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EP-3689214-B1 - LIQUID STORAGE TANK, SMART CLEANING APPARATUS AND SMART CLEANING SYSTEM

EP3689214B1EP 3689214 B1EP3689214 B1EP 3689214B1EP-3689214-B1

Inventors

  • LI, XING
  • PENG, SONG
  • DUAN, Chuanlin
  • LU, Youcheng

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20180914

Claims (9)

  1. A liquid container (3) for a smart cleaning device, wherein the liquid container (3) is provided with a liquid outlet hole (31) and an air inlet hole (32) that connect interior and exterior of the liquid container (3); the liquid outlet hole (31) is provided with a liquid discharging part; the liquid discharging part is configured to exert a force on liquid at the liquid outlet hole (31) to make the liquid flow from the liquid outlet hole (31); the air inlet hole (32) is disposed at a bottom of the liquid container (3); and characterized in that the liquid container (3) is configured to prevent bubbles entered the liquid container through the air inlet hole (32) from gathering near the air inlet hole; wherein the air inlet hole (32) penetrates a bottom wall of the liquid container (3), air enters the liquid container (3) from a lower end of the air inlet hole (32) to an upper end of the air inlet hole (32), and a radial size of the upper end of the air inlet hole (32) is smaller than a radial size of the lower end of the air inlet hole (32).
  2. The liquid container (3) of claim 1, wherein a space above the air inlet hole (32) inside the liquid container is wide to prevent the bubbles entered the liquid container through the air inlet hole from gathering near the air inlet hole.
  3. The liquid container (3) of claim 1, wherein a distance between the air inlet hole (32) and a top wall of the liquid container (3) is greater than 4 mm.
  4. The liquid container (3) of claim 1, wherein a radial size of the air inlet hole ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm.
  5. The liquid container (3) of claim 1, wherein the liquid outlet hole (31) is disposed at the bottom of the liquid container (3).
  6. The liquid container (3) of claim 5, wherein the liquid discharging part comprises a cleaning cloth, the cleaning cloth is disposed below the liquid container and attached to a lower surface of the liquid container, and the cleaning cloth is configured to absorb liquid in the liquid container from the liquid outlet hole (31).
  7. The liquid container (3) of claim 1, wherein a filter nozzle is installed at the liquid outlet hole, and the filter nozzle is configured to control a liquid discharging rate at the liquid outlet hole.
  8. A smart cleaning device, comprising the liquid container (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
  9. A smart cleaning system, comprising: the smart cleaning device according to claim 8; and a charging station, wherein the smart cleaning device is configured to be charged by the charging station.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to the field of cleaning tools, and in particular, to a liquid container, a smart cleaning device, and a smart cleaning system. BACKGROUND An existing smart cleaning device that can provide a floor mopping function is usually provided with a liquid container. The bottom of the liquid container is provided with a liquid outlet hole. In addition, an upper part of the liquid container is provided with an air inlet hole to facilitate liquid output. The air inlet hole is located in the upper part of the liquid container to connect air in the liquid container and external atmosphere, so that air pressure in the liquid container is approximately equal to the atmospheric pressure. As a result, because the air pressure inside the liquid container is equal to the air pressure outside the liquid container, liquid constantly flows out of the liquid container under its own gravity, resulting in excessive liquid discharging. Excessive liquid discharging may lead to a poor cleaning effect, damage to the floor and components of the smart cleaning device, etc. The air inlet holes of the liquid containers of some smart cleaning devices are disposed at the bottoms of the liquid containers, but the space above the air inlet holes may be provided with blocking parts or the space is not wide. In this case, due to existence of surface tension of the liquid, bubbles gather at the air inlet hole and cannot successfully arrive at the space above the liquid. This may result in an extremely low internal pressure in the liquid container and the liquid cannot be output from the liquid outlet hole. To resolve this issue, some cleaning devices are configured to vibrated in the direction of forward and back, to cause bubbles arrive at the space above the liquid. However, the effect of this solution is not intuitive enough, and the costs are high. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a liquid container, a smart cleaning device, and a smart cleaning system, so as to resolve at least some of the foregoing issues. Subject-matter related to the present disclosure is disclosed by US8898844. SUMMARY The invention is defined by the independent claims. A series of concepts of simplified forms are introduced in the SUMMARY section. These concepts are further described in detail in the DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS section. To resolve at least some of the foregoing technical issues, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a liquid container for a smart cleaning device, wherein the liquid container is provided with a liquid outlet hole and an air inlet hole that connect interior and exterior of the liquid container; the liquid outlet hole is provided with a liquid discharging part; the liquid discharging part is configured to exert a force on liquid at the liquid outlet hole to make the liquid flows from the liquid outlet hole; the air inlet hole is disposed at a bottom of the liquid container; the liquid container is configured to prevent bubbles entered the liquid container through the air inlet hole from gathering near the air inlet hole; wherein the air inlet hole penetrates a bottom wall of the liquid container, air enters the liquid container from a lower end of the air inlet hole to an upper end of the air inlet hole, and a radial size of the upper end of the air inlet hole is smaller than a radial size of the lower end of the air inlet hole. Preferably, a space above the air inlet hole inside the liquid container is wide to prevent the bubbles entered the liquid container through the air inlet hole from gathering near the air inlet hole. Preferably, a distance between the air inlet hole and a top wall of the liquid container is greater than 4 mm. Preferably, a radial size of the air inlet hole ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm. Preferably, the air inlet hole is disposed at a lateral center and/or a longitudinal center of the bottom surface of the liquid container. Preferably, there are two liquid outlet holes. The two liquid outlet holes are placed at the same distance from the air inlet hole. Preferably, the liquid outlet hole is disposed at the bottom of the liquid container. Preferably, the liquid discharging part includes a cleaning cloth, the cleaning cloth is disposed below the liquid container and attached to a lower surface of the liquid container, and the cleaning cloth is configured to absorb liquid in the liquid container from the liquid outlet hole. Preferably, a filter nozzle is installed at the liquid outlet hole, and the filter nozzle is configured to control a liquid discharging rate at the liquid outlet hole. Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a smart cleaning device, including the liquid container described in any one of the foregoing solutions. Still another aspect of the present disclosure provides a smart cleaning system, including: the smart cleaning device described in the foregoing solution; anda charging station, where the smart cleaning device is co