JP2574456B2 - Self-propelled vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a self-propelled vacuum cleaner having a cleaning function and a moving function and performing automatic cleaning.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vacuum cleaner has been developed in which operability during cleaning is improved by adding a moving function to the vacuum cleaner. Particularly recently, a so-called self-guided self-propelled cleaner having a microcomputer and various sensors mounted thereon has been developed.

This type of self-propelled vacuum cleaner has a suction nozzle and a brush at the bottom of the main body as a cleaning function, has traveling wheels and steering wheels driven by a motor as a moving function, and uses optical guiding means and a gyro. It is equipped with obstacle detection means for detecting obstacles during running and position recognition means for recognizing the position of the main body using inertial navigation means, etc. While moving along the surrounding wall, etc., the cleaning area is checked by the position recognition means, and the cleaning area is moved to fill the inside of the cleaning area and the entire cleaning area is cleaned. In some cases, the remote control device can be used to teach the cleaning area, and a power source such as a storage battery is usually provided inside.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional self-propelled cleaner, when the self-propelled cleaner is stopped during the cleaning work after the cleaning is completed or after the cleaning is started, the self-propelled cleaner is not used. There was a problem that manual work was required to return to the starting point. In addition, when the cleaning place is not surrounded by a wall or the like, when cleaning the same place every time, the cleaning area must be taught by a remote control device or the like every time the cleaning is performed, which is very complicated. There was a problem that.

The present invention solves such a conventional problem,
If the self-propelled cleaner is stopped during cleaning after cleaning or after cleaning is started, the self-propelled cleaner can return to the starting point by independent guidance instead of manual operation. It is a first object to provide a self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

The second purpose is to create a cleaning place that is not surrounded by walls.
When cleaning is performed more than once, a self-propelled cleaner which does not need to be taught for the second and subsequent times is provided instead of teaching the cleaning area by the remote control device each time.

Means for Solving the Problems A first means for achieving the first object is a cleaning device, a self-propelled cleaner body having a steering and driving means,
Obstacle detection means provided on the main body to detect obstacles in the front and left and right directions, a storage unit for storing a trajectory of the movement of the self-propelled cleaner main body, a power supply, and detecting a traveling distance and a traveling direction of the main body. Position recognition means for recognizing the position of the main body,
A cleaning guidance means for processing the obstacle detection means and the data in the storage unit and sending an output signal to the steering and driving means; and guiding to a point where the self-propelled cleaner is started based on the data in the storage part. Self-propelled cleaner having a starting point guiding means.

Further, a second means for achieving the second object, in addition to the configuration of the first means, is a circuit for detecting that the self-propelled cleaner main body has made one round of the area based on information in the storage unit. A self-propelled cleaner having a configuration including a detection unit, an area storage unit that stores an area detected by the rotation detection unit, and a teaching unit that is used when manually teaching a cleaning area.

Operation The self-propelled vacuum cleaner according to the first means operates as follows. While recognizing the position of the main body by the data of the obstacle detecting means and the data of the position recognizing means, the cleaning guide means sends an output signal to the steering and driving means, and performs the cleaning while controlling the traveling direction of the self-propelled cleaner. After the cleaning is completed or from the place where the self-propelled cleaner is stopped, the starting point guiding means sends an output signal to the steering and driving means based on the data in the storage unit and the data in the obstacle detecting means, and It is possible to return the traveling vacuum cleaner to the starting point by independent guidance, not by manual operation, to the starting point.

According to the second means, the rotation detection unit detects that the cleaning area taught by the user by the teaching unit is a closed loop, and stores the area detected by the rotation detection unit by the area storage unit. Thereafter, an output signal is sent to the steering and driving means while the data of the obstacle detecting means and the position of the main body are recognized by the position recognizing means by the cleaning guiding means, and the cleaning is performed while controlling the traveling direction of the self-propelled cleaner. Thus, once teaching is performed, a self-propelled vacuum cleaner that does not need to be taught can be obtained for the second and subsequent times.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a self-propelled cleaner according to an embodiment of the first means. 2 to 4 show the overall configuration of the self-propelled cleaner. Inside the main body 12 of the self-propelled cleaner, in addition to the cleaning device 6 including the electric blower 6a, the dust collecting chamber 6b, and the filter 6c provided inside the dust collecting chamber 6b, the following are provided. ing. Reference numeral 13 denotes a hose mounting base, on which a suction hose 14 is detachably mounted on an upper portion of the main body 12, as shown in FIG. The running wheels 5c and 5d are driven by a running motor 5a via a speed reducer (not shown). 5e and 5f are follower wheels rotatably attached to the rear of the main body 12. The traveling drive unit 5g is driven by a steering motor 5b via a steering shaft 5h and a steering reduction gear 5i attached to the traveling drive unit 5g, whereby the traveling drive unit 5g rotates left and right to change the traveling direction.
The traveling means and the steering means are constituted by the above 5a to 5i. Reference numeral 8a denotes a traveling encoder composed of a rotary encoder for detecting the rotational speed of the traveling motor 5a, and reference numeral 8b denotes a steering encoder composed of a rotary encoder for detecting the rotational speed of the steering motor 5b. Reference numeral 8c denotes a direction detection sensor for detecting the direction of the main body 12, and in this embodiment, a rate gyro is used. The position recognizing means 8 is configured to detect the traveling distance and traveling direction of the main body 12 from the rotation speed detected by the traveling encoder 8a and the direction of the main body 12 detected by the direction detection sensor 8c to recognize the position. ing. 3a ・
Reference numeral 3b denotes a distance measuring sensor including an ultrasonic sensor provided around the main body 12, and measures a distance to an obstacle. 3c is a bumper attached to the outer periphery of the main body 12, equipped with a contact sensor inside,
Detects contact with an obstacle. The distance measuring sensors 3a and 3b and the contact sensor 3c constitute the obstacle detecting means 3. 7
Is a power supply composed of two storage batteries and the like. 15 is an operation unit,
An operation switch 16 and a display 17 such as a display lamp and a buzzer are provided. Reference numeral 4 denotes a storage unit for storing a trajectory of the movement of the self-propelled cleaner body 1.

When cleaning a room surrounded by walls on all sides in the self-propelled cleaner configured as described above, the suction hose 14 is used.
The operation switch 16 is operated with the main body 1 from which is removed along the wall. When the operation switch 16 is operated, the electric blower 6a
Operates, and the traveling motor 5a is driven, so that the main body 12 starts traveling. During traveling, the traveling direction is changed by controlling the driving of the steering motor 5b while detecting obstacles by the distance measuring sensors 3a and 3b and the bumper 3c, and the traveling / stopping / retreating is performed by controlling the driving of the traveling motor 5a. Repeat while cleaning the floor along the walls around the room, avoiding obstacles. At this time, the movement trajectory is recognized by the above-mentioned position recognition means 8 and stored in the storage unit 4. When you have completed a round of the room, you will travel all the way around the interior, avoiding obstacles, and automatically clean the entire cleaning area. When the cleaning is completed, the cleaning guiding means 1 detects this and sends an output signal to the starting point guiding means 2. The starting point inducing means 2 sends an output signal to the steering and driving means 5 while recognizing the position of the main body based on the data of the obstacle detecting means 3 and the data of the position recognizing means 8 to change the traveling direction of the self-propelled cleaner. While controlling, guide the self-propelled cleaner to the point where it was started. In this way, the self-propelled vacuum cleaner body 12
To the starting point.

In addition, after the user operates the operation unit 15 during cleaning and stops, the operation unit 15 is similarly operated and the self-propelled cleaner body 12 is instructed to return to the point where it was started. I will explain this. Also in this case, as described above, the cleaning guidance means 1 detects this and sends an output signal to the starting point guidance means 2. The starting point guiding means 2 sends an output signal to the steering and driving means while recognizing the position of the main body based on the data of the obstacle detecting means 3 and the data of the position recognizing means 8. The starting point guiding means 2 guides the self-propelled cleaner main body 12 to a point where the self-propelled cleaner is started while controlling the traveling direction of the self-propelled cleaner. In this way, the self-propelled cleaner main body 12 can be returned to the starting point by self-supporting guidance.

Next, an embodiment of the second means will be described. Reference numeral 11a shown in FIG. 2 is a hose direction detecting sensor for detecting the direction in which the suction hose 14 is led out of the main body 12, and in this embodiment, a potentiometer is used. A hose tension detecting sensor 11b detects that the suction hose 14 is pulled, and detects a displacement of the hose mounting base 13 with a switch. The teaching section 11 shown in FIG. 5 is constituted by the hose direction detecting sensor 11a and the hose pulling force detecting sensor 11b.
FIG. 5 is an overall block diagram of an embodiment of the second means of the present invention. 9 is a self-propelled cleaner based on the information in the storage unit 4
Reference numeral 12 denotes a rotation detecting unit that detects that the circuit has made one round of the cleaning area, and reference numeral 10 denotes an area storage unit that stores the area detected by the rotation detecting unit 9.

The operation of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner configured as described above will be described below. Open the mounting base cover 18, attach the suction hose 14 to the main body 12, start the operation with the operation switch 16, pull the suction hose 14, and the hose pulling force detection sensor 11b
Operates. As a result, the operation motor 5a is driven, and the main body 12 travels by a certain distance. At the same time, suction hose 14
Is detected by the hose direction detection sensor 11a,
The drive control of the steering motor 5b is performed such that the traveling direction always coincides with the lead-out direction of the suction hose 14. When there is an obstacle ahead in the traveling direction, the obstacle is detected and detected by the distance measuring sensors 3a and 3b or the bumper 3c. Therefore, if the suction hose 14 is used, the main body 12 always moves after the user, so that the main body 12 can be guided in the direction intended by the user. The teaching of the cleaning area, such as when automatically cleaning a room or an arbitrary place that is not surrounded by a wall, is performed with the suction hose 14 attached to the main body 12 and the self-propelled cleaner main body 12 as described above. Switches to the teaching mode in which the user follows the user. In this mode, the body 12 is
Is recognized by the position recognition means 8 and stored in the storage unit 4. When the teaching is completed, the suction hose 14 is removed from the main body 12, and the operation switch 16 is operated to restart. If the taught trajectory is a closed loop, the orbit detection unit 9 detects this and determines the taught area as a cleaning area, stores it in the area storage unit 10, and sends an output signal to the cleaning inducing means 1, Thereafter, the cleaning guidance means 1 sends an output signal to the steering and driving means while recognizing the position of the main body by the data of the obstacle detection means 3 and the position recognizing means 8 to control the traveling direction of the self-propelled cleaner, The entirety of the cleaning area is cleaned by traveling all over the cleaning area while avoiding obstacles. Also, if the taught trajectory is not a closed loop, that is, if the boundary line is taught to clean only half of the room, etc. Is determined to be a cleaning area, and the entire cleaning area is cleaned in the same manner as above. When cleaning a room or an arbitrary place which is not surrounded by a wall and which requires the teaching as described above is performed twice or more, the cleaning guidance unit 1 performs the cleaning from the second time onward. Recognize the data of the obstacle detection means 3 and the position recognition means 8 as described above.
While recognizing the position of the main body, sending an output signal to the steering and driving means, controlling the traveling direction of the self-propelled cleaner, traveling all the way through this cleaning area while avoiding obstacles, and cleaning area Clean the whole.

In the above, the case where the previously stored area is performed again has been described. However, in order to perform cleaning of an area different from the stored cleaning area, it is sufficient to input again from the teaching of the cleaning area. In addition, the above-mentioned cleaning guidance means 1 and starting point guidance means 2
In the present embodiment, the orbit detection unit 9 is constituted by a microcomputer.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a self-propelled vacuum cleaner is started to perform cleaning, from a point where cleaning is completed, or from an arbitrary point such as when stopped during cleaning. It is possible to return to the starting point by independent guidance instead of manual operation.

According to the second means, when a place that needs to be taught to perform cleaning more than once, such as a room not surrounded by a wall or an arbitrary place, is to be taught once. For example, a self-propelled vacuum cleaner that does not need to be taught can be obtained by automatically performing the previously taught area without the need of teaching after the second time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a self-propelled cleaner showing one embodiment of the first means of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the self-propelled cleaner, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the self-propelled cleaner, FIG. 4 is an external view of the self-propelled cleaner, and FIG. 5 is an overall block diagram of a self-propelled cleaner according to an embodiment of the second means. It is. 1 ... cleaning guidance means, 2 ... starting point guidance means, 3 ...
Obstacle detection means, 4 storage unit, 5 steering and driving means, 6 cleaning device, 7 power supply, 8 position recognition means, 9 circling detection unit, 10 area storage unit , 11 ... teaching part, 12 ... body.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hidetaka Yabuuchi 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-61-245215 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A self-propelled cleaner body having a cleaning device, a steering and driving means, an obstacle detecting means provided on the main body for detecting obstacles in front and right and left directions, and a self-propelled cleaner body. A storage unit that stores the moved trajectory; a power supply; a position recognition unit that detects a traveling distance and a traveling direction of the main body to recognize a position of the main body; an output of the obstacle detection unit; and data of the storage unit. A self-propelled vehicle comprising: a cleaning guidance unit that processes and sends an output signal to the steering and driving unit; and a starting point guidance unit that guides a self-propelled cleaner to a point where the self-propelled cleaner is started based on data in the storage unit. Vacuum cleaner. 2. The self-propelled cleaner body based on information in a storage unit,
2. A circling detection unit for detecting that the circling of the area has been completed, an area storing unit for storing the area detected by the circling detecting unit, and a teaching unit used when manually teaching the cleaning area. Self-propelled vacuum cleaner.