KR100722761B1 - Apparatus for duly reaching to charging of robot cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A charging seating device for a robot cleaner for moving a robot cleaner to a charging device to charge a battery is disclosed. The charging seating device of the vacuum cleaner is provided in the robot cleaner to detect the position information of the charging device to calculate the position of the charging device, and the receiving groove for supporting the wheels contained therein so as not to flow while the robot cleaner is being charged. And a guide member for guiding the robot cleaner so that the wheel of the robot cleaner moves toward the receiving groove when the robot cleaner moves to the position sensed by the support and the position sensing means. By forming the receiving groove so that the wheel of the robot cleaner is accommodated in the support of the charging device, it is possible to prevent the flow of the robot cleaner in the state where the robot cleaner is seated on the charging device.

Robot cleaner, charging, charging device, seating, guide member

Description

Apparatus for duly reaching to charging of robot cleaner}

1 is a view showing an example of a charging device in the charging seating device of the robot cleaner according to the present invention,

2 is a view showing an example of the robot cleaner applied to FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing the position detection means of FIG.

4 is a view showing a state in which the robot cleaner of FIG. 2 is seated on the charging device of FIG.

FIG. 5A is a view illustrating an internal image of the ceiling of the ceiling of the robot of FIG. 3 when the robot cleaner of FIG. 2 is seated on the charging device of FIG.

FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an image captured according to FIG. 4.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: charging device 12: support

14a, 14b: receiving groove 15: guide member

16: guide roller 20: robot vacuum cleaner

22: sensor 24a, 24b: wheel

26 cover 28 antenna                 

30: position detection means 32: camera

34 control unit 36 memory

The present invention relates to a charging seating device for a robot cleaner that performs autonomous driving, and more particularly, a robot cleaner that moves to a charging device to charge a battery when the robot cleaner is driven to perform cleaning and to charge a battery. It relates to a charging seat of the.

In general, the robot cleaner has a roller-type wheel installed on the bottom of the robot cleaner for autonomous driving. These wheels facilitate the forward, backward and leftward movement of the robot cleaner.

 In addition, the robot cleaner which performs the cleaning while automatically charging the battery power allows the power connection between the robot cleaner and the charging device to be induced using an optical sensor. In other words, if the battery cleaner consumes the battery power required to drive the robot cleaner during the cleaning or when the cleaning is completed and falls below a certain level, the cleaning is stopped and the magnetic position information and charging device built in the control means (not shown). Recognize the location information of and move toward the area where the charging device is located. At this time, the charging device transmits the optical signal to the robot cleaner by the light emitting unit (not shown) attached. The robot cleaner detects the optical signal transmitted from the light emitting unit of the charging device in the light receiving unit (not shown) built in the robot cleaner, and moves to the charging device according to the induction of the optical signal emitted from the light emitting unit.

On the other hand, the robot cleaner moves to the charging device based on the location information of the charging device built in the control means, in which case the wheel cleaner slips according to the material and condition of the floor on which the robot cleaner travels. Easy movement is difficult. Accordingly, in order to reach the charging device accurately, the robot cleaner has a problem of being seated on the charging device while moving back and forth and left and right several times.

Therefore, in order to accurately connect the robot cleaner to the charging device, a sensor for position information of the robot cleaner that flows irregularly according to the situation of the floor may be attached and used separately, but the manufacturing cost increases accordingly and the configuration becomes complicated. There is a problem.

In addition, when the robot cleaner is accommodated in the charging device to charge the battery, there is a problem that a contact portion (not shown) formed for charging is easily detached when an impact is applied from the outside. This, as well as the robot cleaner has a problem that may cause internal failure of the charging device.

The present invention for solving the problems described above to move to the charging device according to the position information and magnetic position information of the charging device for charging the battery in the state of cleaning or cleaning is completed more easily An object of the present invention is to provide a charging seat for a vacuum cleaner that can charge a battery. Another object of the present invention is to provide a charging and seating device for a vacuum cleaner that can be supported against a predetermined shock applied from the outside when the robot cleaner is being charged in the charging device.

In the present invention to achieve the above object, the charging seating device of the vacuum cleaner is provided in the robot cleaner, the position sensing means for calculating the position of the charging device by sensing the position information of the charging device, while the robot cleaner is charged And a guide member having a receiving groove for supporting the wheels not to flow therein, and a guide member for guiding the robot cleaner to move the wheel of the robot cleaner toward the receiving groove when the robot cleaner moves to the position detected by the position detecting means. Characterized in that. At this time, it is preferable that the receiving grooves formed in the support form a pair so that each pair of wheels are accommodated in the robot cleaner.

The support is formed with an inclined surface at one end of the support having a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom surface on which the robot cleaner cleans. In addition, the support is provided with a pair of guide members on each side are spaced at a predetermined angle so that the robot cleaner is guided to the upper portion of the support.

The guide member is provided with a guide roller on the surface in contact with the robot cleaner. Preferably, the guide roller is a cylindrical roller having a vertical axis of rotation.

The position detecting means is installed in a robot cleaner which is mounted inside the charging device to capture an image of a predetermined position around the robot cleaner, a memory for storing the captured internal image, and when the robot cleaner is in the charging device. The controller may store the internal image in a memory and calculate a position of the charging apparatus by comparing the captured external image with the internal image when the external image is outside the charging apparatus.

Preferably, the camera is installed in the center of the robot cleaner to photograph the upper portion of the outside of the robot cleaner, and captures the image of the ceiling located in front of the camera.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the flow of the robot cleaner while the robot cleaner is charged by forming the receiving groove so that the wheel is accommodated in the support of the charging device.

Hereinafter, a charging and seating apparatus for a robot cleaner according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 is a view showing an example of a charging device in the charging seating device of a vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The charging device 10 has a support 12 formed to receive and charge a robot cleaner, and a guide member 15 formed at a predetermined angle on both sides of the support 12.

The support 12 is provided with receiving grooves 14a and 14b for supporting the wheels stored therein so as not to flow while the robot cleaner is being charged. At this time, it is preferable that the receiving grooves 14a and 14b formed in the support 12 form a pair of grooves so that a pair of wheels are accommodated in the robot cleaner, respectively.

The guide member 15 guides the robot cleaner so that the wheels (not shown) of the robot cleaner are seated in the receiving grooves 14a and 14b when the robot cleaner moves toward the support 12. In the figure, the pair of guide members 15 are spaced apart at an unfolded angle to have a fan shape with respect to the support 12. The guide member 15 is provided with a guide roller 16 on the surface contacting the robot cleaner. At this time, the guide roller 16 preferably uses a cylindrical roller having a rotation axis with respect to the vertical direction. It is easily guided to the support 12 while sliding by the guide roller 16 even if the robot cleaner bumps toward the guide member 16 when moving to the support 12. In addition, the guide roller 16 to mitigate the impact the robot cleaner hits when moving.

On the other hand, the end of the support 12 is formed to receive the robot cleaner is formed with an inclined surface 13 of a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom surface (not shown). Accordingly, the robot cleaner can buffer the rotational force applied to the wheel when moving to the support 12.

2 is a view showing an example of a robot cleaner applied to the present invention. Robot cleaner 20 is a roller-shaped wheels (24a, 24b) formed on the bottom surface for the movement of the robot cleaner 20, sensors 22 attached to a predetermined portion of the outer peripheral surface for the detection of the surrounding objects, robot In order to detect the position of the cleaner 20, the robot cleaner 20 has a position detecting means 30 formed on the top.

At this time, the robot cleaner 20 is surrounded by a cover 26 for protection against external shock. In addition, the position detecting means 30 is disposed at the central portion with respect to the outer circumferential surface of the robot cleaner 20, and preferably disposed at the uppermost end of the cover 26. The position detecting means 20 calculates the position of the charging device 10 by comparing the position information of the robot cleaner with the position information in the state seated on the charging device 10.

On the other hand, the robot cleaner 20 of the figure is provided with an antenna 28 for signal communication with an external communication device. It receives a control signal from an external communication device to perform an operation corresponding thereto, and transmits the status information of the robot cleaner 20 and the peripheral information of the robot cleaner 20.

3 is a block diagram showing in detail the position detecting means 30 of FIG. The position detecting means 30 stores a camera 32 which captures an image of a surrounding, a controller 34 that controls a flow of a signal, and data output from the controller 34 and retrieves data from the controller 34. It has a memory 36 for outputting stored data in accordance with a request signal.

The camera 32 is installed to protrude outward with respect to the cover 26 and captures a ceiling image of the robot cleaner 20 accommodated and seated inside the charging device 10. In this case, when the captured image is an internal image, the memory 36 stores the captured internal image. The controller 34 stores the internal image in the memory when the robot cleaner 20 is in the charging device 10 and compares the captured external image with the internal image when the robot cleaner 20 is outside the charging device 10. Calculate the position of.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a state in which the robot cleaner of FIG. 2 is seated on the support surface 12 in the charging device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5A is a view illustrating an image captured by a camera while seated in the charging device. FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an image captured step by step as the robot cleaner moves to the support surface 12.

The robot cleaner 20 initially photographs the ceiling through the camera 32 in a state of being seated in the charging device 10. As shown in FIG. 5A, when the image is taken as described above, the interior image 2 of the ceiling is photographed, and the fluorescent lamp 2a is located at the center of the lower portion.                     

The internal image photographed as described above is stored in the memory 36, and the robot cleaner 10 performs cleaning according to a set signal. When the robot cleaner 10 performs a cleaning while traveling around the floor and returns to the charging device 20, the robot cleaner 10 calculates the position of the internal image 2 compared to the external image captured from the outside. As shown in FIG. 5B, when the external image 4 captured near the charging device 10 is viewed, the fluorescent cleaner 4a installed on the ceiling is located at the upper center of the external image 4 so that the robot cleaner 20 is installed. It can be seen that the position is not yet seated in the charging device (10). Therefore, the robot cleaner 20 moves to the place where the fluorescent lamp 6a is located in the lower center of the picked-up image 6 in the picked-up image.

Accordingly, it is easier for the robot cleaner 20 to be seated with the charging device 10. In addition, when the robot cleaner is moved to the support 12, the wheel is accommodated in the receiving grooves (14a, 14b) can prevent the flow to the external impact.

According to the above-described embodiment, when the robot cleaner is intended to move to the charging device, the robot cleaner is guided by the guide member to the supporter, so that the robot cleaner can be easily mounted on the charging device. In addition, by forming a receiving groove so that the wheel of the robot cleaner is accommodated in the support of the charging device, it is possible to prevent the flow of the robot cleaner while the robot cleaner is seated.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described specific preferred embodiments, and various modifications can be made by any person having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention claimed in the claims. Of course, such changes will fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims (8)

In the charging seating device having a charging device for charging the robot cleaner with a wheel on the bottom, Position detecting means provided in the robot cleaner to calculate a position of the charging device; A support having a receiving groove formed therein to support the wheels accommodated therein so as not to flow while the robot cleaner is charged; And And a guide member for guiding the robot cleaner so that the wheel of the robot cleaner moves toward the receiving groove when the robot cleaner moves to the position sensed by the position detecting means. Device. The method of claim 1, The support seat is a charging and seating device of the robot cleaner, characterized in that the inclined surface having a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom surface of the robot cleaner to be cleaned. The method of claim 1, A pair of said guide members are respectively installed on both sides of said support; The pair of guide members, the charging and seating device of the robot cleaner, characterized in that spaced at a predetermined angle so that the robot cleaner is guided to the upper portion of the support. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the guide member has at least one guide roller installed on a surface in contact with the robot cleaner. The method of claim 4, wherein The guide roller is a charging seating jig of the robot cleaner, characterized in that the cylindrical roller having a vertical axis of rotation. The method of claim 1, Charging and seating apparatus of the robot cleaner, characterized in that the pair of the receiving grooves, each of the wheels of the wheel of the robot cleaner is accommodated is formed in the support. The method of claim 1, The position detecting means, A camera installed in the robot cleaner to capture an image of a predetermined position around the robot cleaner; A memory for storing an internal image scratched while the robot cleaner is seated inside the charging device by the camera; And And a controller configured to store the internal image in the memory when the robot cleaner is in the charging device, and calculate the position of the charging device by comparing the external image captured when the robot cleaner is outside the charging device with the internal image. Charging and seating device for a robot cleaner, characterized in that. The method of claim 7, wherein The camera is a charging and seating device of the robot cleaner, characterized in that disposed in the upper center portion of the robot cleaner to capture the image of the ceiling at the position where the robot cleaner.

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