Robot Cleaner Path Control to Prevent Dust Spillage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robot cleaners face inefficiencies in cleaning patterns, including dust spillage and increased cleaning time due to frequent stops and rotations, especially when using the zig-zag pattern, and issues with dust accumulation between the main brush and blade.
Innovation Solution
A robot cleaner with a controller that generates and adjusts 'Figure 8' or 'V'-shaped traveling patterns based on detected obstacles and cleaning modes, minimizing stops and preventing dust spillage by optimizing the path and reversing direction when necessary, and includes a blade positioned at a predetermined angle to reduce dust accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the robot cleaner uses a zig-zag traveling pattern with frequent stops and rotations to change direction, then it can cover the cleaning area systematically, but it increases cleaning time and causes dust spillage at direction-change points
Solution Approach 1:
The robot cleaner performs preliminary actions by continuously rotating at a low speed before changing traveling direction, rather than stopping and then rotating. This preliminary continuous rotation ensures the brush is already in motion to prevent dust spillage, and the rotation is maintained through the direction change, eliminating the time loss associated with stopping and restarting.
2Ease of operation
If the robot cleaner stops and rotates at direction-change points during zig-zag pattern cleaning, then it can change traveling direction, but it spills collected dust particularly in wet cleaning mode
Solution Approach 1:
The robot cleaner maintains continuous rotation of the brush throughout the direction change process, eliminating interruptions in the cleaning action. The brush rotates continuously at a low speed even when the traveling direction changes, ensuring that dust is continuously engaged with the brush and rag, preventing spillage while enabling smooth direction transitions.
3Manufacturing precision
If the robot cleaner repeatedly travels the same region in zig-zag pattern to improve coverage, then it enhances cleaning thoroughness, but it increases the total cleaning time
Solution Approach 1:
The robot cleaner dynamically adjusts its traveling pattern by continuously rotating at low speed during direction changes rather than following a rigid stop-rotate-go sequence. This dynamic approach allows for smoother transitions and more efficient path traversal, maintaining cleaning coverage while reducing the time penalty associated with repeated region traversal.
4Ease of operation
If the blade is made of soft material and installed in reverse-inclined direction, then it can guide dust to the dust container, but it tilts back during movement causing dust accumulation between the main brush and blade
Solution Approach 1:
The blade's installation angle is changed from a reverse-inclined position to a forward-inclined position relative to the direction of travel. This parameter change in the blade's angular orientation prevents it from tilting backward during movement, maintaining consistent contact with the main brush and eliminating the dust accumulation problem while preserving its dust guidance function.
Data Source
AI summary
A control method of a robot cleaner for traveling to clean includes checking information about a predetermined traveling pattern; determining a traveling trajectory based on a traveling speed; generating a traveling pattern based on the determined traveling trajectory and the information about the predetermined traveling pattern, wherein the traveling pattern includes a first straight path, a first rotation path connected to the first straight path and for rotation in a first direction, a second straight path connected to the first rotation path, and a second rotation path connected to the second straight path and for rotation in a second direction; and repeatedly traveling along the generated traveling pattern at regular intervals. Therefore, since the robot cleaner performs cleaning without scattering dust, the efficiency of cleaning may be improved.