Robotic Vacuum Cleaning Head With Compressible Anti-Tangle Rollers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic vacuums face challenges in maximizing cleaning effectiveness, dust bin capacity, minimizing size and production cost, and preventing hair and debris from entangling and degrading performance.
Innovation Solution
A compressible, resilient roller with V-shaped chevrons and a four-bar linkage mechanism that allows the cleaning head to adjust vertically, preventing hair and debris from wrapping around the roller and ensuring continuous contact for efficient debris collection and airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid roller is used for cleaning, then structural strength is maintained, but hair and debris become entangled around the roller degrading performance
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is constructed with a flexible outer shell made of elastomeric material that can deform and flex during rotation. This flexibility prevents hair and debris from becoming tightly entangled around the roller, as the material can give way and release captured debris, thereby maintaining cleaning performance without the harmful entanglement effect
Solution Approach 2:
The roller material properties are changed from rigid to elastomeric, altering the mechanical parameters such as flexibility and compliance. This parameter change allows the roller to dynamically adapt its surface characteristics, preventing debris accumulation while maintaining sufficient structural integrity for effective cleaning
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning head is fixed in position, then structural simplicity is maintained, but the robotic vacuum cannot adapt to different floor surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning head is designed with dynamic positioning capability through a linkage mechanism that allows it to move vertically relative to the robot body. This enables the cleaning head to adapt its position based on floor surface variations, maintaining optimal contact with different floor types while managing the added structural complexity through efficient mechanical design
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the roller is made compressible and resilient, then hair entanglement is prevented, but torque transfer from drive shaft becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
A drive interface mechanism serves as an intermediary between the rigid drive shaft and the flexible roller. This interface, which may include a hub or coupling structure, provides a rigid attachment point for torque application while allowing the elastomeric roller material to flex freely during operation, thus solving both the torque transfer and debris prevention requirements
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 enhances cleaning efficiency by directing debris into the dust bin, maintaining airflow rate, and preventing hair entanglement, while allowing the robotic vacuum to adapt to different floor surfaces without losing parallel contact, thus improving user satisfaction and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
The hub has one or more engagement elements formed therein for engaging securely with a rigid drive shaft. The engagement elements enable the transfer of torque from the drive shaft to the resilient tubular member via the resilient curvilinear spokes.
Implementation Method 2
The resilient compressible material may be, for example, Thermoplastic Polyurethan (TPU) foam, Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA), or polypropylene foam, and in some implementations, the resilient compressible material may be affixed permanently to the rigid shaft to resist shear forces that would otherwise dislodge the resilient compressible material.
Implementation Method 3
The one or more vanes are integrally formed with the resilient tubular member and define V-shaped chevrons extending from one end of the resilient tubular member to the other end. The one or more vanes contact debris on a cleaning surface and direct the debris in the direction of rotation of the compressible, resilient roller.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous mobile robot comprise: a chassis having a drive system in communication with a control system; a cleaning head assembly having a lower cage and mounted to the chassis; a debris collection bin mounted to the chassis; a vacuum airway having a vacuum inlet and an airway outlet positioned adjacent the debris collection bin, and configured to deliver debris from the cleaning head assembly to a debris collection bin, the vacuum airway extending between the cleaning assembly and debris collection bin and being in fluid communication with an impeller disposed within the debris collection bin; and a cleaning head module connected to the chassis and having a front roller including a front shape-changing resilient tube and an adjacent rear roller including a rear shape-changing resilient tube rotatably opposing therewith beneath the vacuum inlet.