Central unit, expansion module and cleaning station for cleaning robot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning robot systems require multiple base stations for each robot, leading to high costs, complex maintenance, and significant manual labor for emptying dust containers, especially in fleets of robots.
Innovation Solution
A modular central unit and expansion module system that allows multiple cleaning robots to be efficiently emptied and supplied with energy through a single central unit with a shared dust container, enabling simultaneous suction and energy supply without waiting times, and allowing for easy expansion or reduction based on robot numbers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each cleaning robot has its own base station, then the robot can be emptied and supplied with energy, but the system complexity and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual base stations are merged into a single central unit that serves all cleaning robots. The central unit contains a shared dust container and energy supply system, eliminating the need for separate base stations for each robot while maintaining full functionality for emptying and charging multiple robots simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The central unit is designed as a universal base station that can service multiple different cleaning robots through standardized docking interfaces. It provides multiple docking stations with identical functionality for emptying and charging, allowing any robot to dock at any station without requiring robot-specific infrastructure.
2Ease of operation
If each base station has its own dust container, then each robot can be emptied independently, but manual labor for emptying increases with fleet size
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual dust containers are merged into a single large central dust container. All cleaning robots empty their dirt into this shared container through the central unit's multiple docking stations, allowing simultaneous emptying of multiple robots by a single operator without requiring separate containers for each robot.
Solution Approach 2:
The central unit replicates the docking and emptying functionality across multiple stations rather than requiring physical duplication of entire base stations. Each docking station copies the essential functions (suction interface, energy connection, control) in a standardized manner, enabling multiple robots to be serviced through a single centralized system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple base stations are used for a fleet of robots, then each robot has dedicated service, but costs for purchasing and maintaining increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate base station systems are merged into one centralized unit that serves the entire robot fleet. This consolidation reduces the total quantity of components needed (single dust container instead of multiple, shared power supply instead of multiple power sources) while maintaining dedicated service capability through multiple docking stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The central unit is designed as a universal servicing system that can handle any number of robots through standardized docking interfaces. It provides multi-functional capability to service different robot types and sizes with the same infrastructure, eliminating the need for robot-specific base stations and reducing overall system costs.
4Device complexity
If a fixed number of base stations are deployed, then the system is simple to manage, but flexibility to add robots is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The central unit is designed with dynamic scalability, allowing the number of docking stations to be increased or decreased based on fleet size requirements. The modular architecture enables easy addition of new docking stations without redesigning the entire system, and docking stations can be dynamically assigned to different robots as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The central unit provides universal service capability that adapts to varying fleet sizes through standardized docking interfaces. Whether serving 2 robots or 20 robots, the same basic architecture is used, with the number of active docking stations simply adjusted to match fleet requirements, maintaining simple management while enabling flexible expansion.
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
This solution reduces maintenance costs, minimizes manual labor, enhances efficiency by allowing simultaneous operation of multiple robots, and simplifies software control, while being compact, flexible, and low-risk for device loss, with a Plug&Play functionality for adding new robots.
Implementation Method 1
a suction device for emptying cleaning robots, which has a suction opening that can be connected to a cleaning robot arranged on it in such a way that the suction device can empty a dirt container of the connected cleaning robot by means of a suction flow
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a central unit (Z) for emptying and powering cleaning robots (R), comprising a suction device for emptying cleaning robots (R), a power supply unit for powering cleaning robots (R), and a control module (S) for controlling suction and power supply processes, characterized by a side wall (8) provided with plug-in connection elements (10), each configured to be connectable to plug-in connection elements (26) of an extension module (E) that are complementary to the plug-in connection elements (10), such that when the plug-in connection elements (10) are coupled to the complementary plug-in connection elements (26) of the extension module (E) and a cleaning robot (R) is coupled to the extension module (E), the cleaning robot can be emptied and powered by the central unit (Z).Furthermore, the invention relates to an extension module (E) for coupling with a cleaning robot (R), which has a side wall (25) provided with plug-in connection elements (26) configured to be coupled with complementary plug-in connection elements (10) of a central unit (Z) for emptying and powering the cleaning robot (R) such that, when the plug-in connection elements (26) of the extension module (E) are coupled with the complementary plug-in connection elements (10) of the central unit (Z) and a cleaning robot (R) is coupled with the extension module (E), the cleaning robot (R) can be emptied and powered by the central unit (Z). The invention further relates to a cleaning station for cleaning robots, comprising the central unit (Z) and at least one extension module (E).