Robot cleaner and control method for the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cleaners face challenges in preventing their auxiliary cleaning tools from striking obstacles, particularly when cleaning areas adjacent to walls, due to inaccurate control of the tool's protrusion, which hinders efficient cleaning performance.
Innovation Solution
The auxiliary cleaning unit is pivotably mounted to the robot cleaner's body, with a control unit adjusting its extension or retraction based on the pivot angle relative to the travel direction, obstacle sensing, and cleaning mode, ensuring the distance between the unit and obstacles is within predetermined critical values to prevent collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the auxiliary cleaning tool is outwardly protruded from the robot cleaner body to enhance cleaning performance in regions adjacent to walls, then cleaning performance is improved, but the probability of striking obstacles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary cleaning tool is configured to be movable between an extended position (for cleaning wall-adjacent areas) and a retracted position (for avoiding obstacles). The control unit dynamically adjusts the tool's position based on sensor feedback, allowing the system to adapt its structure during operation to resolve the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and collision avoidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot cleaner incorporates sensors that detect obstacles and provide feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically adjusts the extension state of the auxiliary cleaning tool, ensuring it retracts when obstacles are detected and extends when the area is safe for cleaning, thus preventing collisions while maintaining cleaning performance.
2Area of stationary object
If the auxiliary cleaning tool protrudes to clean wall-adjacent regions, then cleaning coverage is improved, but travel efficiency is reduced due to interference with movement
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary cleaning tool transitions from a static protruding structure to a dynamic movable component that can extend and retract. This allows the tool to be extended only when needed for cleaning wall-adjacent areas and retracted during travel to avoid interfering with movement, thereby optimizing both cleaning coverage and travel efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary cleaning tool operates in periodic cycles of extension for cleaning and retraction for travel. The control unit manages these periodic actions based on the robot's operational state, ensuring the tool is extended during cleaning phases and retracted during movement phases, thus resolving the conflict between coverage and efficiency.
3Reliability
If conventional obstacle sensing is used, then obstacle detection is achieved, but accurate control of auxiliary cleaning tool protrusion is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensor feedback to continuously monitor the robot's environment and adjusts the auxiliary cleaning tool's protrusion accordingly. The control unit processes sensor data and automatically controls the tool's extension and retraction, achieving precise protrusion control that is directly linked to real-time obstacle detection and environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual or fixed mechanical control of the auxiliary cleaning tool with an automated control system that uses sensors and electronic control units. This substitution enables precise, dynamic adjustment of the tool's protrusion based on environmental feedback, achieving control precision that cannot be obtained through conventional fixed mechanical means.
Data Source
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AI summary
A robot cleaner (1) includes a body (10) to travel on a floor, an obstacle sensing unit (220, 61, 62) to sense an obstacle approaching the body, an auxiliary cleaning unit (21, 22) mounted to a bottom of the body (10), to be extendable and retractable, and a control unit (240) to control extension or retraction of the auxiliary cleaning unit when the obstacle is sensed, through adjustment of an extension or retraction degree of the auxiliary cleaning unit (21, 22).