JP2023038301A - Robot cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to have communication with a robot cleaner with a sensation of communication between humans.

SOLUTION: A robot cleaner 1 is the robot cleaner for cleaning a cleaning object surface while autonomously moving, and enabling performance of a nodding operation to vertically move a front side of a housing as one of response operations with respect to a behavior of a user. Specifically, a posture control wheel 21 is rotated with a shaft fixed to the housing of the robot cleaner 1 as a fulcrum so as to be projected toward an arrangement surface of the robot cleaner 1. Then, a front side of the housing is pushed-up by the posture control wheel 21 so as to allow the housing to be inclined with respect to an arrangement surface. When the posture control wheel 21 is returned to an inside of the housing, the robot cleaner 1 is returned to a posture in Fig 2(a) from a posture in Fig 2(b). Thus, the robot cleaner 1 can perform a nodding operation by continuously putting in/out the posture control wheel 21.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a robot cleaner that performs cleaning while moving autonomously and a charger for the same.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a robot cleaner that performs cleaning while autonomously moving (for example, Patent Document 1 below). In addition, an invention relating to a charger for such a robot cleaner has also been made (for example, Patent Document 2 below).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-360480 (published on December 17, 2002) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-329223 (published on December 2, 2005)

However, in the conventional technology as described above, the robot cleaner is treated as a tool for automatically cleaning, and is not treated as a communication partner with the user. For this reason, conventional robot cleaners have room for improvement in functions for communication with users. For example, the vacuum cleaner described in Patent Literature 1 indicates to the user the detection state of the sensor and the operating state of the motor and the like by lighting the light-emitting diode. However, such mechanical notifications are far from human-to-human communication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a robot cleaner that allows a user to communicate with the robot cleaner as if it were a person-to-person communication. etc. is to be realized.

A robot cleaner according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing provided with a suction port, a proximity sensor that detects an approach of an obstacle, and a drive wheel that is vertically movably supported with respect to the housing. and a control unit that lifts up the housing so that the front side of the housing rises when the proximity sensor detects the approach of the obstacle, wherein the suction port extends in the front-rear direction of the housing. It is provided in front of the center of the

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the user can communicate with the robot cleaner as if it were a person-to-person communication.

It is a figure which shows the characteristic operation|movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a nodding motion mechanism. It is a figure which shows an example of the external appearance of the said robot cleaner. It is a figure which shows an example of the appearance of the bottom side of the said robot cleaner. It is a perspective view of the said robot cleaner which removed the top plate. It is a partially transparent top view of the said robot cleaner which removed the top plate. It is a partially transparent side view of the said robot cleaner. It is a figure explaining the nodding motion mechanism of the robot cleaner which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the nodding motion mechanism of the robot cleaner which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the nodding motion mechanism of the robot cleaner which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the swing motion mechanism of the robot cleaner which concerns on Embodiment 5 of this invention. It is a bottom view of the robot cleaner 1 which concerns on Embodiment 6 of this invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a charger for the robot cleaner according to each of the above embodiments;

[Embodiment 1]
One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

〔overview〕
First, the outline of the robot cleaner of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing characteristic operations of the robot cleaner 1. FIG. The robot cleaner 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing, and collects dust from a cleaning target surface (for example, a floor surface) while moving autonomously. In addition to such a cleaning function, it also has a function of performing a plurality of types of gesture motions as response motions to user's actions. More specifically, the robot cleaner 1 performs a gesture operation for communicating with the user during non-cleaning operation (an operation mode in which components for cleaning (rotating brush, blower fan motor, etc.) are not operating). It has the function of

Specifically, as shown in (a) of FIG. 1, the robot cleaner 1 performs an action (nodding action) that moves the end of the front side (the side facing the user) of the housing up and down. The nodding motion is performed as a response motion to the user's action (for example, the user's instruction to start cleaning). Further, the robot cleaner 1 performs an operation (swing operation) of moving the front side of the housing left and right, as shown in (b) of the figure. A swing motion is also performed as a response motion to the action of the user. For example, the swinging motion is performed when an instruction from the user cannot be executed (such as when an instruction to start cleaning is given but the remaining battery level is insufficient).

Since the robot cleaner 1 performs the gesture motions as described above in accordance with the user's actions (for example, utterances, motions, etc.), the user can communicate with the robot cleaner 1 as if they were interacting with a person. can be done. That is, the robot cleaner 1 can be personified by performing a gesture operation. Needless to say, combining a voice response and a gesture motion as a response motion of the robot cleaner 1 to a user's action, or only a voice response, is effective in anthropomorphizing the robot cleaner 1. .

[Nodding mechanism]
Next, a nodding motion mechanism for realizing the above nodding motion will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a nodding motion mechanism. The robot cleaner 1 is normally in a state (orientation) in which the housing is parallel to the installation surface, as shown in (a) of FIG. At this time, the attitude control wheel (attitude control member) 21 is housed in the attitude control wheel housing portion 20 inside the housing of the robot cleaner 1 .

Here, as shown in (b) of the figure, the attitude control wheel 21 is rotated about the shaft fixed to the housing of the robot cleaner 1, and projected toward the installation surface of the robot cleaner 1. As a result, the front side of the housing can be pushed up by the attitude control wheels 21, and the housing can be tilted with respect to the installation surface. Further, the robot cleaner 1 returns from the posture of (b) in the figure to the posture of (a) in the figure by returning the posture control wheel 21 to the inside of the housing. Therefore, the robot cleaner 1 can perform a nodding motion by continuously moving the attitude control wheel 21 in and out.

Execution of the nodding motion is controlled by a control circuit which will be described later. Specifically, the control circuit drives the attitude control wheels 21 as described above to cause the robot cleaner 1 to perform the nodding motion when the occurrence of a predetermined event associated with the nodding motion is detected. The predetermined event is not particularly limited as long as it relates to the behavior of the user. It may be that there is a predetermined question from the user, etc.). Note that, for the same action of the user, a response action according to the situation when the action was performed may be executed. For example, when the user says to the robot cleaner 1, "Please clean", if the battery is sufficiently charged and cleaning is possible, a voice response (eg, "Yeah!") is given. A nod motion may be performed. On the other hand, if the battery is low to some extent but cleaning is possible, the robot may respond by only nodding. Then, if cleaning is not possible, a voice response (for example, "Uh-huh") and a swinging motion may be performed.

[Structure of each part]
Next, the configuration of each part of the robot cleaner 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing an example of the appearance of the robot cleaner 1. FIG. (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a right side view, and (d) is a rear view. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom side of the robot cleaner 1. FIG. 4(a) shows a state in which the attitude control wheel 21 is accommodated, and FIG. 4(b) shows a state in which it is protruded. ing.

As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, the housing of the robot cleaner 1 has a top plate 101 arranged above side plates 100 and a bottom plate 102 arranged below. A slit 12 is formed along the entire circumference of the top plate 101 between the upper end portion of the side plate 100 and the top plate 101 .

The top plate 101 has a shape in which the four corners of a square are notched in arcs, and serves as a lid that covers the upper opening of the side plate 100 . At least part of the top plate 101 is made of a transparent or translucent material, and the light emitted from the light emitting unit provided inside the housing can be visually recognized through the top plate 101, although the details will be described later. It has become. That is, the top plate 101 becomes a light-emitting surface by causing the light-emitting portion to emit light.

The side plate 100 constitutes the side surface of the housing that accommodates the internal components of the robot cleaner 1 . The opening in the upper part of the side plate 100 has a shape obtained by cutting out the four corners of a square in an arc shape, and is closed by the top plate 101 having the same shape as the opening as described above. The opening at the bottom of the side plate 100 is closed with a bottom plate 102 having the same shape as the opening. As shown in (b) and (c) of the figure, the side plate 100 has a laterally long rectangular shape when viewed from the front and from the side. Although only the right side is shown in the figure, the left side of the housing has the same shape as the right side. Further, as shown in FIG. 4D, the side plate 100 has a horizontally long rectangular shape even when viewed from the rear, and a vertical slit 103 is formed from the upper end to the vicinity of the lower end of the central portion of the rear surface. A part of the dust container accommodated inside the side plate 100 can be visually recognized through the .

The slit 12 is a groove-shaped portion formed in the housing of the robot cleaner 1 (specifically, between the top plate 101 and the side plate 100). A plurality of sensors, specifically proximity sensors 13a to 13f and infrared sensors 14a to 14c, are arranged inside the slit 12, as shown in FIGS. The proximity sensors are simply referred to as proximity sensors 13 when they are not distinguished, and similarly, they are simply referred to as infrared sensors 14 when they are not distinguished.

The proximity sensor 13 is a sensor for detecting approaching obstacles. As shown in (b) and (c) of the same figure, the proximity sensor 13 has two (13c and 13d) on the front side of the robot cleaner 1 of the slit 12 and one each on the right and left sides ( 13a and 13f) and one each at the front corner (13b and 13e). The side-side proximity sensors 13a and 13f are arranged near the front of the robot cleaner 1 (close to the front side). The proximity sensor 13 may be any sensor that can detect the approach of an obstacle, such as an ultrasonic sensor.

The infrared sensor 14 is a sensor for detecting the charger, and as shown in FIG. there is That is, the robot cleaner 1 automatically detects the charger with the infrared sensor 14, automatically moves to the charger, and charges itself. The infrared sensor 14 may also serve as a receiver for infrared signals (for example, signals transmitted by a remote controller or the like) for remotely controlling the robot cleaner 1 .

In this way, in the robot cleaner 1, each sensor is accommodated in one slit 12, so compared to a conventional robot cleaner in which each sensor is dispersedly arranged at individual accommodation positions, It has a flat and simple appearance. In addition, since each sensor is arranged at a position deeper inside the housing than the side surface of the top plate 101, as shown in FIG. It enters the blind spot and becomes difficult to see. Thus, in the robot cleaner 1, the exposure of each sensor to the user is reduced, thereby improving the design of the robot cleaner 1. FIG.

A light-reflecting material may be placed on at least one of the upper end of the side plate 100 and the side surface of the top plate 101 so that each sensor becomes less conspicuous. For example, the upper ends of the side plates 100 and the side surfaces of the top plate 101 may be trimmed with metal. At least one of the upper end of the side plate 100 and the side surface of the top plate 101 may be plated. Since the slit 12 is in the shadow of the top plate 101, it is difficult for the user to pay attention to the slit 12 in the first place. It is possible to make it more difficult for the user to pay attention to.

Of course, what is accommodated in the slit 12 is not limited to proximity sensors. If an optical camera is installed, camera images can be used to detect obstacles and avoid collisions, and can also be used to identify users and recognize facial expressions. Also, an LED illumination may be mounted as another device in the slit 12 . This makes it possible to illuminate the floor surface and the direction of travel. Alternatively, a projector may be mounted inside the slit 12 . By using the projector, it is possible to show the image to the user, so it is possible to expand the range of communication between the robot cleaner 1 and the user. By arranging any device in the slit 12, the device can be made inconspicuous, so that the design of the robot cleaner 1 can be improved.

The ratio of the height (from the lower end of the side plate 100 to the upper end of the top plate 101) to the width of the robot cleaner 1 is equal to or close to the golden ratio (1:1.618). is preferred. As a result, the robot cleaner 1 can have a stable and beautiful appearance. In addition, considering that when the user looks down at the robot cleaner 1 placed on the floor, it looks lower than the actual height, the height may be higher than the golden ratio. . The drive wheel 16b shown in (c) of FIG. 3 and the casters 17a to 17d shown in (b) to (d) of the same figure will be described below with reference to FIG.

Next, the bottom surface of the robot cleaner 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As illustrated, the bottom plate 102 is configured to be one size smaller than the outer circumference of the side plate 100 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3(a), when the robot cleaner 1 is viewed from above, the bottom plate 102 is in the blind spot between the top plate 101 and the side plates 100 and is difficult to see. As a result, the appearance of the robot cleaner 1 is simple and neat.

Further, on the bottom surface of the robot cleaner 1, drive wheels 16a and 16b (simply referred to as drive wheels 16 when the drive wheels are not distinguished) are exposed from openings in the bottom plate 102. As shown in FIG. At the four corners of the bottom plate 102, casters 17a to 17d (simply referred to as casters 17 when the casters are not distinguished) are provided. The caster 17 shown in the figure is a ball caster, and the ball portion rotates as the robot cleaner 1 is moved by the driving wheels 16 to move the robot cleaner 1 smoothly. Needless to say, the casters 17 are not limited to ball casters as long as they support the robot cleaner 1 while stationary and moving.

The robot cleaner 1 is supported by drive wheels 16 and casters 17 and can be moved in any direction by driving the drive wheels 16 . Also, the swinging motion can be realized by driving the driving wheels 16 . Specifically, by continuously rotating the driving wheel 16b while rotating the driving wheel 16a in the forward direction and rotating the driving wheel 16b in the forward direction while rotating the driving wheel 16a in the reverse direction, A swing motion is realized. Execution of the swinging motion is controlled by a control circuit which will be described later. Specifically, when the control circuit detects the occurrence of a predetermined event associated with the swing motion, the control circuit drives the driving wheels 16 as described above to cause the robot cleaner 1 to perform the swing motion. . The predetermined event is not particularly limited as long as it relates to the user's behavior, and may be an event related to cleaning (such as an instruction to perform cleaning when the dust collection container is full and cleaning cannot be performed). However, it may be an event unrelated to cleaning (for example, a predetermined question from the user).

Further, a suction port 18 is formed between the casters 17a and 17b in the bottom plate 102, and a rotating brush 19 is arranged in the suction port 18. As shown in FIG. The robot cleaner 1 sucks dust from the suction port 18 while rotating the rotary brush 19. - 特許庁

At a position closer to the front center (on the suction port 18 side) of the bottom plate 102, the attitude control wheel housing portion 20 is open, and as shown in FIG. The attitude control wheel 21 is housed in . Further, the posture control wheel 21 protrudes outside the posture control wheel housing portion 20 as shown in FIG. More specifically, the attitude control wheel 21 has a wheel at its tip and is rotatably connected to the robot cleaner 1 at its base. By rotating about the connection shaft, the tip portion moves in an arc shape and protrudes outside the posture control wheel housing portion 20 . Since the attitude control wheel 21 has a wheel at the tip that touches the ground when protruding, the force pushing the robot cleaner 1 backward during the rotation can be released by the rotation of the wheel. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the robot cleaner 1 from moving backward during the nodding motion, and perform the stable nodding motion at the same position.

〔exhaust port〕
Next, the exhaust port of the robot cleaner 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the robot cleaner 1 with the top plate 101 removed. In addition, illustration of the configuration inside the housing is omitted in the figure.

As shown, inside the side plate 100 is a transparent inner side plate 104 . The inner side plate 104 is provided over the entire circumference of the side plate 100 to form the slit 12 between the side plate 100 and the top plate 101 . The internal side plate 104 also serves to prevent foreign matter from entering the interior of the housing. That is, the inner side plate 104 also covers the vertical slit 103 shown in FIG. 3(d). Since the proximity sensor 13 and the infrared sensor 14 are arranged closer to the inside of the housing than the inner side plate 104, the inner side plate 104 is made of a material and shaped so as not to interfere with the detection of these sensors. For example, when an ultrasonic sensor is used as the proximity sensor 13, an opening is provided in the inner side plate 104 so that ultrasonic waves can be transmitted and received through the opening.

The inner side plate 104 is provided with two exhaust ports 105a and 105b (hereinafter simply referred to as exhaust ports 105 when the exhaust ports are not distinguished). Specifically, an exhaust port 105a formed by drilling a plurality of holes in the inner side plate 104 is provided in the central portion of the left side surface of the robot cleaner 1 . Similarly, an exhaust port 105b is provided in the central portion of the right side surface of the robot cleaner 1 . These exhaust ports 105 are connected to an exhaust passage (details of which will be described later) inside the housing, and the exhaust that has passed through the exhaust passage is discharged from the exhaust port 105 during the cleaning operation.

[Internal configuration]
Next, the internal configuration of the robot cleaner 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a partially transparent top view of the robot cleaner 1 with the top plate 101 removed, and FIG. 7 is a partially transparent side view of the robot cleaner 1. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a dust collection container 30 is arranged in the central rear portion of the robot cleaner 1 . By disposing the dust container 30 at the rear end of the robot cleaner 1 in this manner, the dust container 30 swings up and down when the robot cleaner 1 nods. As a result, cotton dust inside the dust container 30 can be dropped to the bottom of the dust container 30 . In addition, the vertical movement of the dust container 30 fills the gaps between the dust accumulated on the bottom of the dust collection container 30, so that the volume of dust can be reduced. That is, the nodding motion of the robot cleaner 1 can increase the amount (weight) of dust that can be stored in the dust container 30 . As a result, the number of times the user throws away the dust in the dust container 30 can be reduced. In addition, when the user disposes of the dust in the dust container 30, it is possible to prevent dust from flying up from the lid of the dust container 30 or the like. In addition, in the illustrated example, the dust collection container 30 is arranged in the rear central portion of the robot cleaner 1 . By arranging the dust collection container 30 near the rear (or front) end of the housing in this manner, the dust collection container 30 can be swung up and down to a large extent, thereby enhancing the effect of reducing the volume of dust. can be done. However, even if the dust collection container 30 is arranged near the center of the housing, the dust collection container 30 shakes due to the nodding motion, so that the effect of reducing the volume of dust can be obtained. Since the nodding motion can reduce the amount of dust in this way, the nodding motion may be performed when communication with the user is not being performed. For example, when it is detected that the amount (volume) of dust in the dust collection container 30 exceeds a predetermined amount, a nodding motion may be performed to reduce the volume of dust.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, inside the robot cleaner 1, an exhaust passage 31 is provided that connects the exhaust port 105a at the center of the left side of the robot cleaner 1 to the exhaust port 105b at the center of the right side of the robot cleaner 1. It is A blower fan 33 is arranged inside the center left side of the exhaust passage 31 . Also, the exhaust flow path 31 is connected to the dust collection container 30 via an exhaust pipe 32 . The exhaust pipe 32 is connected directly below the blower fan 33 as shown in FIG. 7, and is connected to the exhaust pipe connection portion 30a on the side of the dust collection container 30 as shown in FIG.

The end of the rotation shaft of the blower fan 33 is exposed above the exhaust flow path 31 as shown in FIG. 7, and the end and the rotation shaft of the blower fan motor 34 are connected by a belt. there is As a result, the rotation of the blower fan motor 34 is transmitted to the blower fan 33 by the belt, and the blower fan 33 rotates. In this way, by adopting a configuration in which the rotational force of the blower fan motor 34 is transmitted to the blower fan 33 via the belt, the blower fan 33 can be operated more efficiently than the configuration in which the blower fan motor 34 and the blower fan 33 are directly connected. The height from the top of the fan motor 34 to the bottom of the blower fan motor 34 can be kept low.

The blower fan 33 is a centrifugal fan and blows air outward in the radial direction of the blower fan 33 . That is, the blower fan 33 sucks the air in the dust collection container 30 through the exhaust pipe 32 and discharges the air through the exhaust passage 31 from the exhaust ports 105a and 105b.

An intake pipe 35 is connected to the intake pipe connection portion 30b of the dust collection container 30 . The intake pipe connecting portion 30b is provided at the right end of the dust container 30 so that air flows in the tangential direction of the dust container 30, which is circular in top view (see FIG. 6). Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the intake pipe connecting portion 30b is provided at a position below the dust container 30. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, the end of the intake pipe 35 that is not connected to the intake pipe connecting portion 30b spreads so as to cover the rotating brush 19, and the opening of this end serves as the suction port 18. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a rotating brush driving motor 19a is arranged above the right end of the rotating brush 19, and the rotating shaft of the rotating brush driving motor 19a and the rotating shaft of the rotating brush 19 connected by a belt. As a result, the rotation of the rotating brush drive motor 19a is transmitted to the rotating brush 19 by the belt, and the rotating brush 19 rotates to scrape out dust on the floor surface and guide it into the suction port 18. As shown in FIG. In this way, by rotating the rotating brush 19 via the belt, the rotating brush driving motor 19a can be arranged above the rotating brush 19 as shown in FIG. It is possible to take a wider width.

In addition, conventional general robot vacuum cleaners have a circular housing shape when viewed from the top, and this circular housing prevents the suction port from being brought close to the corner of the room. It was equipped with a side brush to scrape out dirt in the corners. On the other hand, the robot cleaner 1 has a rectangular housing when viewed from above, and the suction port can be brought close to the corner of the room. Therefore, the robot cleaner 1 can clean even the corners of a room without providing a side brush. In other words, the robot cleaner 1 has a rectangular housing, thereby omitting the mounting of the side brushes and their drive units, thereby reducing the number of parts and making it possible to lower the manufacturing cost. In addition, it is possible to make the robot cleaner 1 compact, simple, and beautiful in appearance.

A battery 36 serving as a power source for each part of the robot cleaner 1 is arranged below the blower fan motor 34 . A circular non-contact charging coil 37 is arranged near the central portion of the robot cleaner 1 . The contactless charging coil 37 can charge the battery 36 in a contactless manner. In order to avoid complicating the drawings, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show components such as wiring for transmitting power from the battery 36 to each part of the robot cleaner 1, and members for holding each component within the housing. etc. are omitted. 7, illustration of the battery 36, the non-contact charging coil 37, and the casters 17a and 17b is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the attitude control wheel 21 is arranged near the front of the central portion of the robot cleaner 1 . As shown in FIG. 7, the attitude control motor 21a is arranged above the attitude control wheel 21, and the rotating shaft of the attitude control motor 21a and the end of the attitude control wheel 21 (the side without the wheel) are connected to each other. end) is connected by a power transmission member 21b. The attitude control wheel 21 is connected to the bottom plate 102 by a rotating shaft provided between the connecting portion of the power transmission member 21b and the wheel. When the posture control motor 21a is rotated counterclockwise, the power transmission member 21b moves upward, and the posture control wheel 21 rotates counterclockwise about the rotation shaft to be exposed below the bottom plate 102. do. On the other hand, when the posture control motor 21a is rotated clockwise, the power transmission member 21b moves downward, and the posture control wheel 21 rotates clockwise about the rotation shaft and is housed inside the housing. .

As shown in FIG. 6 , the substrate 40 is arranged so as to cover substantially the entire front side of the robot cleaner 1 with respect to the exhaust flow path 31 . The substrate 40 has a rectangular shape with an upper left end cut away. A blower fan motor 34 is arranged in this notch portion.

The proximity sensor 13 and the infrared sensor 14 are arranged on the upper surface of the substrate 40, and the light emitting section 41 is arranged. Also, although not shown, a control circuit (which may include a CPU, a memory, etc.) for controlling the operation of each component such as each motor and the light emitting unit 41 is also arranged on the substrate 40 . Since the robot cleaner 1 arranges each sensor in one slit 12 as described with reference to FIG. 3(b), each sensor can be arranged on one substrate 40. It has become. The operation control of each part of the robot cleaner 1 is basically performed by the control circuit arranged on the substrate 40 . Of course, the robot cleaner 1 may further include a substrate other than the substrate 40 , and the control circuit on the substrate may control the operation of each part of the robot cleaner 1 .

The light emitting part 41 is arranged in the rear part of the central part of the substrate 40 and emits light according to the control of the control circuit provided on the substrate 40 . As the light emitting unit 41, for example, an LED light emitting element may be applied. A top plate 101 is arranged directly above the light emitting unit 41. At least a part of the top plate 101 is made of a light-transmitting material. be. The light emitting unit 41 is used for purposes such as notification to the user (for example, notification that the user's operation has been normally accepted). Of course, the application of the light-emitting unit 41 is not limited to this, and the light-emitting unit 41 may emit light in a predetermined pattern as one response operation to the user. Also, the light emission of the light emitting unit 41 may be combined with a nodding action or a swinging action.

As shown in FIG. 6, a drive wheel support portion 50b is arranged next to the drive wheel 16b. The drive wheel support portion 50b supports the drive wheel 16b and is connected to the bottom plate 102 by a rotating shaft 53b. Further, a drive motor 51b and a transmission 52b are accommodated inside the drive wheel support portion 50b, the rotation shaft of the drive motor 51b is connected to the transmission 52b, and the output shaft of the transmission 52b It is connected to the drive wheel 16b. Note that the drive wheel support portion 50a has the same configuration as the drive wheel support portion 50b, so the description of the drive wheel support portion 50a is omitted.

Since the drive wheel support portion 50b is rotatable about the rotation shaft 53b, the drive wheel 16b supported by the drive wheel support portion 50b moves up and down together with the drive wheel support portion 50b. As a result, the impact that the driving wheel 16b receives from the ground contact surface can be softened. In other words, the drive wheel support portion 50b functions as a damper.

The transmission 52b transmits the rotation of the drive motor 51b to the drive wheels 16b, and has a function of switching the rotational speed of the drive wheels 16b. The transmission 52b may have, for example, a plurality of gears, and may switch the rotation speed by switching gears used for rotating the drive wheels 16b. Switching of the rotation speed by the transmission 52b is also performed by the control circuit described above. The control circuit may switch the transmission 52b during the non-cleaning operation to increase the rotational speed of the drive wheels 16 to a higher speed than during the cleaning operation, thereby setting the high-speed movement mode. Thereby, the robot cleaner 1 can be moved at a higher speed during the non-cleaning operation than during the cleaning operation.

[Embodiment 2]
Another embodiment of the invention will be described on the basis of FIG. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those of the members explained in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof is omitted. The same applies to the third and subsequent embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the nodding motion mechanism of the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment. (a) of the figure shows a bottom view of the robot cleaner 1 of the present embodiment, and (b) of the same figure shows a partially transparent side view. The robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment differs from the robot cleaner 1 of the above-described embodiment in the nodding motion mechanism. The number of casters 17 is also different from that of the robot cleaner 1 of the above embodiment. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4A, the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment includes casters 17a and 17b on the front side of the drive wheels 16, as in the example of FIG. , the casters 17c and 17d on the rear side of the drive wheel 16 are not provided. And instead of not having casters 17c and 17d, drive wheels 16 are arranged toward the rear.

As shown in (b) of the figure, the drive wheel 16b of this embodiment is provided with a brake 55b, which can stop the rotation of the drive wheel 16b. Although not shown, the driving wheel 16a is also provided with a similar brake 55a, and the brake 55a is controlled in the same manner as the brake 55b.

When the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment performs a nodding motion, as shown in (b) of FIG. Rotate (rotation in the direction of rotation when moving backward, clockwise rotation in the figure). At this time, since the drive wheel 16b does not rotate due to the action of the brake 55b, a force is applied to the drive motor 51b and the bottom plate 102 to which the drive motor 51b is attached in a direction opposite to the above rotational direction. As a result, as shown in the figure, the robot cleaner 1 rotates in the rotation direction of the drive motor 51b with the grounding point of the drive wheel 16b as a fulcrum, and the caster 17b is lifted. Thereafter, by releasing the brake 55b or rotating the drive motor 51b forward, the caster 17b returns to the grounded state. The robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment realizes the nodding motion in this manner.

[Embodiment 3]
In this embodiment, a robot cleaner 1 that performs a nodding motion with a nodding motion mechanism different from that of the above embodiments will be described with reference to FIG. 9 . FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the nodding motion mechanism of the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment. (a) and (b) of the figure show partially transparent side views of the robot cleaner 1 of the present embodiment.

As shown, the caster 17b of the robot cleaner 1 of the present embodiment is connected to a caster push-out mechanism (attitude control member) 61, and the caster push-out mechanism 61 is connected to a caster push-out motor 60. . One end of the caster push-out mechanism 61 is connected to the caster 17 b, and the other end is connected to the caster push-out motor 60 . Although the caster push-out mechanism 61 and the caster push-out motor 60 connected to the caster 17b will be described here, the caster push-out mechanism 61 and the caster push-out motor 60 are also connected to the caster 17a. Further, here, as in the second embodiment, the casters 17a and 17b are provided on the front side of the robot cleaner 1, and the driving wheels 16a and 16b are provided on the rear side of the robot cleaner 1. explain. However, as in the first embodiment, casters 17a to 17d may be provided, or the drive wheels 16 and casters 17 may be arranged in a different arrangement.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, by rotating the caster push-out motor 60 clockwise, the caster push-out mechanism 61 moves downward to move the caster 17b to the position shown in FIG. 9B. protrude downward as shown. As a result, the front side of the robot cleaner 1 is lifted. Further, by rotating the caster push-out motor 60 counterclockwise, the caster push-out mechanism 61 moves upward and the caster 17b returns to the position shown in FIG. Therefore, the robot cleaner 1 can perform a nodding motion by continuously rotating the caster pushing motor 60 clockwise and counterclockwise.

[Embodiment 4]
In this embodiment, a robot cleaner 1 that performs a nodding motion with a nodding motion mechanism different from that of the above embodiments will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the nodding mechanism of the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment. (a) and (b) of the figure show partially transparent side views of the robot cleaner 1 of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), a nodding motion motor 70 is arranged inside the robot cleaner 1 of the present embodiment (near the central portion of the bottom plate 102), and its rotating shaft 71 is It is connected to the side plate 100 . As shown in (a) of the figure, when the nodding motion motor 70 is rotated clockwise, the side plate 100 and the top plate 101 connected to the rotating shaft 71 are also rotated clockwise, and the front of the robot cleaner 1 is rotated. side lifts. That is, in the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment, the side plate 100 and the top plate 101 are held so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft 71 . Further, as shown in (b) of the figure, when the nodding motion motor 70 is rotated counterclockwise, the side plate 100 and the top plate 101 connected to the rotation shaft 71 are also rotated counterclockwise, thereby cleaning the robot. The rear side of the machine 1 is lifted. Therefore, the robot cleaner 1 can perform the nodding motion by continuously rotating the nodding motion motor 70 clockwise and counterclockwise.

[Embodiment 5]
In this embodiment, a robot cleaner 1 that performs a swing motion with a swing motion mechanism that is different from the above embodiments will be described with reference to FIG. 11 . 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining the swing motion mechanism of the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment. (a) and (b) of the figure show partially transparent bottom views of the robot cleaner 1 of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), inside the robot cleaner 1 of the present embodiment (near the central portion of the bottom plate 102), a swing motion motor 80 is arranged. are connected to the side plate 100 . As shown in (a) of the figure, when the swing motion motor 80 is rotated counterclockwise, the side plate 100 (and the top plate 101) connected to the rotating shaft 81 also rotates counterclockwise. The housing of the vacuum cleaner 1 faces left. That is, in the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment, the side plate 100 and the top plate 101 are held so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft 81 . Further, as shown in (b) of the same figure, when the swing motor 80 is rotated clockwise, the side plate 100 and the top plate 101 connected to the rotating shaft 81 are also rotated clockwise, and the robot cleaner rotates clockwise. The housing of 1 faces the right. Therefore, the robot cleaner 1 can perform the swing motion by continuously rotating the swing motion motor 80 counterclockwise and clockwise.

It should be noted that the swing motion mechanism of this embodiment can be combined with any of the nodding motion mechanisms described in Embodiments 1-4. It can also be applied to the robot cleaner 1 .

[Embodiment 6]
In this embodiment, a robot cleaner 1 in which casters and driving wheels are arranged differently from the above-described embodiments will be described with reference to FIG. 12 . FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment.

As illustrated, the drive wheels 16 of the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment are arranged on the front side compared to the robot cleaners 1 of the above embodiments. The casters 17e of the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment are arranged in the rear central portion of the bottom plate 102. As shown in FIG. In other words, the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment is grounded at three points: the two driving wheels 16a and 16b arranged toward the front of the bottom plate 102, and one caster 17e arranged toward the rear of the bottom plate 102. . The caster 17e shown in the figure is a roller caster whose grounding portion is a wheel, but it may be another type of caster such as a ball caster.

The robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment differs from the robot cleaner 1 of each of the embodiments described above in that casters are not provided on the sides of the suction port 18 . And based on this difference, the robot cleaner 1 of this embodiment can provide the suction opening 18 with about the same width as the robot cleaner 1 as shown in the figure. As a result, even without a side brush, it is possible to more reliably absorb dust near the walls and in the corners of the room.

[Embodiment 7]
As described in Patent Document 1 cited in [Background Art], a charger for a conventional robot cleaner generally charges the robot cleaner by placing the robot cleaner sideways to the main body of the charger. is. In such a conventional general charger, the main body protruding from the wall takes up a lot of space when not charging, and the robot cleaner is positioned next to the main body when charging, so it takes up even more space. take. Additionally, the design of the robot vacuum cleaner and the charger is inconsistent, and neither the robot vacuum cleaner nor the charger blends in with the interior of the room in which they are installed. The charger (also called a charging base or charging station) described in this embodiment solves such problems of conventional chargers.

The charger of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13 . FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of a charger for the robot cleaner 1. FIG. A charger 90 shown in (a) of FIG. When charging, the robot cleaner 1 identifies the position of the charger 90 by detecting infrared rays emitted by the infrared light emitting unit 91 with the infrared sensor 14 , and automatically moves to the position of the charger 90 . Then, when the robot cleaner 1 rides directly above the charger 90, power supply to the robot cleaner 1 by the charger 90 is started.

Like the top plate 101 of the robot cleaner 1 , the charger 90 has a flat plate-like outer shape obtained by notching the four corners of a square in an arc shape, and is one size smaller than the top plate 101 . Therefore, the charger 90 is stored under the robot cleaner 1 during charging. Therefore, if there is a space large enough to install the robot cleaner 1, the charger 90 can be placed in that space and charging can be performed there. Since the charger 90 is entirely hidden behind the robot cleaner 1 during charging, the user does not even notice the charger 90 . It should be noted that the charger 90 does not necessarily have to be entirely hidden, and a portion thereof may be exposed.

In addition, since the charger 90 is thin enough for the robot cleaner 1 to ride on, it is less likely to get in the way even when not charging. Furthermore, the external appearance of the charger 90 has the same shape as the top plate 101 of the robot cleaner 1, so that there is a sense of uniformity and high design. Thereby, the robot cleaner 1 and the charger 90 can be blended into the interior (furniture, etc.). It is preferable that the top plate 101 and the charger 90 have the same color or a similar color so as to emphasize unity.

Note that if the robot cleaner 1 does not support contactless charging, the charger must be of the contact type. FIG. 13B shows a contact type charger 95 . The charger 95 differs from the charger 90 in that a charging terminal 96 is provided near the center. A charging terminal is provided on the bottom of the robot cleaner 1 to be charged by the main charger 95 , and a charging terminal 96 is provided at a position corresponding to the charging terminal provided on the bottom of the robot cleaner 1 . there is Then, when the robot cleaner 1 rides on the charger 95, the charging terminal on the bottom of the robot cleaner 1 and the charging terminal 96 come into contact with each other, and charging is started.

[Modification]
The above-mentioned nodding motion may be a motion in which the front end portion of the robot cleaner 1 moves downward at least once, and upward motion may not be included during the nodding motion. For example, in the example of FIG. 10 , the state in which the top plate 101 is parallel to the installation surface of the robot cleaner 1 is changed to the state in which the top plate 101 is tilted forward as shown in FIG. A nodding motion may also be used. However, if the swing width of the nodding motion in the vertical direction is small, it is difficult for the user to recognize the nodding motion. is preferably included in the nodding motion.

Further, the motion of moving the front end of the robot cleaner 1 up and down continuously a plurality of times may be the nodding motion. Further, the robot cleaner 1 may be configured to perform multiple patterns of nodding motions. In this case, a nodding motion that is randomly selected from among executable patterns of nodding motions may be performed, or a predetermined pattern of nodding motions corresponding to the situation in which the nodding motion is performed may be performed. For example, when the remaining battery power of the robot cleaner 1 is high, the nodding motion is performed in a pattern with a large swing width or a pattern with a large number of up-and-down movements. A nod motion may be performed. In this way, by executing the nodding motion in a pattern corresponding to the internal information of the robot cleaner 1, the user who sees the nodding motion of the pattern is informed of the content of the internal information (in the above example, the amount of remaining battery power). ) can be recognized. Further, for example, when the amount (volume) of dust in the dust collection container 30 is greater than a predetermined amount, the nodding motion is executed in a pattern with a large swing width or a pattern with a large number of vertical movements, thereby reducing the volume of dust. You may try to reduce it.

In each of the above-described embodiments, an example in which the nodding motion or the swinging motion is performed during the non-cleaning motion has been shown, but it may be performed during the cleaning motion. For example, when the user performs an action such as calling out to the robot cleaner 1 during the cleaning operation, a nodding action or a head shaking action is performed as a response action according to the content of the call or the situation at that time. Actions may be performed. Of course, in such a case, the nodding motion or the swinging motion may be performed after the cleaning motion is temporarily stopped.

It should be noted that it is preferable to perform the above-described nodding motion and swinging motion toward the user (with the front side of the housing facing the user). Therefore, the robot cleaner 1 may include a detection unit that detects the position of the user who is the target of the response operation (for example, the position of the user who called out to the robot cleaner 1). Then, when performing the nodding motion or the swinging motion, the direction may be changed so that the front side of the housing faces the position detected by the detection unit. Furthermore, the robot cleaner 1 may include a detection unit that recognizes the user's face and facial expression. Then, the form of the gesture, specifically, the size and speed of nodding or shaking, or presence or absence of the motion, may be changed for each recognized user. Thereby, the user can feel as if the robot cleaner 1 has a character.

The nodding motion described above can also be used for purposes other than communication with the user. For example, when the control circuit of the robot cleaner 1 detects an obstacle (which may be a step or the like) on the path, the drive wheel 16 and the front side of the housing are pushed upward by nodding the front side of the housing. The caster 17 of is floated. Then, the robot cleaner 1 is advanced in this state, and when at least one of the drive wheels 16 and the front casters 17 contacts the upper part of the obstacle or overcomes the obstacle, the front side of the housing is lifted. can be released. As a result, the ability to overcome obstacles can be improved.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the robot cleaner 1 that sucks dust by a cyclone method was described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to any robot cleaner that cleans a surface to be cleaned while moving autonomously. Applicable to vacuum cleaners. For example, it can be applied to a robot cleaner that collects dust by a non-cyclone system, and can also be applied to a robot cleaner that performs wiping.

〔summary〕
A robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 1 of the present invention is a robot cleaner 1 that cleans a surface to be cleaned while autonomously moving, and moves the front side of the housing up and down as one of the actions in response to the action of the user. This configuration is for performing a nodding motion.

According to the above configuration, a nodding motion of moving the front side of the housing up and down is performed as one of the motions in response to the user's action. Since the motion of nodding is used in human-to-human communication, it is possible to make the user communicate with the robot cleaner as if it were human-to-human communication.

The robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 2 of the present invention is configured to perform a swing motion of moving the front side of the housing left and right as one response motion to the action of the user in the above aspect 1.

According to the above configuration, as one of the actions in response to the action of the user, the swing action of moving the front side of the housing left and right is executed, so that the user can feel the robot cleaning as if it were communication between people. It is possible to communicate with the machine. For example, it is possible to perform a nodding motion as a response motion indicating affirmative content of the response, and perform a swinging motion as a response motion indicating the content of the negative response.

In the robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 3 of the present invention, in the above-described aspect 1 or 2, an attitude control member (attitude control wheel) projects toward the installation surface of the robot cleaner 1 and pushes up the front side of the housing. 21 and a caster push-out mechanism 61).

According to the above configuration, there is provided an attitude control member that protrudes toward the installation surface of the robot cleaner 1 and pushes up the front side of the housing. Therefore, by pushing up the front side of the housing with the posture control member and then releasing the push-up, the front side of the housing can be moved up and down, and the robot cleaner 1 can perform nodding motion.

In the robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 4 of the present invention, in any one of aspects 1 to 3, the nodding action includes an action of pushing up the front side of the housing, and when overcoming an obstacle Alternatively, the pushing-up operation may be performed.

According to the above configuration, the operation of pushing up the front side of the housing is executed when the obstacle is overcome. By pushing up the front side of the housing, it becomes possible to overcome larger obstacles. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the performance of overcoming obstacles is improved by using the nodding motion execution function. be able to. The obstacle may be climbed over during the cleaning operation or during the non-cleaning operation.

The robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 5 of the present invention, in any one of aspects 1 to 4, may be configured to perform the nodding motion during the non-cleaning operation out of the cleaning operation and the non-cleaning operation.

According to the above configuration, since the nodding motion is executed during the non-cleaning motion, the nodding motion is not the motion for cleaning (for example, the motion to climb over a step during cleaning), but the motion for communication. The user can be made to recognize clearly.

The robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 6 of the present invention, in aspect 5, may be configured to be in a high-speed movement mode in which the non-cleaning operation can be moved at a higher speed than during the cleaning operation.

According to the above configuration, the high-speed movement mode is set during the non-cleaning operation, so the robot cleaner 1 can be rapidly moved during the non-cleaning operation.

A robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 7 of the present invention is, in any one of aspects 1 to 6, provided with a dust collection container 30 that stores dust sucked from the cleaning target surface, and performs the nodding motion to remove the dust from the collection target. The dust container 30 may be shaken.

According to the above configuration, the dust container 30 is shaken by nodding. By shaking the dust container 30, the volume of dust in the dust container 30 is reduced, so that the dust container 30 can accommodate more dust. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of times the user throws away the garbage. The action of shaking the dust collection container 30 by nodding may be performed during the cleaning operation or during the non-cleaning operation.

A robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 8 of the present invention is a robot cleaner that cleans a surface to be cleaned while autonomously moving, and includes a plurality of sensors (proximity sensor 13, infrared sensor 14) for detecting an object. Alternatively, the plurality of sensors may be arranged in one slit 12 provided in the housing.

According to the above configuration, since a plurality of sensors are arranged in one slit, the external appearance can be made flat and simple compared to a configuration in which a housing is provided for each sensor.

In the robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 9 of the present invention, in aspect 8, one substrate 40 parallel to the slit 12 is arranged inside the housing, and on the substrate 40, A configuration may be employed in which the plurality of sensors and circuits related to the sensors are arranged.

According to the above configuration, a plurality of sensors and circuits related to the sensors are arranged on a single substrate parallel to the slit. can realize a board and circuit configuration without waste.

The robot cleaner 1 according to aspect 10 of the present invention, in any one of aspects 1 to 9, may have a configuration in which the housing has a rectangular shape when viewed from above.

According to the above configuration, the housing has a rectangular shape when viewed from the top, so that the housing fits into the straight line portion at the end of the room and the corner portion of the room. Therefore, every corner of the room can be cleaned without providing a side brush or the like.

A charger (90, 95) according to aspect 11 of the present invention is a charger for a robot cleaner 1 that cleans a surface to be cleaned while autonomously moving, and has a flat plate-like outer shape. It is the structure which feeds with respect to the said robot cleaner 1 which ran on.

According to the above configuration, since the outer shape of the charger is flat, the charger is less likely to get in the way when the battery is not charged. In addition, since the robot cleaner 1 rides on top of the charger on the flat plate during charging, the charger can be hidden by the robot cleaner 1.例文帳に追加

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims, and can be obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

(Additional notes)
In order to solve the above problems, a robot cleaner according to the present invention is a robot cleaner that cleans a surface to be cleaned while autonomously moving, and has a swing mechanism that is independent of the movement mechanism used for the autonomous movement. In addition, it is configured to execute a nodding motion of moving the front side of the housing up and down and a swinging motion of moving the front side of the housing left and right as responses to the actions of the user.

1 robot vacuum cleaner 12 slit 13 proximity sensor (sensor)
14 infrared sensor (sensor)
21 attitude control wheel (attitude control member)
30 dust collection container 40 substrate 61 caster push-out mechanism (attitude control member)
90, 95 Charger 100 Side plate (housing)
101 Top plate (casing)
102 bottom plate (housing)

Claims (4)

a housing provided with a suction port;
a proximity sensor that detects approaching obstacles;
a driving wheel supported so as to be vertically movable with respect to the housing;
a control unit that lifts up the housing so that the front side of the housing rises when the proximity sensor detects the approach of the obstacle;
The suction port is provided forward of the center of the housing in the front-rear direction,
robot vacuum cleaner. The housing lifts up and overcomes the obstacle,
The robot vacuum cleaner according to claim 1. the housing overcomes the obstacle during cleaning operation;
The robot cleaner according to claim 1 or 2. The drive wheels move downward with respect to the housing during the lift-up,
The robot cleaner according to any one of claims 1-3.

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