Brush with pressure sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile robotic vacuum cleaners face issues with brush entanglement with electrical cords and cables, leading to false detection of obstructions due to increased current from thick carpets, which results in unnecessary stopping and reversing of the brush mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable brush equipped with a pressure sensor featuring a toggle that switches positions upon encountering entanglement, actuating a sensor to trigger specific responses such as halting or reversing the brush's rotation, thereby accurately detecting and addressing entanglements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current generated by the brush motor is used to detect entanglement, then entanglement detection is achieved, but false detection occurs due to increased current from thick carpets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical detection method (current sensing) with a mechanical detection method (pressure sensing). The pressure sensor directly measures the mechanical force exerted on the brush, providing accurate entanglement detection without being influenced by electrical variations caused by carpet thickness. This substitution resolves the false detection issue while maintaining reliable operation.
2Reliability
If the brush stops and reverses direction upon detecting increased current, then potential entanglement is addressed, but unnecessary stopping occurs on thick carpets
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing current-based detection with pressure-based detection, the system can distinguish between legitimate entanglements (which exert mechanical pressure) and normal operating conditions on thick carpets (which do not exert excessive pressure). This allows the brush to continue operating without unnecessary stopping, maintaining cleaning efficiency while still reliably handling actual entanglements.
3Measurement precision
If a pressure sensor is added to detect entanglement, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a simple mechanical toggle as an intermediary between the pressure sensor and the brush motor control. The toggle acts as a mechanical switch that converts pressure sensor output into a binary signal for the control system, providing accurate entanglement detection while adding minimal structural complexity to the brush assembly.
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 pressure sensor effectively differentiates between entanglements and increased power requirements from thick carpets, reducing false detection and enabling more reliable operation of the robotic vacuum cleaner.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor comprising: a toggle extending along the length of the shaft, and a sensor actuated by the toggle, wherein the toggle has a first default position and a second position, and wherein when the toggle switches from the first default position into the second position due to force from an entanglement on or around the shaft, the sensor is actuated
Data Source
AI summary
A rotatable brush with a pressure sensor for detecting entanglements. If the amount of pressure around the brush reaches a predetermined threshold, a toggle extending along the length of the brush shaft switches from a default position to a secondary position and actuates the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is electronically coupled to a processor and/or controller to activate one or more preprogrammed responses when an entanglement is putting pressure on the brush.