Cleaning Robot Extendable Assembly for Wall Corner Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cleaning robots often struggle to effectively clean hard-to-reach areas such as wall corners, leading to suboptimal cleaning performance and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The cleaning robot features a main cleaning assembly that can extend from its circumferential outer edge and reciprocate between retracted and extended states, allowing it to clean larger areas, including wall corners, with a movable cleaning head and a wet cleaning system that includes a liquid supply and recycling system for efficient residue collection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If the cleaning robot uses a fixed cleaning assembly, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning area and ability to clean hard-to-reach areas deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning areaVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning assembly is designed to be movable relative to the machine body, capable of extending laterally from the circumferential outer edge. The driving assembly includes a driving wheel engaged with a connecting rack to drive the fixed support movably, enabling the cleaning assembly to dynamically adjust its position and extend into hard-to-reach areas such as wall corners, thereby increasing the cleaning area without requiring a completely fixed structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The fixed support is disposed within a mounting space on the machine body and can be retracted into or extended from this space. The channel on the circumferential outer edge allows the fixed support to extend outward when needed. This nested arrangement allows the cleaning assembly to be compact when retracted (reducing complexity) while still achieving extended cleaning coverage when required

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the main cleaning assembly extends from the circumferential outer edge, then the cleaning effect in special environments is improved, but the stability of the cleaning robot deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectVSAvoidstability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning assembly is designed with movable capability relative to the machine body, allowing it to extend and retract as needed. The driving assembly with driving wheel and connecting rack enables controlled movement of the fixed support, allowing the system to adapt dynamically to different cleaning scenarios while maintaining stability during retraction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning robot is divided into distinct functional modules: the machine body, the fixed support, and the cleaning assembly. This segmentation allows the cleaning assembly to be independently movable while the machine body remains stable. The limiting member further segments the movement control by providing mechanical constraints

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the fixed support is made movable with driving assembly, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The driving assembly provides dynamic movement capability to the fixed support through a driving wheel engaged with a connecting rack. This mechanical drive system enables the cleaning assembly to automatically extend and retract, improving cleaning efficiency by accessing areas that would otherwise require manual intervention or multiple passes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The driving assembly serves multiple functions: it drives the fixed support to move for cleaning operations, and the same mechanical components (driving wheel, connecting rack) also serve as limiting members to constrain the movement range. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4714324A1Cleaning robot
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 BEIJING ROCKROBO TECH CO LTD
  • EP4714324A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4714324A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4714324A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A cleaning robot, comprising a machine body (10), a driving system (30) and a cleaning system (20), wherein the driving system (30) is arranged on the machine body (10) for driving the cleaning robot to operate on a cleaning surface; the cleaning system (20) is arranged on the machine body (10); and the cleaning system (20) comprises a main cleaning assembly (24) arranged parallel to the cleaning surface, the main cleaning assembly (24) being movably arranged relative to the machine body (10), such that at least a portion of the main cleaning assembly (24) can extend from a circumferential outer edge of the machine body (10).