Base Station Optical Smoke Detection During Robot Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing base stations for surface treatment devices lack additional functionalities for enhanced user value, particularly in detecting smoke presence during servicing activities like cleaning and charging, which are crucial for safety and operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an optical base element and an evaluation unit in the base station that interacts with an external element to detect smoke by evaluating changes in signal amplitude over time, triggering an alarm signal when a defined threshold is passed, utilizing a light source and sensor for smoke detection, and integrating this functionality with existing distance measurement systems to avoid additional hardware requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If base station is used for servicing activities (cleaning and charging), then operational efficiency is improved, but safety functionality for smoke detection is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The optical base element and evaluation unit are integrated into the base station to enable dual functionality: the existing optical elements continue to support distance measurement and obstacle detection, while simultaneously serving smoke detection purposes through the same light emission and reception mechanisms. This allows the base station to perform servicing activities and safety monitoring without adding separate hardware systems.
2Reliability
If additional smoke detection hardware is added to base station, then safety functionality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reuses existing optical elements (light source and sensor) already present in the base station for distance measurement and obstacle detection, assigning them an additional smoke detection function. This eliminates the need for separate smoke detection hardware, maintaining device simplicity while enhancing safety functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The smoke detection function is merged with the existing optical measurement system by using the same light source and sensor components for both purposes. The evaluation unit processes optical signals to detect smoke presence by analyzing changes in signal characteristics, combining multiple functions into a unified system.
3Device complexity
If optical elements are used for both distance measurement and smoke detection, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation unit continuously monitors optical signals and analyzes changes in signal amplitude over time to detect smoke presence. By comparing real-time signal characteristics against baseline measurements, the system can distinguish between normal optical variations and smoke-induced signal changes, maintaining detection accuracy despite shared hardware usage.
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 effective smoke detection between the base station and surface treatment device, ensuring timely alarm signaling and integration with servicing activities like charging and cleaning, enhancing safety and operational efficiency without additional hardware needs.
Implementation Method 1
light emitted by the optical base element is reflected by means of the external element at least partially to the optical base element
Implementation Method 2
detecting the presence of smoke between the optical base element and external element
Data Source
AI summary
A surface treatment device, in particular a cleaning robot, has at least one optical device element and an evaluation unit. The optical device element is configured such that light emitted by the optical device element is at least partially reflected to an optical device element by means of the external element. During an interaction of the optical device element and the external element for the purpose of detecting a presence of smoke between the optical device element and the external element, the evaluation unit evaluates a measurement signal received by the optical device element with respect to a temporal change in signal amplitude, and triggers an alarm signal when a defined threshold value has been passed.