KR20210133546A - Moving robot - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a moving robot including a body, and a base supporting the body and driven by a driving motor. The moving robot includes an ultraviolet sterilization module provided in at least one among the body and the base. The ultraviolet sterilization module includes: a base plate; a conductive rail combined with one side of the base plate, and elongated in a longitudinal direction of the base plate; an ultraviolet light source unit having a first connection terminal inserted into the rail to be movable in the longitudinal direction, and having an ultraviolet light source circuit-connected with the first connection terminal and placed on the outside of the rail; and a housing combined with the base plate with the rail laid therebetween to form a space to house the ultraviolet light source unit while having a slot matched with the rail to expose the ultraviolet light source to the outside of the space through the slot. Therefore, the present invention is capable of intensively sterilizing a specific area in accordance with the need.

Description

mobile robot {MOVING ROBOT}

The present invention relates to a mobile robot having an ultraviolet sterilization module.

Robots are being used as household chores and office assistants in general buildings such as homes, offices, and government offices as well as industrial sites. These robots perform their unique functions while moving in space. Examples include a cleaning robot, a guide robot, a crime prevention robot, and a quarantine robot.

Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1742489 discloses a mobile robot equipped with an ultraviolet sterilization lamp. The ultraviolet sterilization lamp is configured to irradiate ultraviolet rays to the outside of the main body of the mobile robot.

The UV sterilization lamp includes UV LED chips, but these UV LED chips cannot be changed in installation, so it is not possible to sterilize intensively in a desired area or in a specific direction, but also limits product diversification.

An object to be solved by the present invention is to provide a mobile robot equipped with an ultraviolet sterilization module for sterilizing a floor or space. In particular, it is to provide a mobile robot in which the ultraviolet sterilization module has at least one ultraviolet light source unit and the position of each light source unit can be changed.

Second, by modularizing a plurality of UV light sources, it is to provide a mobile robot that facilitates installation, separation, addition, and change of the installation location of the sterilization module.

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

The present invention relates to a mobile robot having a main body and a base supporting the main body and driven by a driving motor.

The mobile robot includes an ultraviolet sterilization module provided on at least one of the main body and the base, wherein the ultraviolet sterilization module is coupled to a base plate and one surface of the base plate and extends long in the longitudinal direction of the base plate an ultraviolet light source unit in which a conductive rail that becomes a conductive rail, the first connection terminal inserted into the rail is movable in the longitudinal direction, and an ultraviolet light source connected to the first connection terminal in a circuit is disposed on the outside of the rail; and a housing coupled to the base plate with interposed therebetween to form a space in which the ultraviolet light source unit is accommodated, a slot corresponding to the rail is formed, and the ultraviolet light source is exposed to the outside of the space through the slot .

The UV light source unit includes a circuit board having the first connection terminal disposed on one surface and the UV light source disposed on the other surface, and provided on the other surface of the circuit board to convert power supplied from the first connection terminal to the UV light source. It may include a power supply terminal for applying.

A second connection terminal of the ultraviolet light source unit may be further provided on the other surface of the circuit board, and a conductor that comes into contact with the second connection terminal and forms the circuit may be provided on the housing.

The ultraviolet sterilization module includes a first power cable electrically connected to the rail, a second power cable electrically connected to the conductor, and electrodes electrically connected to the first power cable and the second power cable, respectively It may further include a connector.

A plurality of UV light source units may be provided.

The ultraviolet sterilization module may further include an insulator interposed between the base plate and the housing.

The housing may include a plate body in which the slot is formed, and first and second blocks protruding upward from the plate body and extending in the longitudinal direction from both sides of the slot. A hollow portion extending in the longitudinal direction may be formed in at least one of the first block and the second block.

The ultraviolet sterilization module may be disposed on the bottom of the base to irradiate ultraviolet rays downward.

The ultraviolet sterilization module may be disposed on the main body to irradiate ultraviolet rays to the lower front.

The ultraviolet light source may output light having a wavelength of 320 to 400 nm.

According to the present invention, there are one or more of the following effects.

First, since the UV light source unit is configured to be movable along the rail, the position of the UV light source unit can be changed, and thus, there is an effect of intensively sterilizing a specific area as needed.

Second, a plurality of the UV light source units can be installed in one UV sterilization module, and the position of each UV light source unit can be adjusted, so that UV rays can be emitted in various patterns.

Third, there is an effect that the product line can be diversified because it is easy to install, separate, add, and change the installation location of the UV light source unit.

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

1 to 2 show a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control relationship between main parts of the mobile robot shown in FIG. 1 .
4 is a view showing the bottom of the base of the mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows an upper surface of the base shown in FIG. 4 .
6 is a view partially cut away so that the inside of the shock absorber shown in FIG. 5 is visible, (a) is a state in which the rear wheel is in the lowered position, (b) is the rear wheel is in the raised position state is shown.
7 is a perspective view of an ultraviolet sterilization module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a bottom view of the ultraviolet sterilization module shown in FIG.
9 is a side view of the ultraviolet sterilization module shown in FIG.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 7 and shows a structure in which an ultraviolet light source unit is installed.
11 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 7 , (a) shows a structure in which a second pole terminal is installed in a housing, and (b) shows a structure in which a first pole terminal is installed on a rail.
12 is a view showing the insulator shown in FIGS. 9 to 10 separated.
13 is a perspective view of an ultraviolet light source unit.
14 is a side view of the ultraviolet light source unit of FIG. 13 .

Hereinafter, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the same or similar components are assigned the same reference numerals regardless of reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions thereof will be omitted. The suffixes "module" and "part" for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of only the ease of writing the specification, and do not have a meaning or role distinct from each other by themselves. In addition, in describing the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, if it is determined that detailed descriptions of related known technologies may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the accompanying drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and the technical spirit disclosed herein is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and all changes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention , should be understood to include equivalents or substitutes.

Terms including an ordinal number, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

When a component is referred to as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, it is understood that the other component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but other components may exist in between. it should be On the other hand, when it is said that a certain element is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that no other element is present in the middle.

The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the present application, terms such as "comprises" or "have" are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features It should be understood that this does not preclude the existence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

The mobile robot 1 described below may be a concept including a robot performing an air cleaning operation, a robot performing a sterilization operation, and a robot performing a sterilization operation. The mobile robot 1 may perform various operations to be described later in addition to the air cleaning operation, the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation, and the quarantine operation.

The mobile robot 1 may perform an operation in a target space. The target space may be defined as a space in which the mobile robot 1 performs a function while driving. The target space may be a space physically separated from other spaces by a structure such as a wall or a door. The target space may be a space divided according to a standard set for performing a function of the mobile robot 1 .

The target space may be a space in which a sterilization operation is required. For example, the target space may be a work space inside a medical institution such as a hospital or a public health center. The target space may be a space in which an air cleaning operation is required. The target space may be a space in which a quarantine operation is required.

1 to 2 show a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control relationship between main parts of the mobile robot shown in FIG. 1 . 4 is a view showing the bottom of the base of the mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows an upper surface of the base shown in FIG. 4 . 6 is a view partially cut away so that the inside of the shock absorber shown in FIG. 5 is visible, (a) is a state in which the rear wheel is in the lowered position, (b) is the rear wheel is in the raised position state is shown. Hereinafter, a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 .

1 to 2 , a mobile robot 1 according to embodiments of the present invention includes a body 10 and a base 20 . The main body 10 is provided with a device for imparting a unique function to the mobile robot 1a. In the embodiment, the main body 10 includes at least one of the air purifier 160 and the disinfection device 150 , but is not necessarily limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the body 10 and the base 20 may be detachably coupled. The base 20 can be driven by the driving unit 220 , and at this time, the main body 10 is moved integrally with the base 20 .

Each part constituting the mobile robot 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 . The mobile robot 1 includes a sensing unit 110 , an IMU 115 , a camera 120 , a communication unit 125 , an input unit 130 , a memory 140 , a driving unit 150 , an air purifier 160 , and an output unit. 180 , a control unit 170 and/or a power supply unit 190 may be included.

The sensing unit 110 may provide information around the mobile robot 1 . The sensing unit 110 may provide data generated by at least one sensor to the control unit 170 . The control unit 170 may detect an object outside the mobile robot 1 based on the data received from the sensing unit 110 . The object may be defined as an object that directly or indirectly affects the movement of the mobile robot 1 , such as objects, people, and structures around the mobile robot 1 .

The sensing unit 110 may include an ultrasonic sensor 111 and/or a lidar 112 . According to an embodiment, the sensing unit 110 may further include a radar or an infrared sensor.

The ultrasonic sensor 111 may detect an object using ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic sensor 111 may include an ultrasonic transmitter and a receiver. According to an embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor 111 may further include at least one controller that is electrically connected to the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver, processes a received signal, and generates data about the object based on the processed signal. . According to an embodiment, the controller may be implemented by the controller 170 .

The ultrasonic sensor 111 may detect an object based on ultrasonic waves, and may detect the position, displacement, distance, relative speed, etc. of the detected object. One or more ultrasonic sensors 111 may be provided at an appropriate position to detect an object located in front, rear or side of the mobile robot 1 .

The lidar 112 may detect an object using laser light. The lidar 112 may include a light transmitter and a light receiver. According to an embodiment, the lidar 112 further includes at least one control unit electrically connected to the light transmitter and the light receiver to process a received signal and generate data for an object based on the processed signal. can do. The control function of the lidar 112 may be implemented in the control unit 170 .

The lidar 112 may be implemented in a time of flight (TOF) method or a phase-shift method. The lidar 112 may be implemented as a driven or non-driven type. When implemented as a driving type, the lidar 112 is rotated by a motor and can detect an object.

When implemented as a non-driven type, the lidar 112 may detect an object located within a predetermined range with respect to the mobile robot 1 by light steering. The mobile robot 1 may include a plurality of non-driven lidar.

According to an embodiment, the lidar 112 detects an object based on a time of flight (TOF) method or a phase-shift method using a laser light as a medium, and the position, displacement, and distance of the detected object , relative speed, etc. can be detected.

The lidar 112 may be disposed at an appropriate location outside the mobile robot 1 to detect an object located in front, rear or side of the mobile robot 1 .

Meanwhile, the sensing unit 110 may generate sensing data for at least one element in the target space. The sensing unit 110 may include a hydrogen peroxide sensor for measuring the hydrogen peroxide concentration. The hydrogen peroxide sensor may generate data on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide per unit volume in air.

The sensing unit 110 may include an ethanol sensor for measuring the ethanol concentration. The ethanol sensor may generate data on the ethanol concentration per unit volume in air.

An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) 115 may measure inertia. The IMU 115 may be described as an electronic device that measures a specific force or angular rate acting on the mobile robot 1 using a combination of an accelerometer and a tachometer or magnetometer, or measures a magnetic field surrounding the mobile robot 1 . can The controller 170 may generate information about the posture of the mobile robot 1 based on data received from the IMU 115 . The IMU 115 may include at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and a magnetic sensor.

The camera 120 may capture an image of the outside of the mobile robot 1 . The camera 120 may generate information about an object located outside the mobile robot 1 by using the image. The camera 120 may include at least one lens, at least one image sensor, and at least one controller electrically connected to the image sensor to process a received signal and generate data about the object based on the processed signal. have. The camera 120 may be a mono camera or a stereo camera.

The camera 120 may be mounted at a position where it is possible to secure a field of view (FOV) for photographing the outside of the mobile robot 1 .

The camera 120 may obtain the position of the object, the distance to the object, and/or the relative speed of the object by using a predetermined image processing algorithm. For example, the camera 120 may acquire distance information and relative speed to the object based on a change in the size of the object over time from the acquired image.

Alternatively, the camera 120 may obtain the distance to the object and the relative speed through a pinhole model, road surface profiling, or the like.

Alternatively, the camera 120 may obtain disparity from the stereo image obtained by the stereo camera, and obtain the distance to the object and the relative velocity based on the disparity.

The mobile robot 1 may include a plurality of cameras 120 . For example, the mobile robot 1 may include a four-channel camera including a front camera, a rear camera, a left camera, and a right camera.

The communication unit 125 may exchange signals or data with an electronic device (eg, a user terminal, a server, or another mobile robot) external to the mobile robot 1 .

The communication unit 125 may include at least one of a transmit antenna, a receive antenna, a radio frequency (RF) circuit capable of implementing various communication protocols, and an RF element to perform communication. The communication unit 125 may communicate with an external electronic device using a 5G (eg, new radio (NR)) scheme.

The input unit 130 is for receiving information from the user, and the data collected by the input unit 130 may be analyzed by the control unit 170 and processed according to the user's control command.

The input unit 130 may include a voice input unit 131 and/or a touch input unit 132 . According to an embodiment, the input unit 130 may include a gesture input unit or a mechanical input unit.

The voice input unit 131 may convert the user's voice input into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal may be provided to the controller 170 . The voice input unit 131 may include one or more microphones.

The touch input unit 132 may convert a user's touch input into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal may be provided to the controller 170 . The touch input unit 132 may include a touch sensor for sensing a user's touch input.

According to an embodiment, the touch input unit 132 may be formed integrally with the display 181 to implement a touch screen. Such a touch screen may provide both an input interface and an output interface between the mobile robot 1 and a user.

The gesture input unit may convert a user's gesture input into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal may be provided to the controller 170 . The gesture input unit may include at least one of an infrared sensor and an image sensor for detecting a user's gesture input.

The mechanical input unit may include at least one of a button, a dome switch, a jog wheel, and a jog switch. The electrical signal generated by the mechanical input unit may be provided to the control unit 170 .

The memory 140 is electrically connected to the control unit 170 . The memory 140 may store basic data for the unit, control data for operation control of the unit, and input/output data. The memory 140 may store data processed by the controller 170 .

The memory 140 may be configured as at least one of ROM, RAM, EPROM, flash drive, and hard drive in terms of hardware. The memory 140 may store various data for the overall operation of the mobile robot 1 , such as a program for processing or controlling the controller 170 . The memory 140 may be implemented integrally with the controller 170 . According to an embodiment, the memory 140 may be classified into a sub-configuration of the control unit 170 .

The air purifier 160 may include a fine dust sensor 161 , a fan driving unit 162 , and an air purification unit 163 .

The fine dust sensor 161 may detect fine dust in the air. The fine dust sensor 161 may measure the amount of fine dust in the air through a particle counter. The fine dust sensor 161 may measure the amount of fine dust in the air by irradiating light to the introduced air and detecting light scattered by the fine dust through a light receiving element.

The fan driving unit 162 may drive the air conditioning fan. To this end, the fan driving unit 162 may include at least one motor.

The air purifier 163 may be of a filter type in which air is sucked by using a fan and then purified by at least one filter to discharge the purified air. The filter-type air purifier 163 may include at least one of a pre-filter for filtering large particles of dust, a deodorizing filter for removing odor, and a HEPA filter for filtering fine dust. In addition, the air purification unit 163 may be any one of an ion type, an electrostatic precipitation type, or a water filter type.

The output unit 180 is for generating an output related to sight or hearing. The output unit 180 may include a display 181 and a sound output unit 182 .

The display 181 may display graphic objects corresponding to various pieces of information. The display 181 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and a flexible display. ), a three-dimensional display (3D display), may include at least one of an e-ink display (e-ink display). The display 181 may form a layer structure with the touch input unit 131 or be integrally formed to implement a touch screen.

The sound output unit 182 converts the electrical signal provided from the control unit 170 into an audio signal and outputs it. To this end, the sound output unit 182 may include one or more speakers.

The controller 170 may control the overall operation of each unit of the mobile robot 1 . The control unit 170 may be referred to as an Electronic Control Unit (ECU). The control unit 170 includes a sensing unit 110 , an IMU 115 , a camera 120 , a communication unit 125 , an input unit 130 , a memory 140 , a driving unit 150 , an air purifier 160 and an output unit ( 180) is electrically connected.

The control unit 170 is ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), processors (processors), controller ( controllers), micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

The power supply unit 190 may supply power required for operation of each unit constituting the mobile robot 1 under the control of the control unit 170 . In particular, the power supply unit 190 may receive power from a battery inside the mobile robot 1 .

The disinfection device 260 may perform a disinfection operation. The disinfection apparatus 260 may perform at least one of a chemical disinfection operation and a physical disinfection operation. The disinfection device 260 may include a spray device 151 and an ultraviolet sterilization module 400 .

The spraying device 151 may spray the disinfectant solution to the outside. The injection device 151 may include a tank for accommodating the disinfectant solution, a spray nozzle for spraying the disinfectant solution to the outside, and an injection engine for providing a spraying force. The injection device 151 may be electronically controlled according to a signal provided from the control unit 170 . The controller 170 may provide a control signal to the injection device 151 to control whether to inject, an injection amount, an injection intensity, and the like.

On the other hand, as the disinfectant, ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, etc. are generally used, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and as long as it is an external drug capable of killing pathogens, it may be used as the disinfectant.

The UV sterilization module 400 may output UV light to the outside of the mobile robot 1 . The ultraviolet sterilization module 400 may be electronically controlled according to a signal provided from the control unit 170 . The control unit 170 may provide a control signal to the UV sterilization module 400 to control whether UV light is output, the amount of UV light output, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the ultraviolet sterilization module 400 may irradiate light toward the floor (F). The ultraviolet sterilization module 400 may be disposed on at least one of the base 20 and the body 10 . As in the embodiment, the ultraviolet sterilization module 400 is disposed on the bottom surface of the base 20 to irradiate the ultraviolet rays downward or to the floor (F). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and according to an embodiment, the ultraviolet sterilization module 400 may be disposed on the main body 10 and configured to irradiate ultraviolet rays to the front and lower sides.

Alternatively, the UV sterilization module 400 may be configured to irradiate light in the front, rear, left, right, or upward direction of the base 20 and/or the body 10 .

A plurality of UV sterilization modules 400 may be provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 , the first ultraviolet sterilization module 400 ( 1 ) is disposed in the width direction of the base 20 on the front part of the base 20 , and the rear part of the base 20 . The second ultraviolet sterilization module 400(2) is disposed in the width direction of the base 20, and the third ultraviolet sterilization module 400(3) is disposed on the left side of the base 20 in the longitudinal direction of the base 20. This arrangement, the fourth ultraviolet sterilization module 400 (4) can be arranged in the longitudinal direction of the base 20 on the right side of the base 20. For reference, FIG. 4 schematically shows the UV sterilization modules to show the positions of the UV sterilization modules 400(1), 400(2), 400(3), and 400(4), and the specific configuration will be described later with reference to FIGS. 5 to 14 .

Each of the sterilization modules 400(1), 400(2), 400(3), 400(4) includes the ultraviolet light source units 430(1), 430(2), 430(3), 430(4), See FIG. 8.) A plurality of these may be provided. In the case of the first ultraviolet sterilization module 400(1) and the second ultraviolet sterilization module 400(2), the positions of the ultraviolet light source units 430 can be adjusted to the left and right. In the case of the third UV sterilization module 400 ( 3 ) and the fourth UV sterilization module 400 ( 4 ), the positions of the UV light source units 430 can be adjusted forward and backward.

According to an embodiment, the mobile robot 1 may perform a decontamination function. For example, when the mobile robot 1 is used for military purposes, the mobile robot 1 may perform a military decontamination function for purifying the biological or chemical environment generated by the biochemical weapon. In this case, the mobile robot 1 may further include a decontamination device. The mobile robot 1 may further include a spraying device for spraying biochemical substances capable of purifying a biological or chemical environment.

The mobile robot 1 may further include a sterilization device 230 for spraying a sterilizing solution (eg, hydrogen peroxide or ethanol) in the air. The mobile robot 1 may be used in factories or medical institutions (eg, hospitals, public health centers) that produce products (eg, medicines, etc.) in a clean state.

The control unit 170 may perform a quarantine operation by controlling at least one of the sterilization apparatus 230 and the disinfection apparatus 150 while the mobile robots 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, and 1e are moving or stopped. . Meanwhile, when performing the quarantine operation, the sterilization device 230 may spray ethanol as a chemical solution into the air.

The sterilization device 230 may perform a sterilization operation. The sterilization device 230 may spray a chemical solution into the air. For example, the sterilization device 230 may spray hydrogen peroxide in the air. For example, the sterilization device 230 may spray ethanol into the air.

To this end, the sterilization apparatus 230 may include a spray nozzle for spraying a chemical solution into the air, a tube and an injection engine, and a tank for storing the chemical solution. For example, the sterilization device 230 may spray the chemical in the air using the method described in Publication No. 10-2019-0012543 or the method described in Registration No. 10-1633272.

The sterilization apparatus 230 may be operated according to a control signal received from the control unit 170 .

The sterilization apparatus 230 may include an injection mechanism for spraying a chemical solution (eg, hydrogen peroxide or ethanol) in the air, and a posture adjustment unit for determining the posture of the injection mechanism. The injection mechanism may include an injection nozzle, a tube, and an injection engine.

The mobile robot 1 may perform a quarantine function. The quarantine function is a function to prevent the occurrence or epidemic of an infectious disease in advance, and may be understood as a higher concept including the disinfection function described above.

The mobile robot 1 may further include a thermal imaging camera. The controller 170 may detect a suspected infection with a fever through color processing in a thermal image captured by a thermal imaging camera. The controller 170 may match the thermal image and the image captured by the camera 120 to detect a suspected infection from the image captured by the camera 120 . The controller 170 may detect a person located within a reference distance from a suspected infection in the image captured by the camera 120 through a distance detection algorithm, and classify the person as a contact. Such a function of detecting suspected infection and contact may be classified as a sub-function of the prevention function.

The mobile robot 1 may perform a security function. The security function may be described as a function of detecting unauthorized persons in a limited space using an image captured by the camera 120 . The security function may be implemented by software installed in the control unit 170 . According to an embodiment, the security function may be systematically implemented in the form of exchanging data with an external device by the communication unit 125 .

3 to 6 , the driving unit 220 may be provided on the base 20 . A pair of driving wheels 21 that are rotated by the driving unit 220 may be disposed on the base 20 . A pair of driving wheels 21 ( 1 ) and 21 ( 2 ) may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the width direction on the upper surface of the base 20 . The pair of driving wheels 21 ( 1 ) and 21 ( 2 ) may be symmetrically disposed on the base 20 .

The base 20 may have a longer length than a width. In the embodiment, a substantially rectangular shape, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The driving unit 220 may include a first driving motor 28(1) and a second driving motor 28(2) arranged on the coaxial M. The axis M may cross the base 20 in the width direction. A pair of brackets 27(1) and 27(2) supporting the first driving motor 28(1) and the second driving motor 28(2), respectively, are installed on the upper surface of the base 20. can

The pair of driving wheels 21 includes a first driving wheel 21(1) rotated by a first driving motor 28(1), and a first driving wheel 21(1) rotated by a second driving motor 28(2). 2 drive wheels 21(2). The rotational force provided by the first drive motor 28(1) is generated through the first drive pulley 24(1), the first belt 25(1) and the first driven pulley 26(1). It can be transmitted to the first driving wheel 21(1). Similarly, the rotational force provided by the second driving motor 28(2) is the second driving pulley 24(2), the second belt 25(2). )) and the second driven pulley 26(2) to the second drive wheel 21(2).

A rotation controller for controlling the rotation of the first drive motor 28(1) and the second drive motor 28(2) may be provided. The rotation controller may include an encoder. The rotation controller may be controlled by the controller 170 .

The number of rotations, the rotation direction, and/or the speed of the first drive motor 28(1) and the second drive motor 28(2) are controlled based on the control of the rotation controller, whereby the mobile robot 1 moves forward. , reversing, turning, accelerating, decelerating, and the like may be implemented.

A pair of front wheels 22 ( 1 ) and 22 ( 2 ) are disposed in front of the pair of driving wheels 21 ( 1 ) and 21 ( 2 ) in the base 20 . A pair of front wheels 22 ( 1 ) and 22 ( 2 ) are arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the base 20 , and are preferably arranged left and right symmetrically on the base 20 .

A pair of rear wheels 23 are disposed behind the pair of driving wheels 21 ( 1 ) and 21 ( 2 ) in the base 20 . A pair of rear wheels 23 ( 1 ) and 23 ( 2 ) are spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the base 20 , and are preferably arranged left and right symmetrically on the base 20 .

The front wheel 22 and/or the rear wheel 23 may be non-driven free wheels. The front wheel 22 and/or the rear wheel 23 may be caster wheels that pivot about an axis perpendicular to the floor F.

Meanwhile, the applicant conducted an experiment to check vibration while driving under specific conditions with the mobile robot of the experimental example of the following specifications.

[Experimental example mobile robot]

A pair of driving wheels are disposed on both front sides of the base 20 , and a pair of caster wheels are disposed on both rear sides of the base 20 . At this time, the distance between the pair of driving wheels is 300 mm, the distance between the pair of caster wheels is 180 mm, the interaxial distance between the driving wheel and the caster wheel is 385 mm, the height of the mobile robot is 110 cm, and the weight is 50 kg.

It was confirmed by the experiment that the mobile robot according to the experimental example generated a significant degree of vibration while driving. Accordingly, the applicant repeated the same experiment while changing the distance between both driving wheels, when the ratio of the height of the mobile robot (H, see FIG. A significant degree of side-to-side shaking occurred while driving under certain conditions.

It can be seen that such shaking is generated at a similar level in the range of the height (H): distance (D1) of 3.5:1 to 4.5:1. However, it was confirmed that the shaking also decreased as the value of the height H with respect to the distance D1 became 3.5 or less. Preferably, when the distance D1 between both driving wheels is 340 to 360 mm, more preferably 350 mm In this case, it was confirmed that very stable driving is possible.

In addition, since the mobile robot of the experimental example is a forward driving method in which the driving wheel is located in front of the caster wheel, there is a problem in that the turning radius is long and it is difficult to turn quickly. Accordingly, the mobile robot 1 according to the embodiments of the present invention solves the above problems by installing the front wheel 22 in front of the driving wheel 21 by taking advantage of the rear driving. Furthermore, the wheels 23 are also disposed behind the driving wheel 21 in order to respond to a sudden load shifting backward due to inertia when starting or stopping.

In addition, in the mobile robot of the experimental example, this time leaving other conditions as it is and increasing the distance (D2, see Fig. 4) between a pair of caster wheels, the height (H) for the distance (D2) between a pair of caster wheels Even though the rain was lowered to 6, the shaking left and right was still there.

For this reason, the mobile robot 1 according to embodiments of the present invention includes a pair of shock absorbers 30 for supporting or buffering a pair of rear wheels 23, respectively. A pair of shock absorbers 30 may be disposed on the base 20 .

Referring to FIG. 6 , the shock absorber 30 may include a cylinder 31 , a cylinder cover 32 , a piston 33 , and an elastic member 34 .

The cylinder 31 is disposed on the upper side of the rear wheel 23 and may have a hollow 31a extending up and down. The upper surface of the cylinder 31 is opened, and the cylinder cover 32 is coupled to the opened upper surface in this way. An opening 20h is formed in the base 20 at a position corresponding to the cylinder 31 , and the rear wheel 23 is located in an area corresponding to the opening 20h.

A through hole may be formed in the cylinder cover 32 approximately in the center, and a piston rod 332 to be described later passes through the through hole when the piston 33 rises and protrudes upward of the cylinder 31 . A bushing 35 may be interposed in the through hole, and the piston rod 332 may be inserted into the bushing 35 .

The piston 33 may be provided to be elevating in the cylinder 31 . The piston 33 has a piston head 331 connected to the rear wheel 23 , and the piston rod 332 extends upwardly from the piston head 331 . An elastic member 34 may be disposed between the cylinder cover 32 and the piston head 331 . The elastic member 34 is preferably a compression spring as in the embodiment, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

When the piston 33 rises (operation from (a) state in FIG. 6 to (b) state), the piston head 331 compresses the air in the cylinder 31 (at this time, the elastic member 34 is compressed) , compressed air in this process is released to the outside of the cylinder 31 through the gap between the piston head 331 and the bushing 35, and on the contrary, when the piston head 331 is lowered by the restoring force of the elastic member 34 In (operation from (a) state of FIG. 6 to (b) state), external air is introduced into the cylinder 31 through the gap.

In this way, the shock acting on the rear wheel 23 is dissipated by being buffered by the viscosity or friction force of the fluid induced in the process of air entering and leaving the cylinder 31 through the gap.

7 is a perspective view of an ultraviolet sterilization module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 8 is a bottom view of the ultraviolet sterilization module shown in FIG. 9 is a side view of the ultraviolet sterilization module shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 7 and shows a structure in which an ultraviolet light source unit is installed. 11 is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 7 , (a) shows a structure in which a second pole terminal is installed in a housing, and (b) shows a structure in which a first pole terminal is installed on a rail. 12 is a view showing the insulator shown in FIGS. 9 to 10 separated. 13 is a perspective view of an ultraviolet light source unit. 14 is a side view of the ultraviolet light source unit of FIG. 13 . Hereinafter, a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 14 .

The ultraviolet sterilization module 400 includes a base plate 410 , a rail 420 , an ultraviolet light source unit 430 , and a housing 440 .

The base plate 410 may be formed in a substantially flat plate shape, and may be formed in a longitudinal direction in which a length in the front and rear directions is longer than a width in the left and right directions. The base plate 410 may be coupled to the bottom surface of the base 20 of the mobile robot 1 .

The rail 420 is made of a conductive material, and is coupled to one surface (or a bottom surface) of the base plate 410 . The rail 420 may be coupled to one surface of the base plate 410 by an adhesive or an attachment means such as an adhesive or double-sided tape. Alternatively, it is also possible to be coupled using a fastening member such as a screw or bolt.

The rail 420 extends long in the longitudinal direction (or longitudinal direction) of the base plate 410 , and the ultraviolet light source unit 430 is movable along the rail 420 in the longitudinal direction.

Referring to FIG. 9, the rail 420 extends long in the longitudinal direction and has a hollow (420s, FIG. 9.) that is open to the front and rear, but the lower portion of the hollow (420s) is more open.

The rail 420 includes an upper plate part 421 parallel to the base plate 410, a left plate part 422 and a right plate part 423 protruding downward from the left and right sides of the upper plate part 421, respectively, and a left plate part ( The left protrusion 444 bent at the lower end of the 422 and extended toward the right plate portion 423, and the left protrusion 444 bent at the lower end of the right plate portion 423 and extended toward the left plate portion 422, the gap between the left plate portion 422 and the It may include a right protrusion 425 forming the. Here, the left or right side was based on FIG. 9 .

The rail 420 may be electrically connected to the first pole terminal 471 , and the first pole terminal 471 may be electrically connected to the first power cable 461 .

The ultraviolet light source unit 430 is movable along the rail 420 by outputting ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet light source unit 430 is disposed on the outside of the rail 420 and the first connection terminal 431 inserted into the rail 420 (specifically, the hollow of the rail 420) and the rail 420, the first connection terminal 431 and It includes a circuit connected ultraviolet light source 434 .

The first connection terminal 431 extends downward from the terminal portion 431a and the terminal portion 431a positioned in the rail 420 to protrude to the outside of the rail 420 and a support portion 431b connected to the circuit board 432 ) may include. Dan s

The magnetic portion 431a may be supported by the left protrusion 424 and the right protrusion 425 of the rail 420 . The terminal portion 431a may have a significant size that does not pass through the gap between the left protrusion 424 and the right protrusion 425 .

The housing 440 is coupled to the base plate 410 with the rail 420 interposed therebetween to form a space in which the UV light source unit 430 is accommodated. A slot 441s corresponding to the rail 420 is formed in the housing 440 , and the ultraviolet light source 434 is exposed to the outside of the space through the slot 441s.

The housing 440 may include a plate portion 441 having a slot 441s formed thereon and a pair of first and second blocks 442 and 443 protruding upward from the plate portion 441 . The first block 442 and the second block 443 are parallel to each other, and between the blocks 442 and 443 is opened on one side of the housing 440, and on the other side in the transverse direction (or in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction). ) may be connected to each other by a third block 444 extending to the . Hollow parts 442a and 443a extending in the longitudinal direction may be formed in at least one of the first block 442 and the second block 443 .

In addition, at least one fastening hole 440h passing through a fastening member (not shown) such as a screw or bolt may be formed in the first block 442 and/or the second block 443 . Passing holes 410h and 450h are formed in the base plate 410 and the insulator 450 to be described later at a position corresponding to at least one fastening hole 440h, respectively. After passing through the 450h and the through hole 410h in sequence, it may be coupled (or fastened) to the base 20 or the main body 10 of the mobile robot 1 .

Meanwhile, the ultraviolet light source 434 emits light using the power supplied through the first connection terminal 431 . The ultraviolet light source 434 may be a semiconductor device in which an ultraviolet light emitting diode (UV LED) is manufactured in the form of a semiconductor chip, and in particular, a UVC LED device that outputs a single plate length (UV-C) of 320 to 400 nm.

The ultraviolet light source unit 430 includes a circuit board 432 on which the first connection terminal 431 is disposed on one surface 432a and the ultraviolet light source 434 is disposed on the other surface 432b, and the other surface of the circuit board 432 . It is provided in 432b and may include a power supply terminal 435 to which the power supplied from the first connection terminal 431 is applied to the ultraviolet light source 434 . A cable 436 electrically connecting the first connection terminal 431 and the power application terminal 435 may be further provided.

Meanwhile, the second connection terminal 437 of the ultraviolet light source unit 430 may be further provided on the other surface 432b of the circuit board 432 . In the embodiment, the first connection terminal 431 and the second connection terminal 437 correspond to the positive (+) and negative (-) of the ultraviolet light source unit 430, respectively, but according to the embodiment, the first connection terminal 431 ) becomes a negative electrode (-), and it is also possible that the second connection terminal 437 becomes a positive electrode (+).

Meanwhile, the housing 440 may further include a conductor 480 that is in contact with the second connection terminal 437 and forms the circuit. The conductor 480 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the plate body portion 441 of the housing 440 . The conductor 480 may be electrically connected to the second pole terminal 472 , and the second pole terminal 472 may be electrically connected to the second power cable 462 .

The UV sterilization module 400 may further include a connector 463 provided at the ends of the first power cable 451 and the second power cable 452 . The connector 463 may include electrodes (not shown) electrically connected to the first power cable 451 and the second power cable 452 , respectively. The power supply unit 190 may include a receptacle (not shown) connected to the connector 463 to supply power to the electrodes. A cable passage hole 412 through which the first power cable 451 and the second power cable 452 pass may be formed in the plate body portion 441 of the housing 440 .

Meanwhile, the UV sterilization module 400 may further include an insulator 450 interposed between the base plate 410 and the housing 440 . The insulator 450 is made of a sheet-shaped insulating material, and the first section 451 and the second block corresponding to the first block 442 , the second block 443 , and the third block 444 of the housing 440 , the second a section 452 and a third section 453 .

The mobile robot 1 described above may perform a quarantine operation in a target space. The quarantine operation is an operation of the mobile robot 1 for killing infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria, and may be understood as a concept that includes both the sterilization operation and the disinfection operation described above.

The present invention described above can be implemented as computer-readable code on a medium in which a program is recorded. The computer-readable medium includes all kinds of recording devices in which data readable by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable media include Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Solid State Disk (SSD), Silicon Disk Drive (SDD), ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, etc. There is also a carrier wave (eg, transmission over the Internet) that is implemented in the form of. In addition, the computer may include a control unit or a control unit. Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be construed as restrictive in all respects but as exemplary. The scope of the present invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

1: mobile robot
10: body
20: base
21: drive wheel
22: front wheel
23: rear wheel
28: drive motor

Claims (10)

A mobile robot having a main body and a base supporting the main body and driven by a driving motor, the mobile robot comprising:
Including an ultraviolet sterilization module provided in at least one of the main body and the base,
The ultraviolet sterilization module,
base plate;
a conductive rail coupled to one surface of the base plate and extending long in the longitudinal direction of the base plate;
an ultraviolet light source unit in which the first connection terminal inserted into the rail is movable in the longitudinal direction, and the ultraviolet light source connected to the first connection terminal in a circuit is disposed outside the rail; and
A housing coupled to the base plate with the rail interposed therebetween to form a space in which the UV light source unit is accommodated, a slot corresponding to the rail is formed, and the UV light source is exposed to the outside of the space through the slot including mobile robots. The method of claim 1,
The ultraviolet light source unit,
a circuit board having the first connection terminal disposed on one surface and the ultraviolet light source disposed on the other surface; and
and a power application terminal provided on the other surface of the circuit board to apply power supplied from the first connection terminal to the ultraviolet light source. 3. The method of claim 2
On the other surface of the circuit board,
A second connection terminal of the ultraviolet light source unit is further provided,
In the housing,
A mobile robot provided with a conductor forming the circuit by being in contact with the second connection terminal. 4. The method of claim 3,
The ultraviolet sterilization module,
a first power cable electrically connected to the rail;
a second power cable electrically connected to the conductor; and
The mobile robot further comprising a connector having electrodes electrically connected to the first power cable and the second power cable, respectively. The method of claim 1,
The UV light source unit is a mobile robot provided with a plurality. The method of claim 1,
The ultraviolet sterilization module,
The mobile robot further comprising an insulator interposed between the base plate and the housing. 4. The method of claim 3,
The housing is
a plate body in which the slot is formed; and
Each of the first block and the second block protruding upward from the plate body and extending in the longitudinal direction from both sides of the slot,
A mobile robot in which a hollow portion extending in the longitudinal direction is formed in at least one of the first block and the second block. The method of claim 1,
The ultraviolet sterilization module,
A mobile robot disposed on the bottom of the base to irradiate ultraviolet rays downward. The method of claim 1,
The ultraviolet sterilization module,
A mobile robot that is disposed on the main body and irradiates ultraviolet rays to the front and lower sides. The method of claim 1,
The ultraviolet light source is
A mobile robot that outputs light with a wavelength of 320 to 400 nm.

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