JPS6354374B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a self-propelled controlled vacuum cleaner.

Conventional Technology In general, places where many people gather tend to generate garbage and the floor surfaces tend to get dirty, but in particular, department stores, supermarkets, offices, banks, hospitals, and other aisles are places where dirt can become profuse if they are not cleaned every day. It is. Cleaning relies on middle-aged and elderly people and part-time workers, but in some places they work 24 hours a day, or in other places the work environment is poor, so there is a need for the development of unmanned vacuum cleaners. In order to meet these demands, there are methods that change the course when an obstacle is detected, a method of traveling by remote control, a method of traveling on a track, etc.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In this way, the vacuum cleaner is run unmanned, but the method of running it freely and changing its course when it detects an obstacle makes it difficult to determine the running route, and This method requires an operator, and if a computer and memory are installed, the device becomes complicated and expensive. In addition, when using the track running method, it is not possible to install the rails mechanically everywhere, and it is expensive to bury conductive wires in the floor to guide them using electrical means or electromagnetic waves. It's too much. There is also a method of laying ceramic on the floor to guide the travel path using acoustic effects, but this is expensive.

Means for Solving the Problems A vacuum cleaner main body is provided with a built-in electric blower, a dust collection section, and a travel drive section, and a drive wheel driven by the travel drive section and a swing wheel coupled to a steering section. a running path detection unit including a line detection unit that optically detects a running path designation line laid on a floor surface; an obstacle detection unit having tentacles that come into contact with obstacles; and the running path detection unit. Alternatively, a stop means for stopping the operation of the travel drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section based on an abnormal signal from the obstacle detection section is provided in the vacuum cleaner main body, and the operation of the drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section are stopped at least at a certain period. A timer for operating the traveling drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section; and a start command means for starting the traveling drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section when operated after processing an abnormal state. Ta.

Operation The vacuum cleaner body, which has a built-in electric blower, a dust collection section, and a travel drive section, and is equipped with a drive wheel driven by the travel drive section and a turning wheel connected to the steering section, is started by a timer. The running of the vacuum cleaner body is performed along the designated traveling route line by the operation of the traveling route detection section that includes a line detection section that optically detects the designated traveling route line laid on the floor surface. It is extremely easy to set the travel route for the vacuum cleaner by simply drawing a travel route designation line on the floor.In addition, if there is an obstacle, the obstacle detection unit will automatically set the travel route for the vacuum cleaner. The stop means stops the operations of the drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section, and further stops the operations of the traveling drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section even when the cleaner body deviates from the designated traveling route line and does not recover. When the abnormal condition is resolved or the machine is returned to the designated travel line, the vacuum cleaner itself can be easily started by operating the start command means. be.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a vacuum cleaner body. Although not shown in the drawings, the vacuum cleaner body 1 has a built-in battery, an electric blower, a dust collecting section, and a motor as a traveling drive section that drives the drive wheels 2, and a brush holder in the front part. 3 is connected to a motor 4 for raising and lowering that can freely rotate in forward and reverse directions, and is directed to be able to move up and down. The brush holder 3 houses a motor (not shown) and a brush 5 driven by the motor. Further, a motor (not shown) that can freely rotate in forward and reverse directions is provided at the bottom of the vacuum cleaner main body 1;
A steering section 7 is provided which includes a turning wheel 6 that oscillates to either the left or right depending on the direction of rotation. The motor of the steering section 7, the electric blower, the motor serving as the travel drive section, the motor 4, and the motor that rotates the brush 5 are all driven using the battery as a power source.

Furthermore, a handle 8 and an indicator light 9 powered by the battery are provided on the upper part of the vacuum cleaner main body 1, and an obstacle detection section is provided around the middle part and on the lower front and side surfaces of the brush holder 3. Tentacles 10 and 11 forming a part are provided. When these tentacles 10 and 11 come into contact with a person or other object, they open and close a switch (not shown) and function as an obstacle detection section that generates an electrical detection signal.

Furthermore, a case 12 is provided on the front lower surface of the vacuum cleaner main body 1, and a third
As shown in the figure and FIG. 4, a travel path detection section 13 is housed. This running path detection section 13 includes a tungsten lamp 14 whose power source is the battery;
A lens 15 that collects and irradiates the light of this lamp 14 diagonally forward, a lens 17 that collects retroreflected light from a reflective tape 16 laid on the floor as a running route designation line, and a lens 17 that transmits light through the lens 17. Three phototransistors 18, 19, and 20 forming a line detection section that receives the emitted light, and a lens 1
5 and 17, and a light shielding plate 21 that partitions them. The three phototransistors 18, 19, and 20 receive visible and near infrared rays with high sensitivity, and are arranged in the left-right direction. Note that the reflective tape 1
A filter 22 is provided between the lens 17 and the lens 17 . Further, a microcomputer operating section 23 having a push button constituting a start command means is attached to the upper part of the vacuum cleaner main body 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the reflective tape 16 is attached so as to circulate through a passage 28 in, for example, a supermarket, and the starting and ending point of the circulation is the storage section 27 of the vacuum cleaner main body 1. 2
4, 25, and 26 are product shelves installed along the passage 28.

In such a configuration, various operations such as traveling and cleaning are controlled by the microcomputer operation section 23. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a start command is issued at a certain time, the motor for running rotates, drives the drive wheels 2, and starts running. At this time, the motor 4 rotates in one direction to lower the brush holder 3, and the indicator light 9 lights up in yellow. In addition, the timer may be set artificially.
Even if it is turned on, it will start driving. At this time, run for about 20 seconds while lowering the brush holder 3.
In any case, the electric blower rotates next, the brush motor is driven, and the brush 5 rotates.
Cleaning begins. During cleaning, the vacuum cleaner main body 1 moves along the reflective tape 16 at a speed of just under 5 m per minute, but when either of the tentacles 10 or 11 touches a person or object, an obstacle detection signal is input to the microcomputer operation unit 22. Then, the motor for running stopped and the motor stopped running, and the electric blower and the motor for brush 5 also stopped.
The motor 4 rotates in reverse to raise the brush holder 3. This obstacle detection state is determined by the microcomputer operation unit 23.
The indicator light 9 lights up in red (or flashes in yellow) due to the circuit switching control of the vacuum cleaner body 1.
An alarm is issued by a buzzer (not shown) installed at the
Keep people away from the vacuum cleaner body 1, and if it is luggage, go to aisle 2.
8, the obstacle is disposed of, and a start command is issued by operating the start command means in the microcomputer operation section 23. After the above-mentioned control operation, the state returns to the continuous cleaning state, and the indicator light 9 also lights up normally in yellow. Return to state.

While the vehicle is running, the light from the lamp 14 is always irradiated onto the reflective tape 16, and the phototransistors 18, 19, and 20 receive the reflected light. In the case shown in FIG. 1, the phototransistor 19 in the center is receiving light and the course is maintained accurately.
In the case shown in FIG. 5B, the path is shifted to the right, and phototransistors 18 and 19 receive the light. Furthermore, when the path changes significantly to the right, the phototransistor 18 receives light as shown in FIG. 5C.
Further, if the course of the light is tilted to the right for some reason, which cannot occur in a normal state, none of the phototransistors 18, 19, and 20 will receive light as shown in FIG. 5D. Then, the rotation direction and rotation angle of the motor of the steering section 7 are controlled in accordance with the detection signals of several stages shown in FIG. Ru. Fifth
The detection state in Figure D is the phototransistor 18, 1
9 and 20 are all located on the left side of the reflective tape 16, which is an abnormal state. Therefore, Fig. 5 B, C or Fig. 5 D
The state is a warning state or an abnormal state, and the indicator light 9 also changes to red and the buzzer sounds. If the time required to correct the trajectory is within 20 seconds, the machine will soon return to the continuous cleaning state, but if it takes more than 20 seconds, the vacuum cleaner body 1 may fall over, or the reflective tape 16
If there is a possibility that the
Since the state shown in FIG. D is reached, the stop means is activated at this time to stop the traveling motor and also stop the electric blower and brush motor. and,
When the trajectory is artificially corrected by the warning, a start command is generated by operating the start command means of the microcomputer operation section 23 as described above, and the cleaning traveling continuation state is returned again through the aforementioned control operation.

When the vacuum cleaner main body 1 reaches the vicinity of the storage section 27 in this way, a signal generating section (not shown) is installed near the storage section 27.
By installing a receiver on the side of the vacuum cleaner body 1, a signal indicating that cleaning is complete can be sent to the microcomputer operation unit 2.
3 and a stop command is issued. Of course, it is possible to end the cleaning at any position by artificially turning off the timer. When a stop command is issued, the motor 4 is reversely rotated to raise the brush holder 3, the electric blower and the motor for the brush 5 are stopped, and the cleaner main body 1 moves and stops at the storage section 27. The signal to be stopped is generated by moving the signal generating unit to the storage unit 27 in the same way as when obtaining the cleaning completion signal described above.
It may be obtained by means such as providing the After stopping in the storage section 27, if the inside is full of collected dust, a lamp or buzzer will indicate that the garbage should be disposed of, and if the capacity of the battery as a power source is low, it will not be charged. Indications are made using lamps, buzzers, etc. Then, I look forward to the next start.

One cycle is performed as described above, but the cleaning run time is approximately 2 hours due to battery exhaustion.

Incidentally, the reflective tape 16 is extremely inexpensive, can be applied to many types of floors, and there are few restrictions on where it can be applied. In addition, since it is easy to replace, it is also easy to change the route when changing the layout.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, an electric blower, a dust collecting section, and a travel drive section are built in, and a drive wheel driven by the travel drive section and a turning wheel coupled to a steering section are mounted. To start the vacuum cleaner,
This is performed by a timer, and the main body of the vacuum cleaner runs along the designated travel route line by the operation of a travel detection unit that includes a line detection unit that optically detects the designated travel route line laid on the floor. Therefore, it is extremely easy to set the travel path for the vacuum cleaner by simply drawing a travel path designation line on the floor. The operation of the travel drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section is stopped by the stop means, and furthermore, the operation of the travel drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section is stopped even when the vacuum cleaner body deviates from the designated travel route line and does not recover. Safety is increased by stopping the vacuum cleaner using the stop means, and when the abnormal condition is resolved or the cleaner is returned to the designated running route line, the vacuum cleaner itself can be easily started by operating the start command means. It has the following effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the invention.
The figure is a front view, Fig. 2 is a side view, Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the running path detection section, Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of the running path detection section, and Fig. 5 shows the detection operation from above. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the laying route of the reflective tape, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vacuum cleaner body. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vacuum cleaner body, 2... Drive wheel, 6... Swivel wheel, 7... Steering section, 10-11... Tentacle (obstacle detection section), 13... Running path detection section, 16... Traveling Route designation line, 18, 19, 20... line detection section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum cleaner body that includes an electric blower, a dust collecting section, and a traveling drive section, and has a drive wheel driven by the traveling drive section and a turning wheel connected to a steering section, and a vacuum cleaner that is laid on the floor. a running path detection unit including a line detection unit that optically detects a running route designation line; an obstacle detection unit including a tentacle that contacts an obstacle; stopping means for stopping the operation of the traveling drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section based on the abnormal signal; and operating at least the traveling drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section at a constant cycle. A self-propelled control vacuum cleaner comprising a timer and a start command means that starts the travel drive section, the electric blower, and the steering section when operated after processing an abnormal state.