JP3473088B2 - Cleaning 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 cleaning robot which detects an obstacle with an ultrasonic sensor and performs a cleaning operation while independently moving by using a battery as a power source, by changing the driving cycle of the ultrasonic sensor. The present invention relates to a cleaning robot that maintains battery performance by improving detection capability and detecting battery voltage in multiple stages.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ultrasonic sensor is often used as a means for detecting obstacles in a cleaning robot that moves without a path.
One that rotates one ultrasonic sensor to detect obstacles around the entire circumference, or one that detects multiple obstacles by sequentially emitting ultrasonic waves so that they do not interfere with each other. It was a thing.

Regarding the detection of the battery voltage,
In most cases, the voltage is displayed like a level meter to inform the operator.

[0004]

However, regarding obstacle detection, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-120510. With this type, the number of ultrasonic sensors is small, but since the sensor is rotated while waiting for the reflected waves from the ultrasonic obstacles, it takes time to rotate once, and therefore the moving speed of the cleaning robot increases. There was a problem that I could not speed up. There are also a number of sensors arranged around the main body, but the detection speed of the entire circumference can be faster than the rotation method, but it can not be detected because it has the property that ultrasonic waves are reflected geometrically. The problem was that there were obstacles.

Further, regarding the detection of the voltage of the battery, it does not make much sense even if it is displayed in the cleaning robot that automatically operates.

The present invention solves the above problems, and provides a cleaning robot in which a plurality of ultrasonic sensors provided around the main body are simultaneously driven and received for each of the front, rear, left, and right direction groups, and there are almost no obstacles that cannot be detected. The first purpose is to do so.

A second purpose is to simultaneously drive and receive the front, rear, left and right direction groups of a plurality of ultrasonic sensors,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning robot that periodically switches between the case of independently receiving drive and the case of time by means of a timing means, eliminates an obstacle that cannot be detected, and at the same time detects the position of the obstacle.

A third object is to simultaneously drive and receive the front, rear, left and right direction groups of a plurality of ultrasonic sensors,
The timing means is used to periodically switch between the case of receiving drive independently and the obstacles that cannot be detected are eliminated, and at the same time the position of the obstacle is also detected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning robot that simultaneously drives and receives sensors, and simultaneously receives and receives ultrasonic sensors only in the backward direction when moving backward, thereby driving only necessary ultrasonic sensors in a short cycle.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] To achieve the first object, the first means for solving the problems is a steering and driving means having left and right independent drive wheels, which is provided in the lower part of the main body, and a floor nozzle and a fan motor. Cleaning means, driving means for simultaneously driving a plurality of ultrasonic sensors provided in each of the front, rear, left, and right directions for each of the front, rear, left, and right direction groups, and the ultrasonic waves reflected from the obstacles. And a judgment processing means for controlling the independent movement of the main body, and the ultrasonic sensor is
In each direction group, not only the ultrasonic waves emitted by itself but also the ultrasonic waves emitted from other ultrasonic sensors can be received.

In order to achieve the second object, a second means for solving the problems is a steering and driving means having left and right independent drive wheels provided at the lower portion of the main body, a cleaning means composed of a floor nozzle and a fan motor, and a front portion. , Driving means for simultaneously driving a plurality of ultrasonic sensors provided in each of the rear, left, and right directions for each of the front, rear, left, and right direction groups, and the ultrasonic waves reflected from the obstacle for each of the front, rear, left, and right direction groups. Receiving means for receiving at the same time,
An ultrasonic independent drive receiving means for independently driving the plurality of ultrasonic sensors to receive reflected ultrasonic waves; and a timing means for periodically switching between the driving means, the receiving means and the ultrasonic independent drive receiving means. , Determination processing means for controlling the main body.

In order to achieve the third object, a third means for solving the problems is a steering and driving means having left and right independent drive wheels provided at a lower portion of the main body, a cleaning means composed of a floor nozzle and a fan motor, and a front portion. , Driving means for simultaneously driving a plurality of ultrasonic sensors provided in each of the rear, left, and right directions for each of the front, rear, left, and right direction groups, and the ultrasonic waves reflected from the obstacle for each of the front, rear, left, and right direction groups. Receiving means for receiving at the same time,
An ultrasonic independent drive receiving means for independently driving the plurality of ultrasonic sensors to receive reflected ultrasonic waves; and a timing means for periodically switching between the driving means, the receiving means and the ultrasonic independent drive receiving means. The forward / backward switching means for simultaneously driving the ultrasonic sensors only in the forward direction when the main body moves forward and the simultaneous driving of the ultrasonic sensors only in the backward direction for the reverse direction, and the judgment processing means for controlling the main body.

[0012]

According to the first means for solving the problems of the present invention, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors provided around the main body are simultaneously driven and received for each group of front, rear, left and right directions, and not only the ultrasonic waves emitted by themselves but also other ultrasonic sensors are emitted. By receiving the ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic sensor, almost all obstacles that cannot be detected are eliminated.

According to the second means for solving the problems, the timing means periodically switches between the case where the plurality of ultrasonic sensors are simultaneously driven and received for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and the case where the plurality of ultrasonic sensors are independently driven and received, At the same time as eliminating the obstacle that cannot be detected, the position of the obstacle is also detected.

According to the third means for solving the problems, the timing means periodically switches between the case where the plurality of ultrasonic sensors are simultaneously driven and received for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and the case where the plurality of ultrasonic sensors are independently driven and received, At the same time as eliminating undetectable obstacles, it also detects the position of the obstacles, and the forward / backward switching means simultaneously receives and receives the ultrasonic sensors in the forward direction only when moving forward, and detects the ultrasonic sensors in the backward direction only when moving backward. By simultaneously driving and receiving, only the necessary ultrasonic sensor is driven in a short cycle, and the moving speed of the cleaning robot can be increased by shortening the obstacle detection time.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a cleaning robot according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The overall configuration of the cleaning robot of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
Shown in. In FIG. 2, steering and driving means 2 having left and right independent drive wheels for moving to the lower part of the main body 1 of the cleaning robot.
And a caster 3, and a floor nozzle 4 provided at the bottom of the main body 1, a dust bag 5 provided at the center of the main body 1, and a cleaning means 7 composed of a fan motor 6. Further, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 8 for detecting obstacles such as walls and doors are provided, a manual operation handle 9 is provided on the upper portion of the main body 1, and an operation panel for switching between automatic cleaning and movement. The use mode switching means 10 is provided, and the inside of the main body 1 is provided with the determination processing means 11 for controlling the independent movement and the battery 12 as a power source.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic sensor 8 is provided with 8a, 8b and 8c for looking forward and 8d for looking right.
8e, 8f, 8g, 8h, 8i for looking back, and 8j, 8k, 8l for looking left.

Next, the operation of this cleaning robot will be described with reference to FIG. First, the operator selects the movement from the place A where the main body 1 is located by the use mode switching means 10, and moves the main body 1 to the place B while pressing the operating handle 9. Next, the automatic cleaning is selected by the use mode switching means 10 and the main body 1 is selected.
To start. The main body 1 moves forward, and once the front wall 13 is detected by the ultrasonic sensor 8, it stops once. Distance C
Swing backwards at an angle D proportional to. As a result, the moving width E is made equal to the length of the floor nozzle 4, and the cleaning is left unfinished. Similarly, when the wall 14 is detected, it temporarily stops. The same operation is repeated thereafter, and when the ultrasonic sensor 8 detects the side wall 15, the automatic cleaning operation is completed.
The judgment processing means 11 performs this series of operations.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. The battery 12 supplies electric power to the entire system, and the steering / driving means 2 and the cleaning means 7 are operated by the judgment processing means 11. Further, the determination processing means 11 causes the ultrasonic sensors 8a, 8b, 8c,
8d, 8e, 8f, 8g, 8h, 8i, 8j, 8k, 8
1 (hereinafter, referred to as an ultrasonic sensor 8 when all ultrasonic sensors are referred to) is driven and received for each group of front, rear, left and right.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
Using the front ultrasonic sensors 8a, 8b, 8c, the wall 17,
The operation of detecting 18 is shown. Ultrasonic waves on the walls 17, 1
The ultrasonic waves emitted forward from the ultrasonic sensor 8a are reflected by the wall 17,
It is reflected by 18 and reaches and can be detected by the ultrasonic sensors 8b and 8c, respectively. Since the ultrasonic sensor 8a has directivity in one direction, the ultrasonic wave emitted by itself does not return to itself when the walls 17 and 18 are tilted, so the ultrasonic sensor 8a
It cannot be detected by the independent drive of a.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The battery 12 supplies electric power to the entire system, and the steering / driving means 2 and the cleaning means 7 are used as the judgment processing means 11.
It is configured to operate with. Further, the determination processing means 11 causes the ultrasonic simultaneous drive receiving means 1 via the timing means 19.
6 and the ultrasonic wave independent drive receiving means 20 are periodically switched to drive the ultrasonic wave sensor 8.

The operation of the above configuration is as follows.
FIG. 7 shows an ultrasonic simultaneous drive receiving means 16, an ultrasonic independent drive receiving means 20 and an ultrasonic sensor 8 by the timing means 19.
7 shows the driving timing of the. In this example, front and rear ultrasonic sensors 8a, 8b, 8c, 8j, 8k, 8l
Are driving. When the ultrasonic independent drive receiving means 20 is driven, the front ultrasonic sensors 8a, 8b, 8c and the rear ultrasonic sensors 8j, 8k, 8l are independently and sequentially driven, and the ultrasonic simultaneous drive receiving means is provided at the next timing. When 16 is driven, the front ultrasonic sensors 8a, 8b and 8c are simultaneously driven in a group, and then the rear ultrasonic sensors 8j, 8k and 8l are driven.
Drive in groups at the same time. Hereinafter, this operation is repeated.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment according to the present invention.
The battery 12 supplies electric power to the entire system, and the steering / driving means 2 and the cleaning means 7 are operated by the judgment processing means 11. Further, the judgment processing means 11 drives the timing means 19 via the forward / backward movement switching means 21, and the timing means 19 periodically switches between the ultrasonic simultaneous drive receiving means 16 and the ultrasonic independent drive receiving means 20. The sound wave sensor 8 is driven.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below. FIG. 9 shows the timing of driving the ultrasonic simultaneous drive receiving means 16, the ultrasonic independent drive receiving means 20, and the ultrasonic sensor 8 by the timing means 19 which also uses the forward / reverse switching means 21. In this example, the forward and backward ultrasonic sensors 8
It drives a, 8b, 8c, 8j, 8k and 8l. When the ultrasonic independent drive receiving means 20 is driven, the front ultrasonic sensors 8a, 8b, 8c and the rear ultrasonic sensors 8j, 8 are shown.
k and 8l are sequentially driven independently, and when the ultrasonic simultaneous drive receiving means 16 is driven at the next timing, the front ultrasonic sensors 8a, 8b and 8c are simultaneously driven in groups. Hereinafter, this operation is repeated. This forward / reverse switching means 21
The ultrasonic sensors 8j, 8k, and
It takes less time to drive 8l in a group at the same time.

The battery of the cleaning robot of the present invention will be described below. In FIG. 10, the battery 12 supplies electric power to the entire system, and the steering / driving unit 2, the cleaning unit 7, and the ultrasonic sensor 8 are operated by the determination processing unit 11. Further, the judgment processing means 11 is configured to receive the signal from the use mode switching means 10 and determine the operation mode. At this time, the determination processing means 11 is configured to change the voltage detection level of the voltage detection means 23 having a plurality of voltage detection levels corresponding to the load of the battery 12 being driven. The voltage detecting means 23 is configured to detect the voltage of the battery 12 and output to the determination processing means 11 if a voltage drop of the battery 12 is detected at the voltage detection level. The judgment processing means 11 receives this signal and performs operations such as stopping the load.

The operation of this structure is as follows.
1 is a discharge curve diagram of the battery 12. In the figure, F is a discharge curve when the load is light, that is, the use current is small, and G is a discharge curve when the load is heavy, that is, the use current is large. When the load is light, discharging to a low voltage causes the battery 12 to be over-discharged, resulting in deterioration of life. Further, when the load is heavy, sufficient electric power cannot be taken out without discharging to a low voltage. Therefore, in the case of the curve F, the voltage V1 is switched to the final voltage of the battery 12, and in the case of the curve G, the voltage V2 is switched to the final voltage of the battery 12.

In FIG. 12, the battery 12 supplies electric power to the entire system, and the steering / driving means 2, the cleaning means 7 and the ultrasonic sensor 8 are operated by the judgment processing means 11. Further, the judgment processing means 11 is configured to receive the signal from the use mode switching means 10 and determine the operation mode. In response to a signal from the use mode switching means 22, a use mode corresponding voltage level switching means 24
Thus, the voltage detection level of the voltage detection means 23 is changed.

According to this method, since the voltage level is selected according to the usage mode, the over discharge protection of the battery 12 can be carried out with a simple structure in which the usage mode and the voltage level have a one-to-one correspondence.

In FIG. 13, the battery 12 supplies electric power to the entire system, and the steering / driving means 2, the cleaning means 7 and the ultrasonic sensor 8 are operated by the judgment processing means 11. Further, the judgment processing means 11 is configured to receive the signal from the use mode switching means 10 and determine the operation mode. The current supplied from the battery 12 is detected by the current detection means 25, and the voltage level of the voltage detection means 23 is changed according to the current value.

As an operation, FIG. 14 shows an example of the correlation between the discharge end voltage level and the current value. When the current value i4 is large, the voltage level V4 is low, and when the current value i3 is small, the voltage level V4 is high.
2 can be protected.

[0031]

According to the first problem solving means of the present invention, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors provided around the main body are simultaneously driven and received for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and not only the ultrasonic waves emitted by themselves are received. It is possible to provide a cleaning robot in which obstacles that cannot be detected are almost eliminated by receiving the ultrasonic waves emitted from other ultrasonic sensors.

According to the second means for solving the problems, the timing means periodically switches between the case where the plurality of ultrasonic sensors are simultaneously driven and received for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and the case where the plurality of ultrasonic sensors are independently driven and received, It is possible to provide a cleaning robot that eliminates obstacles that cannot be detected and at the same time detects the position of the obstacle.

According to the third means for solving the problems, the timing means periodically switches between the case where the ultrasonic sensors are simultaneously driven and received for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and the case where the ultrasonic sensors are individually driven and received, At the same time as eliminating the undetectable obstacle, it also detects the position of the obstacle, and the forward / reverse switching means simultaneously receives and receives the ultrasonic sensor in the forward direction only when moving forward, and the ultrasonic sensor in the backward direction only when moving backward. It is possible to provide a cleaning robot in which the moving speed of the cleaning robot is high by driving only the required ultrasonic sensor in a short cycle by shortening the obstacle detection time by simultaneously receiving and receiving.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cleaning robot showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of an ultrasonic sensor of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a cleaning robot showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a drive timing diagram of an ultrasonic sensor of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram of a cleaning robot showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a drive timing diagram of an ultrasonic sensor of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 11 is a discharge curve diagram of a battery used in the cleaning robot.

FIG. 12 is another block diagram of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 13 is another block diagram of the cleaning robot.

FIG. 14 is a correlation diagram of a battery end voltage and a current used in the cleaning robot.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 body 2 Steering and driving means 3 casters 7 Cleaning means 8 ultrasonic sensors 9 Operating handle 10 Usage mode switching means 11 Judgment processing means 12 batteries 16 Ultrasonic simultaneous drive receiving means 19 Timing means 20 Ultrasonic independent drive receiving means 21 Forward / reverse switching means 23 Voltage detection means 24 Usage mode voltage level switching means 25 Current detection means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mitsuyasu Ogawa 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Toshiaki Fujiwara 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Company (72) Inventor Osamu Eguchi 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hirofumi Inui 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Invention Takafumi Ishibashi 1006, Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Yoshifumi Takagi, Kadoma, Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture 1006 Kadoma, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Yoshiki Kuroki, Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture 1006 Kadoma, Ichimaji, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-5-46246 (JP, A) JP-A-5-100742 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47L 9/00 102 A47L 9/28

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A steering / driving means having left and right independent drive wheels provided at a lower portion of a main body, a cleaning means including a floor nozzle and a fan motor, and a plurality of cleaning means for each of front, rear, left and right directions. Driving means for simultaneously driving the ultrasonic sensors provided individually for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, receiving means for simultaneously receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the obstacle for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and controlling the independent movement of the main body Determination processing means for performing the ultrasonic sensor,
Each time, a cleaning robot that can receive not only the ultrasonic waves emitted by itself but also the ultrasonic waves emitted from other ultrasonic sensors. 2. Steering and driving means having left and right independent drive wheels provided at a lower portion of the main body, cleaning means composed of a floor nozzle and a fan motor, and a plurality of cleaning means for each of front, rear, left and right directions. Driving means for simultaneously driving the ultrasonic sensors provided individually for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, receiving means for simultaneously receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the obstacle for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and the plurality of ultrasonic waves Ultrasonic independent drive receiving means for independently driving the sensor to receive reflected ultrasonic waves, timing means for periodically switching the driving means, receiving means, and ultrasonic independent drive receiving means, and judgment for controlling the main body A cleaning robot provided with a processing means. 3. Steering and driving means having left and right independent drive wheels provided at the bottom of the main body, cleaning means composed of a floor nozzle and a fan motor, and a plurality of cleaning means for each of the front, rear, left and right directions. Driving means for simultaneously driving the ultrasonic sensors provided individually for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, receiving means for simultaneously receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the obstacle for each of the front, rear, left and right direction groups, and the plurality of ultrasonic waves Ultrasonic independent drive receiving means for independently driving the sensor to receive reflected ultrasonic waves, timing means for periodically switching the driving means, receiving means, and ultrasonic independent drive receiving means, and forward movement when the main body moves forward A cleaning robot provided with forward / reverse switching means for simultaneously driving ultrasonic sensors only in the backward direction and simultaneously driving ultrasonic sensors in the backward direction only, and a judgment processing means for controlling the main body.