Self-moving robot and walking method thereof

• US 10,286,559 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lv, Xiaoming
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Maurice L
• Application Number:
  US14/420,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20150251318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/02 Power-driven machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/10 motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/14 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/28 Floor-scrubbing machines, motor-driven A47L11/29 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• 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 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A self-moving robot comprises a robot body (1). A control device is provided in the robot body (1), and a functional processing module (11) and a moving module (12) connected to each other are provided in the robot body (1). The moving module (12) is controlled by the control device to drive the functional processing module (11) to conduct mobile processing work in a working space (100). An opening hole (111) is formed inside the functional processing module (11) so that the moving module (12) is arranged rotatably in the opening hole (111) in an embedded manner. The moving module (12) can freely rotates relative to the functional processing module (11) through a connection mechanism. A walking method of the self-moving robot is further disclosed. The present invention is of simple structure, low cost and significantly improved moving mode, and the cleaning efficiency of the self-moving robot is improved with the same amount of time or power.

Claims

1. A self-moving robot comprises a robot body (1), a control device is provided in the robot body (1), the robot body (1) comprises a functional processing module (11) and a moving module (12) connected with each other, and the moving module (12) is controlled by the control device to drive the functional processing module (11) to conduct mobile processing work in a working space, characterized in that, an opening hole (111, 111′

) is formed inside the functional processing module (11) so that the moving module (12) is arranged rotatably in the opening hole (111, 111′

) in an embedded manner, and the moving module (12) can freely rotate relative to the functional processing module (11) through a connection mechanism,

wherein the connection mechanism is a coupling unit comprising a first coupling end (123) provided at an edge of the moving module (12) and a second coupling end (113) provided at an edge of the functional processing module (11), one of the first coupling end (123) and the second coupling end (113) is inserted into the other for mutual positioning,

wherein each of the first coupling end (123) and the second coupling end (113) includes upper and lower coupling joints, wherein a stopping part (125) is provided perpendicularly to a coupling direction at a terminal end of the lower coupling joint of the first coupling end (123), the upper coupling joint of the second coupling end (113) is provided with a stopping groove (115) correspondingly, and the stopping part (125) is positioned in the stopping groove (115) in an embedded manner.

2. The self-moving robot of claim 1, further including a ball (13) being provided at a central section of the upper coupling joint of the second coupling end (113), wherein upper and lower end surfaces of the ball (13) protrude from upper and lower end surfaces of the upper coupling joint of the second coupling end (113) and are brought into contact with a lower surface of the upper coupling joint and an upper surface of the lower coupling joint of the first coupling end (123).

3. The self-moving robot of claim 1, characterized in that, the functional processing module (11) is a glass surface cleaning module (11′

), a floor-sweeping module, an air purification module or a humidification module.

4. The self-moving robot of claim 1, characterized in that, the moving module (12) is provided with a suction device comprising a suction cup (116), a gas-guide tube (117) and a vacuum pump (118), and the vacuum pump (118) is controlled by the control device to communicate with the suction cup (116) through the gas-guide tube (117) and to vacuumize the suction cup (116) to form negative pressure so as to enable the self-moving robot to adhere to a surface to be treated.

5. The self-moving robot of claim 1, characterized in that, the opening hole (111, 111′

) is a circular opening hole, and the periphery of the functional processing module (11) is a square shape.

6. A walking method of the self-moving robot of claim 1, the method comprising:

step 1;

the functional processing module of the self-moving robot is driven by the moving module to move so as to walk in a working space;

step 2;

if the self-moving robot detects that there is an obstacle in front of the movement, the self-moving robot continues to walk after the moving module turns a certain angle relative to the functional processing module.

7. The walking method of the self-moving robot of claim 6, characterized in that, in the step 2, the certain angle is 90 degrees.

8. A self-moving robot comprises a robot body (1), a control device is provided in the robot body (1), the robot body (1) comprises a functional processing module (11) and a moving module (12) connected with each other, and the moving module (12) is controlled by the control device to drive the functional processing module (11) to conduct mobile processing work in a working space, characterized in that, an opening hole (111, 111′

) is formed inside the functional processing module (11) so that the moving module (12) is arranged rotatably in the opening hole (111, 111′

) in an embedded manner, and the moving module (12) can freely rotate relative to the functional processing module (11) through a connection mechanism, and the moving module (12) is provided with a walking mechanism (121) that drives the moving module (12) to walk or rotate,

wherein the connection mechanism is a coupling unit comprising a first coupling end (123) provided at an edge of the moving module (12) and a second coupling end (113) provided at an edge of the functional processing module (11), one of the first coupling end (123) and the second coupling end (113) is inserted into the other for mutual positioning,

wherein each of the first coupling end (123) and the second coupling end (113) includes upper and lower coupling joints, wherein a stopping part (125) is provided perpendicularly to a coupling direction at a terminal end of the lower coupling joint of the first coupling end (123), the upper coupling joint of the second coupling end (113) is provided with a stopping groove (115) correspondingly, and the stopping part (125) is positioned in the stopping groove (115) in an embedded manner.

9. The self-moving robot of claim 8, further including a ball (13) being provided at a central section of the upper coupling joint of the second coupling end (113), wherein upper and lower end surfaces of the ball (13) protrude from upper and lower end surfaces of the upper coupling joint of the second coupling end (113) and are brought into contact with a lower surface of the upper coupling joint and an upper surface of the lower coupling joint of the first coupling end (123).

10. The self-moving robot of claim 8, characterized in that, the walking mechanism (121) is one or more driving wheels and one or more corresponding tracks provided on the robot body (1).

11. The self-moving robot of claim 8, characterized in that, the functional processing module (11) is a glass surface cleaning module (11′

), a floor-sweeping module, an air purification module or a humidification module.

12. The self-moving robot of claim 8, characterized in that, the moving module (12) is provided with a suction device comprising a suction cup (116), a gas-guide tube (117) and a vacuum pump (118), and the vacuum pump (118) is controlled by the control device to communicate with the suction cup (116) through the gas-guide tube (117) and to vacuumize the suction cup (116) to form negative pressure so as to enable the self-moving robot to adhere to a surface to be treated.

13. The self-moving robot of claim 8, characterized in that, the opening hole (111, 111′

) is a circular opening hole, and the periphery of the functional processing module (11) is a square shape.

14. A walking method of the self-moving robot of claim 8, the method comprising:

step 1;

the functional processing module of the self-moving robot is driven by the moving module to move so as to walk in a working space;

step 2;

if the self-moving robot detects that there is an obstacle in front of the movement, the self-moving robot continues to walk after the moving module turns a certain angle relative to the functional processing module.

15. The walking method of the self-moving robot of claim 14, characterized in that, in the step 2, the certain angle is 90 degrees.