JP2022136425A - charging unit - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a charging unit in which a space for arranging a closing member in a casing can be made small such that the casing is downsized.SOLUTION: A charging station 50 includes a power supply connection part 60 that is movable in a width direction D13, a first closure plate 81 that is movable in the width direction D13 together with the power supply connection part 60, a second closure plate 82 that is supported by the first closure plate 81 so as to be movable in the width direction D13 with respect to the first closure plate 81, and a restriction part 515 and a side wall 51B that restrict movement of the second closure plate 82. The second closure plate 82 has an opening 811 for allowing movement of the power supply connection part 60 in the width direction D13, and a closure part 824 that, in a state where the second closure plate 82 is located in a restricted position, closes a gap between the first closure plate 81 and edges (511A, 511B) on the opposite side in the opening 511.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

The present invention relates to a charging unit for charging a battery mounted on an autonomous mobile device capable of autonomous travel.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a type of cleaning robot (autonomous mobile device) that runs autonomously by battery drive is known. This cleaning robot cleans the surface to be cleaned by moving autonomously over the surface to be cleaned, such as the floor, while sucking in air from the suction port of the intake nozzle directed toward the surface to be cleaned and dust on the surface to be cleaned. do. In recent years, the introduction of autonomous cleaning robots for industrial use has progressed in concourses at stations, airports, etc., and in wide-ranging spaces such as shopping malls.

Further, conventionally, a charging station (charging unit) for charging a battery of an autonomously traveling cleaning robot is known (see Patent Document 1). When the battery charge is low, the cleaning robot automatically returns to the charging station and automatically connects with the power supply terminal of the charging station to charge the battery.

When the cleaning robot returns to the charging station and is connected to the power supply terminal of the charging station, the power receiving terminal of the cleaning robot may be misaligned with the power supply terminal of the charging station. In order to eliminate this positional deviation, the charging station is provided with a terminal connection portion supported so as to be slidable in the width direction. When the cleaning robot is docked to the charging station, the terminal connection portion slides by receiving the force in the width direction, thereby aligning the power supply terminal with the power reception terminal.

Utility Model Registration No. 3206660

Incidentally, in a charging station having a structure in which the terminal connection portion including the power supply terminal protrudes from an opening formed in a casing (housing), a gap is generated between the opening and the terminal connection portion. This gap is closed by a plate-like closing member inside the casing to prevent entry of foreign matter such as dust and dirt, moisture, etc., and to prevent electric shock when a finger is inserted. The closing member is provided so as to be movable in the same direction as the terminal connection portion slides. When the terminal connecting portion slides to one side in the width direction, the gap on the other side of the opening widens. For this reason, conventionally, the closing member is formed in a shape elongated in the sliding direction of the terminal connecting portion so as to be able to close the widened gap. However, when the closing member is formed in an elongated shape, it is necessary to secure an arrangement space inside the casing that includes the movement range of the closing member, and the casing must be enlarged in the width direction. This inevitably hinders the downsizing of the charging station.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a charging unit capable of downsizing the housing by reducing the space for arranging the closing member inside the housing.

(1) A charging unit according to one aspect of the present invention is for charging a battery mounted on an autonomous mobile device. The charging unit includes a housing having an opening on a side surface, a terminal connecting portion, a plate-like first closing member, a plate-like second closing member, and a restricting portion. The terminal connection part is provided inside the housing so as to be movable in a first direction along the side surface, has a power supply terminal connected to the autonomous mobile device, and extends outward from the opening. protrude. The first closing member is provided at the terminal connection portion, is movable in the first direction together with the terminal connection portion, and is configured to be capable of partially closing the opening within a range of movement of the terminal connection portion. there is The second closing member is formed longer in the first direction than the first closing member, and is movable in the first direction relative to the first closing member. supported by The restricting portion abuts on an end portion of the second closing member in the first direction to restrict movement of the second closing member. The second closing member has an insertion opening through which the terminal connection portion is inserted and allows movement of the terminal connection portion in the first direction, and an insertion opening that moves in the same direction as the terminal connection portion moves. 2 closing the gap between the first closing member and the edge of the opening on the side opposite to the moving direction of the terminal connecting portion in a state where the closing member is arranged at the regulating position where the regulating portion regulates it; and a blockage.

With this configuration, when the charging connection portion of the autonomous mobile device is connected to the terminal connection portion and the pressing force in the first direction is applied to the terminal connection portion, the terminal connection portion is pressed. direction, and the first closing member also moves at that time. Also, the second closing member supported by the first closing member moves in the same direction. If the terminal connecting portion and the first closing member are moved in the same direction by the pressing force even after the second closing member is stopped, the opening edge of the opening on the side opposite to the moving direction of the terminal connecting portion and the A gap is generated between it and the first closing member. In this case, since movement of the second closing member is stopped by the restricting portion, the closing portion of the second closing member closes the gap at the restricted position by the restricting portion.

Since the first closing member and the second closing member are provided as described above, the width size of each closing member can be reduced in the charging unit. can be made smaller with respect to the first direction. As a result, the size of the housing can be reduced in the first direction.

(2) In the charging unit, the first closing member moves the second closing member so as to generate a frictional force that moves the second closing member in the moving direction when the terminal connecting portion is moved. It has a supporting part to support.

With this configuration, when the terminal connecting portion and the first closing member move, the frictional force generated between the first closing member and the second closing member causes the second closing member to move toward the terminal connecting portion. can move in the same direction.

(3) The charging unit further includes a biasing member that biases the terminal connection portion to elastically maintain the terminal connection portion at the center position of the opening.

With this configuration, when the pressing force applied when the charging connection portion of the autonomous mobile device is connected to the terminal connection portion is released, the terminal connection portion moves to the central position due to the biasing force. returned.

(4) In the charging unit, the first closing member and the second closing member are formed of rigid plate members.

Because of this configuration, even if each blocking member is strongly pressed inward, each blocking member is prevented from bending inward. As a result, a gap is less likely to occur between the opening and the closing member, and foreign matter can be prevented from entering.

(5) In the charging unit, the second closing member is arranged inside the first closing member. Also, the first closing member supports the second closing member so that the outer surface of the second closing member contacts the inner surface of the first closing member.

With this configuration, a gap is less likely to occur between the first closing member and the second closing member, and the frictional force is more likely to occur.

(6) The terminal connection part has a conversion part that converts a force in a direction perpendicular to the side surface received from the autonomous mobile device into a force in the first direction.

With this configuration, the terminal connection portion can be smoothly slid in the first direction.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size of the housing by reducing the space for arranging the closing member inside the housing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the front side of the cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the cleaning device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the rear side of the cleaning device. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a charging terminal portion provided in the cleaning device. FIG. 5 is a front view of the cleaning device. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation when the cleaning device returns to the charging station, and shows a state in which the cleaning device has detected the charging station and stopped. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation when the cleaning device returns to the charging station, and shows a state in which the cleaning device has turned 180°. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the operation when the cleaning device returns to the charging station, and shows a state in which the cleaning device moves backward and is connected to the charging station. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the charging station according to the embodiment of the invention. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of the power supply terminal portion provided in the charging station. FIG. 11A is a diagram showing a state in which the guide roller is guided toward the concave portion of the charging terminal portion. FIG. 11B is a diagram showing a state in which the guide roller is accommodated in the concave portion of the charging terminal portion; FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the charging station. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a portion on the far side of the power supply connection portion. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a portion on the front side of the power supply connecting portion. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view cut along the cutting plane XV-XV of FIG. FIG. 16A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the power supply terminal portion is slid to one side in the width direction; FIG. 16B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the power supply terminal portion has further slid to one side in the width direction; FIG. 17A is a diagram showing a state in which the power supply terminal portion has slid to the other side in the width direction. 17B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the power supply terminal portion has further slid to the other side in the width direction; FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the following embodiment is an example which actualized this invention, and does not limit the technical scope of this invention.

[Cleaning device 10]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the front side of an autonomously traveling cleaning device 10 (an example of an autonomously traveling device of the present invention) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an internal structure of the cleaning device 10. It is a schematic diagram showing. In the following description, the up-down direction D1, the front-rear direction D2, and the left-right direction D3 shown in each drawing are used.

The cleaning device 10 is an autonomous mobile device that autonomously moves on a concourse floor 23 (see FIG. 3) of an airport, station, shopping mall, etc., and is also called a mobile robot. The cleaning device 10 moves by autonomous movement, sucks up dust such as dirt and dust on the floor surface 23, separates the dust with a filter, and collects it in a collection box 16 (see FIG. 2). The cleaning device 10 automatically cleans the floor surface 23 while traveling based on various types of cleaning information input in advance, such as a travel route, cleaning area, cleaning time period, and return position for charging.

The cleaning device 10 is merely an example of the autonomous traveling device of the present invention. It can also be applied to a cleaning device that cleans a road surface while autonomously traveling. Of course, autonomous mobile robots that do not have a cleaning function and can be used for other purposes, such as security robots that can move autonomously, nursing care robots, luggage transport robots, display guide robots, etc. The present invention can also be applied to traveling devices.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the cleaning device 10 includes a device main body 11 and functional units provided in the device main body 11 . Specifically, the apparatus main body 11 includes a traveling section 12, a motor 13, a battery 14, an intake unit 15, a collection box 16, a support holder 17, an intake nozzle 18, an extension nozzle 19 (see FIG. 3), an operation section 20, A display panel 21, an operation handle 22, a charging connection section 30 (see FIG. 3), a control section 40, and the like are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus main body 11 has an exterior cover 11A that constitutes its exterior. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the device main body 11 has a chassis 11B at its lower portion. Chassis 11B is provided substantially parallel to floor surface 23 . Further, inside the device body 11, a support frame for supporting each of the functional units described above is appropriately provided.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the running section 12 is provided on the lower portion of the device main body 11 . The traveling portion 12 is attached to the chassis 11B to transmit the conveying force in the advancing direction to the floor surface 23 while maintaining the traveling posture of the apparatus main body 11 . The traveling part 12 has a pair of wheels 121 for traveling and four casters 122 .

The wheels 121 are rotatably supported at the center of the chassis 11B in the front-rear direction and at both ends in the left-right direction D3 (width direction). The four casters 122 are for maintaining the running posture of the apparatus main body 11, and are rotatably supported at both ends of the front end of the chassis 11B and both ends of the rear end of the chassis 11B. The outer peripheral surfaces of the wheels 121 and casters 122 are supported by the floor surface 23 while the cleaning device 10 is placed on the floor surface 23 . As a result, the device main body 11 is maintained in the running posture shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

The output shaft of the motor 13 is connected to the rotating shaft of the wheel 121 via a transmission mechanism such as a reduction gear. Therefore, when the motor 13 is driven and its rotational driving force is output from the output shaft, the rotational driving force of the motor 13 is transmitted to the wheels 121 . In this embodiment, a motor 13 is provided individually for each of the pair of wheels 121 . Therefore, the rotation speed of each wheel 121 is controlled by individually driving and controlling each motor 13 . For example, if the rotation speed of each wheel 121 is controlled to be uniform, the cleaning device 10 will move straight, and if the rotation speed of each wheel 121 is controlled to be different, the cleaning device 10 will move toward the wheel 121 with slower rotation speed. Device 10 pivots.

The intake unit 15 is provided inside the device main body 11 above a battery 14 which will be described later. The intake unit 15 generates a suction force for sucking air from the intake nozzle 18 and has a plurality of intake fans 151 . A flexible hose 24 is connected to an intake port 154 of the intake unit 15 . When the intake fan 151 is driven, air is sucked from the intake port at the tip of the flexible hose 24, and the air passes through the flexible hose 24, the inside of the intake unit 15, and an exhaust pipe (not shown) to the outside. Ejected.

The battery 14 is provided at the center of the device main body 11 . The battery 14 supplies driving power to the motor 13 and the intake fan 151 .

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the rear side of the cleaning device 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the collection box 16 is provided on the rear surface of the apparatus main body 11. As shown in FIG. A support holder 17 is provided on the rear surface of the apparatus main body 11 to cover the rear surface and support the collection box 16 in a detachable manner. A recess 171 extending in the vertical direction D1 is formed in the center of the support holder 17 in the horizontal direction D3 (width direction), and the collection box 16 is detachably attached to the recess 171 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the support holder 17 is provided with an intake port 174 extending forward from the bottom surface of the recess 171 . The intake port 174 is connected to an outlet provided at the top of the collection box 16 . An end of the flexible hose 24 is connected to the intake port 174 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, an intake nozzle 18 is provided at the bottom of the support holder 17, and an expansion nozzle 19 is provided at the side of the support holder 17. As shown in FIG. The intake nozzle 18 is rotatably provided with a pair of rotating brushes 26 (see FIG. 2) arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. Each rotating brush 26 rotates when a rotational driving force is transmitted from a motor (not shown). When the motor is driven by the control unit 40 while the cleaning device 10 is running, the rotating brush 26 is rotated and the dust on the floor surface 23 is collected satisfactorily.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the expansion nozzle 19 is provided on the left side of the support holder 17 . A housing portion 176 is provided on the left side of the support holder 17 , and the expansion nozzle 19 can be housed in the housing portion 176 . The expansion nozzle 19 is supported by the support holder 17 . Specifically, the expansion nozzle 19 is placed in the accommodation posture (the posture shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) in which it is accommodated in the accommodation portion 176, and in the left floor surface 23 of the apparatus main body 11 when it is tilted leftward from the accommodation portion 176. It is supported by a support holder 17 so that the posture can be changed between a side cleaning posture (not shown) in which the cleaning is possible.

The operation unit 20 is provided on the upper part of the rear surface of the apparatus main body 11 . The operation unit 20 is attached to the exterior cover 11A. The operation unit 20 is a device operated by an operator, and is, for example, a terminal device having a touch panel capable of touch operation. Various types of registration information for the cleaning device 10 (information such as traveling route, cleaning area, cleaning time zone, return position information, etc.) can be input from the operation unit 20 . The input registration information is transferred to the control unit 40 and used for travel control by the control unit 40 .

The display panel 21 is provided on the front surface of the device body 11 . The display panel 21 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel. Various types of announcement information are displayed on the display panel 21 by the control unit 40 during cleaning. The announcement information is, for example, information indicating that cleaning is being performed, guidance information regarding the floor being cleaned, and the like.

The operating handle 22 is provided at the uppermost portion of the rear surface of the device main body 11 . The operating handle 22 is attached to the exterior cover 11A. The operation handle 22 is used when the operator manually operates the cleaning device 10 for cleaning, or when the operator performs a teaching operation (teaching operation) for causing the cleaning device 10 to teach the travel route. is an operation member to be gripped. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation handle 22 is provided with various operation buttons for receiving driving operations from the operator. Operation information for the operation buttons is transferred to the control unit 40 and used for running control by the control unit 40 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the control section 40 is provided on the upper portion of the device main body 11 . The control unit 40 controls running of the cleaning device 10, driving of the intake fan 151 of the intake unit 15, screen display of the display panel 21, return to the charging station 50 described later, and the like. The control unit 40 includes, for example, control devices such as CPU, ROM, and RAM, storage devices such as HDD and flash memory, and a GPS receiver. The CPU is a processor that executes various kinds of arithmetic processing. The ROM is a non-volatile memory in which control programs such as BIOS and OS for causing the CPU to execute various processes are stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory that stores various information, and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 40 causes the CPU to run various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or storage device, thereby causing the cleaning device 10 to run, the intake fan 151 to drive, the display panel 21 to display the screen, and the charging station 50 to operate. control such as return to

As shown in FIG. 3 , the support holder 17 is provided with a charging connection portion 30 that is used when charging the battery 14 . The charging connection unit 30 has three power receiving terminals 31 that are connected to the three power supply terminals 61 (see FIG. 10) of the charging station 50 . The three power receiving terminals 31 are arranged vertically along the vertical direction D1. The charging connection portion 30 is provided on the right side of the back surface of the support holder 17 , specifically, on the right side of the recess 171 . A recessed portion 172 is formed in the back surface of the support holder 17, and the charging connection portion 30 is provided in the recessed portion 172. As shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the charging connection portion 30 of the cleaning device 10, and is a cross-sectional view of a horizontal cut plane passing through a position directly above the power receiving terminal 31 arranged on the uppermost side. As shown in FIG. 4, a pedestal 311 protruding from the bottom surface 172A is provided at the center in the width direction of the bottom surface 172A of the recess 172. As shown in FIG. The pedestal 311 has a truncated pyramid shape elongated in the vertical direction D1. Three power receiving terminals 31 are arranged vertically on the side surface of the base 311 in the projecting direction.

Inside the recess 172 , a recess 173 is formed deeper than the bottom surface 172</b>A and has a width smaller than that of the recess 172 above the base 311 . In addition, inclined surfaces 172B are formed in portions extending from both inner walls in the width direction of the recess 172 to both inner walls in the width direction of the recess 173 . Each inclined surface 172</b>B slopes from both inner walls of recess 172 toward recess 173 . Each inclined surface 172</b>B is an inclined guide surface that guides a guide roller 63 (see 10 ) of the power supply connection portion 60 , which will be described later, toward the concave portion 173 . Further, the recess 173 accommodates the guide roller 63 guided by the inclined surface 172B and positions the guide roller 63 therein.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the cleaning device 10. FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, a front laser sensor 41 and a sonar sensor 42 are provided on the front surface of the cleaning device 10 .

The front laser sensor 41 is provided in a groove portion 175 extending in the width direction formed in the lower front portion of the apparatus body 11 . The front laser sensor 41 is arranged at the center inside the groove portion 175 . The front laser sensor 41 includes a laser transmission element, a laser driver for driving the laser transmission element, a light receiving element, a light reception processing circuit for converting the output of the light receiving element into a digital signal, and the like. The front laser sensor 41 is connected to the controller 40 and controlled by the controller 40 . The front laser sensor 41 scans forward with pulsed laser light within a predetermined scanning angle range (for example, 120°) in the width direction (horizontal direction). When the front laser sensor 41 receives the pulse wave that has returned after being reflected by the irradiated object (object), the control unit 40 measures the time until the pulse wave returns, and measures the measured value. , the distance to the object at each scanning position is calculated. Thereby, the control unit 40 can grasp the distance and position to an object existing on the front side (advance direction side) of the cleaning device 10, and the shape and size of the object in the width direction.

The sonar sensor 42 is provided below the display panel 21 . Four sonar sensors 42 are provided side by side in the width direction on the front of the device main body 11 . The sonar sensor 42 is connected to the controller 40 and controlled by the controller 40 . The sonar sensor 42 detects an object using sound waves, and measures the distance to the object based on the time it takes for the sound waves to reflect off the object and return.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, side laser sensors 45 are provided on both side surfaces of the apparatus main body 11 . The side laser sensor 45 has substantially the same configuration as the front laser sensor 41, and includes a laser transmitting element, a laser driver for driving the laser transmitting element, a light receiving element, a light receiving processing circuit for converting the output of the light receiving element into a digital signal, and the like. I have. The side laser sensor 45 is connected to the controller 40 and controlled by the controller 40 . The side laser sensor 45 scans a pulsed laser beam within a predetermined scanning angle (for example, 180°) from the front to the bottom and back. When the side laser sensor 45 receives the pulse wave that has returned after being reflected by the irradiated object (object), the control unit 40 measures the time until the pulse wave returns, and measures the measured value. , the distance to the object at each scanning position is calculated. As a result, the control unit 40 can determine the distances and positions of objects existing on the front side (moving direction side) of the cleaning device 10, steps and obstacles existing on the floor surface 23, and their shapes and sizes in the scanning direction. can grasp.

6-8 illustrate the operation of cleaning device 10 as it returns to charging station 50 to recharge battery 14. FIG. As described above, the cleaning device 10 is registered with information such as the travel route, cleaning area, cleaning time period, etc., and information on the return position to return for charging (return position information). Registered. The feedback location information is, for example, GPS location information. Therefore, when the charge amount of the battery 14 becomes less than a predetermined amount, the cleaning device 10 stops cleaning and returns to the position indicated by the return position information.

As shown in FIG. 6 , when the cleaning device 10 moves to the vicinity of the position indicated by the return position information and the charging station 50 enters the detection range of the front laser sensor 41 , the cleaning device 10 accurately moves to the charging station 50 . distance and its position can be specified. After that, when the cleaning device 10 travels to the front of the charging station 50 (see FIG. 6), the drive of each wheel 121 is controlled by the control unit 40 so that the cleaning device 10 turns 180° (see FIG. 7) and is connected to the charging station. A portion 30 is placed in front of the power connection 60 of the charging station 50 . Then, when the cleaning device 10 is moved to the charging station 50 side by the control unit 40, the charging connection unit 30 and the power supply connection unit 60 of the charging station 50 are connected (see FIG. 8).

[Charging station 50]
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the charging station 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the power supply connecting portion 60 included in the charging station 50. As shown in FIG. In the following description, the vertical direction D11, the depth direction D12, and the width direction D13 shown in each drawing are used.

The charging station 50 is a charging unit (charging device) for charging the battery 14 mounted on the cleaning device 10 capable of autonomous travel. As described above, when the cleaning device 10 is returned to the charging station 50 and docked with the charging station 50 , the charging connection 30 of the cleaning device 10 couples to the power connection 60 and power is supplied from the charging station 50 to the battery 14 . supplied.

The charging station 50 is installed on the floor surface 23 and used, for example, with its back surface joined to the wall surface 91 . Note that the charging station 50 may be installed so as to be embedded in the wall surface 91 .

As shown in FIG. 9, the charging station 50 includes a casing 51 (an example of the housing of the present invention) and a power supply connection portion 60 (an example of the terminal connection portion of the present invention).

The casing 51 is generally formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and as a whole is formed smaller in size in the depth direction D12 than in the vertical direction D11 and the width direction D13. A rectangular opening 511 is formed in the side wall 51A on one side (the side opposite to the wall surface 91) of the casing 51. As shown in FIG. The opening 511 is formed in the side wall 51A near one end in the width direction D13 (on the right side of the paper surface of FIG. 9), that is, near the side wall 51B.

A recessed portion 512 having a shape recessed inward is formed at corner portions of both ends of the side wall 51A of the casing 51 in the width direction D13. Each recess 512 is formed at the same height as the front laser sensor 41 of the cleaning device 10 . As a result, when the charging station 50 is within the detection range of the front laser sensor 41, the laser beam horizontally emitted forward from the front laser sensor 41 is scanned in the horizontal direction at a predetermined scanning angle. Light is applied horizontally across the recess 512 . When a signal corresponding to the reflected light at this time is received from the front laser sensor 41 , the control unit 40 of the cleaning device 10 determines the position and shape of each of the two recesses 512 , the distance from the cleaning device 10 , the width of each recess 512 . Directional intervals (width intervals) and the like can be obtained. Identification information for identifying the charging station 50 , such as the shape and width of each recess 512 , is stored (registered) in advance in the ROM or storage device of the cleaning device 10 . Therefore, the control unit 40 collates the information acquired based on the signal from the front laser sensor 41 with the identification information, and determines that the forward object is the charging station 50 when the identification information matches. can be done.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the power supply connection portion 60 is provided inside the casing 51 and protrudes from the inside of the casing 51 to the outside of the side wall 51A through the opening 511 . In the present embodiment, the power supply connection portion 60 is provided inside the casing 51 near the side wall 51B on one side in the width direction D13 (the right side in the paper surface of FIG. 9). Further, in the present embodiment, the power supply connection portion 60 is supported inside the casing 51 so as to be slidable in the width direction D13. Note that the width direction D13 corresponds to the first direction of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the power supply connection portion 60 has power supply terminals 61 for power supply that are connected to the power receiving terminals 31 (see FIG. 3 ) of the charging connection portion 30 of the cleaning device 10 . In the present embodiment, the power supply connecting portion 60 has three power supply terminals 61 corresponding to the three power receiving terminals 31 one-to-one.

The power supply connection portion 60 has a holding portion 62 for holding the power supply terminal 61 . The holding portion 62 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape elongated in the depth direction D<b>12 and partially protrudes outward from the opening 511 . A concave portion 603 having a bottom surface 604 is formed at the end (projecting end) of the holding portion 62 in the projecting direction. The three power supply terminals 61 are provided on the bottom surface 604 so as to vertically protrude outward from the bottom surface 604 . On the bottom surface 604, the three power supply terminals 61 are arranged vertically along the vertical direction D11. Also, the length of protrusion of each power supply terminal 61 is set to a length that does not protrude from the concave portion 603 to the outside.

In this embodiment, the power supply connection portion 60 is arranged at the same height as the charging connection portion 30 of the cleaning device 10 . Accordingly, when the cleaning device 10 is docked with the charging station 50 , the power receiving terminals 31 of the charging connection section 30 can be connected to the power supply terminals 61 of the power supply connection section 60 .

A disk-shaped guide roller 63 is provided in the power supply connection portion 60 . The guide roller 63 is provided above the power supply terminal 61 . A support plate 64 is formed integrally with the holding portion 62 on the upper surface of the holding portion 62 , and a guide roller 63 is rotatably supported at the tip portion 65 of the support plate 64 . A distal end portion 65 of the support plate 64 is formed in a tapered shape and protrudes outward beyond the concave portion 603 of the protruding end portion of the holding portion 62 . Therefore, the guide roller 63 is supported at a position spaced outside the power supply terminals 61 .

The guiding roller 63 also serves to convert the vertical force received from the charging connection portion 30 into a pressing force in the width direction D13 when the charging connection portion 30 is connected to the power supply connection portion 60 . In this case, the guide roller 63 functions as a cam follower, and each inclined surface 172B (see FIG. 4) of the charging connection portion 30 functions as an inclined cam. It should be noted that the guide roller 63 is an example of the conversion section of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the guide roller 63 is positioned at the same height as the recess 173 and the inclined surface 172B so that the guide roller 63 is guided to the recess 173 when the charging connection portion 30 is connected to the power supply connection portion 60. supported by Specifically, for example, when the charging connection portion 30 and the power supply connection portion 60 do not directly face each other and are shifted in the width direction D13, the cleaning device 10 moves as shown in FIG. 11A. As charging connection portion 30 approaches and is pressed against power supply connection portion 60 , one of inclined surfaces 172</b>B formed in concave portion 172 abuts guide roller 63 . At this time, the guide roller 63 receives a force in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the cleaning device 10, that is, a pressing force in the direction toward the recess 173 (the width direction D13). In other words, the guide roller 63 converts the force in the moving direction of the cleaning device 10 into a force in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction, that is, a pressing force in the direction toward the recess 173 (the width direction D13). This pressing force acts as a force to slide the power supply connection portion 60 toward the center of the recess 172 in the width direction. When the charging connection portion 30 is further pressed toward the power supply connection portion 60 side, the power supply connection portion 60 slides further toward the central portion by receiving the pressing force, and is accommodated in the recess 173 (see FIG. 11B). In this state, the guiding roller 63 is positioned at the center of the charging connection portion 30 in the width direction by the concave portion 173 .

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of charging station 50, and is a schematic cross-sectional view when the upper portion of casing 51 is horizontally cut. As shown in FIG. 12, inside the casing 51, there is provided an accommodation support portion 67 that accommodates the power supply connection portion 60 and supports the power supply connection portion 60 so as to be movable in the depth direction D12. The accommodation support portion 67 has a pair of side portions 67A separated in the width direction D13 and a depth portion 67B on the depth side D121. A power connection 60 is accommodated. In this embodiment, the housing support portion 67 supports the power supply connection portion 60 so as to be movable in the depth direction D12 by a well-known rack-and-pinion mechanism.

An elastic member 66 is provided in the accommodation support portion 67 . The elastic member 66 elastically supports the holding portion 62 in the depth direction D<b>12 while the power supply connection portion 60 is accommodated inside the accommodation support portion 67 . The elastic member 66 is, for example, a spring member such as a coil spring, and connects the surface (rear surface) of the rear side D121 of the holding portion 62 of the power supply connection portion 60 and the rear portion 67B of the housing support portion 67. 62 is elastically supported in the depth direction D12. Since the accommodation support portion 67 and the elastic member 66 are provided, even when the charging connection portion 30 (see FIG. 3) is pressed against the power supply connection portion 60, the elastic force of the elastic member 66 is resisted in the pressing direction. While retracting the power supply connecting portion 60 by pressing the power supply terminal 61 and the power receiving terminal 31 with an appropriate pressing force due to the elastic force of the elastic member 66 . The elastic member 66 is not limited to a spring member such as a coil spring, and may be any member that has elasticity in the depth direction D12 and can elastically support the holding portion 62 in the depth direction D12. is applicable even if

As described above, in the present embodiment, the power supply connection portion 60 is supported so as to be slidable in the width direction D13. Specifically, a pair of rails 68 and 69 are provided inside the casing 51 to support the housing support portion 67 so as to be slidable in the width direction D13. The accommodation support portion 67 is supported so as to be slidable in the width direction D13 while accommodating the power supply connection portion 60 therein. That is, the power supply connection portion 60 can slide in the width direction D13 together with the accommodation support portion 67 .

The rails 68 and 69 are formed long in the width direction D13. The rails 68 and 69 are provided at a predetermined interval in the depth direction D12. The rail 68 is provided on the inner surface of the side wall 51C on the back side D121 of the casing 51, and the rail 69 is provided on the inner surface of the side wall 51A on the front side of the casing 51. As shown in FIG. The rails 68 and 69 support the lower end portion of the housing support portion 67, so that the power supply connection portion 60 can slide in the width direction D13.

Further, a support shaft 72 is provided on the upper side of the power supply connection portion 60 to support the housing support portion 67 so as to be slidable in the width direction D13. The support shaft 72 is a round bar-shaped member elongated in the width direction D13. The support shaft 72 is provided so as to span the upper side of the power supply connection portion 60 in the width direction D13. One end of the support shaft 72 is attached to the side wall 51B on one side in the width direction D13 (the right side of the paper surface of FIG. 12). The other end of the support shaft 72 is attached to a support bracket 513 provided on the casing 51 . Shaft support portions 71A and 71B protrude upward from the upper ends of both side portions 67A of the accommodation support portion 67 in the width direction D13. A through hole through which the support shaft 72 is inserted is formed in the shaft support portions 71A and 71B. A support shaft 72 is inserted through the through hole. The shaft support portions 71A and 71B of the housing support portion 67 are supported by the support shaft 72 so as to be suspended. As a result, the power supply connection portion 60 can be slid in the width direction D<b>13 by the support shaft 72 .

The slide support mechanism that supports the power supply connection portion 60 so as to be slidable in the width direction D13 is not limited to the support mechanism of the housing support portion 67 using the rails 68 and 69 and the support shaft 72 described above. It is also possible to apply a mechanism in which the is supported by a rack-and-pinion mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 12, the support shaft 72 is equipped with coil springs 73A and 73B (an example of the biasing member of the present invention). The coil springs 73</b>A and 73</b>B apply a biasing force to the power supply connection portion 60 to elastically maintain the power supply connection portion 60 at the central position P<b>0 of the opening 511 . In this embodiment, the coil springs 73A and 73B apply a biasing force to the power feed connection portion 60 via the accommodation support portion 67. As shown in FIG. The coil spring 73A is attached to the shaft portion 72A of the support shaft 72 between the shaft support portion 71A and the side wall 51B. In addition, the coil spring 73B is mounted on the shaft portion 72B of the support shaft 72 between the shaft support portion 71B and the support bracket 513. As shown in FIG. The coil springs 73A and 73B are so-called compression springs that are attached in a compressed state. By maintaining a state in which the spring forces of the coil springs 73A and 73B are balanced, the power supply connection portion 60 is moved to the central position P0. placed.

In the charging station 50 configured as described above, a part of the power supply connection portion 60 protrudes from the opening 511 of the casing 51 , so a gap is generated between the opening 511 and the power supply connection portion 60 . Since the power supply connecting portion 60 is configured to be movable in the width direction D<b>13 , a gap larger in the width direction D<b>13 than the power supply connecting portion 60 is generated in the opening 511 . Therefore, in the present embodiment, a first closing plate 81 and a second closing plate 82 are provided inside the casing 51 . As a result, the gap is closed to prevent foreign matter such as dust and dirt, or moisture from entering the inside through the gap, and to prevent an electric shock caused by the insertion of a human finger.

13 and 14 are perspective views showing the power supply connecting portion 60. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view seen from the back side disposed inside the casing 51, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view seen from the front side.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the power supply connection portion 60 is provided with a plate-like first closing plate 81 (an example of the first closing member of the present invention). The first closing plate 81 is made of a hard plate member, such as a resin plate made of hard resin or a metal plate made of sheet metal. The first closing plate 81 is attached to the power supply connection portion 60 so that it can move along with the power supply connection portion 60 in the width direction D13. Also, the first closing plate 81 is sized to partially close the opening 511 within the moving range of the power supply connection portion 60 .

A plate-shaped second closing plate 82 (an example of the second closing member of the present invention) is attached to the first closing plate 81 . The second closing plate 82 is made of a hard plate member and is made of the same material as the first closing plate 81. For example, a resin plate made of hard resin or a metal plate made of sheet metal. is. The second closing plate 82 is slidably moved in the width direction D13 with respect to the first closing plate 81 by being attached to the first closing plate 81 . That is, the second closing plate 82 is supported by the first closing plate 81 so as to be slidable in the width direction D13.

As shown in FIG. 13, an opening 811 is formed in the center of the first closing plate 81 in the width direction D13. The opening 811 is formed in a size and shape corresponding to the outer dimensions of the holding portion 62, and is formed in a vertically long rectangular shape in this embodiment. The power supply connection part 60 is inserted through the opening 811 , and the holding part 62 and the first closing plate 81 are connected with the power supply terminal 61 and the guide roller 63 projecting to the outside of the casing 51 . Specifically, brackets 621 formed integrally with the side surfaces are provided on both side surfaces of the holding portion 62, and the brackets 621 are fixed to the back surface 815A of the first closing plate 81 by screws 622. there is

The first closing plate 81 may have a size capable of covering the opening 511 with the power supply connection portion 60 arranged at the central position P0 (see FIG. 12). However, when the power supply connection portion 60 moves to one side in the width direction D13, the gap on one side of the opening 511 is closed, and the other side of the opening 511 is closed by the first closing plate 81. It is sized to be in an undamaged state. Specifically, when the power supply connection portion 60 moves in the direction D132 shown in FIG. is formed in a size such that a gap (a gap between the edge portion 511B and the power supply connection portion 60) that expands in the opposite direction D131 side of .

Further, support portions 813 and 814 for supporting the second closing plate 82 are formed on the first closing plate 81 . Support portions 813 are provided at both ends of the upper end portion 81A of the first closing plate 81, and support portions 814 are provided at both ends of the lower end portion 81B of the first closing plate 81, respectively. The support portions 813 and 814 are configured to move the second closing plate 82 so as to generate a frictional force that moves the second closing plate 82 in the same direction when the power supply connection portion 60 is moved in one of the width directions D13. support.

In this embodiment, the second closing plate 82 is arranged closer to the inside of the casing 51 than the first closing plate 81 .

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XV-XV of FIG. 14, showing the configuration of the support portions 813 and 814. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 15, the first closing plate 81 includes a plate-like main body portion 815 forming the front surface, an upper end portion 81A bent from the upper end of the main body portion 815 toward the back side D121, and the lower end of the main body portion 815. and a lower end portion 81B bent from the rear side D121. In addition, the upper end portion 81A has a bent portion 816 in which the end on the far side D121 is bent downward, and the lower end portion 81B has a bent portion 817 in which the end on the far side D121 is bent upward. .

The support portion 813 has a body portion 815 , an upper end portion 81</b>A, and a rotating roller 85 arranged inside the bent portion 816 . The rotating roller 85 is rotatably supported by the upper end portion 82A of the second closing plate 82. As shown in FIG. The rotating roller 85 has a roller portion 851 made of, for example, an elastic member. In this embodiment, the rotating roller 85 rotates the second closing plate 82 while the outer peripheral surface of the roller portion 851 is in pressure contact with the back surface 816A of the bent portion 816 and separated from the back surface 815A of the main body portion 815. It is supported by the upper end portion 82A.

The support portion 814 also has a main body portion 815 , a lower end portion 81 B, and a rotating roller 86 arranged inside the bent portion 817 . A rotating roller 86 is rotatably supported by the lower end portion 82B of the second closing plate 82 . The rotating roller 86 has a roller portion 861 made of, for example, an elastic member. In this embodiment, the rotating roller 86 rotates the second closing plate 82 while the outer peripheral surface of the roller portion 861 is in pressure contact with the back surface 817A of the bent portion 817 and separated from the back surface 815A of the body portion 815. It is supported by the lower end portion 82B.

Since such support portions 813 and 814 are provided on the first closing plate 81, the second closing plate 82 is pressed toward the first closing plate 81 by the rotating rollers 85 and 86, and the front surface of the second closing plate 82 825A (an example of the outer surface of the present invention) contacts the rear surface 815A (an example of the inner surface of the present invention) of the first closure plate 81 . In this state, when the power supply connection portion 60 is moved in the width direction D13, a frictional force due to contact friction is generated between the rear surface 815A of the first closing plate 81 and the front surface 825A of the second closing plate 82, and this friction The force can cause the second closure plate 82 to move in the same direction of movement as the feed connection 60 .

As shown in FIG. 13, the second closing plate 82 is longer than the first closing plate 81 in the width direction D13. The second closing plate 82 has an opening 821 (an example of the insertion opening of the present invention) through which the power supply connecting portion 60 is inserted while being supported by the support portions 813 and 814 of the first closing plate 81 .

The opening 821 is formed in the center of the second closing plate 82 in the width direction D13. The opening 821 allows the power supply connection portion 60 to pass therethrough and allows the power supply connection portion 60 to move in the width direction D13. For this reason, the opening 821 is formed to be larger than the opening 811 of the first closing plate 81 in the width direction D13 and also larger in the vertical direction D11.

A closing portion 824 is provided at each of both ends of the second closing plate 82 in the width direction D13. The closing portion 824 is a portion extending from the edge of the opening 821 in the width direction D13 to the end of the second closing plate 82 in the width direction D13. The blocking part 824 is a gap (non blockage).

As shown in FIG. 12 , a restricting portion 515 that restricts movement of the second closing plate 82 is provided inside the casing 51 . When the power supply connecting portion 60 moves in the direction D131 shown in FIG. 12 and the second closing plate 82 moves in the same direction, the restricting portion 515 prevents the second closing plate 82 from moving in the direction D131 shown in FIG. Restrict movement.

12 (the side wall 51B side), the second closing plate 82 abuts the side wall 51B at a predetermined second regulating position, and further movement of the side wall 51B Regulated by In this case, the side walls 51B play the role of the restricting portion of the present invention.

As described above, the charging station 50 of this embodiment includes the casing 51 having the opening 511 in the side wall 51A, and the charging station 50 provided inside the casing 51 so as to be movable in the width direction D13 along the side wall 51A. a power supply connection portion 60 having a power supply terminal 61 for power supply connected to the power receiving terminal 31 of the power supply connection portion 60, a portion of which protrudes outward from the opening 511; A first closing plate 81 that can move to D13 and can partially close the opening 511 in the moving range of the power supply connection portion 60, and is formed longer in the width direction D13 than the first closing plate 81, a second closing plate 82 supported by the first closing plate 81 so as to be movable in the width direction D13 with respect to the first closing plate 81; 2 It has a restricting portion 515 and a side wall 51B that restrict further movement of the closing plate 82 . The second closing plate 82 has an opening 811 through which the power supply connection part 60 is inserted and allows movement of the power supply connection part 60 in the width direction D13, and a second closing plate 811 that moves in the same direction as the power supply connection part 60 moves. 2 In a state where the closing plate 82 is arranged at the regulating position regulated by the regulating portion 515 or the side wall 51B, the edges (511A, 511B) of the opening 511 on the side opposite to the moving direction of the power supply connection portion 60 and the first closing plate 82 and a closing portion 824 that closes the gap with the plate 81 .

Therefore, when the charging connection part 30 of the cleaning device 10 is connected to the power supply connection part 60 in a state where the power supply connection part 60 is arranged at the central position P0, the pressing force in one direction in the width direction D13 is applied to the power supply connection part 60 . , the power supply connector 60 moves in the pressed direction. At that time, the first closing plate 81 also moves in the same direction. Also, the second closing plate 82 supported by the first closing plate 81 moves in the same direction. When the second closing plate 82 reaches the regulating position, the end of the second closing plate 82 comes into contact with the side wall 51B, and further movement is regulated. On the other hand, even after the second closing plate stops, the power supply connection portion 60 and the first closing plate 81 move in the same direction due to the pressing force. In this case, a gap is created between the opposite edge of the opening 511 and the first closing plate 81 , but this gap is closed by the opposite closing portion 824 of the second closing plate 82 being stopped.

For example, as shown in FIG. 16A , when a pressing force F1 is applied to the guide roller 63 of the power supply connection part 60 when the charging connection part 30 is connected to the power supply connection part 60, the power supply connection part 60 and the first closing plate 81 moves in the direction D132, and the second closing plate 82 also moves in the same direction. Then, when the power supply connection portion 60 moves to the position P1 (second regulation position) shown in FIG. 16A, the second closing plate 82 comes into contact with the side wall 51B and stops moving. After that, as shown in FIG. 16B, only the power supply connection portion 60 and the first closing plate 81 continue to move in the direction D132. Then, when the charging connection portion 30 is completely connected to the power supply connection portion 60, the power supply connection portion 60 is arranged at a position P2 on the direction D132 side of the position P1. In this case, a gap T11 is formed between the edge portion 511B of the opening 511 and the first closing plate 81, but this gap T11 is closed by the closing portion 824 of the stopped second closing plate 82 on the D131 side. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 17B , when the pressing force F2 is applied to the guide roller 63 of the power supply connection part 60 when the charging connection part 30 is connected to the power supply connection part 60, the power supply connection part 60 and the first closing plate 81 moves in the direction D131, and the second closing plate 82 also moves in the same direction. Then, when the power supply connection portion 60 moves to the position P3 (first regulation position) shown in FIG. 17A, the second closing plate 82 comes into contact with the regulation portion 515 and stops moving. After that, as shown in FIG. 17B, only the power supply connection portion 60 and the first closing plate 81 continue to move in the direction D131. Then, when the charging connection portion 30 is completely connected to the power supply connection portion 60, the power supply connection portion 60 is arranged at a position P4 on the direction D131 side of the position P3. In this case, a gap T12 is created between the edge portion 511A of the opening 511 and the first closing plate 81, but this gap T12 is closed by the closing portion 824 of the stopped second closing plate 82 on the D132 side. .

Since the first closing plate 81 and the second closing plate 82 are provided in the charging station 50, the gap is closed, and foreign matter such as dust and dirt, or moisture enters the interior through the gap. In addition, it is possible to prevent an electric shock due to the insertion of a human finger. Furthermore, in the charging station 50, the width size of each of the closing plates 81 and 82 can be reduced, and the arrangement of each of the closing plates 81 and 82 within the casing 51 can be reduced compared to the conventional structure having only one closing member. The space can be made smaller in the width direction D13. As a result, the size of the casing 51 can be reduced in the width direction D13.

In this embodiment, since the coil springs 73A and 73B are provided to urge the power supply connection portion 60 to elastically maintain it at the central position P0 of the opening 511, the connection with the charging connection portion 30 is released. Then, the power supply connection portion 60 and the first closing plate 81 are returned to the central position P0 by the biasing forces of the coil springs 73A and 73B. At this time, the second closing plate 82 also moves to the center position P0 side together with the power supply connection portion 60 .

Further, in the present embodiment, the power supply connection portion 60 is provided with a guide roller 63 that functions as a cam follower by operating together with the inclined surface 172B of the charging connection portion 30 . Therefore, the power supply connection portion 60 can be smoothly slid in the width direction D13.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the two closing plates 81 and 82 are provided in the casing 51 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the charging station 50 includes a first closing plate 81 attached to the power supply connection portion 60, a second closing plate 82 movably supported by the first closing plate 81, and the second closing plate 82. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a third closing plate is supported so as to be movable in the width direction D13. In other words, the charging station 50 may be configured to include at least the first closing plate 81 and the second closing plate 82 .

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the second closing plate 82 is arranged on the back side D121 of the first closing plate 81 was illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The charging station 50 may have a configuration in which the second closing plate 82 is arranged closer to the opening 511 than the first closing plate 81 .

10: cleaning device, 30: charging connector, 31: power receiving terminal,
50: charging station, 51: casing, 51A, 51B, 51C: side wall,
60: Power supply connection part 61: Power supply terminal 62: Holding part
63: guide roller, 64: support plate, 66: elastic member,
67: accommodation support portion, 67A: side portion, 67B: inner portion,
71A, 71B: shaft support portion, 72: support shaft, 72A, 72B: shaft portion,
73A, 73B: coil springs, 81: first closing plate,
82: second closing plate, 85, 86: rotating rollers, 511: opening,
511A: edge, 511B: edge, 512: recess,
513: support bracket, 515: regulation part, 811: opening,
813, 814: support part

Claims (6)

A charging unit for charging a battery mounted on an autonomous mobile device,
a housing having an opening on the side;
a terminal connection portion provided inside the housing so as to be movable in a first direction along the side surface, having a power supply terminal connected to the autonomous mobile device, and protruding outward from the opening; ,
a plate-like first closing member provided at the terminal connection portion, movable in the first direction together with the terminal connection portion, and capable of partially closing the opening within a range of movement of the terminal connection portion;
A plate-like plate formed longer in the first direction than the first closing member and supported by the first closing member so as to be movable in the first direction with respect to the first closing member a second closing member;
a restricting portion that abuts on the end portion of the second closing member in the first direction to restrict the movement of the second closing member;
The second closing member is
an insertion opening through which the terminal connection portion is inserted and which allows movement of the terminal connection portion in the first direction;
In a state where the second closing member that has moved in the same direction as the terminal connection portion moves is arranged at the restriction position that is restricted by the restriction portion, the terminal connection portion is located on the side opposite to the movement direction of the terminal connection portion in the opening. A charging unit, comprising: a closing portion that closes a gap between an opening edge portion and the first closing member. The first closing member is
2. The charging unit according to claim 1, further comprising a supporting portion that supports said second closing member so as to generate a frictional force that moves said second closing member in said movement direction when said terminal connection portion is moved. . 3. The charging unit according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that biases said terminal connection portion to elastically maintain said terminal connection portion at a center position of said opening. 4. The charging unit according to claim 1, wherein said first closing member and said second closing member are made of rigid plate members. The second closing member is arranged inside the first closing member,
The charging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first closing member supports the second closing member such that an outer surface of the second closing member contacts an inner surface of the first closing member. unit. The charging unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the terminal connection portion has a conversion portion that converts a force in a direction perpendicular to the side surface received from the autonomous mobile device into a force in the first direction.

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