Automatically moving cleaning device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatically moving cleaning devices are limited to cleaning horizontal surfaces and cannot effectively clean above-floor areas, such as skirting boards, due to their design and lack of suitable cleaning elements.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a rotatable and/or pivotable overhead cleaning element with a height difference of 3 cm or more from the lowest standing surface, allowing for mechanical cleaning of overhead surfaces, which can be adapted to varying heights and equipped with brushes, rollers, or combs for effective dust and dirt removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cleaning device is designed to clean horizontal surfaces, then it can effectively clean floors, but it cannot clean above-floor surfaces such as skirting boards
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is equipped with both a surface cleaning device for horizontal surfaces and an overhead cleaning element for above-floor surfaces, allowing a single device to perform multiple cleaning functions including floor cleaning, skirting board cleaning, and plateau cleaning without requiring separate specialized devices
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead cleaning element is designed to be rotatable and/or pivotable about an axis of rotation, enabling it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation to access and clean various above-floor surfaces at different heights and angles, thereby adapting to different cleaning scenarios
2Ease of operation
If a flexible cleaning cloth is used on the underside of the housing, then it can clean lower areas of skirting boards, but it cannot clean above-floor surfaces due to low inherent rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The overhead cleaning element is designed to be rotatable and/or pivotable about an axis of rotation, enabling it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation to access and clean various above-floor surfaces at different heights and angles
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device extends its cleaning capability from the horizontal plane to the vertical dimension by positioning the overhead cleaning element at a height of 3 cm or more above the lowest standing surface, allowing it to reach plateaus and above-floor surfaces that flexible cloths cannot access
3Adaptability or versatility
If the overhead cleaning element is positioned 3 cm or more above the lowest standing surface, then it can clean above-floor surfaces, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device integrates both surface cleaning and overhead cleaning functions into a single unified system, where the overhead cleaning element can be rotated or pivoted to perform cleaning tasks on above-floor surfaces, eliminating the need for separate cleaning devices
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead cleaning element is designed to automatically rotate or pivot during operation, using the device's own motion and integrated motors to position the cleaning element appropriately, reducing the need for manual intervention and simplifying operation despite the added mechanical complexity
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
Enables simultaneous cleaning of both floor and above-floor surfaces, improving cleaning efficiency and coverage by allowing the cleaning device to reach and clean surfaces typically missed by conventional cleaning robots, with the overhead cleaning element rotating or pivoting to sweep dust and dirt into a collection area.
Implementation Method 1
mechanical cleaning of an overhead surface... with brushes, rollers, or combs for effective dust and dirt removal
Implementation Method 2
overhead cleaning element for mechanical cleaning of an overhead surface
Implementation Method 3
the overhead cleaning element rotating or pivoting to sweep dust and dirt into a collection area
Implementation Method 4
sweep dust and dirt into a collection area
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to an automatically moving cleaning device (1) with a surface cleaning device (2) for cleaning a surface (3) to be cleaned. In order to also be able to clean an area above the floor (5), it is proposed that the cleaning device (1) additionally have an area above the floor (4) for mechanical cleaning of an area above the floor (5) which is offset in height relative to the area (3), the above-floor cleaning element (4) is rotatable and/or pivotable about an axis of rotation (6) and at least a cleaning partial area of the above-floor cleaning element (4) has a height difference of approximately 3 cm or more to a lowest standing surface (7) in relation to an orientation of the cleaning device (1) that is usual for a cleaning operation. of the cleaning device (1). In addition, the invention also relates to a method for operating a self-propelled cleaning device (1).