Pool Cleaner Yaw Navigation for Sidewall Obstacle Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pool cleaners are inefficient and time-consuming when traversing vertical pool walls, as they require continuous ascending and descending, which is labor-intensive and not effective in navigating obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A pool cleaner equipped with sensors to detect yaw and orientation, a steering module that can move along non-vertical cleaning paths, and a controller to optimize the cleaning path, allowing for efficient navigation of vertical walls with minimal turns and the ability to bypass obstacles using jetting modules and maneuverable handles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pool cleaners are programmed to climb walls continuously until reaching the water line followed by descent back to the floor, then the cleaning path is simple and systematic, but the cleaning process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot dynamically adjusts its cleaning path based on real-time sensor feedback about wall features and obstacles. Instead of following a fixed predetermined pattern, the robot modifies its trajectory to optimize cleaning efficiency while maintaining systematic coverage of the pool walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously provide feedback about wall conditions, obstacles, and cleaning progress. This feedback loop enables the robot to adapt its cleaning path in real-time, avoiding unnecessary ascents and descents while ensuring complete coverage of all wall surfaces.
2Ease of operation
If pool cleaners traverse vertical walls using fixed ascending and descending patterns, then the navigation is straightforward, but the ability to navigate obstacles mounted on vertical walls is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs dynamic navigation that adjusts its path in real-time based on detected obstacles. When obstacles such as spot lamps, return jet outlets, or ladders are detected, the robot dynamically modifies its climbing and descending patterns to navigate around these features while maintaining contact with the wall surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors mounted on the robot provide continuous feedback about obstacle locations and wall features. This information is processed to generate adaptive navigation commands that enable the robot to traverse vertical walls effectively while avoiding obstacles, combining simple wall-following behavior with intelligent obstacle avoidance.
3Reliability
If pool cleaners perform continuous ascending and descending on pool walls, then complete coverage is achieved, but the cleaning process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot dynamically optimizes its vertical traversal by using sensors to identify wall features and obstacles. This enables the robot to perform selective ascending and descending only when necessary for complete coverage, rather than following rigid predetermined patterns that require unnecessary trips to the water line and back.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor feedback to monitor cleaning progress and wall conditions in real-time. This feedback enables the robot to adapt its ascending and descending behavior, performing vertical movements only when required for complete coverage, thereby reducing overall cleaning time while maintaining thoroughness.
Data Source
AI summary
A pool cleaner for cleaning a pool, the pool cleaner may include a filtering element for filtering fluid; at least one sensor for sensing an actual yaw of the pool cleaner and an actual orientation of the pool cleaner; at least one steering element that is configured to move the pool cleaner along a cleaning path, during a cleaning process of segments of multiple sidewalls of the pool; wherein the cleaning path mostly includes substantially horizontal cleaning path segments that have a cleaning path segment yaw that is a substantially horizontal yaw; wherein the certain region is fully submerged; and a controller that is configured to control the at least one steering element, based on the actual yaw of the pool cleaner.