Mobile robot and operation method thereof
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile robots with casters accumulate foreign substances during indoor use, leading to floor damage and increased maintenance costs due to the difficulty in cleaning or replacing casters, especially for large and heavy robots.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robot equipped with a sensing unit and control unit that detects mat areas for cleaning, performs specific motion driving to remove contaminants from casters without departing from the mat, and can notify managers when cleaning is required, allowing for autonomous caster management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mobile robot is large and heavy to perform its guiding function effectively, then the robot can provide stable and reliable service, but it becomes difficult to manually turn over and clean the casters
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robot autonomously cleans its own casters by detecting mat areas, navigating to them, and performing cleaning motions without human intervention. The control unit coordinates the drive wheels to execute specific motion patterns that remove foreign substances from the casters while the robot remains positioned on the mat.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If casters are replaced periodically to maintain floor quality, then floor damage is prevented, but management costs and replacement time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs preliminary cleaning actions on the casters by removing foreign substances before they can cause significant floor damage. The control unit detects when cleaning is needed and executes cleaning motions on mat areas, preventing the accumulation of harmful contaminants that would otherwise require full caster replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding (replacing) the casters when they accumulate foreign substances, the system recovers their functionality by autonomously removing contaminants. The control unit manages the cleaning process, allowing casters to be reused multiple times, thereby extending their service life and reducing replacement frequency.
3Reliability
If the robot performs caster cleaning operations, then foreign substances are removed from casters, but the cleaning operation may interfere with task execution
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements periodic cleaning operations where the robot autonomously determines when caster cleaning is required based on operational conditions. The cleaning is performed at appropriate intervals rather than continuously, allowing the robot to balance its guiding tasks with maintenance needs by executing cleaning motions only when necessary.
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 mobile robot effectively removes foreign substances from casters autonomously, preventing floor damage, extending caster replacement cycles, and minimizing maintenance costs while ensuring efficient cleaning operations.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing unit configured to allow the mobile robot to detect a mat area
Implementation Method 2
perform motion driving for removing contaminants on the casters without departing from the mat area
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile robot and an operating method thereof are provided. The mobile robot periodically removes foreign substances stuck on casters. To this end, while the mobile robot is traveling using a wheel module including a plurality of drive wheels and casters, a nearby mat area is detected using a sensor in response to recognition that a caster management mode has been started. After the mobile robot moves to be located on the detected mat area, the mobile robot performs predetermined motion driving to remove contaminants on the casters without departing from the mat area. This can minimize damage, such as scratches, on a floor due to foreign substances stuck on the casters while the mobile robot travels.