Autonomous wall cleaner

• US 10,357,140 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xiamen Huaway IOT Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Xiamen Huaway IOT Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Liu, Changzhen, Chen, Sixin
• Primary Examiner(s): Karls, Shay
• Application Number:
  US15/379,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20180168415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/02 Power-driven machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/38 Machines, specially adapted for cleaning walls, ceilings, roofs, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/024 specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/002 Arrangements for cleaning building facades

Abstract

An autonomous wall cleaner is disclosed. The autonomous wall cleaner comprises a vacuum generator, a number of suction cups, a number of wheels, a number of first actuators, a cleaning element and a controller located on a frame. The wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the frame. The first actuator is capable of driving the wheels. Each suction cup is connected with the vacuum generators and has a sliding disk and an elastic bowl. When the wheels are moving on the wall, the suction cups are sucking to the wall and sliding.

Claims

1. An autonomous wall cleaner comprising:

a vacuum generator, a plurality of suction cups, a plurality of wheels, a plurality of first actuators, a cleaning element and a controller located on a frame;

wherein, the plurality of wheels are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the frame, the plurality of first actuators is capable of driving the plurality of wheels;

each of the plurality of suction cups is coupled with the vacuum generator and comprises a sliding disk and an elastic bowl sealed by the sliding disk;

the elastic bowl is located on the frame; and

when the plurality of wheels are rotate against a surface, the plurality of suction cups create a vacuum with the surface and while the sliding disk are sliding along the surface;

wherein a surface of the sliding disk comprises an extruding dovetail jointing with the elastic bowl.

2. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein, a surface of the sliding disk adjacent to the wall comprises a smooth surface, the smooth surface comprises a groove and a degassing hole connecting with the elastic bowl, the sliding disk comprises a material that is selected from a group comprising of PTFE, POM, metal, and ceramic.

3. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sliding disk comprises an angle of chamfer located on peripheral wall of the sliding disk.

4. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic bowl comprises two or three pleats.

5. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of suction cups comprises a safety valve.

6. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of wheels comprises Mecanum wheels.

7. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising four fans located on the frame.

8. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second actuator, and the frame comprises a first sub-frame, a second sub-frame, and a first guide rail;

each of the first sub-frame and the second sub-frame comprises a fixed frame, a driving frame, a lifting structure and a third actuator;

the second actuator and the first guide rail are located between the fixed frame of the first sub-frame and the fixed frame of the second sub-frame;

the lifting structure is fixed between the fixed frame and the driving frame;

the third actuator is capable of driving the lifting structure; and

the plurality of suction cups, the plurality of wheels and the plurality of first actuators are located on the driving frame.

9. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of first sub-frame and the second sub-frame further comprises a passive frame and a second guide rail, and the passive frame is located on the driving frame;

the second guide rail comprises a second slide block and a second slide chute;

the second slide chute is located on the fixed frame; and

the second slide block is located on the passive frame.

10. The autonomous wall cleaner as claimed in claim 9, wherein, the first guide rail comprises a first slide block and a first slide chute;

and the first slide block is located on the first sub-frame and the first slide chute is located on the second sub-frame.

11. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the second actuator comprises a cylinder, an electric push rod, and an electric telescopic arm;

and a pushing distance of the second actuator ranges from 0 centimeters up to, and including, 50 centimeters.

12. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 8, wherein a pushing distance of the lifting structure ranges from 0 centimeters up to, and including, 50 centimeters.

13. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the lifting structure comprises a scissor lifting structure.

14. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a sensor capable of obtaining a position and a size of obstacles in front of the autonomous wall cleaner.

15. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the controller is capable of driving the autonomous wall cleaner according to the position and the size of obstacles.

16. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning element comprises a high-pressure water jet, a first rubber scraper, a second rubber scraper and a disc brush;

the first rubber scraper is located on the front of the frame, the second rubber scraper is located on the back of the frame, and the disc brush is located on the bottom of the frame.

17. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 16, wherein, the cleaning element further comprises a side brush located on both sides of the frame, and a row brush located on the first rubber scraper.

18. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 16, wherein the disc brush are arranged in a staggered fashion on the bottom of the frame.

19. The autonomous wall cleaner according to claim 16, wherein, further comprising a plurality of disc brushes, and adjacent two disc brushes are connected by a belt.