Cleaning Robot Component Layout for Weight Balance and Compact Size
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning robots face issues with weight distribution, leading to potential falls when encountering steps, and have a large size due to long air flow paths and dispersed components, which also causes reliability problems with dust accumulation on control circuits.
Innovation Solution
The electric fan and battery are positioned on opposite sides of the dust collection portion, and air flow paths and control boards are centralized to balance weight and reduce size, with the dust collection portion on the rotary shaft of the drive wheels to maintain balance and prevent falls, and ion generation for enhanced cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the electric fan and dust collection portion are disposed behind the drive wheel, then the cleaning function is improved, but the weight distribution becomes unbalanced causing the robot to fall from steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heavy components (electric fan and dust collection portion) into separate segments positioned at different locations. The electric fan is disposed behind the drive wheel while the dust collection portion is positioned in front of the drive wheel, creating a segmented weight distribution that maintains balance while enabling cleaning functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric positioning of components relative to the drive wheel. Rather than placing all heavy components on one side, the design creates an asymmetric layout where the electric fan is behind the drive wheel and the dust collection portion is in front, achieving weight balance through deliberate asymmetric arrangement.
2Productivity
If the suction opening and dust collection portion are connected by a long duct, then the cleaning coverage is improved, but the device size becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the duct configuration by utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently. The duct connects the suction opening to the dust collection portion through a compact spatial arrangement that minimizes the overall device volume while maintaining adequate airflow path for effective cleaning coverage.
3Ease of operation
If the control board is dispersed and disposed far from the dust collection portion, then the control functionality is improved, but dust accumulation on the control board causes reliability problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the dust collection portion as an intermediary barrier between the suction opening and the control board. The dust collection portion is positioned to intercept dust-laden airflow before it reaches the control board, protecting the control circuit from dust accumulation while maintaining control functionality.
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 configuration balances the weight of the robot, prevents falls, reduces size, and minimizes dust accumulation on control boards, enhancing reliability and cleaning efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The electric fan generates a suction air flow that is sucked from the suction opening
Implementation Method 2
the dust collection portion collects dust contained in the suction air flow
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A cleaning robot that comprises: a main case (2) having a suction port (6) opened in the lower surface thereof and an exhaust port (7) opened in the upper surface thereof, that is self-propelled on a floor surface (F); an electric fan (22) arranged inside the main case (2); a dust collection unit (30) arranged in the center of the main case (2), in a planar view, that collects dust in airflow sucked in from the suction port (6) by the driving force of the electric fan (22); and a battery (14) that supplies power to each section. The electric fan (22) is arranged on one side relative to the dust collection unit (30) and the battery (14) is arranged on the other side.