JPH05143155A - Cleaning robot - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Modified) [Purpose] The distance sensor installed in the cleaning robot is provided so that it can move in the vertical direction, so that the distance between the cleaning robot and the wall surface of the room is correct regardless of where the cleaning robot is located. Detect. [Structure] The distance sensor 2 of the cleaning robot 1 is installed on the side surface of the cleaning robot main body 3, and the distance sensor 2 is engaged with the cleaning robot main body 3 via a shaft 4 which is vertically attached to the cleaning robot main body 3. The sensor 2 is fixed to a housing 7 having a rubber roller 6 driven by a small motor 5 engaged with a shaft 4. Here, switches 8 are provided on the cleaning robot main body 3 at both ends of the shaft 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning robot,
In particular, it relates to a mechanism for improving the measuring function of a distance sensor provided on the side surface of the cleaning robot body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional cleaning robot includes a suction unit for sucking dust on the floor, a suction motor for supplying negative pressure air to the suction unit, and a dust pack for storing the sucked dust. The cleaning robot main body 20 having an exterior portion surrounding these is provided with wheels 21 for traveling along the floor surface, and a distance sensor 22 provided on the side surface of the cleaning robot main body 20. As shown in FIG. 7, the distance sensor 22 is installed by being connected to a horn portion 23 formed on the side surface of the cleaning robot body 20 and fixed to a part of the cleaning robot body 20.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIGS. For example, the cleaning robot body 2 located at point B
The reflected wave 27 from the wall surface 26 and the reflected wave 29 from the floor surface 28 of the transmitted waves 24 and 25 transmitted from the distance sensor 22 of 0
Interfere with each other at point (b), and the output V becomes small as seen in FIG. 9 (1). Further, the reflected wave 32 from the wall surface 26 and the reflected wave 33 from the floor surface 28 of the transmitted waves 30 and 31 transmitted from the distance sensor 22 of the cleaning robot body 20 located at the point C are amplified at point (c). Match, output V
Becomes larger as seen in FIG. 9 (2).

[0004]

In this conventional method of installing the distance sensor for the cleaning robot, the output V greatly differs depending on the wall surface of the room and the overall position of the cleaning robot, as shown in FIG. Sometimes becomes less than the slice level (detectable output) 34, which sometimes makes distance detection impossible.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning robot for keeping the output V of the distance sensor constant even if the relative positions of the wall surface of the room and the cleaning robot main body are changed.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a distance sensor installed in a cleaning robot body can be moved vertically with respect to a floor surface.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be described. In FIG. 1, the distance sensor 2 of the cleaning robot 1 is installed on the side surface of the cleaning robot body 3. In FIG. 2, if an ultrasonic sensor is applied as the distance sensor 2 as an embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic sensor 2 having a horn has a housing having a rubber roller 6 driven by a small motor 5 engaged with a shaft 4. It is fixed at 7. Here, the cleaning robot main body 3 at both ends of the shaft 4 is provided with switches 8 and 8.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 3, when the cleaning robot 1 is located at the point A in the room 9, the ultrasonic sensor 2 is installed in the cleaning robot body 3 on the floor surface 1.
When the height is (a) with respect to 0, the ultrasonic sensor 2
If the reflected wave 13 of the transmitted wave 11 from the wall surface 12 and the reflected wave 14 from the floor surface 10 interfere at point (a),
As shown in (1), the output V of the received wave at the ultrasonic sensor 2 becomes small, and the slice level (detectable output)
It becomes less than 15 and distance detection becomes impossible. At this point A, in order to enable distance detection, the small motor 5 is driven, the rubber roller 6 is rotated, and the ultrasonic sensor is moved up along with the housing 7 along the shaft 4 in the arrow direction 16 until the switch 8 detects it. If the output V does not reach the slice level 15 or higher in this moving range, the ultrasonic sensor 2 is switched to the switch 8 in the direction opposite to the arrow direction 16.
Lower until it senses. By this movement of the ultrasonic sensor 2, for example, when the ultrasonic sensor 2 is located at the height of point (b) with respect to the floor surface 10, the wall 12 of the transmitted wave 17 and the floor surface 1
Assuming that the reflected waves 18 and 19 from 0 do not interfere with each other, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (2), the output V becomes the slice level 15 or higher, and the distance can be detected. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing this situation and the operation of the cleaning robot 1 in an easy-to-understand manner. When the cleaning robot 1 is powered on, the output V of the ultrasonic sensor 2 arranged on the side surface of the cleaning robot 1 is used in the present invention. The slice level 15 is compared by a comparator not shown, and when the slice level is 15 or less, the cleaning robot 1 is stopped from running and the ultrasonic sensor 2 is moved up and down by the above-described method to output V with a comparator or the like. When the output V becomes equal to or higher than the slice level 15 as compared with the slice level 15, the vertical movement of the ultrasonic sensor 2 is stopped and the cleaning robot 1 is caused to run. The output V and the slice level 15 are continuously compared by a comparator or the like even during traveling, and the output V is increased or decreased a predetermined number of times (for example, 2 to 3 times) until the output V becomes equal to or higher than the slice level 15. After that, the same operation as described above is repeated. If the output V does not reach the slice level 15 or higher within the determined number of times, repair adjustment will be performed.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the distance between the cleaning robot 1 and the wall surface 12 can be accurately detected regardless of the position of the cleaning robot 1.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, the distance sensor of the cleaning robot can be moved in the vertical direction, so that the distance between the cleaning robot and the wall surface can be accurately detected at any point in the room. It became so.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 (1) is a side sectional view of a distance sensor portion of FIG.

FIG. 2 (2) is a front sectional view of FIG. 2 (1).

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the operation of the distance sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the situation of the output V of the distance sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention, where (1) shows the case where distance detection is impossible.
(2) is a relationship diagram of the output V at the slice level when the distance can be detected.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a portion of the distance sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a side view for explaining the operation of the distance sensor according to the conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the situation of the output V of the distance sensor of the conventional example, where (1) is the case where the distance detection is impossible, and (2)
[Fig. 6] is a relational diagram of output V and slice level when distance detection is possible.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cleaning Robot 2 Distance Sensor (Ultrasonic Sensor) 3 Cleaning Robot Main Body 4 Shaft 5 Drive Motor 6 Rubber Roller 7 Housing 8 Switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning robot body having a suction part for sucking dust on the floor surface, a suction motor for supplying negative pressure air to the suction part, a dust pack for storing the sucked dust, and an exterior part surrounding these dust packs. In a cleaning robot having wheels for moving the cleaning robot main body along a floor surface and a distance sensor provided on a side surface of the cleaning robot main body, the distance sensor is arranged so as to be vertically movable with respect to the floor surface. A cleaning robot with special characteristics.