwise rotate to a stop position, so that an upward tension is produced on the first connecting member 3 through the second connecting member 4, to help the front wheel 21 to climb an obstacle smoothly. In the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel 21, the first elastic member 5 could drive the first connecting member 3 to anticlockwise rotate to a stop position, and the first connecting member 3 anticlockwise rotates to drive the front wheel 21 to anticlockwise rotate and be elevated relative to the rear wheel 22, thus helping the front wheel 21 to climb the obstacle smoothly. At the same time, the anticlockwise rotation of the first connecting member 3 could generate downward pressure towards the rear wheel 22, so that the rear wheel 22 is contacted with the ground to form support for the robotic cleaner. Through the cooperative action of the first elastic member 5 and the second elastic member 6, an elevation height of the front wheel 21 is advantageously increased, so as to improve the obstacle crossing ability of the robotic cleaner.
As shown in FIG. 4b, after the front wheel 21 climbs the obstacle and is located on a stair or is contacted with a top edge of the stair or climbs over the stair, the rear wheel 22 switches to the obstacle climbing stage, that is, after the front wheel 21 is contacted with the obstacle to be supported, the first elastic member 5 could drive the first connecting member 3 to clockwise rotate and reset to an initial position. Through the clockwise rotation of the first connecting member 3, downward acting force could be generated towards the front wheel 21, helping the front wheel 21 to maintain contact with the stair and helping to achieve traveling through friction force. At the same time, the clockwise rotation of the first connecting member 3 could generate upward acting force towards the rear wheel 22, helping the rear wheel 22 to be elevated, so that the rear wheel 22 could climb and contact with the stair advantageously.
After obstacle climbing is completed, the front wheel 21 is contacted with the obstacle to form support, and the second elastic member 6 drives the second connecting member 4 to anticlockwise rotate to the initial position, thus generating downward pressure acting on the first connecting member 3, and then through the first connecting member 3, downward pressure could be applied to the front wheel 21 and the rear wheel 22 to maintain contact with the ground. Moreover, the second connecting member 4 is driven through the second elastic member 6 to perform reciprocating rotation, which is conducive to improving the shock absorption ability of the robotic cleaner. When the robotic cleaner is in a flat traveling state, the first elastic member 5 and the second elastic member 6 may be at the initial position, and downward pressure could be provided always for the traveling wheel group 2 through the function of the second elastic member 6, so that the traveling wheel group 2 and the ground maintain contact, thus improving the friction force and being conducive to the robotic cleaner traveling on the smooth ground. After both the front wheel 21 and the rear wheel 22 complete obstacle climbing, the first elastic member 5 and the second elastic member 6 are restored to the initial position shown in FIG. 4c.
The first elastic member 5 may be an elastic member of any structure, for example, the first elastic member 5 may include a tension spring, a torsion spring, or a pressure spring. Similarly, the second elastic member 6 may be an elastic member of any structure, for example, the second elastic member 6 may include a tension spring, a torsion spring, or a pressure spring. It is not limited by the invention. A specific connection position of the first elastic member 5 is also not limited in the invention, and the design is sufficient to generate corresponding acting force to drive the first connecting member 3 to rotate in a target direction in each stage of the above-mentioned examples. Similarly, a specific connection position of the second elastic member 6 is not limited in the invention, and the design is sufficient to generate corresponding acting force to drive the second connecting member 4 in the target direction in each stage of the above-mentioned examples.
In the above-mentioned examples, description is made by taking the robotic cleaner including the first elastic member 5 and the second elastic member 6 as an example. In other examples, the robotic cleaner may only include the second elastic member 6, the second elastic member 6 is connected to the device main body 1 and the second connecting member 4, in addition, in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel 21, the second elastic member 6 could drive the second connecting member 4 to clockwise rotate, and after the front wheel 21 is contacted with the obstacle, the second elastic member 6 drives the second connecting member 4 to anticlockwise rotate and reset, so as to produce downward pressure acting on the traveling wheel group 2. Alternatively, the robotic cleaner may also only include the first elastic member 5, the first elastic member 5 is connected to the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4, in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel 21, the first elastic member 5 drives the first connecting member 3 to anticlockwise rotate, and in the obstacle climbing stage of the rear wheel 22, the first elastic member 5 drives the first connecting member to clockwise rotate and reset.
Correspondingly, in an obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the invention includes an embodiment only the first connecting piece 3 anticlockwise rotates to a stop position, and the second connecting piece 4 remains fixed to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel. The invention also includes an embodiment where only the second connecting piece 4 clockwise rotates to a stop position, while the first connecting piece 3 remains fixed to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel. Of course, the invention also includes embodiments where the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4 rotate simultaneously.
In the above-mentioned examples, description is made by taking the first elastic member 5 driving the first connecting member 3 to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate, and the second elastic member 6 driving the second connecting member 4 to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate as an example. In fact, the first connecting member 3 and the second connecting member 4 may also be driven by other means to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate, respectively. For example, the obstacle crossing assembly further includes a drive motor and a sensor, when the sensor detects that the front wheel 21 is in the obstacle climbing stage, the drive motor could drive the second connecting member 4 to anticlockwise rotate to the stop position, and after the obstacle climbing is completed, the drive motor drives the second connecting member 4 to clockwise rotate to the initial position. Similarly, the first connecting member 3 could be driven through the drive motor to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate to assist in obstacle crossing.
In other words, in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel, the first connecting member 3 anticlockwise rotates to the stop position, and/or the second connecting member 4 clockwise rotates to the stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel 21. A source of rotational power of the first connecting member 3 may refer to any one of the above-mentioned examples, and a source of rotational power of the second connecting member 4 may refer to any one of the above-mentioned examples.
In each above-mentioned example, in order to limit the position of the first connecting member 3, the device main body 1 further includes a first limiting member 31 and a second limiting member 32, the first limiting member 31 and the first connecting member 3 make contact limit, the first connecting member 3 is limited to the stop position, the second limiting member 32 and the first connecting member 3 make contact limit, and the first connecting member 3 is limited to the initial position. The first limiting member 31 and the second limiting member 32 may be stop blocks or other structures. Similarly, the device main body 1 includes a third limiting member 41 and a fourth limiting member 42, the third limiting member 41 and the second connecting member 4 make contact limit, the second connecting member 4 is limited to the stop position, the fourth limiting member 42 and the second connecting member 4 make contact limit, and the second connecting member 4 is limited to the initial position. The third limiting member 41 and the fourth limiting member 42 may be stop blocks or other structures.
In each above-mentioned example, the initial position of the first connecting member 3 may be the position shown in FIG.4c, the stop position of the first connecting member 3 may be the position shown in FIG.4b. The initial position of the second connecting member 4 may be the position shown in FIG.4c, and the stop position of the second connecting member 4 may be the position shown in FIG.4b.
In each above-mentioned example, a diameter of the front wheel 21 and a diameter of the rear wheel 22 are the same, and in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel 21, the rear wheel 22 plays a supporting role. Alternatively, in other examples, as shown in FIG. 5, the diameter of the front wheel 21 is larger than the diameter of the rear wheel 22. In the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel 21, the rear wheel 22 plays a supporting role, and since the diameter of the rear wheel 22 is small, the weight could be set relatively low, and thus the rear wheel 22 could easily cross the obstacle under driving of the front wheel 21.
Other implementations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention here. The invention is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following the general principles of the invention and including such departures from the invention as come within known or customary practice in the art.
It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the exact construction that has been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention merely is limited by the appended claims.

Claims

An obstacle crossing assembly, comprising:
a traveling wheel group (2), each traveling wheel group (2) comprises a front wheel (21) and a rear wheel (22);

a first connecting member (3), wherein the first connecting member (3) is rotatably connected to the front wheel (21) and the rear wheel (22) respectively; and

a second connecting member (4), wherein the second connecting member (4) is rotatably connected to the first connecting member (3), the second connecting member (4) is rotatably connected to a device main body (1) of an owning device, and the second connecting member (4) is disposed by extending towards a front end of the front wheel relative (21) to the first connecting member (3),

wherein, in an obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel (21), the first connecting member (3) is configured to anticlockwise rotate to a stop position, and/or the second connecting member (4) is configured to clockwise rotate to a stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel (21).
The obstacle crossing assembly according to claim 1, comprising:
a first elastic member (5), wherein the first elastic member (5) is connected to the first connecting member (3) and the second connecting member (4),

wherein, in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel (21), the first elastic member (5) is configured to drive the first connecting member (3) to anticlockwise rotate to the stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel (21).
The obstacle crossing assembly according to claim 1, comprising:
a second elastic member (6), wherein the second elastic member (6) is connected to the device main body (1) and the second connecting member (4), wherein the second elastic member (5) is configured to drive the second connecting member (4) to clockwise rotate to the stop position, so as to produce upward tension acting on the front wheel (21).
The obstacle crossing assembly according to claim 1, comprising:
a first elastic member (5), wherein the first elastic member (5) is connected to the first connecting member (3) and the second connecting member (4), the first elastic member (5) is configured to drive the first connecting member (3) to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate, and in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel (21), the first elastic member (5) is configured to drive the first connecting member (3) to anticlockwise rotate to the stop position; and

a second elastic member (6), the second elastic member (6) is connected to the device main body (1) and the second connecting member (4), the second elastic member (6) is configured to drive the second connecting member (4) to clockwise or anticlockwise rotate, and in the obstacle climbing stage of the front wheel (21), the second elastic member (6) is configured to drive the second connecting member (4) to clockwise rotate to the stop position.
The obstacle crossing assembly according to any one claims of 1 to 4, wherein after the front wheel (21) is contacted with an obstacle (9) to be supported, the first connecting member (3) is configured to clockwise rotate to an initial position, so as to produce downward pressure acting on the front wheel (21) and upward tension acting on the rear wheel (22).
The obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein after the front wheel (21) is contacted with an obstacle (9) to be supported, the second connecting member (4) is configured to anticlockwise rotate to an initial position, so as to produce downward pressure acting on the traveling wheel group (2).
The obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the first elastic member (5) comprises: a tension spring, a torsion spring, or a pressure spring; and/or,
the second elastic member (6) comprises: a tension spring, a torsion spring, or a pressure spring.
The obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first connecting member (3) comprises a first connecting bar, and the second connecting member (4) comprises a second connecting bar.
The obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a first rotating shaft (7) and a second rotating shaft (8), wherein the first connecting member (3) and the second connecting member (4) are rotatably connected by the first rotating shaft (7), and the device main body (1) and the second connecting member (4) are rotatably connected by the second rotating shaft (8).
The obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a diameter of the front wheel (21) and a diameter of the rear wheel (22) are the same.
The obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a diameter of the front wheel (21) is larger than a diameter of the rear wheel (22).
A robotic cleaner, comprising:
a device main body (1); and

the obstacle crossing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the front wheel (21) and the rear wheel (22) are rotatably connected to the device main body (1), respectively.