Cleaning Robot Head Suspension to Balance Plenum Forces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile cleaning robots experience undesirable force profiles on the cleaning head due to the movement of the plenum, affecting cleaning performance as the head translates up and down, which is particularly pronounced when navigating different floor types and obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A passive cleaning head suspension system with a biasing element and linkage that compensates for plenum forces, maintaining a desirable downforce profile by altering the natural force profile over the cleaning head's range of motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning head is allowed to move vertically to adapt to different floor types, then cleaning adaptability is improved, but the plenum applies varying forces that create an undesirable force profile affecting cleaning performance
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing element (spring) acts as a counterweight system that applies an opposing force to balance the plenum's varying forces on the cleaning head. As the cleaning head moves vertically and the plenum generates unwanted forces, the biasing element provides a counteracting force through its elastic deformation, creating a balanced force profile that maintains consistent cleaning performance across different floor types.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing element changes its physical state (elastic deformation) in response to the cleaning head's vertical movement. As the cleaning head translates between extended and retracted positions, the biasing element's compression and extension alter its force output dynamically, compensating for the plenum's varying forces and maintaining a desirable downforce profile throughout the range of motion.
2Ease of operation
If the plenum is made flexible to allow cleaning head movement, then movement freedom is improved, but varying forces are applied to the cleaning head creating an undesirable force profile
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing element serves as a counterweight mechanism that offsets the harmful varying forces generated by the flexible plenum during cleaning head movement. The spring's elastic recovery force acts in opposition to the plenum's force variations, creating a more stable and predictable force profile that eliminates the undesirable effects while preserving movement freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful varying forces from the flexible plenum into a beneficial balanced force profile. By introducing the biasing element, the previously harmful force variations are counteracted and transformed into a stable, predictable downforce that improves cleaning performance while maintaining the advantages of plenum flexibility.
3Productivity
If the cleaning head maintains constant downforce on various surfaces, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but the plenum's force variations interfere with maintaining constant downforce
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing element functions as a counterweight system that compensates for the plenum's force variations to maintain constant downforce on the cleaning head. As the plenum generates varying forces during vertical movement, the biasing element's opposing elastic force balances these variations, ensuring consistent downforce application that optimizes cleaning efficiency across different floor surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing element dynamically adjusts its physical parameters (compression/extension) in response to cleaning head position changes. This parameter change allows the system to maintain constant downforce by having the spring force vary in opposition to the plenum's force variations, ensuring optimal cleaning performance is maintained throughout the entire range of motion.
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 suspension system ensures consistent cleaning efficiency by balancing forces on the cleaning head, maintaining optimal downforce regardless of the floor surface type or obstacles encountered.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing element can be connected to the body and can be movable with the cleaning head. The linkage can be connected to the cleaning head and the biasing element. The linkage can be rotatably connected to the body to, together with the biasing element, bias the cleaning head toward the retracted position.
Data Source
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AI summary
A mobile cleaning robot can be movable within an environment. The mobile cleaning robot can include a body, a cleaning head, a biasing element, and a linkage. The cleaning head can be operable to extract debris from a floor surface and can be configured to move vertically relative to the body between an extended position and a retracted position. The biasing element can be connected to the body and can be movable with the cleaning head. The linkage can be connected to the cleaning head and the biasing element. The linkage can be rotatably connected to the body to, together with the biasing element, bias the cleaning head toward the retracted position.