Multi-Sensor Trashcan Lid Control Against Accidental Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor-activated trashcans struggle with calibration issues, leading to accidental lid movement due to sensitivity or interference from stationary objects, which can exhaust power sources and wear down components, while reduced sensitivity makes it difficult to trigger lid movement when intended.
Innovation Solution
A trashcan assembly with a dual sensing zone system, including a vertical and horizontal sensing zone, where the vertical zone detects user intent and the horizontal zone maintains lid openness, and a controller that adjusts sensitivity based on environmental calibration to avoid stationary objects, using a power-operated drive mechanism with a sensor assembly and power source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensor is made more sensitive to detect user intent, then the lid opens more reliably when intended, but accidental lid movement occurs due to stationary objects or passing users
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing system is divided into multiple independent sensors (first sensor, second sensor, third sensor) positioned at different locations and orientations. Each sensor detects different aspects of user interaction, and the controller integrates signals from multiple sensors to make lid opening decisions, reducing false activations from single-source interference
Solution Approach 2:
The controller continuously monitors sensor signals and adjusts lid opening decisions based on the pattern and timing of detected movements. The system learns from environmental feedback to distinguish between intentional user actions and accidental triggers from stationary objects or passing pedestrians
2Loss of energy
If the sensor sensitivity is reduced to avoid accidental activation, then power consumption decreases, but it becomes difficult to trigger lid movement when intended
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines signals from multiple sensors to trigger lid opening. By merging detection capabilities of the first sensor (vertical movement), second sensor (horizontal movement), and third sensor (proximity detection), the system achieves reliable detection at lower individual sensor sensitivity levels, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining responsiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The controller dynamically adjusts sensitivity thresholds and integration time based on environmental conditions and detected movement patterns. This allows the system to optimize between power consumption and responsiveness in real-time, triggering lid opening only when multiple dynamic conditions are met
3Device complexity
If a single sensor is used to simplify the system, then device complexity decreases, but the system cannot distinguish between intentional and unintentional triggering
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds spatial dimensionality to sensing by positioning sensors at different locations (vertical, horizontal, and proximity positions) and orientations. This multi-dimensional sensing approach enables the controller to distinguish between intentional user actions and environmental interference without requiring overly complex sensor processing
Data Source
AI summary
A trashcan assembly can include a body portion, a lid portion pivotably coupled with the body portion, and a sensor assembly configured to generate a signal when an object is detected within a sensing region. The sensor assembly can include a plurality of transmitters having a first subset of transmitters and a second subset of transmitters. A transmission axis of at least one transmitter in the first subset of transmitters can be different from a transmission axis of at least one of the transmitters in the second subset of transmitters. An electronic processor can generate an electronic signal to a power-operated drive mechanism for moving the lid portion from a closed position to an open position, such as in response to the sensor assembly detecting the object.