Mobile robot
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile robots struggle with precise mop attachment, interference between rotating members, insufficient driving power, and difficulty in cleaning corners and areas adjacent to walls due to inadequate friction and alignment issues, leading to inefficient cleaning and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robot equipped with an attachment guider featuring a guide rim and elastic pieces that guide the mop portion to its original position, ensuring proper contact with the floor, and a water supply module to maintain effective friction, along with a sweep module for efficient cleaning and obstacle navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a user attaches a mop by eye without alignment marks, then the attachment process is simple and quick, but the mop may be attached at an incorrect position causing interference between rotating members
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses alignment marks with different colors or visual indicators on the attachment guider to guide users in correctly positioning the mop. The guide rim and elastic pieces are designed with visual cues that change or highlight the correct attachment position, making it easy for users to identify the proper location without complex alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment guider acts as an intermediary component between the mop and the rotating member. It includes a guide rim and elastic pieces that physically guide the mop to the correct position and maintain proper alignment during operation, preventing interference while keeping the attachment process simple.
2Device complexity
If the robot uses only friction force from rotating mops for movement, then the structure is simple, but driving power is insufficient and straight driving is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple driving mechanisms - the rotating mops provide friction-based propulsion while additional driving wheels or tracks are integrated to provide supplementary driving force. This merging of friction-based and wheel-based propulsion systems increases overall driving power and improves straight-line stability without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating mops serve dual functions: they perform the cleaning function by contacting and frictioning the floor surface, and simultaneously provide propulsive force for robot movement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated driving components, maintaining simplicity while enhancing driving capability.
3Device complexity
If the robot performs only random driving for cleaning, then the control system is simple, but meticulous cleaning in corners and areas adjacent to walls is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically switches between random driving mode for general area coverage and patterned driving mode for meticulous cleaning of corners and wall-adjacent areas. The robot can transition between different movement patterns based on detected environmental features, enabling both simple overall control and detailed localized cleaning without requiring complex dedicated control for each mode.
4Ease of operation
If the mop portion is attached at a position out of the original position, then the attachment is easier, but the entire portion of the mop cannot contact the floor effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment guider includes elastic pieces that provide compensatory force to push the mop portion to the correct position. These elastic elements are pre-loaded to automatically correct minor attachment position errors, ensuring the mop makes proper contact with the floor even if initially attached slightly off-position, thereby maintaining reliability without complicating the attachment process.
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 solution allows for accurate mop attachment, increased friction for effective cleaning, and improved navigation around obstacles, enabling thorough and efficient cleaning of various floor areas without damage to the robot.
Implementation Method 1
able to move a mop portion close to its original position through a deformation of an attachment guider for guiding the mop portion by self-load or tare weight of the mobile robot
Implementation Method 2
attachment guider is deformed when cleaning is performed and a partial area of the mop portion protrudes by a height of the attachment guider
Implementation Method 3
the robot cleaner moves by a mop surface... friction force generated by the pair of rotating mop surfaces
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Disclosed is a mobile robot including a body, a rotating plate rotatably installed on the body and having a lower surface where a mop portion is attached, and an attachment guider installed on the lower surface of the rotating plate to guide an attachment position of the mop portion. The attachment guider includes a guide rim and a plurality of elastic pieces. The guide rim is disposed to surround a rotation axis of the rotating plate. The plurality of elastic pieces extend from the guide rim in a direction toward the rotation axis, have a free end protruding to a lower side or downward than the guide rim, and are spaced apart from each other along a circumference of the guide rim.