Robotic Vacuum Dust Container Push-Push Release Without Exterior Grips

Solution Overview

Problem

Robotic vacuum cleaners face challenges in designing a removable dust container that balances functionality with aesthetic appeal, as existing solutions often increase the risk of entanglement and leave visible seams or grooves on the outer surface.

Innovation Solution

A robotic vacuum cleaner with a push-push mechanism that allows the dust container to be easily switched between flush and protruding positions, using a smooth outer surface for operation and a grippable protrusion for removal, minimizing visible features and enhancing safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a handle or hand-grippable feature is provided on the dust container to facilitate removal, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of entanglement increases and the aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to visible seams or grooves

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedust container removalVSAvoidentanglement risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The dust container is extracted from the housing through a push-push mechanism that allows it to be easily removed without requiring permanent handles or grips on the exterior surface. The container can be fully extracted from the housing for convenient emptying while maintaining a smooth exterior when in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The dust container transitions between two dynamic states: a received condition where it is flush with the housing surface, and a removably received condition where it protrudes for easy gripping and removal. This dynamic positioning eliminates the need for permanent external handles while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a handle or hand-grippable feature is provided on the dust container to facilitate removal, then ease of operation is improved, but the aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to visible seams or grooves

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedust container removalVSAvoidouter surface smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The dust container is extracted from the housing through a push-push mechanism that allows it to be easily removed without requiring permanent handles or grips on the exterior surface. The container can be fully extracted from the housing for convenient emptying while maintaining a smooth exterior when in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The dust container transitions between two dynamic states: a received condition where it is flush with the housing surface, and a removably received condition where it protrudes for easy gripping and removal. This dynamic positioning eliminates the need for permanent external handles while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the dust container is designed to be easily removable, then ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the push-push mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedust container removalVSAvoidpush-push mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The push-push mechanism is configured to automatically maintain the dust container in the received condition after a single push operation, eliminating the need for complex locking mechanisms or multiple manual steps. The mechanism serves itself by using the user's push action to both release and secure the container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The dust container is segmented into a removable portion and a fixed portion, allowing the removable portion to be easily extracted while the fixed portion remains integrated with the housing. This segmentation simplifies the removal mechanism while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2849624B1Robotic vacuum cleaner with removable dust container

Publication Date: 2015.12.02 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C

AI summary

Robotic vacuum cleaner (1) including: a housing (100) defining a dust container reception compartment (108) that has a dust container reception opening (110) in an outer surface (102) of the housing; a dust container (200) configured to be removably receivable inside the compartment (108) via the dust opening, such that, in an operationally received condition, an outer push surface (208) of the dust container is flush with the outer surface of the housing, while in a removably received condition, the push surface (208) protrudes outwardly from said outer surface (102) of the housing; and a push-push mechanism (300) configured to maintain a received dust container in said operationally received condition when the push surface is pushed inwards into the housing and released a first time, and to force the dust container from said operationally received condition into the removably received condition when pushed inwards and released a second time.