Robot Cleaner Drive Wheel Pivot Design for Stable Obstacle Climbing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cleaners face instability in drive wheel movement due to contact issues between the main board and drive motor components, leading to potential malfunctions from dust exposure and unreliable connections over time.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of wheel cover housings with an isolation wall and arc-shaped pivot shaft holes, along with a suspension system, allows for stable pivotal rotation of drive wheels, keeping the drive motors fixed and preventing dust ingress, while maintaining the ability to climb over obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If drive wheels are made movable with respect to the main body to climb obstacles, then the robot cleaner can easily climb over carpets or door sills, but the drive motor and main board connections become unstable and the PCB malfunctions due to dust exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wheel assembly into separate movable and fixed components. The drive motor is fixed to the main body while the drive wheel is made movable through a hinge shaft connection. This segmentation allows the wheel to move independently for obstacle climbing while the motor remains stationary, maintaining stable electrical connections between the motor and main board.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the drive motor from the movable wheel assembly and fixes it separately to the main body. Only the necessary wheel components remain attached to the movable wheel housing, allowing the motor to stay stationary while the wheel moves. This extraction eliminates the problem of moving electrical connections and dust exposure to the PCB.
2Reliability
If drive motors are fixed to the main body, then electrical connections remain stable, but the drive wheels cannot move vertically to climb obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive system into a fixed motor portion and a movable wheel portion. The drive motor is fixed to the main body for stable connections, while the wheel is attached through a hinge shaft that allows vertical movement. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing each component to be positioned optimally - motor fixed for reliability, wheel movable for adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge shaft acts as an intermediary mechanism between the fixed drive motor and the movable drive wheel. It transmits rotational force from the stationary motor to the wheel while allowing the wheel to pivot vertically for obstacle climbing. This intermediary enables both fixed motor positioning and movable wheel function simultaneously.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wheel cover housings are designed to allow wheel movement, then obstacle climbing is enabled, but dust enters the main body causing PCB malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical components (drive motor and PCB) from the movable wheel housing and fixes them to the main body. This extraction eliminates the problem of dust entering the wheel housing and damaging electrical components, while the wheel housing can still move freely to enable obstacle climbing.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge shaft serves as an intermediary that allows the wheel housing to move independently from the main body. This separation means the movable wheel housing does not directly connect to the fixed electrical components, preventing dust from the wheel area from reaching the PCB and motor on the main body.
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 configuration ensures stable and long-lasting operation of the robot cleaner by preventing dust from entering the main body and maintaining reliable electrical connections, allowing for effective navigation over obstacles without compromising the drive motor's functionality.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the wheel cover housings may include a suspension formed therein so as to elastically carry out pivotal rotation of each of the drive wheels
Data Source
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AI summary
A robot cleaner includes a main body, drive motors provided on the main body, each of the drive motors including a drive rotary shaft, drive wheels rotated by rotary force transmitted from the drive motors, gear units connecting the drive motors and the drive wheels, and wheel cover housings to support the drive wheels so that the drive wheels are pivotally rotated with respect to the main body, and pivot rotary shafts of the drive wheels and drive rotary shafts of the drive motors are coaxial with each other so as to achieve stable movement of the drive wheels.