Cleaning Robot Obstacle Alignment and Clog Detection for Edge Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cleaning robots struggle to effectively clean corners and perimeters due to their circular design, and they often get tangled with wires or clogged by dust, leading to reduced efficiency and potential damage.

Innovation Solution

A cleaning robot equipped with an obstacle sensor and controller that adjusts speed and direction to minimize collisions and align with obstacles, allowing for effective perimeter cleaning and preventing clogging by monitoring suction motor RPM to detect flow-path loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the cleaning robot uses a circular main body design, then direction changes are easier, but corner and perimeter cleaning effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirection changesVSAvoidcorner and perimeter cleaning effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot dynamically adjusts its shape by extending protrusions from the main body to align with obstacle perimeters, transforming from a static circular shape to a dynamic adaptive shape that can effectively clean corners and edges while maintaining easy direction changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the cleaning robot uses a side brush to sweep dust, then perimeter cleaning is improved, but the brush gets tangled with wires and hair causing failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperimeter cleaningVSAvoidbrush tangling failures

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the side brush component entirely and replaces it with a protrusion that extends the main body to align with obstacle perimeters, allowing the suction opening to directly clean edges without using a rotating brush that can tangle with wires and hair

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical side brush sweeping system is replaced with a geometric alignment system where the protrusion extends the main body to match the obstacle perimeter, enabling direct suction cleaning without mechanical contact with the brushed surface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If the cleaning robot increases suction power, then dust collection is improved, but clogging in the flow path increases causing load

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedust collectionVSAvoidflow path clogging

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The obstacle sensor detects obstacles before the robot reaches them, allowing the controller to extend protrusions in advance to align with the obstacle perimeter. This preliminary geometric alignment ensures that the suction opening is properly positioned to collect dust from edges without requiring excessive suction power that could cause clogging

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3987993B1Cleaning robot and controlling method thereof

Publication Date: 2023.05.10 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

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Figure 2c~3
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AI summary

Disclosed is a cleaning robot including: a driving unit configured to move the cleaning robot; an obstacle sensor configured to sense an obstacle; and a controller configured to reduce, if a distance between the cleaning robot and the obstacle is shorter than or equal to a reference distance, a driving speed of the cleaning robot so that the driving speed of the cleaning robot is lower than a shock absorbing speed when the cleaning robot contacts the obstacle.