JP2019213746A - Autonomous travel type vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an autonomous travel type vacuum cleaner capable of cleaning even dust on a step.SOLUTION: An autonomous travel type vacuum cleaner includes: a suction unit 60 mounted on a body 20 having a suction port 20B on its bottom surface to suck dust from the suction port 20B; an auxiliary brush 100 disposed on the bottom surface side of the body 20 and gathering the dust toward the bottom surface side of the body 20; driving unit 30 driving the body 20 to travel; and step cleaning means 150 disposed on the upper side surface of the body 20 and moving the dust on the step (not illustrated in FIG) existing on a wall or the like facing the side surface of the body 20 to the front of the body 20. The dust on the step is moved to the front of the body 20 by the step cleaning means 150 and sucked through the suction port 20B, so that not only the dust around the bottom surface of the body 20 but also the dust on the step can be reliably sucked.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner that cleans the floor of a cleaning target area by autonomously traveling.

  A conventional autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner of this type includes a body provided with a dust suction port on a bottom surface, a main brush disposed on the suction port, and an auxiliary brush provided on a bottom surface of the body. By rotating the auxiliary brush, dust existing around the body is gathered below the body and is sucked into the body from the suction port (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2006-77855

  In the conventional self-contained traveling vacuum cleaner described in Patent Document 1, dust on the floor provided with the main brush provided on the bottom surface of the body or the auxiliary brush can be cleaned, but the main brush and the auxiliary brush cannot be cleaned. There is a problem that it is not possible to clean the dust on the uneven step.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a self-contained traveling vacuum cleaner capable of efficiently cleaning dust on a step.

  In order to solve the conventional problem, an autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner according to the present invention includes a body having a suction port on a bottom surface, a suction unit mounted on the body for sucking dust from the suction port, A main brush arranged at a mouth to scrape dust on the floor, an auxiliary brush arranged at the bottom side of the body to collect dust on the floor toward the suction port, and a drive for driving the body to travel autonomously. A unit and a step cleaning means disposed on an upper side surface of the body and for moving dust on a step on a wall or the like opposed to the side surface of the body to the front of the body; Accordingly, dust on the step moves to the front of the body and is sucked from the suction port, so that not only dust around the bottom surface of the body but also dust on the step can be reliably sucked.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION In addition to the dust on the bottom surface around the body, the autonomous traveling cleaner of the present invention can efficiently collect dust on a step.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Bottom view of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner Perspective view of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner Bottom view of a specific example of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner (A) A diagram showing an example of travel control along a wall of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner, and (b) a diagram showing an example of random traveling control of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner. The perspective view of the autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a body having a suction port on a bottom surface, a suction unit mounted on the body for sucking dust from the suction port, and a main brush disposed at the suction port to scrape dust on a floor surface. An auxiliary brush arranged on the bottom side of the body to collect dust on the floor toward the suction port, a drive unit for driving the body to run autonomously, and arranged on an upper side surface of the body, It is provided with a step cleaning means for moving dust on a step on a wall or the like opposed to the side surface of the body to the front of the body, and the dust on the step moves to the front of the body by the step cleaning means. Since the suction is performed through the suction port, not only the dust around the bottom surface of the body but also the dust on the step can be reliably sucked.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the step cleaning means of the first aspect of the present invention is formed of a brush, and the auxiliary brush and the step cleaning means are integrally rotated. The dust on the step can be scraped at the same time as the scraping, so that more efficient cleaning becomes possible.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the suction unit of the first aspect has a built-in electric fan for generating suction air, and an exhaust port for exhausting the exhaust air generated by the electric fan is used as a step cleaning means. It is possible to remove dust on the step without providing any extra parts.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner. 4 is a bottom view of a specific example of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner, FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example of traveling control along the wall of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner, and FIG. It is a figure showing an example of random run control of a type vacuum cleaner.

  The configuration of the autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner 10 (hereinafter, referred to as “cleaner 10”) in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The cleaner 10 is a robot-type cleaner that travels autonomously on the floor in the area to be cleaned and sucks dust present on the floor. An example of a cleaning target area is a room.

  The cleaner 10 includes a body 20, a drive unit 30 (see FIG. 2), a cleaning unit 40, a trash can unit 50, a suction unit 60, a control unit 70, and a power supply unit 80. A part of the drive unit 30, a part of the cleaning unit 40, the trash can unit 50, the suction unit 60, the control unit 70, and the power supply unit 80 are arranged in the body 20.

  The function of the body 20 is to mount various elements constituting the cleaner 10. The function of the drive unit 30 is to run the body 20 to clean the floor.

The function of the cleaning unit 40 is to collect dust around the body 20 below the body 20 and to scrape the dust. The function of the trash box unit 50 is to store dust sucked by the suction unit 60. The function of the suction unit 60 is to suck the dust scraped up by the cleaning unit 40 into the body 20. The control unit 70 controls operations of the drive unit 30, the cleaning unit 40, and the suction unit 60.

  The function of the power supply unit 80 is to supply power to the drive unit 30, the cleaning unit 40, the suction unit 60, and the like.

  An example of the planar shape of the body 20 is a Reuleaux triangle, a polygon having substantially the same shape as the triangle, or a shape in which R is formed at the top of these triangles or polygons. This shape contributes to giving the body 20 the same or similar properties as the geometric properties of the Reuleaux triangle.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cleaner 10 further includes a panel cover 21 and a bumper 22. The function of the panel cover 21 is to cover an operation panel (not shown) provided on the upper part of the body 20. The panel cover 21 is attached to an upper part of the body 20 and can be opened and closed with respect to the body 20. The function of the bumper 22 is to absorb a shock applied to the body 20. The bumper 22 is provided in front of the body 20 and is displaceable with respect to the body 20.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the cleaner 10 further includes a caster 23. The function of the casters 23 is to support the rear part of the body 20. The casters 23 rotate following the operation of the drive unit 30.

  The body 20 has a suction port 20B. The suction port 20 </ b> B opens to the bottom surface 20 </ b> A of the body 20 so that dust existing below the body 20 can be sucked into the body 20.

  The cleaning unit 40 includes a first brush driving motor, a second brush driving motor, a first power transmission unit, a second power transmission unit (all not shown), the main brush 41, the auxiliary brush 100, and step cleaning. Means 150 are provided. Each brush drive motor and each power transmission unit are arranged in the body 20. The first power transmission unit is connected to the main brush 41 so that the torque of the first brush drive motor can be transmitted to the main brush 41.

  The second power transmission unit is connected to the auxiliary brush 100 so that the torque of the second brush driving motor can be transmitted to the auxiliary brush 100 and the step cleaning unit 150. In one example, each power transmission unit transmits power by a gear (not shown).

  The function of the main brush 41 is to scrape dust below the body 20. The main brush 41 includes, for example, a core (not shown) having a rotation center line and brush bristles (not shown) provided on the outer periphery of the core, and is disposed in the suction port 20B. The rotation direction of the main brush 41 is a direction in which dust can be lifted upward from below on the rear side of the rotation center axis.

  The function of the auxiliary brush 100 is to collect dust around the body 20 below the suction port 20B. In one example, the vacuum cleaner 10 includes a pair of auxiliary brushes 100. Each auxiliary brush 100 is provided on the front side of the bottom surface 20 </ b> A of the body 20. The rotation direction of the auxiliary brush 100 is a direction in which dust can be collected from the front of the body 20 toward the suction port 20B.

  The drive system of the vacuum cleaner 10 is a two-wheel opposed type, and includes a pair of drive units 30. The drive unit 30 includes a wheel drive motor (not shown), drive wheels 31, and a housing 32.

  The wheel drive motor is disposed in the housing 32 and is connected to a shaft (not shown) of the drive wheel 31 so as to transmit torque to the drive wheel 31. The drive wheel 31 includes a wheel (not shown) connected to the shaft, and a tire 31a mounted on the outer periphery of the wheel. The tire 31a has a tread pattern that allows the tire 31a to stably travel in a place where the surface shape is likely to change, such as a carpet.

  The trash box unit 50 is disposed on the front side of the suction unit 60 in the front-rear direction of the body 20. The pair of drive units 30 are arranged so as to sandwich the trash box unit 50 in a width direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the body 20 in a plan view of the body 20. The body 20 and the trash box unit 50 have a detachable structure that allows a user to arbitrarily select a state in which the trash box unit 50 is attached to the body 20 and a state in which the trash box unit 50 is removed from the body 20.

  The suction unit 60 is disposed between the trash can unit 50 and the power supply unit 80 in the front-rear direction of the body 20, and includes an electric fan (not shown). The electric fan sucks air inside the trash box unit 50. By the operation of the electric fan, the dust scraped up by the main brush 41 moves into the trash box unit 50.

  The control unit 70 is disposed on the power supply unit 80 in the body 20, is electrically connected to the power supply unit 80, and includes a semiconductor integrated circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage unit (not shown). . The storage unit is configured by a nonvolatile semiconductor storage element such as a flash memory, and stores various programs executed by the control unit 70, parameters, and the like.

  The cleaner 10 further includes a plurality of sensors. According to an example, the plurality of sensors include an obstacle detection sensor 71, a plurality of distance measurement sensors 72, a collision detection sensor 73, a plurality of floor surface detection sensors 74, and a dust sensor 75. Each of the sensors 71 to 75 is electrically connected to the control unit 70 and the power supply unit 80, respectively, and inputs a detection signal to the control unit 70.

  The function of the obstacle detection sensor 71 is to detect an obstacle existing on the front side of the body 20. One example of the obstacle detection sensor 71 is an ultrasonic sensor, which includes a transmitting unit (not shown) and a receiving unit (not shown).

  The function of the distance measuring sensor 72 is to detect a distance between an object existing around the body 20 and the body 20. One example of the distance measuring sensor 72 is an infrared sensor (not shown), which includes a light emitting unit (not shown) and a light receiving unit (not shown).

  The function of the collision detection sensor 73 is to detect that the body 20 has collided with a surrounding object. One example of the collision detection sensor 73 is a contact displacement sensor (not shown), which includes a switch (not shown) that is turned on when the bumper 22 is pushed into the body 20.

  The function of the floor detection sensor 74 is to detect the distance between the floor and the body 20. One example of the floor detection sensor 74 is an infrared sensor (not shown), which includes a light emitting unit (not shown) and a light receiving unit (not shown).

  The function of the dust sensor 75 is to detect the amount of dust flowing through the passage in the trash can unit 50. One example of the dust sensor 75 is an infrared sensor (not shown), which includes a light emitting unit (not shown) and a light receiving unit (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, in the present embodiment, the plurality of floor surface detection sensors 74 include first to fifth floor surface detection sensors 74a to 74e. The first floor detection sensor 74a is provided forward of the main brush 41 in the front-rear direction of the body 20. The second floor detection sensor 74b is provided between the right auxiliary brush 100 and the right drive unit 30 in the front-back direction of the body 20. The third floor detecting sensor 74c is provided between the left auxiliary brush 100 and the left driving unit 30 in the front-rear direction of the body 20.

  The fourth floor detection sensor 74d is provided behind the right driving unit 30, the right auxiliary brush 100, and the main brush 41 in the front-rear direction of the body 20.

  The fifth floor detection sensor 74e is provided behind the left driving unit 30, the left auxiliary brush 100, and the main brush 41 in the front-back direction of the body 20. The positions of the fourth and fifth floor surface detection sensors 74d and 74e in the width direction of the body 20 overlap the positions where the drive unit 30, the auxiliary brush 100, and the main brush 41 are provided.

  Control unit 70 determines, based on a detection signal input from obstacle detection sensor 71, whether or not there is an object that can hinder travel of cleaner 10 within a predetermined range ahead of body 20. . The control unit 70 calculates the distance between the object existing around the side of the body 20 and the contour of the body 20 based on the detection signal input from the distance measurement sensor 72.

  The control unit 70 determines whether the body 20 has collided with a surrounding object based on the detection signal input from the collision detection sensor 73. The control unit 70 calculates the distance between the bottom surface 20A of the body 20 and the floor based on the detection signal input from the floor detection sensor 74.

  The step cleaning means 150 is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the body 20 as shown in FIG. The step cleaning means 150 is provided coaxially with the auxiliary brush 100, rotates in the same direction at the same time as the auxiliary brush 100, and is mounted on a step (not shown) such as a skirting board on a wall or the like facing the side surface of the body 20. The dust is scraped out in front of the body 20, and the scraped-out dust falls on the floor surface and is sucked through the suction port 20B.

  As a result, dust on the bottom surface can be collected by the auxiliary brush 100 and dust on the step can be cleaned at the same time, so that many places can be cleaned more efficiently.

  An example of travel control of the cleaner 10 will be described with reference to FIG. The vacuum cleaner 10 advances after starting operation. If the obstacle detection sensor 71 detects an obstacle ahead while traveling forward, the vehicle stops traveling and performs a left rotation operation. During rotation, the value of the distance measurement sensor 72 disposed on the right side of the body 20 is monitored, and when a certain distance is detected, the rotation operation is stopped.

  After stopping, the vehicle starts to advance again, controls the drive unit 30 so that the value of the distance measurement sensor 72 becomes constant (for example, 15 mm), and travels along the wall (hereinafter, travel along the wall). When the obstacle detection sensor 71 detects an obstacle ahead while traveling along the wall, the traveling is stopped and the vehicle turns left.

  Hereinafter, the cleaning operation is performed along the outer periphery of the room by repeating the above control. By controlling the traveling along the outer periphery of the room in this way, the dust on the floor near the wall is cleaned by the auxiliary brush 100 and the dust on the step such as the skirting board is concentrated by the step cleaning means 150 at the same time. It can be scraped out and can efficiently clean many places.

  After the traveling along the wall is repeated for a certain period of time (for example, 10 minutes), the traveling control is switched to random traveling in which forward rotation is repeated at random as shown in FIG. 5B. The combination of the outer periphery traveling and the random traveling makes it possible to travel and cover the entire room. By periodically switching to the traveling control along the wall even during the random traveling, it is possible to clean dust not on the outer periphery of the room, for example, on a step near the center of the room.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Note that the same parts as those of the autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

  Although the step cleaning means 150 in the first embodiment is provided coaxially with the auxiliary brush 100 and is configured in a brush shape, in the present embodiment, the step cleaning means 150 is replaced with an exhaust gas provided in the body 20. The exhaust port communicates via a passage (not shown), and is configured to discharge suction air generated by an electric fan built in the suction unit 60 from the front outside outside of the upper portion of the body 20.

  Since the cleaner 10 according to the present embodiment is configured as described above, the step (eg, on the wall facing the side surface of the body 20) due to the exhaust air discharged from the step cleaning unit 150 during operation of the cleaner 10. Dust on the body (not shown) is blown off in front of the body 20, falls on the floor, and is sucked through the suction port 20B.

  By devising the exhaust path in this way, it is possible to remove dust on the step without providing new components or the like.

  As described above, the self-contained traveling vacuum cleaner according to the present invention can efficiently clean dust on a step on a wall or the like, and is applicable to various autonomous traveling vacuum cleaners including home and business use. it can.

10 Autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner (vacuum cleaner)
Reference Signs List 20 Body 20A Bottom surface 20B Inlet 21 Panel cover 22 Bumper 23 Caster 30 Drive unit 31 Drive wheel 31a Tire 32 Housing 40 Cleaning unit 41 Main brush 50 Recycle bin unit 60 Suction unit 70 Control unit 71 Obstacle detection sensor 72 Distance measurement sensor 73 Collision Detection sensor 74 Floor detection sensor 74a First floor detection sensor 74b Second floor detection sensor 74c Third floor detection sensor 74d Fourth floor detection sensor 74e Fifth floor detection sensor 75 Dust sensor 80 power supply unit 100 auxiliary brush 150 step cleaning means

Claims (3)

A body having a suction port on a bottom surface, a suction unit mounted on the body for sucking dust from the suction port, a main brush disposed on the suction port to scrape dust on a floor surface, and a bottom side of the body An auxiliary brush arranged to collect dust on the floor toward the suction port, a drive unit for driving the body to run autonomously, and an auxiliary brush arranged on an upper side surface of the body and facing the side surface of the body. An autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner comprising a step cleaning means for moving dust on a step on a wall or the like to move forward of the body. 2. The autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the step cleaning means is constituted by a brush, and the auxiliary brush and the step cleaning means are integrally rotated. The autonomous traveling vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the suction unit includes a built-in electric fan that generates a suction wind, and an exhaust port that discharges the exhaust air generated by the electric fan is a step cleaning unit.