JP3079686B2 - Mobile work robot - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile work having a running function of automatically performing work such as floor cleaning and floor finishing while self-propelled and performing optimal control in accordance with the state of the running floor. It is about a robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various mobile work robots have been developed in which functions such as a travel driving device, sensors, and a travel control device are added to work equipment to automate work.

[0003] Among mobile robots of this type, for example, those which need to move the entire work area completely, such as floor cleaning / floor finishing, etc., are straight-line movement and reversing movement in which the traveling direction is reversed. In many cases, reciprocating movement is repeated depending on the combination of. For example, a self-propelled vacuum cleaner has a suction nozzle or a brush at the bottom of the main body as a cleaning function, a traveling and steering means as a moving function, an obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle during traveling, and a position for recognizing a position. Recognition means, and the obstacle detection means moves along a wall or the like around the cleaning place, while recognizing the cleaning area by the position recognition means, and within the cleaning area, for example, a combination of linear movement and reverse movement The reciprocating movement is repeated to clean the entire cleaning area.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the operation of this type of mobile work robot. The main body 1 of the mobile work robot starts moving straight from a movement start point S, and moves rightward when approaching a front wall (W1). A U-turn operation is performed, and a straight movement is performed from a position displaced in the work direction A by the work width L. Next, similarly, when the vehicle reaches the front wall (W2), a U-turn operation is performed to the left, and the vehicle moves straight again from the position displaced in the work direction A by the work width L again. Then, the above operation is repeated to move to the vicinity of the side wall (W3), and when the U-turn operation becomes impossible, this point is set as the end point F to end the work.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional mobile work robot, the floor of the work area has a carpet with a large carpet like a cut pile carpet having a long bristle, and the carpet has a straight line. If the direction is perpendicular to the direction, the main body is gradually flown in the direction of the carpet during traveling, and there is a problem that work is left behind or the work efficiency is reduced. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, when the carpet is in the same direction as the work direction A, the work width gradually increases during traveling, and the work is left behind. Conversely, when the carpet is in the direction opposite to the work direction A as shown in FIG. 11, the work width is gradually reduced during traveling, and the work does not progress and the work efficiency is reduced.

[0006] Another problem is that when the traveling floor surface includes a large recessed step such as a staircase or a threshold, there is a danger of running impairment or falling down. Means for avoiding sex were needed. Obedience
Since then, a detector that moves up and down has been
The detector falls to the step when it reaches
Difference sensors have been developed. However, this method
The detector is in constant contact with the floor while the
This hinders the running operation, and when a step is detected.
The detector automatically falls on the step
Cannot be returned from the sensor and the detector is easily damaged
There was a problem that.

Further, in order to solve the above two problems, conventionally, it has been usual to provide separate sensors. However, if a large number of sensors are provided which come into contact with the floor surface, these contact portions adversely affect the running performance of the main body. In addition to the effects, the structure of the main body was complicated and the size was inevitably increased.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems. Even if the floor area of the work area is a carpet having a strong eye, the work is not left behind and the work efficiency is not reduced. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a mobile work robot capable of performing a task.

A second object of the present invention is to simultaneously detect a carpet and a recessed step while minimizing an adverse effect on the running performance of the main body, and to simplify and reduce the size of the main body. An object of the present invention is to provide a working robot.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a driving device and a steering device for moving a main body, and controlling the driving device and the steering device to control the main body. A travel control device that performs travel control of the vehicle, a detection device that includes a working device that performs operations such as cleaning, and has a contact portion that contacts a floor surface, and a rotation support portion that supports the detection lever rotatably in the horizontal direction. A carpet sensor having angle detection means for detecting the rotation angle of the detection lever, a shaft attaching portion for supporting the detection lever rotatably in the vertical direction, and a spring for urging the detection lever downward. It is a mobile work robot.

A second means of the present invention for achieving the second object is a driving device and a steering device for moving the main body, and a running for controlling the driving device and the steering device to control the running of the main body. A control device, a detection lever having a working device for performing operations such as cleaning, and having a contact portion that comes into contact with the floor surface, a rotation support portion that rotatably supports the detection lever in a horizontal direction, and a rotation angle of the detection lever. Angle detecting means for detecting the angle, a shaft mounting portion for supporting the detection lever rotatably in the vertical direction, a spring for urging the detection lever downward, and a vertical movement detecting means for detecting the vertical movement of the detection lever The mobile work robot is provided with a carpet / step sensor having the following.

[0012]

The mobile work robot according to the first aspect of the present invention operates as follows. The detection lever is rotatably supported in a vertical direction by a shaft attachment portion, and is constantly urged downward by a spring. For this reason, the contact portion always contacts the floor surface, and the detection lever is rotationally displaced by the horizontal component force received by the contact portion according to the state of the floor surface.
The travel control device calculates and corrects the travel direction based on information from angle detection means that converts the rotational displacement of the detection lever into an angle. In this way, the work can be performed without any remaining work or a decrease in work efficiency.

Further, according to the second means of the present invention, the floor carpet sensor of the first means of the present invention is provided with one detection lever in which a vertical movement detecting means for detecting the vertical movement of the detection lever is added to the floor. It can detect not only carpets on the surface but also recessed steps on the floor. For this reason, it is possible to simultaneously perform the detection of the carpet and the step of the concave portion with a simple configuration and to minimize the adverse effect on the traveling performance of the main body, and to reduce the size of the main body.

[0014]

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the first means of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking a self-propelled cleaner as an example.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the overall configuration of the present embodiment.
In the figure, 11 is the main body of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner, 12L
R is a drive wheel provided on the left and right rear of the main body 11, respectively, and is independently driven by the drive motors 13L and 13R. 1
3'L and 13'R are drive motors 13L and 13R, respectively.
The rotation detectors, such as rotary encoders, connected to the motors detect the shaft rotation speeds of the drive motors 13L and 13R.
14L and 14R are follower wheels rotatably attached to the left and right front of the main body 11. As described above, the driving wheels 12L and 12
R, drive motors 13L and 13R, and driven wheels 14L and 14R constitute a drive and steering device for moving the main body 11.
Reference numeral 15 denotes a carpet sensor attached to the front of the bottom of the main body 11, and its specific configuration will be described later in detail. Reference numeral 16 denotes a bumper made of an elastic body attached around the main body 11. Reference numeral 17 denotes an electric blower, 18 denotes a dust collection chamber, and 19 and 20 denote filters provided therein. Reference numeral 21 denotes a floor nozzle provided at the rear of the bottom of the main body 11, which is connected to the dust collection chamber 18 via a connection pipe 22. As described above, the electric blower 17, the dust collection chamber 18, the filters 19 and 20, the floor nozzle 21, and the connection pipe 22 constitute a working device for performing a cleaning operation.
Reference numeral 23 denotes an operation button provided on the operation unit 24. 25
A direction measuring device for measuring the direction of the main body 11 includes a rate gyro and an integrator for integrating the output in this embodiment. Reference numeral 26 denotes a distance measuring sensor including an ultrasonic sensor and the like provided around the main body 11, and an obstacle detecting device for detecting an obstacle by measuring a distance to an object in front of, right, left, and right of, and behind the main body 11. Is composed. Reference numeral 27 denotes a drive motor 13L based on data from the carpet sensor 15, the direction measurement device 25, and the obstacle detection device.
A traveling control device that controls 13R and controls traveling of the main body. Reference numeral 28 denotes a power supply including a storage battery or the like for supplying power to the whole.

FIG. 3 shows a carpet sensor 15 of this embodiment.
4 is a detailed view of FIG. 3 as viewed from the Y direction. In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a detection roller rotatably attached to a detection lever 32 by a roller shaft 31, and constitutes a contact portion that contacts the floor B. 3
Reference numeral 3 denotes a detection shaft having a shaft attachment portion 34 that rotatably supports the detection lever 32 in a vertical direction, and is rotatably supported by a bearing 36 of a rotation support portion 35. Reference numeral 37 denotes an angle detecting means connected to the detecting shaft 33, which comprises a rotary encoder, a potentiometer, or the like, and detects a horizontal rotation angle of the detecting lever 32. Reference numeral 38 denotes a spring for urging the rotation of the detection lever 32 in the shaft attachment portion 34 downward, and causes the detection roller 30 to contact the floor B with a predetermined load.

FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of this embodiment. The direction measuring device 25, the distance measuring sensor 26, the rotation detector 13'L,
The output of the 13′R and angle detection means 37 is input to the travel control device 27. The traveling control device 27 determines these data and outputs a control signal to the drive motors 13L and 13R. In this embodiment, the driving motor 1
By controlling the rotation speeds of the 3L and 13R, the rotation speeds of the left and right drive wheels 12L and 12R are independently controlled,
The main body 11 is driven and steered. That is, driving of the so-called PWS system is performed.

The effect of a carpet when traveling straight on a carpet will now be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6A shows the movement trajectory of the main body 11 when the running floor surface is a flat bare floor without carpets.
At this time, since there is no carpet, the carpet is naturally not affected by the carpet, and the main body 11 performs the straight traveling control by the straight traveling means of the traveling control device 27, and its movement trajectory is the main body 1 at the start of traveling.
The straight line a coincides with the direction 1. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the carpet is changed to a carpet having a carpet in a left-to-right direction and the vehicle is driven to travel straight under the same conditions, the main body 11 is moved to the target by the traveling means of the travel control device 27. Although the straight traveling control is performed so as to ride on the line L1, the actual movement trajectory is a straight line b inclined to the right by an angle θ from the direction of the target line L1 even though the main body 11 always faces the direction at the start of traveling. become. Such a carpet
The lateral displacement due to the effect of the eyes is due to the tip of the carpet hair
As you roll on the car while stepping on it,
Due to the uniform direction of fur produced during the manufacturing process,
It is caused by hair falling down in a certain direction.
You. Therefore, the direction measuring device 25 is used by the straight traveling means.
Even if you perform straight-ahead control so that the main body faces the target direction,
The trajectory is inclined in a certain direction. That is, the present inventors have found that when the main body 11 travels straight on a carpet, the main body 11 slides in the direction of the carpet in proportion to the straight traveling distance of the main body 11, and an angular deviation indicating the degree of this side slip. It has been confirmed that θ is almost unique to each carpet and is about several degrees. Thus, for example, as shown in FIG. 6 (c), on the carpet where the angular deviation θ is measured in advance, the target line of the straight traveling means is defined as a straight line L2 inclined leftward by an angle θ from the direction at the start of traveling, as shown in FIG. When the vehicle travels straight under the conditions, the movement locus at that time becomes a straight line c that coincides with the direction of the main body 11 at the start of traveling. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), when the traveling start direction is to travel straight in the opposite direction to that in FIG. 6 (c), the target line of the straight traveling means is inclined to the right by an angle θ from the direction at the start of traveling. If the vehicle travels straight as L3, the movement trajectory becomes a straight line d that coincides with the direction of the main body 11 at the start of traveling. As described above, when traveling straight on a carpet, it is known that the movement trajectory of the main body 11 can be corrected by changing the direction of the target line of the rectilinear means according to the direction of the carpet and the strength of the eyes.

The detection lever 32 of the carpet sensor 15 is rotatably supported in the up and down direction by a shaft attachment portion 34, and is urged downward by a spring 38 so that the detection roller 30 is always on the floor. The detection lever 32 is rotatably supported in the horizontal direction with respect to the main body 11 by the rotation supporting portion 35 so that the detection lever 32 always faces the traveling direction when the main body 11 travels. That is, in the example of FIG.
In the example of (b), the detection lever 32 is directed in the direction of the straight line b.

The operation of the self-propelled cleaner constructed as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, it is assumed that the floor surface to be cleaned by the main body 11 has a carpet direction from left to right and an angular deviation of θ. When the main body 11 is started at the start point S, straight running starts. Then, as in the case shown in FIG. 6B, the main body 11 performs straight-ahead control in the direction at the start of traveling, and the main body 11 is controlled so as to always face the direction at the start of traveling. The trajectory flows in a direction shifted to the right by an angle θ due to the influence of the carpet. At this time, as described above, the detection lever 32 of the carpet sensor 15 faces the traveling direction, and the direction of the detection lever 32 is changed by the angle detection means 37 via the detection shaft 33 to the main body 11.
Will be detected as a rotation angle with respect to. Therefore, in the traveling control device 27, the angle deviation calculated by comparing the output angle of the angle detecting means 37 with the reference value (angle value) becomes the right angle θ. Based on the calculation result, the travel control device 27 moves the target line of the straight-ahead control to the left by the angle θ.
A straight target control is performed by setting a correction target line that is inclined only. As a result, the main body 11 travels straight in the direction at the start of travel as shown in the figure.

When the distance measuring sensor 26 detects this approaching the front wall W1, it is checked whether there is an obstacle in the working direction A. In this case, since there is no obstacle, the working direction A
, That is, to the right of the main body 11 by a predetermined working width. After the reversal, the travel control device 27 calculates the angle deviation θ by comparing the output angle of the angle detecting means 37 with a reference value (angle value), as in the above. Based on this calculation result, a correction target line (this time, a straight line inclined by an angle θ to the right of the main body 11) is set, and straight ahead control is performed. At this time, the main body 11 travels straight in a direction exactly 180 degrees from the direction at the start of traveling. When approaching the front wall W2, the main body 11 is turned to the left. When the above operation is repeated and the point W comes to the point F and the wall W1 is detected in front of the main body 11, the working direction A,
Since there is a wall W3 to the right of 1, it is determined that cleaning is completed, and the work is terminated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the detection lever 32 of the carpet sensor 15 is supported by the shaft attachment portion 34 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and is urged downward by the spring 38 to detect the detection roller. 30 is always in contact with the floor surface, and the detection lever 32 is rotated by
Since it is supported rotatably in the horizontal direction with respect to 1,
Since the detection lever 32 always faces the traveling direction when the main body 11 is traveling, the direction of the detection lever 32 can be detected by the angle detection means 37 as a rotation angle with respect to the main body 11. Therefore, the travel control device 27 corrects the target line of the straight-ahead control in accordance with the output and performs the straight-ahead control. Therefore, the reciprocating straight trajectory of the main body 11 becomes parallel, and the remaining cleaning remains, or the cleaning efficiency is reduced. It will not be done.

Embodiment 2 Next, a self-propelled cleaner according to an embodiment of the second means of the present invention will be described. The overall configuration of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner of this embodiment is as follows:
The carpet sensor 15 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS.
Other than that, the description is omitted. The self-propelled cleaner according to the present embodiment is the same as the carpet sensor 1 according to the first embodiment.
In place of 5, a carpet / step sensor as shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a detection roller rotatably attached to a detection lever 32 by a roller shaft 31, and constitutes a contact portion that contacts the floor B. Reference numeral 33 denotes a detection shaft having a shaft attachment portion 34 for supporting the detection lever 32 rotatably in the vertical direction.
Is rotatably supported by the bearing 36. 3
Numeral 7 is an angle detecting means connected to the detecting shaft 33, which comprises a rotary encoder or a potentiometer, and detects the horizontal rotation angle of the detecting lever 32. Reference numeral 38 denotes a spring for urging the rotation of the detection lever 32 in the shaft attachment portion 34 downward, and causes the detection roller 30 to abut against the floor surface B with a predetermined load. The above configuration is the same as the carpet sensor 15 of the first embodiment. A sliding flange 40 is provided on the detection shaft 33 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.
Is urged downward by a stopper 41 and a flange spring 42 attached above the upper end of the detection lever 32, and is always in contact with the upper end 32 'of the detection lever 32. Reference numeral 43 denotes a microswitch, which is mounted at a position where the actuator 44 contacts the upper surface of the outer peripheral portion of the sliding flange 40. As described above, the sliding flange 40, the stopper 41, the flange spring 42,
The microswitch 43 and the actuator 44 constitute a vertical movement detecting means for detecting the vertical movement of the detection lever 32.

In the self-propelled vacuum cleaner constructed as described above, consider a case where there is a recessed step such as a staircase or a sill on the running floor. It is assumed that such a recessed step exists in front of the main body 11 during traveling, and the detection roller 30 approaches this step as shown in FIG. 8B. Detection lever 3
2 is urged downward by the spring 38, so that when the detection roller 30 attached to the tip thereof moves downward along the step, the detection lever 32 moves to the shaft attachment portion 3.
4 is pivoted in the direction of arrow e in FIG. At this time, the upper end 32 ′ of the detection lever 32 pushes up the sliding flange 40 in the direction of arrow f against the flange spring 42, and the actuator 44 is pushed to push the micro switch 43.
Turns ON. When the micro switch 43 is turned on, the traveling control device 27 connected to the micro switch 43 immediately drives the drive motor 13.
The rotation of the L · 13R is stopped, and the running of the main body 11 is stopped. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the follower wheel 14 does not come off or the main body 11 does not fall due to the recessed step. After stopping the main body 11 in this way, the travel control device 27 slowly rotates the drive motors 13L and 13R in the backward direction,
The main body 11 is moved backward. When the main body 11 moves backward, the detection lever 32 rotates in the horizontal direction due to the detection roller 30 hitting the step, and the detection roller 30 rises again to the floor surface B and returns to the state of FIG. 8A again. Thus, the microswitch 43 is turned off again. In the self-propelled vacuum cleaner of this embodiment, the U-turn operation is performed after the main body 11 is retracted until the microswitch 43 is turned off, and the same processing as when there is a wall in front is performed, and the cleaning is continuously continued. It is supposed to.

This carpet / step sensor is
When traveling on the carpet, the carpet eyes can be detected in exactly the same way as in the first embodiment, so that there is no remaining cleaning and no reduction in cleaning efficiency when traveling on the carpet.

In the above embodiment, the micro switch 43 is used as the vertical movement detecting means for detecting the vertical movement of the detection lever 32.
However, for example, a photo interrupter combining a light emitter and a light receiver, a combination of a magnet and a reed switch, or the like may be used.
It is needless to say that the same effect can be obtained as long as the structure detects vertical movement.

[0028]

As described above, the first means of the present invention is that the detection lever is supported rotatably in the vertical direction by the shaft attachment portion and is urged downward by the spring, so that the contact portion is always in contact. It comes into contact with the floor surface, and the horizontal force received by the contact part according to the state of the floor surface is detected as a rotation angle via the detection lever, and this result is calculated by the travel control device to correct the travel direction. Doing so can lead to unfinished work,
A mobile work robot capable of performing work without lowering work efficiency can be realized.

Further, according to the second means of the present invention, one detection lever can be obtained by simply adding a vertical movement detecting means for detecting the vertical movement of the detection lever to the carpet sensor of the first means of the present invention. Because it can detect not only the carpets on the floor but also the recessed steps on the floor, it is possible to simultaneously perform the detection of the carpets and the detection of the recessed steps while minimizing the adverse effect on the traveling performance of the main body. Further, a mobile work robot capable of simplifying and reducing the size of the main body is realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a mobile work robot according to an embodiment of a first means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the mobile work robot according to the embodiment, which is partially cut away;

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of the carpet sensor of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view in the direction of the arrow Y in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of a traveling control device of the mobile work robot according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the effect of the carpet eyes when the mobile work robot of the embodiment travels straight on the carpet;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the operation of the mobile work robot of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a partial section of a carpet / step sensor of a mobile work robot according to an embodiment of the second means of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a conventional mobile work robot.

FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory diagram illustrating an operation on a carpet of a conventional mobile work robot.

11 is an operation explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the conventional mobile work robot on a carpet having a carpet different from that of FIG. 10;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Main body 12 Drive wheel 13 Drive motor 15 Carpet sensor 17 Electric blower 18 Dust collection room 21 Floor nozzle 27 Travel control device 30 Detection roller 32 Detection lever 33 Detection shaft 34 Shaft attaching part 35 Rotation support part 37 Angle detection means 38 Spring

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hirofumi Inui 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-61-221907 (JP, A) JP-A-2-249522 (JP, A) JP-A-61-222811 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G05D 1/02 A47L 9/00 102

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A floor device comprising a driving device and a steering device for moving a main body, a running control device for controlling the driving device and the steering device to control the running of the main body, and a working device for performing operations such as cleaning. A detection lever having a contact portion that abuts the detection lever, a rotation support portion that supports the detection lever rotatably in a horizontal direction, an angle detection unit that detects a rotation angle of the detection lever, and a detection lever that is rotatable vertically. A mobile work robot equipped with a carpet sensor having a shaft attachment portion supported on the first and a spring for urging the detection lever downward. 2. A floor device comprising a driving device and a steering device for moving the main body, a traveling control device for controlling the driving device and the steering device to control the traveling of the main body, and a working device for performing operations such as cleaning. A detection lever having a contact portion that abuts the detection lever, a rotation support portion that supports the detection lever rotatably in a horizontal direction, an angle detection unit that detects a rotation angle of the detection lever, and a detection lever that is rotatable vertically. A mobile work robot comprising a carpet / step sensor having a shaft attachment portion supported by the sensor, a spring for urging the detection lever downward, and vertical movement detection means for detecting the vertical movement of the detection lever.