Maintenance station and cleaning system

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cleaning robots require user intervention for cleaning piece maintenance, leading to increased workload and potential suboptimal cleaning due to untimely changes, and existing maintenance stations have complex structures and high costs.

Innovation Solution

A maintenance station with a housing, guiding platform, and a cleaning structure that uses gravity-fed liquid supply to clean cleaning pieces without a dedicated cleaning device, utilizing the cleaning robot's power mechanism to rub against a cleaning protrusion and liquid supply boss for efficient cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dedicated cleaning device is installed in the maintenance station, then cleaning function is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning functionVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning robot's own power mechanism is utilized to perform the cleaning function by rubbing against the cleaning protrusion, eliminating the need for a dedicated cleaning device in the maintenance station. The robot serves itself by using its existing mechanical components for maintenance purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The power mechanism of the cleaning robot is designed to serve dual purposes: both for cleaning operations during normal use and for self-cleaning during maintenance. This multi-functionality removes the need for separate dedicated cleaning equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a dedicated cleaning device is installed in the maintenance station, then cleaning function is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning functionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning robot's own power mechanism is utilized to perform the cleaning function by rubbing against the cleaning protrusion, eliminating the need for a dedicated cleaning device in the maintenance station. The robot serves itself by using its existing mechanical components for maintenance purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The power mechanism of the cleaning robot is designed to serve dual purposes: both for cleaning operations during normal use and for self-cleaning during maintenance. This multi-functionality removes the need for separate dedicated cleaning equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If user manually changes cleaning pieces, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to user intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcleaning efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning robot automatically enters the maintenance station and uses its power mechanism to self-clean the cleaning pieces without user intervention. This automated self-service process maintains system simplicity while significantly improving productivity by eliminating manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The maintenance station is designed to automatically detect when the cleaning robot needs maintenance and initiates the cleaning process immediately, ensuring cleaning pieces are refreshed before they become ineffective, thus maintaining high productivity without user intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Simplifies structure, reduces costs, and enhances cleaning efficiency by allowing autonomous cleaning of cleaning pieces with continuous liquid supply and waste liquid discharge, ensuring thorough and efficient cleaning without user intervention.

Implementation Method 1

the liquid supply port is positioned above the cleaning structure and configured to supply liquid that flows into the groove by gravity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

utilizing the cleaning robot's power mechanism to rub against a cleaning protrusion and liquid supply boss for efficient cleaning

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

the cleaning protrusion is configured to clean a cleaning piece of the cleaning robot

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentUS12357143B2Maintenance station and cleaning system

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 SHENZHEN FLY RODENT DYNAMICS INTELLIGENT TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A maintenance station for maintaining a cleaning robot includes a housing, a cleaning structure, and a liquid supply assembly. The housing includes a guiding platform configured to guide the cleaning robot to park. The cleaning structure is arranged on the housing and positioned corresponding to the guiding platform. The cleaning structure includes a tank body and a cleaning protrusion. The tank body defines a groove, the cleaning protrusion is arranged in the groove, and the cleaning protrusion is configured to clean a cleaning piece of the cleaning robot. The liquid supply assembly is arranged on the housing, the liquid supply assembly defines a liquid supply port, the liquid supply port is positioned above the cleaning structure and configured to supply liquid that flows into the groove by gravity.