JP3113761B2 - Automatic 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 an automatic cleaner for cleaning by sucking dust on the floor while traveling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, this type of automatic vacuum cleaner is designed to perform vacuum cleaning of dust on a floor surface from a suction port provided on a lower surface of a body of the machine while traveling. In this type of automatic cleaner, a gap (clearance) between the suction port and the floor is set small in order to secure suction performance.

[0003]

However, since the gap is set to be small as described above, large dust is not sucked in, but is pushed by the front side of the suction port member as the machine advances, There was a problem that it would accumulate there.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has been made to improve the cleaning ability by sucking relatively large debris accumulated at the front side of the suction member when the machine body is stopped. An object is to provide an automatic vacuum cleaner.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an automatic cleaner for sucking and cleaning dust on a floor while traveling, and a suction opening opened opposite to the floor. A suction member whose suction port is located at a predetermined gap from the floor surface during cleaning, an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the suction member with respect to the body, and a mechanism immediately before the body stops traveling. A control device for operating the lifting / lowering operation mechanism at the position to raise the suction member, and operating the lifting / lowering operation mechanism at the stop position to lower the suction member.

[0006]

According to the above construction, the suction port of the suction member is located at a predetermined gap from the floor when cleaning while traveling, and relatively large debris is pushed and accumulated on the front side of the suction member. However, the lifting mechanism is operated at the position immediately before the aircraft stops traveling to raise the suction member,
Next, since the suction member is lowered at the stop position, the accumulated dust is sucked.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 shows an external configuration of the automatic cleaner, FIG. 2 shows a plan configuration of a main part, FIG. 3 shows a front configuration, and FIG. 4 shows a side configuration. 5 to 7 show the structure of the suction member. The automatic cleaner 1 includes left and right driving wheels 2 connected to a traveling motor.
a, 2b and casters (not shown) make it possible to travel, and a vacuum suction device for cleaning (not shown)
The suction member 4 is disposed between the front bumper 3 and the fuselage so as to be capable of ascending and descending so as to face the floor surface. The suction member 4 has a suction port 43 opened opposite to the floor surface, and a relatively large-diameter wheel 5 having a rotating shaft fixed to a mounting plate 51 disposed at the rear of both sides of the suction port 43.
a and 5b are provided. At the time of cleaning, the suction member 4 is lowered, and at this time, the wheels 5a and 5b are in contact with the floor surface and rotate as the vehicle travels to keep the gap between the suction port 43 and the floor surface constant. The suction member 4 is moved up and down with respect to the body by the elevating mechanism 6.

The elevating mechanism 6 includes connecting plates 41a and 41b fixed to the suction member 4, link mechanisms 6a to 6d, shafts 7 to 10, a cylinder 11 for elevating operation, its plunger 12, a connecting rod 13, and the like. By driving the cylinder 11, the suction member 4 is moved via the link mechanism from the lowered state shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 to the raised state shown by the two-dot chain line, or vice versa. The suction member 4 is lowered by the lifting / lowering operation mechanism 6 during cleaning travel, and is raised during travel without cleaning. Thereby, it is possible to prevent abrasion due to the contact of the suction port 43 with the floor surface, and to maintain stable suction performance for a long period of time.

When the wheels 5a and 5b come into contact with the floor, the gap formed between the opening edge of the suction port 43 and the floor is set to be small so as to provide an efficient suction capacity. . Also, since the diameter of the wheels 5a and 5b can be made relatively large as compared with the case of the conventional caster wheels which cannot make the wheel diameter large, the wheels cannot be fitted into the concave portions of the floor surface or hit over the convex portions and cannot be climbed over. Disappears, the followability of the suction port 43 to the floor surface is improved,
As a result, the suction performance is improved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the suction member 4 has a front plate 42 of the suction port 43 formed as an inclined surface retreating downward with respect to the traveling direction of the body. By providing the inclined surface, it is possible to enhance the ability to suck dust on the floor surface while traveling. The suction member 4 is provided with mountain-shaped nozzle portions 44a and 44b and duct connection ports 45a and 45b to which the other end of a duct (not shown) connected to the vacuum suction device is connected. Furthermore, the suction member 4 is configured to be moved up and down by a lifting / lowering cylinder 11 in accordance with a predetermined control program of a control device (not shown) mounted on the body and in conjunction with travel stop control of the body. In addition, the control device includes drive wheels 2a and 2b.
In response to a signal from an encoder attached to the motor, the motor for driving is controlled.

FIG. 8 shows the elevating operation of the suction member 4 when the running of the body is stopped. In FIG. 8, when the airframe is cleaning while traveling in the traveling direction (arrow A), the
The gap between the floor member 50 and the floor 50 is set to be small in order to secure the suction capacity. It accumulates while being pushed in the direction. Therefore, in this machine, when the body reaches just before the stop position, the lifting member 4 of the lifting mechanism 6 is operated according to a predetermined control program to raise the suction member 4 (arrow B). Next, when the stop position is reached, the suction member 4 is lowered (arrow C). By this series of operations, large debris 52 that has been pushed and accumulated on the front side of the suction member 4 is sucked into the suction port 43.
The term “immediately before the stop position” may be about 1/2 of the longitudinal length L of the suction port 43.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above description, the suction member 4 is moved up and down when the body stops according to the control program. However, the same operation may be performed when the body changes the traveling direction.
May be detected by a sensor or the like, and the above operation may be performed by stopping when the amount of dust reaches a certain level or more. Further, as the lifting / lowering operation mechanism 6, any mechanism other than the one using a cylinder or a link mechanism can be used.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the suction member is moved up and down immediately before the stop of traveling, the suction member is pushed and accumulated on the front side in the traveling direction without being sucked by the suction member. It is possible to suck in relatively large garbage, and the cleaning ability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an automatic cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the automatic vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a main part of the automatic vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a main part of the automatic vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a suction member of the automatic vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a suction member of the automatic vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a suction member of the automatic vacuum cleaner.

FIGS. 8 (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a lifting / lowering operation of a suction member of the automatic vacuum cleaner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic cleaner 4 Suction member 43 Suction port 6 Elevation operation mechanism

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-173518 (JP, A) JP-A-62-292125 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47L 9/00 102 A47L 9/28

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic cleaner for cleaning by sucking dust on a floor surface while traveling, the suction device having a suction opening opened opposite to the floor surface, wherein the suction opening is in contact with the floor surface at a predetermined time during cleaning. A suction member positioned with a gap, an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the suction member with respect to the body, and operating the elevating mechanism at a position immediately before the body stops traveling to raise the suction member And a control device for operating the lifting / lowering operation mechanism at a stop position to lower the suction member.