Electrical connection for robot vacuum lid

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Solution Overview

Problem

The electrical connection to the light ring in autonomous cleaning robots is often disrupted due to debris buildup and improper seating of the cleaning bin, leading to loss of illumination and potential operational issues.

Innovation Solution

The autonomous cleaning robot incorporates a bottom surface with surface features to collect debris without disrupting the bin's position, operates to clear debris from the airflow channel, and uses a flexible electrical contact assembly that maintains contact over a wide range of vertical heights and slight off-positioning, ensuring continuous power and data transmission to the light ring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the cleaning bin is allowed to move freely in the cavity, then the robot can accommodate debris buildup, but the electrical connection to the light ring becomes disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of debris buildupVSAvoidelectrical connection stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical contact is designed with flexible parameters (vertical flexibility, horizontal flexibility, rotation capability) that allow it to adapt to position changes of the cleaning bin while maintaining reliable electrical connection. The contact can move vertically, horizontally, and rotate to compensate for bin displacement caused by debris buildup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The electrical contact assembly transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic flexible connection. The contact can dynamically adjust its position and orientation in response to bin movement, maintaining electrical connectivity throughout the range of motion caused by debris accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the electrical contact is made rigid to ensure stable connection, then connection reliability improves, but the system cannot accommodate position changes of the lid or cleaning bin

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection stabilityVSAvoidaccommodation of position changes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical contact is designed with multiple degrees of freedom including vertical movement, horizontal movement, and rotation. This dynamic structure allows the contact to maintain reliable electrical connection while accommodating position changes of the lid and cleaning bin caused by debris buildup or improper seating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The contact's physical parameters (position, orientation) are made variable rather than fixed. The contact can change its vertical position, horizontal position, and rotational angle to maintain electrical connectivity despite changes in the bin's position or the lid's position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the contact tip is made large to ensure good electrical contact, then connection reliability improves, but the contact becomes more sensitive to vertical height variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical contact qualityVSAvoidtolerance to vertical height variations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical contact incorporates vertical flexibility that allows it to move up and down to maintain contact with the lid. This dynamic vertical adjustment capability enables the contact to accommodate variations in vertical height while maintaining reliable electrical connection through the dome-shaped contact tip.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution effectively maintains the electrical connection to the light ring, preventing disruption and ensuring consistent illumination and operation of the cleaning robot, even during movement and slight misalignment of the cleaning bin.

Implementation Method 1

each electrical contact comprises a double curved structure to allow the electrical contact to be vertically flexible

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

each electrical contact includes a dome-shaped dimple on the contact tip of the electrical contact

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure concentration:

Data Source

PatentUS11737631B2Electrical connection for robot vacuum lid

Publication Date: 2023.08.29 IROBOT CORP

AI summary

The present disclosure provides, in one aspect, method of controlling an autonomous cleaning robot, the method comprising: navigating the autonomous cleaning robot to a docking station; sensing that the autonomous cleaning robot is navigating to the docking station; increasing a vacuum power of a vacuum assembly of the autonomous cleaning robot to reduce an amount of debris from an airflow channel proximate to an inlet of a cleaning bin disposed in the autonomous cleaning robot; and then decreasing the vacuum power of the vacuum assembly of the autonomous cleaning robot.