Variable-Buoyancy Pool Cleaner for Depth and Surface Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swimming pool cleaning robots cannot effectively regulate their position and depth in a liquid environment, limiting their ability to comprehensively clean the bottom, wall surfaces, and water surface, thereby restricting their application range and operating efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A locomotion apparatus with a buoyancy regulation assembly and mode switching member that allows the device to switch between positions on and under the water surface, utilizing buoyancy forces and propellers to adjust vertical direction, enabling underwater and water surface cleaning modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning robot is designed to clean only the bottom of the swimming pool, then the device structure is simple, but the application range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot employs a variable buoyancy system that dynamically adjusts the robot's floating state to enable operation at different depths and locations within the swimming pool. The buoyancy cavity can be inflated or deflated to switch between surface-floating mode and submerged cleaning mode, allowing the same device to adapt to multiple cleaning scenarios without requiring separate specialized robots for each zone.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning robot operates under the water surface to clean bottom and wall surfaces, then the cleaning coverage is improved, but the robot cannot effectively regulate its position and depth
Solution Approach 1:
The robot utilizes a buoyancy regulation mechanism that changes the buoyancy parameter to control depth and vertical position. By adjusting the volume of air in the buoyancy cavity, the robot can transition between different operational depths and maintain stable positions at desired locations, enabling effective regulation of position and depth without complex positioning systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning robot constantly floats on the water surface, then the robot can clean only the water surface, but the bottom and wall surfaces cannot be comprehensively cleaned
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot is designed with multi-functionality to perform cleaning operations in three distinct zones: water surface, vertical walls, and bottom surfaces. The single device integrates surface-floating cleaning mode and submerged cleaning mode through a buoyancy control system, eliminating the need for multiple specialized robots and enabling comprehensive cleaning coverage across all pool surfaces.
4Productivity
If the cleaning robot is designed for comprehensive cleaning of bottom, walls, and water surface, then the operating efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs a buoyancy cavity that provides upward buoyant force to counterbalance the robot's weight and enable vertical position control. This anti-weight mechanism using buoyancy allows the robot to transition between submerged and surface-floating states, facilitating comprehensive cleaning operations across different depths while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure compared to alternative positioning systems.
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 apparatus enhances cleaning efficiency by allowing comprehensive cleaning of swimming pools, reducing costs, and expanding the device's application range by adapting to various positions and surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The force applied to the locomotion apparatus in the vertical direction includes a buoyancy force applied to the locomotion apparatus in the vertical direction
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a locomotion apparatus used in liquid. The moving apparatus includes a buoyancy cavity disposed in the locomotion apparatus, and is configured to accommodate gas or liquid; and a first regulation part disposed in the locomotion apparatus, and is configured to regulate a volume of the gas or the liquid in the buoyancy cavity; when the locomotion apparatus is switched from the sidewall of a swimming pool to the liquid surface, the volume of the gas or the liquid in the buoyancy cavity is regulated by the first regulation part to increase the buoyancy force applied to the locomotion apparatus.