The present disclosure provides a surface cleaning apparatus with a housing, a nozzle cover attached to the housing, a headlight, and a nozzle cover sensing mechanism. The nozzle cover sensing mechanism can determine whether the nozzle cover is present on the housing, and the headlight can accordingly be deactivated. Methods for operating the nozzle cover sensing mechanism are also disclosed.

An infrared transceiver unit (107, 108), a detection apparatus, a multi-infrared detection apparatus and an obstacle avoidance robot. The infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) includes a mounting skewed slot, an infrared emitting source (1085), and two groups of infrared receiving sources (1083, 1084), wherein a sensing direction of one group of infrared receiving sources (1084) and an emitting direction of the infrared emitting source (1085) both face one side of a sensing center line (L) of the mounting skewed slot, and the sensing direction of the other group of infrared receiving sources (1083) faces the other side of the sensing center line (L) of the mounting skewed slot, so that one of the infrared receiving sources (1083, 1084) receives infrared modulation light emitted by the infrared emitting source and reflected by an obstacle. Two infrared transceiver units (107, 108) are respectively arranged on a left end and a right end of an obstacle avoidance robot, and the infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) arranged on one end of the robot receives the infrared modulation light emitted by the infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) arranged on the other end, or the infrared modulation light emitted by the infrared transceiver unit (107, 108) arranged on either end and reflected by the obstacle.

A near-infrared organic EL device with favorable efficiency is provided. A light-emitting device including a first electrode, a second electrode, and an EL layer is provided; in which the EL layer is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode; in which the EL layer emits light having a peak of an emission spectrum in a wavelength range of greater than or equal to 750 nm and less than or equal to 1000 nm; in which one of the first electrode and the second electrode is an electrode having a transmitting property with respect to light with a peak wavelength of the emission spectrum of the EL layer; in which a first layer is provided in contact with a surface of the electrode having a transmitting property, which is opposite to a surface facing the EL layer; in which the first layer contains an organic compound; and in which the first layer has the local maximum value of an extinction coefficient k in the visible light region.

An automatic guiding method for a self-propelled apparatus (10) is provided. The self-propelled apparatus (10) turns and irradiates when a signal light emitted by a charging dock (20) is sensed by a flank sensor (103), and changes its turn direction when another different signal light from the charging dock (20) is sensed by a forward sensor (102). The charging dock (20) switches to emit another signal light different from the signal light currently emitted when each time is triggered by the signal light emitted by the self-propelled apparatus (10). Repeatedly execute the above actions and make the self-propelled apparatus approach the light-emitting unit (202) until the self-propelled apparatus (10) reaches a charging position. It can accurately guide the self-propelled apparatus (10) to the charging position by arranging only two sensors on the self-propelled apparatus.

An automatic guiding method for a self-propelled apparatus (10) is provided. The self-propelled apparatus (10) turns and irradiates when a signal light emitted by a charging dock (20) is sensed by a flank sensor (103), and changes its turn direction when another different signal light from the charging dock (20) is sensed by a forward sensor (102). The charging dock (20) switches to emit another signal light different from the signal light currently emitted when each time is triggered by the signal light emitted by the self-propelled apparatus (10). Repeatedly execute the above actions and make the self-propelled apparatus approach the light-emitting unit (202) until the self-propelled apparatus (10) reaches a charging position. It can accurately guide the self-propelled apparatus (10) to the charging position by arranging only two sensors on the self-propelled apparatus.

There is provided a cleaning robot including a light source module, an image sensor and a processor. The light source module projects a line pattern and a speckle pattern toward a moving direction. The image sensor captures an image of the line pattern and an image of the speckle pattern. The processor calculates one-dimensional depth information according to the image of the line pattern and calculates two-dimensional depth information according to the image of the speckle pattern.

A reconfigurable upright vacuum cleaner has a portable surface cleaning unit removably mounted to an upper portion. The portable surface cleaning unit has a suction motor and an air treatment member. The air treatment member is removably mounted to the portable surface cleaning unit and secured in position by an air treatment member lock. The portable surface cleaning unit is secured in position by a portable surface cleaning unit lock. When the portable surface cleaning unit is mounted to the upper portion and the upper portion is in the storage position, the portable surface cleaning unit actuator is provided on an upper end of the portable surface cleaning unit and the air treatment member release actuator is provided on an upper end of the air treatment member.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for air purification in an airflow tract of vacuum cleaners. In some aspects, an air purification system for a vacuum cleaner comprises an ultraviolet (UV) light unit disposed in a first location within the vacuum cleaner along an airflow pathway, configured to emit UV light at air containing particles including dust, dirt, and microbes while the air containing the particles is flowing in the airflow pathway where the UV light unit is disposed; and a particle filter unit disposed in a second location within the vacuum cleaner along the airflow pathway, the particle filter unit comprising one or both of a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and an active carbon filter.

Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for air purification in an airflow tract of vacuum cleaners. In some aspects, an air purification system for a vacuum cleaner comprises an ultraviolet (UV) light unit disposed in a first location within the vacuum cleaner along an airflow pathway, configured to emit UV light at air containing particles including dust, dirt, and microbes while the air containing the particles is flowing in the airflow pathway where the UV light unit is disposed; and a particle filter unit disposed in a second location within the vacuum cleaner along the airflow pathway, the particle filter unit comprising one or both of a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and an active carbon filter.

A vacuum cleaner includes a body having a space that allows air to flow therethrough. The vacuum cleaner also includes a suction inlet configured to introduce the air into the body. Further, the vacuum cleaner includes a suction motor provided in the body. The vacuum cleaner includes a dust separation module provided in the body. The dust separation module is arranged between the suction inlet and the suction motor. The dust separation module separates foreign substances from the air. The vacuum cleaner includes an exhaust module that discharges the air passing through the suction motor from the body. The exhaust module includes an exhaust filter comprising a photocatalyst. Further, the vacuum cleaner includes a lighting module that radiates light toward the exhaust filter. The vacuum cleaner includes a battery supplying electrical energy for the operation of the vacuum cleaner and a controller configured that controls operations of the vacuum cleaner.