Removable Cleaning Pad Sensing for Autonomous Floor Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional floor cleaning methods, such as using wet mops, require manual scrubbing and bending, which can be cumbersome and exhausting, especially when cleaning large areas, and often require users to manually select cleaning modes based on the type of cleaning pad used.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous floor cleaning robot equipped with a pad sensor that identifies the type of cleaning pad attached and selects the appropriate cleaning mode, including spraying schedule and navigational behavior, allowing for autonomous operation and reduced user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional wet mops are used for floor cleaning, then cleaning can be performed on hard surfaces, but the user must manually scrub and bend, which is cumbersome and exhausting
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system performs cleaning operations autonomously without requiring manual scrubbing or bending by the user. The robot navigates independently, applies cleaning solutions, and maintains cleaning pads, enabling the system to serve itself and eliminating the need for continuous human intervention in the cleaning process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical scrubbing actions with an autonomous robotic system that uses controlled movement, spray mechanisms, and automated pad application. The robot substitutes human physical effort with automated mechanical systems including motors, sensors, and controlled dispensing mechanisms.
2Productivity
If manual floor cleaning is performed, then cleaning can be done, but the user must continuously dip the mop and perform back and forth scrubbing movements
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic cleaning system autonomously manages its own cleaning operations including navigating to cleaning areas, applying cleaning solutions, maintaining contact with the floor surface, and managing cleaning pads without requiring the user to perform repetitive dipping and scrubbing actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot maintains continuous cleaning action by continuously moving across the floor surface while applying cleaning solutions and maintaining pad contact. The system eliminates the intermittent nature of manual cleaning where the user must repeatedly dip and lift the mop, instead providing uninterrupted cleaning coverage.
3Ease of operation
If a person cleans the floor manually, then cleaning can be performed, but the user may need to kneel on the floor which is cumbersome and exhausting
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous robot performs all cleaning operations independently without requiring the user to kneel or position themselves on the floor. The system navigates, cleans, and manages its own operations, completely eliminating the need for the user to be physically present on the cleaning surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the human body as the cleaning tool with an autonomous robotic platform that uses its own propulsion system, sensors, and automated mechanisms to perform cleaning tasks, substituting human physical presence and effort with automated mechanical systems.
4Extent of automation
If traditional cleaning methods are used, then cleaning can be performed, but the user must manually select cleaning modes based on pad type
Solution Approach 1:
The robot autonomously identifies the cleaning pad type through sensors and automatically selects the appropriate cleaning mode without requiring user input. The system reads identification features on the pad, processes this information, and independently configures cleaning parameters including spray rates, navigation patterns, and cleaning intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect pad type identification features and provides feedback to the control system, which then automatically adjusts cleaning modes. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the robot to adapt its behavior based on the detected pad characteristics without manual intervention.
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 autonomous robot reduces user effort by automatically selecting cleaning modes based on the pad type, minimizing errors and enabling efficient cleaning of large areas without manual input, thus improving cleaning efficiency and reducing user fatigue.
Implementation Method 1
The radiation emitter may be configured to emit a first radiation and a second radiation, and the pad sensor may sense a reflection of the first and the second radiations off of the feature to sense the spectral response of the feature.
Implementation Method 2
The pad sensor senses a spectral response of the feature, and the signal corresponds to the sensed spectral response. The radiation detector may exhibit a peak spectral response in a visible light range.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a body, a controller supported by the body, a drive supporting the body to maneuver the robot across a floor surface in response to commands from the controller, and a pad holder attached to an underside of the body to hold a removable cleaning pad during operation of the robot. The pad includes a mounting plate and a mounting surface. The mounting plate is attached to the mounting surface. The robot includes a pad sensor to sense a feature on the pad and to generate a signal based on the feature, which is defined in part by a cutout on the card backing. The mounting plate enables the pad sensor to detect the feature. The controller is responsive to the signal to perform operations including selecting a cleaning mode based on the signal, and controlling the robot according to a selected cleaning mode.