Guide Robot Trash Can Assembly for Mobile Waste Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robots lack the functionality to serve as both guidance and waste collection units, particularly in environments like airports, where trash cans are scarce and difficult to locate, leading to user inconvenience and aesthetic issues due to their placement and odor.
Innovation Solution
A guide robot with an integrated trash can assembly that allows for autonomous waste collection, featuring a detachable trash can unit stored within the robot's body, a separate garbage insertion part, and sensors for odor management and waste level detection, ensuring aesthetics and convenience by hiding the trash can and minimizing odor exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If trash cans are placed in corners for aesthetic reasons and odor control, then the appearance and odor management are improved, but users have difficulty locating them and must travel longer distances to dispose of waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the guidance function and waste collection function into a single integrated robot system. The robot serves both as a directional guide for users and as a mobile trash can, eliminating the need for separate stationary trash cans placed in corners. This merging allows the system to provide both aesthetic benefits (no visible corner trash cans) and accessibility benefits (robot can approach users anywhere in the terminal).
Solution Approach 2:
The robot performs multiple functions: it provides directional guidance to users while simultaneously serving as a mobile waste collection point. The detachable trash can assembly allows the robot to function as both a guidance device and a waste receptacle, making the system versatile and adaptable to different user needs in various locations within the airport terminal.
2Ease of operation
If trash cans are placed in visible locations for user convenience, then accessibility is improved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to odor and placement in corners
Solution Approach 1:
The trash can assembly is designed to be detachable and mobile rather than stationary. The robot can dynamically move the trash can to different locations based on user needs, providing accessibility wherever users are located while maintaining aesthetic appearance by removing fixed corner placements. The dynamic repositioning capability allows the system to adapt to changing user requirements in real-time.
3Ease of operation
If multiple trash cans are distributed throughout the airport, then user accessibility is improved, but the harmful factors (odor and aesthetics) worsen due to multiple corner placements
Solution Approach 1:
The robot provides self-service waste collection by autonomously navigating to users and accepting waste directly. This eliminates the need for multiple stationary trash cans distributed throughout the terminal, as the mobile robot can service multiple locations sequentially. The system reduces harmful factors by consolidating waste collection points while maintaining accessibility through autonomous movement and user interaction.
Data Source
AI summary
A guide robot includes a lower module includes a wheel and a motor provided inside the lower module, and an upper module disposed at an upper portion of the lower module and including a trash can assembly and a display unit. The upper module includes a body part coupled to the upper portion of the lower module and a head part rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the body part. The body part includes a front case forming a front outer appearance of the body part and including the trash can assembly provided inside the front case, and a rear case forming a rear outer appearance of the body part and including the display unit. A garbage insertion part is provided at a portion of the front case corresponding to an upper portion of the trash can assembly to insert garbage into the trash can assembly.