Vacuum Cleaning Robot Connection Housing for Independent Brush Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robotic vacuum cleaners face challenges in accommodating multiple housings due to limited installation space, leading to dependencies in brush speeds and increased component losses.

Innovation Solution

A robotic vacuum cleaner design featuring a connecting housing part that combines the main and auxiliary cleaning unit housings, allowing independent control of the cleaning roller and auxiliary cleaning element, with a shared drive train using spur and bevel gears, minimizing space requirements and losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple separate housings are used for main and auxiliary cleaning units, then independent control of cleaning components is achieved, but installation space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent control of cleaning roller and auxiliary cleaning elementVSAvoidinstallation space in housing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the housing of the main cleaning unit and the housing of the auxiliary cleaning unit into a single integrated housing structure. This merging allows both cleaning units to be accommodated within one housing volume, reducing the overall space requirement while maintaining independent control capabilities through separate drive trains within the unified housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If a combined drive train with single motor is used, then component count is reduced, but brush speed independence is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of drive train componentsVSAvoidindependent speed control of brushes
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The drive train is segmented into two independent drive trains: a first drive train with a first motor for driving the cleaning roller, and a second drive train with a second motor for driving the auxiliary cleaning element. This segmentation enables independent speed control of each brush while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Quantity of substance

If multiple housings are accommodated in limited space, then all cleaning components can be included, but component losses increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of cleaning componentsVSAvoidcomponent losses
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the housings into a single integrated structure, the patent reduces the number of interfaces and connections between separate housing components. This reduces energy losses at interfaces and improves overall system efficiency while accommodating all necessary cleaning components within the unified housing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3995064B1Vacuum cleaning robot with connection housing part
Publication Date: 2022.11.23 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP3995064B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3995064B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3995064B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a device for the autonomous cleaning of floor surfaces of a room, comprising an enclosure which defines an interior space, a container arranged in the interior space of the enclosure for receiving dirt particles, a blower arranged in the interior space of the enclosure for generating a suction airflow, at least one suction nozzle arranged on the enclosure, a main cleaning unit and an auxiliary cleaning unit associated with the main cleaning unit, wherein the suction nozzle is connected to the blower, whereby dust and dirt particles can be conveyed from the suction nozzle to the container, wherein the main cleaning unit comprises a cleaning roller arranged on the enclosure, a drive train arranged in the interior space of the enclosure with a main motor for driving the cleaning roller and a housing part arranged in the interior space of the enclosure for at least partially accommodating the drive train.The auxiliary cleaning unit comprises an auxiliary cleaning element arranged on the housing, a drive train with an auxiliary motor for driving the auxiliary cleaning element arranged inside the housing, and a housing part arranged inside the housing for at least partially accommodating the drive train. To provide a robotic vacuum cleaner for autonomously cleaning the floor surfaces of a room, which allows independent control of its cleaning roller and its auxiliary cleaning element and at the same time a particularly space-saving arrangement of the associated drive trains, a connecting housing part for connecting the housing part of the main cleaning unit and the housing part of the auxiliary cleaning unit to form a common housing is proposed according to the invention.