Automated floor cleaner

Solution Overview

Problem

Manual floor cleaning methods and existing automated cleaners often fail to ensure thorough cleaning, especially in areas with obstacles, leading to inconsistencies and potential missed spots, particularly in high-hygiene environments like hospitals.

Innovation Solution

An automated floor cleaner equipped with a sensing system, a cleaning belt with angled bristles, and a fluid jet, which moves autonomously and records its cleaning path to ensure thorough coverage and disinfection, using a combination of sensors and a control processor to optimize cleaning efficiency and record data for review.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual scrubber dryer is used for floor cleaning, then the operator can adjust cleaning based on visual inspection, but mistakes and omissions occur leading to inconsistent cleaning quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning quality consistencyVSAvoidmanual operation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The automated floor cleaner performs cleaning operations autonomously without human intervention. The system self-navigates, self-cleans the floor surface, and self-monitors its own position and cleaning coverage through sensors and mapping capabilities, eliminating the need for manual operation while ensuring consistent cleaning quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the cleaner's position, orientation, and cleaning coverage. This feedback is processed to generate a map of the location and verify that cleaning has been performed to the required standard, allowing the system to detect and correct any missed areas or inconsistencies in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Extent of automation

If automated cleaner with generalised instructions is used, then automation is achieved, but it is difficult to assess whether cleaning has taken place to required standard

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning automation levelVSAvoidcleaning coverage verification

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the cleaner's position, orientation, and cleaning coverage. This feedback is processed to generate a map of the location and verify that cleaning has been performed to the required standard, allowing the system to detect and correct any missed areas or inconsistencies in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection and assessment with electronic sensing systems and digital mapping. Sensors detect the cleaner's position and the system generates digital maps to objectively verify cleaning coverage, substituting mechanical human judgment with precise electronic measurement and data analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual cleaning is performed in areas with obstacles, then the operator can work around equipment, but areas blocked by equipment are frequently missed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to navigate obstaclesVSAvoidcomplete area coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the cleaner's position, orientation, and cleaning coverage. This feedback is processed to generate a map of the location and verify that cleaning has been performed to the required standard, allowing the system to detect and correct any missed areas or inconsistencies in real-time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The automated cleaner dynamically adjusts its cleaning path and pattern based on real-time sensor data about obstacles in the environment. The system can modify its navigation and cleaning operations on-the-fly to ensure complete coverage of accessible areas while safely navigating around equipment and obstacles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10555656B2Automated floor cleaner

Publication Date: 2020.02.11 MITCHELL TIMOTHY PETER

AI summary

An automated floor cleaner (1) has a cleaner body (2); a cleaning means (3, 45, 6) connected to the cleaner body (2) and configured to in use contact a floor surface to clean the surface; a movement means (7, 19, 8) connected to the cleaner body (2) and configured so that in use the floor cleaner (1) can move across a surface, and; a sensing means 16a, 16b configured to sense the position of the floor cleaner within a location and to transmit data relating to the position to a memory module (20) configured to map and record the position of the floor cleaner (1) during use.