Autonomous traveling cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial autonomous traveling cleaners face inefficiencies in cleaning large areas due to their design, which often results in uncleaned areas and potential damage when navigating narrow passages and turning near walls.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous traveling cleaner with an elongated profile and a pivotable extension nozzle that can switch between retracted and lateral cleaning postures, allowing it to maintain a safe distance from walls and avoid contact during turns, while also accommodating functional units for improved cleaning efficiency in narrow spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cleaner travels at a certain distance from wall surfaces for safer operations, then collision avoidance is improved, but cleaning coverage deteriorates leaving uncleaned areas
Solution Approach 1:
The extension nozzle is designed to be movable between a retracted state and an extended state. When the cleaner approaches within a predetermined distance of a wall surface, the extension nozzle automatically extends to reach the wall area, then retracts when moving away. This dynamic adjustment allows the cleaner to maintain a safe distance from walls while still achieving complete cleaning coverage.
2Productivity
If the extension nozzle is positioned to laterally protrude for cleaning near walls, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but the risk of damage to the extension nozzle increases during turns
Solution Approach 1:
The extension nozzle is designed to be movable between a retracted state and an extended state. When the cleaner approaches within a predetermined distance of a wall surface, the extension nozzle automatically extends to reach the wall area, then retracts when moving away. This dynamic adjustment allows the cleaner to maintain a safe distance from walls while still achieving complete cleaning coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaner is equipped with a distance detection device that continuously monitors the distance between the cleaner body and wall surfaces. Based on this feedback information, the control device automatically adjusts the extension nozzle's position (extended or retracted) to optimize cleaning efficiency while preventing damage during turning operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaner has an elongated profile for better maneuverability in narrow passages, then adaptability is improved, but the width for accommodating functional units is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaner adopts an elongated profile with a larger dimension in the traveling direction than in the width direction. This dimensional reconfiguration allows the cleaner to navigate narrow passages more effectively while the extension nozzle compensates for the reduced width by providing additional lateral cleaning capability when needed.
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
Enhances cleaning efficiency by allowing the cleaner to effectively navigate and clean near walls without damaging the extension nozzle, maintaining a safe distance and ensuring thorough coverage of areas, even in tight spaces.
Implementation Method 1
a suction nozzle that generates suction force to suction air and that has a rotary brush which rotates upon contact with a target surface to sweep the target surface, an extension nozzle that is extendable in a lateral direction with respect to a traveling direction and that generates suction force to suction air
Implementation Method 2
a rotary brush which rotates upon contact with a target surface to sweep the target surface
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous traveling floor cleaner is disclosed that improves cleaning efficiency. A floor cleaner may include a suction nozzle that suctions suction matter collected by a rotary brush, an extension nozzle that suctions suction matter collected by an extension brush, and a collection box for collecting, through an inlet, the suction matter suctioned by the nozzles. The floor cleaner may have an elongated profile. The extension nozzle may be switchable between a retracted posture and a lateral cleaning posture. The extension nozzle in the lateral cleaning posture may be pivotable rearward. The extension nozzle in the lateral cleaning posture may have a protruding end in the width direction to be aligned with an end of a turning range of the floor cleaner in the width direction.