Floor-treatment appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cleaner robots face difficulties in reliably cleaning surfaces with unevenness, such as steps or thresholds, due to disruptions in air flow and wear of flexible seals, which can push dirt particles and fail to maintain effective contact with the ground.
Innovation Solution
A soil cultivation device with a chassis, landing gear, and a movable processing device guided along a vertical path to maintain a consistent distance from the ground, using a guide that can adjust the angle and include a support element and elastic element to ensure proper contact and air flow, and optionally featuring a rotary brush or suction mouth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flexible seal is installed in the suction inlet area to ensure desired airflow, then airflow reliability is improved, but the seal is exposed to frequent contact with the floor leading to rapid wear
Solution Approach 1:
The suction nozzle is made movable relative to the chassis through a guide mechanism, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position to maintain optimal distance from the floor surface. This dynamic adjustment prevents the seal from being constantly pressed against the floor, reducing wear while maintaining airflow reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction nozzle is separated from the chassis as an independent movable component. This segmentation allows the nozzle to move independently to adapt to floor unevenness without affecting the overall device structure, reducing stress on the sealing elements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the suction nozzle is raised too far from the floor to avoid obstacles, then obstacle clearance is improved, but airflow is disrupted and dirt particles cannot be reliably removed
Solution Approach 1:
The suction nozzle is equipped with a guide mechanism that allows it to move vertically and angularly to maintain optimal proximity to the floor surface even when obstacles are present. This dynamic positioning ensures continuous effective airflow for reliable dirt removal while navigating uneven surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide mechanism introduces additional degrees of freedom (vertical movement and angular adjustment) to the suction nozzle positioning. This multi-dimensional movement capability allows the nozzle to clear obstacles while maintaining effective cleaning distance from the floor.
3Productivity
If the suction nozzle is kept close to the floor for effective cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the seal is exposed to intensive contact leading to rapid wear
Solution Approach 1:
The suction nozzle is made dynamically adjustable through the guide mechanism, allowing it to maintain close proximity to the floor for effective cleaning when needed, while being able to lift or angle away to reduce seal contact wear during obstacle navigation or transitions.
4Device complexity
If a conventional seal is used to maintain contact with the floor, then simple structure is achieved, but the seal can only compensate for small vertical heights and effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on a static seal to compensate for height variations, the invention uses a dynamic guide mechanism that actively adjusts the suction nozzle position. This replaces the need for an overly complex multi-component sealing system with a simpler mechanical guidance system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical sealing system (which has limited compensation capability) with a mechanical guidance and positioning system. This substitution achieves better sealing effectiveness through controlled positioning rather than relying on seal material deformation.
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 device effectively maintains a consistent distance from the ground over uneven surfaces, ensuring reliable cleaning and minimizing dirt streaks by adjusting the processing device's position relative to the chassis, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and extending the lifespan of sealing elements.
Implementation Method 1
a suction device (110) configured to cultivate the ground using pneumatic suction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3
AI summary
A floor-treatment appliance comprises a chassis; a running gear, in order to guide the chassis over a floor; a treatment device for treating the floor; a suction mouth; and a guide for positioning the treatment device movably along a predetermined path in relation to the chassis. The path here extends in a vertical direction in relation to the floor and the path encloses a predefined angle with a plane parallel to the floor when the floor-treatment appliance is standing on a planar floor surface, wherein the angle is at most approximately 45°.