Contact-type detection electrode and movable electric device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sweeping robots lack dirt detection capabilities, leading to the spread of viscous and dispersible substances like soup or pet feces during cleaning, causing room pollution and increasing cleaning difficulties and bacterial growth.
Innovation Solution
A contact-type detection electrode with flexible electrical conductors and a detect-and-control circuit that detects changes in electrical signals upon contact with dirt, allowing the robot to stop operation and prevent further spread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sweeping robots clean the ground without dirt detection capability, then cleaning coverage is improved, but dirt spread and room pollution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detection electrode performs preliminary detection of dirt before the sweeping robot begins cleaning. The flexible electrical conductors are positioned to contact the ground surface ahead of the main cleaning mechanism, detecting viscous and dispersible substances in advance. This allows the robot to identify contaminated areas and adjust its cleaning path or intensity accordingly, preventing dirt spread while maintaining cleaning coverage.
2Reliability
If contact-type detection electrode uses rigid structure, then detection stability is improved, but adaptability to various surfaces decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection electrode employs flexible electrical conductors made of conductive rubber, conductive fabric, or thin conductive films instead of rigid structures. These flexible materials can conform to various ground surfaces including floors, carpets, and uneven terrain, ensuring stable electrical contact for reliable dirt detection while adapting to different surface types and maintaining detection stability across diverse environments.
3Ease of manufacture
If detection electrode uses simple structure, then ease of manufacture is improved, but detection precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection electrode replaces complex mechanical detection mechanisms with an electrical field-based detection system. The flexible electrical conductors create electrical fields that interact with viscous and dispersible substances, causing measurable changes in electrical properties such as conductivity or capacitance. This substitution of mechanical systems with electrical fields enables precise detection of dirt while maintaining a simple, easy-to-manufacture structure using basic conductive materials and circuitry.
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
Accurately detects dirt, reduces pollution, and minimizes bacterial growth by preventing the spread of dirt and simplifying cleaning processes, while being adaptable for various surfaces and substances.
Implementation Method 1
The detect-and-control circuit is further configured to determine whether dirt is detected based on amount of change in an electrical signal between one of electrical conductors with a positive electrical signal and another one of electrical conductors with a negative electrical signal. In some embodiments, the amount of change in the electrical signal is the amount of change in resistance, capacitance, or impedance.
Data Source
AI summary
A contact-type detection electrode for detecting dispersible dirt and a movable electric device are provided. The contact-type detection electrode includes a support, and electrical conductors arranged on the support and being flexible.