Abstract
A method for emptying cleaning robots and cleaning system, having a dirt collection unit and a suction interface using a trolley, configured to store the plurality of cleaning robots outside their cleaning phase in which they carry out cleaning tasks, and which has a suction system with a foldable suction platform, a suction opening, a dirt container, and a blower. The method includes the steps of unfolding the suction platform of the trolley, if it is folded, so that it is arranged on a substrate on which the trolley stands in an operational set-up position, arranging one of the cleaning robots on the unfolded suction platform, aligning the suction interface to the suction opening, and activating the blower in order to empty the cleaning robot arranged and aligned on the suction platform so that dirt is transported from the dirt collection unit into the dirt container.
Claims
1. A method for emptying cleaning robots having a dirt collection unit and a suction interface by way of a trolley configured to store the plurality of cleaning robots outside of a cleaning phase in which the cleaning robots carry out cleaning tasks, and the trolley having a suction system with a foldable suction platform, a suction opening, a dirt container, and a blower, the method comprising the following steps: unfolding the suction platform of the trolley, if it is folded, so that the suction platform is arranged on a substrate on which the trolley stands in an operational set-up position, arranging one of the cleaning robots on the unfolded suction platform, aligning the suction interface to the suction opening, and activating the blower in order to empty the cleaning robot arranged and aligned on the suction platform so that dirt is transported from the dirt collection unit into the dirt container.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot arranged on the suction platform is also cleaned mechanically or by sensors.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a suction channel of the trolley, which connects the suction opening to the dirt container, flexibly adapts to the suction interface during the alignment of the suction interface with the suction opening.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the suction platform can be approached by the active cleaning robots at any time during a cleaning phase in which the active cleaning robots are carrying out cleaning tasks.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in a cleaning phase in which the active cleaning robots carry out cleaning tasks, the trolley transmits a signal to active cleaning robots which the active cleaning robots receive and which enables them to approach the trolley and to find the trolley when they want to approach the trolley.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the cleaning robots, when approaching the trolley for emptying, sends a signal to the trolley to request whether the one cleaning robot can arrange itself on the suction platform for emptying, and in that the trolley, if the suction platform is free, sends a free signal to the one cleaning robot that the one cleaning robot can arrange itself on the suction platform, and in that the trolley, if the suction platform is occupied by another cleaning robot, sends a waiting signal to the one cleaning robot so that it remains in a waiting position until it receives the free signal from the trolley.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a cleaning robot arranged on the suction platform leaves the suction platform after it has been emptied.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the alignment of the suction interface with the suction opening is completed, a start signal is sent to the blower to activate the blower.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein each active cleaning robot arranges and aligns itself on the suction platform after completing its cleaning task and is emptied by the suction platform.
10. A cleaning system with a trolley and a plurality of cleaning robots, configured to carry out the method according to claim 1.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] An embodiment of the disclosure is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. In the drawings, which are schematic and not to scale:
[0039] FIGS. 1 to 6 show a sequence of a method according to the disclosure in a partial side/partial cross-sectional view, partial side/partial top-down view, or cross-sectional view of a cleaning system according to the disclosure;
[0040] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a variant of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1;
[0041] FIG. 8 is another cross-sectional view of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1 or 7;
[0042] FIG. 9 is a side view of another variant of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1 or 7; and
[0043] FIG. 10 is another side view of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0044] FIGS. 1 to 6 show a sequence of a method according to the disclosure in a partial side view/partial cross-sectional view, partial top-down view/partial cross-sectional view, and cross-sectional view of a cleaning system according to the disclosure.
[0045] FIG. 1 shows a partial side/partial cross-sectional view of the cleaning system of the present disclosure in a transport position. The cleaning system according to the disclosure has a trolley 1 and several cleaning robots R, which can be stored in the trolley 1 and are in the transport position in the trolley 1. In a cleaning phase, in which the cleaning robots R carry out their cleaning tasks, the cleaning robots R leave the trolley 1; this is not shown in FIG. 1. The cleaning robots are self-propelled and autonomous. The trolley 1 has a housing 14 in which there are several storage compartments 2 which are arranged vertically one above the other. One of the cleaning robots R is accommodated in each storage compartment 2 in the transport position in order to be brought out of the storage compartments 2 to carry out cleaning tasks and brought back in after the respective cleaning task has been completed.
[0046] The trolley 1 also has a suction platform 3 which is used to enable the cleaning robots R to be arranged individually on it in order to be emptied from the trolley 1 by means of suction. The trolley 1 has a ramp 6 which is connected to the suction platform 3 or is formed in one piece in order to make it easier for the cleaning robots R to drive onto and off the suction platform 3. The trolley 1 also has a connecting sleeve 10 which serves as a coupling point between a suction channel of the trolley 1 and a suction interface (not shown) of each cleaning robot R in order to facilitate coupling of the cleaning robot R to the suction platform 3 for emptying. The trolley 1 has a door element (not shown) which, together with the housing 14, encloses the cleaning robots R during their storage in the trolley 1. The suction platform 3 can be folded using a hinge 4. In FIG. 1, it is shown in a folded state. The trolley 1 also has transport rollers 15 by means of which it can be displaced or moved on a substrate U in the operational working position.
[0047] FIG. 2 shows a partial top-down view/partial cross-sectional view of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1. The trolley 1 also has a handle 11 for allowing a user (not shown) to detach a dirt container SB of the suction system from the trolley 1 in order to empty it. Furthermore, the trolley 1 has a handle 16 to enable the user to move the trolley 1 by pulling or pushing it with the help of the transport rollers (not shown). The trolley 1 also has an infrared interface IR by means of which a cleaning robot R arranged on the suction platform 3 can position itself. The trolley 1 also has a controller S which is designed to control the emptying of the cleaning robots R, among other things. The controller S can be placed under a control panel (not shown), which covers it.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows a partial side/partial cross-sectional view of the cleaning system according to the disclosure in a state in which a method step is carried out, in which the folded suction platform 3 shown in FIG. 1 is unfolded. The suction platform 3 is folded out in the direction of the arrow in such a way that it is placed on the substrate U on which the trolley 1 is standing in the operational set-up position. The trolley 1 has a suction opening 7 and a suction channel 8. The suction opening 7 is integrated into the suction platform 3, while the suction channel 8 connects the suction opening to the dirt container (not shown). All cleaning robots R are still arranged in their respective storage compartment 2. Each of the cleaning robots R has a dirt collecting unit (not shown) in which dirt picked up while performing a cleaning task is collected, and a suction interface (not shown) in order to be connected to the suction channel 8 by means of the suction opening 7 in such a way that its dirt collected in the dirt collection unit can be suctioned into the dirt container via the drain opening 7 and the suction channel 8.
[0049] FIG. 4 shows a partial top-down view/partial cross-sectional view of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 3 in the state in which the first method step is carried out, in which the folded suction platform 3 shown in FIG. 2 is unfolded. The suction platform 3 is folded out in such a way that the connecting sleeve 10, the IR interface, the suction opening 7, the ramp 6, and a recessed handle 5 are visible from above. The recessed handle 5 supports the user (not shown) in gripping the suction platform 3 and folding or unfolding it.
[0050] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the cleaning system according to the disclosure during a suction process. During the suction process, one of the cleaning robots R is arranged on the unfolded suction platform 3 by driving onto it, and the suction interface (not shown) of the cleaning robot R is aligned with the suction opening 7. A blower G of the trolley 1 is then activated in order to empty the cleaning robot R arranged and aligned on the suction platform 3 so that dirt can be transported from the dirt collection unit (not shown) into the dirt container SB of the trolley 1 through the suction opening 7 and the suction channel 8. Activating the blower G generates a suction flow which sucks the dirt out of the dirt collection unit into the dirt container SB and leaves the trolley 1 via an exhaust vent 9 of the trolley 1 formed in the housing 14.
[0051] FIG. 6 shows a further cross-sectional view of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 5 during the suction process. The cleaning robot R is aligned on the suction platform 3 using the IR interface IR.
[0052] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a variant of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1. The cleaning system shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1 with the difference that the hinge 4, the suction platform 3, and the ramp 6 are designed as a platform module 13 which can be replaced in one piece with another similar or identically constructed platform module 13, both of which can be connected to the connecting sleeve 10, and that the dirt container SB, the blower G, and the exhaust air filter 9 are part of a suction module 17 which can be exchanged in one piece for another similar or identically constructed suction module 17. That is, both the platform module 13 and the suction module 17 can be detached from the trolley 1 and replaced by another identical or similar module.
[0053] FIG. 8 shows another cross-sectional view of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1 or 7. The suction channel 8 connects the dirt container SB to the suction opening 7 through the connecting sleeve 10.
[0054] FIG. 9 shows a side view of a further variant of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1 or 7. The cleaning system shown in FIG. 9 corresponds to the cleaning system shown in FIG. 1 or 7 with the difference that the trolley 1 also has two maintenance flaps 12 which are integrated into the housing 14 and are shown in a closed state.
[0055] FIG. 10 shows another side view of the cleaning system shown in FIG. 9. In comparison to FIG. 9, the maintenance flaps 12 are open. By opening one maintenance flap 12, part of the suction channel 8 is accessible; by opening the other maintenance flap 12, another part of the suction channel 8, the dirt container SB, and the blower G are accessible.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0056] IR IR interface
[0057] G Blower
[0058] R Cleaning robot
[0059] SB Dirt container
[0060] U Substrate
[0061] 1 Trolley
[0062] 2 Storage compartment
[0063] 3 Suction platform
[0064] 4 Hinge
[0065] 5 Recessed handle
[0066] 6 Ramp
[0067] 7 Suction opening
[0068] 8 Suction channel
[0069] 9 Exhaust vent
[0070] 10 Connecting sleeve
[0071] 11 Handle
[0072] 12 Maintenance flap
[0073] 13 (Further) platform module
[0074] 14 Housing
[0075] 15 Transport wheels
[0076] 16 Hand grip
[0077] 17 (Further) suction module
