Lawn Mower Robot Caster Lift Detection and Modular Gearbox
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lawn mower robots lack a safety mechanism to prevent accidents caused by wheels getting caught on cliffs or obstacles, and the gear box fastening structure is not easily interchangeable between metal and plastic gears, leading to operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sensor unit to detect when the caster wheel is lifted from the ground and a modular wheel drive module with a unified fastening structure for the gear box, allowing easy replacement of gears regardless of type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor unit is added to detect when the caster wheel is lifted from the ground, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit detects the lifted state of the caster wheel in advance before an accident can occur. By detecting the abnormal state preliminarily, the system can take preventive action (stopping the mower) to avoid the harmful effect of the mower falling off a cliff or uneven terrain.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit provides feedback to the control unit about the operational state of the caster wheel. When the sensor detects that the caster wheel is lifted from the ground, it sends a signal to the control unit, which then stops the drive wheels and cutting blade to prevent accidents. This closed-loop feedback mechanism improves safety.
2Ease of repair
If a unified fastening structure is used for the gear box to allow easy replacement of different gear types, then ease of repair is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gear box is designed with a unified fastening structure that can accommodate different types of gears (metal or plastic) using the same mounting interface. The fastening structure includes standardized fastening holes and mounting features that work with various gear types, allowing the same gear box housing to serve multiple functions with different internal gear configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear box is segmented into replaceable components where the gears can be independently replaced without replacing the entire gear box housing. The unified fastening structure allows the gears to be detached and reattached easily, enabling maintenance personnel to replace only the worn gear component while keeping the rest of the gear box assembly intact.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a lawn mower robot, including an inner body; an outer cover configured to surround an outer side of the inner body; a plurality of blades rotatably provided on a bottom surface of the inner body to cut grass; casters pivotably installed at both front sides of the inner body, respectively, to be pivotable about a rotation shaft; wheels rotatably mounted at both rear sides of the inner body, respectively; a driving unit configured to drive the wheels; and a sensor unit configured to sense whether or not the caster is lifted from the ground, wherein the sensor unit comprises a drop switch configured to sense the lowering of the caster when the caster is lowered in a state of being floated in the air.