Robot Cleaner Water Tank Locking Mechanism for Leak-Free Mopping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robot cleaners with detachable water tanks often experience leaks due to the lack of a fixing and pressing mechanism at the connection portion, leading to instability and inefficiency in water supply during mopping operations.
Innovation Solution
A robot cleaner design that incorporates a water tank housing with a locking device, hinge protrusion, and stopper mechanism to securely mount and detach the water tank, preventing leaks by ensuring a stable water supply and easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a detachable water tank is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to leaking from connection portion
Solution Approach 1:
The locking lever and pressing lever are integrated into a single unified structure. The locking lever serves dual functions: it locks the water tank in place during cleaning operations and, when rotated, acts as a pressing lever to detach the tank. This merging eliminates the need for separate fixing and pressing mechanisms, ensuring reliable water supply while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If a separate fixing and pressing means is provided, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking lever and pressing lever are integrated into a single unified structure. The locking lever serves dual functions: it locks the water tank in place during cleaning operations and, when rotated, acts as a pressing lever to detach the tank. This merging eliminates the need for separate fixing and pressing mechanisms, ensuring reliable water supply while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If the water tank is securely fixed, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic detachment process. When the user rotates the locking lever, it dynamically shifts from engaging the locked position to pressing the water tank backward for detachment. This dynamic mechanism ensures secure fixation during operation while enabling easy one-handed detachment when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot cleaner includes a main body forming an exterior and having a water tank housing formed at a rear side thereof. The water tank housing may form a space in which a water tank is mounted. At least one spin mop is rotatably provided at a lower side of the main body, moving the main body by rotating, and configured to clean a floor using water in the water tank. A supply nozzle is provided at one side of the water tank housing, and when connected to a discharge nozzle of the water tank, communicates with the discharge nozzle to supply water stored in the water tank to each of the spin mops. The robot cleaner further includes a locking device rotatably provided at a position spaced apart from a circumferential surface of the water tank housing, and configured to secure the water tank in the water tank housing when mounted or to release the water tank by pushing backward on the water tank.