Retractable Side Arm Structure for Robot Vacuum Edge Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic vacuum cleaners face issues with side arms protruding from the device housing, creating gaps that can catch objects and cause the robot to get stuck, especially in angled geometries, leading to interruptions in autonomous cleaning.
Innovation Solution
The robotic vacuum cleaner features a side arm with two rod-shaped arm elements, one end slidably mounted in the device housing, connected via an axle that allows controlled protrusion and retraction, eliminating gaps and improving cleaning performance in edge and corner areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the side arm protrudes in front of the device housing to clean edge and corner areas, then cleaning performance is improved, but objects can get caught in the gap between the side arm and device housing causing the robot to get stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The side arm is divided into two separate arm elements (first arm element and second arm element) that are movably connected. This segmentation allows the side arm to protrude for cleaning while the second arm element can retract to eliminate gaps that cause objects to get caught, resolving the contradiction between cleaning performance and reliable autonomous operation.
2Area of stationary object
If the side arm protrudes to reach edge and corner areas, then cleaning coverage is improved, but the robot requires manual intervention when objects are caught
Solution Approach 1:
The side arm is designed with dynamic movement capability through the movable connection between the two arm elements. The side arm can dynamically adjust its position - protruding when needed for cleaning coverage and retracting to avoid obstacles - enabling fully autonomous operation without manual intervention.
3Productivity
If the side arm protrudes for effective cleaning, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The side arm is segmented into two arm elements that are movably connected, allowing the structure to achieve complex cleaning motions through simple relative movements of the segments. This segmentation enables effective cleaning without requiring an overly complex single-piece mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a robotic vacuum cleaner for autonomous cleaning of surfaces, with a device housing and with at least one side arm that is movably mounted in or under the device housing and on which at least one brush element is arranged, with the at least one side arm partially protruding in front of the device housing in a first position and in a second position is received by the device housing, wherein the at least one side arm has a first arm element with a first end and with a second end, the first arm element being movably mounted in the device housing at the first end.