KR20160090569A - Robot cleaning apparatus and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is characterized in that a plurality of first wet-cloths are mounted on a bottom surface of a main body of the main body so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis, respectively, And a second motor for rotationally driving the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate, wherein the first motor and the second wet- 2 controlling the rotation direction or the rotation speed of the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate in accordance with a change in the change value of the load applied to the motor, and when the spiral traveling mode is selected, The mounting plate is controlled to rotate at the first rotation speed in the first rotation direction and the second wet-cloth mounting plate is rotated at the second rotation speed in the first rotation direction, And controlling the rotational speeds of the first and second wet-cloth-attaching plates to be controlled while maintaining the difference in rotational speed between the first and second wet- The method comprising the steps of:

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a robot cleaner and a robot cleaner,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a robot cleaner and a method of controlling the robot cleaner that perform a cleaning operation by moving in a cleaning area. More particularly, the present invention relates to a robot cleaner, And a control method thereof.

The robot cleaner is a device that carries out a cleaning operation while traveling in a cleaning area by itself without an external artificial operation. Generally, the robot cleaner mainly performs a dirt suction function of sucking dirt such as dust on the surface to be cleaned while traveling on its own. Recently, however, cleaning of the surface to be cleaned has been carried out by wiping the surface of the surface to be cleaned, A robot cleaner that can be removed is introduced.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a robot cleaner that removes a wet-cloth plate to which a wet-cloth is attached on the lower surface of the robot cleaner main body, thereby wiping the water in an autonomous running process.

However, in the case of the cleaning type robot cleaner as in Patent Document 1, merely attaching a cleaning cloth for wet-cloth to the main body of the existing robot cleaner, and using friction between the cleaning cloth for wet-cloth and the bottom surface during traveling of the robot cleaner, There is a limit in removing the dirt adhering to the inside of the cleaning area.

Further, due to the frictional force between the cleaning cloth for wet-wipe and the bottom surface, the driving of the robot due to the separate driving force is interrupted, and the consumption of the driving force by the battery becomes extreme.

Patent Document 1: Korean Utility Model Registration No. 407243

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot cleaner capable of effectively removing dirt adhered to a floor to be cleaned by cleaning a wet cloth, And to provide a control method.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a robot cleaner, the robot cleaner including a main body and a main body rotatably mounted on the main body so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis, And a first motor and a second motor for rotationally driving the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate, and a first motor and a second motor for rotationally driving the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet- A control method for a robot cleaner comprising the steps of: rotating at least one of a first wet-cloth mounting plate and a second wet-cloth mounting plate so that the robot cleaner travels in a specific traveling direction according to a traveling mode; Measuring changes in loads applied to the first motor and the second motor due to friction between the wet cloth and the bottom surface mounted on the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates during travel of the robot cleaner; And controlling the rotation direction or rotation speed of the first and second wet-cloth-attaching plates in accordance with a change in the load value, wherein the step of controlling the robot cleaner to travel in a specific traveling direction comprises the steps of: ; Setting a reference point at which the spiral run is to be performed; When the reference point is set, the first wet-cloth mounting plate is controlled to rotate in the first rotation direction at the first rotation speed, and the second wet-cloth mounting plate is controlled to rotate in the first rotation direction at the second rotation speed, Controlling to perform rotational movement about the reference point; And accelerating the rotational speeds of the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate while maintaining a difference in rotational speed between the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate at a predetermined ratio.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a robot cleaner including: a main body; A first wet-laid mounting plate and a second wet-cloth mounting plate, which are arranged on the bottom surface of the main body so as to be rotatable about the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis, respectively, Mounting plate; And a first motor and a second motor which are installed inside the main body and cause the first and second wet-cloth-attached plates to rotate at predetermined rotation directions and rotational speeds, respectively, 2 wobble mounting plate to rotate on at least one of the wet-cloth mounting plate and the cleaning area, wherein the robot cleaner travels on a floor surface by using a friction force generated between a wet- Motor load measuring means for measuring a change in load applied to the first motor and the second motor due to friction between the wet cloth and the bottom surface mounted on the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates, And a control unit for controlling the rotation direction or the rotation speed of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates, the robot cleaner being provided on an outer surface of the main body, The control unit may further include at least one obstacle sensor provided to detect an obstacle around the scavenge, and the control unit sets a reference point corresponding to the selection of the spiral traveling mode when the selection of the spiral traveling mode is detected, The robot cleaner rotates about the reference point and performs rotation control about the reference point by controlling the rotation of the mounting plate in the first rotation speed and the first rotation direction and rotating the second woolen mounting plate in the second rotation speed and the first rotation direction And the rotational speeds of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates are accelerated while maintaining the rotational speed difference between the first and second wool-tooth mounting plates at a predetermined ratio.

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

In the present invention, unlike a conventional robot cleaner that moves in a cleaning area as a wheel attached to a main body is rotated by a driving source, at least one of a pair of wet-cloth attaching plates to which a wet-cloth is attached rotates, Since the frictional force with the bottom surface is used as the driving source, the battery efficiency can be improved as compared with a conventional robot cleaner equipped with a wet cloth.

Further, in the case of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, since only the rotational direction and rotational speed of the wet-cloth attaching plate to which the wet cloth is attached are controlled to control the direction of the robot cleaner, It is possible to simplify the configuration of the apparatus.

In addition, in the case of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, since the robot cleaner is moved by the rotation of the wet-cloth mounting plate, foreign substances adhered to the bottom surface of the cleaning area are removed. In the conventional robot cleaner, It is possible to increase the removal efficiency of the foreign matter.

Further, in the case of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, the load applied to the motor due to the friction between the wet cloth attached to the wet cloth mounting plate and the bottom surface is monitored to appropriately control the rotation of the wet cloth mounting plate, It is possible to stop unnecessary battery consumption by stopping the motor when the robot cleaner is lifted or the robot cleaner is crashed.

Further, in the case of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, by monitoring the load applied to the motor due to the friction between the wet cloth attached to the wet cloth mounting plate and the bottom surface and appropriately controlling the rotation of the wet cloth mounting plate, If the robot cleaner is located at an adjacent position, the robot cleaner can quickly disengage the robot cleaner.

Further, in the case of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, the robot cleaner performs spiral movement or rotational movement on the space requiring intensive cleaning, so that the area can be cleaned more reliably.

1 is a schematic view of a robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a bottom view of a robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a side view of a robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flow chart related to a spiral travel mode according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
7 is another flow chart for explaining a spiral traveling mode according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the running of the robot cleaner in the first rotation mode according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a view showing the traveling of the robot cleaner in the second rotation mode according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
10 is a view for explaining a spiral traveling mode according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the robot cleaner according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a bottom view of the robot cleaner according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of the robot cleaner of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross- Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing a system of a vacuum cleaner.

1 to 4, a robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 10, a first wet-cloth mounting plate 110, a second wet-cloth mounting plate 120, a first wet- A first motor 150a and a second motor 150b for driving the second woolen mounting plate 120 to rotate and drive the woolen mounting plate 120, obstacle detecting sensors 130a and 130b mounted on the main body 10, And an input unit 180 and a communication unit 140. [

The first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 are mounted on the main body 10 such that one surface of the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 is rotatable about the first rotation axis 151 and the second rotation axis 152, And a first wet-cloth 210 and a second wet-cloth 220 are detachably mounted on the back surface thereof.

The first rotation axis 151 and the second rotation axis 152 are shown to be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body 10 according to the illustration of FIG. 2, but are preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body 10 The virtual vertical axis and the inclined plane can extend in the direction.

The first wet cloth 210 and the second wet cloth 220 are brought into contact with the bottom surface of the cleaning area in accordance with the rotation of the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 220, And is configured to clean the wet cloth against the foreign matter attached to the surface. The first and second wet-cloths 210 and 220 may be formed of a fiber material such as a microfiber cloth, a cloth, a nonwoven fabric, a brush, or the like.

The first wet-cloth 210 and the second wet-cloth 220 may be attached to the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 220 using fixing means such as a Velcro tape, The first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 220 may be fixed to each other.

As described above, a predetermined frictional force is generated between the first and second water-curtains 210 and 220 and the bottom surface of the cleaning zone, and such frictional force can be used as a driving source for driving the robot cleaner . Particularly, by appropriately controlling the resultant force of the frictional force acting on the first wet-cloth 210 and the second wet-cloth 220, the running direction and the speed of the robot cleaner can be specifically controlled.

As described above, in the case of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, by using the frictional force, which has been used only for cleaning the wet cloth on the floor, as a driving source of the robot cleaner, battery consumption for driving the robot cleaner is reduced, It is possible to control the robot cleaner in a simple manner by removing a separate wheel or a device for controlling the wheel.

The obstacle detection sensor 130 is for detecting an obstacle existing in the direction of travel of the robot cleaner and may be disposed on the front or rear of the main body 10 on the basis of the traveling direction of the robot cleaner, And may be disposed at a position adjacent to the mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120. The obstacle detection sensor 130 disposed at the front and rear of the main body 10 detects an obstacle located in the direction when the robot cleaner travels in the corresponding direction and transmits the information to the controller 17 . By appropriately adjusting the position of the obstacle detection sensor 130, it is possible to accurately detect obstacles that obstruct the travel of the robot cleaner through a small number of sensors, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the robot cleaner .

4 is a block diagram illustrating a system of a robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 4, the system of the robot cleaner according to the present invention includes a sensor unit 130, a communication unit 140, a first wet-cloth mounting plate 110, 1 motor 150a and a second motor 150b, a storage unit 160, a control unit 170, an input unit 180, an output unit 185, a motor load measurement unit 200 and a power supply unit 190 .

The sensor unit 130 includes obstacle detection sensors 130a and 130b mounted on the main body 10. The sensor unit 130 generates infrared rays or ultrasonic signals to detect obstacles around the robot cleaner, Detects the presence of an obstacle, and transmits the obstacle detection result to the control unit (17). The sensor unit 130 may include a sensor device for detecting an obstacle or the like by photographing the outside of the robot cleaner, such as a camera sensor.

The communication unit 140 performs a wireless communication function between the robot cleaner and the external terminal using a local communication module or a wireless Internet module. The robot cleaner receives an instruction from an external terminal through the communication unit 140, and can adjust a traveling direction, a traveling mode, and the like based on the received command. Accordingly, the user can control the running of the robot cleaner by utilizing a smart phone, a tablet, a PC, and a remote controller.

The first motor 150a and the second motor 150b serve as a driving source for rotating the first and second wet-cloth-attaching plates 110 and 120. The first motor 150a, And the second motor 150b receive the control signal from the controller 170 and are connected to the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 152 through the first and second rotary shafts 151 and 152, 120) at a predetermined rotation speed in a predetermined rotation direction.

The storage unit 160 stores the operation of the robot cleaner, in particular, a program related to the traveling mode, and plays the role of temporarily storing data input and output from the input unit 180 and the output 185. The storage unit 160 is preferably a flash memory, a hard disk, a card type memory such as an SD card or an XD card, a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM) Memory, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. Preferably, the storage unit 160 may transmit the stored information about the traveling mode to the controller 170 to drive the robot cleaner according to the programmed traveling mode.

The input unit 180 directly receives a command related to the traveling of the robot cleaner from the user through a car pad, a switch, or the like provided in the main body 10 of the robot cleaner, and transfers the command to the controller 170.

The output unit 185 performs a function of externally displaying information related to an operation or function performed by the robot cleaner. Preferably, the display panel includes a display panel for visually displaying related information, an acoustic output section for audibly outputting the information, and the like.

The motor load measuring means 200 measures changes in load acting on the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b while traveling the robot cleaner and transmits the related information to the controller 170 . The magnitude of the frictional force generated between the first wet-cloth 210 and the second wet-cloth 220 and the bottom surface of the cleaning area may vary depending on the condition of the bottom surface, The motor load measuring means 200 measures the change of the load and transmits the measured load to the controller 170 so that the controller 170 can determine the state of the bottom surface of the cleaning zone So that it can control the operation of the robot cleaner appropriately.

Preferably, the motor load measuring means 200 measures the change in the amount of current flowing through the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b to determine the load acting on the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b Is a means for measuring the change in the temperature.

The power supply unit 190 receives power from the outside and supplies power to each component of the robot cleaner.

The control unit 170 receives necessary information from the sensor unit 130, the motor load measurement unit 200, the storage unit 160, the input unit 180, and the like to collectively control the operation and the function of the robot cleaner As a configuration, it controls a process such as a traveling mode, a traveling route, a cleaning time, and the like of the robot cleaner.

More specifically, the control unit 170 of the robot cleaner according to the present invention controls the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b to rotate the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 By controlling the speed and the direction of rotation, the robot cleaner can be controlled to travel in a predetermined traveling mode in a predetermined direction. That is, by appropriately controlling the resultant force of the frictional force between the first wet-cloth 210 mounted on the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth 220 mounted on the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120, It is possible to control so that the robot cleaner can move forward or backward.

In particular, the traveling mode of the robot cleaner may be selected by the user as a first forward mode for allowing the user to move forward or backward in a predetermined direction according to a program stored in the storage unit 160. In the first forward mode, the controller 170 rotates the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 in the first rotation direction at the first rotation speed, and rotates the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 in the opposite direction to the first rotation direction To the first rotation speed in the second rotation direction, which is the direction of rotation. In this case, the robot cleaner can move linearly in a specific direction on the floor surface by the resultant force of the frictional force acting on the first wet-cloth 210 and the second wet-cloth 220, respectively.

Meanwhile, the traveling mode of the robot cleaner may be selected by a user or a second forward mode in which the user moves forward or backward in an S-shape in a predetermined direction according to a program stored in the storage unit 160. In the second forward mode, the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 is rotated for a predetermined time in the first rotation direction at the first rotation speed, and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 is rotated in the first rotation direction And then rotates the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 at a second rotation speed in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction for a predetermined time, It is possible to control the wet-cloth mounting plate 120 to rotate in the second rotation direction at the first rotation speed, and to repeat it for a predetermined time in order to control to travel in the S-shape in a specific direction. In this case, the running speed of the robot cleaner is slower than in the first forward mode, but there is an effect that more intensive cleaning can be performed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller 170 controls the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b according to a change in load applied from the motor load measuring means 200 to the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b, And the rotation of the second motor 150b. The amount of load applied to the motor due to the friction between the first and second wet-cloths 210 and 220 attached to the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 and the bottom surface, The controller 170 controls the rotation of the wet-cloth mounting plate so that the position of the robot cleaner can be quickly disengaged when the robot cleaner is located at a position adjacent to an obstacle such as a carpet or a cliff. It is possible to prevent the battery from consuming by preventing the idle idling from being heard.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller 170 receives the information about the obstacle detection from the sensor unit 130 and controls the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b, The rotational direction and rotational speed of the wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 are controlled to enable the avoidance start of the obstacle.

In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, even when an obstacle is not detected for a predetermined time, the controller 170 changes the rotation direction and speed of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 Thus, when the robot cleaner can not move due to an obstacle not detected by the sensor unit 130, the robot cleaner can be moved away from the robot cleaner. For example, when the robot cleaner is in a state where the robot cleaner can not move due to a carpet not being sensed by the sensor unit 130, the rotation of the wet-cloth mounting plate can be controlled after a predetermined time so that the robot cleaner can be easily detached from the position.

Hereinafter, a preferred control method of the robot cleaner according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 5, when the power of the robot cleaner 100 is turned on (S101), the controller 170 sets the progress direction according to the program stored in the user input or storage unit 160 (S102) The robot cleaner 100 is controlled by controlling the rotational speed and the rotational direction of the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 so that the robot cleaner can travel in the traveling direction (S103).

During running of the robot cleaner 100, the amount of change in the load acting on the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b due to the friction between the floor surface and the wet cloth is measured using the motor load measuring means 200 (S104). Preferably, the change in the amount of current flowing through the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b is measured, and the change in the amount of load can be measured.

Thereafter, it is determined whether the decrease in the load measured by the motor load measuring means 200 is less than the first predetermined value (S105). If the load reduction value is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value, the robot cleaner 100 is lifted by the user or the robot cleaner 100 falls and the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second water- It is determined that the plate 120 is idling and the rotation of the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b is stopped (S110). As a result, the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 are prevented from idling idling and battery consumption can be suppressed.

When it is determined that the amount of decrease of the load measured by the motor load measuring means 200 is less than the first predetermined value, it is determined whether the change value of the load amount is less than the second predetermined value (S106). When the change value of the load is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value, the robot cleaner 100 determines that the robot cleaner 100 is located near the bottom surface of the robot cleaner 100, such as a carpet, The rotating speed or the rotating direction of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 is controlled so that the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 can be separated from the corresponding position.

As described above, there are several preferable control methods for releasing the robot cleaner from its current position.

For example, when it is determined that the load applied to the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b has fallen by a second predetermined value or more, the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110, which is currently traveling of the robot cleaner 100, And the rotation direction of the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 may be controlled to be opposite to the rotating direction of the first wet-cloth mounting plate 120 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120. In this case, the robot cleaner 100 may move away from the current position because the robot cleaner 100 moves in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the robot cleaner.

Further, preferably, the rotation of any one of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 is stopped or the rotation speed is reduced so that the robot cleaner rotates or swivels in place You can control to leave the current location.

Preferably, the robot cleaner 100 senses a difference in the amount of load between the first motor 150a and the second motor 150b, determines whether the difference between the loads is equal to or greater than a third predetermined value, It is possible to control the rotational speed or the rotational direction of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 so that the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 can be separated from the corresponding position. In this case, since either the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 or the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 is on the bottom surface, not on the area to be cleaned, or on the obstacle or near the cliff, It is possible to perform control so as to move out of the position.

Preferably, in the control method according to the present invention, the presence or absence of an obstacle can be detected around the robot cleaner 100 by the obstacle detection sensors 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d (S107).

If it is determined that there is an obstacle around the robot cleaner 100 as a result of detection, control is performed to control the first and second wet-cloth-attaching plates 110 and 120 so as to avoid the obstacle (S112).

In the case of the avoidance start, the control method may be different depending on the traveling direction of the robot cleaner 100 and the obstacle detection position.

For example, when the obstacle located in the traveling direction of the robot cleaner 100 is sensed by an obstacle detection sensor located near both the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120, It is determined that an obstacle exists in the entire traveling direction of the vehicle 100. Therefore, the rotation directions of the first and second wet-cloth-attaching plates 110 and 120 can be reversed so that the robot cleaner 100 can move backward.

When the obstacle located in the traveling direction of the robot cleaner 100 is detected by any of the obstacle detection sensors located near both the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 , It is determined that an obstacle exists in the vicinity of the position. Therefore, it is possible to stop the rotation of the wet-cloth mounting plate at the position, to allow the robot cleaner 100 to rotate in place, or to reduce the rotational speed and to perform swirling motion to avoid the obstacle.

Alternatively, by resetting the traveling direction of the robot cleaner 100, the robot cleaner 100 may proceed in the third traveling direction other than the current traveling direction, thereby controlling the obstacle to be avoided.

After the evasive maneuver is performed in accordance with the detection results of the motor load measuring means 200 and the obstacle detecting sensors 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d, the robot cleaner 100 again resets the traveling direction, Let's proceed.

On the other hand, even when no obstacle is detected in the obstacle detecting sensors 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d, the undetected time is measured and it is determined whether or not the time has exceeded a predetermined value (S108) The robot cleaner 100 may be in a state in which the robot cleaner 100 does not move due to an obstacle that is not detected by the obstacle detection sensors 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d. Therefore, the first and second wet- (120) is rotated in the same direction for a predetermined period of time so as to perform rotational driving in the same place (S109). Thereafter, the robot cleaner 100 is controlled so as to advance along the originally set traveling mode so as to avoid obstacles. Accordingly, even if the robot cleaner is obstructed by an obstacle that is not detected by the obstacle detection sensors 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d of the robot cleaner 100, such as a carpet, the avoidance start can be performed.

If the obstacle non-detection time is within the predetermined time, the traveling is continued along the traveling mode and the traveling direction which were originally intended.

Hereinafter, a spiral traveling mode in a traveling mode according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11. FIG.

In the case where the robot cleaner performs cleaning on the cleaning area, in order to intensively perform a relatively narrow cleaning area, traveling through a spiral-shaped traveling path based on a specific reference point rather than the forward mode described above can increase the mopping effect have. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a spiral running mode is provided which can be intensively cleaned for such a predetermined cleaning area.

In the spiral traveling mode according to the present invention, in addition to the rotation of the wet cloth mounted on the robot cleaner 100, the rotation mode in which the robot cleaner 100 itself rotates in accordance with the rotation movement of the wet cloth is sequentially changed or rotated The path of the spiral shape is driven by the method of progressively increasing or decreasing the radius.

Accordingly, in the present invention, foreign matter adhering to the area can be effectively removed by intensively cleaning the wet-cloth with reference to a specific area set by a predetermined distance or a predetermined time centered on a predetermined reference point.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the helical travel mode.

Referring to Fig. 6, first, the helical travel mode is selected (S401). Whether or not the robot is in the helical travel mode can be determined by the user's input through the input unit 180 of the robot cleaner 100, the program input from the external terminal through the communication unit 140 or the traveling mode program stored in advance in the storage unit 160 Is selected.

When the selection of the spiral run mode is completed, a reference point for executing the spiral run mode is set (S402). The reference point may be a position of the robot cleaner 100 at a time when the helical travel mode is selected, or may be a specific position on the cleaning area inputted by the user. When the reference point is a specific position on the cleaning area inputted by the user and the robot cleaner 100 is in a position separated from the robot cleaner 100, the robot cleaner 100 is moved to the reference point by using another traveling mode such as the forward mode.

When the robot cleaner 100 is disposed on the reference point, the robot cleaner 100 preferably performs a first rotation mode around the reference point (S403). 8, the movement trajectory of the robot cleaner 100 in the first rotation mode is specifically shown.

In the first rotation mode (S403), the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second wet-cloth mounting plate 120 rotate at the same speed as the same direction. As a result, the robot cleaner 100 is rotated about the reference point, which is the center of the robot cleaner 100, by the resultant force of frictional force acting between the first and second wet-cloths 210 and 220 and the bottom surface of the cleaning area Thereby performing rotational motion in place. As a result, the concentrated mop cleaning can be performed on the cleaning area 510 whose length is substantially equal to the length of the robot cleaner 100.

The first rotation mode S403 may be continued for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of rotations, and after the first rotation mode S403 is performed, the second rotation mode is entered (S404).

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the rotation traveling of the robot cleaner 100 according to the second mode. In the second rotation mode, rotation of any one of the first and second wet-cloth-attaching plates 110 and 120 is stopped, and only the other wet-cloth mounting plate is controlled to rotate. In this case, the wobble mounting plate on the side where the rotation is stopped (the second woolen mounting plate 120 in Fig. 9) becomes the center, and the robot cleaner 100 rotates only by the rotation of the other woolen mounting plate.

As shown in FIG. 9, the cleaning area 520 becomes a circular space having a diameter of about twice the length of the robot cleaner 100, and the cleaning area is wider than the first mode. Therefore, cleaning can be performed over a wider area as compared with the first mode, but since the cleaning is performed only by the rotating woolen mounting plate, the foreign matter removal effect on the cleaning area is lower than that in the first mode.

Therefore, when performing the second mode after the first mode is performed, if the most foreign matter-rich region is set as the reference point, the vicinity of the reference point is intensively cleaned through the first mode. There is an advantage that the cleaning can be performed through the second mode in the vicinity of the reference point where the foreign matter is relatively small.

Preferably, after the second mode ends, the spiral run mode is performed. More specifically, the rotational speed of any one of the first or second wet-cloth mounting plates 110 and 120 is controlled to be faster than the rotational speed of the other wet-cloth mounting plates (S405) while maintaining the same rotational direction, In addition, acceleration is continuously or intermittently performed at a constant rate while maintaining the rotational speed difference between the two wet-wool mounting plates (S406).

In this case, the robot cleaner rotates in the upper rotation direction, and the rotation radius is gradually increased in accordance with the acceleration of the gradual rotation speed. As shown in Fig. 10, the robot cleaner 100 in the direction of the arrow. As a result, it is possible to control the wet cleaning in a central portion where a large number of foreign matters exist, while performing a quick cleaning for a peripheral cleaning area of relatively low importance. At this time, a certain ratio may be a speed ratio such as preferably 30:70 to 20:80, but may be made in an appropriate ratio depending on the size of the cleaning area, the contamination state, and the like.

If the position of the robot cleaner 100 is spaced by a predetermined distance from the original reference point or after a predetermined time has elapsed after the helical travel mode is performed, the acceleration is stopped, and the first wet-cloth mounting plate 110 and the second water- The deceleration is gradually performed while maintaining the difference in the rotational speed of the mounting plate 120.

The control unit 170 may measure a relative distance between the robot cleaner 100 and the reference region based on information received from the sensor unit 130. [ For this, the sensor unit 130 may further include at least one of a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a speed sensor in addition to the plurality of sensors 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d described above. Therefore, the control unit 170 can track the movement route change and the distance from the reference area in accordance with the data measured by the sensor unit 130, using the position of the robot cleaner 100 as a reference area, It is possible to determine the deceleration time point based on the deceleration time point.

The robot cleaner 100 returns to the initial reference point in accordance with the deceleration of the rotation speed. Therefore, it is determined whether the robot cleaner 100 has returned to the reference point (S415). If the robot cleaner 100 returns to the reference point, the second mode and the first mode described above are performed again (S409 and S410) The traveling mode is ended (S411). On the other hand, even if the robot cleaner does not return to the original reference point, after the predetermined time has elapsed, the second mode and the first mode are performed again in steps S409 and S410, and then the traveling mode is ended (S411).

After the spiral run mode is completed, the mode is switched to a random pattern or a preset run mode so as to run in the cleaning area (S412). Here, the preset driving mode may be the first forward mode or the second forward mode described above.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a spiral traveling mode according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. When the helical travel mode shown in FIG. 6 is performed (S431), the presence or absence of obstacles on the travel route is detected through the obstacle detection sensors 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d during travel (S433)

At this time, when an obstacle is detected, when the traveling route is changed so as to avoid the obstacle, it is determined whether or not the spiral travel pattern can be maintained as it is (S433). For example, when the obstacle is continuously detected for a predetermined time, it can be determined that the helical traveling pattern can not be maintained as it is, for example, by recognizing the obstacle as a long obstacle such as a wall. In addition, It can be determined that the running pattern can not be maintained as it is.

If it is determined that the spiral travel pattern can not be maintained, the spiral run mode is canceled and the random pattern or another preset travel mode is switched to perform cleaning (S434).

On the other hand, when it is determined that the size of the obstacle is not large, or the traveling direction and the distance that should be corrected to avoid the obstacle are not large and it is not necessary to change the spiral traveling pattern, the obstacle avoidance traveling is performed while maintaining the existing spiral traveling mode do.

In this spiral traveling mode, cleaning can be performed intensively on a predetermined space as compared with the forward mode, thereby enabling more efficient cleaning.

In addition, it is possible to change the direction or mode according to the schedule of the internal memory or the time without obstacle or current sensing.

Meanwhile, the control method according to various embodiments of the present invention described above may be implemented in a program code and provided to each server or devices in a state stored in various non-transitory computer readable media. Specifically, it may be stored in a non-volatile readable medium such as a CD, a DVD, a hard disk, a Blu-ray disk, a USB, a memory card, a ROM, and the like.

100: Robot cleaner
10: Body
110: first wet-cloth mounting plate
120: second wet-cloth mounting plate
130:
130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d: an obstacle detection sensor
140:
150a: first motor
150b: second motor
151:
152: second rotating shaft
160:
170:
180: input
185:
190: Power supply
200: motor load measuring means
210, 220, wet cloth

Claims (13)

A first wet-laid mounting plate and a second wet-laid mounting plate which are arranged on the bottom surface of the main body and are mounted on the main body so as to be rotatable about the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis, respectively, A method of controlling a robot cleaner having a first motor and a second motor for rotationally driving a wet-laid mounting plate and a first wet-cloth mounting plate and a second wet-
Controlling at least one of the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate so that the robot cleaner travels in a specific traveling direction according to the traveling mode;
Measuring changes in load values applied to the first motor and the second motor due to friction between the wet cloth and the bottom surface mounted on the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates during traveling of the robot cleaner;
And controlling a rotating direction or a rotating speed of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates according to a change in the load value,
Wherein the step of controlling the robot cleaner to travel in a specific traveling direction includes:
Selecting a spiral traveling mode;
Setting a reference point at which the spiral run is to be performed;
When the reference point is set, the first wet-cloth mounting plate is controlled to rotate in the first rotation direction at the first rotation speed, and the second wet-cloth mounting plate is controlled to rotate in the first rotation direction at the second rotation speed, Controlling the vacuum cleaner to perform rotational movement about the reference point; And
And accelerating the rotational speeds of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates while maintaining a difference in rotational speed between the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate at a predetermined ratio A control method of the robot cleaner. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein when the robot cleaner is determined to be spaced from the reference point by a predetermined distance or more, the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet- And a step of decelerating the rotational speed of the wet-cloth mounting plate, respectively. The method according to claim 1,
And the second wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate while maintaining the difference in rotational speed between the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate at a predetermined ratio, And a step of decelerating the rotation speed of the plate, respectively. The method according to claim 1,
The step of accelerating
And continuously or intermittently accelerating the rotational speed of the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate, respectively. The method according to claim 2 or 3,
Further comprising the step of terminating the helical travel mode when the robot cleaner returns to the reference point in accordance with deceleration of the rotational speed of the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate. The method according to claim 1,
Determining whether or not an obstacle is detected from a sensor corresponding to a traveling direction of the robot cleaner while the movement of the robot cleaner by the helical travel mode is continued; And
And terminating the helical travel mode when the time at which the obstacle is detected continuously exceeds a predetermined time. The method of claim 6,
Further comprising the step of switching to a preset traveling mode in the random direction by designating a random direction when the spiral traveling mode is ended. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the step of sensing the spiral traveling mode comprises:
Detecting a spiral traveling mode selection based on a user command received through at least one of an input unit and a communication unit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first speed and the second speed are the same. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first speed is relatively greater than the second speed. main body;
A first wet-laid mounting plate and a second wet-laid mounting plate which are arranged on the bottom surface of the main body and are mounted on the main body so that one surface thereof is rotatable about a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis, respectively, 2 Wet Blank Mounting Plate;
And a first motor and a second motor which are installed in the main body and cause the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate to rotate at predetermined rotational directions and rotational speed, respectively,
Wherein at least one of the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate is rotated to apply a force to the bottom surface of the cleaning area by using a friction force generated between the wet- 1. A robot cleaner for traveling, comprising:
A motor load measuring unit that measures a change in a load value applied to the first motor and the second motor due to friction between the wet cloth and the bottom surface mounted on the first and second wet- Means,
And a controller for controlling a rotating direction or a rotating speed of the first and second wet-cloth mounting plates according to a change in the load value, the robot cleaner comprising:
Further comprising at least one obstacle sensor provided on an outer surface of the main body for detecting an obstacle around the robot cleaner,
Wherein,
When a spiral traveling mode is selected, a reference point is set corresponding to the spiral traveling mode selection, and when the reference point is set, the first wet-cloth mounting plate is controlled to rotate at a first rotational speed and a first rotational direction, Controlling the plate to rotate about the reference point by controlling the rotation of the plate in the second rotation speed and the first rotation direction and controlling the robot cleaner to perform the rotation movement about the reference point by changing the rotation speed difference between the first wet- And the rotating speed of the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate is accelerated while maintaining a constant ratio. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the control unit controls the second wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate while keeping the difference in rotational speed between the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate at a predetermined ratio when the robot cleaner is determined to be spaced from the reference point by a maximum distance, And the rotating speed of the second wet-cloth mounting plate is decreased. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the control unit controls the second wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate while maintaining the rotational speed difference between the first wet-cloth mounting plate and the second wet-cloth mounting plate at a predetermined ratio, 2 A robot cleaner that decelerates the rotation speed of the wobble mounting plate.

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