JPH0747039A - Self-mobile cleaning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a self-mobile electric cleaning machine which can clean every nook and corner by furnishing an obstacle sensing means around the machine body, conducting the cleaning by self-running while a driving means and steering means are being controlled, and also drawing out a handle of accommodation type capable of expansion and contraction so that it is practicable to make manual cleaning. CONSTITUTION:The body 1 of this electric cleaning machine of self-mobile type runs by itself under control of a running control means 21 while a left and a right driving wheel 2L/2R are decelerated individually by a left and a right drive motors 3L/3R. Any obstacle such as wall, column, etc., is sensed by a touch sensing means 12 furnished around the machine body 1, and the distance from eventual obstacle is measured 22 while the direction is measured 23, and the results are fed to the control means 21. Upon the fed data, the means 21 performs steering while controlling the follower wheels. A floor nozzle 18 cleans the floor surface, and the collected dust is sent to a dust collecting chamber 15 through a pipe 19. When a pedal 40 is stamped, a handle 45 of accommodation type capable of expansion and contraction protrudes backward aslant under the guidance of a guide 46. The handle 45 is operated to perform manual cleaning. This constitution allows cleaning of a wide place in reciprocative motions by self-running and also narrow places to every nook and corner by manual operation, which leads to enhancement of the working efficiency.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-propelled cleaner such as an automatic floor cleaner, an automatic floor finisher, etc., which automatically cleans while repeating reciprocating movement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various types of mobile work robots have been developed in which a work drive device, sensors, travel control means and the like are added to a work machine to automatically perform work. One of them is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner, which has a suction nozzle, a brush, etc. at the bottom of the main body as a cleaning function, and a traveling and steering means and an obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle during traveling as a moving function. A position recognizing means for recognizing the position is provided, and while moving along the wall around the cleaning place by the obstacle detecting means, the position recognizing means recognizes the cleaning area and reciprocates in the entire cleaning area. It is to be cleaned automatically. The movement of the main body between the cleaning areas and the like is performed by a person.

The structure of a conventional self-propelled cleaner is shown in FIG.
When moving between cleaning areas, the cleaning means 18 near the floor surface
The position at the time of automatic cleaning shown in the figure is as it is, and there is no handle for a person to move the main body 1, and the main body 1 is directly pushed and moved.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional self-propelled cleaner, when a person moves the main body between cleaning areas, the cleaning is basically not performed at this time, but the area near the floor surface is not cleaned. Since the cleaning means is still falling near the floor surface, it collides with steps such as sills between rooms and projections from the floor surface, and since there is no handle for this collision and movement operation, it is difficult to move. there were. Further, it has been impossible to thoroughly clean a relatively narrow or complex area having many obstacles only by autonomously moving and cleaning the main body without human intervention (hereinafter referred to as autonomous mobile cleaning).

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the conventional self-propelled cleaner described above, and is provided with a retractable handle, a retractable pedal, an interlocking means, and an elevating means. When a person moves the body between cleaning areas, the handle and pedal are interlocked to facilitate the movement operation and prevent the cleaning means near the floor from colliding with a step or a protrusion,
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a self-propelled cleaner that can store a handle and a pedal in association with each other during autonomous cleaning.

Further, in relation to the first object, carelessly, the steering wheel and the pedal are removed from the main body to perform the autonomous moving cleaning, and the obstacle detecting means detects them, so that the main body malfunctions. A second object is to provide a self-propelled cleaner that can prevent these from colliding with an obstacle.

Further, in addition to the autonomous mobile cleaning, it is possible to provide a manual cleaning in which a person cleans while operating the movement, and to provide a self-propelled cleaner capable of automatically discriminating between autonomous mobile cleaning and manual cleaning. Is the third purpose.

[0008]

The first means of the present invention for achieving the first object is a drive means and a steering means for moving the main body, and a movement of the main body by controlling the drive means and the steering means. A traveling control means for controlling, an obstacle detecting means for detecting obstacles around the main body, a cleaning means for cleaning work, a retractable retractable handle, and an elevating means for elevating the cleaning means near the floor surface. A self-propelled vacuum cleaner is provided with a pedal that is operated to slide up and down to be housed in the main body, and interlocking means that interlocks the sliding movement 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 cleaner including a handle position detecting means for detecting the expansion / contraction position of the handle in addition to the first means. Is.

A third means of the present invention for achieving the third object comprises, in addition to the second means, an elevating / lowering detecting means for detecting an elevating / lowering state of the cleaning means near the floor surface. The self-propelled cleaner includes a manual cleaning unit that operates the cleaning unit based on the outputs of the lift detection unit and the handle position detection unit.

[0011]

The first means of the present invention is a retractable retractable handle, an elevating means for elevating and lowering the cleaning means near the floor, a pedal which is operated to slide and is accommodated in the main body. By providing interlocking means that interlocks the sliding movement of the pedal with the expansion and contraction of the handle, when a person moves the body such as between cleaning areas, the handle is pulled out to operate the movement, while the movement of the handle is interlocked. The protruding pedal can be operated to operate the elevating means to raise the vicinity of the floor surface, and when performing autonomous movement cleaning, the handle and pedal are interlocked and stored in the main body, and the cleaning means near the floor surface is removed. It can be lowered.

Further, the second means of the present invention is provided with the handle position detecting means for detecting the expansion / contraction position of the handle, so that the handle and the pedal are automatically moved and cleaned while protruding from the main body, thereby obstructing them. It is possible to prevent the main body from malfunctioning or the collision of the main body with an obstacle due to the detection by the object detection means.

Further, the third means of the present invention is provided with the elevation detecting means and the manual cleaning means for operating the cleaning means based on the outputs of the elevation detecting means and the handle position detecting means. Instead, it is also possible to perform manual cleaning in which a person cleans while operating the movement when the cleaning means near the floor surface is lowered and the handle is pulled out. Then, it is possible to automatically discriminate between the automatic cleaning, the manual cleaning and the movement based on the combination of the outputs of the lift detecting means and the handle position detecting means.

[0014]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) The construction of a self-propelled cleaner which is an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view thereof (cross section AA in FIG. 1). 1 is a main body of a self-propelled cleaner (hereinafter simply referred to as a main body), 2L and 2R are drive wheels provided on the left and right sides of the main body 1, respectively. The drive motors 3L and 3R are independent left and right via speed reducers 4L and 4R. Driven. 5 L
Reference numeral 5R is a rotation detecting means composed of a rotary encoder or the like connected to the drive motors 3L and 3R, respectively, and detects the rotational speed of the drive motors 3L and 3R. Reference numeral 9 is a follower wheel rotatably attached to the main body 1. Above, drive wheels 2L ・ 2
The R, the drive motors 3L and 3R, the speed reducers 4L and 4R, the rotation detectors 5L and 5R, and the driven wheel 9 constitute a drive unit and a steering unit for moving the main body 1. 31 is a storage battery,
Electric power is supplied to the entire main body 1. Reference numeral 12 denotes a contact detection means that projects from the main body 1 around the main body 1, and detects contact of obstacles such as wall surfaces around the main body, pillars on the floor, protrusions, steps, furniture, and people. Reference numeral 22 denotes a distance measuring unit that measures the distance to an obstacle around the main body 1, and is composed of an ultrasonic sensor provided around the main body 1. As described above, the contact detection means 12,
The distance measuring means 22 constitutes an obstacle detecting means for detecting obstacles around the main body 1. Reference numeral 23 is a direction measuring means for measuring the direction of the main body, which uses a rate gyro in this embodiment. Reference numeral 21 is a traveling control means for controlling the drive motors 3L and 3R to control traveling of the main body 1. Reference numeral 14 is an electric blower, 15 is a dust collecting chamber, and 16 and 17 are 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. Above, 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 means. In the present description, the cleaning means near the floor is the floor nozzle 18. Reference numeral 45 denotes a retractable retractable handle, which is stored in the main body 1 in FIG. 1 and slides along a handle guide 46. The handle guide 46 can regulate the expansion / contraction direction of the handle 45 and fix / release the position. Reference numeral 35 denotes an elevating arm supported by an elevating fulcrum shaft 34 fixed to the main body 1 and having an elongated hole 42 (see FIG. 5). The opposite end of the elongated hole 42 is fixed to the floor nozzle 18. It is supported by the lifting action point shaft 33. As described above, the lifting arm 35, the lifting fulcrum shaft 34,
The up-and-down action point shaft 33 constitutes up-and-down means for moving up and down the floor nozzle 18 which is a cleaning means near the floor surface. Reference numeral 40 denotes a pedal that can be housed in the main body 1 and that operates the elevating arm 35. The drawing shows the housed state. The front slide shaft 38 and the rear slide shaft 41 provided in the pedal 40 are oblong holes provided in the elevating arm 35. Slide along 42. Notches are provided in the main body 1 and the contact detection means 12 at the position where the pedal 40 is pulled out. A protrusion 50 for locking the position of the pedal 40 when the floor nozzle 18 is raised is provided on the side surface of the notch of the main body 1. Locking and unlocking use the left and right backlash of the entire lifting means. Reference numeral 37 denotes an interlocking lever that interlocks the operation of pulling out / storing the pedal 40 with that of the retractable handle 45. One end of the interlocking branch shaft 39 is fixed to the main body 1 and the front slide shaft 38 is fixed to the pedal 40. The interlocking force point shaft 43 fixed to the lower end of the retractable handle 45 is connected and supported by the long holes 44 'and 44 (see FIG. 5) having a relatively large dimensional allowance for each shaft diameter. Above, interlocking lever 37, interlocking fulcrum shaft 3
9, the interlocking force point shaft 43 and the front slide shaft 38 constitute 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, and distance measuring means 2
2. Outputs of the contact detection means 12 and the direction measurement means 23 are transmitted to the traveling control means 21. The traveling control means 21 judges these outputs and outputs a control signal to the drive motors 3L and 3R to control the moving direction and traveling 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 a movement pattern for autonomous movement cleaning of the self-propelled cleaner of this embodiment. The cleaning area is within the rectangular frame. First, the forward movement is started from the start position S. Then, the front wall surface w1 is detected, or the front wall surface w1 is stopped after a certain distance L, and the main body 1 is moved toward the cleaning wall surface w.
Change to the 3rd side a little, and then start the retreat. 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. After that, the cleaning is advanced by repeating this process, and when the side wall surface w3 is detected, the autonomous moving cleaning ends. At this time, the angle at which the main body 1 changes direction is set to advance in the cleaning direction by a predetermined cleaning width W by one forward and backward reciprocation.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, a handle, a lifting means,
The operation of the pedal and the interlocking means will be described. The illustration shows the handle 4
5, the floor nozzle 18 is in a lowered state at a position where both the pedal 40 and the pedal 40 are housed in the main body 1, and this is a state during autonomous movement cleaning. Now, from this state, the retractable handle 4
Pull out 5 in the direction of arrow A. Then, the interlocking force point shaft 43 also moves in the arrow A direction, and as a result of the elongated hole 44 following this movement, the interlocking lever 37 rotates in the arrow C direction with the interlocking fulcrum shaft 39 as a fulcrum. The front slide shaft 38, which is the point of action of the interlocking movement, moves in the direction of arrow D along the elongated hole 42, and the rear slide shaft 41 also moves in the direction of arrow D. Therefore, the pedal 40 moves in the direction D. It projects from the main body 1.
The above is the interlocking pull-out 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 elevating arm 35 via the front slide shaft 38 and the rear slide shaft 41, so that the elevating arm 35 rotates about the elevating fulcrum shaft 34 as a fulcrum. The raising / lowering action point shaft 33 rises in the direction of the arrow b, and the floor nozzle 18 rises. When the pedal 40 is locked at this position, the floor nozzle 18 rises and the handle 40 is pulled out, which is a moving state. Further, when the handle 45 is housed in the main body 1 again, the above-mentioned interlocking withdrawal is the reverse interlocking retracting operation. At this time, the lock of the pedal 40 is automatically released, the floor nozzle 18 naturally descends due to its own weight, and the state in which the handle 45 and the pedal 40 are housed is in the state of autonomous movement cleaning.

As described above, at the time of autonomous movement cleaning, both the unnecessary handle 45 and the pedal 40 can be stored by interlocking them only by the storing operation of the handle 45. Therefore, the protruding portion can be eliminated from the main body 1, thus obstructing the obstacle. The detection means does not erroneously detect both of them and neither collides with an obstacle around them. When a person moves the body between cleaning areas or the like, an easy movement operation can be realized by pulling out the handle 45 by hand and using it as a handle for the movement operation while keeping the standing posture. By depressing 40 with a foot to lock and raising the floor nozzle 18,
It is possible to prevent the floor nozzle 18 from colliding with a step or a protrusion.

In the present description, the floor nozzle 18 for suction cleaning is mentioned as the cleaning means near the floor surface, but a pad for floor cleaning and polishing, an outlet for spraying detergent, a rubber or brush for sweeping dust and water, etc. You can use the cleaning tool.

Further, the movement pattern of the autonomous movement cleaning described in FIG. 4 is an example, and other movement patterns may be used.

(Embodiment 2) The construction of a self-propelled cleaner as an embodiment of the second means of the present invention will be described below. Since the details of the main body structure are basically the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the first embodiment, description of common parts will be omitted, and only additional parts related to this embodiment will be described. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 48 denotes a handle position detecting means, and a contact portion 49 provided on the handle 45 contacts the handle 45 at a position where the handle 45 is housed in the main body 1,
It is composed of a limit switch that detects this contact.

Next, the control configuration of this embodiment will be described based on the control block diagram of FIG. As for the control block,
Since it is basically the same as the first embodiment, the description of the common parts will be omitted and only the additional parts related to this 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 means 21 controls the autonomous movement cleaning only after the handle position detection means 48 detects the contact, that is, the handle 45 is housed in the main body 1.

As described above, the inadvertent cleaning of the handle 40 is forgotten, and the self-moving cleaning is performed. The obstacle detecting means detects the protruding handle 45 and the pedal 40, and the main body malfunctions. It is possible to prevent the vehicle from colliding with the vehicle or keeping the floor nozzle 18 raised. That is, it is possible to realize reliable and autonomous autonomous cleaning.

(Embodiment 3) The construction of a self-propelled cleaner as an embodiment of the third means of the present invention will be described below. Since the details of the main body structure are basically the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the second embodiment, description of common parts will be omitted, and only additional parts related to this embodiment will be described. In FIG. 1, 47 is an up-and-down detection means, which is composed of a limit switch that detects the contact of the floor nozzle 18 when the floor nozzle 18 moves up.

Next, the control configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to the control block diagram of FIG. As for the control block,
Since it is basically the same as the second embodiment, the description of the common parts will be omitted and only the additional parts related to this 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 the traveling control means 2
1 has a manual cleaning means 52. The manual cleaning means 52 only drives the electric blower 14 which is the cleaning means and the rotary brush provided on the floor nozzle 18, and the moving operation of the main body 1 is performed by a person. Further, in the manual cleaning means 52, neither the handle position detecting means 48 nor the elevation detecting means 47 detects the contact, that is, the handle 45 is pulled out and the floor nozzle 18 is pulled out.
It operates only when is lowered.

As described above, not only the autonomous mobile cleaning but also the manual cleaning in which a person cleans while operating the movement can be performed.
Even areas that could not be completely cleaned by autonomous mobile cleaning can be thoroughly cleaned. Then, by the combination of the outputs of the lift detecting means 47 and the handle position detecting means 48,
If only the handle position detecting means 48 detects contact, autonomous cleaning is performed, and if neither is detected, manual cleaning,
If only the up-and-down detecting means 47 detects the movement, it is possible to automatically discriminate the movement and each state.

[0027]

As described above, according to the first means of the present invention, the retractable retractable handle, the elevating means for elevating the cleaning means near the floor surface, and the elevating means are operated to slide. By providing a pedal that is stored in the main body and interlocking means that interlocks the sliding motion of the pedal with the expansion and contraction of the handle, both unnecessary handle and pedal are interlocked and stored by only the handle storing operation during autonomous cleaning. In this way, the obstacle detection means does not erroneously detect both of them, and both do not collide with the surrounding obstacles, and when a person moves the main body such as between cleaning areas, keep the handle in a standing posture. By pulling it out by hand and using it as a handle for moving operation, easy moving operation can be realized, and by operating the pedal protruding in conjunction with it, the cleaning means near the floor surface is raised to move to a step or a protrusion. One in which it is possible to prevent the collision.

Further, according to the second means of the present invention, by providing the handle position detecting means for detecting the expansion / contraction position of the handle, the autonomous moving cleaning is performed while the handle is inadvertently forgotten, and the handle is projected. It is possible to prevent the main body from malfunctioning due to the obstacle detection means detecting the handle and the pedal, collision with the main body, and the cleaning means near the floor surface being kept raised. .

According to the third means of the present invention, the autonomous moving cleaning is provided by providing the ascending / descending detecting means and the manual cleaning means for operating the cleaning means based on the outputs of the ascending / descending detecting means and the handle position detecting means. Not only can it be manually cleaned by a person operating it while operating it, but also the combination of the outputs of the ascending / descending detection means and the handle position detection means can automatically distinguish between autonomous movement cleaning, manual cleaning and movement. Is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a self-propelled vacuum cleaner as an embodiment of the 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 travel control means of the self-propelled cleaner.

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

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

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 main body 2 drive wheel 3 drive motor 4 speed reducer 5 rotation detector 9 driven wheel 12 contact detection means 14 electric blower 15 dust collection chamber 16, 17 filter 18 floor nozzle 19 connecting pipe 21 travel control means 22 distance measuring means 33 elevating action point Axis 34 Lifting fulcrum shaft 35 Lifting arm 37 Interlocking lever 38 Front slide shaft (interlocking action point) 39 Interlocking fulcrum shaft 40 Pedal 43 Interlocking force point shaft 47 Lifting detection means 48 Handle position detection means 52 Manual cleaning means

Front page continuation (72) Hidetaka Yabuuchi 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Mitsuyasu Ogawa, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshiaki Fujiwara 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Osamu Eguchi Kadoma-shi, Osaka Prefecture 1006 Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inhiro Hirofumi Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Daiji Kadoma 1006 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takafumi Ishibashi Osaka Kadoma City Kadoma 1006 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kuroki Yoshitaka Kuroda 1006 Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. In the company

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A drive means and a steering means for moving the main body, a travel control means for controlling the drive means and the steering means to control the movement of the main body, and an obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle around the main body. Cleaning means for performing cleaning work, retractable retractable handle, elevating means for elevating and lowering the cleaning means near the floor, pedals that are slid into the body by operating the elevating means, and sliding operation of the pedals Self-propelled vacuum cleaner equipped with interlocking means that interlocks with the expansion and contraction of the handle. 2. The self-propelled vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a handle position detection means for detecting the expansion / contraction position of the handle. 3. A lift detecting means for detecting the lift status of the cleaning means near the floor surface is provided, and the traveling control means has a manual cleaning means for operating the cleaning means based on the outputs of the lift detecting means and the handle position detecting means. The self-propelled vacuum cleaner according to claim 2.