Robotic Cleaner Side Brush With Soft Bristles Against Entanglement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic cleaners often experience disruptions due to entanglement with obstructions like cords and carpets, which can prevent the side brush from spinning and disable the cleaner's operation.
Innovation Solution
The use of long soft bristles on the side brush, which are flexible and less likely to become entangled or lodged with obstructions, allowing them to sweep over obstacles without disruption, and a system that autonomously controls the operation of side brushes based on sensor data to avoid entanglement risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the side brush uses traditional bristles, then it can effectively sweep dust and debris, but it becomes entangled with obstructions like cords and carpets, disabling the cleaner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the bristles by making them significantly longer (approximately 1.5 to 2 times longer than traditional bristles) and softer in texture. This parameter change allows the bristles to flex and wrap around obstructions rather than becoming entangled, resolving the contradiction between effective sweeping and avoiding entanglement
Solution Approach 2:
The side brush is designed to dynamically adapt to obstructions by allowing the long soft bristles to flex and conform to the shape of cords and carpets. This dynamic response enables the brush to maintain contact with the surface while navigating around obstacles, preventing entanglement while continuing to sweep debris
2Productivity
If the side brush spins at high speed to improve cleaning efficiency, then it sweeps debris more effectively, but it becomes more prone to entanglement with obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bristle parameters (length and softness) to create a buffer that absorbs the kinetic energy of high-speed rotation. The longer, softer bristles flex under centrifugal force rather than rigidly contacting obstructions, allowing high-speed operation without increased entanglement risk
3Ease of operation
If the robotic cleaner drives over obstructions to navigate the workspace, then it maintains mobility, but the side brush becomes lodged in the obstruction, disabling operation
Solution Approach 1:
The long soft bristles act as a flexible element that can deform and wrap around obstructions without transferring sufficient force to lodge the brush in the obstruction. This flexibility allows the cleaner to drive over cords and carpets while the bristles conform to the obstruction shape, maintaining both mobility and brush functionality
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
Prevents entanglement and ensures continuous operation of the robotic cleaner by allowing the side brushes to adapt to environmental obstacles, maintaining cleaning efficiency and preventing mechanical failures.
Implementation Method 1
The use of long soft bristles on the side brush, which are flexible and less likely to become entangled or lodged with obstructions
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic cleaner executing operations such as capturing data indicative of locations of objects in a workspace through which the robot moves; generating or updating a map of at least a part of the workspace based on at least the data; and navigating based on the map or an updated map of the workspace. The robotic cleaner may include a side brush with a main body with at least one attachment point and at least one bundle of bristles attached to the at least one attachment point of the main body.