Robotic vacuum cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic cleaners face challenges in accurately detecting obstacles, particularly overhanging and forward obstacles, leading to potential entrapment and inefficient cleaning paths due to interference in sensor signals from a displaceable bumper and incorrect obstacle detection.
Innovation Solution
The robotic cleaner employs a displaceable bumper with a divider between emitters and detectors to absorb or reduce reflected signals, along with optical break switches and gyroscopic sensors to differentiate obstacle types and adjust cleaning paths, and includes side brushes with deflectors to collect debris efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a displaceable bumper is used to detect obstacles, then the robotic cleaner can detect obstacles through bumper displacement, but reflected signals from the bumper interfere with sensor accuracy causing incorrect obstacle detection
Solution Approach 1:
An optical barrier is introduced as an intermediary element between the optical sensor and the displaceable bumper. This barrier selectively blocks reflected optical signals from the bumper while allowing the sensor to detect actual obstacles, thereby eliminating signal interference and improving measurement precision without sacrificing detection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful reflected signals from the bumper are extracted and blocked from reaching the optical sensor. By removing this interfering element from the detection path, the system achieves more accurate obstacle detection while maintaining the benefits of displaceable bumper detection
2Productivity
If the robotic cleaner travels along a predetermined path, then cleaning coverage can be optimized, but the cleaner may become trapped when encountering obstacles it cannot detect
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary obstacle detection using multiple sensors (optical sensors, bumpers, gyroscopic sensors) before the robotic cleaner commits to path changes. This advance detection allows the cleaner to maintain predetermined path efficiency while preventing entrapment by identifying obstacles early in the detection sequence
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple feedback mechanisms are implemented including optical sensors that detect obstacles ahead of time, displaceable bumpers that provide immediate contact feedback, and gyroscopic sensors that monitor orientation changes. This multi-layered feedback system ensures the cleaner can adjust its predetermined path when obstacles are detected, preventing entrapment while maintaining cleaning efficiency
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to improve obstacle detection, then detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple detection functions are merged into a unified sensor system architecture. Optical sensors, displaceable bumpers, and gyroscopic sensors are integrated to work together as a coordinated detection network, sharing processing resources and control logic, thereby improving measurement precision while managing device complexity through functional integration
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
Enhances obstacle detection accuracy, prevents entrapment, and optimizes cleaning paths, ensuring thorough coverage and efficient debris collection.
Implementation Method 1
reflected signals from the displaceable bumper... interfere in sensor signals
Implementation Method 2
divider between emitters and detectors to absorb or reduce reflected signals
Implementation Method 3
emitter configured to emit light through at least a portion of the displaceable bumper
Implementation Method 4
suction motor configured to generate suction at an air inlet
Implementation Method 5
side brush configured to urge debris on a surface towards the air inlet
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A robotic vacuum cleaner may include a housing, a displaceable bumper, an emitter/detector pair, and at least one divider. The displaceable bumper may be moveably coupled to the housing and may be configured to be displaced along at least one axis. The emitter/detector pair may have an emitter and a detector, wherein the emitter is configured to emit light through at least a portion of the displaceable bumper. The at least one divider may be disposed between the emitter and the detector of the emitter/detector pair.