Extendable Edge Cleaning Element for Safe Robot Floor Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic cleaning machines face challenges in meeting industry safety standards during certification while cleaning floor surfaces adjacent to immovable objects, such as walls, without contacting them, and in distinguishing between immovable and movable objects to avoid damage.
Innovation Solution
A robotic cleaning machine equipped with deployable/extendable cleaning elements, such as scrubbing pads, brooms, or squeegees, that use sensors to determine the presence and type of objects in its environment, deploying the cleaning elements only when near immovable objects and retracting them to avoid movable objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robotic cleaning machine contacts the wall/edge to clean the floor surface next to it, then the cleaning coverage is improved, but the safety standards during certification are violated
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning element is designed to be dynamically extendable and retractable. During normal operation, it extends to contact the wall/edge for complete cleaning coverage. During certification with movable test objects, it retracts to avoid contact and meet safety standards. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between cleaning coverage and safety compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the cleaning element (extended vs. retracted state) based on operational context. When operating near immovable objects, the cleaning element is positioned in the extended state to maximize cleaning coverage. When operating near movable test objects during certification, it is positioned in the retracted state to prevent contact and meet safety requirements.
2Productivity
If the robotic cleaning machine deploys the cleaning element continuously, then the cleaning efficiency is improved, but the risk of damaging movable objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic cleaning machine uses sensors to detect objects in its environment and provides feedback to the control system. The system processes this information to determine whether objects are immovable (walls, furniture) or movable (test objects, obstacles). Based on this feedback, it automatically adjusts the cleaning element deployment state - extended for immovable objects to maintain cleaning efficiency, retracted for movable objects to prevent damage.
3Reliability
If the robotic cleaning machine retracts the cleaning element to avoid movable objects, then the safety is improved, but the cleaning coverage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning element transitions between extended and retracted states dynamically based on real-time environmental assessment. When the sensor detects movable objects, the element retracts to ensure safety. When movable objects are absent and only immovable objects or open floor areas are detected, the element extends to maximize cleaning coverage. This dynamic behavior ensures both safety and productivity are optimized according to conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling the robotic floor cleaning machine is disclosed that includes sensing, by a sensor on the robotic cleaning machine, an object within a sensed field. The method further includes determining, by a safety controller on the robotic cleaning machine, whether the object is an immovable object (such as a wall), and deploying an extendable cleaning element to clean the floor surface up next to the wall. The method can further include deploying the extendable cleaning element such that the extendable cleaning element is in contact with and cleans the floor up to an edge of the immovable object. Additionally, the method can include determining that the object is a movable object (such as a living thing) and preventing the extendable cleaning element from extending such that the robotic cleaning machines does not contact the movable object.