DE102023208111A1 - Collection container and cleaning device with removable collection container - Google Patents

Abstract

A collection container (140) is described which is designed to be inserted into a container recess (150) of a cleaning device (100). The collection container (140) comprises a base container (205) and a lid (202) which is designed to cover the base container (205). The collection container (140) further comprises at least one guide element (211, 212) which is designed to interact with at least one complementary guide element (221, 222, 421) of the container recess (150) of the cleaning device (100), such that the collection container (140) is automatically transferred from a horizontal orientation to a tilted orientation by the guide element (211, 212) when it is removed from the container recess (150).

Description

The invention relates to a cleaning device, in particular a cleaning robot, with a removable collecting container. Furthermore, the invention relates to a collecting container for a cleaning device.

A cleaning device, in particular a suction device, typically has a suction nozzle with a suction mouth, via which impurities or dirt, in particular dust particles, are sucked up from a surface to be cleaned by means of an air flow. The air flow can be caused by a fan. The air flow conveys the dirt from the suction mouth, via a suction channel, into a dirt collection container of the cleaning device.

For example, the state of the art is DE 10 2017 208 969 A1 which discloses a dust separation unit for a vacuum cleaner or vacuum robot, which has at least one locking unit for releasably fixing the dust separation unit to the vacuum cleaner.

To empty the collection container, the user of the cleaning device can remove the collection container from the cleaning device and take it to a waste bin. It may happen that dirt particles accidentally fall out of the collection container through an opening when removing the container.

This document addresses the technical problem of providing a collection container and a cleaning device with a collection container, which enable a comfortable and safe removal of the collection container without dirt particles falling out of the collection container.

The object is achieved in each case by the subject matter of the individual independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in particular in the dependent patent claims, described in the following description or shown in the attached drawing.

According to one aspect, a collection container is described which is designed to be inserted into a cleaning device, in particular into a cleaning robot, and which is designed to receive dirt particles during the cleaning operation of the cleaning device. The cleaning device has a container recess into which the collection container can be inserted.

The collection container comprises a base container, which typically has a filter unit. The filter unit can be designed to retain dirt particles from the suction air flow of the cleaning device in the base container. The fan of the cleaning device (for generating the suction air flow) can be arranged behind the filter unit in the flow direction. The base container can be cuboid-shaped or cylindrical, for example.

The base container can have an emptying opening for emptying the base container. The suction air flow with the dirt particles can enter the collection container through the emptying opening. The suction air flow can be sucked through the filter unit so that the dirt particles are retained by the filter unit in the base container of the collection container.

The collection container comprises a lid which is designed to cover the base container, in particular the emptying opening of the base container, so that the lid prevents dirt particles from falling out of the collection container. The lid can optionally be pivotally mounted on the base container via a pivot axis. The lid can have a suction channel opening (which can optionally be closed by a flap) for receiving the suction air flow with the dirt particles.

The collection container further comprises at least one guide element which is designed to interact with at least one complementary guide element of the container recess of the cleaning device, so that when the collection container is removed from the container recess, the guide element automatically transfers it from a (substantially and/or predominantly) horizontal orientation to a tilted orientation (with the lid facing upwards). In the horizontal orientation, the lid and the base container of the collection container can be arranged at (at least almost) the same height relative to the cleaning device. In the tilted orientation, the lid can be arranged higher relative to the cleaning device (at least partially or at least the highest point) than the base container.

The lid can be arranged along the longitudinal axis of the collecting container opposite the base of the base container. In other words, the collecting container can have a longitudinal axis that extends from the base of the base container to the lid. The cleaning device can have a longitudinal axis that, during the cleaning operation of the cleaning device, is (substantially and/or predominantly) parallel to the surface that is cleaned by the cleaning device (and which typically corresponds to the direction of movement of the cleaning device). For example, during the cleaning operation of the cleaning device, the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device can have an angle to the surface that is cleaned by the cleaning device that is smaller than 10°, preferably smaller than 5° or smaller than 2°. In general, it should be noted that when it is described in this document that two axes and/or directions are (substantially) parallel, this preferably means that the two axes and/or directions have an angle to each other that is smaller than 10°, preferably smaller than 5° or smaller than 2°.

In the horizontal orientation of the collection container, the longitudinal axis of the collection container can be aligned (substantially and/or almost) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device (with a tilt angle of (almost) zero, e.g. with a tilt angle of 10° or less, in particular 5° or less or 2° or less). On the other hand, in the tilted orientation, the longitudinal axis of the collection container and the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device can form a tilt angle greater than zero. The tilt angle can be 20° or more, in particular 40° or more.

A collection container is thus described which has one or more guide elements by means of which the collection container is automatically transferred into a tilted position (with the lid upwards) when the collection container is removed from the container recess of the cleaning device. This enables the collection container to be removed comfortably and safely.

The collection container can have at least one guide pin as a guide element on at least one side wall, which is designed to engage in a corresponding guide rail (in particular in a guide groove) on at least one side wall of the container recess. The side wall of the collection container can be arranged (essentially and/or predominantly and/or almost) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the collection container. In a corresponding manner, the side wall of the container recess can be arranged (essentially and/or predominantly and/or almost) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device. By providing one or more guide pins, the tilting of the collection container when it is removed can be achieved in a particularly efficient manner.

The collection container typically has two opposing side walls along the transverse axis of the collection container. In a corresponding manner, the container recess typically has two opposing side walls. The collection container preferably has at least one guide pin, in particular two guide pins, on each of the two side walls. This allows the collection container to be tilted in a particularly reliable manner when it is removed.

The collection container can have a front guide pin facing the lid and a rear guide pin facing away from the lid on one or both side walls. The rear guide pin can be arranged higher in relation to the vertical axis of the collection container, in particular 30% or more of the total height of the collection container (along the vertical axis) higher, than the front guide pin. By using two guide pins (on both side walls) that are arranged at different heights, the collection container can be tilted in a particularly reliable manner when it is removed.

As already explained above, the lid can be pivotably mounted on the base container via a pivot axis. The collecting container can have an elastic seal that is attached to the inner wall of the base container and to the inner wall of the lid and that covers the pivot axis. This is a particularly reliable way of preventing the pivot axis from becoming dirty or jammed.

According to a further aspect, a cleaning device, in particular a cleaning robot, is described. The cleaning device typically comprises a cleaning unit (e.g. a suction unit) which is designed to clean a surface, e.g. a surface on which the cleaning device is arranged and/or on which the cleaning device moves (optionally autonomously). The cleaning device can also have the collecting container described in this document for receiving dirt particles. Furthermore, the cleaning device can comprise a suction channel which connects the cleaning unit to the collecting container in a fluid-conducting manner, and a fan which is designed to cause a suction air flow through the cleaning unit and through the suction channel to the collecting container.

The cleaning device comprises in particular a container recess for receiving a collecting container for dirt particles. Furthermore, the cleaning device comprises at least one guide element which is designed to interact with at least one complementary guide element of the collecting container, so that When the collection container is removed from the container recess, the guide element automatically transfers it from the horizontal orientation to the tilted orientation (with the lid of the collection container facing upwards).

As already explained, the cleaning device can have at least one guide rail (in particular a guide groove) as a guide element on at least one side wall of the container recess, which is designed to receive the corresponding guide pin on a side wall of the collecting container. The at least one guide rail can extend from the top of the cleaning device along the vertical axis of the cleaning device into the container recess. Furthermore, the guide rail on the top of the cleaning device can have a funnel-shaped enlargement, which makes it easier to thread the corresponding guide pin (when inserting the collecting container).

The container recess typically has two side walls opposite each other along the transverse axis of the cleaning device. The container recess preferably has at least one guide rail on each of the two side walls, in particular at least two guide rails. This allows the tipping of the collecting container when it is removed to be achieved in a particularly reliable manner.

The cleaning device can have a first front guide rail facing the lid of the collecting container and a rear guide rail facing away from the lid on one or both side walls of the container recess (each) along the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device. The rear guide rail can run in a straight line along the vertical axis of the cleaning device into the container recess at a rear position. The first front guide rail can run from a front position on the top of the cleaning device along the vertical axis of the cleaning device into the container recess. The first front guide rail can be curved from the front position towards the rear position with increasing penetration depth in the container recess. By providing a curved guide rail, the tipping of the collecting container when it is removed can be achieved in a particularly efficient and reliable manner.

The cleaning device can have a second (rectilinear) front guide rail on one or both side walls of the container recess (each), which runs along the vertical axis of the cleaning device parallel to the rear guide rail into the container recess (at a position arranged between the rear and the front position).

• • ein Führungsstift beim Einsetzen des Sammelbehälters in die Behälter-Aussparung ab der bestimmten Eindringtiefe (durch die Weiche) von der zweiten vorderen Führungsschiene zu der ersten vorderen Führungsschiene geführt wird (sodass der Sammelbehälter in der waagerechten Ausrichtung in die Behälter-Aussparung eingesetzt werden kann); und
• • der Führungsstift beim Herausnehmen des Sammelbehälters aus der Behälter-Aussparung (durch die Weiche) an der zweiten vorderen Führungsschiene vorbeigeführt und in der ersten vorderen Führungsschiene gehalten wird (sodass der Sammelbehälter beim Herausnehmen aus der Behälter-Aussparung in die gekippte Ausrichtung überführt wird).

The second front guide rail can join the first (curved) front guide rail at a certain penetration depth into the container recess. A switch can be arranged at the certain penetration depth. The switch can be designed in such a way (e.g. by using a spring that holds the switch in a defined position) that

• • a guide pin is guided from the second front guide rail to the first front guide rail when inserting the collecting container into the container recess from the specific penetration depth (through the switch) (so that the collecting container can be inserted into the container recess in the horizontal orientation); and
• • when the collection container is removed from the container recess (through the switch), the guide pin is guided past the second front guide rail and held in the first front guide rail (so that the collection container is transferred to the tilted orientation when it is removed from the container recess).

By providing a second front (straight) guide rail, the convenience of inserting and removing the collection container can be further increased.

It should be noted that any aspects of the collection container and/or the cleaning device described in this document can be combined with one another in a variety of and/or arbitrary ways. In particular, the features of the patent claims can be combined with one another in a variety of and/or arbitrary ways.

• 1a und 1b einen beispielhaften Reinigungsroboter als Beispiel für eine Reinigungs- und/oder Saugvorrichtung in unterschiedlichen perspektivischen Ansichten;
• 1c beispielhafte Komponenten einer Reinigungsvorrichtung;
• 2a bis 2e einen beispielhaften Sammelbehälter und eine beispielhafte Behälter-Aussparung einer Reinigungsvorrichtung;
• 3a bis 3c beispielhafte Führungsschienen;
• 4a bis 4c beispielhafte Führungsscheinen mit einer Führungsweiche; und
• 5a bis 5b einen Sammelbehälter mit einer Dichtung.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

• 1a and 1b an exemplary cleaning robot as an example of a cleaning and/or suction device in different perspective views;
• 1c exemplary components of a cleaning device;
• 2a to 2e an exemplary collection container and an exemplary container recess of a cleaning device;
• 3a to 3c exemplary guide rails;
• 4a to 4c exemplary guide certificates with a guide switch; and
• 5a to 5b a collecting container with a seal.

As stated at the beginning, this document is concerned with preventing the accidental falling out of a collection container when removing the collection container from a cleaning device in an efficient and reliable manner. In this context, 1a the top 121 and 1b the underside 122 of a cleaning robot 100 as an example of a cleaning device, in particular as an example of a suction device. The aspects described specifically for a cleaning robot generally apply to a cleaning device.

When the cleaning robot 100 is in suction mode, the underside 122 faces the floor to be cleaned or the surface of a cleaning area, such as a room, to be cleaned. The underside 122 of the cleaning robot 100 typically has one or more drive units 101 (with one or more drive wheels) by means of which the cleaning robot 100 can be moved independently in order to clean different areas of a floor. Furthermore, the cleaning robot 100 can have one or more guide and/or support elements 104 (e.g. non-driven wheels) that enable the cleaning robot 100 to move stably over the floor to be cleaned. In addition, a cleaning robot 100 typically comprises one or more cleaning units 106 (in particular suction nozzles) that are designed to clean the floor beneath the cleaning robot 100.

A cleaning unit 106 (in particular a suction nozzle) can have a brush roller 102 that is designed to rotate about a rotation axis, wherein the rotation axis is typically arranged parallel to the underside 122 of the cleaning robot 100. The brush roller 102 can be used to mechanically loosen dust and/or contaminants on the floor to be cleaned from the floor, so that the dust and/or contaminants can be sucked into the suction mouth 107 of the cleaning unit 106 with increased reliability.

A user interface can be arranged on the top 121 of the cleaning robot 100, which allows a user of the cleaning robot 100 to make control inputs. In addition, the cleaning robot 100 can comprise a bumper 105 on a side wall 123 (e.g. on a side wall 123 in the front area of the cleaning robot 100), wherein a shock sensor can be arranged on the bumper 105, which is designed to record sensor data that indicate whether or not the cleaning robot 100 has hit an obstacle in the direction of movement 120. The triggering of the shock sensor (due to the deflection of the bumper 105) by an obstacle can, for example, cause the cleaning robot 100 to rotate about its vertical or vertical axis, which is perpendicular to the floor, and thereby change the direction of movement 120 in order to avoid the obstacle.

Furthermore, a cleaning robot 100 typically has one or more environmental sensors 110 (see 1c ) that are set up to record environmental or sensor data relating to the environment of the cleaning robot 100. The one or more environmental sensors 110 can include: one or more image cameras, one or more ultrasonic sensors, one or more tactile and/or optical distance sensors, one or more acoustic sensors, one or more temperature sensors, one or more lidar and/or radar sensors, etc. A control unit 130 of the cleaning robot 100 can be set up to determine digital map information relating to the cleaning area to be cleaned on the basis of the environmental data and, if necessary, to store it on a storage unit 111 of the cleaning robot 100. The cleaning robot 100 can use the digital map information to independently orient itself within the cleaning area (e.g. within a room) and/or to determine a route for cleaning the cleaning area.

1c shows a Cartesian coordinate system with a longitudinal axis (ie with an x-axis), with a transverse axis (ie with a y-axis) and with a vertical axis (ie with a z-axis). The direction of movement 120 of the cleaning device 100 typically corresponds to the longitudinal axis. The axis of rotation of the brush roller 102 typically runs along the transverse axis.

The cleaning device 100 typically has a collecting container 140, which can be inserted into a container recess 150 of the cleaning device 100 or removed from the container recess 150 of the cleaning device 100. In the 2a and 2b It is illustrated how the collecting container 140 can be removed from the container recess 150 of the cleaning device 100. Furthermore, 2c and 2d an exemplary container recess 150 with guide rails (in particular grooves) 221, 222 and 2e shows an exemplary collecting container 140 with corresponding guide pins 211, 212, which when removing or inserting the collecting container 140 in the corresponding guide rails 221, 222.

The collection container 140 can have a base container 205 that can be covered with a lid 202. The lid 202 can be pivotally mounted on the base container 205, for example via a joint and/or via a pivot axis. A handle 204 for opening the lid 202 and/or for removing the collection container 140 from the container recess 150 can be arranged on the lid 202. The base container 205 can have a filter unit 203 on a container wall through which suction air is sucked. The filter unit 203 can be designed to filter out dirt particles that were sucked into the collection container 140 by the cleaning device 100 via the suction mouth 107 from the suction air, so that the dirt particles remain in the collection container 140.

A suction channel opening 201 can be arranged on the collecting container 140, in particular on the lid 202 of the collecting container 140, through which the suction air (with the dirt particles) reaches the collecting container 140. A flap can be provided on the suction channel opening 201, with which the suction channel opening 201 can be closed (when the cleaning device 100 is not operated in cleaning mode). The flap can be designed in such a way that the flap opens automatically (e.g. due to the suction air flow) when the cleaning device 100 is operated in cleaning mode.

It can happen, particularly if the suction channel opening 201 of the collecting container 140 cannot be covered with a flap, that dirt particles fall out of the collecting container 140 when the collecting container 140 is removed from the container recess 150, e.g. when the collecting container 140 is removed horizontally or with the suction channel opening 201 facing downwards. The collecting container 140 and the container recess 150 can therefore be designed in such a way that the suction channel opening 201 and/or the lid 202 are automatically aligned upwards when the collecting container 140 is removed. This can be achieved by the 2c and 2d Guide rails 221, 222 shown and the 2e illustrated guide pins 211, 212 (general guide elements).

The collection container 140 can have a longitudinal axis that extends from the base of the base container 205 to the lid 202 of the collection container 140, in particular to the emptying opening of the base container 205. The joint of the collection container 140 can be designed to pivot the lid about a pivot axis that runs parallel to the transverse axis of the collection container 140. The vertical axis of the collection container 140 can be arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis. When the collection container 140 is inserted: the longitudinal axis of the collection container 140 can correspond to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device 100, the transverse axis of the collection container 140 can correspond to the transverse axis of the cleaning device 100, and/or the vertical axis of the collection container 140 can correspond to the vertical axis of the cleaning device 100.

The collection container 140 can, for example, have a cuboid shape. Furthermore, the collection container 140 can have a first side wall and an opposite second side wall along the transverse axis. Two pins 211, 212 can be arranged on each of the two side walls. The container recess 150 is typically designed to correspond to and/or complement the shape of the collection container 140. The container recess 150 can have a first side wall and an opposite second side wall along the transverse axis (of the cleaning device 100). Two guide rails 221, 222 (for the corresponding pins 212, 212 of the collection container 140) can be arranged in each of the two side walls.

A front pin 211 and a rear pin 212 (with respect to the longitudinal axis) can be arranged on the side walls of the collecting container 140, wherein the front pin 211 is arranged closer to the suction channel opening 201 than the rear pin 212. The rear pin 212 can be arranged higher with respect to the vertical axis than the front pin 211.

In a corresponding manner, a front guide rail 221 (for the respective front pin 211) and a rear guide rail 222 (for the respective rear pin 212) can be arranged on the side walls of the container recess 150 (with respect to the longitudinal axis), wherein the front rail 221 is arranged closer to the suction channel than the rear rail 222.

In the 3a to 3c different arrangements of the pins 211, 212 in the corresponding rails 221, 222 when removing the collecting container 140 from the container recess 150 are shown. 3a shows the arrangement of the pins 211, 212 when the collection container 140 is fully inserted into the container recess 150 (e.g. during the cleaning operation of the cleaning device 100). The collection container 140 is in the horizontal orientation.

3b illustrates a situation in which the collecting container 140 has been lifted horizontally (ie with the longitudinal axis aligned horizontally). Due to the curvature of the front rail 221, the collecting container 140 can only be lifted horizontally up to a certain height. From the height shown in 3b At the point shown, the collecting container 140 must be rotated backwards about the transverse axis in order to increase the effective distance between the two pins 211, 212 (along the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device 100). Only then can the collecting container 140 be raised further out of the container recess 150, as shown by way of example in 3c shown.

In the 4a to 4e An example is shown in which the side walls of the container recess 150 each have a second front guide rail 421, which allows the collecting container 140 to be inserted horizontally into the container recess 150. The container recess 150 has a first front rail 221 on each side wall, which has a curvature in order to force the tipping of the collecting container 140 when it is removed. Furthermore, each side wall has a second front rail 421, which allows the collecting container 140 to be inserted horizontally into the container recess 150.

The two front guide rails 221, 421 are preferably separated from one another by a partition wall 401 and a switch 403 that is movably mounted (on a pivot axis 402). The switch 403 can, as standard, close off access to the second front rail 421 starting from the inserted state of the collecting container 140, so that the front pin 211 is guided along the first front rail 221 when the collecting container 140 is removed. On the other hand, the switch 403 can be deflected by the front pin 211 starting from the second front rail 421 when the collecting container 140 is inserted in order to transfer the collecting container 140 horizontally along the second front rail 421 into the inserted state.

Measures are therefore described which make it possible to automatically tilt the dust box 140 (i.e. the collection container 140 in general) during removal. Tilting the dust box 140 causes dust and dirt contained therein to be moved away from the front flap 202 to the rear wall (i.e. to the base area) of the dust box 140. The tilting movement allows the dust to be reliably released from the filter unit 203 of the dust box 140. Furthermore, it can be ensured that the dust is no longer in the area of the front flap 202 (i.e. the lid) and thus cannot fall out of the dust box 140 when the user opens the front flap 140.

The dust box 140 can be designed such that the dust box 140 can be pulled upwards out of the cleaning robot 100. The dust box 140 has a front flap 202, which allows the contents of the dust box 140 to be completely emptied.

A guide is integrated in the cleaning robot 100, along which the dust box 140 is moved when it is removed from the cleaning robot 100 or inserted into it. This guide is at least partially not straight, but has one or more curves that are designed such that the dust box 140 is tilted upwards about the transverse axis (with the front flap 202) during removal from the cleaning robot 100.

For this purpose, guide pins 211, 212, e.g. slotted nuts, can be provided on the dust box 140. Furthermore, the appropriate guide rails 221, 222 (e.g. grooves) can be arranged in the cleaning robot 100. The one or more curves of the guide rails 221, 222 can be designed such that the dust box 140 is not only moved vertically, but is also tilted about the transverse axis. For the user, this appears as a continuous movement, which can be perceived, for example, as a locking step.

When removing the dust box 140 upwards, the front, lower edge of the dust box 140 is in the 3a to 3c shown example, it is guided upwards in a curved path. The dust box 140 tilts during this movement so that the front of the dust box 140 is raised. Dust falls into the rear area of the dust box 140 and remains there. When the guided removal movement is completed, the dust box 140 can be freely removed upwards by the user. If the user continues to hold the dust box 140 in this orientation on the way to a trash can, it can be ensured that the dust does not fall out unexpectedly when the front flap 202 is opened.

When reinserting the dust box 140 into the cleaning robot 100, the dust box 140 in the example of 3a to 3c in the tilted orientation into the cleaning robot 100 and is then brought back into the horizontal and/or horizontal orientation in the further downward movement. The cleaning robot 100 is preferably provided with funnel-shaped insertion openings in the guide rails 221, 222 in order to facilitate threading of the corresponding pins 211, 212 of the dust box 140.

The curved shape of the guide rails 221, 222 is preferably designed such that the guide rails 221, 222 force the dust box 140 to tilt when it is removed, and when the dust box 140 is inserted, wedging and/or snagging of the guide pins 211, 212 is reliably prevented. The curve responsible for tilting the dust box 140 is preferably designed to force a displacement of the front guide pins 211 before the rear guide pins 212 can be lifted out of the corresponding guide rails 222. The curved curve guide therefore begins relatively early (ie relatively far down within the container recess 150). When the dust box 140 is reinserted, wedging can be prevented by the (front) guide rails 221 being designed to be relatively wide (along the longitudinal axis) in order to allow sufficient play when inserting and when the user presses downwards.

The tilting movement during lifting can be assisted by designing one or more handles 204 on the dust box 140. If the dust box 140 only has a handle 204 on its front edge or in the front area, the weight distribution relative to the handle 204 alone automatically causes the dust box 140 to tilt when the dust box 140 is lifted out.

Alternatively or additionally, the guide rails 221, 222 on the cleaning robot 100 can be designed in such a way that the dust box 140 is tilted when removed, but can also be inserted horizontally when inserted into the cleaning robot 100 (as shown by way of example in the 4a to 4e shown). Similar to a track switch system, the front guide pins 211 of the dust box 140 are guided forward on the way up. When inserted, the guide pins 211 can also take a straight path downwards and thereby bypass or push away the switch 403. The switch 403 can be pressed into its desired position by spring force.

This gives the user the option of reinserting the empty dust box 140 into the cleaning robot 100 in a horizontal position, which enables particularly convenient and intuitive handling.

When inserted horizontally, the (front) guide pin 211 slides vertically downwards into the rear, second channel 421 of the front guide rail 221, 421 (i.e. into the second front guide rail 421). The spring-loaded switch 403 is pushed to the side and the guide pin 211 can slide past the switch 403. When the dust box 140 is removed, the guide pin 211 is forced by the switch 403 into the front, first channel 221 of the front guide rail 221, 421 (i.e. into the first front guide rail 221), so that the dust box 140 is tilted.

In the event that the front flap 202 of the dust box 140 is swung open downwards with the swivel axis 501 (as shown in the 5a and 5b shown), it is possible that when the dust box 140 is emptied, dirt and dust may get over the edge of the base container 205 onto the front flap 202. In order to prevent the seals on the flap 202 from becoming dirty, a flexible seal 502 can be integrated between the base container 205 and the front flap 202, which is tightened or tensioned when the front flap 202 is opened, so that a continuous, smooth transition is created between the base container 205 and the flap 202.

The automatic tilting of the dust box 140 described in this document moves dust and dirt to the rear area of the dust box 140 and can therefore no longer fall out when the front flap 202 is opened. Tilting the dust box 140 can provide an additional cleaning effect for the filter unit 203, in particular to remove relatively large pieces of fluff. By guiding the dust box 140 when it is removed, the dust box 140 can be tilted particularly reliably. An optional switch system can enable the dust box 140 to be inserted horizontally.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. In particular, it should be noted that the description and the figures are only intended to illustrate the principle of the collection container and/or the cleaning device described in this document.

list of reference symbols

100

cleaning device (cleaning robot)

101

drive unit

102

brush roller

104

guide and/or support element

105

bumper

106

cleaning unit / suction nozzle

107

suction mouth

110

environment sensor

111

storage unit

120

direction of movement / longitudinal direction

121

top

122

bottom

123

side wall

130

control unit

140

collection container / dust box

150

container recess

201

suction channel opening

202

lid / front flap

203

filter unit

204

Handle

205

basic container

211, 212

guide element (guide pin)

221, 222

guide element (guide rail)

401

partition

402

joint

403

switch

421

guide element (guide rail)

501

swivel axis

502

seal

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10 2017 208 969 A1 [0003]

Claims (15)

Collection container (140) which is designed to be inserted into a container recess (150) of a cleaning device (100) and to collect dirt particles during a cleaning operation of the cleaning device (100); wherein the collection container (140) comprises, - a base container (205) with a filter unit (203); wherein the filter unit (203) is designed to retain dirt particles from a suction air flow of the cleaning device (100) in the base container (205); - a lid (202) which is designed to cover the base container (205) such that the lid (202) prevents dirt particles from falling out of the collection container (140); and - at least one guide element (211, 212) which is designed to interact with at least one complementary guide element (221, 222, 421) of the container recess (150) of the cleaning device (100), so that the collecting container (140) is automatically transferred from a horizontal orientation to a tilted orientation by the guide element (211, 212) when removed from the container recess (150). Collection container (140) according to claim 1 , wherein - in the horizontal orientation, the lid (202) and the base container (205) of the collecting container (140) are arranged at the same height relative to the cleaning device (100); and - in the tilted orientation, the lid (202) is arranged higher relative to the cleaning device (100) than the base container (205). Collection container (140) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the lid (202) is arranged along a longitudinal axis of the collection container (140) opposite a base surface of the base container (205); - the cleaning device (100) has a longitudinal axis which, during cleaning operation of the cleaning device (100), is arranged substantially parallel to a surface which is cleaned by the cleaning device (100); - in the horizontal orientation, the longitudinal axis of the collection container (140) is aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device (100); and - in the tilted orientation, the longitudinal axis of the collection container (140) and the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device (100) form a tilt angle greater than zero; wherein the tilt angle is in particular 20° or more. Collecting container (140) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the collecting container (140) has as a guide element (211, 212) on a side wall at least one guide pin (211, 212) which is designed to engage in at least one corresponding guide rail (221, 222, 421) on a side wall of the container recess (150). Collection container (140) according to claim 4 , wherein - the collecting container (140) has on the side wall a front guide pin (211) facing the lid (202) and a rear guide pin (212) facing away from the lid (202); and - the rear guide pin (212) is arranged higher in relation to a vertical axis of the collecting container (140), in particular 30% or more of a total height of the collecting container (140) higher, than the front guide pin (211). Collecting container (140) according to one of the Claims 4 until 5 , wherein - the collecting container (140) has two opposite side walls along a transverse axis of the collecting container (140); and - the collecting container (140) has at least one guide pin (211, 212) on each of the two side walls, in particular two guide pins (221, 212) each. Collection container (140) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the lid (202) is pivotally mounted on the base container (205) via a pivot axis (501); and - the collection container (140) has an elastic seal (502) which is attached to an inner wall of the base container (205) and to an inner wall of the lid (202) and which covers the pivot axis (501). Collection container (140) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (202) has a suction channel opening (201) for receiving the suction air flow with the dirt particles. Cleaning device (100) for cleaning a surface; wherein the cleaning device (100) comprises - a container recess (150) for receiving a collecting container (140) for dirt particles; and - at least one guide element (221, 222, 421) which is designed to interact with at least one complementary guide element (211, 212) of the collecting container (140), so that the collecting container (140) is automatically guided by a horizontal guide element (221, 222, 421) when removed from the container recess (150). right orientation to a tilted orientation. Cleaning device (100) according to claim 9 , wherein the cleaning device (100) has at least one guide rail (221, 222, 421) as a guide element (221, 222, 421) on a side wall of the container recess (15ß0), which is designed to be received in at least one corresponding guide pin (211, 212) on a side wall of the collecting container (140). Cleaning device (100) according to claim 10 , wherein the guide rail (221, 222, 421) extends from an upper side (121) of the cleaning device (100) along a vertical axis of the cleaning device (100) into the container recess (100). Cleaning device (100) according to one of the Claims 10 until 11 , wherein - the cleaning device (100) has on the side wall along a longitudinal axis of the cleaning device (100) a first front guide rail (221) facing a lid (202) of the collecting container (140) and a rear guide rail (222) facing away from the lid (202); - the rear guide rail (222) runs in a straight line along a vertical axis of the cleaning device (100) into the container recess (150) at a rear position; and - the first front guide rail (221), starting from a front position on an upper side (121) of the cleaning device (100), runs along the vertical axis of the cleaning device (100) into the container recess (150); wherein the first front guide rail (221) is curved starting from the front position towards the rear position with increasing penetration depth in the container recess (150). Cleaning device (100) according to claim 12 , wherein - the cleaning device (100) has a second front guide rail (421) on the side wall, which runs along the vertical axis of the cleaning device (100) parallel to the rear guide rail (222) into the container recess (150); - the second front guide rail (421) joins the first front guide rail (221) at a certain penetration depth into the container recess (150); and - a switch (403) is arranged at the certain penetration depth, which is designed such that - a guide pin (211) is guided from the second front guide rail (421) to the first front guide rail (221) when the collecting container (140) is inserted into the container recess (150) from the certain penetration depth; and - the guide pin (211) is guided past the second front guide rail (421) and held in the first front guide rail (221) when the collecting container (140) is removed from the container recess (150). Cleaning device (100) according to one of the Claims 10 until 13 , wherein - the container recess (150) has two side walls opposite each other along a transverse axis of the cleaning device (100); and - the container recess (150) has at least one guide rail (221, 222, 412) on each of the two side walls, in particular at least two guide rails (221, 222, 412). Cleaning device (100) according to one of the Claims 9 until 14 , wherein the cleaning device (100) comprises a collecting container (140) which is arranged according to one of the Claims 1 until 8 trained.

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