JP3314466B2 - 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 for automatically cleaning while repeating reciprocating movements, such as an automatic floor cleaner and an automatic floor finisher.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various types of mobile work robots have been developed which automatically perform work by adding a travel drive device, sensors, and travel control means to work equipment. One of them is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner, which is equipped with a suction nozzle and a brush at the bottom of the main body as a cleaning function, traveling and steering means as a moving function, and obstacle detecting means for detecting obstacles during traveling. Position recognition means for recognizing the position, the obstacle detection means recognizes the cleaning area by the position recognition means while moving along a wall or the like around the cleaning place, and reciprocates in the entire cleaning area. Automatic cleaning. The movement of the main body between the cleaning areas is performed by a person.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of a conventional self-propelled cleaner.
When moving between cleaning areas, etc., cleaning means 18 near the floor surface
Is the position at the time of the automatic cleaning shown in the drawing, there is no such thing as a handle for a person to operate the main body 1, and the main body 1 is directly pushed and moved.

[0004]

However, in the conventional self-propelled vacuum cleaner described above, when a person moves the main body between cleaning areas or the like, cleaning is not basically performed at this time, but a person near the floor is not cleaned. Since the cleaning means is kept lowered near the floor, it collides with steps such as sills between rooms and protrusions from the floor, and it is difficult to move because there is no handle for this collision and moving operation. there were. Further, simply cleaning the body by autonomous movement without manual intervention (hereinafter referred to as “autonomous movement cleaning”) has not been able to clean a relatively narrow or complicated shaped area with many obstacles.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional self-propelled cleaner, which comprises a retractable handle, a retractable pedal, an interlocking means, and a lifting / lowering means. When the body is moved by the person between the cleaning areas, the handle and the pedal are pulled out in conjunction with each other to facilitate the movement operation and prevent the cleaning means near the floor from hitting the bumps and bumps,
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a self-propelled vacuum cleaner capable of storing a steering wheel and a pedal in an interlocking manner during autonomous mobile cleaning.

In connection with the first object, autonomous moving cleaning is performed while the handle and pedal are inadvertently protruding from the main body, and the main body malfunctions when these are detected by the obstacle detecting means. A second object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled vacuum cleaner capable of preventing these from colliding with an obstacle.

Further, there is provided a self-propelled cleaner capable of performing not only autonomous mobile cleaning but also manual cleaning in which a person performs cleaning while manipulating movement, and automatically discriminating between autonomous mobile cleaning, manual cleaning, and movement. Is the third purpose.

[0008]

A first means of the present invention for achieving the first object is a driving means and a steering means for moving the main body, and a movement of the main body by controlling the driving means and the steering means. Traveling control means for controlling, obstacle detecting means for detecting obstacles around the main body, cleaning means for performing cleaning work, telescopically retractable handle, and elevating means for elevating the cleaning means near the floor surface And a self-propelled cleaner provided with a pedal that is slid and stored in the main body by operating the lifting / lowering means, and an interlocking means that interlocks the sliding operation of the pedal with the expansion and contraction of the handle.

A second means of the present invention for achieving the second object is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner having a handle position detecting means for detecting a telescopic position of a handle in addition to the first means. It is.

[0010] A third aspect of the present invention for achieving the third object, in addition to the second means includes a lift detecting means for detecting a lifting situation of the cleaning means of the floor surface near the lifting detecting hands
The step and the handle position detecting means are respectively provided by the cleaning means.
When it is not detected that the handle has been lifted and stored in the body,
A hand protruding from the main body by driving only the cleaning means
This is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner in which the user performs a moving operation by using a self-propelled cleaner.

[0011]

The first means of the present invention is a retractable handle, a lifting means for raising and lowering the cleaning means near the floor, a pedal which is operated and slid and stored in the main body, By providing interlocking means for interlocking the sliding movement of the pedal with the expansion and contraction of the handle, when the body is moved by a person between the cleaning areas or the like, the handle is pulled out and the movement is operated thereby, and in conjunction with the pulling out operation of the handle. By operating the protruding pedal to operate the elevating means, the vicinity of the floor can be raised, and when performing autonomous movement cleaning, the handle and the pedal are interlocked and stored in the main body, and the cleaning means near the floor is removed. It can be lowered.

Further, the second means of the present invention is to provide a handle position detecting means for detecting a telescopic position of the handle, thereby performing automatic moving cleaning with the handle and the pedal protruding from the main body and obstructing them. By detecting the object, the main body can be prevented from malfunctioning or colliding with an obstacle.

Further, the third means of the present invention comprises a lifting / lowering detecting means and a manual cleaning means for operating the cleaning means based on the outputs of the lifting / lowering detecting means and the handle position detecting means. Alternatively, in a state in which the cleaning means near the floor is lowered and the handle is pulled out, manual cleaning can be performed in which a person performs cleaning while operating the movement. Then, it is possible to automatically determine whether the cleaning is automatic cleaning, manual cleaning, or movement, based on a combination of outputs from the lifting / lowering detecting means and the handle position detecting means.

[0014]

Embodiment (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, a configuration of a self-propelled cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the self-propelled cleaner of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof (A-
A section). Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of the self-propelled cleaner (hereinafter, simply referred to as a main body). Reference numerals 2L and 2R denote driving wheels provided on left and right sides of the main body 1, respectively.
Left and right are driven independently via R. Reference numerals 5L and 5R denote rotation detecting means composed of rotary encoders and the like connected to the drive motors 3L and 3R, respectively, and detect the rotational speeds of the drive motors 3L and 3R. Reference numeral 9 denotes a driven wheel rotatably attached to the main body 1. As described above, the drive wheels 2L and 2R, the drive motors 3L and 3R, the speed reducers 4L and 4R, and the rotation detectors 5L and 5L
The R and follower wheels 9 constitute driving means for moving the main body 1 and steering means. Reference numeral 31 denotes a storage battery, which supplies power to the entire main body 1. Reference numeral 12 denotes a contact detecting means protruding from the main body 1 around the main body 1, and detects contact of obstacles such as pillars, projections, steps, furniture, and humans around the wall and floor around the main body. Reference numeral 22 denotes a distance measuring unit that measures a distance to an obstacle around the main body 1, and includes an ultrasonic sensor provided around the main body 1. As described above, the contact detecting means 12 and the distance measuring means 22
Constitutes obstacle detection means for detecting obstacles around the main body 1. Reference numeral 23 denotes a direction measuring means for measuring the direction of the main body, and in this embodiment, a rate gyro is used. Reference numeral 21 denotes a travel control unit that controls the drive motors 3L and 3R to control the travel of the main body 1. Reference numeral 14 denotes an electric blower, 15 denotes a dust collection chamber, and 16 and 17 denote filters provided therein.
Reference numeral 18 denotes a floor nozzle provided at the bottom of the main body 1, which has an electric rotary brush, and is connected to the dust collection chamber 15 via a connection pipe 19. As described above, the electric blower 14, the dust collection chamber 15, the filters 16 and 17, the floor nozzle 18, and the connection pipe 19 constitute a cleaning unit. The cleaning means in the vicinity of the floor indicates the floor nozzle 18 in the case of the present description. Reference numeral 45 denotes a retractable handle which is retractable, and FIG. 1 shows a state in which the handle is stored in the main body 1.
It slides along the handle guide 46. The handle guide 46 regulates the expansion and contraction direction of the handle 45, and can fix and release the position. 35 is a lifting fulcrum shaft 3 fixed to the main body 1
The lifting arm supported by 4 has a long hole 42 (see FIG. 5), and the opposite end where the long hole 42 is provided is supported by a lifting action point shaft 33 fixed to the floor nozzle 18. . that's all,
The elevating arm 35, the elevating fulcrum shaft 34, and the elevating action point shaft 33 constitute elevating means for elevating and lowering the floor nozzle 18 which is a cleaning means near the floor surface. Reference numeral 40 denotes a pedal that can be stored in the main body 1 and operates the lifting arm 35. The drawing shows a stored state. The front slide shaft 38 and the rear slide shaft 41 provided on the pedal 40 are elongated holes provided on the lifting arm 35. Slide along 42. At the position where the pedal 40 is pulled out,
The body 1 and the contact detecting means 12 are provided with notches. On the side of the notch of the main body 1, a projection 50 for locking the position of the pedal 40 when the floor nozzle 18 is raised.
Is provided. Locking and unlocking use the right and left play of the entire lifting means. Reference numeral 37 denotes an interlocking lever for interlocking the operation of pulling out and storing the pedal 40 with that of the retractable handle 45, one end of which is supported by an interlocking branch shaft 39 fixed to the main body 1, and a front slide shaft 38 fixed to the pedal 40.
And interlocking force point shaft 4 fixed to the lower end of retractable handle 45
3 are connected and supported by long holes 44 'and 44 (see FIG. 5) each having a relatively large margin for each shaft diameter. As described above, the interlocking lever 37, the interlocking fulcrum shaft 39, and the interlocking force point axis 4
3. The front slide shaft 38 constitutes interlocking means. That is, the front slide shaft 38 also serves as an interlocking action point.

Next, the control configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to the control block diagram of FIG. Rotation detecting means 5L and 5R for detecting the number of rotations of the drive motors 3L and 3R;
2. The outputs of the contact detecting means 12 and the direction measuring means 23 are transmitted to the traveling control means 21. The travel control means 21 determines these outputs and outputs control signals to the drive motors 3L and 3R to control the travel direction and travel distance of the main body 1. In the autonomous moving cleaning, the main body is controlled in a predetermined moving pattern while driving the electric blower 14 as a cleaning means and the rotary brush provided on the floor nozzle 18. An example of the predetermined movement pattern will be described next with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the movement pattern of the self-propelled cleaner of the present embodiment for autonomous movement cleaning. The cleaning area is within the square frame. First, advance is started from the start position S. Then, the front wall w1 is detected or stopped when a predetermined distance L has passed, and the direction of the main body 1 is changed to the wall w for which cleaning is to be performed.
Change to a little bit on the 3rd side and start retreating this time. Then, when the rear wall surface w2 is detected, the main body 1 changes its direction in the same manner as described above and starts moving forward again. Thereafter, the cleaning is repeated in this manner, and when the side wall w3 is detected, the autonomous moving cleaning ends. At this time, the angle at which the main body 1 changes direction is set so that the main body 1 advances in the cleaning direction by a predetermined cleaning width W in one reciprocation of forward and backward movements.

Next, referring to FIG.
The operation of the pedal and the interlocking means will be described. The illustration shows handle 4
5. Both the pedal 40 and the pedal 40 are stored in the body 1 and the floor nozzle 18 is lowered, which is the state during autonomous movement cleaning. Now, from this state, first, the retractable handle 4
5 is pulled out in the direction of arrow A. Then, the interlocking force point shaft 43 also moves in the direction of arrow A, and the elongated hole 44 follows this movement. As a result, the interlocking lever 37 rotates in the direction of arrow C with the interlocking fulcrum shaft 39 as a fulcrum. Then, the front slide shaft 38, which is the point of action of the interlocking operation, moves in the direction of arrow D along the elongated hole 42, and similarly, the rear slide shaft 41 also moves in the direction of arrow D, so that the pedal 40 moves in the direction D. It protrudes from the main body 1.
The above is the interlocking operation of the handle 45 and the pedal 40. Next, the operation of raising the floor nozzle 18 will be described. When the pedal 40 protruding from the main body 1 is pushed in the direction of arrow a, this force is transmitted to the lifting arm 35 via the front slide shaft 38 and the rear slide shaft 41, so that the lifting arm 35 rotates about the lifting fulcrum shaft 34 as a fulcrum. Then, the raising / lowering action point axis 33 rises in the direction of arrow b, and the floor nozzle 18 rises. When the pedal 40 is locked at this position, the floor nozzle 18 is raised and the handle 40 is pulled out, and the state is at the time of movement. Further, when the handle 45 is stored in the main body 1 again, the above-described interlocking drawer performs the reverse interlocking operation. At this time, the lock of the pedal 40 is automatically released, the floor nozzle 18 naturally descends by its own weight, and the steering wheel 45 and the pedal 40 are housed in an autonomous moving cleaning state.

As described above, at the time of autonomous moving cleaning, both the unnecessary handle 45 and the pedal 40 can be interlocked and stored only by the storing operation of the handle 45, so that the protruding portion from the main body 1 can be eliminated. The detection means does not erroneously detect both, and does not collide with the surrounding obstacles. When the main body is moved by a person between the cleaning areas or the like, an easy moving operation can be realized by pulling out the handle 45 by hand and holding it as a handle for the moving operation in a standing posture, and a pedal protruding in conjunction therewith. By stepping on the foot 40 to lock and raising the floor nozzle 18,
The collision of the floor nozzle 18 with a step or a projection can be prevented.

In this description, the floor nozzle 18 for suction cleaning is used as a cleaning means in the vicinity of the floor. However, a pad for floor cleaning and polishing, a jet port for spraying a detergent, a rubber and a brush for sweeping and collecting dust and moisture, etc. Cleaning tool.

The movement pattern of the autonomous movement cleaning described with reference to FIG. 4 is an example, and another movement pattern may be used.

(Embodiment 2) Hereinafter, the configuration of a self-propelled cleaner which is an embodiment of the second means of the present invention will be described. Since the details of the main body configuration are basically the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the first embodiment, the description of the common parts will be omitted, and only the additional parts related to the present embodiment will be described. FIG.
In the figure, reference numeral 48 denotes a handle position detecting means, which is constituted by a limit switch for detecting a contact with a contact portion 49 provided on the handle 45 at a position where the handle 45 is stored in the main body 1. .

Next, the control configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to the control block diagram of FIG. For the control block,
Since it is basically the same as the first embodiment, description of common parts will be omitted, and only additional parts related to the present embodiment will be described. In FIG. 3, the output of the steering wheel position detecting means 48 is added to the output transmitted to the traveling control means 21. Then, the traveling control unit 21 controls the autonomous movement cleaning only after the handle position detection unit 48 detects the contact, that is, the handle 45 is stored in the main body 1.

As described above, the autonomous movement cleaning is performed while the handle 40 is inadvertently forgotten to be stored, and the main body malfunctions due to the detection of the protruding handle 45 and the pedal 40 by the obstacle detecting means. And the floor nozzle 18 can be prevented from being raised. In other words, reliable and reliable autonomous mobile cleaning can be realized.

Embodiment 3 Hereinafter, the configuration of a self-propelled vacuum cleaner which is an embodiment of the third means of the present invention will be described. Details of the main body configuration are basically the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the second embodiment, so that the description of the common parts will be omitted, and only the additional parts related to the present embodiment will be described. FIG.
In the figure, reference numeral 47 denotes a lifting / lowering detecting means, which is constituted by a limit switch for detecting contact of the floor nozzle 18 when the floor nozzle 18 rises.

Next, the control configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to the control block diagram of FIG. For the control block,
Since the second embodiment is basically the same as the second embodiment, the description of the common parts will be omitted, and only the additional parts related to the present embodiment will be described. In FIG. 3, the output of the elevation detecting means 47 is added to the output transmitted to the traveling control means 21. And traveling control means 2
1 has a manual cleaning means 52. The manual cleaning means 52 only drives the electric blower 14 as the cleaning means and the rotary brush provided on the floor nozzle 18, and the operation of moving the main body 1 is performed by a person. Further, the manual cleaning means 52 is configured such that the handle position detecting means 48 and the elevation detecting means 47 do not detect any contact, that is, the handle 45 is pulled out and the floor nozzle 18
Activated only when is lowered.

As described above, not only autonomous mobile cleaning, but also manual cleaning in which a person performs cleaning while operating movement can be performed.
Parts that could not be completely cleaned by autonomous mobile cleaning alone can be cleaned throughout. Then, by the combination of the outputs of the elevation detection means 47 and the handle position detection means 48,
Autonomous moving cleaning if only the handle position detecting means 48 detects contact, manual cleaning if neither is detected,
If only the lifting / lowering detecting means 47 detects the movement, the movement and each state can be automatically determined.

[0027]

As described above, according to the first means of the present invention, the retractable handle, the elevating means for elevating and lowering the cleaning means near the floor, and the elevating means are operated to slide. By providing a pedal that is stored in the main body and an interlocking means that interlocks the sliding movement of the pedal with the expansion and contraction of the handle, during autonomous movement cleaning, both the unnecessary handle and pedal are interlocked and stored only by the operation of storing the handle. Yes, the obstacle detection means will not erroneously detect both, the two will not collide with the surrounding obstacles, and when the body is moved by a person between cleaning areas etc. Easy moving operation can be realized by pulling out by hand and using it as a handle for moving operation, and by operating the protruding pedal in conjunction with raising the cleaning means near the floor surface, One in which it is possible to prevent the collision.

Further, according to the second means of the present invention, the provision of the handle position detecting means for detecting the extension and contraction position of the handle allows the autonomous movement cleaning to be performed while the handle is inadvertently forgotten to be stored, thereby protruding. By detecting the handle and the pedal by the obstacle detecting means, it is possible to prevent the main body from malfunctioning, colliding with an obstacle, and keeping the cleaning means near the floor surface raised. .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a floor surface
Elevation detection means for detecting the elevating state of the nearby cleaning means is provided.
The lifting / lowering detecting means and the handle position detecting means
Lifting the cleaning means and storing the handle in the body
Is not detected, only the cleaning means is driven,
The user performs the moving operation by using the more protruding handle, so that not only the autonomous moving cleaning but also the manual cleaning in which the person performs the cleaning while operating the moving can be performed. Any of autonomous mobile cleaning, manual cleaning, and movement can be automatically determined based on a combination of outputs from the means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a self-propelled cleaner which is an embodiment of first, second and third means of the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of traveling control means of the self-propelled cleaner.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a movement pattern of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner for autonomous movement cleaning.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the operation of the interlocking means of the self-propelled cleaner.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Drive wheel 3 Drive motor 4 Reduction gear 5 Rotation detector 9 Follower wheel 12 Contact detection means 14 Electric blower 15 Dust collection chamber 16, 17 Filter 18 Floor nozzle 19 Connection pipe 21 Travel control means 22 Distance measuring means 33 Elevating point Shaft 34 Elevating fulcrum shaft 35 Elevating arm 37 Interlocking lever 38 Front slide shaft (interlocking action point) 39 Interlocking fulcrum shaft 40 Pedal 43 Interlocking force point axis 47 Elevation detecting means 48 Handle position detecting means 52 Manual cleaning means

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hidetaka Yabuuchi 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 72) Inventor Toshiaki Fujiwara 1006 Kadoma, Kazuma, Osaka Pref. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Osamu Oguchi 1006 Odaka, Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Pref. 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takafumi Ishibashi 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Pref. 1006 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-57-175335 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47L 5/28 A47L 9/00 102 A47L 9/28

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A driving unit and a steering unit for moving a main body, a traveling control unit for controlling the driving unit and the steering unit to control the movement of the main unit, an obstacle detecting unit for detecting an obstacle around the main unit, Cleaning means for performing cleaning work, retractable retractable handle, lifting means for raising and lowering the cleaning means near the floor, a pedal which is operated and slid to be stored in the main body, and a sliding operation of the pedal Self-propelled vacuum cleaner with interlocking means that interlocks with the expansion and contraction of the handle. 2. The self-propelled cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a handle position detecting means for detecting an extension / contraction position of the handle. 3. An up-and-down detecting means for detecting an up-and-down state of a cleaning means near a floor surface , wherein said up-and-down detecting means and a handle position are provided .
Position detecting means for raising and
When the storage of the dollar in the body is not detected,
Driven by the handle protruding from the body
3. The self-propelled cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the moving operation is performed .