CLEANING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A SURFACE

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning fa?ades includes an aerial vehicle with rotors and a cleaning device attached to the aerial vehicle. This cleaning device can clean fa?ades easily, mechanically with brushes or with a cleaning medium such as for example deionized water or dry ice.

Claims

1: A cleaning apparatus (1) for cleaning a surface, the cleaning apparatus being free flying no fixed connection between the cleaning apparatus and the surface, wherein the cleaning apparatus includes an aerial vehicle (2) with rotors (3, 4, 5, 6) and a cleaning device (7) attached to the aerial vehicle (2) for cleaning the surface.

2: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device (7) includes at least one rotating brush (9).

3: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus includes a camera (10).

4: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle (2) includes a safety frame (11) to protect the rotors (3, 4, 5, 6).

5: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle (2) has a sensor system (12, 13, 14, 15) for measuring distance and/or detecting contact.

6: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus has a mobile device (16) which is movable on rollers (17, 18).

7: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device (7) is arranged so as to be movable relative to the aerial vehicle (2), and the aerial vehicle (2) is equipped with a distance meter (21, 22) which measures the distance between the cleaning device (7) and the aerial vehicle.

8: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device (7) is arranged so as to be movable relative to the aerial vehicle (2), and the aerial vehicle (2) has a pressure measurement device which measures the pressure exerted on the aerial vehicle (2) by the cleaning device (7).

9: The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus is equipped with measuring devices (24) that influence the attitude control of the aerial vehicle (2).

10: A method for cleaning surfaces, particularly fa?ades and outdoor glass frontage, comprising applying a cleaning medium for cleaning the surface that is to be cleaned, and cleaning the surface with an aerial vehicle (2).

11: The method according to claim 10, wherein the cleaning medium is deionized water.

12: The method according to claim 10, wherein the cleaning medium is dry ice.

13: The method according to claim 10, wherein the relative attitude of the aerial vehicle (2) is measured with reference to the surface to be cleaned.

14: The method according to claim 10, wherein the absolute attitude of the aerial vehicle is measured with reference to the surface to be cleaned.

15: The method according to claim 10, wherein the aerial vehicle is flown against the surface to be cleaned in such manner that a cleaning device (7) attached to the aerial vehicle (2) is pressed against the surface to be cleaned and moved along the surface.

16: The cleaning system consisting of a cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, a plurality of surfaces to be cleaned and a topology surrounding the surfaces to be cleaned, in which reference points of the topology are stored in a data memory, the attitude of the cleaning apparatus relative to these reference points and the attitude of the cleaning apparatus relative to the surface to be cleaned are determined in order to guide the cleaning device along the surfaces that are to be cleaned automatically.

Description

[0046] Three exemplary embodiments are represented in the drawing, and will be described in greater detail in the following text. In the drawing

[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of structure of a cleaning apparatus with four rotors,

[0048] FIG. 2 is a side view of a cleaning apparatus with eight rotors,

[0049] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 2,

[0050] FIG. 4 is a view from below of a cleaning device with three rotors,

[0051] FIG. 5 is a view from above of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 4,

[0052] FIG. 6 is a side view of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 4,

[0053] FIG. 7 is a side view of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 4 with mark carpet,

[0054] FIG. 8 is a plan view in accordance with FIG. 7,

[0055] FIG. 9 is a perspective plan view of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 4,

[0056] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the underside of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 4, and

[0057] FIG. 11 is a perspective side view of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 4.

[0058] Cleaning apparatus 1 includes an aerial vehicle 2 with rotors 3, 4, 5, 6. A cleaning device 7 is attached to said aerial vehicle 2 for cleaning a surface (not shown).

[0059] Cleaning device 7 consists of a base body 8, to which cleaning equipment such as a rotating brush 9 is attached. Multiple rotating brushes 9 may also be arranged around base body 8 instead of one rotating brush 9.

[0060] A camera 10 is also integrated in base body 8. Multiple cameras or one camera with multiple optical systems may also be arranged on the aerial vehicle instead of one camera 10.

[0061] A safety frame 11 for protecting rotors 3, 4, 5 and 6 is provided on aerial vehicle 2 to avoid collisions with people and objects.

[0062] Sensors 12 to 15 are provided on aerial vehicle 2 and together form a sensor system for measuring distance and/or detecting contact.

[0063] In order to maintain a constant distance from a surface that is to be cleaned, a device 16 that is movable on rollers is provided and is arranged between the base body 8 and the surface that is to be cleaned in such manner that rollers 17, 18 roll over the surface to be cleaned while cleaning device 7 moves relative to the surface that is to be cleaned. Only two rollers 17 and 18 are shown in the figure. It is advantageous additional rollers are arranged on the circumference of aerial vehicle 2.

[0064] Brushes 9 of cleaning device 7 may be arranged so as to be movable relative to aerial vehicle 2. Buffer elements 19, 20 with distance meters 21, 22 are used for this purpose. A pressure measuring device (not shown) may also be provided instead of the distance meters or in addition to the distance meters to measure the pressure exerted by the brushes 9 of cleaning device 7 on aerial vehicle 2.

[0065] An electronic unit 23 is provided in the base body which also includes measuring devices 24 for controlling the attitude of aerial vehicle 2.

[0066] A nozzle 25 makes it possible to apply a cleaning medium such as deionized water or dry ice for example to the surface that is to be cleaned, such as a fa?ade.

[0067] The cleaning apparatus 40 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 includes an aerial vehicle 31 and eight rotors 32 to 39. A cleaning device 40 is attached to aerial vehicle 31, and includes a rotating brush 41 and three spacer wheels 42, 43 and 44. A camera 45 is arranged on the cleaning device and a safety frame 46 is spread over the rotors for the purpose of preventing the rotors from colliding with a person or the surface to be cleaned. Cleaning device 31 includes a cleaning agent reservoir 47 in which deionized water or dry ice may be transported as a cleaning medium.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a cleaning apparatus 50 with three rotors 51, 52 and 53. A cleaning brush 54, 55, 56 is arranged on the outside of base body 57 between each of these rotors. Tactile sensors 58 to 63 are provided to the side of each of the cleaning brushes to determine the distance between base body 57 and a surface to be cleaned 64. The tactile sensors may each be constructed as a sensor pair 65, 66 was illustrated for exemplary purposes in FIG. 7. The cleaning brushes are also preferably designed as brush pairs 67, 68. In this way, it is possible to provide a water supply 69, 70 between two brushes, via which ionized water may be sprayed against the surface to be cleaned 64.

[0069] A retractable landing skid with three landing feet 71, 72 and 73 which can be extended at least during the landing procedure is also provided on the underside of cleaning apparatus 50. A sensor module 74 including a RGBD camera and a 1D LIDAR system is provided in the middle of base body 57.

[0070] The view from above shows counter-rotating rotors 51, 52 and 53 and a battery changing system 75, 76 and 77 between each of them. A water tank (not shown) is located inside base body 57, and is accessible through opening 78. A further sensor module 79 including a RGBD camera and a 2D LIDAR system is provided on the top of base body 57.

[0071] With sensor module 74, the attitude of cleaning apparatus 50 may be determined relative to a marker carpet 80, and with ultrasonic sensors 81, 82 it is possible to specify the relative attitude of cleaning apparatus 50 with reference to the surface that is to be cleaned 64.

[0072] When cleaning apparatus 50 flies against the surface that is to be cleaned 64, cleaning apparatus 50 is slightly inclined so that rotors 51 to 53 are able to move it as far as the surface that is to be cleaned 64. As brushes 67, 68 are positioned on the surface that is to be cleaned 64, the inclined position of apparatus 50 determines the contact pressure on the surface to be cleaned 64. As shown in FIG. 7, the cleaning brushes are mounted flexibly, so that even when cleaning apparatus 50 is in an inclined position relative to the surface that is to be cleaned 64, both brushes 67 and 68 positioned one above the other are able to lie flush against the surface that is to be cleaned 64.

[0073] FIG. 8 shows a top view of marker carpet 80, so that markings 83, 84 are also visible. The surface that is to be cleaned 64 is part of a building 85, in front of which the marker carpet 80 can be laid out. Distinctive marking points present in the area, for example on the ground or on building 85, may also be used instead of a marker carpet for positioning cleaning apparatus 50. In the present case, the marker carpet also functions as a landing pad, and when cleaning apparatus 50 has landed the battery replacement systems 57, 67 and 77 on the top 86 of cleaning apparatus 50 as well as the opening 87 for the water tank are easily accessible.