Robot cleaner, station, and cleaning system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current robot cleaner systems face challenges in automatically removing dust collected in the device, preventing station entanglement in the collecting path, and avoiding outlet door malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning system with a robot cleaner featuring a dust collecting device and a station that includes a lever device to open and close the outlet door, using a magnetic mechanism to facilitate automatic dust removal and prevent malfunctions, while ensuring the collecting path remains unobstructed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the outlet door is opened to allow automatic dust collection, then dust removal efficiency is improved, but the outlet door may open due to malfunction causing reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
A lever is introduced as an intermediary mechanical component between the door magnetic body and the outlet door. The lever transmits the magnetic attractive force to open the door while providing mechanical control and positioning. This intermediary mechanism ensures that the door opens only when proper magnetic force is applied, preventing malfunction-induced opening while enabling efficient dust removal when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical latch or motor-driven door opening mechanism is replaced with a magnetic field-based system. The door magnetic body interacts with a corresponding magnetic component (not explicitly detailed but implied) to automatically open the door through magnetic attraction, eliminating complex mechanical actuation systems and improving both reliability and automation.
2Ease of operation
If a collecting device is provided at the station to automatically empty dust, then ease of operation is improved, but the station may become entangled in the collecting path
Solution Approach 1:
The collecting device is extracted from the main body of the station and positioned in a separate, dedicated location. This spatial separation allows the collecting device to operate independently without interfering with the station's other functions and structures, preventing entanglement while maintaining automatic dust emptying capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary structure that directs the flow of dust from the robot cleaner to the collecting device. This guide member creates a dedicated dust collection path that is structurally separated from the station's main body, allowing automatic collection without causing the station to become entangled in the collecting path.
3Productivity
If the lever is fixed to the outlet door to enable automatic opening, then productivity is improved, but the lever may interfere with the collecting path causing entanglement
Solution Approach 1:
The lever is designed with localized functional zones: one end contacts the outlet door for opening operation, while the other end is positioned away from the collecting path. This spatial differentiation ensures that the lever's door-operating function is maintained while its structure does not interfere with dust collection, preventing entanglement in the collecting path.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever is positioned in a different spatial dimension relative to the collecting path. By arranging the lever's rotation axis and movement plane perpendicular to or offset from the dust collection flow direction, the lever can open the door effectively while occupying a space that does not obstruct the collecting path, eliminating potential interference.
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
Enables automatic dust removal from the robot cleaner, prevents entanglement, and ensures the outlet door is only opened under controlled conditions, thereby preventing malfunctions.
Implementation Method 1
The outlet door may include a door magnetic body, and the lever may include a lever magnetic body that allows an attractive force to act with the door magnetic body.
Implementation Method 2
a collecting device configured to generate a suction force to suction dirt of the duct collecting device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Provided is a cleaning system including: a robot cleaner including a dust collecting device having a dirt outlet and an outlet door configured to open and close the dirt outlet; and a station including a collecting device configured to generate a suction force to suction dirt of the duct collecting device and a lever device provided with a lever configured to be fixable to the outlet door as the outlet door is being opened to allow the collecting device and the dust collecting device to communicate with each other, and a lever driving source configured to generate power for driving the lever.