Retractable Side Brush Assembly for Obstacle-Safe Robot Vacuums
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional autonomous vacuum cleaners face challenges in allowing side brushes to project from the body case while avoiding obstacles, as excessive projection increases the risk of snagging and interference during travel.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum cleaner features side brushes with a movable cleaning part body that can project from the body case and retreat in response to external forces, utilizing a coil spring and rotating cleaning unit to adjust its position, allowing it to effectively clean beyond the dust collecting port without getting snagged on obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the side brushes project as much as possible from the body case to expand cleanable area, then the cleaning coverage is improved, but the side brushes may get snagged on obstacles and interfere with travel
Solution Approach 1:
The side brush assembly is designed to be movable relative to the body case, transitioning between a projecting state during cleaning and a retracted state during travel. The cleaning part body can move in the radial direction of the body case, allowing dynamic adjustment of brush projection length based on operational mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil spring pre-biases the cleaning part body toward the retracted position, creating a restoring force that automatically pulls the brush inward when external force (obstacle contact) is applied. This preliminary positioning prevents snagging before it occurs.
2Productivity
If the side brushes project from the body case to clean areas beyond the dust collecting port, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the side brushes risk contacting obstacles during autonomous travel
Solution Approach 1:
The side brush assembly transitions dynamically between extended and retracted positions. During cleaning operations, the brush projects to maximize cleaning effectiveness. During autonomous travel, the brush retracts to minimize obstacle contact risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil spring provides automatic restoration force that pulls the cleaning part body back toward the body case when external force is removed. The system self-regulates the brush position without requiring active control, using the spring's elastic recovery to retract the brush after cleaning or when encountering obstacles.
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
This design enables the side brushes to project and retract reliably, expanding the cleanable area while preventing interference with obstacles, ensuring smooth travel and efficient cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning part body movable so as to retreat toward the outer side surface of the body case in response to external force acting in a direction crossing the certain direction
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum cleaner includes: a body case having an outer circumferential surface formed along either a circular arc or a polygon; a drive wheel allowing travel of the body case on a cleaning target surface; a side brush provided to the body case to be movable in a certain direction. The side brush: projects from the outer circumferential surface of the body case by an amount that changes in response to movement; includes a brush body movable to retreat toward the outer circumferential surface of the body case in response to external force acting in a direction crossing the certain direction; and includes a cleaning unit rotatably provided to the brush body. The cleaning unit rotates to clean the cleaning target surface. The side brush projecting from an outer circumferential surface of a body case can retreat readily and reliably when the side brush contacts an obstacle.