KR20000001767A - Suction apparatus of a driving robot for a robot cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An inhale device of a traveling robot for a robot cleaner is provided to reduce a shock generated when passing over an obstruction such as a threshold. CONSTITUTION: The inlet device of a traveling robot for a robot cleaner comprises:a handy cleaner(200) connected with an inlet pipe(102) of a traveling robot(100); an inlet device(600) installed in the lower part of the inlet pipe(102); a first extended pipe(610) extensively installed in the lower part of the inlet pipe(102); an inlet body(630) to inlet foreign matters such as dusts by sticking to the floor.

Description

Suction device of traveling robot for robot cleaner

The present invention relates to a robot cleaner, and more particularly to a suction device for a robot cleaner traveling robot that can attenuate an impact generated when an obstacle such as a threshold passes, as well as easily pass the obstacle.

In general, a robot cleaner refers to a device that automatically cleans an area to be cleaned by inhaling foreign substances such as dust from the floor while traveling by itself in the area to be cleaned without a user's manipulation.

The robot cleaner determines the distance to the obstacles such as furniture, office supplies, and walls installed in the cleaning area through the distance sensor, and selectively drives the left wheel motor and the right wheel motor of the robot cleaner, thereby switching the direction by itself. Clean it.

Conventional robot cleaner control device is composed of a robot cleaner and a personal computer (500) consisting of a traveling robot 100 and a handy cleaner (200), as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the robot cleaner and a personal computer (500) ) Are provided with antennas 180 and 510 and a wireless transmitting and receiving unit (not shown) to enable wireless communication.

The robot cleaner is composed of a traveling robot 100 and a handy cleaner 200, the handy cleaner 200 is to be coupled / separated with the traveling robot 100, dust on the traveling robot 100 Power supply for charging to the suction unit 101 and the suction pipe 102 for sucking foreign substances such as back, the rear wheel 103 for improving the running stability of the traveling robot 100, the battery (not shown) of the traveling robot 100 It is provided with a power supply terminal 104 for supplying.

In addition, the suction pipe 102 is configured to communicate the suction port (not shown) of the handy vacuum cleaner 200 with the suction part 101 when the handy vacuum cleaner 200 is coupled to the traveling robot 100.

In addition, the front surface of the traveling robot 100 is provided with a wide sensor 105 consisting of a plurality of infrared transmitting element 106 and the infrared receiving element 107 for detecting an obstacle, the driving robot 100 The upper part is provided with a CCD camera 110, a laser light emitting element 130 and an antenna 180, the lower wheel motor for driving the left wheel 141 and the right wheel 156, respectively, in the lower portion of the traveling robot 100 ( 140 and the right wheel motor 155, the left wheel encoder 150 and the right wheel encoder 165 for detecting the rotation state of the left wheel motor 140 and the right wheel motor 155 is provided.

In addition, the handy cleaner 200 has a suction port (not shown) in communication with the suction pipe 102 of the traveling robot 100 and the suction motor generating a suction force when the handy cleaner 200 is coupled to the traveling robot 100. (Not shown) and a dust collecting chamber (not shown) in which foreign matter such as dust sucked by the suction force generated by the suction motor is stored.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 3, the robot cleaner 100, the handy cleaner 200, and the handy cleaner 200 are coupled to the traveling robot 100 when the robot cleaner 100 is coupled to the traveling robot 100. The robot cleaner including a power supply connector 302 and a control signal connector 304, which is electrically connected to the handy cleaner 200, and a personal computer 500.

The traveling robot 100 includes a wide sensor 105, a CCD camera 110, a CCD camera driver 115, a camera motor 120, a camera motor driver 125, a laser light emitting device 130, and a laser. Light transmitting element driving unit 135, left wheel motor 140, left wheel motor driving unit 145, left wheel encoder 150, right wheel motor 155, right wheel motor driving unit 160, right wheel encoder 165, traveling robot control unit ( 170), the traveling robot battery 175, the antenna 180, and the first wireless transmission and reception unit 185 is configured.

The wide sensor 105 detects an obstacle located in front of the traveling robot 100 and inputs it to the traveling robot control unit 170. The plurality of infrared transmitting devices 106 arranged horizontally and the infrared transmitting device are arranged. The infrared rays transmitted from 106 are composed of an infrared receiver 107 that receives infrared rays reflected by obstacles.

The CCD camera driver 115 drives the CCD camera 110 under the control of the traveling robot controller 170 so that the CCD camera 110 photographs the surrounding environment of the cleaning area to the traveling robot controller 170. The camera motor driver 125 drives the camera motor 120 according to the control of the traveling robot controller 170 to drive the CCD camera 110 and the laser light emitting device 130 at a predetermined angle. It is supposed to rotate.

The camera motor 120 is implemented as a stepping motor so that the driving robot controller 170 easily rotates the CCD camera 110 and the laser light emitting device 130 at a desired angle.

In addition, the laser light emitting device driver 135 drives the laser light emitting device 130 under the control of the traveling robot controller 170 to generate a laser light in a surrounding environment of the cleaning area photographed by the CCD camera 110. It is intended to form a point.

At this time, the laser light emitting device 130 is fixed to rotate integrally with the CCD camera 110 and at a predetermined angle toward the front surface to form a laser light point in the surrounding environment photographed by the CCD camera 110. It is fixed as.

The left wheel motor driving unit 145 and the right wheel motor driving unit 160 are driven to drive the driving robot 100 by driving the left wheel motor 140 and the right wheel motor 155 under the control of the driving robot control unit 170. The left wheel encoder 150 and the right wheel encoder 165 are installed to detect a rotation state of the left wheel motor 140 and the right wheel motor 155 and input the same to the driving robot controller 170.

The traveling robot controller 170 is a cleaner controller 220 of the handy cleaner 200 through the control signal connector 304 of the connector 300 in a state in which the handy cleaner 200 is coupled to the traveling robot 100. The cleaning start signal is input from the driving robot 100 to control the entire operation. When the cleaning start signal is input from the cleaner controller 220, the laser beam transmitting element driving unit 135 is controlled to control the laser beam transmitting element. The 130 transmits laser light toward the surrounding environment, and controls the CCD camera driver 115 and the camera motor driver 125 to rotate the CCD camera 110 and the laser light emitting device 130 at a predetermined angle. While photographing the surrounding environment of the cleaning area, and inputs the image data photographed by the CCD camera 110 to the first wireless transmitting and receiving unit 185, the image data analysis result from the first wireless transmitting and receiving unit 185 Take note It controls the entire operation of the robot 100.

In addition, when the driving robot control unit 170 drives the traveling robot 100, the left wheel motor driving unit 145 according to signals input from the wide sensor 105, the left wheel encoder 150, and the right wheel encoder 165. ) And the right wheel motor driver 160 to control the driving robot 100 to accurately travel along the driving path.

The mobile robot battery 175 receives power from an external charging device through the charging power terminal 104 and charges the power, and supplies the power required to drive the driving robot 100, and at the same time, the handy cleaner 200. ) Is coupled to the traveling robot 100 to supply power to the handy cleaner 200 through the power connector 302 of the connector unit 300.

In addition, the first wireless transmission and reception unit 185 receives the image data photographed by the CCD camera 110 from the traveling robot control unit 170 and transmits to the personal computer 500 through the antenna 180, The image data analysis result transmitted from the personal computer 500 is received through the antenna 180 and input to the driving robot controller 170.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, the handy cleaner 200 includes an operation unit 205, a suction motor 210, a suction motor driving unit 215, a cleaner control unit 220, and a cleaner battery 225. Consists of.

The operation unit 205 is configured to input a cleaning start signal for operating the handy cleaner 200 to the cleaner control unit 220 according to a user's operation, and the cleaner control unit 220 starts cleaning from the operation unit 205. When the signal is input, while controlling the suction motor driver 215 to drive the suction motor 210 and at the same time through the control signal connector 304 of the connector 300 to the cleaning robot control unit 170 to start the cleaning signal On the other hand, when the cleaning completion signal is input from the driving robot control unit 170 to control the suction motor driving unit 215 to stop the suction motor 210.

The suction motor driver 215 drives the suction motor 210 under the control of the cleaner controller 220 to generate suction power, and the cleaner battery 225 is a power connector 302 of the connector 300. The power is supplied from the driving robot battery 175 of the driving robot 100 to be charged.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the personal computer 500 includes an antenna 510, a second wireless transmitter / receiver 515, and a data processor 520.

The second wireless transmitter / receiver 515 receives the image data transmitted from the first wireless transmitter / receiver 185 through the antenna 510, inputs the data to the data processor 520, and inputs the data from the data processor 520. The image data analysis result is transmitted to the first wireless transmission / reception unit 185 through the antenna 510.

The data processor 520 receives the image data from the second wireless transmitter / receiver 515, analyzes the image data, and inputs the image data analysis result to the second wireless transmitter / receiver 515. Receiving the image data from the wireless transmission and reception unit 515 measures the distance to the surrounding environment according to the height of the laser light point formed in the image, and recognizes the shape of the cleaning area from the plurality of distance information measured in this way by driving robot ( A driving route of 100 is determined, and the driving route is input to the second wireless transmitting and receiving unit 515.

In addition, the seating structure of the traveling robot 100 and the handy vacuum cleaner 200, as shown in Figure 4, the suction port of the handy vacuum cleaner 200 to communicate with the suction pipe 102 of the traveling robot 100 (shown) And the lower surface is seated to be connected to the power connector 302 and the control signal connector 304, while the rear surface of the handheld cleaner 200 is located in the rear engaging groove 201 of the portable robot 200. The handheld vacuum cleaner catching means 190 is selectively inserted to fix the handy vacuum cleaner 200 to the traveling robot 100.

Here, the handy cleaner catching means 190 may be seated on the catching means installing groove 105 of the traveling robot 100 and closely contacted forward by the elastic force of the spring 191 to the rear catching groove 201. A locking member 192 to be selectively seated and a rotating member whose one end is fitted into the groove 192a formed at the center of the locking member 192 and the center is pivotally hinged to the locking means installation groove 105. 193 and a button member 194 which is rotatably installed at the other end of the pivot member 193 and slides in the locking means mounting groove 105.

Referring to the operation and effects of the robot cleaner configured as described above in detail.

When the handy cleaner 200 is coupled to the traveling robot 100, power lines of the traveling robot 100 and the handy cleaner 200 are connected to each other through the power connector 302 of the connector unit 300, and the connector unit is connected to each other. Signal lines of the traveling robot 100 and the handy cleaner 200 are connected to each other through the control signal connector 304 of 300.

When the handy cleaner 200 is coupled to the traveling robot 100 as described above, power is supplied from the traveling robot battery 175 of the traveling robot 100 to the handy cleaner 200 through the power connector 302. As the cleaner battery 225 of the handy vacuum cleaner 200 is connected to the power connector 302, it is charged with power from the driving robot battery 175.

As the cleaner battery 225 is charged as described above, even if the handy cleaner 200 is separated from the traveling robot 100, the handy cleaner 200 may be operated independently by the power charged in the cleaner battery 225. .

That is, when the handy cleaner 200 is separated from the traveling robot 100, when the user operates the operation unit 205 and inputs a cleaning start signal to the cleaner control unit 220, the cleaner control unit 220 may operate the suction motor ( The suction motor driver 215 is controlled to drive 210, and accordingly, the suction motor driver 215 supplies the power of the cleaner battery 225 to the suction motor 210, thereby driving the suction motor 210 to be handy. The cleaner 200 is operated.

On the other hand, when the handy cleaner 200 is coupled to the upper side of the traveling robot 100, the lower portion of the handy cleaner 200 is pushed down and the locking member 192 is pushed in a direction opposite to the spring force of the spring 191. Will be sent.

At this time, the traveling robot 100 is in close contact with the lower surface of the handy cleaner 200 and at the same time the locking member 192 is seated in the rear locking groove 201 of the handy cleaner 200 by the spring force of the spring 191. This will prevent it from lifting upwards.

In addition, when the handy cleaner 200 is separated from the traveling robot 100 and used, when the button member 194 is pressed, the rotation member 193 rotates while the locking member 192 repulses the spring 191. The rear side of the handheld cleaner 200 is moved toward the rear, so that the tip of the locking member 192 is removed from the rear locking groove 201 of the handy cleaner 200 so that the handy cleaner 200 can be separated from the traveling robot 100. .

Meanwhile, when the handy cleaner 200 is coupled to the traveling robot 100, when the user operates the operation unit 205 and inputs a cleaning start signal to the cleaner controller 220, the handy cleaner 200 and the traveling robot ( 100 is operated by the control signal of the driving robot control unit 170.

At this time, the suction unit 101 is to maintain a predetermined interval with the cleaning floor and the mouth area to allow the foreign matter on the floor to be collected into the handy cleaner 200.

However, since the suction part protrudes at a predetermined distance from the bottom surface, the suction part may not go beyond a threshold, and of course, there is a problem in that the shock cannot be damped even if exceeded.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention extends to the suction pipe and is installed to suck dust, and a suction device is installed so that the nodes of the first and second extension pipes and the suction port can be rotated. An object of the present invention is to provide an inhalation device for a robot cleaner driving robot, which can easily pass an obstacle such as, as well as attenuate an impact generated when an obstacle passes.

1 is a schematic front view of a conventional robot cleaner,

FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. 2;

3 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional robot cleaner control device,

4 is a detailed view showing an assembled state of a traveling robot and a handy cleaner of the conventional robot cleaner;

5 is a schematic side view of a robot cleaner according to the present invention;

6 is a cross-sectional view showing a suction device of a traveling robot according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

100: driving robot 102: suction pipe

200: Handy cleaner 600: Suction device

610: first extension officer 620: second extension officer

630: suction inlet

The present invention for achieving the above object, in the robot robot cleaner traveling robot is in communication with the suction tube of the traveling robot to be introduced into the dust and foreign matter by the suction force of the handy cleaner, consisting of multiple joints in the lower portion of the suction pipe The suction device is installed to be in close contact with the cleaning floor.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a suction device of the driving robot according to the present invention, the same reference numerals to the same parts as Figures 1 to 4 illustrating the prior art. The description is omitted.

The present invention is in communication with the suction tube 102 of the traveling robot 100 in the traveling robot for a robot cleaner in which dust and foreign matter is introduced by the suction force of the handy vacuum cleaner 200, the lower portion of the suction pipe (102) The suction device 600 is installed to be in close contact with the cleaning floor while being made of multiple joints.

Here, the suction device 600, the first extension pipe 610 extending to the lower portion of the suction pipe 102, the second extension pipe 620 is installed so that one end of the first extension pipe 610 is rotatable, It is fitted to the other end of the second extension pipe 620 is installed to be rotatable and in contact with the bottom surface is composed of a suction inlet 630 to suck the foreign matter such as dust.

The rotation of the first extension tube 610 and the second extension tube 620 and the rotation of the second extension tube 620 and the suction port 630 are secured by using the hinge pins 621 and 622 as shown in FIG. 6. It is done.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first extension pipe 610 has an extension 611 extending to the suction pipe 102 and an annular hinge 612 formed to communicate with the lower end of the extension 611. )

In addition, the second extension pipe 620 is an annular hinge portion 623 formed so that both ends are hinged to the hinge portion 612 and the suction port 630, and the connecting portion extending to communicate the hinge portion 623. It consists of 624.

In addition, the suction port 630 is connected to the hinge portion 631 rotatably fitted with the hinge portion 623, so as to communicate with the hinge portion 631 and to suck the dust on the bottom surface (a). The suction hole 632a is formed, the suction part 632 with the inclined surface 632b formed toward the hinge part 631, and the wheel 633 rotatably provided on both side surfaces of the suction part 632.

Accordingly, when the left and right wheel motors 140 and 155 rotate by driving the left wheel 141 and the right wheel 156 by the signals of the left and right wheel motor driving units 145 and 160 driven by the control signal of the driving robot controller 170, the driving is performed. When the robot 100 passes through the threshold, the first extension tube 610, the second extension tube 620, and the suction port 630 of the suction device 600 are rotated at each of the hinge parts 612, 623, 631. It is easy to cross the same obstacle.

In more detail, when the inclined surface 632b of the suction inlet 630 is caught on the threshold when passing through the threshold, the hinge portion 612 of the first extension tube 610 and the hinge portion of the second extension tube 620. 623 is rotated and the other hinge portion 623 of the second extension pipe 620 and the hinge portion 631 of the suction inlet 630 is rotated and the angle is changed along the inclined surface 632b to cross the threshold. .

Thereafter, the lower surface of the suction hole 632a of the suction port 630 is in close contact with the bottom surface a to be cleaned by the left center of the suction port 630 and the second extension tube 620 and the suction pipe 102 Foreign matter is sucked into the suction hole 632a by the suction force generated in the suction port 630 through the first and second extension pipes 610 and 620.

In addition, the wheel 633 rotatably installed on the suction inlet 630 is rotated when the suction inlet 630 moves in close contact with the bottom to minimize the frictional force with the bottom to facilitate the movement.

As described above, according to the present invention, the nodes of the first and second extension pipes and the suction port of the suction device installed to extend the suction pipes to suck the dust and the like are rotatable, so that the passage of obstacles such as thresholds is easy. Of course, there is an effect that can attenuate the impact generated when the obstacle passes.

Although one specific embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art based on the technical idea of the present invention.

Claims (3)

In the traveling robot for the robot cleaner which is in communication with the suction tube of the traveling robot so that dust and foreign substances are introduced by the suction force of the handy cleaner, The suction device of the robot cleaner driving robot, characterized in that the suction device is installed so as to be in contact with the bottom surface of the suction pipe is made of multiple joints. 2. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the suction device includes: a first extension pipe extending to communicate with a lower portion of the suction pipe, a second extension pipe installed at one end of the first extension pipe to be rotatable, and the other end of the second extension pipe; The suction device of the robot cleaner driving robot for the robot cleaner, which is installed to be rotatable and is in contact with the bottom surface to suck foreign substances such as dust. The suction device of the robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein the first extension pipe, the second extension pipe, the second extension pipe, and the suction port are rotatably installed via a hinge pin.