Robot Vacuum Flap Sealing for Large Debris Pickup

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floor cleaning robots struggle to effectively clean floors with large impurities due to these being repelled by the seal around the rotary brush, leading to incomplete waste collection and suction inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A floor cleaning robot equipped with sealing means between the underside and the ground, featuring guide walls in the shape of V or chevron that direct large impurities towards specific passage openings, ensuring effective suction and preventing air leaks while maintaining contact with the ground.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If sealing means are arranged around the suction slot to prevent air leaks, then suction efficiency is improved, but large impurities are repelled and cannot be effectively collected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuction efficiencyVSAvoidlarge impurity collection
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means is segmented into multiple flaps (front flaps, side flaps, rear flaps) that can be independently arranged around the suction slot. Each flap can be positioned to optimize both sealing performance and debris guidance, allowing the system to simultaneously prevent air leaks and facilitate large impurity collection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flaps act as intermediary elements between the suction slot and the floor. They serve dual functions: blocking air leakage paths to maintain suction efficiency while defining passage openings and guiding large debris toward the suction slot, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of sealing and debris collection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Length of moving object

If the underside is positioned close to the floor without touching to maintain clearance, then mobility is improved, but air leakage increases reducing suction performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveground clearanceVSAvoidair leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means comprises flexible flaps made of elastic material that can deform and adapt to the floor surface. These flaps maintain continuous contact with the floor to block air leakage paths, while the flexibility allows the robot to move without rigid contact, preserving mobility and ground clearance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution allows for efficient collection of large waste items, such as peas, by guiding them into the suction slit and preventing air leaks, thereby enhancing cleaning performance and suction efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

suction means arranged to create a suction flow in the suction slot

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction flow: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

These flaps act as guide walls to these openings, directing debris from the floor to be cleaned towards the passage openings as the cleaning robot moves

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow direction: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

sealing means arranged between the underside and the floor to be cleaned, in a area located between the suction slot and a periphery of the lower face, so as to at least partially block a leakage path of the suction flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAirflow blockage: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3512395B1Cleaning robot for floor
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 SEB SA
  • EP3512395B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3512395B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

Floor cleaning robot (100) comprising: - a lower face (20) arranged to face a floor to be cleaned; - a suction slot arranged in the lower face (20); - a rotating brush (30) arranged in the suction slot; - suction means arranged to create a suction flow in the suction slot; characterized in that the cleaning robot (100) comprises sealing means arranged between the lower face (20) and the floor to be cleaned, in an area located between the suction slot and a periphery of the lower face (20), so as to at least partially close off a leakage path of the suction flow, the sealing means comprising flaps (10, 12, 13) defining a plurality of passage openings toward the suction slot, the flaps (10, 12, 13) forming guide walls toward the passage openings to guide impurities resting on the floor to be cleaned toward the passage openings, when the cleaning robot (100) is in motion.