Integrated Robot Cleaner Wheel for Narrow Obstacle Crossing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cleaners are unable to stably pass obstacles, particularly those with narrow widths, due to structural complexities and the risk of getting caught in gaps between wheels.
Innovation Solution
The robot cleaner features a wheel system with a single component wheel member, including a first member and a second member with different diameters and configurations, allowing them to contact different floors and rotate together without additional connections, enabling the cleaner to pass obstacles by adjusting contact points and increasing the contact area with flexible components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If auxiliary wheel and main wheel are connected via rotary shaft with gear assembly, then power transmission is achieved, but obstacle may be caught in gap between wheels and structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the auxiliary wheel and main wheel into a single integrated wheel structure. The auxiliary wheel is formed as an extension of the main wheel body, eliminating the need for separate rotary shafts and gear assemblies to connect them. This merging resolves the technical contradiction by achieving power transmission through the integrated structure while eliminating gaps where obstacles could be caught and reducing overall structural complexity.
2Power
If auxiliary wheel and main wheel are connected via rotary shaft, then power transmission is achieved, but rotary shaft must be extended making structure complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the auxiliary wheel directly into the main wheel structure, eliminating the need for extended rotary shafts. The auxiliary wheel is formed as a unified component with the main wheel, allowing power transmission through the integrated body without requiring additional shaft extensions or complex connection mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional wheel structure is used, then simple design is maintained, but robot cleaner cannot pass narrow width obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wheel into functional segments - a main wheel body and an integrated auxiliary wheel portion - that work together to navigate obstacles. The auxiliary wheel is positioned to contact obstacles while the main wheel provides propulsion, enabling the robot to pass narrow width obstacles without requiring completely separate wheel systems or complex adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot cleaner including a cleaner body, a dust suction unit and a dust collection unit attached to the cleaner body, and a driving device to move the cleaner body, wherein the driving device includes a power generation unit to generate power, a power transmission unit to transmit the power generated by the power generation unit to a wheel such that the wheel is rotated by the power transmitted from the power transmission unit, and wherein the wheel includes a wheel member connected to the power transmission unit, and a first member and a second member attached to an outer circumference of the wheel member such that the first member and the second member contact different floor surfaces.