JP2014054321A - Electric vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric vacuum cleaner securely avoiding flame at the time of cleaning.SOLUTION: An electric vacuum cleaner 11 has a body case 12, a dust collecting part 14 set in the body case 12 and retaining dust, moving means for allowing the body case 12 to move on a floor surface F, a flame sensor 22 for detecting flame FL, and control means for controlling movement of the moving means to autonomously move the body case 12 on the floor surface F. The control means moves the body case 12 so as to avoid contact with a heater S located at the side of the flame FL in a cleaning area CA where the flame FL is located, when the flame FL is detected by the flame sensor 22.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a vacuum cleaner that autonomously moves on a surface to be cleaned.

  Conventionally, the position and distance of an obstacle (wall) in a cleaning area such as a room is detected by various sensors such as an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a contact sensor, and the cleaning area is avoided while avoiding the detected obstacle. A so-called autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner (cleaning robot) that autonomously cleans the interior is known.

JP-A-6-125861 JP-A-7-322977

  In the cleaning area, for example, there may be an obstacle using a flame, such as a heater such as an oil stove, or a candle of a Buddhist altar, and it is preferable that the vacuum cleaner approaches the flame more than necessary. Absent.

  Problem to be solved by the invention is providing the vacuum cleaner which can avoid a flame reliably in the case of cleaning.

  The vacuum cleaner of the embodiment has a main body case. Moreover, this vacuum cleaner has a dust collection part which is provided in a main body case and accumulates dust. Furthermore, this electric vacuum cleaner has a moving means that allows the main body case to move on the surface to be cleaned. Moreover, this vacuum cleaner has a flame detection means for detecting a flame. Furthermore, this electric vacuum cleaner has a control means for autonomously moving the main body case on the surface to be cleaned by controlling the operation of the moving means. When the flame is detected by the flame detection means, the control means moves the main body case so as to avoid contact with an obstacle located on the flame side of the cleaning region where the flame is located.

It is a perspective view which shows the cleaning operation | movement of the vacuum cleaner of one Embodiment. It is a top view which shows a vacuum cleaner same as the above from the upper part. It is a top view which shows a vacuum cleaner same as the above from the downward direction. It is a side view of a vacuum cleaner same as the above. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of a vacuum cleaner same as the above.

  The configuration of one embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  1 to 5, reference numeral 11 denotes a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner 11 is a floor as a surface to be cleaned in a cleaning area CA such as a room or a predetermined set area of a part of the room. This is a so-called self-propelled robot cleaner that cleans the floor F while autonomously running (self-propelled) on the surface F.

  The vacuum cleaner 11 includes a hollow main body case 12, an electric fan 13 accommodated in the main body case 12, and a collector provided in the main body case 12 in communication with the suction side of the electric fan 13. The dust part 14 and the vacuum cleaner 11 are autonomously driven on the floor surface F, that is, the driving wheel 15 as a plurality of driving parts for autonomous driving, for example, and the main body case 12 together with the driving wheel 15 on the floor surface F. A motor 17 as a driving means constituting a moving means (running means) 16 for moving (running), a swiveling wheel 18 pivotably attached to the lower part of the main body case 12, and a floor F on the lower part of the main body case 12 For example, a side brush 19 that is a swivel cleaning unit as a pair of cleaning members, a swivel motor 20 that is a swivel drive unit as a cleaning member drive unit that drives the side brushes 19, and a body case Take around 12 A distance measuring sensor 21 as a plurality of distance detection means, a flame sensor 22 as a flame detection means attached to the upper part of the main body case 12, a control means 23 constituted by a circuit board, and a power supply unit And a secondary battery 24 which is a constituent battery.

  Hereinafter, the direction along the traveling direction of the vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case 12) is defined as the front-rear direction (directions of arrows FR and RR shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), and intersects (perpendicular) with the front-rear direction. The description will be made assuming that the left-right direction (both sides) is the width direction.

  The main body case 12 is formed into a flat columnar shape (disk shape), for example, with a synthetic resin or the like, and is formed in a longitudinal direction in the width direction, i.e., a horizontally elongated collection, near the rear portion of the circular lower surface 12a. A suction port 25 as a dust port is formed facing the floor surface F. Although not shown, various operation panels and a display unit are arranged on the upper part of the main body case 12. Further, the rear portion of the upper surface 12b of the main body case 12 communicates with the exhaust side of the electric blower 13, for example, in front of the dust collecting portion 14, and exhausts the exhaust air from the electric blower 13 to the outside of the main body case 12. A slit-like exhaust port 26 is opened.

  The suction port 25 communicates with the dust collection unit 14. Further, a shaft-like rotary brush 28 as a rotary cleaning body is rotatably supported at the suction port 25. The rotary brush 28 serves as a cleaning body driving means attached in the main body case 12. The rotary motor 29 is rotationally driven.

  Further, the exhaust port 26 can be formed at any plurality of positions of the main body case 12 to exhaust the exhaust air in a distributed manner, but the exhaust port 26 of the present embodiment has the strongest exhaust air from the electric blower 13 ( (Most) A thing that discharges to the outside of the main body case 12.

  The rotary brush 28 is configured, for example, by attaching a plurality of cleaning body portions protruding in a wall shape spirally in the radial direction on the outer peripheral surface of a long shaft portion. The rotating brush 28 has a lower side protruding from the suction port 25 to the lower side of the lower surface 12a of the main body case 12, and a cleaning body positioned on the lower side with the vacuum cleaner 11 placed on the floor surface F. It is comprised so that the front-end | tip of a part may contact the floor surface F. FIG.

  The dust collecting unit 14 collects dust sucked from the suction port 25 by driving the electric blower 13, and is configured to filter and collect dust using a dust bag such as a paper pack or a filter, or by centrifugal separation. Any configuration can be used, such as a configuration in which dust is separated and collected by inertial separation such as (cyclonic separation) or linear separation. Further, the dust collecting portion 14 is located at the rear portion of the main body case 12 above the suction port 25 and is detachable from the main body case 12.

  Each drive wheel 15 protrudes downward from the lower surface 12a of the main body case 12 at least on the lower side, and can rotate while contacting the floor surface F with the vacuum cleaner 11 placed on the floor surface F. Yes. The drive wheels 15 are positioned on both sides of a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of the main body case 12, for example, in front of the suction port 25, and are configured to rotate along the front-rear direction.

  Each motor 17 is disposed, for example, corresponding to each drive wheel 15, and can drive each drive wheel 15 independently. These motors 17 may be directly connected to the respective drive wheels 15, or may be connected to the respective drive wheels 15 via transmission means (not shown) such as a gear or a belt.

  The swivel wheel 18 is a driven wheel that is located at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the main body case 12 and at the front portion, and can swivel along the floor surface F.

  Each of the side brushes 19 is a disc-shaped brush base 31 that is a turning center portion as a turning cleaning portion base, and protrudes radially from the brush base 31 in a radial direction, for example, three inclined toward the floor surface F. Each has a cleaning body 32. The side brushes 19, 19 are arranged on the lower surface 12a of the main body case 12 at the positions where the brush bases 31, 31 serving as the center of rotation are in front of the suction port 25 and the drive wheels 15, 15 and on both sides behind the swivel wheel 18. It is attached.

  Further, for example, three cleaning bodies 32 are set, and are spaced apart from each other at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the brush base portions 31 and 31. For example, four or more cleaning bodies 32 may be set.

  Each cleaning body 32 includes a shaft portion 32a protruding from the brush base portion 31 along the radial direction, and a plurality of brush hairs 32b as cleaning members planted at the tip of the shaft portion 32a. These brush bristles 32b are formed in a line shape thinner than the shaft portion 32a with synthetic resin or the like. And each cleaning body 32 elastically contacts with this floor surface F in the state which mounted the vacuum cleaner 11 on the floor surface F at least the front end side of the bristle 32b, in this embodiment, substantially the whole. It is configured to be.

  Further, each rotating motor 20 has a rotating shaft that protrudes downwardly connected to each brush base 31, and each side brush 19 is moved to the center side in the width direction of the main body case 12, in other words, on the right side. The brush 19 can be rotated to the left side, the left side brush 19 to the right side, that is, each side brush 19 can be rotated so as to collect dust to the suction port 25 side.

  The distance measuring sensor 21 is a non-contact sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, or an image sensor, for example, and is disposed over the front or both sides of the outer periphery of the main body case 12, for example. The presence / absence of front obstacles (wall portions) and side obstacles (wall portions), and the distance between them and the main body case 12 can be detected.

  The flame sensor 22 is an ultraviolet sensor using, for example, a metal photoelectric effect and a gas multiplication effect, and has a sensitivity wavelength of 185 nm to 260 nm, and detects a flame FL located within a few meters of the main body case 12. Is possible. That is, since the heat sources other than the flame FL emit infrared rays and hardly emit ultraviolet rays, the flame sensor 22 can detect the flames FL by detecting ultraviolet rays. The flame sensor 22 is disposed in front of the central portion in the width direction of the upper surface 12b of the main body case 12. For example, by disposing a member that blocks (absorbs) ultraviolet rays, the main body case 12 (electrical Only the flame FL located in front of the flame sensor 22 can be detected in front of the vacuum cleaner 11), more specifically, in a dome-shaped (hemispherical) region with a predetermined radius centered on the flame sensor 22. Yes. Therefore, the flame sensor 22 has a substantially ¼ spherical range extending from both sides of the main body case 12 (the electric vacuum cleaner 11) that is in front of the flame sensor 22 as a detection region.

  Further, the control means 23 includes a storage means such as a memory, and a control unit such as a microcomputer. The electric blower 13, the rotation motor 29, each motor 17, each turning motor 20, the distance measuring sensor 21, and the flame sensor 22 and the like, and based on the detection results of the distance measuring sensor 21 and the flame sensor 22, the drive of the electric blower 13, the rotary motor 29, each motor 17, and each turning motor 20 can be controlled.

  The secondary battery 24 supplies power to the control means 23, the electric blower 13, the rotation motor 29, each motor 17, each turning motor 20, the distance measuring sensor 21, the flame sensor 22, and the like. The secondary battery 24 is disposed, for example, at a position behind the turning wheel 18. The secondary battery 24 is electrically connected to the charging terminals 35 and 35 located on the lower surface 12a of the main body case 12 on both sides of the swivel wheel 18, and is installed at a predetermined position in the room (room), for example. Charging is enabled by connecting charging terminals 35 and 35 to a predetermined charging stand (not shown).

  Next, the operation of the one embodiment will be described.

  For example, when the predetermined time preset in the control means 23 is reached, the electric vacuum cleaner 11 drives the electric blower 13 and starts cleaning from the charging stand, for example. The cleaning start position can be set at an arbitrary place such as the travel start position of the electric vacuum cleaner 11 or the entrance / exit of the room.

  In the vacuum cleaner 11, the control means 23 rotates the motors 17, 17 and autonomously travels on the floor surface F by the drive wheels 15, 15. At this time, the control means 23 detects the distance to the obstacle W such as a wall surrounding the cleaning area CA or furniture (furniture) arranged in the cleaning area CA via the distance measuring sensor 21. As a result, the position and running state of the vacuum cleaner 11 are monitored, and whether or not there is a flame FL forward is detected via the flame sensor 22, and the distance measurement sensor 21 and the flame sensor 22 Corresponding to the detection, the vehicle travels on the floor F while avoiding the obstacle W. The vacuum cleaner 11 sucks dust on the floor surface F together with air through the suction port 25 through which the negative pressure generated by driving the electric blower 13 acts via the dust collecting portion 14.

  At the same time, the control means 23 rotates the rotary brush 28 along the floor surface F and drives the side brushes 19 and 19 on the floor surface F by appropriately driving the rotary motor 29 and the turning motors 20 and 20, respectively. By turning, the dust that has entered the floor surface F is scraped out by the cleaning body portion of the rotary brush 28 and the brush bristles 32b of the side brushes 19, and the dust in the width direction center side of the main body case 12, that is, the suction port Scrap it to the 25 side and suck it from the suction port 25.

  Then, the dust sucked together with the air from the suction port 25 is separated and collected by the dust collecting unit 14, and the air from which the dust is separated is sucked into the electric blower 13 and cooled down after the electric blower 13 is cooled. The exhaust air is exhausted from the exhaust port 26 of the main body case 12 to the outside.

  For example, when the flame sensor 22 detects that the flame FL is positioned in front of the vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case 12) during the autonomous running of the vacuum cleaner 11, the control means 23 is provided with the distance measuring sensor 21. To detect the distance from the heater S such as an oil stove as an obstacle (equipped with the flame FL) located on the flame FL side, and to avoid contact with the heater S etc. (Main body case 12) is travel-controlled. Specifically, the control means 23 measures the distance from the main body case 12 (the electric vacuum cleaner 11) by the distance measuring sensor 21, and travels a position at a certain distance L1 or more with respect to the heating appliance S. The moving means 16 is driven so as not to contact S, and the electric vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case 12) is controlled to travel. This distance L1 is set to be larger than the distance L2 (≧ 0) set so as to be accessible to these obstacles W when cleaning the obstacles W other than the heating appliance S. The machine 11 does not clean the floor surface F near the heater S. Further, during this cleaning, the control means 23 controls the vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case) so that the exhaust port 26 does not directly face the flame FL side (the heating appliance S) within a predetermined distance range with respect to the flame FL. 12) Run control. Although this predetermined distance range can be set arbitrarily, for example, in this embodiment, it is within the range of the distance L1 with respect to the heating appliance S.

  Therefore, when the vacuum cleaner 11 cleans the surroundings of the flame FL by the control means 23, the boundary of the predetermined distance range with respect to the flame FL (the edge of the region A at the distance L1 with respect to the heating appliance S). The travel control is performed so that the exhaust port 26 is not positioned on a virtual straight line connecting the center position of the main body case 12 and the flame FL in plan view (FIG. 1). That is, on the front side of the heating appliance S, the control means 23 controls the driving of the moving means 16 so that the main body case 12 (the electric vacuum cleaner 11) is turned and the front side is approximately the front of the heating appliance S. Aiming in a parallel direction, the vehicle travels along a virtual line that is a distance L1 away from the front surface of the heating appliance S. Further, on the side surface side of the heating appliance S, the control means 23 controls the drive of the moving means 16 so that the main body case 12 (the electric vacuum cleaner 11) is turned so that the front side is approximately the side surface of the heating appliance S. It is made to drive | work along the virtual line which distanced L1 with respect to the side surface of this heating appliance S toward a parallel direction. Furthermore, when located in the vicinity of an obstacle W such as a wall, the control means 23 controls the drive of the moving means 16 so that the main body case 12 (the electric vacuum cleaner 11) is swung and the front side is heated. It is made to drive | work so that it may leave | separate from the heating appliance S along the position of distance L2 with respect to this obstacle W toward the direction opposite to S.

  If it is determined that the cleaning of the cleaning area CA has been completed, the control means 23 causes the electric vacuum cleaner 11 to autonomously travel to the position of the charging stand, stops the electric blower 13 and the motors 20, 29, etc. The charging terminals 35 and 35 are connected (physically and electrically) to the base, the motors 17 and 17 are stopped, the operation is terminated, and the secondary battery 24 is charged.

  According to the embodiment described above, when the flame FL is detected by the flame sensor 22, the contact with the obstacle, for example, the heating appliance S, on the flame FL side of the cleaning area CA where the flame FL is located is avoided. Thus, the control means 23 controls the operation of the moving means 16 to cause the main body case 12 to autonomously travel, so that the flame FL can be reliably avoided during cleaning.

  Further, the distance between the vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case 12) and the heating appliance S that is an obstacle is detected by the non-contact type distance measuring sensor 21, so that the main body case 12 does not contact the heating appliance S. The distance between the flame FL and the vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case 12) can be detected easily and reliably.

  Further, when the control means 23 detects the flame FL by the flame sensor 22, an obstacle located on the flame FL side of the cleaning area CA where the flame FL is located, for example, a position at a certain distance L1 or more from the heater S By controlling the movement of the moving means 16 so as to travel the vehicle and controlling the travel of the main body case 12, the contact of the main body case 12 (the electric vacuum cleaner 11) with the heating appliance S can be reliably avoided, and the main body case 12 There is no possibility of accidentally overturning the heating appliance S due to a collision with the (vacuum cleaner 11).

  In addition, when the flame FL is located above the floor surface F, such as a candle flame used for the Buddhist altar, the flame sensor 22 and the main body case 12 (the vacuum cleaner 11) approach the Buddhist altar. Since the flame sensor 22 may not be able to detect the flame FL because a part of the altar is interposed between the flame FL and the flame FL, once the flame FL is detected by the flame sensor 22, the control means 23 is moved to the moving means. By controlling the movement of 16 and controlling the main body case 12 so that it does not approach the obstacle located on the flame FL side in advance by a certain distance L1 or more, the flame FL is detected by approaching the obstacle. It can be surely prevented that it becomes impossible.

  Then, when the control means 23 detects the flame FL by the flame sensor 22, the operation of the moving means 16 is controlled so that the exhaust port 26 does not face the flame FL side at least within a predetermined distance range from the flame FL. Then, by controlling the traveling of the main body case 12, it is possible to prevent the flame FL from being blown by the exhaust air.

  In the above embodiment, when the flame FL is detected in the cleaning area CA by the flame sensor 22, the cleaning operation may be controlled to stop. Here, stopping the cleaning operation means, for example, moving to a cleaning area different from the cleaning area CA currently being cleaned and cleaning the floor F of the cleaning area, or returning to the charging stand after completing the cleaning. Say. At this time, the control means 23 moves the exhaust port 26 to the flame FL side (heating appliance S) within a predetermined distance range with respect to the flame FL, in this embodiment within a distance L1 with respect to the heating appliance S. The electric vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case 12) is controlled so as not to be directed directly. In this case, control using the distance measuring sensor 21 and the like are not required, and the electric vacuum cleaner 11 (main body case 12) can be controlled more easily.

  Further, the electric vacuum cleaner 11 may be configured not to include the electric blower 13 and to scrape dust on the floor surface F to the dust collecting portion 14 by the rotating brush 28. In this case, the exhaust port 26 is unnecessary, and the flame FL is not burned by the exhaust air from the electric blower 13. Therefore, the electric air can be used without considering the positional relationship and distance between the exhaust air and the flame FL. The cleaner 11 (main body case 12) can be traveled more easily.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

11 Vacuum cleaner
12 Body case
13 Electric blower
14 Dust collector
16 means of transportation
21 Ranging sensor as a distance detection means
22 Flame sensor as flame detection means
23 Control means
26 Exhaust vent
CA cleaning area F Floor surface to be cleaned
FL Flame S Heater as an obstacle

Claims (5)

A body case,
A dust collecting part for collecting dust provided in the main body case;
Moving means for allowing the main body case to move on the surface to be cleaned;
Flame detecting means for detecting the flame;
The main body case is autonomously moved on the surface to be cleaned by controlling the operation of the moving means, and when a flame is detected by the flame detecting means, an obstacle located on the flame side of the cleaning area where the flame is located And a control means for moving the main body case so as to avoid contact with the electric vacuum cleaner. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising non-contact type distance detecting means for detecting a distance from the obstacle. When the flame is detected by the flame detecting means, the control means controls the movement of the main body case so that the obstacle moves on the flame side of the cleaning area where the flame is located and moves a position more than a certain distance. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein: Provided with an electric blower that is provided in the main body case and sucks dust into the dust collector by driving,
The main body case includes an exhaust port for discharging the exhaust from the electric blower to the outside.
The control means controls the movement of the body case so that the exhaust port does not face the flame side at least within a predetermined distance range from the flame when the flame is detected by the flame detection means. The electric vacuum cleaner as described in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the control means stops the cleaning operation in the cleaning area when the flame is detected by the flame detection means.

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