Self-propelled cleaning machine

Abstract

The present invention discloses a self-propelled cleaning machine of which a control module controls a driving device to prompt a dust compressing member mounted in a dust box to be at a compressing position or a non-compressing position. The dust compressing member of the self-propelled cleaning machine is capable of compressing trash in the dust box to keep the compressed trash within a specific space inside the dust box, thereby achieving an effect of reducing the number of times that a user has to clear the dust box.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-propelled cleaning machine, comprising:
 a base;   a walking module, neighboring with the base, configured to contact a floor when the self-propelled cleaning machine moves on the floor;   a cleaning device, provided at the base, for cleaning the floor;   an air extraction module, arranged at the base, for generating an air flow between the cleaning device and the air extraction module;   a dust box, arranged at the base, being in communication with the cleaning device and the air extraction module;   a dust compressing member, mounted in the dust box, being selectively movable between a non-compressing position and a compressing position;   a driving device, connected to the dust compressing member; and   a control module, electrically connected to the walking module, the air extraction module and the driving device, wherein the control module is configured to control the driving device to move the dust compressing member to the non-compressing position or the compressing position; and   the driving device is configured so as to drive the dust compressing member to rotate and the rotation direction of the dust compressing member from the non-compressing position to the compressing position is consistent with the path of the air flow.   
     
     
         2 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filter module, disposed at the dust box, and located in a path of the air flow.   
     
     
         3 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 2 , wherein the dust compressing member is configured such that the dust compressing member cleans a surface of the filter module when the dust compressing member switches from the non-compressing position to the compressing position. 
     
     
         4 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the dust compressing member comprises a plate, the plate comprises a connecting portion and a cleaning portion, the connecting portion of the dust compressing member is connected to the driving device, and the cleaning portion and the surface of the filter module are spaced by a gap when the dust compressing member cleans the surface of the filter module. 
     
     
         5 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 4 , wherein the driving device is configured such that the dust compressing member rotates about the connecting portion as an axis, the cleaning portion of the dust compressing member is located at a free end of the dust compressing member, a position of the free end is opposite to a position of the connecting portion, and the cleaning portion is configured such that the cleaning portion is spaced by a gap from the surface of the filter module during the rotating of the dust compressing member. 
     
     
         6 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 5 , wherein the filter module comprises:
 a filter; and   a filter net, an inner surface of the filter net serving as the surface of the filter module and facing an inside of the dust box, the air flow first passing through the filter net and then passing through the filter,   wherein the inner surface of the filter net comprises an arc surface, and a shape of the arc surface matches a path of the rotating of the cleaning portion.   
     
     
         7 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 4 , wherein the plate is a flat board, and the driving device is configured such that the dust compressing member moves from an upper side of the dust box to a lower side of the dust box. 
     
     
         8 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 7 , wherein
 a guide groove is formed on an inner surface of the dust box, the guide groove extends from the upper side of the dust box to the lower side of the dust box,   the driving device comprises a link rod, a gear set and a motor, the link rod has a track groove formed thereon, one pivotal end of the link rod is connected to the gear set, the motor is configured via the gear set such that the link rod rotates or sways about the pivotal end as an axis,   the connecting portion of the plate is located in the guide groove and the track groove and is movable in the guide groove and the track groove, such that the dust compressing member moves from the upper side of the dust box to the lower side of the dust box, and   an extension direction of the track groove is not parallel to an extension direction of the guide groove.   
     
     
         9 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 8 , wherein 
 the connecting portion further comprises a connecting shaft and a limiting portion connected to the connecting shaft,   the connecting shaft is located in the track groove,   the limiting portion is in a long strip shape and is limited in the guide groove, and a shape of the limiting portion matches a shape of the guide groove such that the dust compressing member does not rotate around the connecting shaft.   
     
     
         10 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 7 , wherein the filter module comprises:
 a filter; and   a filter net, an inner surface of the filter net serving as the surface of the filter module and facing an inside of the dust box, the air flow first passing through the filter net and then passing through the filter.   
     
     
         11 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device comprises a suction port. 
     
     
         12 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device comprises:
 a suction port; and   a roller brush device, provided in the suction port.   
     
     
         13 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein
 the control module is configured to control the driving device at a predetermined time interval such that the dust compressing member switches from the non-compressing position to the compressing position; alternatively,   the control module is configured such that, when the self-propelled cleaning machine is being charged at a charging station, departs from the charging station, or has departed from the charging station for a predetermined period of time, the control module controls the driving device such that the dust compressing member switches from the non-compressing position to the compressing position; alternatively,   the self-propelled cleaning machine further comprises a sensing module comprising a dust amount sensing module for sensing an amount of dust, and the control module is configured such that the dust compressing member switches from the non-compressing position to the compressing position when it is determined that the amount of dust has reached a predetermined value.   
     
     
         14 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensing module, capable of sensing information of the self-propelled cleaning machine walking on the floor;   wherein the control module comprises:
 a processor; and 
 a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a nontransitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, the computer-readable program code executable by the processor so as to perform a cleaning operation, wherein the cleaning operation comprises:
 obtaining map information by the sensing module; 
 receiving a cleaning command from a remote device; and 
 prompting the self-propelled cleaning machine to perform cleaning according to the map information in response to the cleaning command. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein
 the dust compressing member comprises a connecting portion,   the connecting portion of the dust compressing member is connected to the driving device,   the driving device is configured such that the dust compressing member rotates about the connecting portion as an axis, and   the rotation direction of the dust compressing member from the non-compressing position to the compressing position is consistent with the path of the air flow.   
     
     
         16 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 15 , wherein 
 the control module obtains an electric signal from the drive device,   the control module stops rotating the dust compressing member when it is judged that the electric signal exceeds a critical value during the process of rotating the dust compressing member to be in the non-compressing position or the compressing position.   
     
     
         17 . The self-propelled cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein
 the dust box includes a body,   the body is provided with an opening and a sidewall surrounding the opening,   the dust compressing member is defined with a notch, and the notch is defined on a portion of the dust compressing member close to the opening,   the notch has a shape that matches the sidewall, so that the dust compressing member does not touch the sidewall while the dust compressing member moves.