Robot Cleaner Bumper Spring Layout for Multi-Directional Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices, such as robot cleaners, face damage from obstacles due to limited directional shock absorption, as traditional bumpers are only movable in one direction, leaving them vulnerable to impacts from obstacles in other directions, and often require additional guiding elements.
Innovation Solution
A device with a pretensioned tension spring attachment that allows the bumper to move in all directions perpendicular to the body, providing both shock absorption and guidance without separate guiding means, featuring high stiffness at low forces and low stiffness at high forces to facilitate easy movement and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional bumper movable in one predetermined direction is used, then the bumper can be simple in structure, but it cannot protect the body from shocks in directions other than the predetermined direction
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper is made movable with respect to the body in all directions parallel to the surface, transforming the static single-directional bumper into a dynamic multi-directional protective element. This allows the bumper to adapt to obstacles approaching from any direction while maintaining structural simplicity through the spring-based mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If separate guiding elements are added to guide bumper movement, then the guidance precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding function is merged with the spring element itself. The spring serves dual purposes: providing shock absorption through its elastic properties and guiding the bumper's movement through its geometric configuration. This eliminates the need for separate guiding elements while maintaining precise control over bumper motion in all directions parallel to the surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a shock-absorbing element and a guiding mechanism. The spring's ability to bend in multiple directions enables it to guide the bumper while absorbing impacts from various directions, reducing the overall component count while enhancing functionality.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the spring has high stiffness, then the bumper remains stable during normal operation, but it cannot facilitate easy movement during impact
Solution Approach 1:
The spring's stiffness parameter is designed to be non-linear, changing based on the applied force. At low force levels during normal operation, the spring exhibits high stiffness to maintain bumper stability and prevent unnecessary movement. When impact forces exceed a predetermined threshold, the spring's stiffness decreases, allowing the bumper to move easily and absorb the impact energy effectively.
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
The solution effectively protects the device and obstacles from damage by allowing the bumper to absorb shocks in any direction, preventing further movement once a predetermined force is reached, thus safeguarding the device and preventing damage.
Implementation Method 1
the spring (9, 25) is a pretensioned tension spring, wherein the spring (9, 25) has a relatively large stiffness at forces below a predetermined value and a relatively small stiffness at forces above the predetermined value
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A device (1) comprises at least a body (2) and a bumper (6) which is movably attached to the body so as toprotect the bodyfrom shock caused by collision with an obstacle during movement of the device acrossa surface. The bumper is attached to the body by means of at least one spring (9) extending in a direction which is at least substantially perpendicular to the direction into which the bumper is movable with respect to the body. Furthermore,a robot cleaner comprisingsuch a device is provided.