Powered Floor Care Device Adaptive Speed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powered floor care devices, such as battery-operated lawn mowers, lack advanced control systems for individually controlled rapid and gentle acceleration and braking, leading to inefficient and noisy operation.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a control and regulating unit that detects locomotion and processing parameters to adjust the speed of the electric propulsion and processing drives, utilizing hysteresis-like acceleration and braking characteristics to optimize speed regulation based on detected parameters, allowing for quiet and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If linear acceleration control is used for the electric drive unit, then the control system is simple, but the acceleration and deceleration behavior is not gentle and cannot be individually controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the acceleration and deceleration behavior adaptive rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the drive unit's acceleration characteristics based on detected movement parameters (speed, direction changes) and processing parameters (load, cutting height), transforming a static control system into one that responds flexibly to varying operational conditions, thereby achieving gentle and individually controlled acceleration without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control where the detection unit continuously monitors movement parameters and processing parameters, and the control unit uses this feedback to adjust the electric drive unit's acceleration behavior in real-time. This closed-loop control enables gentle and individually adapted acceleration/deceleration by constantly comparing actual performance with desired performance and making corrective adjustments
2Productivity
If rapid response to speed changes is implemented, then productivity is improved, but the operation becomes less smooth and more noisy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the acceleration response dynamic by adapting it to the current operational context. When rapid response is needed (e.g., significant processing parameter changes), the system provides quick adjustment while when smooth operation is prioritized (e.g., steady-state cutting), the acceleration is more gradual. This contextual dynamics enables rapid productivity response without constant noise and rough operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the acceleration parameters based on the detected movement and processing parameters. The control unit adjusts acceleration magnitude and rate according to the situation, using larger acceleration when productivity is prioritized and smaller acceleration when smooth quiet operation is needed, thereby resolving the contradiction between rapid response and operational smoothness
3Ease of operation
If multiple acceleration characteristics are stored for different movement parameters, then individual control is improved, but computing power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the acceleration control into discrete characteristics stored in memory, each associated with specific movement parameter ranges. Instead of calculating optimal acceleration continuously, the system divides the operational space into segments and selects pre-defined acceleration characteristics for each segment, reducing computational burden while maintaining individual control capability across different operating conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by storing pre-calculated acceleration characteristics in memory that can be quickly retrieved and applied. Rather than performing complex real-time calculations, the control unit copies appropriate acceleration parameters from stored data structures based on current movement and processing parameters, significantly reducing computing power requirements while preserving individualized control
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a driven floor or ground maintenance apparatus, particularly a battery-driven lawnmower, having: at least one electrical propulsion drive unit (12); at least one electrical treatment drive unit (14); at least one open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (16), which is designed to actuate the electrical propulsion drive unit (12) for closed-loop control of a travel speed and/or the electrical treatment drive unit (14) for closed-loop control of a treatment speed; and at least one sensing unit (18), which is designed to sense at least one travel parameter and/or at least one treatment parameter, particularly at least one load parameter of the electrical propulsion drive unit (12) and/or the electrical treatment drive unit (14). According to the invention, the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (16) is designed to actuate the electrical propulsion drive unit (12) for step-by-step, closed-loop control of the treatment speed in accordance with at least one travel parameter sensed by the sensing unit (18) and in accordance with at least one treatment parameter sensed by the sensing unit (18), particularly in accordance with an average value of a plurality of measurements of the at least one treatment parameter, and/or the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (16) is designed to actuate the electrical treatment drive unit (14) for step-by-step, closed-loop control of the treatment speed in accordance with at least one travel parameter sensed by the sensing unit (18), particularly in accordance with an average value of a plurality of measurements of the at least one travel parameter, and in accordance with at least one treatment parameter sensed by the sensing unit (18).