Robot cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot cleaners face challenges in efficiently overcoming obstacles and reducing cleaning time while maintaining durability and reliability, with complex mechanisms and limited ability to adapt to different types of obstacles and under-furniture cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A robot cleaner with a housing that adjusts its angle of inclination using a supporting wheel, allowing for increased height to overcome obstacles, combined with a lidar sensor for 3D mapping and obstacle detection, enabling precise navigation and efficient cleaning by adjusting the position of the suction unit relative to the floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the robot cleaner uses a complex mechanism to extend drive wheels to overcome obstacles, then the ground clearance and obstacle overcoming capability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the housing tiltable relative to the drive wheels. The housing can dynamically adjust its angle to tilt forward or backward, allowing the suction unit to approach obstacles or reach under furniture as needed. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by providing variable ground clearance and obstacle handling capability without requiring complex extendable wheel mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot cleaner avoids obstacles by changing path, then the obstacle overcoming capability is improved, but the cleaning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tiltable housing allows the robot to adapt to obstacles by changing its body orientation rather than its path. When an obstacle is detected, the housing tilts forward to clear it or tilt backward to reach under furniture, maintaining the original cleaning path and minimizing time loss while providing versatile obstacle handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new degree of freedom by allowing the housing to tilt in the vertical dimension. This dimensional change enables the robot to overcome obstacles through vertical adjustment of the suction unit's position relative to the floor, rather than requiring horizontal path changes, thus reducing cleaning time while maintaining adaptability.
3Productivity
If the suction unit is positioned at the front of the robot cleaner, then the obstacle detection and cleaning efficiency are improved, but the ability to clean under furniture is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tiltable housing with front-positioned suction unit resolves this contradiction by enabling dynamic adjustment. The housing can tilt backward to lower the front suction unit under furniture for enhanced under-furniture cleaning, or tilt forward to raise the suction unit for efficient surface cleaning and obstacle detection, providing both high productivity and adaptability.
4Device complexity
If the robot cleaner uses a fixed housing position, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the ability to adapt to different cleaning scenarios is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a relatively simple tilting mechanism that allows the housing to adjust its angle forward or backward. This dynamic capability enables the robot to adapt to various cleaning scenarios such as obstacles, under-furniture cleaning, and different floor configurations without requiring complex multi-component adjustment systems, maintaining structural simplicity while enhancing versatility.
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 effectively navigates and cleans around various obstacles, including cliffs, doorsills, and furniture, by dynamically adjusting its height and path, reducing cleaning time and improving durability through simplified mechanics and accurate environmental data collection.
Implementation Method 1
a supporting wheel which is in constant contact with a floor surface and which can be moved up and down relative to the housing by the inclination adjustment unit
Implementation Method 2
a sensor unit placed on an upper portion which is configured to sense and mapping a surrounding space
Implementation Method 3
drive wheels driven by a drive unit for moving the robot cleaner along a floor surface
Implementation Method 4
a suction unit provided at a lower portion of the housing to suck dust and the like on the floor surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A robot cleaner (1) comprising: a housing (2), having a drive wheels (7) driven by a drive unit, a tilt axis (10) determined by the points of contact between the drive wheels (7) and the floor surface (13), a suction unit (8) provided at a lower portion (18) of the housing (2) to suck dust and the like on a floor surface (13), an inclination adjustment unit configured to adjust an angle of inclination (α) of the housing (2) about the tilt axis (10), a sensor unit (5) placed on the upper portion (19) which is configured to sense and mapping a surrounding space, a traveling control unit configured to control the drive unit, and an inclination control unit configured to control the inclination adjustment unit, and a supporting wheel (6) which is in constant contact with the floor surface (13) and which can be moved up and down relative to the housing (2) by the inclination adjustment unit for adjusting the angle of inclination (α) of the housing (2) in relation to the floor surface (13) and in that the supporting wheel (6) is arranged on the lower portion (18), between the tilt axis (10) and the rear portion (4) of the robot cleaner (1).