Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Movable Grip Handle and Integrated Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous robot vacuum cleaners with hand-held units have ergonomic issues during coupling and uncoupling due to difficult handle grasping and lack of efficient locking mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A robot vacuum cleaner design featuring a main body and a hand-held vacuum cleaner that can reversibly couple, with a grip handle that moves between retracted and deployed positions, and a single locking device that secures the handle and hand vacuum, allowing for easy handling and uncoupling with a single operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the grip handle is fixed in a deployed position for easy handling, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional locking mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handlingVSAvoidlocking mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the handle locking function with the vacuum cleaner coupling/uncoupling mechanism. The grip handle locking means are integrated into the coupling mechanism between the hand-held vacuum cleaner and main body, so that a single coupling action simultaneously secures both the vacuum cleaner unit and the handle in position, eliminating the need for separate locking devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling mechanism serves multiple functions: it connects the hand-held vacuum cleaner to the main body, secures the grip handle in the retracted position, and provides the structural interface for power and data transmission. This multi-functional design reduces overall system complexity while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple locking devices are used to secure the handle and hand vacuum, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupling reliabilityVSAvoidlocking mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the handle locking function with the vacuum cleaner coupling mechanism. The grip handle locking means are integrated into the coupling mechanism between the hand-held vacuum cleaner and main body, so that a single coupling action simultaneously secures both the vacuum cleaner unit and the handle in position, eliminating the need for separate locking devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling mechanism is segmented into functional zones: the grip handle locking means are positioned to engage with the main body when the handle is in the retracted position, while the vacuum cleaner coupling interface engages separately. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function reliably without requiring additional locking devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If the grip handle is retracted during coupling, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation worsens due to difficult grasping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking mechanism complexityVSAvoidease of handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The grip handle is designed to be movable between a retracted position (during coupling) and a deployed position (during handling). The dynamic positioning allows the handle to be out of the way during coupling operations, reducing interference and simplifying the coupling mechanism, while being easily deployable when the user needs to handle the vacuum cleaner

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3666145B1Robot vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2023.02.22 SEB SA
  • EP3666145B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3666145B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3666145B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Autonomous robot vacuum cleaner comprising: • a main body (10), • a hand vacuum cleaner (20), arranged to couple with the main body (10): - so as to form the autonomous robot vacuum cleaner in the coupled position, and - so as to form an autonomous hand vacuum cleaner (20) in the uncoupled position, in which the hand vacuum cleaner (20) includes a gripping handle (21) movable between: - a retracted position, or - a deployed position, • locking means for the gripping handle (21), provided to lock the gripping handle (21) onto the main body (10) in the retracted position.