KR20180134156A - Vacuum cleaner and Control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a cleaner comprises: a body; a grip unit provided in the body, and formed to be gripped by a user; a pressure sensor unit arranged in the grip unit to detect pressure applied to a portion on an external surface of the grip unit by the user; a drive unit provided in a lower portion of the body, and moving the body; and a control unit controlling the drive unit based on the detected pressure.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner and a control method thereof,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner capable of supporting a user and moving the main body, and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner and a control method thereof.

BACKGROUND ART [0002] Generally, a vacuum cleaner sucks dirt and foreign substances existing on a surface to be cleaned by using a suction motor provided inside a main body, and then filters dirt and foreign substances in the main body.

Recently, a battery is installed in a vacuum cleaner as described above, and a cleaner can supply power to the cleaner, thereby performing a cleaning function even when the cleaner is not connected to an external power source through a power line. In addition, the vacuum cleaner may include a driving unit that receives power from the battery to generate a driving force, and the controller of the vacuum cleaner may perform autonomous traveling by controlling the driving unit according to a predetermined algorithm.

The vacuum cleaner includes an up-right type vacuum cleaner in which a suction nozzle is connected to a main body and moves together with the main body, and a suction nozzle is connected to the main body by an extension pipe, a handle, a hose, It can be divided into vacuum cleaner.

Among the two types of vacuum cleaners, the upright type vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner main body in which a suction motor for generating a suction force is built in, and dust and foreign matters scattered on the cleaned surface by the suction force generated by the suction motor, And a handle that is provided at an upper portion of the main body of the vacuum cleaner so that the suction nozzle is moved along the surface to be cleaned, the grip being gripped by the user.

That is, when power is applied to the main body and the suction motor is driven, a suction force is generated, and air including dust and foreign matter scattered on the surface to be cleaned by the suction nozzle is sucked by the suction force.

Air including dust, foreign matter, and the like flows into the interior of the main body, and dust, foreign matter, and the like are separated by the cyclone principle inside the dust collecting container mounted on the main body.

The separated dust, foreign matter, and the like are collected in the dust collecting container, and the separated air, such as dust and foreign matter, is discharged to the outside of the main body through the air discharging portion.

Since such a vacuum cleaner is moved only by the user's force, there is a problem that fatigue occurs to the user when the cleaning surface is large while the cleaning is performed while moving the vacuum cleaner, or when the load of the vacuum cleaner is large.

In particular, the vacuum cleaner of the upright type has a relatively heavy weight as compared with the vacuum cleaners of other types, which is inconvenient for a user to use an upright type vacuum cleaner.

In order to solve such a problem, a vacuum cleaner of a general upright type may be provided with a rotating wheel corresponding to the physical force applied by the user.

However, there is a problem that it is difficult to move the vacuum cleaner smoothly in a direction desired by the user only by having a passively rotating wheel.

That is, in the case of a vacuum cleaner having only passively rotating wheels, when the user applies a physical force to the vacuum cleaner in a specific direction, the wheel rotates in response to the applied physical force, As shown in Fig. Therefore, when the user moves the upright cleaner including only passively rotating wheels, the body of the heavy vacuum cleaner still can not be easily moved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner and a handle of a vacuum cleaner that perform a traveling algorithm that reflects a user's intention in order to easily move an upright type vacuum cleaner according to a user's intention.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner and a handle of a vacuum cleaner that actively reflect user's intention by providing a separate physical force assisting movement of the vacuum cleaner in a user's intended direction.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a handle of a vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner of an upright type following a user.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner main body; a grip portion provided on the main body to be gripped by a user; And a control unit for controlling the driving unit based on the sensed pressure. The pressure sensor unit senses a pressure applied to the main body, and the control unit controls the driving unit based on the sensed pressure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the sensed pressure is equal to or greater than a reference pressure value, the controller determines that the user grasps the grip portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the sensed pressure is within the reference pressure range, the controller determines that the user grasps the grip portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pressure sensor unit includes a plurality of pressure sensors each sensing a pressure applied to a plurality of different points in the outer surface of the grip part.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit controls the output of one of the plurality of pressure sensors and the output of another pressure sensor provided behind the one of the plurality of pressure sensors based on the advancing direction of the vacuum cleaner And judges whether the vacuum cleaner advances or retreats based on the comparison result.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit determines that the cleaner advances if the output of any one of the pressure sensors is greater than the output of the other pressure sensor.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the output of the other pressure sensor is greater than the output of any one of the pressure sensors, the controller determines that the vacuum cleaner is moving backward.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit controls the output of one of the plurality of pressure sensors and the output of another pressure sensor installed on the left side of the one of the plurality of pressure sensors, And determines whether the cleaner rotates clockwise or counterclockwise based on the comparison result.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller determines that the cleaner rotates clockwise when the output of any one of the pressure sensors is greater than the output of the other pressure sensor.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the output of the other pressure sensor is greater than the output of the pressure sensor, the controller determines that the vacuum cleaner rotates in a counterclockwise direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an encoder unit is provided between the main body and the grip unit and detects information related to the rotation of the grip unit based on the main body.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit compares the information detected by the encoder unit and the output of the pressure sensor unit, and detects the rotation direction of the vacuum cleaner.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is further provided an auxiliary driving unit provided between the main body and the driving unit and providing an auxiliary driving force in a rotating direction of the main body when the main body is rotated in a predetermined direction .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary driving unit is formed of a timing belt.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary driving unit is formed as a speed reducer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit controls the driving unit to reduce the output of the pressure sensor unit.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the traveling direction of the cleaner is determined, the controller may generate a driving force toward the determined traveling direction to assist the traveling of the cleaner, Is controlled.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit includes at least one wheel, the control unit periodically monitors the output of the pressure sensor unit, and when the output of the pressure sensor increases during monitoring, Or controls the driving unit to change the rotating direction of the wheel.

According to the vacuum cleaner and the control method thereof according to the present invention, user's intention to move the vacuum cleaner can be grasped and user's convenience can be improved by providing auxiliary driving force in a direction intended by the user.

Further, the user of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention has an advantage that the cleaner body can be easily moved in a desired direction even with a small force. In addition, according to this advantage, the load on the user's finger or wrist is minimized, so that the user's convenience can be improved.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a vacuum cleaner to which the present invention is applicable.
2A and 2B are block diagrams of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention;
3A to 3E are conceptual diagrams showing a grip portion of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.
4 is a conceptual view showing a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.
5A to 5C are conceptual views illustrating various embodiments related to a driving unit of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.
6 is a control block diagram of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. .

1, the vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 includes a main body 10 to which a dust collecting container 12 for collecting dust and foreign substances existing on a surface to be cleaned is mounted, A suction nozzle 30 for sucking dirt and foreign matter scattered on the surface to be cleaned with air and a grip portion 20 provided on the upper side of the main body 10 and gripped by the user to perform cleaning, .

The main body 10 is mounted on the upper portion of the suction nozzle 30 so as to be rotatably coupled to the main body 10 so that the angle of arrangement of the main body 10 with respect to the surface to be cleaned can be changed. As shown in FIG.

A dust collecting container (12) is detachably coupled to a front surface of the main body (10). The dust collecting box 12 is provided with a dust separating member 50 for separating dust and foreign substances contained in the air sucked into the main body 10 by a cyclone principle.

That is, the air sucked into the main body 10 through the suction nozzle 30 flows into the dust collecting container 12, and dust and foreign matter contained in the air introduced into the dust collecting container 12 Is filtered by the dust separating member (50) and collected in the dust collecting container (12). The clean air from which the dust, foreign matter, etc. are separated is discharged to the outside of the main body 10.

Since the dust collecting container 12 is detachably coupled to the main body 10, when the user collects the dust and foreign matter collected in the dust collecting container 12, the user removes the dust collecting container 12 from the main body 10 10).

Meanwhile, although the dust collecting container 12 shown in FIG. 1 has a cylindrical shape, it may be formed into a polygonal columnar shape such as a rectangular column.

The suction nozzle 30 includes a nozzle unit 31 for sucking dirt and foreign matter scattered on the surface to be cleaned together with air and a seating unit 32 on which the main body 10 is mounted.

When the user carries out the cleaning, the nozzle unit 31 moves back and forth, left and right with respect to the surface to be cleaned in order to suck dust and foreign substances existing on the surface to be cleaned.

A pair of wheels 33 are rotatably provided on both sides of the seat portion 32 connected to the nozzle portion 31 and on which the main body 10 is seated.

That is, when the nozzle unit 31 moves relative to the surface to be cleaned, the seat unit 32 connected to the nozzle unit 31 also moves together. The wheel 33 smoothly moves along the surface to be cleaned by the suction nozzle 30 .

On the other hand, a grip portion 20 is provided on the upper side of the main body 10. Accordingly, in cleaning, the user can grip the grip portion 20 to support the main body 10 so that the main body 10 maintains the rotated state at a predetermined angle.

The grip portion 20 is provided with an input portion 60 provided at a portion where the user actually holds the hand. The input unit 60 can input a signal while the user holds his / her hand on the grip unit 20.

The input unit 60 is located within a range where the user holds the grip unit 20 so that the user can input a signal without moving the grip unit 20 with respect to the grip unit 20 while holding the grip unit 20. That is, the grip portion 20 is a member that allows the user to grip and move the cleaner, while the input portion 60 refers to a portion of the grip portion 20 that is positioned so that the user's hand actually makes contact.

Therefore, the user can guide the input unit 60 to input a signal to the input unit 60 by forming a plurality of grooves corresponding to the finger so that the user can touch the finger when the user holds the hand.

The user can move the vacuum cleaner by inputting a signal to the input unit 60 while holding the hand to the input unit 60. [

Referring to FIG. 2A, a block diagram illustrating the components of the vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 is shown.

The vacuum cleaner includes an input unit 60, an output unit 120, a power source unit 130, a sensor unit 140, a driving unit 150, a dust removing unit 161, a dust storage unit 162, 20, a control unit 180, and an auxiliary driving unit 190.

The input unit 60 receives various control commands for the cleaner from the user. The input unit 60 may include one or more buttons. For example, the input unit 60 may include an adjustment button for adjusting the output of the vacuum cleaner, a power button for turning on and off the power of the vacuum cleaner, And a mode setting button for setting the mode.

Also, the input unit 60 may be installed in the grip portion 20 of the vacuum cleaner. In addition, the input unit 60 may be a hard key, a soft key, a touch pad, or the like. For example, the input unit 60 may have the form of a touch screen together with the output unit 120.

Meanwhile, the output unit 120 may be installed in the cleaner main body or the cleaner grip unit 20. Of course, the installation location and installation type may vary. For example, the output unit 120 may display information related to an output level, a battery status, an operation mode, and the like on the screen.

The output unit 120 may include a light emitting diode (LED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) It may be formed of any one of the elements.

The output unit 120 may further include sound output means for audibly outputting information related to the operation of the cleaner performed by the control unit 180. [ For example, the output unit 120 may output a warning sound to the outside in accordance with the warning signal generated by the control unit 180.

In this case, the sound output means may be means for outputting sound such as a beeper, a speaker, and the like, and the output unit 120 may use audio data or message data having a predetermined pattern stored in a memory (not shown) Can be output to the outside through the sound output means.

The power supply unit 130 may apply a DC voltage or an AC voltage to the vacuum cleaner.

That is, the power supply unit 130 may include a first power supply module (not shown) that supplies the AC power supplied from the external power supply or the commercial power supply directly to at least one component included in the cleaner. The first power supply module may include a rectifier circuit for converting an AC power source to a DC power source, a cord for transmitting AC power from a commercial power source, and a cord reel for winding the cord.

In addition, the power supply unit 130 may include a second power supply module (not shown) that supplies the DC power supplied from the battery to at least one component included in the cleaner. That is, the second power supply module may include a battery and a power terminal, and may apply power to the components of the vacuum cleaner using a DC power generated from the battery.

Meanwhile, the power supply unit 130 may store the power supplied from the external power supply unit in a battery, and supply the stored power to at least one component included in the cleaner. At this time, the battery may be supplied with power from the external power supply unit through a power supply unit by a wire / wireless charging method. That is, the battery may be directly connected to the external power supply through a power supply unit 130 included in the cleaner, or may be connected to the external power supply through a magnetic resonance coupling method, An electromagnetic induction method, an electromagnetic induction method, and a radiowave method, and can receive power.

The vacuum cleaner has a battery, so that the vacuum cleaner can receive power from the battery when it is not connected to an external power source.

Referring to FIG. 2B, the sensor unit 140 may include a pressure sensor unit 141 and an encoder unit 142.

The pressure sensor portion 141 may be disposed on the outer surface of the grip portion 20. That is, the pressure sensor unit 141 is formed to lead to the outer surface of the grip unit 20. When the user grips the grip unit 20, the pressure sensor unit 60 can be in contact with the user's hand.

That is, the pressure sensor unit 141 may be disposed on the grip unit 20 to sense a pressure applied by the user to a part of the outer surface of the grip unit.

Although not shown in FIG. 2B, the sensor unit 140 may include at least one of an external signal sensor, a front sensor, a cliff sensor, a lower camera sensor, and an upper camera sensor.

The external signal detection sensor can detect the external signal of the mobile robot. The external signal detection sensor may be, for example, an infrared ray sensor, an ultrasonic sensor (Ultra Sonic Sensor), a RF sensor (Radio Frequency Sensor), or the like.

The driving unit 150 provides a suction force by a motor, and the motor may be a BLDC (Brushless DC) motor used in a general vacuum cleaner, but is not limited thereto.

The driving unit 150 may include a suction motor and a suction fan rotated by the suction motor to generate a suction force.

The driving unit 150 may include a wheel for moving the main body 10 and a driving motor for transmitting a driving force to the wheel.

A more detailed embodiment of the driving unit 150 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C below.

The dust removing unit 161 and the dust storing unit 162 may be installed inside or outside the main body 10 to facilitate connection and separation with the main body 10. For example, at least one of the dust removing unit 161 and the dust storing unit 162 may include a handle. The user can easily attach and detach at least one of the dust removing unit 161 and the dust storing unit 162 from the main body 10 by holding the handle.

Meanwhile, the dust storage unit 162 includes a case. That is, it may include a container for storing dust. The case is provided to communicate with the dust removing unit 161 to store dust separated from the dust removing unit 161. That is, the case forms a space or an area separate from the dust removing unit 161 and stores dust therein.

The control unit 180 controls the overall operation of the components included in the cleaner. The control unit 180 may process or process signals, data, information, and the like input or output through the above-described components, or may drive an application program stored in a memory (not shown) to provide or process appropriate information or functions to the user .

In addition, the controller 180 may control at least some of the components illustrated in FIG. 2A to drive an application program stored in the memory. Further, the controller 180 may operate at least two of the components included in the cleaner in combination with each other for driving the application program.

The control unit 180 may determine whether the user has gripped the grip unit 20 based on the temperature value sensed by the temperature sensor (not shown) or the pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor unit 141. [

The control unit 180 may determine that the user grips the grip unit 20 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor disposed on the grip unit 20 is equal to or greater than the reference temperature value. For example, the reference temperature value may be set to substantially correspond to the body temperature. Also, the control unit 180 may set the reference temperature differently according to the current date or time. Also, the controller 180 may store the temperature value sensed by the temperature sensor at predetermined time intervals, and may set the reference temperature using the stored temperature value.

Further, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is included in the reference temperature range, the control unit 180 may determine that the user has gripped the grip unit 20. For example, when the sensed temperature exceeds the upper limit value of the reference temperature range, the control unit 180 determines that the heat applied to the temperature sensor is due to an object other than the user, and can stop the operation of the driving unit 150 .

The control unit 180 may determine that the user grasps the grip unit 20 if the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor unit 141 included in the grip unit 20 is equal to or greater than the reference pressure value.

Specifically, the reference pressure value can be set by the user. The output unit 120 may output guide information to the user to set the reference pressure value during the initial operation of the vacuum cleaner. The controller 180 may be configured to output the guide information to the pressure sensor unit 141 after the guide information is output Based on the pressure, the reference pressure value can be set.

For example, the output unit 120 may output the voice information "Please hold the handle" when the vacuum cleaner is initially driven or when the vacuum cleaner operates in the mode for resetting the reference pressure value. The control unit 180 may process the information related to the pressure applied to the pressure sensor unit 141 at a plurality of points of time during a predetermined time interval after the voice information is outputted to set the reference pressure value. On the other hand, the guide information is not limited to voice information and can be output in various forms.

The control unit 180 may determine that the user grips the grip unit 20 when the sensed pressure is within the reference pressure range. On the other hand, when the sensed pressure exceeds the upper limit value of the reference pressure range, the control unit 180 determines that the pressure applied to the pressure sensor unit 141 is due to an object other than the user and stops the operation of the driving unit 150 .

The control unit 180 operates the driving unit 150 when it is determined that the user has gripped the grip unit 20 and stops the driving unit 150 when the user determines that the grip unit 20 is not gripped by the user .

That is, if it is determined that the user grips the grip portion 20 using at least one of the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor portion 141 disposed in the grip portion 20, (150).

In one embodiment, the controller 180 may control the driving unit 150 to adjust the magnitude of the suction force generated in the driving unit 150 according to the detected pressure. That is, the control unit 180 may control the driving unit 150 to increase the output of the vacuum cleaner as the user grips the grip unit 20.

The controller 180 may be provided inside the body 10 of the vacuum cleaner or may be provided inside the grip 20.

The input unit 60, the output unit 120, the sensor unit 140, and the control unit 180 of the vacuum cleaner according to an exemplary embodiment may be provided on the inside or the outside of the grip unit 20.

The input unit 60, the output unit 120, the power source unit 130, the sensor unit 140, the driving unit 150, and the control unit 180 of the vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention may be provided in the main body of the vacuum cleaner.

The input unit 60, the output unit 120, the sensor unit 140, and the control unit 180 of the vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment may be provided in the body of the grip unit 20 and the vacuum cleaner, respectively.

3A to 3E, an embodiment of the grip portion 20 according to the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the grip portion 20 may be formed in the shape of a triangle. Particularly, when the main body 10 forms an angle with the ground, one side of the triangle formed by the grip portion 20 can be substantially parallel to the ground surface. The one side may be provided with an input unit 60.

A portion of the grip portion 20 shown in FIG. 3A gripped by a user may be provided with a pressure sensor portion 141. Particularly, a portion facing the ground is defined as a back surface and a portion facing the ceiling is defined as an upper surface.

3B to 3E, the pressure sensor portion 141 may include a plurality of pressure sensors, and the plurality of pressure sensors may be installed in a portion of the grip portion 20 held by a user .

Referring to FIG. 3B, a plurality of pressure sensors may be disposed on the back surface of the grip portion 20. Specifically, a first pressure sensor 141a and a second pressure sensor 141b may be provided on the back surface of the grip portion 20. [

Referring to FIG. 3C, a third pressure sensor 141c and a fourth pressure sensor 141d may be provided on the upper surface of the grip portion 20.

Referring to FIG. 3D, a fifth pressure sensor 141e and a sixth pressure sensor 141f may be installed on the left side of the grip portion 20 with respect to the traveling direction of the main body.

Referring to FIG. 3E, a seventh pressure sensor 141g and an eighth pressure sensor 141h may be installed on the right side of the grip portion 20 with respect to the traveling direction of the main body.

The control unit 180 of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention can control the driving unit 150 based on information related to the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor unit 141. [

3A to 3E, the pressure sensor unit 141 includes a plurality of pressure sensors 141a, 141b, 141c, and 141d that respectively detect pressures applied to a plurality of different points on the outer surface of the grip unit 20 , 141e, 141f, 141h.

Specifically, the control unit 180 can compare the output of any one of the plurality of pressure sensors with the output of another pressure sensor provided behind the one of the pressure sensors based on the traveling direction of the vacuum cleaner. In this case, the controller 180 may determine whether the vacuum cleaner is moving forward or backward based on the comparison result.

That is, the controller 180 can determine that the cleaner advances if the output of the pressure sensor installed relatively ahead is greater than the output of the pressure sensor installed relatively rearward.

The control unit 180 may control the driving unit 150 to generate a driving force in a forward direction of the vacuum cleaner when it is determined that the vacuum cleaner advances.

On the contrary, if the output of the pressure sensor relatively installed at the rear side is larger than the output of the pressure sensor installed relatively at the front, the control unit 180 can determine that the vacuum cleaner is moving backward.

The control unit 180 may control the driving unit 150 to generate the driving force in the backward direction of the vacuum cleaner when it is determined that the vacuum cleaner is moving backward.

For example, the control unit 180 can compare the outputs of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor with the outputs of the third pressure sensor and the fourth pressure sensor, and based on the comparison result, It is possible to determine whether or not an external force is applied to the grip portion 20.

When the average output value of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor is smaller than the average output value of the third pressure sensor and the fourth pressure sensor, the controller 180 controls the grip unit 20 to advance the vacuum cleaner. It is possible to determine that an external force is applied.

In another example, the control unit 180 can compare the output of any one of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor with the output of any one of the third pressure sensor and the fourth pressure sensor, It can be determined that the user applies the external force to the grip portion 20 to advance the cleaner.

In another example, the controller 180 calculates the average output value of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor from the average output of the third pressure sensor and the fourth pressure sensor, and detects a change in the calculated difference Based on the detected change, it is possible to determine whether the user applies an external force to the grip portion 20 to advance the cleaner.

In another example, based on the output values of the third pressure sensor and the fourth pressure sensor, the control unit 180 may determine whether the user applies an external force to the grip unit 20 to advance the vacuum cleaner.

That is, the controller 180 can compare the output of one of the two pressure sensors installed in the front of the two pressure sensors installed on one side of the grip portion 20 and the output of the other one of the pressure sensors relatively installed in the rear side , And based on the comparison result, the user can detect the direction in which the cleaner is to be moved.

The control unit 180 may compare the output values of the plurality of pressure sensors with each other and determine whether the vacuum cleaner is rotating clockwise or counterclockwise based on the comparison result.

Specifically, the controller 180 compares the outputs of the two pressure sensors disposed on the left side of the grip portion 20 with reference to the advancing direction of the vacuum cleaner, and based on the comparison result, the vacuum cleaner rotates clockwise or counterclockwise It is possible to judge whether or not it rotates.

That is, when the output of one of the two pressure sensors disposed on the lower side of the two pressure sensors disposed on the left side is larger than the output of the other one of the pressure sensors disposed on the upper side, It can be determined that the user wishes to rotate the cleaner in the counterclockwise direction.

For example, when the output of the fifth pressure sensor 141e is smaller than the output of the sixth pressure sensor 141f, the control unit 180 can determine that the vacuum cleaner rotates counterclockwise.

When the output of the fifth pressure sensor 141e is smaller than the output of the sixth pressure sensor 141f, the controller 180 controls the rotation of the cleaner in the counterclockwise direction to apply an external force to the grip portion 20 .

Likewise, the control unit 180 compares the outputs of the two pressure sensors disposed on the right side of the grip unit 20 with reference to the advancing direction of the vacuum cleaner, and based on the comparison result, determines whether the vacuum cleaner rotates clockwise or counterclockwise Can be determined.

That is, if the output of one of the two pressure sensors disposed on the lower right side of the two pressure sensors disposed on the right side is larger than the output of the other pressure sensor disposed on the relatively upper side, It can be determined that the cleaner is to be rotated clockwise.

For example, when the output of the seventh pressure sensor 141g is smaller than the output of the eighth pressure sensor 141h, the control unit 180 can determine that the vacuum cleaner rotates clockwise.

If the output of the seventh pressure sensor 141g is smaller than the output of the eighth pressure sensor 141h, the controller 180 applies an external force to the grip portion 20 to rotate the cleaner in the clockwise direction .

In addition, the controller 180 may control the driving unit 150 to reduce the output of the pressure sensor unit 141.

Specifically, when the direction of the cleaner is determined or the direction in which the user wishes to move the cleaner is determined, the controller 180 generates a driving force toward the determined traveling direction to assist the traveling of the cleaner, The driving unit 150 can be controlled.

The control unit 180 periodically monitors the output of the pressure sensor unit 141 and stops the wheels of the driving unit 150 when the output of the pressure sensor unit 141 increases during monitoring, The controller 150 may control the driving unit 150 to change the rotation direction of the driving unit 150.

In one embodiment, the control unit 180 may determine that the user grips the grip unit 20 when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor unit 141 is equal to or greater than the reference pressure value.

In another embodiment, the controller 180 may determine that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed pressure is within the reference pressure range.

On the other hand, when the sensed pressure exceeds the upper limit value of the reference pressure range, the controller 180 can determine that the pressure applied to the pressure sensor 142 is due to an object other than the user.

The control unit 180 operates the driving unit 150 when the user determines that the user grips the grip unit 20 and stops the driving unit 150 when the user determines that the user does not grip the grip unit 101 .

Referring to FIG. 4, the grip portion 20 is provided on the main body 10 and may be formed so as to be gripped by a user. The driving unit 150 is provided at the lower portion of the main body 10 and can move the main body 10.

Further, an encoder unit 142 may be provided between the grip unit 20 and the main body 10. Further, an auxiliary driving unit 190 may be provided between the main body 10 and the driving unit.

Specifically, the encoder section 142 can detect information related to the rotation angle of the main body 10 and the grip section 20. Further, the encoder unit 142 can detect information related to the speed at which the grip unit 20 rotates with respect to the main body 10.

Although not shown in detail in FIG. 4, the grip portion 20 may be rotatably connected to the body 10. In this case, the encoder section 142 can detect the angle at which the grip section 20 is rotated from the predetermined reference axis. The predetermined reference axis may correspond to the advancing direction of the cleaner.

The auxiliary driving unit 190 may provide auxiliary driving force to the main body 10 in the rotating direction of the main body 10 when the main body 10 is rotated in a predetermined direction. The auxiliary driving unit 190 receives an operation signal from the control unit 180 and can operate based on the applied operation signal.

That is, the controller 180 can detect the direction in which the user rotates the main body 10, and can control the sub-driver 190 to generate an auxiliary driving force in the detected direction.

In one embodiment, the sub-driver 190 may be formed of a timing belt.

In another embodiment, the auxiliary driver 190 may be formed as a speed reducer.

5A to 5C, various examples of the driving unit 150 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5A, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit 150 may include a single wheel. In this case, the control unit 180 may determine the direction of rotation of the wheel to advance or retract the main body 10.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5B, the driving unit 150 may include two wheels. The two wheels may receive a driving force from a separate motor, and may receive a driving force from the same motor. In this case, the control unit 180 may control the driving unit 150 to advance, reverse, or rotate the main body 10. [

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5C, the driving unit 150 may include four wheels. The four wheels may receive a driving force from a separate motor, and may receive a driving force from the same motor. In this case, the control unit 180 may control the driving unit 150 to advance, reverse, or rotate the main body 10. [

6, an impedance control method performed by the controller 180 according to the present invention will be described.

As described above, the control unit 180 can control the driving unit 150 such that the output of the pressure sensor unit 141 is lowered. The controller 180 may include an impedance controller 620 and the impedance controller 620 may reduce the variable impedance 630 of the vacuum cleaner. At this time, the impedance controller 620 can control the value of the variable impedance 630 using the output value of the sensor 610.

Hereinafter, a control method of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the pressure sensor unit 141 can sense a pressure applied to the grip unit 20 (S701).

Specifically, the plurality of pressure sensors included in the pressure sensor unit 141 can sense pressures applied respectively at a plurality of points on the outer surface of the grip unit 20. [

In addition, the controller 180 may compare outputs of the plurality of pressure sensors (S702).

The control unit 180 can detect the traveling direction of the vacuum cleaner intended by the user or the traveling direction of the current vacuum cleaner by comparing the outputs of the plurality of pressure sensors (S703).

In addition, the control unit 180 may control the driving unit 150 to move the cleaner in the detected direction (S704).

According to the vacuum cleaner and the control method thereof according to the present invention, user's intention to move the vacuum cleaner can be grasped and user's convenience can be improved by providing auxiliary driving force in a direction intended by the user.

Further, the user of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention has an advantage that the cleaner body can be easily moved in a desired direction even with a small force. In addition, according to this advantage, the load on the user's finger or wrist is minimized, so that the user's convenience can be improved.

Claims (19)

main body;
A grip portion provided on the main body and configured to be gripped by a user;
A pressure sensor disposed in the grip portion and sensing a pressure applied by the user to a part of the outer surface of the grip portion;
A driving unit provided at a lower portion of the main body to move the main body; And
And a control unit for controlling the driving unit based on the sensed pressure. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
Wherein the controller determines that the user grasps the grip portion if the sensed pressure is equal to or greater than a reference pressure value. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein,
Wherein the controller determines that the user grips the grip portion when the sensed pressure is within the reference pressure range. The method according to claim 1,
The pressure sensor unit,
And a plurality of pressure sensors each sensing a pressure applied to a plurality of different points in an outer surface of the grip portion. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein,
Comparing the output of any one of the plurality of pressure sensors with the output of another pressure sensor provided behind the one of the pressure sensors based on a traveling direction of the vacuum cleaner,
And determines whether the cleaner advances or retreats based on the comparison result. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein,
Wherein the controller determines that the cleaner advances if the output of any one of the pressure sensors is smaller than the output of the other pressure sensor. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein,
Wherein when the output of the other pressure sensor is smaller than the output of any one of the pressure sensors, it is determined that the vacuum cleaner is moving backward. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein,
Wherein when the traveling direction of the cleaner is determined, the driving unit generates the driving force toward the determined traveling direction to assist the traveling of the cleaner, or controls the driving unit to increase the driving force. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein,
The outputs of the two pressure sensors arranged above and below are compared on the left or right side of the grip portion with reference to the traveling direction of the cleaner,
And determines whether the cleaner rotates clockwise or counterclockwise based on the comparison result. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein,
When the output of one of the two pressure sensors disposed on the lower side of the two pressure sensors disposed on the left side of the grip portion is larger than the output of the other pressure sensor disposed on the relatively upper side, To be rotated by a predetermined amount. 10. The method of claim 9,
When the output of one of the two pressure sensors disposed on the lower side of the two pressure sensors disposed on the right side of the grip portion is larger than the output of the other pressure sensor disposed on the relatively upper side, And a controller for controlling the vacuum cleaner. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising an encoder unit disposed between the main body and the grip unit and detecting information related to the rotation of the grip unit based on the main body. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein,
Wherein the controller detects the rotation direction of the vacuum cleaner by comparing the information detected by the encoder and the output of the pressure sensor. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising an auxiliary driving unit provided between the main body and the driving unit to provide an auxiliary driving force in a rotating direction of the main body when the main body is rotated in a predetermined direction. 15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein the auxiliary driving unit is formed of a timing belt. 15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein the auxiliary driving unit is formed as a speed reducer. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
And controls the driving unit to reduce the output of the pressure sensor unit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
When the traveling direction of the cleaner is determined,
Wherein the control unit controls the driving unit to generate a driving force toward the determined traveling direction or to increase the driving force. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the driving unit includes at least one wheel,
Wherein,
An output of the pressure sensor unit is periodically monitored,
Wherein when the output of the pressure sensor unit increases during monitoring, the control unit controls the driving unit to stop the wheel or to change the rotating direction of the wheel.

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