JP3076648B2 - Self-propelled vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-propelled vacuum cleaner having a cleaning function and a moving function and performing automatic cleaning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, vacuum cleaners have been developed in which a moving function is added to the vacuum cleaner to improve operability during cleaning. 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 cleaner has a suction nozzle, a brush, and the like at the bottom of the main body as a cleaning function, has traveling wheels and steering wheels driven by a motor as a movement function, and has optical guiding means, Usually, guidance control of the main body is performed using inertial navigation means or the like using a gyro, and a power supply such as a storage battery is usually provided inside.

This type of self-propelled cleaner travels straight inside the cleaning area until an obstacle such as a wall surface is detected, and makes a 180-degree turn when the obstacle is detected, and then travels straight again. Thereafter, such a reciprocating motion is repeated, and the cleaning operation is performed while moving in the cleaning area. When cleaning is performed by such a method, particularly when the cleaning surface is a carpet, the carpet cannot be moved straight in the target direction due to the influence of the eyes of the carpet. In other words, cleaning can be left behind.

[0005] The influence of carpet eyes on a self-propelled cleaner will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10 shows a state in which the wheel a slides in the direction in which the hair c of the carpet b falls when traveling on the carpet. When the wheel a slides in this way, no angular velocity is applied to the main body. Therefore, it cannot be detected by an azimuth sensor such as a gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity to detect the moving direction of the main body, so that the lateral displacement cannot be corrected. As a result, when the main body turns, a 180-degree turn cannot be performed well. That is, when the carpet is from left to right and the traveling direction of the main body is also from left to right, the turn angle is slightly smaller than 180 degrees, and the moving route tends to be open.

[0006] The influence of the carpet is also present in the case of linear motion. This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 shows the relationship between the deviation angle of the main body from the target direction and the speeds of the left and right traveling wheels. As shown in FIG. 11, the speeds of the left and right wheels are determined according to the deviation angle between the traveling direction of the main body and the target direction. When the sign of the deviation angle is positive, the direction is clockwise, and when negative, the direction is counterclockwise. When the main body is tilted clockwise, the speed of the right wheel is set to be higher than the speed of the left wheel, and the main body is controlled so as to face counterclockwise. That is, when the traveling direction of the main body coincides with the target direction, the left wheel speed Vl is the same as the right wheel speed Vr, and Vl = Vr =
V0. However, when the main body is inclined at the angle Aa, the left wheel speed Vl is reduced to Vla, and the right wheel speed Vr is set to Vra.
And the main body is turned counterclockwise by the speed difference (Vra-Vla) between the left and right wheels. However, in practice, the car is deviated at a certain angle from the target direction due to the imbalance of the speeds of the left and right wheels and the effect of the eyes of the carpet. That is, the main body receives the force in the direction of the carpet eyes, and travels straight at a position where the force of the shift component and the correction force due to the speed difference between the left and right wheels are balanced. If this is shown in FIG. 11, at first, the angle is shifted by the angle Aa, but as the direction is corrected by the difference in wheel speed (Vra−Vla) as described above, the angle of deviation of the main body with respect to the target decreases. Therefore, the speed difference between the left and right wheels is also reduced. Accordingly, the correction force is also reduced, and the main body travels straight at a shift angle where the correction force due to the speed difference between the left and right wheels and the shift component force are balanced.

[0007]

As described above, the conventional self-propelled vacuum cleaner has two problems that when it is cleaned and moved on a carpet, it slides under the influence of the carpet and cannot go straight in the target direction. There is. That is, as a result, an uncleaned area is generated. Also on the bare floor, the vehicle cannot go straight in the target direction due to the imbalance between the left and right wheel speeds, and similarly an uncleaned area is generated. The imbalance between the left and right wheel speeds is caused by the imbalance between the left and right motor speeds and the difference in the diameter of the wheels, and it is very difficult to always keep zero at zero.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional structure, and is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner which is hardly affected by carpets and which is not affected by imbalance between left and right wheel speeds. The primary purpose is to provide

In relation to the first object, it is another object of the present invention to provide a self-propelled cleaner in which the carpet is hardly affected by the eyes of the carpet even in the straight traveling immediately after the turn, and which can perform the straight traveling control with high convergence. It has a secondary purpose.

It is a third object of the present invention to provide a self-propelled cleaner that automatically adjusts the turn angle of the main body so as to be less affected by the eyes of the carpet.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled cleaning capable of achieving each of the above objects with higher accuracy.

[0012]

A first means of the present invention for achieving the first object is a traveling steering means for moving a main body, presence / absence of obstacles in front and right and left and right and left. Detecting means for detecting the distance of the vehicle, cleaning means for performing cleaning, an azimuth sensor for detecting the traveling direction of the main body, and an angle difference for detecting a difference between an output value of the azimuth sensor and a target directional angle of the main body. Detecting means, and the angle difference
Angle difference average calculation means for calculating the average of the output of the detection means
And running of the main body according to the output of the angle difference average calculating means.
It includes a straight advance control amount determining means to determine the control amount of the angle to correct the row direction, depending on the output of the linear control amount determining means
Controlling the traveling steering means to vary the traveling direction of the main body
It was so it is an own Hashishiki vacuum cleaner.

The second means of the present invention for achieving the second object has the structure of the first means of the present invention,
Equipped with a control amount storage unit that stores the control amount determined by the straight-ahead control amount determination unit, and changes the running direction of the main body to the reverse direction.
When the vehicle was driven the last time and in the same direction.
The main unit is moved based on the control amount stored in the
It controls the travel steering means so as to it is an Unishi was self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

Further, a third means of the present invention for achieving the third object has the structure of the first means of the present invention ,
With a turn angle correction means for correcting the Turn-down angle at the time in turn reciprocates the body, the auxiliary <br/> positive amount of the turn angle, variable according to the output of the rectilinear control amount determining means Yo
It is an Unishi was self-Hashishiki vacuum cleaner.

Further, a fourth means of the present invention for achieving the fourth object has the structure of the first means of the present invention,
With an average value storage means for storing the angle difference average value calculated by the angle difference average calculating means, the angle difference new angle difference average value calculated by the average calculating means and the average value storage means last stored in Compare with average value , whichever is smaller
It is an self-propelled cleaner was <br/> claim 1, wherein in so that to determine the straight control amount of the object based on the value of the square.

[0016]

The first means of the present invention operates as follows.
The angle difference detecting means detects a difference between the output value of the azimuth sensor which outputs the moving direction of the main body and the target direction angle of the main body, and the angle difference average calculating means obtains this average value. Straight control amount determining unit receives this information, the angle for correcting the traveling direction of the body
Degree control amount is determined , and the traveling steering means is controlled based on the determined control amount.
By doing so, the vehicle can travel straight in the target direction with high accuracy, is less affected by carpet eyes, and acts as a self-propelled cleaner that is not affected by imbalance between left and right wheel speeds.

According to the second means of the present invention , the body is
When the traveling direction is changed to the reverse direction , the control amount during the previous traveling in the same direction stored in the control amount storage means is used. Therefore, even when the vehicle is going straight ahead immediately after the turn, for which the optimum control amount has not yet been determined, the carpet is less likely to be affected by the carpet, and acts as a self-propelled cleaner with good convergence. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the turning of the body
The correction amount of the turn angle at the time is output by the output
For which I Unishi to be variable, it can automatically correct the deviation of the turn angle caused by the influence of the eye of the carpet according to the,
The uncleaned area can be reduced.

Furthermore fourth aspect of the present invention, the average value memory and the new angles difference average angular degree difference average calculating means is calculated
It compares the average value of the last time stored in the unit, any small
Determine the straight-line control amount of the main body based on the value of
Because you are, it is to act as a better rectilinear propagation accurate self-propelled cleaner.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the first means of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Figures 1 and 2
Shows the overall configuration of the present embodiment. FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the present embodiment.

The following components are housed inside the main body 1 of the self-propelled cleaner. The cleaning means 2 is an electric blower 2
a, a dust collection chamber 2b, a filter 2c provided inside the dust collection chamber 2b, and a floor nozzle 2d provided at the bottom center of the main body 1. Behind the lower part of the main body 1, the left driving wheel 3a
A left drive motor 3b and a right drive wheel / right drive motor (not shown) are provided. A driven wheel 3c that is rotatable for movement is provided in the lower front part of the main body 1.
The driving wheel 3a, the driving motor 3b, and the driven wheel 3c constitute the traveling steering means 3.

In front of and right and left of the main body 1, an obstacle detection sensor 4a using ultrasonic waves for detecting an obstacle is provided.
A contact sensor 4b for detecting that the main body 1 has contacted an obstacle or the like is provided all around the lower part of the main body 1. The obstacle detection sensor 4a and the contact sensor 4b constitute the obstacle detection means 4.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a direction sensor such as a rate gyro for detecting the moving direction of the main body. Reference numeral 6 denotes an angle difference detecting means for detecting a difference between an output value of the direction sensor 5 and a target direction angle of the main body 1. Reference numeral 7 denotes a time measuring means for measuring time. The periodic signal from the time measuring means 7 is sent to an angle difference average calculating means 8 for calculating an average of the angle difference. Reference numeral 9 denotes a straight traveling control amount determining unit that determines a straight traveling control amount for causing the main body 1 to travel straight based on the angle difference average value calculated by the angle difference average calculating unit 8.
Reference numeral 10 denotes a power supply unit that supplies power to the entire main body.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a judgment processing unit which processes signals from the obstacle detecting means 4, the azimuth sensor 5, and the straight travel control amount determining means 9 and sends an output signal to the traveling steering means 3 to move the main body 1 forward. -Controlling retreat, stop, and direction change, and further controls the cleaning means 2.

The operation of the embodiment will be described below. When the user starts the main body 1 on the carpet, the main body 1 travels straight at a certain angle with respect to the target direction under the influence of the eyes of the carpet as shown in FIG. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11 described in the conventional example, the speed difference (Vra−Vl)
a) occurs. When the correction force corresponding to the speed difference and the force of the displacement component due to the carpet are balanced, the main body 1 is traveling straight at a certain angle with respect to the target direction. In the present embodiment, an algorithm for reducing the angle of deviation from the target direction is realized by executing the control shown in FIGS. The speeds of the left and right wheels are basically determined by the deviation of the angle of the main body from the target direction, as described with reference to FIG. However, in actuality, the control amount is determined in a stepwise manner with respect to the angle deviation as shown in FIG. 8 due to the configuration of the control circuit. Vr which is shown with a dotted line in FIG. 8 shows the rotational speed of the right wheel, Vl which is indicated by the solid line shows the rotational speed of the left wheel. Also, V0, V1, V2, V3, and V4 shown on the Y axis indicate the rotation speed of the wheels. The X-axis indicates the difference between the target direction and the angle. When the angle deviation is 0, that is, when the main body is moving in the target direction, the speeds of the left and right wheels are both V0.
When the angle difference from the target direction exceeds 0 in the positive direction and is located between the value a and the value c, the rotation speed Vl of the left wheel Vl is constant at V3 and the right wheel V1 is constant. Rotation speed V
r is constant at V1. The speed difference (V1-V3) between the left and right wheels at this time is a correction force for turning the main body 1 counterclockwise.

When the direction of the angle shift is minus,
In other words, when the vehicle is traveling counterclockwise with respect to the target direction, when the position where the sign of the a-value and the c-value is inverted is considered up to the e-value, the above description is reversed, and The speed Vl is constant, and the rotation speed Vr of the right wheel is constant at V3. At this time, the speed difference between the left and right wheels (V3-V
1) is a constant correction force for turning the main body 1 clockwise.

When the angle shift exceeds the c value in the clockwise direction and changes to the d value, the rotation speed Vr of the right wheel becomes V2.
Then, the rotation speed Vl of the left wheel changes to V4. Accordingly, the correction force at this time is (V2-V4), and the correction force for turning the main body 1 in the counterclockwise direction increases. For this reason, the advancing angle of the main body 1 is strongly corrected, and the angle deviation becomes smaller. In this state, if the angle shift becomes smaller than c,
The rotation speeds of the left and right wheels return to V3 and V1, respectively.

The trajectory of the main body 1 in the rectilinear direction is controlled by the correction so that the angle deviation becomes large and the correction force becomes small when the angle deviation becomes small, as shown in FIG. Then, the point d side where the angle deviation is large and the point b side where the angle deviation is small touch the zigzag. That is, when the average of the moving directions in the moving trajectory of the main body 1 is viewed, the direction is a direction having a certain angle with respect to the target direction. This is considered to be the result of the balance between the correction force at the shifted angle and the value of the shift component received from the carpet at that time. Therefore, if the correction force due to the speed difference between the left and right wheels with respect to the angle shifted from the target direction is increased, the shift angle of the main body 1 in the moving direction can be reduced.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the angle difference average calculating means 8 measures the instantaneous value of the shift angle in the moving direction of the main body 1 detected by the angle difference detecting means 6 at a predetermined time interval of, for example, 0.1 second. An average value is obtained by integrating for 2 seconds using the clock signal output by the means 7. The average value is compared with a predetermined threshold value by the straight-ahead control amount determining means 9, and the method of determining the speeds of the left and right wheels is changed according to the result. That is, the method of determining the speed of the left and right wheels with respect to the deviation angle of the main body 1 is changed.

That is, when the average value of the deviation angle is larger than the preset threshold value, the correction force due to the speed difference between the left and right wheels is changed to be large, and when the average value of the deviation angle is small. Does not change the correction force due to the speed difference between the left and right wheels. This change is repeated every two seconds for calculating the average value.

This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a control method according to the present embodiment. FIG.
Vr indicated by the dotted line indicates the rotational speed of the right wheel, and Vl indicated by the dotted line indicates the rotational speed of the left wheel. V0, V1, V shown on the Y axis
2, V3 and V4 indicate the rotational speeds of the wheels. Also X
The axis indicates the angle difference from the target direction. For example, when the instantaneous value of the angle deviation detected by the angle difference detection means 6 is point d (0.15 degrees), the rotation speed V of the left wheel
1 is V1, and the rotation speed Vr of the right wheel is V2.

The angle difference average calculating means 8 detects a shift angle in the moving direction of the main body 1 at a time interval of, for example, 0.1 second, and determines the rotational speeds of the left and right wheels according to the instantaneous value of the shift angle. For example, when the instantaneous value of the angle deviation detected by the angle difference detecting means 6 matches at point d (0.15 degrees) shown in FIG. 9, for example, the speeds of the left and right wheels are V1 and V2, respectively.
It is. In this way, the rotational speeds of the left and right wheels are determined according to the instantaneous value of the shift angle. However, after 2 seconds, the angle difference average calculating means 8 calculates the average of the angle shift of the main body 1 for 2 seconds. When the value is calculated, the straight-ahead control amount determining means 9 compares the average value of the angle deviation with a preset threshold value, and changes the method of determining the wheel rotation speed for the subsequent operation. For example, the average value of the two-second straight-ahead angle deviation of the main body 1 calculated by the angle difference average calculation means 8 is d shown in FIG.
A point (0.15 degrees) and a preset threshold value is set to 0.10 degrees. In this case, since the average value of the angle deviation is larger than the set threshold value, the correction force for orienting the main body 1 in the target direction is insufficient, and each angle deviation is It is necessary to increase the correction amount due to the difference between the rotational speeds of the left and right wheels. That is, when the instantaneous value of the angle shift is 0.15 degrees at the point d, the speeds of the left and right wheels are originally V1 and V2, but a larger correction force is required. The means 9 changes the rotational speed characteristics of the left and right wheels with respect to the angle shift from Vl and Vr indicated by solid lines to Vl 'and Vr' indicated by dotted lines. Thus, thereafter, the speed according to the angle shift is determined based on Vl 'and Vr'. This control is continued until the calculation of the average value by the angle deviation average value calculation means 8 executed two seconds later. As a result, the rotation speeds of the left and right wheels are determined by the speed characteristics Vl 'and Vr' until the calculation of the average value by the angle deviation average value calculation means 8 executed two seconds later. The correction force due to the difference between the rotation speeds of the wheels increases. That is, the correction force at the point d increases from A to B shown in FIG.

In this state, if the average value of the angle deviation for 2 seconds becomes smaller than the threshold value of 0.10 degrees, the following 2
This control amount is maintained for seconds. If the threshold value is still larger than 0.10 degrees, the speed characteristics of the left and right wheels are further changed to Vl "and Vr". Further, when the sign of the average value of the angle deviation is inverted as shown by the point e in FIG. 9 due to the change of the wheel speed characteristic of the operation, the correction force is too large and the original control amount is reduced. return.

As described above, in this embodiment, the method for determining the rotational speeds of the left and right wheels is changed while the average angle difference calculating means 8 always calculates the average angle shift every two seconds of the time counting period of the time counting means 7. It is something that will be done. In this manner, the self-propelled cleaner is capable of traveling straight ahead in the target direction with high accuracy, is less likely to be affected by carpet eyes, and is not affected by imbalance between left and right wheel speeds.

Next, a self-propelled cleaner as an embodiment of the second means of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a control amount storage unit 12 for storing the control amount determined by the straight-ahead control amount determination unit 9 is added to the configuration of the above embodiment.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. When the obstacle detection means 4 turns by detecting an obstacle in front of the main body 1, the traveling directions are different by 180 degrees.
The direction of the carpet eyes is also reversed. Also, its size is unknown. That is, in the straight traveling immediately after the execution of the turn, the optimal control amount is not calculated, and therefore, the carpet is very susceptible to the eyes. The present embodiment works effectively in such a case. That is, the control amount storage means 12 stores the control amount determined by the straight-ahead control amount determination means 9 while the main body 1 is traveling straight (for determining the speed of the left and right wheels, which speed characteristic corresponds to the angle shift). Or use
Are stored separately for the outward route and the return route. When the main body 1 turns while traveling on the outward path, the control amount is stored in a portion of the control amount storing means 12 for storing the outward path, and when the return path is a return path, the control amount is stored in the portion for storing the outward path. The control amount is calculated by the straight-ahead control amount determination means 9 by the time measurement time 2
Since it is updated every second, the control amount storage unit 12
Is the control amount in the straight-ahead state immediately before the obstacle detecting means 4 detects an obstacle in front of the main body 1 and starts a turn in each of the forward path and the return path.

When the main body 1 has made a turn, the determination processing section 11 performs the straight-forward operation immediately after the turn has been executed, when the vehicle 1 has performed the previous straight-ahead traveling in the same direction stored in the control amount storage means 12. Is adopted as the control amount at this time. For example, in the case of the outward route, the control amount of the previous outward route stored in the control amount storage unit 12 is adopted,
In the case of a return trip, the control amount of the return trip is adopted. That is, in the straight traveling immediately after the execution of the turn, the determination processing unit 11 adopts the control amount stored in the control amount storage means at the time of the previous straight traveling in the same direction as the control amount at this time. is there. This is only in the case of the straight traveling immediately after the execution of the turn, and after the lapse of the minimum cycle time measured by the timer 7, the average value of the angle difference calculated by the angle difference average calculator 8 is used as in the previous embodiment. Control.

Next, a self-propelled cleaner as an embodiment of the third means of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. This embodiment is different from the configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention in that the turn angle correction for adjusting the turn angle when changing the traveling direction based on the control amount determined by the straight-ahead control amount determining means 9 is performed. Means 13 are added.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. When cleaning a room with a carpet as shown in FIG. 7, the turn angle changes in the direction of the carpet as shown in the figure, and an uncleaned area is generated. This change in the turn angle is due to the influence of the carpet eyes. Therefore, if the direction of the carpet eyes is recognized, the uncleaned area can be eliminated by adjusting the angle of the turn. Incidentally, the progress of the main body 1 depends on the sign of the average angle deviation calculated by the angle difference average calculating means 8 and which of the positive and negative wheel speed characteristics with respect to the target direction has been corrected as described in the above embodiment. The direction of the carpet eyes with respect to the direction can be detected. In other words, a shift to the right with respect to the straight traveling direction means that the carpet mesh is flowing from the left side to the right side in the straight traveling direction. Conversely, shifting to the left means that the carpet flows from the right side to the left side in the straight traveling direction. If the main body 1 shifts rightward due to the influence of the carpet at the time of going straight as indicated by the outward path A shown in FIG. 7, it means that the main body 1 shifts clockwise with respect to the straight running direction. Assuming that the sign of the clockwise deviation angle is positive and the sign of the counterclockwise deviation angle is negative, in the return path B, the main body 1 is shifted to the left by the influence of the carpet, so that the deviation angle is opposite. Clockwise,
Becomes negative.

As shown in FIG. 7, the main body 1 advances the cleaning from the left side to the right side of the cleaning area. For this reason, as described above, the positive angle deviation on the outward path and the negative angle on the backward path mean that the cleaning progress direction of the main body 1 and the flowing direction of the carpet are the same direction. The turn angle correction means 13 determines whether the direction of the carpet is the same direction as the traveling direction or the opposite direction based on the straight-ahead control amounts of the forward and backward trips. If the result of this determination is in the same direction, the turn angle is made slightly larger than 180 degrees. If the direction of the carpet is reversed, the relationship between the straight traveling direction and the sign of the angle average value is reversed. Of course, in this case, the turn angle is corrected slightly smaller than 180 degrees. By controlling as described above, it is possible to avoid the influence of carpets.

As described above, since the straight-running control error calculated by the angle difference average calculating means 8 is corrected by using the turn angle correcting means 13, the turn angle deviation caused by the influence of the eyes of the carpet is automatically corrected. And the uncleaned area can be reduced.

Next, a self-propelled cleaner according to an embodiment of the fourth means of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration of the present embodiment is different from the configuration of the embodiment of the first means of the present invention in that an average value storage means 14 for storing the angle difference average value calculated by the angle difference average calculation means 8 is provided. The new average value of the angle difference calculated by the means 8 is compared with the previous average value stored in the average value storage means 14, and the control amount having the smaller absolute value is made valid, and the effect is sent to the straight-ahead control amount determination means 9. This is to which an angle difference comparing means 15 for outputting is added.

Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. It is assumed that the angle difference average calculated by the angle difference average calculation means 8 is point d. In this case, the right wheel speed Vr
To Vr 'and the left wheel speed Vl to Vl' to correct the straight traveling direction of the main body 1. Thus, it is assumed that the average angle difference changes to the point f and falls below a preset threshold value of 0.10 degrees. In this embodiment, even if the average value of the angle deviation is smaller than the threshold value, the traveling direction of the main body 1 is corrected by further changing the right wheel speed Vr 'to Vr "and changing the left wheel speed Vl' to Vl". I do. As a result, it is assumed that the straight traveling direction of the main body 1 is corrected and the average angle difference changes to the point e. In this state, the angle difference comparing means 15 compares the absolute value of the average value of the angle deviation that first falls below the threshold value with the average value of the angle deviation that has been further corrected. First, the average value of the angle deviation becomes lower than the threshold value of 0.10 degrees at the point f, and as a result of further correction, the straight traveling direction of the main body 1 is corrected, and the average value of the angle deviation two seconds later becomes the point e. Let's say it has changed.
At this time, the angle difference comparing means 15 compares the absolute values of the point f and the point e and recognizes that the point e is smaller. Therefore, the speeds of the left and right wheels are Vr ″ and Vl ′ respectively, rather than Vr ′.
Vl "is more appropriate than Vl".

As described above, the control sequence of this embodiment is as follows.
It is as follows. Firstly, the average value storage means 14 stores the angle difference average value calculated by the angle difference average calculation means 8. Secondly, the angle difference comparing means 15 compares the new angle difference average value newly calculated by the angle difference average calculating means 8 with the previous average value stored in the average value storing means 14.
Third, the straight-running control amount determination means 9 makes the smaller one of the two values valid, and instructs the determination processing section 11 of this information. Fourth, the determination processing section 11 receives this information and causes the traveling steering means 3 to act to move the main body 1 straight.

[0044]

As described above, according to the first means of the present invention, the traveling steering means for moving the main body, the obstacle detection for detecting the presence and absence of obstacles in front and in the left and right directions, and the distance between the obstacles. Means, cleaning means for performing cleaning, a direction sensor for detecting the traveling direction of the main body, an angle difference detection means for detecting a difference between an output value of the direction sensor and a target direction angle of the main body ,
An angle difference average calculating means for calculating an average of outputs of the angle difference detecting means at predetermined intervals; and an output of the angle difference average calculating means.
The control amount of the angle that corrects the running direction of the main unit according to the force
It includes a straight advance control amount determining means to determine the linear control amount determined
Controlling the traveling steering means in accordance with the output of the
The traveling direction of the car can be changed, so that the car can travel straight ahead in the target direction with high accuracy even on the carpet, and is not easily affected by the carpet eyes, and is not affected by the imbalance of the left and right wheel speeds. The device can be realized.

Further, according to the second means of the present invention ,
Control for storing the control amount determined by the control amount determining means
Equipped with quantity storage means, the running direction of the main body was changed to the opposite direction
Sometimes, when the vehicle traveled in the same direction the previous time,
Move the main body based on the control amount stored in the storage means
Since the traveling steering means is controlled as described above, the self-propelled cleaner with good convergence is less likely to be affected by the carpet even in the straight traveling immediately after the turn.

According to the third means of the present invention, the main body
Corrects the turn angle at the time of the turn in the reciprocating movement of
Turn angle correction means, and the amount of turn angle correction
The order is by Unishi for varying the self-propelled cleaner the deviation of the turn angle caused by the influence of the eye carpet can be automatically corrected can be realized in accordance with the output of the rectilinear control amount determining means.

[0047] Furthermore, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, to store the angle difference average value calculated by the angle difference averaging hand stage
Average value storage means, and the angle difference average calculation means calculates
Stored in the new angles difference average value and the average value storage unit and
Comparing the previous-time average value, whichever is less value based on the
The amount of straight-line control of the main body
In other words, a self-propelled cleaner with higher straightness can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a self-propelled cleaner showing one embodiment of a first means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a self-propelled vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the second means.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a self-propelled vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the third means.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a self-propelled cleaner according to an embodiment of the fourth means;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a moving operation of the self-propelled cleaner on a carpet.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a control algorithm showing one embodiment of the first means of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the actual control.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a side slip operation when the self-propelled cleaner moves on a carpet.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a rotation speed of the wheel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Cleaning means 3 Traveling steering means 4 Obstacle detection means 5 Azimuth sensor 6 Angle difference detection means 7 Timekeeping means 8 Angle difference average calculation means 9 Straight ahead control amount determination means 10 Power supply unit 11 Judgment processing unit 12 Control amount storage means 13 Turn angle correction means 14 Average value storage means 15 Angle difference comparison means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hidetaka Yabuuchi 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Mitsuyasu Ogawa 1006 Okadoma Kadoma Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. In-house (72) Inventor Hirofumi Inui 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshifumi Takagi 1006 Odaka, Kazuma, Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) Document JP-A 1-112312 (JP, A)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A traveling steering means for moving a main body, an obstacle detecting means for detecting the presence and absence of an obstacle in front and left and right directions and a distance between the obstacle, a cleaning means for performing cleaning, and a traveling direction of the main body. , An angle difference detecting means for detecting a difference between an output value of the azimuth sensor and a target direction angle of the main body, and an average of the output of the angle difference detecting means at predetermined intervals. Angle difference average calculating means for calculating, and the angle difference average calculation
Angle to correct the running direction of the main body according to the output of the output means
It includes a straight advance control amount determining means to determine the control amount, the straight
The travel steering means is controlled according to the output of the forward control amount determination means.
Self Hashishiki cleaner so as to vary the running direction of the main body to control. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising control amount storage means for storing the control amount determined by the straight-ahead control amount determination means ,
When you change to the opposite direction,
Is based on the control amount stored in the control amount storage means.
Self-propelled cleaner of claim 1, wherein was by Unishi for controlling the travel steering means to move the body can. 3. A includes a turn angle correction means for correcting the Turn-<br/> down angle at the time in turn reciprocates the body, the correction amount of the turn angle, the output of the rectilinear control amount determining means Yes
2. The self-propelled vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the self-propelled vacuum cleaner is variable . 4. An average value storage means for storing the angle difference average value calculated by the angle difference average calculation means , wherein a new angle difference average value calculated by the angle difference average calculation means is stored.
Comparing the previous average value stored in the average value storage means,
Self-propelled cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the straight control amount of the body was so that to determine <br/> based on minimum of a.