Patent Publication Number: US-9833116-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for providing multiple modes of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates to the field of cleaning devices, more particularly to a method and an apparatus for providing multiple modes of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Smart robotic cleaners may usually suck up dust or collect garbage from the floor to be cleaned, and furthermore, they may move within a certain range automatically without a user&#39;s manual instruction. This type of smart robotic cleaners is generally equipped with an intelligent electronic control unit, multiple sensors for detecting and actuators for moving. Sensors could detect obstacles or dirt, and provide feedback to the intelligent control unit. The intelligent control unit issues commands of actions to the actuators according to the detected data. Thus, smart robotic cleaners could clean the areas to be cleaned and change their moving directions automatically at the same time. 
     However, the current smart robotic cleaners generally have only one working mode, e.g., either sweeping mode or vacuuming mode. Those two working modes are typically not integrated in one robotic cleaner, and hence the applicable scope is too narrow. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present application discloses a method and an apparatus for providing multiple modes of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner, which integrates both sweeping mode and vacuuming mode from which users may select on the smart robotic cleaner, and thus there are more ways of cleaning and the applicable scope is more extensive. 
     In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application discloses a method for providing multiple ways of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner employs a technical solution as follows: 
     A method for providing multiple ways of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner, integrating two cleaning modes of brush sweeping and vacuuming on one smart robotic cleaner; an electronic control unit of the smart robotic cleaner switching cleaning modes automatically according to the different cleaning devices replaced on the smart robotic cleaner. That is, as long as a user replaces two different cleaning devices on the body of a smart robotic cleaner, the electronic control unit in the body may control the smart robotic cleaner to switch between the cleaning modes automatically; thus, the two cleaning modes may be switched based on a user&#39;s need, achieving a multi-purpose machine. There are more ways of cleaning, and the applicable scope is more extensive. 
     Further, when a rolling brush assembly is mounted on the smart robotic cleaner, the smart robotic cleaner is switched to a cleaning mode of rolling brush sweeping by the electronic control unit; after the smart robotic cleaner is started, a rolling brush of the rolling brush assembly rotates and sweeps garbage around the smart robotic cleaner, and dust is drawn into a dust box of the smart robotic cleaner by the suction of a centrifugal fan. Therefore, the smart robotic cleaner could sweep floors efficiently under the co-work of a rolling brush and a centrifugal fan. 
     Further, when a suction inlet assembly is mounted on the smart robotic cleaner, the smart robotic cleaner is switched to a cleaning mode of vacuuming by the electronic control unit; after the smart robotic cleaner is started, a centrifugal fan rotates at a high speed, and a high speed airflow generated thereof causes pressure difference between the inside of an air duct system and the external atmospheric pressure; certain suction is generated in the vicinity of a suction inlet of the suction inlet assembly, and garbage is drawn into the dust box of the smart robotic cleaner. Therefore, the suction inlet may vacuum efficiently under the high speed working of the centrifugal fan. 
     In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application discloses an apparatus for providing multiple ways of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner employs a technical solution as follows: 
     An apparatus for providing multiple ways of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner comprises: a body being able to move on the ground and an electronic control unit provided in the body; an air duct is formed and an air inlet, an air outlet, a dust box assembly and a ventilation device are provided in the body; the air inlet is connected to the air outlet through the air duct; the air duct flows through the dust box assembly; the ventilation device is arranged on the air duct and could draw the air in the air duct to the air outlet; a mounting position is provided at the bottom of the body; a rolling brush assembly and a suction inlet assembly could be detachably mounted on the mounting position; the rolling brush assembly and the suction inlet assembly could be replaced with each other at the mounting position; and the air inlet is provided on the mounting position and corresponds to the rolling brush assembly or the suction inlet assembly. 
     Since the rolling brush assembly and the suction inlet assembly could be detachably mounted on the mounting position, and the rolling brush assembly and the suction inlet assembly may be replaced with each other at the mounting position, users may mount the rolling brush assembly or the suction inlet assembly on the smart robotic cleaner according to the actual conditions during the process of cleaning floors, achieving a multi-purpose machine. When the ventilation device starts to work, an air duct in the body could enter the state of negative pressure, and thus the air outside may come into the body through the air inlet and flow through the dust box assembly along the air duct in the body; finally, the air is drawn to the air outlet by the ventilation device and flows out of the body, forming an airflow in the body. Since the air inlet is arranged on the mounting position and corresponds to the rolling brush assembly or the suction inlet assembly, when the rolling brush assembly is mounted on the body, wastes such as dust and garbage are drawn to the air inlet along with the airflow by the time the rolling brush assembly sweeps the floor, and go into the dust box assembly along the air duct and are collected in the dust box of the dust box assembly finally. In the same way, when the suction inlet assembly is mounted on the body, wastes such as garbage and dust located below the suction inlet assembly could be drawn into the air inlet by the suction inlet assembly along with the airflow as the robotic cleaner moves, and go into the dust box assembly along the air duct and are collected in the dust box of the dust box assembly finally. 
     Therefore, a mounting position is arranged on a smart robotic cleaner in the apparatus of the present disclosure, a rolling brush assembly and a suction inlet assembly could be detachably mounted on the mounting position, and the rolling brush assembly and the suction inlet assembly could be replaced with each other at the mounting position. Thus users may mount a rolling brush assembly or a suction inlet assembly on the smart robotic cleaner according to the actual conditions during the process of cleaning floors, so that the setting of two cleaning modes of rolling brush sweeping and vacuuming may be implemented on the smart robotic cleaner, achieving a multi-purpose machine. There are more ways of cleaning, and the applicable scope is more extensive. 
     Further, a switch electrically connected to the electronic control unit is provided on the mounting position, and the electronic control unit could switch between different cleaning modes by opening or closing the switch. In particular, when the rolling brush assembly or the suction inlet assembly is mounted on the mounting position, the rolling brush assembly or the suction inlet assembly could enable or disable the switch, so that the body may switch between a cleaning mode of rolling brush sweeping or a cleaning mode of vacuuming; in the cleaning mode of rolling brush sweeping, the rolling brush assembly works; and in the cleaning mode of vacuuming, the suction inlet assembly works. For example, when the rolling brush assembly is mounted on the mounting position of the body, the switch issues a trigger signal to the electronic control unit because the rolling brush assembly abuts and enables the switch, and the electronic control unit could start a motor connected to the rolling brush in order to drive the rolling brush assembly; when the rolling brush assembly is removed from the mounting position and the suction inlet assembly is mounted, the switch is disabled and is in a disconnected state, and the motor connected to the rolling brush before may not be started, so that the robotic cleaner is able to switch between the two cleaning modes and it is more convenient to use. 
     Further, the rolling brush assembly comprises a rolling brush holder detachably mounted on the mounting position and a rolling brush pivotally connected to the rolling brush holder; the pivot axis of the rolling brush is set horizontally, the air inlet corresponds to the rolling brush, and the rolling brush could sweep garbage into the body as it rotates. 
     Further, the suction inlet assembly comprises a suction inlet holder detachably mounted on the mounting position and a suction inlet formed on the suction inlet holder, the air inlet docks with the suction inlet, and the suction inlet could draw the garbage in the vicinity of the suction inlet into the body in the mode of vacuuming. 
     Further, the dust box assembly in the body comprises a coarse filter and a fine filter, and an airflow in the air duct flows through the coarse filter and the fine filter in turn. Therefore, waste such as dust of different volume could be collected in the dust box separately, which facilitates the separation of the garbage later. 
     Further, the ventilation device comprises a centrifugal fan, and the rotating speed of the centrifugal fan may vary in accordance with the different cleaning modes of the body. Therefore, the speed of the centrifugal fan could be changed depending on the demands of different cleaning modes, in order to control the fan speed reasonably and save energy. 
     Optionally, several motors are provided in the body, and the air duct passes through the motors; as a result, the airflow in the air duct could flow through the motors and cool the motors effectively which dissipate heat. 
     Optionally, a semi-closed baffle is arranged on the bottom of the suction inlet holder, the suction inlet is located within the semi-closed range of the semi-closed baffle, and a sweeping brush could sweep garbage into the semi-closed range of the semi-closed baffle as it rotates. As a result, with the block of the semi-closed baffle, waste such as garbage and dust could accumulate more at the suction inlet, and the contact area between the suction inlet and the air outside becomes increasingly smaller as the garbage and dust accumulate, which makes the negative pressure of the air duct in the body rise within a period of time and further makes the suction at the suction inlet become gradually increasing; therefore, it is possible to increase the driving force of the airflow in the air duct efficiently and improve the effect of robotic cleaner significantly. 
     The advantages of the present application include: 
     A cleaning mode of rolling brush sweeping and a cleaning mode of vacuuming are provided on a smart robotic cleaner in the method of the present disclosure; as long as a user replaces two different cleaning devices on the body of the smart robotic cleaner, the electronic control unit in the body may control the smart robotic cleaner to switch between the cleaning modes automatically; thus, the two cleaning modes may be switched based on a user&#39;s need, achieving a multi-purpose machine. There are more ways of cleaning, and the applicable scope is more extensive. 
     A mounting position is provided on a smart robotic cleaner in the apparatus of the present disclosure, a rolling brush assembly and a suction inlet assembly could be detachably mounted on the mounting position, and the rolling brush assembly and the suction inlet assembly could be replaced with each other at the mounting position. As such, users may mount a rolling brush assembly or a suction inlet assembly on the smart robotic cleaner according to the actual conditions during the process of cleaning floors, so that the setting of two cleaning modes of rolling brush sweeping and vacuuming could be implemented on the smart robotic cleaner, achieving a multi-purpose machine. There are more ways of cleaning, and the applicable scope is more extensive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side cross-sectional view of a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes mounting a rolling brush assembly, according to embodiments in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes mounting a rolling brush assembly, according to embodiments in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes mounting a suction inlet assembly, according to embodiments in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes mounting a suction inlet assembly, according to embodiments in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes mounting a rolling brush assembly, according to embodiments in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes mounting a suction inlet assembly, according to embodiments in the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a mounting position of a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes, according to embodiments in the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is explained in greater details below in conjunction with detailed implementations. The figures are just for exemplary illustration. They are schematic diagrams, rather than physical object diagrams, and cannot be construed as limiting the present disclosure; to illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure better, the drawings have some components omitted, zoomed in or out, and do not represent the actual size of the product; to a person skilled in the art, it is understandable that some well-known structures in the drawings and descriptions thereof may be omitted. 
     A method for providing multiple ways of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner: providing two cleaning modes of rolling brush sweeping and vacuuming on a smart robotic cleaner; and an electronic control unit of the smart robotic cleaner switches the cleaning modes automatically according to the different cleaning devices replaced on the smart robotic cleaner. That is, as long as a user replaces two different cleaning devices on the body of a smart robotic cleaner, the electronic control unit in the body may control the smart robotic cleaner to switch between the cleaning modes automatically; thus, the two cleaning modes may be switched based on a user&#39;s need, achieving a multi-purpose machine. There are more ways of cleaning, and the applicable scope is more extensive. 
     In particular, when a rolling brush assembly is installed on the smart robotic cleaner, the smart robotic cleaner is switched to a cleaning mode of rolling brush sweeping by the electronic control unit; after the smart robotic cleaner is started, a rolling brush of the rolling brush assembly rotates and sweeps garbage into the smart robotic cleaner; dust is drawn in a dust box of the smart robotic cleaner through the suction of a centrifugal fan. Therefore, the smart robotic cleaner could sweep floors efficiently under the co-work of a rolling brush and a centrifugal fan. 
     When a suction inlet assembly is mounted on the smart robotic cleaner, the smart robotic cleaner is switched to a cleaning mode of vacuuming by the electronic control unit; after the smart robotic cleaner is started, the centrifugal fan rotates at a high speed, and a high speed airflow generated thereof causes pressure difference between the inside of an air duct system and the external atmospheric pressure; certain suction is generated in the vicinity of a suction inlet of the suction inlet assembly, and garbage is drawn into a dust box of the smart robotic cleaner. Therefore, the suction inlet may vacuum efficiently under the high speed working of the centrifugal fan. 
     According to the above methods, the present embodiment comprises an apparatus for providing multiple ways of cleaning on a smart robotic cleaner. As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , a smart robotic cleaner with multiple working modes, comprises a body  100 , and an electronic control unit is provided in the body  100  (not shown). The electronic control unit comprises a battery  200 , a PCB board (not shown) and several motors (not shown). A universal wheel  102  and driving wheels  103  are mounted on the front side and the left and right sides of the bottom of the body  100 , respectively. The universal wheel  102  and driving wheels  103  are connected to the output signal of the electronic control unit, respectively. Sensing probes  104  are circumferentially distributed on the bottom of the body  100 . A bumper assembly  300  is mounted on the front side of the body  100 , and sensors  105  are provided in the bumper assembly  300 . The sensing probes  104  and the sensor  105  are connected to the input signal of the electronic control unit, respectively. When the bumper assembly  300  encounters an obstacle during the advancement of the body  100 , the sensor  105  may change the steering of the universal wheel  102  through the electronic control unit after being triggered by collision; when the sensing probe  104  at the bottom detects that there is cliff below during the advancement of the body  100 , i.e. long distance from the ground, the sensing probe  104  may change the steering of the universal wheel  102  and driving wheels  103  through the electronic control unit. 
     An air outlet  106  is provided at the lower portion of the rear side of the body, and a mounting position  107  is formed on the bottom of the body  100 . An air inlet  108  is provided at the mounting position  107 . A dust box assembly  109  is provided inside the body  100 , and the dust box assembly  109  comprises a dust box  110  and a filter  111 . The dust box  110  is located on one side of the air inlet  108  which connects the dust box  110  with the outside. A ventilation device  112  is provided at the rear of the body  100 , and the ventilation device  112  comprises a holder (not shown in the figures) and a centrifugal fan  113 . The rotation shaft of the centrifugal fan  113  is mounted in the body  100  vertically. One side of the centrifugal fan  113  corresponds to an air outlet  106 . The body  100  comprises a lid and a chassis (not shown in the figures), and the body  100  further comprises components, such as a holder for the filter, a cover of the dust box, and a hood for motors (not shown in the figures) inside. There is room left between respective components and the lid or chassis, and all parts of the room interconnect with each other and form an air duct (not shown) in the body  100 , which extends forward to the air inlet  108  and back to the air outlet  106 . The rotation shaft of the centrifugal fan  113  locates correspondingly in the air duct. 
     In conjunction with  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a rolling brush assembly  114  and a suction inlet assembly  115  could be detachably mounted on the mounting position  107 . The rolling brush assembly  114  and the suction inlet assembly  115  can be replaced with each other at the mounting position. When the rolling brush assembly  114  is mounted on the mounting position  107 , the robotic cleaner enters a cleaning mode of rolling brush sweeping, and the rolling brush assembly works. When the suction inlet assembly  115  is mounted on the mounting position  107 , the robotic cleaner enters a cleaning mode of vacuuming, and the suction inlet assembly works. In particular, the rolling brush assembly  114  comprises a brush holder  116  detachably mounted on the mounting position  107  and a rolling brush  117  pivotally connected to the brush holder  116 . The pivot axis of the rolling brush  117  is set horizontally. The suction inlet assembly  115  comprises a suction inlet holder  118  detachably mounted on the mounting position  107  and a suction inlet  119  formed on the suction inlet holder  118 . When the brush holder  116  is mounted on the mounting position  107 , the air inlet  108  corresponds to the rolling brush  117 . When the suction inlet holder  118  is mounted on the mounting position  107 , the air inlet  108  docks with the suction inlet  119 . 
     In addition, the rotating speed of the centrifugal fan  113  may vary depending on the switching of the cleaning modes of the body. Therefore, the speed of the centrifugal fan could be changed depending on the demands of different cleaning modes, in order to control the fan speed reasonably and save energy. 
     Sweeping brushes  120  are movably mounted on both sides of the body  100  at the bottom. Sweeping brushes  120  are pivotally connected to the body  100 , and the pivot axis is set vertically. The pivot axes of sweeping brushes  120  are connected to driving motors (not shown) within the body  100 , respectively. The rotation radius of a sweeping brush  120  is close to the mounting position  107 , and could sweep garbage to the position of a rolling brush  117  or a suction inlet  119 , so that the garbage could go into the air inlet  108  through the rolling brush  117  or the suction inlet  119 . 
     When the smart robotic cleaner is powered-on, the centrifugal fan  113 , the sweeping brush  120 , driving wheels  103  and the universal wheel  102  starts to run under control of the electronic control unit; the sensor  105  and sensing probes  104  also start to work, and the electronic control unit controls the robotic cleaner to act properly according to sensed signals. The centrifugal fan  113  keeps drawing air out of the body after starting, which makes the air duct of the body  100  enter the state of negative pressure. The air outside could thus come into the body  100  through the air inlet  108  and flow through the dust box  110  along the air duct of the body  100 ; finally, the air is drawn to the air outlet  106  by the centrifugal fan  113  and discharged out of the body  100 , which forms an airflow in the body  100 . When the rolling brush assembly  114  is mounted on the body, waste such as dust and garbage could be drawn into the air inlet  108  along with the airflow by the time the rolling brush  117  sweeps the floor, and got sucked into the dust box  110  along the air duct. Garbage and dust of certain volume are collected in the dust box  110  finally after being filtered by the filter  111 . When the suction inlet assembly  115  is mounted on the body  100 , waste such as dust and garbage located below the suction inlet  119  could go to the air inlet  108  through the suction inlet  119  along with the airflow as the body  100  moves, and go into the dust box  110  along the air duct and are collected in the dust box  110  after being filtered by the filter  111 . Meanwhile, with the assistance of the sweeping brush  120 , garbage and dust near the body  100  and the air inlet  108  could be swept directly to the position of the rolling brush  117  or the suction inlet  119 , which expands the range of cleaning. In addition, as the sweeping brush  120  keeps sweeping the garbage and dust toward the rolling brush  117  or the suction inlet  119 , the garbage and dust may accumulate at the air inlet  108  quickly. The cross section between the air inlet  108  and the air outside becomes increasingly smaller as the garbage and dust accumulate, which makes the negative pressure of the air duct in the body  100  rise within a period of time and increases the suction at the air inlet  108  gradually. Therefore, it is possible to increase the driving force of the airflow within the air duct efficiently and improve the vacuuming performance of the robotic cleaner significantly. 
     Since the rolling brush assembly  114  and the suction inlet assembly  115  may be detachably mounted on the mounting position  107 , the rolling brush assembly  114  and the suction inlet assembly  115  could be replaced with each other at the mounting position  107 . As such, users may mount a rolling brush assembly  114  or a suction inlet assembly  115  on the smart robotic cleaner according to the actual conditions during the process of cleaning floors, so that the setting of two cleaning modes of rolling brush sweeping and vacuuming could be implemented on the smart robotic cleaner, achieving a multi-purpose machine. 
     In conjunction with  FIG. 7 , a switch  122  electrically connected to the electronic control unit is mounted on the mounting position  107 . When the rolling brush assembly  114  is mounted on the mounting position  107 , the rolling brush assembly  114  could abut and enable the switch  122  in order that the electronic control unit controls the body  100  to enter a cleaning mode of rolling brush sweeping and drives the rolling brush  117 . In particular, when the rolling brush assembly  114  is mounted on the mounting position  107  of the body  100 , the rolling brush  117  is connected to a motor in the body  100 . After the rolling brush assembly  114  enables the switch  122 , the switch  122  issues a trigger signal to the electronic control unit, and the electronic control unit could start the motor connected to the rolling brush  117  in order to drive the rolling brush  117 . When the rolling brush assembly  114  is removed from the mounting position  107  and the suction inlet assembly  115  is mounted, the switch  122  is disconnected. The motor connected to the rolling brush  117  will not be started. Now the suction inlet assembly  115  is mounted on the mounting position  107 , and the electronic control unit may control the body  100  to enter a cleaning mode of vacuuming and start working Therefore, the robotic cleaner is able to switch between the two cleaning modes according to the actual conditions. 
     As further complement and improvement to the present embodiment, a semi-closed baffle  121  is provided at the bottom of the suction inlet holder  118 , and the suction inlet  119  is located within the semi-closed range of the semi-closed baffle  121 . The sweeping brush  120  may sweep the garbage into the semi-closed range of the semi-closed baffle  121  as it rotates. As a result, with the block of the semi-closed baffle  121 , waste such as garbage and dust could accumulate more at the suction inlet  119 , and the cross-section between the suction inlet  119  and the air outside becomes increasingly smaller as the garbage and dust accumulate, which makes the negative pressure of the air duct in the body  100  rise within a period of time and further makes the suction at the suction inlet  119  become gradually increasing. Therefore, it is possible to increase the driving force of the airflow within the air duct efficiently and improve vacuuming performance of the robotic cleaner significantly. 
     As further complement and improvement to the present embodiment, the filter  111  in the dust box assembly  109  comprises a coarse filter and a fine filter (not shown in the figures). The airflow in the air duct flows through the coarse filter and the fine filter in turn, and thus may separate the waste such as dust of different volume and collect them in the dust box  110  respectively, which facilitates the separation of the garbage later. 
     As further complement and improvement to the present embodiment, the air duct in the body  100  passes through all the motors in the body  100 , and thus the airflow in the air duct may flow through the motors and cool the motors effectively which dissipate heat. 
     The above embodiments of the present disclosure are merely to illustrate the disclosure clearly by way of examples, and are not limiting the embodiments of the disclosure. To a person skilled in the art, change or variation in other different forms may be made based on the above description, without the need of exhausting all the embodiments. Any modification, equivalence and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of the disclosure.