Cleaning Robot Autonomous Mop Pad Exchange for Continuous Wet-Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wet-cleaning robots have limited areal performance due to the need for manual removal of dirt accumulation on the cleaning element, disrupting the cleaning process.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning robot equipped with a receptacle unit that allows for autonomous exchange of mop pads, featuring a storage unit for pre-moistened mop pads and a transport device for efficient pad replacement, enabling continuous cleaning without operator intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a cleaning element is firmly connected to the cleaning robot for wet cleaning, then the cleaning robot can perform continuous cleaning operations, but the areal performance is limited due to dirt accumulation on the cleaning element requiring manual removal
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning element is divided into multiple replaceable mop pads that can be individually exchanged. The receptacle unit is segmented to accommodate different mop pads, allowing the robot to replace only the soiled portion rather than the entire cleaning element, thus maintaining productivity with minimal interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automatic discarding of used mop pads into a storage compartment and recovering/retrieving fresh mop pads from the same storage. This automated discard-recover cycle eliminates manual intervention, allowing continuous cleaning operations without time loss.
2Productivity
If the cleaning robot uses a single cleaning element for wet cleaning, then the structure is simple, but the areal performance is limited and requires frequent manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle unit is designed with universal functionality to hold, store, and automatically exchange multiple types of mop pads. This multi-functional design enables the simple receptacle structure to support complex automated pad replacement operations, improving areal performance without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
3Ease of operation
If manual removal of dirt from the cleaning element is required, then the cleaning robot can be simple in structure, but the cleaning work must be interrupted and operator intervention is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot performs self-service through automated mop pad exchange. The receptacle unit detects when a mop pad is soiled and automatically retrieves a fresh pad from storage, replacing it without operator intervention. This self-service capability enables autonomous continuous operation while the exchange mechanism remains relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning robot including: a main body; a drive device; and a cleaning device equipped for wet-cleaning floors to be cleaned, wherein: the main body, on the side facing the floor to be cleaned, is assigned a receptacle unit, a first mop pad configured for wet-cleaning is fastened to the receptacle unit, and the cleaning robot is configured to autonomously exchange the first mop pad fastened to the receptacle unit for a second mop pad.