Robotic vacuum cleaner having a rotating brush roller and cleaning method for a brush roller of a robotic vacuum cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robot vacuum cleaners face issues with brush rollers becoming clogged with threads and hairs, which reduces their cleaning effectiveness, and existing solutions are not suitable for autonomous operation.
Innovation Solution
A robot vacuum cleaner design with a vertically adjustable brush roller and a stationary blade above it, allowing the brush roller to be raised for engagement with the blade for cleaning, utilizing the robot's mobility to position itself on a ramp for effective removal of hairs and threads without additional adjustment means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blade is added to clean the brush roller, then the brush roller cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade structure serves multiple functions: it cleans the brush roller by cutting wound-up hairs and threads, and simultaneously acts as a structural component of the housing. This multi-functionality approach improves brush roller maintenance capability while avoiding additional complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot vacuum cleaner utilizes its own movement and operational characteristics to perform brush roller cleaning. By raising the brush roller to engage with the stationary blade during operation, the system cleans itself without requiring external manual intervention or separate dedicated cleaning mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the brush roller is made vertically adjustable, then the brush roller engagement with the blade is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the blade adjustable to meet the brush roller, the invention inverts the approach by making the brush roller adjustable to meet the stationary blade. This inversion simplifies the overall structure by keeping the blade fixed while allowing the brush roller to be raised or lowered as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The brush roller axle is designed with vertical adjustability, allowing the brush roller to dynamically change its position relative to the blade. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the brush roller to engage with the blade for cleaning while maintaining operational flexibility.
3Device complexity
If manual removal of hairs is required, then the device complexity is reduced, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs brush roller cleaning autonomously during normal operation. The robot vacuum cleaner automatically raises the brush roller to engage with the blade, allowing continuous self-cleaning without requiring manual intervention, thus eliminating time loss for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The brush roller cleaning process occurs continuously during the robot's operation rather than requiring separate maintenance intervals. The blade constantly cuts wound-up hairs as the brush roller rotates and engages, maintaining cleaning effectiveness throughout operation.
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 autonomous and efficient cleaning of the brush roller by using the robot's mobility to position the brush roller for engagement with the blade, effectively removing debris and maintaining cleaning effectiveness without manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
The blade then cuts hairs and threads into smaller pieces while the brush roller is rotating and lifts them off the brush roller
Data Source
AI summary
A robot vacuum cleaner includes a housing and a brush roller disposed at a bottom of the housing. The brush roller is configured to be rotatable about a horizontal axle. A blade is disposed above the brush roller in stationary relation with respect to the housing. The horizontal axle is adjustable in height relative to the housing. The brush roller is spaced away from the blade in a lower position and is in engagement with the blade in an upper position.