JPH0757215B2 - Self-propelled cleaning robot - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Field of Application> The present invention relates to a cleaning robot, and more specifically,
The present invention relates to a self-propelled cleaning robot in which power is supplied through a power cord.

<Prior Art> A self-propelled cleaning robot is a robot that travels by itself in an area to be cleaned and cleans the area by sucking dust or the like from a vacuum cleaner suction port provided at the bottom thereof.

As a power supply for running such a self-propelled cleaning robot,
It is conceivable to use the battery mounted on the robot body.

However, if you use a battery installed in the robot body to perform cleaning work, the cleaner motor that sucks dust will consume a large amount of power, which shortens the battery charging interval and reduces the work time required for a single charge. Also becomes shorter. Therefore, it is indispensable to supply power from another power source using the power cord.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> However, when the power is supplied by the power cord, when the cleaning robot changes its direction,
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the cleaning robot (1 ') cleans a square room from the point (a) to the point (d), the robot (1) near the points (b) and (c). There is a problem that the traveling operation of the robot is restricted due to the relation with the power cord, because the power cord is easily entangled because ′) rotates to change the direction.

Further, when the robot (1 ') rotates in the same manner as in the example of FIG. 5, the corner which does not cover the cleaner suction port (2') is left uncleaned and the outer circumference is cleaned again. There was also the problem of necessity.

<Objects of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and while using a power cord for supplying power from another power source, the power cord is not restricted by entanglement or the like in a room. An object is to provide a self-propelled cleaning robot capable of cleaning every corner.

<Means for Solving Problems> A self-propelled cleaning robot according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object includes a direction-changeable wheel provided at the bottom of the robot,
Two front and rear cleaner suction ports provided on the bottom, two suction pipes respectively connected to the cleaner suction ports, two shutters provided at predetermined positions of the suction pipe, and the cleaner A cleaner motor that sucks dust and the like from the suction port through the suction pipe, a sensor that detects a separated state from an obstacle such as a wall, and a first wheel that changes the direction of the wheel based on the output of the sensor. A control means and a second control means for opening and closing the two shutters according to the running state of the robot and the output of the sensor are provided, and the second control means is used immediately before the robot changes its traveling direction, or Immediately after that, the two shutters are opened.

<Operation> With the self-propelled cleaning robot having the above-described configuration, the direction of the direction-changeable wheel provided on the bottom of the robot is changed based on the output of the sensor that detects the state of separation from an obstacle such as a wall. It is not necessary to store the traveling course in advance, the robot can be made to travel near an obstacle such as a wall, and the traveling direction can be changed without changing the orientation of the robot body.

Further, it has a second control means for opening and closing the two shutters according to the running state of the robot and the output of the sensor,
Both shutters are opened immediately before or after the robot changes its running direction, so that the entire bottom surface of the robot is cleaned at that time.

<Examples> Hereinafter, detailed description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating examples.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a command system by the first and second control means (C1) and (C2) in the robot. For example, the first control is performed by a sensor output such as an impact sensor described later. The means (C1) gives the wheel steering section (d1) an instruction to change the direction of the robot traveling wheels (r1) to (r4), and the second control means (C2) causes the second controller (C2) to output a sensor output such as a distance sensor described later. Shutter drive unit (d2)
It is shown that the opening / closing command of the shutters (L1) and (L2) is given to.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the vacuum cleaner of the robot. Dust and the like sucked from the two front and rear suction ports (P1) and (P2) provided near both opposite sides of the robot bottom are suction pipes. Vacuum cleaner motor (M) sucks through (Q1) and (Q2). Shutters (L1) and (L2) are provided at the ends of the suction pipes (Q1) and (Q2). Shutter (L
1) and (L2) can be independently opened and closed by a command from the second control means (C2). For example, opening the shutter (L1) and closing the shutter (L2) and vice versa, Alternatively, both shutters can be opened.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the installation state of the wheels at the bottom of the robot. Wheels (r1) to (r4) are provided at the four corners of the bottom, and stoppers (s1) and (s2) are provided at the front and rear of the bottom, respectively. Is attached. By changing the direction of the wheels (r1) to (r4) by the first control means (C1), the robot can move forward and backward in the vertical direction, and the direction is kept constant without rotating the main body. It is possible to travel (translate) in the horizontal direction at right angles to the vertical direction as it is. That is, when the robot travels in the vertical direction, it travels by the wheels (r1) to (r4) in the direction of the solid line in the figure with the stoppers (s1) and (s2) kept raised. When changing the running direction of the robot 90 degrees sideways, the stoppers (s1) and (s2) are lowered, the wheels (r1) to (r4) are lifted, and the wheels (r1) to (r4) are moved in the direction of the broken line in the figure. Each
Rotate 90 degrees. After that, the stoppers (s1) and (s2) move up, and the robot moves from the wheels (r1) to (r
Drive laterally by 4).

After the robot travels in the horizontal direction, when the robot travels in the vertical direction again, the stoppers (s1) and (s2) move up, and the same operation for changing the direction of the wheels as described above is repeated. The switching between the front and rear running directions of the robot is performed by rotating the wheels in the forward or reverse direction.

The operation of the robot having the above structure when performing cleaning will be described. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the robot cleans a square room. Two shutters (L
As described above, 1) and (L2) can be opened and closed independently of each other by the second control means (C2). When cleaning, only one shutter is opened and the other one is opened. The shutter is closed. The opened shutter may be either the front side or the rear side in the moving direction of the robot, but in the following description, suction in the rear side with respect to the moving direction of the robot will be described. It is assumed that the shutter leading to the mouth is open. This open suction port is indicated by reference numeral (2) in FIG.

When the robot cleans the area from the point (A) to the point (B), the robot removes a distance (distance (w) in FIG. 1) between the two suction ports from the point (B) ( (Equivalent to approximately the entire length of the robot)), the second control means (C2) works to detect the distance by, for example, a distance sensor mounted on the robot, and the front shutter also moves backward. Open it in the same way, and inhale from both suction ports. However, since the suction capacity is halved, the traveling speed is also reduced accordingly. In this way, the robot reaches the point (B) while performing suction while keeping both shutters open at the same time. Reaching the point (B) can be sensed by, for example, mounting a sensor on the robot that feels an impact when the robot hits a wall. After that, as described above, the wheel is provided on the bottom of the robot to change its direction, so that the robot is moved laterally to reach the point (C). Then, this time, the shutter that was closed while the robot traveled from the point (A) to the point (B) was opened, and the robot was moved from the point (A) to the point (B).
The shutter that had been opened while traveling up to is closed. Then, the robot moves backward from the point (C) to the point (D) while opening the rear suction port in the traveling direction.

In the above example, an example in which the shutter on the rear side in the traveling direction of the robot is always opened has been described, but for example, the shutter on the front side in the traveling direction of the robot is always opened,
The point (C), not when the robot reaches point (B)
The suction may be performed while both shutters are simultaneously open when the vehicle departs from the point toward the point (D).

By performing the cleaning in accordance with the method described above, it is not necessary to change the orientation of the robot by using the rotation operation, so that the power cord is not easily entangled with the robot. Also, by opening both shutters (L1) and (L2) at the same time immediately before or after changing the traveling direction, it is possible to perform suction on the entire bottom surface of the robot, and as a result, it is possible to clean every corner of a square room. Become so.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, the direction of the direction-changeable wheel provided on the bottom of the robot is changed based on the output of the sensor that detects the state of separation from an obstacle such as a wall. There is no need to memorize the traveling course, the robot can be made to run near obstacles such as walls, and the traveling direction can be changed without changing the orientation of the robot body. There is no restriction such as entanglement.

Further, it has a second control means for opening and closing the two shutters according to the running state of the robot and the output of the sensor,
Since both shutters are opened immediately before or after the robot changes its traveling direction, the entire bottom surface of the robot is cleaned at that time, and every corner of the room can be reliably cleaned.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a cleaner structure of a self-propelled cleaning robot, FIG. 2 is a block diagram explaining a command system by first and second control means in the robot, and FIG. The figure which shows the installation state of the wheel of the bottom of a running type cleaning robot, FIG. 4 is a figure which shows the state which a self-propelled cleaning robot cleans a square room, and FIG. 5 is the state which the conventional cleaning robot cleans. FIG. (P1), (P2) …… Vacuum cleaner suction port, (C1), (C2) ……
First and second control means, (Q1), (Q2) ... Suction tube, (L1), (L2) ... Shutter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A variable-direction wheel provided on the bottom of a robot, and two front and rear vacuum cleaner suction ports provided on the bottom.
Two suction pipes respectively connected to the cleaner suction port, two shutters provided at predetermined positions of the suction pipe, and a cleaner motor for sucking dust or the like from the cleaner suction port through the suction pipe. A sensor for detecting a state of separation from an obstacle such as a wall; first control means for changing the direction of the wheel based on the output of the sensor; A second control unit that opens and closes according to the output of the sensor, wherein the second control unit opens the two shutters immediately before or after the robot changes its traveling direction. Self-propelled cleaning robot.