Robot Cleaner Mopping Unit With Pump-Driven Water Supply During Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot cleaners are inadequate in removing dust and foreign substances from floors, as they rely solely on suction power, which cannot effectively handle larger debris or substances attached to the floor surface.
Innovation Solution
A robot cleaner equipped with a mopping unit that automatically supplies water to a mop using a gear pump or diaphragm pump driven by the rotational motion of the mopping unit, allowing for effective cleaning of dust and foreign substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robot cleaner uses only suction power to clean floors, then the structure remains simple, but it cannot effectively remove dust attached to the floor surface or larger foreign substances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines suction cleaning and mopping functions into a single robot cleaner system. The mopping unit includes a roller that contacts the floor surface while the robot moves, allowing simultaneous suction and mopping operations. This merging of functions resolves the contradiction by enhancing cleaning effectiveness without requiring separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The mopping unit is designed to automatically supply water to the roller during operation. A water supply mechanism delivers water to the roller, which then mops the floor surface through rotational contact. This self-service approach enables effective removal of attached dust and foreign substances without manual intervention, improving cleaning reliability while maintaining automated operation.
2Reliability
If water is continuously supplied to the mop, then cleaning performance is maintained, but the traveling face gets dirty unnecessarily when the robot is not cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply mechanism is activated only during mopping operations rather than continuously. The system detects when the mopping unit is in contact with the floor surface and supplies water at that specific time. This periodic action ensures the mop remains effective during cleaning while preventing water from being supplied during travel, thus avoiding unnecessary floor contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The water supply system incorporates feedback control based on the operational state of the mopping unit. Sensors or mechanical feedback mechanisms detect whether the roller is actively contacting the floor surface, and water supply is adjusted accordingly. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by ensuring water is supplied only when needed for cleaning, preventing both ineffective mopping and unnecessary floor wetting.
3Quantity of substance
If a separate water bottle is placed in the robot cleaner, then water supply is ensured, but the device structure becomes more complex and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The roller in the mopping unit serves dual functions: it acts as both the cleaning element that contacts the floor surface and as the water storage container. The roller is designed with an internal cavity or hollow structure that can hold water, eliminating the need for a separate water bottle. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by ensuring adequate water supply while maintaining a compact, simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The water storage function is nested within the roller structure itself. The roller contains an internal water reservoir that is integrated into its design, allowing the water supply system to be embedded within the existing cleaning mechanism. This nesting approach eliminates the need for additional external components, reducing structural complexity while maintaining water supply capacity.
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 robot cleaner achieves efficient cleaning by supplying water only during operation, preventing unnecessary dirt accumulation, and adjusting water supply based on rotation speed for optimal cleaning performance.
Implementation Method 1
a mopping unit 50 that mops the traveling face while rotating, and a pump 60 that supplies water to the mop 52 in response to the rotation of the mopping unit 50
Implementation Method 2
The robot cleaner generally performs the cleaning by suctioning dust in an area to be cleaned
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Provided is a robot cleaner including a main body for forming an exterior of the robot cleaner, a driver for moving the main body, a cleaning module coupled to the main body to suck dust from a traveling face, and a dust collector coupled to the main body to collect the dust sucked by the cleaning module, wherein the cleaning module includes a cleaning module housing for determining an exterior of the cleaning module, wherein the cleaning module is coupled to the main body, a mopping unit rotatably coupled in the cleaning module housing, wherein the mopping unit accommodates water therein and cleans the traveling face, a mop detachably coupled to the mopping unit, and a pump disposed in the mopping unit, wherein the pump guides water to the mop as the main body moves. Mopping may be performed without a separate motor.