Retractable Side Brush Assembly for Robot Corner Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic cleaners are limited in effectively cleaning areas outside their suction port, particularly corners, due to the design constraints of side brushes which can be damaged and require increased storage space as their length is increased to cover larger areas.
Innovation Solution
An automatic cleaner with a side brush assembly that includes a movable member and a brush rotatably installed on it, allowing the brush to move vertically and horizontally to extend beyond the casing for corner cleaning, with driving members to control its position and rotation, and sensing parts to manage its operation in relation to walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the length of the side brush is increased to expand cleaning area, then the cleaning area is increased, but the side brush may be damaged during operation or storage and requires larger storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The side brush assembly is designed to be movable relative to the casing, transitioning between a first position (retracted inside the casing) and a second position (extended outside the casing). This dynamic configuration allows the side brush to achieve a longer effective cleaning length when extended, while being protected and stored compactly when retracted, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning area and durability/storage space.
2Area of stationary object
If the length of the side brush is increased to expand cleaning area, then the cleaning area is increased, but the automatic cleaner requires a large storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The side brush assembly transitions between retracted and extended positions, allowing the cleaner to maintain a compact storage volume when the brush is retracted inside the casing, while achieving a larger cleaning area when the brush is extended during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The side brush assembly is nested within the casing when not in use, with the movable member allowing it to be stored inside the cleaner's body. This nesting approach minimizes the storage space requirement while still providing extended cleaning capability when needed.
3Productivity
If a side brush is disposed on the bottom of the casing to clean areas outside the suction port, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the side brush may be damaged while the automatic cleaner is in a cleaning operation or is stored
Solution Approach 1:
The side brush assembly is designed to be movable between a retracted position (inside the casing) and an extended position (outside the casing). During storage or non-operational periods, the brush remains retracted and protected inside the casing. During cleaning operations, the brush extends to perform its function, thus maintaining both cleaning effectiveness and durability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an automatic cleaner, which includes a casing including a suction port, a suction device disposed in the casing to suction an outer foreign substance through the suction port, a moving device that moves the casing, and a side brush assembly movably installed on the casing. The side brush assembly includes a brush rotating to move a foreign substance located out of the casing, to the suction port. A rotation shaft of the brush is horizontally moved according to a movement of the side brush assembly.