Cleaning pad assembly for mobile robot
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing two-in-one cleaning robots require frequent pad replacement and may experience improper alignment or separation of the mopping pad from the tray during cleaning missions, leading to inefficiencies and potential hot spots on the cleaning surface.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning pad assembly that includes a card slidably engaging with the pad tray, secured by fasteners, to ensure proper alignment and secure attachment, reducing hot spots and improving cleaning performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a pad type mopping system is used in two-in-one cleaning robots, then the robot can perform both vacuuming and mopping operations, but the pad requires frequent replacement and may become separated from the tray during cleaning missions
Solution Approach 1:
The pad assembly is divided into separate functional components: the cleaning pad, the card with alignment features, and the pad tray with retainer. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while working together as an integrated system, ensuring both versatility and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The card is inserted into a retainer structure on the pad tray, creating a nested arrangement where the card fits within the retainer's receptacle. This nesting mechanism ensures proper alignment and secure attachment of the pad to the tray during cleaning operations
2Reliability
If the pad is not properly aligned with the pad tray, then the pad may become separated from the tray, but ensuring proper alignment requires additional alignment features
Solution Approach 1:
The card includes asymmetric alignment features such as a front corner with a larger radius of curvature compared to rear corners, and detents positioned at specific locations. These asymmetric features ensure the card can only be inserted in the correct orientation, providing reliable alignment without complex adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment features on the card and retainer automatically guide the pad into proper alignment with the tray during installation. The detents and recesses engage self-aligning, eliminating the need for manual alignment adjustments by the user
3Productivity
If the pad and tray are engaged uniformly to reduce hot spots, then cleaning performance improves, but this requires precise engagement features
Solution Approach 1:
The card features localized geometric characteristics at specific corners, particularly the front corner with a larger radius of curvature. This local quality variation ensures uniform distribution of contact pressure between the pad and tray, eliminating hot spots while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning pad for a mobile cleaning robot can include a backing layer, a cleaning layer, and a card. The backing layer can be user-releasably securable to a pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot. The cleaning layer can be affixed to the backing layer and engageable with a floor surface. The card can be connected to at least one of the backing layer and the cleaning layer and can be engaged with the backing layer. The card can be slidably insertable into a retainer of the pad tray to align the cleaning pad with the pad tray of the mobile cleaning robot.