Cyclone Robot Cleaner Airflow Layout for Quiet Suction and Battery Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Robot cleaners face challenges in efficiently suctioning dust due to filter contamination, increased noise during suction, and battery overheating, which affect cleaning performance and energy efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The robot cleaner incorporates a fan unit, a suction unit with dual discharge ports and a cyclone unit for efficient dust separation, and a housing with an air flow path for cooling the battery, reducing noise and improving suction efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If suction force is increased to enhance cleaning performance, then dust suction efficiency is improved, but noise generation is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust suction efficiencyVSAvoidnoise generation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The suction unit is divided into multiple suction ports (first suction port and second suction port) that are spatially separated. This segmentation allows the suction force to be distributed across multiple entry points, improving overall dust collection efficiency while reducing the noise intensity at each individual port compared to a single high-power suction point

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Duration of action of moving object

If use time of robot cleaner is increased, then cleaning coverage is improved, but battery heat generation is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuse timeVSAvoidbattery heat generation
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The air flow path in the housing serves multiple functions: it guides air for dust separation and simultaneously acts as a cooling pathway for the battery. The air that passes through the cyclone unit and guide members is directed through the housing to absorb heat from the battery, allowing the same air flow system to perform both dust removal and thermal management functions

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses its own operational air flow to cool the battery without requiring an additional dedicated cooling device. The air moved by the fan unit for dust separation naturally passes through the housing and absorbs heat from the battery, making the system self-cooling during normal operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If single discharge port is used for dust and air, then device complexity is reduced, but suction efficiency is decreased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge port configurationVSAvoidsuction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge function is segmented into multiple discharge ports (first discharge port and second discharge port) that are spatially separated and connected to different suction ports. This allows dust and air to be discharged through separate pathways, preventing re-suction of discharged particles and improving overall suction efficiency while maintaining relatively simple device structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This design enhances dust suction efficiency, reduces noise, and effectively cools the battery, improving overall cleaning performance and energy efficiency without additional cooling devices.

Implementation Method 1

a cyclone unit for separating the dust from the air suctioned through a suction port using centrifugal force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP3340848B1Robot cleaner
Publication Date: 2023.07.19 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3340848B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3340848B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3340848B1 patent drawingFigure 6(a)~6(b)

AI summary

Disclosed is a robot cleaner. The robot cleaner includes a cleaner main body defining an external appearance of the robot cleaner, a fan unit mounted in the cleaner main body for generating suction force, a suction unit provided in the cleaner main body and having a suction port for suctioning air containing dust via driving of the fan unit and a first discharge port and a second discharge port for discharging the air containing the dust, a first guide member coupled to the first discharge port, a second guide member coupled to the second discharge port, and a cyclone unit for separating the dust from the air suctioned through the suction port using centrifugal force, the cyclone unit having a first communication hole for communicating with the first guide member and a second communication hole for communicating with the second guide member.