Automatic Pool Cleaner Power Management via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic pool cleaners face challenges with power consumption, as the pump unit consumes a significant portion of energy, leading to frequent battery depletion and reduced cleaning capacity, and corded models are cumbersome and hazardous.
Innovation Solution
An automatic pool cleaner with a sensor unit that detects foreign objects and adjusts the pump's power level accordingly, operating at a lower power when no objects are detected and increasing to full power when objects are found, along with an external power source and scheduled operation to minimize energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the pump unit operates continuously at full power, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The pump unit dynamically adjusts its power level based on sensor feedback. When foreign objects are detected, the pump operates at full power to effectively remove debris. When no foreign objects are present, the pump reduces to a lower power level or stops, thereby conserving energy while maintaining cleaning effectiveness when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the pool surface for foreign objects and provide feedback to the control unit. This feedback mechanism enables the pump to operate at full power only when necessary (when debris is detected) and reduce power consumption when the pool surface is clean, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and energy usage.
2Productivity
If the pump unit operates frequently to maintain cleanliness, then cleaning quality is improved, but battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation, the pump unit operates periodically based on sensor detection of foreign objects. The system activates the pump only when debris is detected and deactivates it when the pool surface is clean, creating an on-demand operational pattern that maintains cleaning quality while significantly extending battery life by avoiding unnecessary power consumption during extended clean periods.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the pump operates at lower power levels to conserve energy, then power consumption is reduced, but cleaning effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to autonomously detect the presence of foreign objects and automatically control the pump's power level without human intervention. When debris is detected, the pump automatically operates at full power to ensure effective cleaning. When the pool is clean, the system automatically reduces power consumption. This self-service approach ensures optimal cleaning effectiveness is maintained precisely when needed while minimizing energy usage during clean periods.
Data Source
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AI summary
An automatic pool cleaner (10), comprising a pump unit (230), a control unit (280) and a sensor (60), the sensor (60) configured to detect foreign objects in the pool. The control unit (280) configured to activate the pump unit (230) at a first power level which is less then full power when a foreign object is not detected by the sensor (60), and further configured to activate the pump unit (230) at a second power level, which is greater than the first power level, in response to a signal from the sensor unit (150) indicating the detection of a foreign object.