Charging equipment for moving robot

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing charging equipment for automatic robot lawn mowers often causes damage to lawns and hinders the operation efficiency due to their installation requirements and size, and they are not effectively integrated with the boundary wire system.

Innovation Solution

A charging equipment system for moving robots that includes a bottom unit with holes to minimize lawn damage, a supporting unit with adjustable rods and IR sensors for precise alignment, and a terminal unit that can change its coupling angle to maintain contact with the robot, all while being installed outside the boundary wire, reducing the shared region with the operation area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If charging equipment is installed within the operation region, then power supply to the robot is ensured, but lawn damage occurs and operation efficiency is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply reliabilityVSAvoidlawn damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The charging equipment is extracted from the operation region and installed outside the boundary wire, separating the charging function from the mowing area to eliminate lawn damage while ensuring power supply reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The boundary wire serves as an intermediary element that defines the operation region boundary and provides a mounting reference for the charging equipment, enabling installation outside the operation region while maintaining functional integration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If charging equipment is installed inside the boundary wire, then power supply is achieved, but the shared region between installation region and operation region increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supplyVSAvoidshared region area
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The charging equipment is relocated from inside the boundary wire to outside the boundary wire, extracting it from the operation region to minimize the shared region area while maintaining power supply functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The installation location is shifted from a two-dimensional plane within the boundary to a position outside the boundary, utilizing the spatial dimension outside the operation region to reduce overlap

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If traditional charging equipment is used, then power supply function is provided, but device size and installation region are large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply functionVSAvoidcharging equipment size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The charging equipment is segmented into three functional units (bottom unit for stability, supporting unit for adjustment, terminal unit for contact) that can be independently optimized and assembled, reducing overall device volume while maintaining power supply function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The supporting unit incorporates adjustable rods that can extend or retract, allowing the charging equipment to adapt its size and position dynamically, minimizing the installation footprint while ensuring reliable power supply

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 system minimizes lawn damage, enhances operation efficiency by not hindering the robot's movement, and reduces the installation region and size of the charging equipment, making it more user-friendly and convenient.

Implementation Method 1

a signal transmitting unit which transmits a signal to the moving robot, if the moving robot is being charged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInfrared detection: Infrared Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP3069593B1Charging equipment for moving robot
Publication Date: 2019.11.20 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3069593B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3069593B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP3069593B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

A charging equipment (100) for a moving robot (10) includes: a bottom unit (101) installed at part of an operation region (1000) of the moving robot; a supporting unit (102) coupled to the bottom unit, and positioned on a lateral side of a body (50) of the moving robot when the robot is being charged; and a terminal unit (103) coupled to the supporting unit, and positioned on an upper side of the body of the moving robot when the robot is being charged, wherein the bottom unit is formed to mount one of a plurality of wheels (40) of the moving robot when the moving robot is being charged.