Robotic Vacuum Edge-Cleaning Control Using Tactile Obstacle Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic vacuum cleaners face challenges in effectively cleaning edges and corners due to fixed sensitivity settings of distance sensors, which can result in either inadequate cleaning or potential damage from increased sensitivity.
Innovation Solution
A robotic vacuum cleaner with a tactile sensor unit and steerable motor-driven wheel unit that operates in a spiral path mode and transitions to an edge-cleaning mode by adjusting angles to allow contact with obstacles, enabling better edge navigation and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the sensitivity of the distance sensor is increased to achieve better cleaning effect, then the cleaning effect is improved, but the chances of bumping against obstacles increase resulting in potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic vacuum cleaner dynamically switches between two operational modes: normal cleaning mode with higher sensor sensitivity for better edge cleaning, and safe mode with lower sensitivity to avoid damage. The control unit adjusts the distance sensor's sensitivity threshold based on the current operational context, allowing the system to optimize cleaning performance while minimizing damage risk through adaptive parameter changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the sensitivity parameter of the distance sensor based on operational mode. In normal cleaning mode, the sensor operates at higher sensitivity to detect edges and obstacles more precisely for better cleaning. When potential damage is detected or in safe mode, the sensitivity is reduced to prevent excessive bumping. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by making sensitivity context-dependent rather than fixed.
2Reliability
If the sensitivity of the distance sensor is decreased to reduce bumping chances, then the damage risk is reduced, but the distance between the casing and obstacle increases reducing cleaning effect
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the distance sensor sensitivity based on the operational mode. During normal cleaning operations, high sensitivity is maintained for precise obstacle detection and better cleaning. When the system transitions to safe mode or detects potential damage conditions, sensitivity is automatically reduced to minimize bumping frequency, thus protecting the device while maintaining acceptable cleaning performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit modifies the sensitivity threshold parameter of the distance sensor according to the current mode of operation. This parameter change allows the system to optimize the balance between cleaning effectiveness and device protection, resolving the contradiction by making sensitivity adjustable rather than fixed.
3Manufacturing precision
If the robotic vacuum cleaner moves closer to obstacles to improve edge cleaning, then the cleaning effect is improved, but the risk of damage from bumping increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic vacuum cleaner employs dynamic mode switching to navigate the trade-off between edge cleaning effectiveness and damage risk. In normal cleaning mode, the vehicle operates closer to obstacles with higher sensor sensitivity to achieve superior edge cleaning. When damage risk is detected or in safe mode, the system increases the safety margin distance and reduces sensitivity, thereby protecting the device while maintaining acceptable cleaning performance through adaptive behavioral changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit adjusts critical parameters including distance sensor sensitivity threshold and target distance maintenance based on operational mode. These parameter changes enable the system to optimize the balance between cleaning performance and device protection, allowing closer operation for better cleaning when safe, and maintaining larger distances for protection when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic vacuum cleaner includes a casing with a motor-driven wheel unit mounted on a lower major wall thereof, and a tactile sensor unit yieldable radially relative to the casing. An electrical control unit is operable to control the wheel unit to operate in a starting mode in which the casing is moved along a spiral path, and, upon receipt of a switching signal generated by the sensor unit in response to a contact of the sensor unit with an obstacle, controls the wheel unit to operate in an edge-cleaning mode in which the wheel unit is initially turned to a normal angle, is then driven to move forward a predetermined distance, is subsequently turned to an activating angle, and is moved towards the obstacle to permit contact of the sensor unit with the obstacle so as to result in generation of switch signal enabling the wheel unit to continue to operate in the edge-cleaning mode.