KR20110097123A

KR20110097123A - Cleaner

Info

Publication number: KR20110097123A
Application number: KR1020100016784A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 음혜진
Original assignee: 엘지전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2010-02-24
Filing date: 2010-02-24
Publication date: 2011-08-31
Also published as: KR101640408B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaner for cleaning the outer wall of the building is in close contact with the surface perpendicular or inclined to the ground, such as windows. Cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, the housing forming the appearance; A main fan unit provided in the housing and generating suction force to be adsorbed onto the surface to be cleaned; A cleaning unit provided in the housing and cleaning the surface to be cleaned; And a driving unit provided in the housing and moving the housing on the cleaning target surface.

Description

Cleaner {Cleaner}

The present invention relates to a cleaner, and more particularly, to a cleaner for cleaning the outer wall of the building in close contact with the surface perpendicular or inclined to the ground, such as a window.

Due to the increasing number of tall buildings worldwide, it is increasingly necessary to clean the exterior walls and windows of buildings. Currently, cleaning vertical surfaces such as exterior walls and windows of buildings is performed by human personnel. However, due to high labor costs, risks, and time consuming, a cleaning robot is required to clean the exterior walls and windows of the building.

Several cleaning robots have been put into practical use in building window cleaning management. But most of them are installed when the building is built, and the price is very expensive. Therefore, a lightweight, compact cleaning robot is required in the field of building maintenance. There is also a need for a cleaning robot that can be used for home use in a residential building (apartment).

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cleaner that performs cleaning in close contact with the window or the outer wall of the building.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner that is in close contact with the surface to be cleaned efficiently to perform the cleaning.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner for cleaning the surface to be cleaned in various ways.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above object, a cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, the housing forming an appearance; A main fan unit provided in the housing and generating suction force to be adsorbed onto the surface to be cleaned; A cleaning unit provided in the housing and cleaning the surface to be cleaned; And a driving unit provided in the housing and moving the housing on the cleaning target surface.

In order to achieve the above object, the cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, the main body is sucked to the surface to be cleaned by generating a suction force; A cable having one end connected to the main body; And an anchor connected to the other end of the cable and supplying at least one of power, cleaning liquid, water, and steam to the main body through the cable.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

According to the cleaner of the present invention has one or more of the following effects.

First, there is an advantage that the close contact with the surface to be cleaned and the cleaning of contaminants through the fan to generate a suction force.

Second, there are also advantages that can be cleaned by a variety of cleaning methods.

Third, there is an advantage that a safe and efficient cleaning is provided with a variety of sensors.

Fourth, there is also an advantage that can be moved on the surface to be cleaned by a simple drive device.

Fifth, there is an advantage of displaying a variety of information and menu on the screen of the user terminal for controlling the cleaner.

Sixth, there is an advantage to increase the safety by having an anchor connected to the body of the cleaner and a cable.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a perspective view of a cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1.
3 is a partial plan view of the cleaner illustrated in FIG. 1.
4 is a partial side view of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1.
6 is a view showing a user terminal screen of the cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a view showing a state in which the cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention to clean the window of the home building.
8 is a view showing a state in which the cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention to clean the outer wall of the commercial building.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

The suffixes "unit" and "unit" for components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles from each other.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings for describing a cleaner according to embodiments of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is Some side views of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the cleaner shown in FIG. 1.

The cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 100 adsorbed on a cleaning target surface to clean the cleaning target surface, a cable 103 having one end connected to the main body, and the other end of the cable 103 connected thereto. The body 100 includes an anchor 105 to which it is suspended.

The main body 100 is adsorbed on the surface to be cleaned to clean it. The surface to be cleaned is a surface perpendicular or inclined to the ground such as a window or an outer wall of the building, and the main body 100 is in close contact with the surface to be cleaned to clean the contaminants of the surface to be cleaned. The surface to be cleaned that can be cleaned by the main body 100 is not limited to a window or an outer wall of a building, and may be various devices and devices for forming a flat surface such as a solar power plate.

The main body 100 of the cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 101 for forming an exterior and a main fan unit 110 and 240 provided in the housing 101 to generate suction force and to be adsorbed onto the surface to be cleaned. ), Drive units 130 and 250 for moving the housing 101 on the surface to be cleaned, and an auxiliary unit 120 for additional work or control.

The housing 101 forms the exterior of the main body 100. The housing 101 may be formed in various forms. The housing 101 includes main fan units 110 and 240, drive units 130 and 250, and an auxiliary unit 120. The outside of the housing 101 is provided with a solar cell, it is preferable to generate power to be supplied to the main fan unit (110, 240) and the drive unit (130, 250). If the surface to be cleaned is an outer wall or a window of a high-rise building, the wind speed of the wind is very large, so that the housing 101 is preferably formed in a streamlined shape so as to minimize the influence thereof.

The main fan units 110 and 240 generate suction force to suck the main body 100 onto the surface to be cleaned. The main fan units 110 and 240 allow the main body 100 to be attached to the cleaning target surface perpendicular to the ground or inclined. In addition, the main fan units 110 and 240 may remove contaminants on the surface to be cleaned through suction force. The main fan units 110 and 240 include a main fan 112 for generating suction force and a main fan housing 111 surrounding the main fan.

The main fan 112 generates suction force so that the main body 100 is adsorbed to the surface to be cleaned and contaminants on the surface to be cleaned are removed. The main fan 112 includes a blade for generating a pressure difference of air so as to generate a suction force, and a fan motor for rotating the blade. The main fan 112 may be used in various kinds of fans, and in this embodiment, an axial fan for moving air in the direction of the rotation axis in which the blade rotates is used. The main fan 112 is disposed such that the main body 100 is perpendicular to the cleaning target surface and the blowing direction so as to be adsorbed on the cleaning target surface.

The main fan housing 111 surrounds the main fan 112, and the side to be cleaned and the opposite side thereof are opened to form a flow path so that the blowing direction by the main fan 112 is perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned. The main fan housing 111 is formed so that the contaminants separated from the surface to be cleaned by the main fan 112 can be discharged smoothly. The main fan housing 111 is preferably disposed in the center of the housing 101.

The main fan housing 111 is in close contact with the surface to be cleaned in which an opening portion through which air is sucked in accordance with the operation of the main fan 112. The main fan housing 111 is formed of a resilient material in close contact with the surface to be cleaned, and improves adhesion to the surface to be cleaned, and scratches contaminants on the surface to be cleaned when the main body 100 moves according to the operation of the driving unit. It is desirable to be able to produce.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main fan housing 111 may protrude toward the cleaning surface rather than the housing 101 such that the housing 101 is spaced apart from the cleaning surface. Since the housing 101 is spaced apart from the surface to be cleaned, the main body 100 may move smoothly when the main body 100 moves according to the operation of the driving unit.

The drive units 130 and 250 move the main body 100 on the surface to be cleaned. Preferably, the driving units 130 and 250 are arranged in plural around the main fan units 110 and 240. The driving units 130 and 250 may be implemented in various forms to move the main body 100. In the present exemplary embodiment, the driving units 130 and 250 include a driving fan 132 that creates a flow of air in a predetermined direction, and a driving fan housing 131 surrounding the driving fan 132. In this case, the driving units 130 and 250 may serve as an assistant of the main fan units 110 and 240 to discharge the contaminants separated from the cleaning target surface to the outside.

In order for the driving units 130 and 250 to advance the main body 100 in a predetermined direction, the driving units 130 and 250 are provided to be inclined as shown in FIG. 4, so that a blowing direction of the driving fan 132 is provided. It is desirable that this change is possible. The traveling direction of the main body 100 is changed according to the inclination angle of each of the plurality of driving units 130 and 250.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the advancing direction of the main body 100 may be changed by adjusting the rotational speed of the driving fan 132 of each of the plurality of driving units 130 and 250. When the rotational speeds of the respective driving fans 132 of the plurality of driving units 130 and 250 are adjusted differently, the main body 100 may perform a straight motion or a turning motion with a constant direction.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the driving units 130 and 250 may include wheels that rotate in contact with the surface to be cleaned. The driving units 130 and 250 may include a plurality of wheels rotating in different directions to advance the main body 100 in a predetermined direction. The wheels of the drive units 130 and 250 may be formed of a material having a large coefficient of friction so as not to slip on the surface to be cleaned.

The auxiliary unit 120 includes a cleaning unit 260 for cleaning the surface to be cleaned, a sensor unit 220 for detecting various state information, a power supply unit 224 for supplying power to the main body 100, and a control signal. It may include a communication unit 230 for transmitting and receiving and a control unit 210 for controlling each component. The auxiliary unit 120 is disposed in plurality around the main fan units 110 and 240, and each of the auxiliary units 120 includes a cleaning unit 260, a sensor unit 220, a power unit 224, a communication unit 230, and a control unit ( At least one of 210) may be included or evenly divided.

The cleaning unit 260 cleans a surface to be cleaned, and is provided in a part of the auxiliary unit 120, and a part may be provided in the housing 101 or the main fan housing 111 according to an embodiment.

The cleaning unit 260 includes a washing liquid spraying unit 261 that sprays a cleaning liquid for cleaning on a surface to be cleaned, a steam spraying unit 262 that sprays steam on a cleaning surface, and a brush unit 263 sweeping out contaminants on the cleaning surface. And a wiper portion 264 for scraping off contaminants on the surface to be cleaned.

The cleaning liquid sprayer 261 sprays a cleaning liquid for removing contaminants on the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning liquid may be ordinary water, but is preferably a liquid mixed with a detergent for cleaning glass or metal. The washing liquid spray unit 261 may store the washing liquid for cleaning itself, but in order to reduce the weight of the main body 100, the washing liquid spray unit 261 may store the washing liquid for cleaning in the anchor 105 or other reservoir and supply the cleaning liquid for cleaning through the cable 103.

The steam injector 262 sprays steam on the contaminants on the surface to be cleaned to facilitate removal. The steam injector 262 stores water in itself and generates and injects steam using a steam generator, but stores water in the anchor 105 or other reservoirs in order to reduce the weight of the main body 100 and reduce power consumption. And after generating the steam in the anchor 105 is preferably supplied through the cable 103. In addition, water may be supplied through the cable 103, and steam may be generated and sprayed by the steam injector 262.

The brush unit 263 or the wiper unit 264 sweeps or scrapes off the dirt on the surface to be cleaned when the main body 100 moves according to the operation of the driving unit. The brush unit 263 or the wiper unit 264 may be fixed, but it is also possible to move the brush or the wiper. The brush unit 263 or the wiper unit 264 may be provided in the auxiliary unit 120, the housing 101, or the main fan housing 111. As described above, a part of the main fan housing 111 may be a wiper unit. May be 264.

The cleaning unit 260 preferably cleans the surface to be cleaned in accordance with the designated cleaning method received by the communication unit 230. The cleaning method received by the communication unit 230 sprays steam through the steam sprayer 262 in the case of steam cleaning, and sprays the washing liquid through the wash liquid sprayer 261 in the case of washing cleaning. In addition, in the case of general cleaning using the brush unit 263 or the wiper unit 264 instead of steam or washing and cleaning, the main fan units 110 and 240 after sweeping or scraping off the contaminants with the brush unit 263 or the wiper unit 264. So that contaminants can be removed.

The sensor unit 220 detects various types of state information. The sensor unit 220 may be provided in a part of the auxiliary unit 120, and a part of the sensor unit 220 may be provided in the housing 101 or the main fan housing 111.

The sensor unit 220 includes a gyro sensor 221 for detecting a posture of the main body 100 using a gyroscope, an acceleration sensor 222 for detecting an acceleration of the main body 100, and a main body 100 on a surface to be cleaned. Position detection sensor 223 for detecting the position of the) and contamination detection sensor 224 for detecting the contamination of the surface to be cleaned.

The gyro sensor 221 and the acceleration sensor 222 are sensors for detecting the posture and acceleration of the main body 100, and are sensors for detecting whether the main body 100 moves in a posture in a direction horizontal to the cleaning target surface. If the surface to be cleaned is an outer wall or a window of a high-rise building, since the main body 100 may be separated from the surface to be cleaned or the direction of travel may be changed due to wind, the gyro sensor 221 or the acceleration sensor 222 detects the If there is an abnormality in the posture or acceleration of the main body 100, the controller 210 increases the rotational speed of the main fan 112 and stops the driving of the driving units 130 and 250 to stop the movement of the main body 100 and correct the posture. It is desirable to maintain.

When the main body 100 is completely detached from the surface to be cleaned as a result of the sensing of the gyro sensor 221 and the acceleration sensor 222, the anchor 105 winds up the cable 103 to prevent the main body 100 from falling and communicate with the user. It is desirable to inform the user's terminal through the unit 230. The sensor unit 220 may include a geomagnetic sensor for accurately detecting the posture of the main body 100.

The position sensor 223 detects the position of the main body 100 on the surface to be cleaned to move the designated cleaning area or to avoid obstacles. The position sensor 223 may be implemented as an RFID reader that recognizes an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag attached to a surface to be cleaned, a camera that receives image information, or an ultrasonic, infrared, or laser sensor capable of sensing a distance.

The position sensor 223 detects a position on the surface to be cleaned so that the driving units 130 and 250 may move the main body 100 in the designated cleaning area received by the communication unit 230. The position detected by the position sensor 223 is preferably transmitted to the terminal of the user through the communication unit 230. The position sensor 223 detects an obstacle to allow the driving units 130 and 250 to move the body 100 by avoiding it.

The contamination detection sensor 224 detects contaminants on the surface to be cleaned and allows the cleaning unit 260 to remove it. The contamination detection sensor 224 projects ultrasonic waves, infrared rays, lasers, and the like on the surface to be cleaned, and determines the presence of contaminants by changing the frequency or intensity of the reflected wave.

The cleaning unit 260 and the driving units 130 and 250 may be controlled according to the result detected by the contamination detection sensor 224, or the result may be transmitted to the user terminal through the communication unit 230. In the user terminal, the user may check a cleaning progress state or select a cleaning method based on a result detected by the contamination detection sensor 224.

The power unit 224 supplies power to the main fan units 110 and 240, the drive units 130 and 250, and the auxiliary unit 120. The power supply unit 224 may include a battery that accumulates electricity and an adapter that adjusts a voltage or a current. The power unit 224 may be provided in the auxiliary unit 120 or the anchor 105, and when the power unit 224 is provided in the anchor, power is supplied through the cable 103. When electricity is directly supplied from an external power source, the power unit 224 is preferably provided in the anchor 105 made of a converter for converting alternating current into direct current.

The communication unit 230 transmits and receives a signal for controlling the main fan units 110 and 240, the driving units 130 and 250, and the auxiliary unit 120, and status information of the main body 100 with the user terminal. The communication unit 230 may transmit and receive data with the user terminal through various communication methods such as Bluetooth, infrared data association (IrDA, Infrared Data Association), and wireless LAN (WIFI).

The communication unit 230 may receive information on the cleaning target surface, the cleaning area, the cleaning method, and other control commands from the user terminal. The communication unit 230 may transmit a cleaning state, a position of the main body 100 on the surface to be cleaned, posture, acceleration, and contaminant information of the main body 100 to the user terminal.

The control unit 210 according to the various information detected by the sensor unit 220 and the control information received by the communication unit 230, the main fan unit (110, 240), drive unit (130, 250) and cleaning unit 260 To control. The control unit 210 is preferably provided in the auxiliary unit 120 or the anchor 105.

When the controller 210 determines that the cleaning is completed according to various information detected by the sensor unit 220, the controller 210 controls the driving units 130 and 250 so that the user can easily recover the body 100. It is preferable to move to the initial cleaning start position.

The anchor 105 allows the body 100 to be fixed to the building so as not to fall. The anchor 105 may store the cleaning liquid for cleaning or store the water to supply the cleaning liquid, water, or steam to the main body 100 through the cable 103. The anchor 105 may include a battery or a converter to supply power to the main body 100 through the cable 103.

The anchor 105 may adjust the distance from the main body 100 by adjusting the length of the cable 103 by, for example, winding the cable 103. When the cleaning is finished, the anchor 105 is wound around the cable 103 so that the user can easily recover the body (100). In addition, when the main body 100 is completely separated from the surface to be cleaned, the anchor 105 may wind the cable 103 to prevent the main body 100 from falling or crashing.

6 is a view showing a user terminal screen of the cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The user terminal may exchange various data with the cleaner through wired / wireless communication, and may include a personal computer (PC) and a PC having a screen device for displaying data and an input device for a user to input a command. Various devices such as PDAs, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and televisions.

The user terminal screen 300 may include a menu 330 for inputting a command or checking a status, a cleaning status display window 310, and a progress status display window 320.

The menu 330 includes a cleaning start / end menu 331 for issuing a start / end command of cleaning, a cleaning area designation menu 332 for designating a cleaning area in terms of a cleaning target, and a cleaning method or a current cleaning method. It may include a cleaning method menu 333 to confirm, and a progress menu 334 to confirm the current progress.

The cleaning state display window 310 may indicate a position 312 and a progress path of the main body on the surface to be cleaned 311 or display a cleaning method. The progress display window 320 may display 321 the cleaning progress with a bar or display the number 322 with a number.

7 is a view showing a state in which the cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention to clean the window of the home building.

The main body 100 of the cleaner is absorbed by the window (W) of the home building that is the surface to be cleaned to clean. At this time, the anchor 105 is fixed to the floor of the interior of the home building is connected to the main body 100 through the cable 103. It is preferable that RFID tags 201a and 201b are attached to corners of the window W of a home building so that the position of the main body 100 can be grasped through the position sensor 223.

8 is a view showing a state in which the cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention to clean the outer wall of the commercial building.

The main body 100 of the cleaner is adsorbed on the outer wall B of the commercial building, which is the surface to be cleaned, for cleaning. The anchor 105 'of the cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention is preferably arranged to be movable along the circumference of the building on the roof of the building. The cable 103 'is preferably connected to the body 100 in plurality.

Although the above has been illustrated and described with respect to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but in the art to which the invention pertains without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed in the claims. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

100: main body 101: housing
103: cable 105: anchor
110: main fan unit 111: main fan housing
112: main fan 120: auxiliary unit
130: drive unit 131: drive fan housing
132: drive fan

Claims

A housing forming an appearance;
A main fan unit provided in the housing and generating suction force to be adsorbed onto the surface to be cleaned;
A cleaning unit provided in the housing and cleaning the surface to be cleaned; And
And a drive unit provided in the housing and moving the housing on the cleaning target surface.

The method of claim 1,
The main fan unit,
A main fan generating suction force; And
And a main fan housing surrounding the main fan.

The method of claim 2,
The main fan housing is a cleaner in which air is sucked in accordance with the operation of the main fan is in close contact with the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 3, wherein
The main fan housing is a cleaner formed of an elastic material in close contact with the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
The cleaning unit includes a cleaning liquid spray unit for spraying a cleaning liquid for cleaning the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
The cleaning unit includes a steam injection unit for injecting steam to the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
The cleaning unit includes a cleaner for sweeping out the contaminants of the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
And the cleaning unit includes a wiper portion for scraping off contaminants on the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
The drive unit comprises a drive fan for creating a flow of air in a predetermined direction.

The method of claim 9,
The driving fan is a cleaner in which the blowing direction is changed.

The method of claim 9,
The driving fan is provided in plurality,
Each of the plurality of driving fans is a cleaner speed is set differently.

The method of claim 1,
The driving unit includes a wheel that rotates in contact with the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
And the driving unit moves the housing to a cleaning starting point when cleaning by the cleaning unit is finished.

The method of claim 1,
And a power supply unit for supplying power to the main fan unit and the driving unit.

The method of claim 14,
The housing includes a solar cell that is generated by solar heat,
And the power unit is charged by the solar cell.

The method of claim 1,
The cleaner further comprises a gyro sensor for detecting the posture of the housing.

The method of claim 1,
The cleaner further comprises an acceleration sensor for measuring the acceleration of the housing.

The method of claim 1,
And a position sensor for sensing a position of the housing on the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
The cleaner further comprises a contamination detection sensor for detecting a contaminant on the surface to be cleaned.

The method of claim 1,
And a communication unit configured to transmit and receive a signal for controlling the main fan unit and the driving unit.

The method of claim 20,
The communication unit receives a cleaning area on the cleaning object side and
And the drive unit moves the housing according to the cleaning zone received by the communication unit.

The method of claim 20,
The communication unit receives a cleaning method,
And the cleaning unit cleans the surface to be cleaned in accordance with the cleaning method received by the communication unit.

The method of claim 20,
Further comprising a position detection sensor for detecting the position of the housing on the surface to be cleaned,
And the communication unit transmits a position detected by the position sensor.

The method of claim 1,
A cable having one end connected to the housing; And
The cleaner further comprises an anchor connected to the other end of the cable and the housing is suspended.

The method of claim 24,
The anchor is a cleaner that adjusts the distance to the housing by adjusting the length of the cable.

The method of claim 24,
The anchor supplies power to the main fan unit and the drive unit provided in the housing through the cable.

The method of claim 24,
The cleaning unit includes a cleaning liquid spray unit for spraying a cleaning liquid for cleaning the surface to be cleaned,
The anchor is a cleaner for supplying a cleaning liquid for cleaning to the cleaning liquid injection through the cable.

The method of claim 24,
The cleaning unit includes a steam injection unit for injecting steam to the surface to be cleaned,
The anchor is a cleaner for supplying water or steam to the steam injector through the cable.

A main body adsorbed to the surface to be cleaned by generating a suction force;
A cable having one end connected to the main body; And
And an anchor connected to the other end of the cable and supplying at least one of power, cleaning liquid, water, and steam to the main body through the cable.