Crawler Mop Self-Cleaning for Robot Floor Wash Bases

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robot sweepers are unable to effectively clean floors due to limitations in their wiping cloths, which require manual assembly and disassembly, leading to increased user burden and potential secondary pollution from dirty cloths.

Innovation Solution

An automated floor cleaning apparatus comprising an automatic cleaning robot with a mop mechanism and a washing base, where the robot body is equipped with a rotation component and a crawler-type wiping cloth that automatically interacts with a cleaning brush and water supply mechanism for dirt removal, and includes dehumidifying and drying components for cloth maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wiping cloth only contacts the floor continuously, then the robot sweeper can maintain simple structure and operation, but the cleaning effectiveness deteriorates and secondary pollution occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidsecondary pollution
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wiping cloth is equipped with a self-cleaning mechanism that automatically cleans itself during the sweeping operation. The cloth has a cleaning roller that rotates to scrape dirt from its surface, and a water spray system that rinses the cloth, enabling it to maintain cleaning effectiveness without external intervention and prevent secondary pollution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The wiping cloth transitions from a static contact state to a dynamic self-cleaning state. The cleaning roller rotates relative to the cloth surface, and the water spray system activates periodically, creating dynamic cleaning actions that remove accumulated dirt while the robot is in motion, thus maintaining reliability without causing harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of manufacture

If the wiping cloth requires manual assembly and disassembly for cleaning, then the structure can be simple, but the ease of operation deteriorates and user burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidcleaning convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The wiping cloth incorporates an automated self-cleaning system with a rotating cleaning roller and water spray mechanism. The cloth remains permanently installed on the robot, eliminating the need for manual assembly and disassembly. The self-cleaning functions are activated automatically during operation, greatly improving ease of operation while maintaining relatively simple structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the wiping cloth is not cleaned regularly, then the structure and operation remain simple, but cleaning effectiveness deteriorates due to accumulated dirt

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wiping cloth maintains continuous cleaning effectiveness through an integrated self-cleaning system that operates continuously or periodically during the robot's movement. The cleaning roller continuously scrapes the cloth surface, and the water spray system periodically rinses it, ensuring the cloth remains effective throughout its service life without requiring external intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The wiping cloth automatically maintains its own cleaning effectiveness through built-in cleaning mechanisms. The system monitors and maintains the cloth's cleaning capability without external intervention, balancing device complexity with sustained reliability by incorporating essential self-cleaning components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 system allows for automatic and effective cleaning of the wiping cloth, reducing user burden and ensuring a good floor sweeping effect while preventing secondary pollution.

Implementation Method 1

a water supply mechanism with its water outlet facing the side of the crawler-type wiping cloth that stretches inside the opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid spray: Fluid Spray

Implementation Method 2

a cleaning brush that is arranged inside the outer container and abuts against one side of the crawler-type wiping cloth that stretches inside the opening so as to remove dirt attached to the crawler-type wiping cloth through friction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

a dehumidifying nozzle is arranged on the base and communicated with an inlet end of vacuum equipment inside the outer container via a pipeline so as to form a negative pressure on the opening at the upper end of the dehumidifying nozzle and further absorb residual water stain in the crawler-type wiping cloth

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure suction: Suction

Implementation Method 4

a blow drying nozzle is also arranged at the front side of the dehumidifying nozzle, on the base. The blow drying nozzle is communicated with an air outlet of a hot-air blower in the outer container via a pipeline for drying the crawler-type wiping cloth

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3669738B1Automated floor cleaning apparatus
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 NINGBO FUJIA IND
  • EP3669738B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3669738B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3669738B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present disclosure discloses an automated floor cleaning apparatus, comprises an automatic cleaning robot and a washing base; the rear end of the robot body of the automatic cleaning robot is provided with a mop mechanism, the mop mechanism comprises a rotation component rotatably connected to the robot body and a crawler-type wiping cloth sleeving outside and rotating along with the rotation component; the washing base comprises an outer container having an opening at its front side for the crawler-type wiping cloth to stretch in, a water supply mechanism with its water outlet facing the side of the crawler-type wiping cloth that stretches inside the opening, and a cleaning brush that is arranged inside the outer container and abuts against one side of the crawler-type wiping cloth that stretches inside the opening so as to remove dirt attached to the crawler-type wiping cloth through friction. The technical solution provided in this disclosure automatically and effectively removes dirt attached to the crawler-type wiping cloth, avoiding artificial detaching and then cleaning the wiping cloth stained with dirt, automatically performing washing operation, greatly alleviating operation burden of a user, and having a good floor sweeping effect.