RU2817455C1 - Contamination removal robot - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: devices for removal of contaminants.

SUBSTANCE: proposed invention relates to devices for removal of contaminations, namely to robot for removal of contaminations. Robot for removing contaminants comprises a housing and is configured to contain at least a portion of the article to be cleaned, and the housing has an opening corresponding to the dimensions of at least a part of the article to be cleaned, and a cavity for the article to be cleaned or part thereof. Robot also comprises a video subsystem, an energy subsystem, cleaning means, a sensor system, a coolant supply and spraying system, mechanical impurity removal means, at least one storage, control module. Video subsystem is made with possibility to determine presence of contamination, and system of coolant supply and spraying is made with possibility to spray coolant on such contamination for its freezing. Means for mechanical removal of contamination is made with possibility of movement of frozen contamination in storage, and cleaning means are made with possibility of cleaning at least part of article located in cavity of housing. Robot housing comprises wheels for its movement.

EFFECT: possibility of surface cleaning by automated means without human participation.

5 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The proposed invention relates to devices for removing contaminants, namely to a robot for removing contaminants.

State of the art

From the prior art, Chinese patent No. 101574059, a chamber for quick freezing of pet feces is known, which contains a tank body, a handle, a bottle neck, a mesh bag and a nozzle. Using this device, you can freeze contaminants, but its operation requires a person and additional devices for storing waste. The proposed invention allows you to automate this process. Thus, the problem solved by the invention is to enable surface cleaning by an automated means without human intervention.

The technical result is to provide the ability to clean the surface using an automated means without human intervention.

The technical result is achieved in that the robot for removing contaminants contains a housing and is configured to contain at least part of the product being cleaned, and the housing has an opening corresponding to the dimensions of at least part of the product being cleaned and a cavity for the product being cleaned or its part, wherein the robot also contains a video subsystem, an energy subsystem, cleaning means, a sensor system, a refrigerant supply and spray system, a means for mechanical removal of contamination, at least one storage, a control module, wherein the video subsystem is configured to detect the presence of contamination, and the refrigerant supply and spray system is configured with the ability to spray a refrigerant onto such contaminant to freeze it, wherein the means for mechanically removing the contaminant is configured to move the frozen contaminant into storage, and the cleaning means are configured to clean at least part of the product located in the cavity of the housing, wherein the robot body contains wheels to ensure his movements.

The essence of the claimed technical solution is illustrated in Fig. 1, 2, where

- in fig. 1 schematically shows the layout of the device;

- in fig. Figure 2 shows the process of the robot working to remove contaminants.

Carrying out the invention

The robot body can be made of any suitable material, such as metal or plastic. The body may have the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped or any other shape. The robot body has a hole in one of its walls of a set size for the passage of a toilet bowl or part of it. The hole, for example, can be rectangular and start from the bottom edge of the side wall and have dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of a standard toilet + 50 cm on each side. Inside the body, its elements are arranged so that the toilet bowl or part of it is placed in the cavity formed in the body for further cleaning. The body also contains wheels connected to a motor for movement in space. The robot can also contain additional devices in the form of containers for contamination and special cassettes for detergents. It is also possible to have a mechanical handle on the body for blocking and transporting the robot in the event of a robot malfunction.

Video subsystem 1 consists of several video cameras operating in different ranges. Video subsystem 1 is designed to identify contamination inside and outside the toilet. Video subsystem 1 (computer vision system) operates in several light ranges. Such a system may consist of several video cameras, at least two, with built-in software designed to identify contamination. In particular, ordinary pollution is identified by a regular video camera, and pollution invisible to the eye is identified by a video camera operating in the ultraviolet range. Video subsystem 1 is the main means of identifying contamination and obstacles, while video subsystem 1 compares the current image obtained in real time with a reference image that does not contain any contamination. The reference image can be obtained at the moment the robot first passes along the route.

The energy subsystem 2 provides the product with electrical energy and consists of a motor, a control motor that controls the movement of the product, and several motors that control the cleaning means 3. The energy system 2 may also contain a battery or other energy source. In this case, means for charging the battery on the base may be located in the housing.

The mechanical cleaning means 3 consists of a shaft (C), which opens during rotational movement into an umbrella structure on the spokes of which brushes (B) are located. As the rotating shaft is gradually lowered, the umbrella structure opens, passing along the inner surface of the toilet. The umbrella structure with brushes (B) rotates and cleans the inner surface of the toilet, since the spokes on the shaft (C) are fixed through a spring mechanism, the internal shape of the toilet does not matter. Brushes can move both on the internal surface and on the external surface of the toilet bowl and with connected liquid detergents.

Work with the surface of the toilet can be carried out in three directions:

1. Vertical cleaning of the inner surface of the toilet.

2. Horizontal cleaning of the sanitary seat location.

3. Vertical cleaning of the outer surface of the toilet.

For each of these areas, the product provides its own means of cleaning and diagnosing contamination.

So the inner surface of the toilet is cleaned with a set of brushes with a special design in the form of a bouquet that expands as it moves from top to bottom. Cleaning movements are carried out in the toilet itself until the inner surface of the toilet is completely cleaned. The horizontal surface is always cleaned. When the product is parked on the toilet, when the product slides onto the toilet, the rollers located above the upper edge of the toilet roll over the dirty surface of the toilet. The surface of the toilet bowl is also cleaned. When the product moves onto the toilet, the rollers in the toilet will clean the outer surface. When not in use, the brushes are in the chamber 7 for filling with cleaning chemicals and are filled with cleaning agents.

To avoid contamination of the product itself, the cleaning operation can be carried out in a special hood (A), which is lowered onto the toilet from above.

The robot also contains a system of 4 sensors that determine the distance to the wall, obstacles, toilets, and dirt. Also, sensors 4 allow you to more accurately determine the type of contamination. Sensor system 4 consists of several sensors, including methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc., designed to reliably identify pollution. Such a sensor system can consist of two types of sensors and sensors, namely spatial positioning sensors and chemical confirmation sensors. Spatial positioning sensors: rangefinder, gyroscope, accelerometer, etc. (which can be combined in one physical housing) are designed to accurately position the product in space. In this case, the positioning is chosen so that the identified contaminants do not affect the movement and operation of the product. Chemical confirmation sensors are designed for chemical analysis of identifiable contamination, i.e. confirms the presence of contamination received through the computer vision system and can also determine the type of contamination. Sensors are placed around the perimeter of the lower part of the product surface to identify contamination on all sides of the product. To confirm contamination on the outside of the toilet, some sensors are placed on the inner surface of the product to identify contamination inside the toilet. Sensors are a means of confirming the presence of contamination received from video subsystem 1.

Also, sensors 4 are necessary for dosing the refrigerant and serve to confirm the collection of contaminants from the surface. All sensors are connected to a system of microcontrollers that provide information processing of signals received from the sensors. The received signals, together with signals from video subsystem 1, control the mechanical devices that directly carry out cleaning. Specifically, the valve opens to spray refrigerant to clean the outside of the toilet and the surface underneath. The refrigerant is sprayed at intervals, the product independently turns on and off the servo drive on the outgoing refrigerant hose.

The robot also contains a control module, which may contain a processor or microcontroller and a memory device, which may contain a database of reference images, room maps, and chemical confirmation sensor readings (for example, hydrogen sulfide content) for a certain type of pollution. The control module receives signals (wired or wireless) from the remaining robot components 1-9, processes them, including performing calculations, and, if necessary, sends control signals to the robot components 1-9.

The robot also contains a storage of 5 clean sealed bags for found and pre-frozen external contaminants and a storage of 6 filled sealed bags filled with collected, pre-frozen external contaminants.

The refrigerant supply and spray system 8 consists of a sprinkler and a connected refrigerant cylinder. The refrigerant is placed in a pressurized cylinder inside the product. On the front part of the product there are telescopic rods that open when contamination is detected by the video subsystem 1 of the product. Hoses with electric valves for spraying refrigerant from the cylinder are attached to these rods. Since the refrigerant is in the cylinders under pressure, if the valve is opened, the refrigerant is independently sprayed over the contamination under the influence of internal pressure. After spraying the refrigerant, a means of mechanical removal of contamination is extended from the bottom of the product, for example, an electric scraper 9 with augers located on the working surface of the electric scraper.

When contamination is detected, the electric scraper 9 scoops up pre-frozen contamination into a special container located inside the product. Frozen contamination is scraped by a scraper and enters a clean, open, sealed bag placed on a rail along a moving belt, where, after reaching a certain mass, the bag is packed and placed in a sealed bag storage facility. When a certain weight is reached, the bag is buried due to its own weight and the dirty bag is transferred to storage. The design itself is of a drum type in which empty bags are suspended on a rotating column with slats on which empty bags are suspended. Completed packages are placed in the completed package storage. When the filled bag is replaced with an empty one, loading stops until the empty bag accepts contaminants from the conveyor scoop. The container is airtight and closes after filling. Subsequently, the filled container is automatically removed from the product body and replaced with a clean and empty container.

The robot may also contain an ultraviolet lamp to identify invisible contaminants and an on-board system to alert people about the robot's operating status.

The robot works as follows (Fig. 2).

101. All operations are performed automatically without human intervention. At the initial stage, the sanitary robot is located at the base, where the robot’s battery is charged and the consumables necessary for cleaning the contamination are installed in the robot.

102. At a certain frequency, specified in the robot control program, the robot independently takes a well-known route, containing comprehensive information about the possible location of the blockage and the location of the toilet. In addition to the route itself, the robot’s memory contains information about “reliable cleanliness,” that is, the robot knows what a clean room and toilet should look like. That is, anything that does not correspond to the picture of cleanliness embedded in the robot’s memory is garbage and must be cleaned.

103. If an obstacle appears along the route, the robot has the opportunity to wait or try to go around the obstacle without moving away from the given route. If a person is detected (an infrared sensor and computer vision are used), the robot remains in standby mode without interfering with the person’s cleaning operation.

104. After detecting contamination (comparing the ideal picture in memory with the detected contamination) and confirming the absence of a person (infrared vision), the robot independently:

• cleans the surface under and next to the toilet in order to be able to drive up to the toilet on a clean surface;

• after cleaning the surface near the toilet, the product moves up to the toilet, completely covering it with its body in which cleaning agents are placed, this allows you to hide the cleaning work and not interfere with the spraying of chemical cleaning agents.

105. All cleaning of the toilet and toilet surface is hidden inside the robot body. If contaminants are detected on the floor, the robot pre-washes the contaminants using to collect contaminants, including liquid refrigerant. The robot sprays dirt from a built-in sprayer and collects hardened dirt using brushes and vacuum pumps located on the bottom of the robot. After cleaning the surface under the toilet, the robot continues cleaning the toilet itself. All contaminants are collected in special waterproof, sealed bags.

106. With filled containers, the robot moves along a certain route to the place where the pollution is dumped.

107. At the pollutant dump site, the robot independently drops sealed containers at the pollutant dump site. The robot drives up to the dumping site and the container with contaminants in sealed bags is pushed out of the robot body, and another container with empty, clean, sealed bags is placed in its place.

108. A robot with clean containers and bags stops at the base to charge the battery and replenish supplies.

Claims (5)

1. A robot for removing contaminants, containing a housing, characterized in that it is configured to contain at least part of the product being cleaned, and the housing has an opening corresponding to the dimensions of at least part of the product being cleaned and a cavity for the product being cleaned or its part, wherein the robot also contains a video subsystem, an energy subsystem, cleaning means, a sensor system, a refrigerant supply and spray system, a means for mechanical removal of contamination, at least one storage, a control module, wherein the video subsystem is configured to detect the presence of contamination, and the refrigerant supply and spray system is configured with the ability to spray a refrigerant onto such contaminant to freeze it, wherein the means for mechanically removing the contaminant is configured to move the frozen contaminant into storage, and the cleaning means are configured to clean at least part of the product located in the cavity of the housing, wherein the robot body contains wheels to ensure his movements. 2. A robot for removing dirt according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning means include a shaft configured to open during rotational movement into an umbrella structure, on the spokes of which brushes are located. 3. A robot for removing contaminants according to claims 1, 2, characterized in that the sensor system consists of spatial positioning sensors and chemical confirmation sensors. 4. The robot for removing contaminants according to claim 3, characterized in that the chemical confirmation sensors are configured to confirm the presence of contaminants, determine its type, and are also configured to determine the dose of refrigerant for spraying and confirm the removal of contaminants. 5. A robot for removing contaminants according to claims 1-4, characterized in that it contains a storage of clean sealed bags and a storage of sealed bags filled with collected, pre-frozen contaminants.