JPH10272080A - Control method for floor cleaning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent contamination left on a floor surface by failure of squeezer falling operation in a floor cleaning machine. SOLUTION: When a hand operated cleaning switch and a start switch in an operation switch part 20 are operated, a main control part 23 sets control in a hand operated cleaning mode to set a cleaning means in an operating condition. As a handle switch 11 is operated to get on after this, a main body is run, and cleaning of a floor surface by hand operation becomes possible. In the case where the handle switch 11 is operated to get off at this time, forward movement of the main body is stopped, or driving of running motors 4, 5 is stopped. As a squeegee elevation switch in the operation switch part 20 is operated to facilitate retraction of the main body, a squeegee is moved up. As the handle switch 11 is operated to get on for continuing cleaning after retraction of the main body, control of a squeegee elevation motor 21 is performed to drive it to move the squeegee down as well as a main body running process.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control technique of a floor washer for automatically cleaning a floor while cleaning the floor, and more particularly, to performing an appropriate process for forgetting to operate a squeegee capable of automatically moving up and down. The present invention relates to a method for controlling a floor washer that prevents wastewater and dust from being left on the floor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This floor washing machine is, for example, shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, an ultrasonic sensor 2 for detecting a front wall and the like on the front surface of the main body 1 and an ultrasonic sensor 3 and the like for detecting both side walls and the like of a predetermined region on both side surfaces of the moving main body 1 are arranged. The driving motors 4 and 5 for the left and right wheels for driving the main body 1 are provided with rotary encoders 6 and 7 for detecting at least the traveling distance. Further, the main body 1 is provided with a cleaning means (cleaning mechanism) for cleaning the floor surface. The cleaning means includes a rotating brush, a water spraying means for spraying a detergent solution or the like, and a dirt (dirty water, dust, etc.) on the floor surface. ) Are collected and sucked.

The traveling of the main body 1 (cleaning traveling) can be set by an operation panel 9 shown in FIG. 5, and when traveling in accordance with the setting, the surroundings of the main body 1 are monitored by the ultrasonic sensors 2 and 3, Also check the position. For example, when a front wall surface is detected, the vehicle stops in the trouble of the wall surface and calculates the traveling distance up to that time. Thereafter, the main body 1 is turned over to start running in a row parallel to the front row. When the traveling distance becomes the same as that in the front row, the main body 1 is stopped, and thereafter, the main body 1 is reversed and the traveling is started again. By such repetition, it is possible to reciprocate while cleaning the floor surface of the predetermined area, so that cleaning can be performed without any trouble, that is, unmanned.

The operation panel 9 is provided with an elevation switch for the squeegee 8, an automatic cleaning mode switch, a manual cleaning mode switch, a start switch, etc. (not shown). When the switch is turned on, the cleaning means is activated. That is, as the brush of the cleaning means rotates, the detergent liquid or the like is sprinkled, the squeegee 8 is lowered, and dirty water and dust on the floor surface are sucked. When the steering wheel switch 11 provided on the steering wheel 10 is turned on, the drive motors 4 and 5 for the left and right wheels are drive-controlled, and the main body 1 travels. Therefore, similarly to the manual floor washer, the floor can be cleaned while manipulating the washer manually, and it is possible to clean a dangerous place or a difficult place such as a blind alley without an unmanned person.

[0005]

The floor washer having the automatic squeegee raising and lowering function and the automatic running function is not suitable for unattended cleaning, and the passage is a dead end as described above. Although cleaning is performed by manual operation, it is necessary to retreat the main body 1 by all means.

In this case, during cleaning, the handle switch 11
Is turned off (that is, after the forward movement of the main body 1 is stopped), the main body 1 is retracted.
, The squeegee 8 becomes a resistance,
The operator of the main body 1 needs power. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the squeegee 8 is in close contact with the floor surface. If the main body 1 is forcibly retracted, the squeegee 8 may be damaged. That is, since the squeegee 8 has a certain width and one end 8a of the squeegee 8 is longer, when the main body 1 is retracted, the end 8a of the rubber material is turned in the opposite direction (FIG. 7). This is because the tip portion 8a is damaged by repeated forward and backward movements.

Therefore, when retracting the main body 1, the operator usually operates the squeegee up / down switch to raise the squeegee 8. However, when the cleaning is resumed (when the cleaning is continued) after the main body 1 is retracted, if the squeegee 8 is forgotten to be lowered, that is, if the squeegee lifting switch is forgotten, the vehicle is moved forward. There is a problem that dirt (sewage, dust, etc.) remains.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described problems, and has as its object the purpose of lowering the floor surface even if the user forgets to lower the squeegee when cleaning is continued after the main body is retracted during manual cleaning. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of controlling a floor washer that can reliably perform cleaning without leaving dirt.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a squeegee for sucking dirt on a floor surface which can be automatically moved up and down and the main body can be automatically driven. A method for controlling a floor washer that cleans while traveling on a vehicle, further comprising a handle switch for automatically moving the main body, wherein the squeegee is turned on when the handle switch is turned on when the cleaning unit is in an operating state. Is automatically lowered.

According to the present invention, at least a squeegee for sucking dirt on a floor surface can be automatically raised and lowered, and the main body can be automatically driven. In a control method of a floor washer having a manual cleaning mode function capable of cleaning the floor surface by an operation, a handle switch for automatically running the main body is provided, and the manual cleaning mode is set, The squeegee is automatically lowered when the handle switch is turned on when the cleaning means is in the operating state.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG.
3 and 4, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts and corresponding parts, and the duplicated description will be omitted. 3 to 5 for the main body of the floor washer.

In FIG. 1, the control device to which the control method of the floor washer is applied is a control device for controlling the operation switch unit 2 when the cleaning means (cleaning mechanism) is operated by manual operation.
When the on operation of the handle switch 11 of 0 is detected, a squeegee lifting / lowering motor 21 of the squeegee 8 is driven via a drive circuit (relay circuit) 22 to control a lowering of the squeegee 8 with a main control unit (CPU board) 23. It has. The operation switch unit 20 is a handle switch 1
In addition to 1, various switches of the operation panel 9 shown in FIG. 6 are included.

Further, the control device includes a main body 1 for detecting a distance to a front wall surface or a side wall surface of the main body 1 or the like.
An ultrasonic sensor unit 24 having ultrasonic sensors 2, 3 and the like disposed on the front and both side surfaces of the ultrasonic sensor 2,
And a sub control unit (CPU board) 25 that measures the distance to the front wall surface, the side wall surface, and the floor surface based on the detection signal, and outputs the distance to the main control unit 23.

The main control unit 23 performs control (running and cleaning) in accordance with other switch operations of the operation switch unit 20 in addition to the functions described above. Based on encoder pulses and the like from the encoders 6 and 7, control instructions such as running (including speed) and reversing (including shifting) are issued, while necessary information for enabling reciprocating traveling in a predetermined area is stored. The drive wheel control circuit 26 outputs drive signals for the drive motors 4 and 5 in accordance with a control instruction from the main control unit 23,
Drives the drive motors 4 and 5 according to the drive signal.

Next, the operation of the control device having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2. In order to perform cleaning by manual operation which is a function of the floor washer, a person handling the floor washer. Is operating the manual cleaning switch of the operation switch unit 20 to select the manual cleaning mode. Then, the main control unit 23 executes the routine shown in FIG. 2, and determines whether or not the squeegee elevating switch of the operation switch unit 20 is pressed (step ST1).

When the squeegee lifting switch is turned on, the squeegee 8 is controlled to move up and down (step ST2).
For example, the squeegee 8 is lowered when the descending switch is turned on, and the squeegee 8 is raised when the rising switch is turned on. That is, the squeegee 8 can be moved up and down according to the switch operation of the operator. If the operator does not perform the switch operation, the process proceeds from step ST1 to ST3.

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the start switch of the operation switch unit 20 has been pressed (step ST).
3). The start switch issues an instruction to start cleaning by the floor washer (operation of the cleaning means, running is possible). Therefore, if the start switch is not pressed, the process proceeds to step ST4, in which the cleaning operation is kept stopped, that is, the cleaning unit is not operated, the vehicle does not travel, the process returns to step ST1, and the above-described process is repeated. become.

When the start switch is pressed,
The process proceeds from step ST3 to ST5 to execute a process of lowering the squeegee 8. However, this process is performed only when the start switch is last pressed, and the squeegee 8 is not lowered after the second time. When the squeegee 8 has already been lowered, the execution of the process is not performed. Therefore, even if the operator forgets to operate the squeegee elevating switch, the squeegee 8 is automatically lowered. Subsequently, the cleaning means of the floor washer is set to the operating state (step ST6), that is, the brush is rotated, the detergent liquid or the like is sprinkled on the floor surface, and the liquid sprinkled by the squeegee 8 is collected and sucked.

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the handle switch 11 of the handle 10 has been pressed (step ST).
7). When the operator turns on the handle switch 11 in order to operate the floor washer to clean the floor, the process proceeds from step ST7 to ST8 to execute a process of lowering the squeegee 8. When the squeegee 8 has already been lowered, the execution of the process is not performed. Subsequently, the traveling process of the floor washer is executed (step ST9), that is, the driving motors 4 and 5 are driven, the operator can freely operate the main body 1, and the process returns to step ST1 to perform the above-described process. repeat. Thus, the operator can freely operate the floor washer to clean the floor surface.

Here, when the operator turns off the handle switch 11 in a state in which the start switch is turned on in order to retreat the main body 1, that is, in the cleaning operation state,
The process proceeds from step ST7 to ST10, executes a traveling stop process of the floor washer, and returns to step ST1. That is,
The driving of the driving motors 4 and 5 is stopped to stop the advance of the main body 1.

At this time, for the reason explained in the conventional example, the operator operates the squeegee lifting switch of the operation switch section 20 to raise the squeegee 8. When the handle switch 11 is turned on in order to continue cleaning after the main body 1 has been retracted as desired, steps ST7 to ST8
To execute the process of lowering the squeegee 8. In addition,
The operator does not forget to operate the squeegee lifting switch, and does not execute the process when the squeegee 8 is already lowered.

As described above, when the handle switch 11 is operated during the cleaning in the manual cleaning mode, the squeegee 8 automatically descends. Therefore, after the squeegee 8 is raised to retreat the main body 1 and the squeegee 8 is continuously cleaned, 8
Even if the user forgets to remove the squeegee, the squeegee 8 automatically descends, so that the floor surface can be reliably cleaned without any remaining dirt (dirty water, trash, etc.) on the floor surface.

The floor washer has both a manual cleaning function and an automatic cleaning function. However, even if the floor washer has only a manual cleaning function (manual type), the automatic squeegee raising and lowering function can be performed. It is clear that the present invention can be applied as long as it has an automatic running function of the body. In this case, the squeegee may be lowered when a switch lever (running switch) of the manual floor washer is turned on instead of the handle switch 11.

[0024]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the control method of the floor washer, the squeegee for sucking at least the dirt on the floor can be automatically raised and lowered, and the squeegee can travel on the floor. In a method of controlling a floor washer that performs cleaning, a handle switch for automatically moving the main body is provided, and when the handle switch is turned on when the cleaning unit is in an operating state, the squeegee is automatically turned on. If the squeegee is raised to retreat the main unit during floor cleaning, the squeegee will automatically be turned off even if you forget to lower the squeegee when cleaning is continued after retreating. Since it descends, there is an effect that cleaning can be surely performed without leaving dirt on the floor surface, and there is also an automatic squeegee elevating function and an automatic squeegee function. If floor cleaning machine having a drive function, it can be applied to a manual floor cleaning machines.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the squeegee for sucking at least the dirt on the floor surface can be automatically raised and lowered, and the main body can be automatically driven. Cleaning mode function,
In a control method of a floor washer having a manual cleaning mode function capable of cleaning the floor surface by manual operation,
The squeegee is automatically lowered when the handle switch is turned on when the manual cleaning mode is set, and the cleaning unit is in an operating state, and a handle switch for automatically moving the main body is provided. If you raise the squeegee to retract the main unit during cleaning in the manual cleaning mode, even if you forget to lower the squeegee when you continue cleaning after retreating,
Because the squeegee descends automatically, the floor surface can be cleaned without leaving any dirt, and depending on the automatic cleaning mode, it is possible to manually clean places that are difficult or dangerous to clean. In the cleaning mode, cleaning can be performed reliably, and the quality of the floor washer can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention to which a control method of a floor washer is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart for explaining the operation of the control device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the floor washer.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a floor washer.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a floor washer.

FIG. 6 is a schematic partial side sectional view of a squeegee of the floor washer.

FIG. 7 is a schematic partial side sectional view of a squeegee of the floor washer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body (floor washing machine) 8 Squeegee 8a Tip part (of squeegee 8) 9 Operation panel 10 Handle 11 Handle switch 20 Operation switch unit 21 Squeegee elevating motor 22 Drive circuit 23 Main control unit (CPU board)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of controlling a floor washer, wherein at least a squeegee for sucking dirt on a floor surface is capable of automatically ascending and descending, and the main body is capable of automatic traveling, and the cleaning is performed while traveling on the floor surface. A floor switch having a handle switch for automatically moving the main body, wherein the squeegee is automatically lowered when the handle switch is turned on when the cleaning means is in an operating state. Machine control method. 2. An automatic cleaning mode function for automatically raising and lowering a squeegee for sucking dirt on at least the floor surface and automatically running the main body, and an automatic cleaning mode function for performing automatic cleaning while traveling on the floor surface. A method of controlling the floor washer having a manual cleaning mode function that enables the floor surface to be cleaned by a handle switch for automatically running the main body, wherein the manual cleaning mode is set, A method of controlling a floor washer, wherein the squeegee is automatically lowered when the handle switch is turned on while the cleaning means is in an operating state.