Robot Cleaner Side Suction Layout for Wall and Corner Dust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cleaners are limited in their cleaning range and efficiency, as they struggle to effectively clean areas adjacent to side walls, corners, and surfaces higher than the floor, such as furniture and floating dust, due to their design focusing primarily on floor cleaning.
Innovation Solution
The robot cleaner incorporates side suction and discharge ports, a switching valve system, and an electrostatic adsorption plate to expand its cleaning area, allowing for efficient cleaning of side walls and upper surfaces, along with a manual cleaning tool for pet hair and furniture, using a combination of suction passages and a cyclone dust collection system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the suction port is formed only on the bottom surface with a rotating brush, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the cleaning range is limited to floor surfaces only
Solution Approach 1:
The suction system is segmented into multiple independent suction ports located at different positions (bottom surface, side surfaces, top surface) of the main body. Each suction port can be independently controlled through separate suction passages and switching valves, allowing the robot to selectively activate specific suction ports based on the cleaning area, thereby expanding the cleaning range without requiring a completely integrated complex structure
Solution Approach 2:
The suction ports are distributed across multiple spatial dimensions (bottom, sides, top) of the main body, transforming the single-plane (bottom-only) suction capability into a three-dimensional suction system. This dimensional expansion enables the robot to clean surfaces at different heights and orientations, including side walls, corners, and upper surfaces of furniture
2Productivity
If side suction and discharge ports are added to expand cleaning area, then cleaning efficiency on side walls and corners is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The switching valve system serves multiple functions: it controls air flow distribution to different suction passages, selects which suction ports are active, and can be integrated with the robot's navigation system to automatically switch between floor cleaning mode and vertical surface cleaning mode. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control mechanisms for each suction port
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple suction passages (main suction passage, first auxiliary suction passage, second auxiliary suction passage) are merged into a common dust collecting apparatus inlet. The switching valve consolidates the control of these separate passages into a single component, allowing the robot to switch between different cleaning modes without requiring separate dust collection systems for each suction port
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple suction passages are used to clean different areas, then cleaning versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching valve introduces dynamic control to the suction system, allowing the robot to adaptively switch between different suction passages based on the cleaning task. The valve can rotate or shift positions to connect the main suction passage or auxiliary suction passages to the dust collecting apparatus, enabling the system to dynamically adjust its cleaning configuration rather than requiring all passages to be permanently connected
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 design enables efficient cleaning of dust, pet hair, and debris on side walls and corners, improving overall cleaning efficiency and range, while also allowing for manual cleaning of hard-to-reach areas with the provided tool.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic adsorption plate provided on at least one of a top surface or a side surface of the main body to adsorb dust outside the main body through static electricity
Implementation Method 2
a fan provided inside the main body and configured to generate a suction force
Implementation Method 3
a dust collecting apparatus provided to remove dust from the air sucked into the main body
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A robot cleaner having a side suction port formed on a side surface of a main body so as to suck the dust beside the main body and a side discharge port formed on the side surface of the main body to discharge the air toward the side of the main body is provided. The side discharge port can scatter the dust beside the main body and allow the dust to be sucked smoothly through the side suction port.