Floor treatment machine and method for treating floor surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic floor treatment machines face inefficiencies in cleaning non-continuous areas and adapting to varying cleaning needs, with high computational and storage requirements, and often require complex route planning and obstacle avoidance, which increases operating effort and time.
Innovation Solution
A floor treatment machine that defines zones with virtual obstacles, allowing sequential treatment of areas without extensive route calculation, using real and virtual obstacles to control movement between zones, and employing sensors for precise obstacle detection and navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grid-based mapping and route planning are used to achieve precise cleaning coverage, then cleaning completeness is improved, but computational effort and data storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning area is divided into multiple zones with different cleaning priorities and requirements. Each zone can be independently managed and treated, allowing the system to focus computational resources on specific areas rather than processing the entire floor plan with high-resolution grid mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cleaning strategies and parameters are applied to different zones based on their specific requirements. High-traffic areas receive more intensive cleaning while low-traffic areas use simpler methods, optimizing both cleaning effectiveness and computational resource allocation.
2Measurement precision
If high-resolution grid mapping is implemented to accurately represent floor boundaries and obstacles, then position determination accuracy is improved, but data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The floor area is segmented into zones where only the boundaries of each zone need to be stored rather than complete high-resolution grid maps. This reduces data storage requirements while maintaining sufficient accuracy for navigation within each zone.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing complete high-resolution grid maps, the system uses simplified zone boundary representations that capture the essential navigation information needed for cleaning operations.
3Productivity
If complex route planning algorithms are used to optimize cleaning paths, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but operating time for route calculation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Zone boundaries and cleaning parameters are predetermined and stored before actual cleaning operations begin. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for complex real-time route calculations during cleaning, reducing operational delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning area is divided into zones that can be processed sequentially with simple navigation logic within each zone, avoiding the need for complex global route optimization algorithms.
4Ease of operation
If the cleaning machine treats the entire floor area uniformly, then simplicity of operation is maintained, but adaptability to different cleaning needs in different areas is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different cleaning parameters, tools, and strategies are applied to different zones based on their specific requirements. The system automatically adapts to local conditions within each zone while maintaining simple overall operation through automated zone-based control.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor is divided into zones with distinct cleaning characteristics. The machine automatically transitions between zones and adjusts its operation accordingly, providing adaptability without requiring complex manual programming for each area.
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
Enables efficient, complete treatment of zones with minimal computational effort and reduced operating time, allowing flexible adaptation to different cleaning needs and space conditions, while avoiding unnecessary crossing of treatment areas.
Implementation Method 1
a scan sensor 8, which makes it possible to carry out distance measurements in a substantially horizontal plane over a predetermined angular range
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The invention relates to the control (6) of a floor treatment machine (1), or to the method for treating floor surfaces, comprising a planning mode, which allows at least two zones to be defined on a floor surface to be treated and allows a first node to be defined in each zone and allows a connection path from at least one zone to a first node of another zone to be defined. In order to define a zone, at least one region of the zone edge of said zone can be input as a virtual obstacle, a direct connection between the first node of the defined zone and the first node of another zone thus being interrupted by the input region of the zone edge on the basis of real and virtual obstacles. After the complete treatment of a zone, the virtual obstacle on the zone edge of said zone is canceled and a switch to another zone is performed. Thus, zones distributed in any way can be treated in succession without the intervention of an operating person.