US 12,290,221 B2
Cleaning systems and self-cleaning methods for cleaning devices
Na Li, Suzhou (CN); Zhimin Wu, Suzhou (CN); and Jingyuan Fu, Suzhou (CN)
Assigned to KINGCLEAN ELECTRIC CO., LTD., Suzhou (CN)
Filed by KINGCLEAN ELECTRIC CO., LTD., Jiangsu (CN)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/589,402.
Application 18/589,402 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/CN2022/134267, filed on Nov. 25, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 202210288804.0 (CN), filed on Mar. 23, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0197136 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
Int. Cl. A47L 11/40 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 11/4091 (2013.01) [A47L 11/4005 (2013.01); A47L 11/4011 (2013.01); A47L 11/4083 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cleaning system, comprising a cleaning device and a base station, wherein:
the base station, when docked with the cleaning device, is used to control the cleaning device for self-cleaning and charging a rechargeable battery; the base station includes a water storage tank and a dirt storage tank, and when the cleaning device is docked with the base station, the water storage tank is used to provide a cleaning liquid for a clean water tank, when the cleaning device is docked with the base station, the dirt storage tank is used to store dirt in a sewage tank;
the cleaning device includes:
the clean water tank, for storing the cleaning liquid;
a water pump, provided on a liquid supply path for pumping the cleaning liquid of the clean water tank out;
the sewage tank, for storing dirt;
a suction drive module, for providing a suction force for sucking the dirt into the sewage tank;
the rechargeable battery, for powering the water pump as well as the suction drive module;
a battery charging circuit, electrically connected to the rechargeable battery for controlling recharging of the rechargeable battery; and
a cleaning part, for cleaning an object to be cleaned;
the cleaning system further comprises a trigger control part and a control module, wherein
the trigger control part is configured for activating a self-cleaning mode; and
the control module is configured for:
activating the self-cleaning mode and controlling the battery charging circuit to fail after receiving a trigger signal from the trigger control part;
in response to monitoring a first predetermined state, controlling the battery charging circuit to be able to charge the rechargeable battery during executing the self-cleaning mode to clean the cleaning part; wherein the first predetermined state includes: the water pump stopping pumping the cleaning liquid out, and the clean water tank is in a lack-of-water state and the sewage tank is in a full-water state;
in response to monitoring a second predetermined state after monitoring the first predetermined state, controlling the battery charging circuit to be able to halt, continuing to execute the self-cleaning mode to clean the cleaning part, and exiting the self-cleaning mode until a self-cleaning completion condition is met; wherein the second predetermined state includes: a first charging parameter meeting a first preset stopping charging condition, and re-determining that the clean water tank is in a no-lack-of-water state or re-determining that the sewage tank is not in the full-water state; executing the self-cleaning mode directly when a user activates the self-cleaning mode without meeting conditions, wherein a remaining power of the rechargeable battery is enough to execute the self-cleaning mode entirely, and the conditions include adding water to the clean water tank and cleaning the sewage tank; and
wherein the self-cleaning mode includes: M times of a sub-self-cleaning mode; the control module is configured to execute the M times of the sub-self-cleaning mode; M being an integer greater than or equal to 1;
the control module is further configured for:
if the clean water tank is in the lack-of-water state, turning on a liquid path between the water storage tank and the clean water tank during executing the self-cleaning mode to provide the cleaning liquid for the water storage tank; and
if the sewage tank is in the full-water state, turning on a liquid path between the sewage tank and the dirt storage tank during executing the self-cleaning mode to extract the dirt into the dirt storage tank.