Self-propelled and self-steering floor cleaning device, floor cleaning system and method for operating a floor cleaning device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-propelled floor cleaning devices lack the ability to effectively detect and classify floor surface contamination, leading to inefficient cleaning strategies and potential damage to certain floor types, as they cannot adapt their cleaning behavior based on the type, size, or location of contamination.
Innovation Solution
A self-propelled and self-steering floor cleaning device equipped with a sensor device that detects contamination and classifies it based on various criteria, allowing the control device to adjust the cleaning behavior, including the use of appropriate cleaning tools and parameters, to ensure optimal cleaning without damaging the floor surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the floor cleaning device uses a fixed cleaning strategy for all floor surfaces, then the device structure remains simple, but the cleaning efficiency and adaptability to different contamination types deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device performs preliminary detection of contamination type, size, and location before the cleaning process begins. This advance information allows the control device to pre-adjust cleaning parameters and select appropriate cleaning tools, enabling adaptive cleaning behavior without requiring complex real-time decision-making mechanisms during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device continuously monitors the floor surface and provides feedback to the control device about contamination conditions. Based on this feedback, the control device dynamically adjusts cleaning behavior, including selecting different cleaning tools and modifying cleaning parameters, thereby achieving adaptability through a closed-loop control system.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor device continuously monitors the entire floor surface, then the detection precision of contamination improves, but the energy consumption and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly monitoring the entire floor surface, the sensor device focuses its detection capabilities on specific local areas where contamination is detected or where the cleaning device is currently operating. This localized approach maintains high detection precision for relevant areas while reducing overall processing time and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device performs full-surface monitoring only when necessary, such as during initial mapping or when contamination patterns suggest widespread soiling. For routine cleaning operations, monitoring is performed selectively in the immediate vicinity of the cleaning device, reducing processing time while maintaining sufficient detection precision for effective cleaning.
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 device can efficiently clean the floor surface by adapting its cleaning behavior to the type and location of contamination, avoiding areas that cannot be cleaned and using suitable cleaning tools to remove contaminants, thereby ensuring effective and safe cleaning operations.
Implementation Method 1
detecting emitted light after it has been reflected from the surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a self-propelled and self-steering floor cleaning device (10), comprising a chassis (16) for movement on the floor surface (12), at least one cleaning tool (22) for cleaning the floor surface (12), a control unit (20), and at least one sensor device (24) with a detection range (41) directed towards the floor surface (12), wherein the control unit (20) can detect soiling (14) of the floor surface (12), and in particular on the floor surface (12), based on a signal from the at least one sensor device (24), the soiling (14) can be classified according to at least one criterion, and the cleaning behavior for the floor surface (12) can be verified and/or adapted based on the classification of the at least one type of soiling (14). The invention also relates to a floor cleaning system (54) and a method for operating a floor cleaning device (10).