Autonomous floor cleaning with a removable pad
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional floor cleaning methods, such as using wet mops, require manual scrubbing and bending, which can be cumbersome and exhausting, especially when cleaning large areas, and lack efficient automation for selecting appropriate cleaning modes based on the type of cleaning pad used.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous floor cleaning robot equipped with a pad sensor system that identifies the type of cleaning pad attached and selects the appropriate cleaning mode, including spraying schedule and navigational behavior, to optimize the cleaning process without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional wet mops are used for floor cleaning, then cleaning can be performed manually, but the process requires user bending and scrubbing which is cumbersome and exhausting
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system performs cleaning operations autonomously without requiring user bending or manual scrubbing. The robot navigates independently, applies cleaning solutions, and executes scrubbing motions automatically, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring continuous human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cleaning operations with an automated robotic system. The robot uses motorized drive mechanisms, oscillating scrubbing motions, and automated solution application to substitute for human physical actions of bending, reaching, and scrubbing.
2Extent of automation
If manual floor cleaning is performed, then the person can control the cleaning process, but it requires continuous user intervention and physical effort
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic cleaning system integrates multiple functions into a single platform: autonomous navigation, pad type detection via sensors, cleaning solution application, and oscillating scrubbing operations. This multi-functional integration achieves high automation while managing system complexity through consolidated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs pad sensors to detect the type of cleaning pad attached and uses this information to automatically select appropriate cleaning modes and parameters. This feedback mechanism enables the robot to adapt its behavior based on detected conditions, achieving intelligent automation without requiring complex manual programming.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single cleaning pad type is used, then the system is simpler to operate, but it cannot adapt to different cleaning requirements for various pad types
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system uses pad sensors to detect and identify different pad types attached to the cleaning mechanism. Based on the detected pad type, the controller automatically selects appropriate cleaning modes, adjusting parameters such as oscillation frequency, solution application rate, and navigation patterns to optimize performance for each pad type.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system dynamically adapts its operating parameters based on the detected pad type. The robot can switch between different cleaning modes (e.g., dry scrubbing, wet mopping, polishing) and adjust motion patterns, force application, and solution flow rates to match the specific characteristics of each pad type.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The autonomous robot reduces user intervention, minimizes errors, and allows for efficient cleaning by automatically selecting the correct cleaning mode based on the pad type, enhancing cleaning efficiency and reducing physical strain.
Implementation Method 1
The pad sensor includes at least one of a radiation emitter and a radiation detector. The radiation detector may exhibit a peak spectral response in a visible light range.
Implementation Method 2
The pad sensor may include a radiation emitter configured to emit a first radiation and a second radiation, and the pad sensor may sense a reflection of the first and the second radiations off of the feature to sense the spectral response of the feature.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a robot body defining a forward drive direction, a controller supported by the robot body, a drive supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a surface in response to commands from the controller, a pad holder disposed on an underside of the robot body and configured to retain a removable cleaning pad during operation of the cleaning robot; and a pad sensor arranged to sense a feature of a cleaning pad held by the pad holder and generate a corresponding signal. The controller is responsive to the signal generated by the pad sensor, and configured to control the robot according to a cleaning mode selected from a set of multiple robot cleaning modes as a function of the signal generated by the pad sensor.