Floor treatment system

Translation of description of equivalent WO 2004004534 A1

Tillage System

The invention relates to a soil working system with a self-propelled and self-steering floor treatment unit, which comprises an electrically driven floor treatment unit and a rechargeable power supply unit, and with a central charging station for recharging the power supply unit, with the floor treatment unit above the other associated electrical connecting elements, which are arranged at the loading station and the soil cultivating unit are, with the charging station can be electrically connected.

Using self-powered and self-regulating tillage units a bottom surface can be edited, in particular cleaned without the tillage unit must be performed by an operator on the bottom surface along. The tillage unit is rather in such a way that it automatically drives along on the bottom surface and manipulates. If it hits an obstacle, this is detected by the base-processing unit, which then changes its direction to avoid the obstacle.

The processing of the bottom surface by means of a soil working unit, which is carried by the Bodenbearbeϊtungseinheit and is powered by a Energϊeversorgungseinheit with electrical energy. The charge level of the power supply unit is monitored by an electrical control of the floor treatment unit. Falls below the state of charge a predetermined limit value, the soil processing unit automatically controls to the central charging station at which the power supply unit can be recharged. To this end, on the floor covering processing unit and disposed at the loading station associated with one another electrical connecting elements, can be transmitted via the electric energy. Such tillage systems are known for example from WO99 / ​​28800th

For low-loss transfer of electrical energy from the charging station to the soil processing unit, it is necessary that the mutually associated electrical connecting elements may be electrically coupled together. It has been found that in known tillage systems such electrical coupling is not reliably achieved in all cases.

Object of the present invention is a tillage system of the aforementioned kind such that it enables an improved electrical coupling of the associated fasteners.

This object is achieved with a tillage system of the generic type according to the invention that at least one of the associated connecting elements is resiliently held. It has been found that the electrical coupling of the connecting elements can be improved during the docking of the floor treatment unit to the associated loading station by a resilient bracket. By such resilient support is particularly avoided that in comparison to the charging station relatively light tillage unit is pushed back when hitting the charging station from the charging station so that the mutually associated connecting elements then have such a great distance from one another that an effective energy transfer is no longer possible is.

The use of at least one resiliently held electrical connecting element is in particular of advantage if the soil processing unit has a collision detection sensor, which is assigned a resiliently held probe element whose movement is relative to a chassis of the floor treatment unit for providing a Kollisionser- identification signal can be detected. For example, a tillage unit circumferentially surrounding buffer strip to be used, which is supported relative to a chassis of the tillage unit resiliently, so that the protective strip performs a movement relative to the running gear when the tillage unit encounters an obstacle. This relative movement is detected by the collision detection sensor of the floor treatment unit, which then changes its direction of travel. Such Kollisionserkennungssenso- reindeer are known for example from EP 0274310 Bl. Meets the soil cultivating unit with such a collision detection sensor on the charging station, there is a danger that the impact of a Kollisionserkennungs- signal triggers and the soil processing unit then reverses its direction of travel, so that an electric coupling of the mutually associated connecting elements is not possible. However, if at least one of the connecting elements resiliently held, the tillage unit allowed because of the connecting element spring travel momentarily still its original direction of movement maintained without the collision detection sensor is already active and a reverse direction triggers, but while already electrically contact the mutually associated fasteners in contact and hence a charging current from the charging station can flow to the power supply unit of the floor treatment unit. The charging current may be of the control of the soil cultivating unit So that a subsequent collision detection signal of the collision detection sensor can be detected can be suppressed. This ensures that the tillage unit during docking, the charging station does not recognize as an obstacle, which is the dodge. Rather, the tillage unit for recharging the power supply unit assumes a desired position for the charging station so that the mutually associated connecting elements electrically can contact each other.

When a collision detection sensor with a spring-held scanning element, for example, a buffer strip surrounding the base-processing unit in the circumferential direction, it is advantageous if the spring constant of the spring-held electrical connecting element is less than the spring constant of the collision detection sensor, as this can be ensured in a structurally simple manner that a charging current can flow before the collision detection sensor detects a collision and a reverse direction triggers. The use of a lower spring force for resiliently held connecting element as for the spring-held probe element of the collision detection sensor makes it possible in particular that the docking of the floor treatment unit to the central charging station, a collision detection signal can be suppressed until the charging process is completed. After the recharge state of charge exceeds a predeterminable limit value, so that subsequently the collision detection signal and is releasable, the floor treatment unit thus performs a reverse direction and continues the processing of the bottom surface. The electrical coupling of the mutually associated connecting elements can be carried out without contact by electrical energy is inductively or capacitively transferred.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the mutually associated fasteners electrical contact elements forming the resistive coupling of the floor treatment unit with the charging station. This enables a particularly simple configuration of the associated connecting elements, it is necessary to transmit electrical energy that the designed as electrical contact elements connecting elements touch one another, so that a charging current can flow.

As It has proven itself if the tillage system has at least two first connecting elements, which at least a second connecting element is assigned. The use of multiple first and second connecting elements which are arranged on the floor treatment unit or at the loading station, ensures that the charging station a mechanical coupling of a first connector element with a second connecting element is relatively even with an imprecise alignment of the floor treatment unit at least achieved.

For example, an erroneous orientation of the soil processing unit in the vertical direction is compensated by that the first connecting elements are arranged at a vertical distance to each other.

In a preferred embodiment it is provided that at least one first connecting element in several mutually spaced second connecting elements are assigned. It is especially advantageous if relatively in dependence of the orientation of the floor treatment unit to the loading station one or more of the second connecting members comprising a first connecting member electrically connectable. In an optimum alignment of the floor treatment unit relative to the loading station, for example, two second connecting elements may be electrically connected to a common first connection element, while at a misorientation of the soil processing unit only, a second connecting element to the associated first connecting element is connectable.

As It has proven itself when the second connecting elements are arranged in a preferably horizontally oriented level. For example, a plurality of second connecting elements in the horizontal direction next to each other can be arranged at the loading station or to the base-processing unit.

A particularly reliable coupling of the mutually associated connecting elements can be achieved in that at least one of the mutually associated connecting elements is embodied flat. Because of the planar configuration of an extended area of ​​contact is provided, which simplifies the transmission of electrical energy.

The surface connection element may be, for example, a strip-shaped.

Preferably the flat connecting element is resiliently held. For example, be provided that the connecting element is formed of sheet-like a leaf spring. This enables a cost effective manufacture and assembly of the spring-held connection element.

It is advantageous if the connection of sheet-like element is arranged on the charging station is.

In a preferred embodiment the sheet-like connecting element are assigned to a plurality of contact elements. This gives the possibility that during the docking of the floor treatment unit at least one of the contact elements is incident at the loading station to the associated connection of sheet-like member so that a charging current can flow.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the soil working system of the invention it is provided that two horizontally aligned, leaf spring-like connecting elements are arranged one above the other at the loading station, each of which at least two held on the floor treatment unit contact elements are assigned. The two leaf spring-like connection elements can be acted upon by a power source of the charging station with voltage of different polarity.

As mentioned above, the ground processing system of the invention allows, inter alia, the cleaning of a floor surface. For this purpose, the soil processing unit, a mobile suction device form with a suction turbine and a suction inlet having dirt collecting. Starting from the suction inlet can hervor- of the suction turbine, a suction flow So that dirt can be caused to be absorbed by the bottom surface and transferred into the dirt collecting container.

It is advantageous in this case if the suction inlet a brush roller is mounted rotatably driven with the suction inlet thorough sweeping brushes. This makes it possible not only to suck the bottom surface but also to brush.

It is beneficial if the charging station comprises a suction unit and a dirt receptacle, at the same time the dirt collecting on the suction inlet of the suction unit can be sucked while recharging the power supply unit. When docking the tillage unit on the charging station can therefore be not only transmitted energy for recharging the power supply unit of the mobile suction device, but also the dirt collector of the suction device can be emptied.

The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves in conjunction with the drawings for further explanation. Show it:

1 shows a schematic side view of a tillage system of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section view of the tillage system of Figure 1; 3 shows a front view of a loading station of the tillage system;

Figure 4 shows an enlarged sectional view of detail X from Figure 1 in the

Approximation of associated electrical interconnect components of the tillage system;

5 shows a view in the direction of arrow A of Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows an enlarged sectional view of detail X of Figure 1 at

Meeting of the associated electrical connection elements;

7 shows a view in the direction of arrow B of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of detail X from 1 to

Passing through a spring travel of the associated electrical connecting elements and

9 shows a view in the direction of arrow C of FIG. 8

In the drawing, an inventive tillage system is shown in the form of an overall by the numeral 10 floor cleaning system which comprises a central charging station 12 and a self-propelled and self-steering floor treatment unit in the form of a mobile aspirator 14th The suction device 14 is formed as a mobile robot cleaner and comprises a housing 16 having a top wall 18 and a bottom wall 20 which define a suction channel 22 therebetween. In its rear portion the housing 16 carries one of an electric drive motor 24 rotationally driven suction turbine 26, which communicates with the suction channel 22 in flow connection via an intake 28th

The bottom wall 20 has in its front region facing away from the suction turbine 26 a suction inlet 30 which is penetrated by sweeping brushes 32 of a rotatably driven brush roller 34th Within the suction port 22, a debris filter 36 is arranged, and the area between the brush roller 34 and the strainer 36 forms a dirt collecting container 38. For cleaning the bottom surface is formed a suction flow from the suction turbine 26, with the aid of which dirt from the floor surface through the suction inlet 30 can pass over into the dirt collecting 38th The dirt pick-up from the bottom surface is in this case supported by the brush roller 34th

The housing 16 forms a chassis of the mobile suction device 14 to which, in a known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing, two drive wheels 40 are rotatably, each associated with a per se known drive motor (not shown).

As is clear from Figure 1, the housing 16 is circumferentially surrounded by a resiliently mounted on the housing 16 touch ring 42 to which a lid 44 is put on. For better clarity, the touch ring 42 and the cover 44 are not shown in FIG. 2

The top wall 18 carries a rechargeable power supply unit in the form of a rechargeable battery 46 and additionally takes an electrical control 48 and in each case in the region above a drive wheel 40 includes two infrared-sensitive sensors 50, and a Hall sensor 52. By means of the Hall sensor 52, a relative movement of the on the touch ring 42 seated lid 44 relative to the housing to be recognized 16th Occurs such relative movement, as by the Hall sensor 52, a voltage signal Kollisionserken- is transmitted to the control 48th Such a relative movement occurs upon impact of the suction device 14 to an obstacle. Due to the collision detection signal the direction of the suction device can then be 14 changed, in particular can be done a reversal of direction.

By means of the two above the drive wheels 40 arranged infrared light-sensitive sensors 50 can receive light emitted from the charging station 12 target radiation so that when falling below a predetermined limit value of the charge state of the battery 46, the suction device 14 automatically the charging station can approach 12 for recharging the battery 46th

The charging station includes a housing 54, a suction unit 56 and a dirt receptacle 58 surrounds, which can be acted upon by the suction unit 56 with vacuum.

Laterally on the housing 56, a cantilever is held 60, which at its free end infrarotlichtemittierende four diodes 62, 63, 64, 65 wears. Below and spaced from the cantilever 60, a ramp 66 is formed on the housing 54 of the charging station 12, which has a suction opening 68th At the suction opening 68 is followed by a suction channel 70 which forms a flow connection between the suction opening 68 and the dirt receptacle 58th

The boom 60 has its ramp 66 facing underside a stepped formed supporting plate 72 with the housing 54 facing the rear support plate portion 74 and a housing 54 facing away from the front support plate portion 76 which are integrally connected with each other via a step 78th At stage 78, a further infrared light emitting diode 80 is arranged. Of the infrared light emitting diodes 62, 63, 64, 65 and 80 an infrared target radiation is emitted, which is detected direction depending on the infrared-sensitive sensors 50 of the suction device 14 and by means of the suction device 14 automatically the charging station can control 12th The suction device 14 moves in this case during docking to the charging station 12 on the ramp 66, so that the suction inlet 30 is aligned to the suction opening 68th Dirt can then be transferred from the dirt collecting container 38 of the mobile suction device 14 through the suction port 30 into the dirt receptacle 58 of the charging station 12, by forming a symbolized in Figure 2 by the arrows 82 aspiration flow. Simultaneously, the battery 46 of the suction device 14 is recharged. For this purpose, 84, two electrical connection elements are held in the form of two leaf springs 86 88 at a rear support plate portion 74 of the boom 60 with the ramp 66 connecting the support wall, wherein the springs are clamped between two fixed to the support wall 84 support elements 90, 92nd The two pre-stressed and convexly curved leaf springs 86 and 88 are connected in the drawing, not shown, leads to a positive pole or the negative pole of a known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing, the electric power source the charging station 12th The Voltage source can be connected by means of a known power cable to the mains voltage.

The two leaf springs 86 and 88 are respectively associated with two on the lid 44 of the suction device 14 held rigid electric contact pins. A first contact pin 94 and a second contact pin 96 acting in this case with the leaf spring 86 together, and positioned below the first contact pin 94 third contact pin 98 and a switch located below the second contact pin 96 fourth pin (in the drawing, not shown) interacting with the leaf spring 88 together. This becomes clear in particular from Figures 4 and 5. FIG. Take the contact pins on the two leaf springs 86 and 88, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, it can be transferred 12 electrical energy for the suction device 14 from the loading station by via the leaf springs 86, 88 and the contact pins of a charging current to the battery 46 flows.

As is clear from Figures 8 and 9, performs a further approximation of the suction device 14 to the loading station 12 to the fact that the two leaf springs 86 and 88 perform an evasive movement along a spring path 102 shown in Figure 9 due to its elasticity. The spring constant of the two plate springs 86 and 88 is in this case selected to be smaller than the spring constant of the resilient mounting of the Tastrings 42. This ensures that the leaf springs 86 and 88 first perform a resilient deflection movement and may be a charging current to flow before by the Hall sensor 52, a Kollisionserken - is provided based voltage signal due to a relative movement of the lid 44 and the Tastrings 42 to the housing sixteenth Accordingly, 48 is first detected during impact of the suction device 14 to the Ladestatϊon 12 of the control the flow of a charging current to the battery 46 so that an ON Closing is adjusting collision detection signal can be suppressed until the charging is completed. Then, the collision detection signal is released, so that the suction device 14 is a reverse direction is carried out and in which the charging station now moves 12 direction away. In order to recharge the battery 46 and the simultaneous suction of the dirt collecting 38 is completed and the suction device 14 can resume its normal operation for cleaning the floor surface again.