Autonomous coverage robots

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous coverage robots face challenges in navigating and operating effectively in environments with obstacles, particularly when entangled with fabric, strings, or soft media, which can lead to entanglement and cessation of cleaning operations.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a cleaning robot design featuring a main cleaning head with flexible flaps and bristles, an edge cleaning head, and a cleaning bin with a vacuum system, along with sensors and control systems that allow the robot to detect and respond to entanglements by reversing the brush rotation and adjusting its cleaning path to disentangle itself and continue operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the robot uses traditional rigid cleaning brushes, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but the robot becomes entangled with fabric, strings, or soft media

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous operation capabilityVSAvoidentanglement with soft media

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid cleaning brushes with flexible flaps that can bend and deform. These flaps are made of flexible material that allows them to conform to obstacles and prevent entanglement while maintaining cleaning contact with the floor surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning flaps are designed to be dynamically responsive, allowing them to move and adapt their shape during robot operation. This dynamic flexibility enables the flaps to pass over obstacles without becoming entangled, while still providing effective cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the robot reverses brush rotation to disentangle, then continuous operation is restored, but cleaning effectiveness temporarily decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous cleaning operationVSAvoidcleaning performance during disentanglement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs reverse rotation of the cleaning flaps as a disentanglement mechanism. When entanglement is detected, the flaps rotate in the opposite direction to unwind and free themselves from fabric or strings, restoring continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The disentanglement process uses periodic reverse rotation followed by return to normal cleaning rotation. This periodic action allows the robot to temporarily switch modes for disentanglement while maintaining overall continuous operation and cleaning productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If the robot uses manual intervention for disentanglement, then cleaning performance is maintained, but operational continuity is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidoperational continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service disentanglement where the robot autonomously detects entanglement conditions and executes reverse rotation to free itself. This eliminates the need for manual intervention, maintaining both cleaning performance and operational continuity without human involvement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The robot uses sensors to detect entanglement conditions and provides feedback to the control system. Based on this feedback, the system automatically initiates disentanglement maneuvers, creating a closed-loop control that maintains continuous operation without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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

Enables the robot to effectively navigate around and disentangle from obstacles, ensuring continuous cleaning operations and reducing the need for manual intervention by utilizing flexible components and intelligent control algorithms to manage entanglements.

Implementation Method 1

The air mover creates a negative pressure to draw air into a cleaning bin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

The roller scraper is configured to engage or scrape a cleaning roller

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2944246B1Autonomous coverage robots

Publication Date: 2022.02.16 IROBOT CORP

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AI summary

An example autonomous coverage robot comprises a body, a drive system disposed on the body and configured to maneuver the robot, a cleaning assembly configured to engage a floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor surface, the cleaning assembly comprising a driven cleaning roller, a cleaning bin, the cleaning bin comprising a cleaning bin body having a cleaning bin entrance disposed adjacent to the cleaning roller, the cleaning bin body having a holding portion in pneumatic communication with the cleaning bin entrance for receiving debris and a roller scraper disposed on the cleaning bin body for engaging the cleaning roller and an air mover operable to move air into the cleaning bin entrance, the roller scraper being disposed at a lower edge of the cleaning bin entrance and the roller scraper being arranged above a center of rotation of the driven cleaning roller.