Electrostatic discharge systems for autonomous mobile robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous mobile robots, such as floor cleaning robots, accumulate electrostatic charge due to contact with floor surfaces, posing a risk of abrupt discharge that can damage electrical circuitry or cause shocks.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an electrostatic discharge assembly with a metallic contact connected to the electrical circuitry, which dissipates accumulated charge into the environment in a controlled manner, minimizing the risk of damage to the robot's circuitry and ensuring safe docking at charging stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot travels across floor surfaces, then the robot can perform cleaning operations, but the robot accumulates electrostatic charge that may cause abrupt discharge and damage electrical circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The electrostatic discharge member is positioned to make contact with the floor surface before the charging contacts engage with the docking station, thereby preemptively discharging accumulated electrostatic charge and preventing potential damage to electrical circuitry during the docking operation
Solution Approach 2:
The electrostatic discharge member acts as an intermediary element between the robot's electrical system and the floor surface, providing a controlled path for electrostatic charge dissipation that protects sensitive electrical circuitry from abrupt discharge
2Reliability
If the electrostatic discharge member is positioned close to the floor surface, then electrostatic charge can be dissipated effectively, but the metallic contact may interfere with docking alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge assembly is segmented into multiple discrete metallic contacts arranged in a pattern, allowing the discharge function to be distributed across multiple points while maintaining proper docking alignment through the geometric arrangement of the contacts
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the discharge assembly have different properties - some metallic contacts are positioned closer to the floor for effective charge dissipation, while others are positioned to align with docking contacts, creating local variations in discharge effectiveness and alignment capability
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 electrostatic discharge assembly effectively reduces the likelihood of sudden electrostatic discharges, protecting the robot's electrical components and ensuring safe operation and charging by equalizing the electrical potential with the docking station.
Implementation Method 1
The electrostatic discharge member can release electric charge accumulated on the robot as a result of the robot's travel across a floor surface. The electric charge can be released in a controlled manner to prevent the electric charge from otherwise being abruptly discharged in an uncontrolled manner.
Implementation Method 2
As a mobile floor cleaning robot travels along a floor surface, different portions of the robot contact the floor surface. This contact between the robot and the floor surface, through the triboelectric effect, can cause the robot to accumulate electric charge.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous mobile robot includes a housing infrastructure, a drive system including one or more wheels to support the housing infrastructure above a floor surface, a cleaning assembly, electrical circuitry positioned within the robot housing and an electrostatic discharge assembly including an electrostatic discharge member that includes a metallic contact electrically connected to the electrical circuitry and extending, from the electrical circuitry, to an exterior of the housing infrastructure. The electrical circuitry includes a controller to initiate a cleaning operation in which the drive propels the robot across the floor surface while the cleaning assembly cleans the floor surface.