Coverage Robot Cleaning Head Control for Cord Disentanglement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous coverage robots face challenges in navigating and cleaning surfaces without continuous human guidance, particularly in avoiding obstacles and disentangling from entangled soft media like strings or cords, which can lead to operational interruptions.
Innovation Solution
The autonomous coverage robot is equipped with a chassis, a drive system, an edge cleaning head, and a controller that monitors motor current to reverse bias the edge cleaning head motor when entanglement is detected, allowing the robot to continue cleaning while disentangling, and incorporates sensors for obstacle detection and navigation to adjust its path accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot continues to maneuver across the floor when entanglement is detected, then cleaning productivity is maintained, but the cleaning head may become more entangled or damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies a reverse bias to the edge cleaning head motor before significant entanglement damage can occur. This preliminary counter-action prevents the cleaning head from becoming more entangled or damaged while maintaining robot movement, thus protecting the cleaning head while preserving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The robot performs self-service by automatically detecting entanglement through motor current monitoring and self-correcting by reversing the cleaning head rotation. This autonomous self-service mechanism allows the robot to maintain productivity without human intervention while protecting its own components
2Reliability
If the robot stops to disentangle the cleaning head, then the cleaning head reliability is maintained, but cleaning productivity is reduced due to operational interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The robot maintains continuous useful action by keeping the drive system operating while only briefly reversing the cleaning head motor current. This allows the robot to disentangle the cleaning head without stopping overall movement or cleaning operations, thus maintaining productivity while preserving cleaning head reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The controller implements periodic action by applying reverse bias to the cleaning head motor in short intervals when entanglement is detected. This periodic reversal allows the cleaning head to be freed from entanglement while the robot continues its cleaning cycle, maintaining both reliability and productivity
3Reliability
If the robot reverses bias the edge cleaning head motor to disentangle, then the cleaning head can be freed from entanglement, but the motor current increases and energy consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies partial action by reversing only the edge cleaning head motor current while leaving the drive system and other cleaning components operating normally. This selective partial reversal frees the entangled cleaning head with minimal additional energy consumption compared to stopping or reversing the entire robot system
4Reliability
If the robot monitors motor current continuously to detect entanglement, then the cleaning head reliability is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller uses feedback by continuously monitoring motor current from the edge cleaning head motor and automatically responding when entanglement is detected. This simple feedback mechanism provides reliable entanglement detection without requiring complex sensors or control systems, maintaining reliability while minimizing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous coverage robot includes a body having at least one outer wall, a drive system disposed on the body and configured to maneuver the robot over a work surface, and a cleaning assembly carried by the body. The cleaning assembly includes first and second cleaning rollers rotatably coupled to the body, a suction assembly having a channel disposed adjacent at least one of the cleaning rollers, and a container in fluid communication with the channel. The container is configured to collect debris drawn into the channel. The suction assembly is configured to draw debris removed from the work surface by at least one of the cleaning rollers into the channel, and the container has a wall common with the at least one outer wall of the body.