Device and method for detecting cleaning work which has been performed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cleaning personnel face challenges in determining which areas have been cleaned and which have not, leading to inefficient cleaning processes and increased costs due to overlapping or missed surfaces, particularly with manually operated cleaning devices where no sensor systems are used to record contact with the surface.
Innovation Solution
A device with sensors and a data processing unit that displays cleaning areas in different colors based on contact pressure and movement, allowing real-time tracking of cleaned surfaces and reducing the need for manual input errors, compatible with various cleaning devices including vacuum cleaners, cloths, and high-pressure cleaners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cleaning personnel manually clean surfaces without sensor systems, then the device complexity is low, but the cleaning precision and reliability are poor due to inability to track cleaned areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual tracking with sensor-based detection systems. Sensors mounted on cleaning devices automatically detect and record cleaned surfaces, substituting human perception and manual tracking with automated mechanical/electronic detection, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring complex centralized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device itself performs the tracking function through integrated sensors. The device monitors its own movement and cleaning action, recording which areas have been cleaned autonomously without requiring external monitoring systems or manual documentation by personnel.
2Reliability
If cleaning personnel use comprehensive cleaning schedules, then the cleaning coverage is improved, but the time required to understand and execute schedules increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback to cleaning personnel through displays or mobile devices, showing which areas have been cleaned and which remain. This immediate feedback eliminates the need for personnel to study and interpret complex schedules, as the system automatically tracks and communicates cleaning status.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-defines cleaning areas and paths, and automatically adjusts the cleaning schedule based on real-time progress. Cleaning personnel follow simplified guidance rather than complex pre-planned schedules, as the system dynamically optimizes the cleaning sequence based on actual conditions and progress.
3Reliability
If cleaning personnel overlap cleaning areas to ensure thoroughness, then the cleaning reliability is improved, but the material and time expenditure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system provides real-time feedback on which areas have been cleaned, allowing personnel to see exactly where overlap is necessary and where it is redundant. This eliminates unnecessary overlapping in already-cleaned areas while maintaining adequate overlap at boundaries, optimizing both thoroughness and resource efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly overlapping all cleaning paths, the system applies overlap only where necessary based on real-time tracking. The sensor data identifies precise boundaries between cleaned and uncleaned areas, allowing minimal necessary overlap rather than excessive uniform overlap, thereby reducing material and time expenditure.
4Productivity
If autonomous cleaning robots are used, then the productivity is improved, but the user control and visibility of cleaning processes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses display devices and mobile communication interfaces as intermediaries between the autonomous cleaning device and the user. These intermediaries provide real-time visibility of cleaning progress, cleaned areas, and device status, allowing users to monitor and control autonomous operations without being directly involved in the cleaning process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the cleaning execution function (performed autonomously by the device) from the monitoring and control function (performed by the user through displays). This segmentation allows high-speed autonomous cleaning while maintaining user visibility and control through separate information display interfaces.
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 enhances cleaning efficiency by reducing overlap and ensuring thoroughness, while also documenting cleaning processes and allowing for real-time monitoring and billing of completed tasks, thereby optimizing cleaning time and quality.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one sensor means records or can record a contact pressure exerted on the surface to be cleaned, said pressure being exerted by the at least one area of the cleaning device that can be or is used for cleaning
Implementation Method 2
at least one sensor means in order to record the position of at least one cleaning area of the cleaning device
Implementation Method 3
the at least one sensor means records or can record the distance of the outlet of a jet nozzle of a cleaning device from the surface to be cleaned, the angle of the outlet of the jet nozzle or of the jet to the surface to be cleaned
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device that is in particular detachable, connectable, or connected with a cleaning device, wherein the device comprises at least one sensor means in order to record the position of at least one cleaning area of a cleaning device, which area can be or is used for cleaning, at least one display device, and at least one data processing unit which interacts or can be made to interact functionally with the display device, and with the at least one sensor means, wherein the data processing device is configured and adapted to display at least one representation of at least one surface to be cleaned in at least one first color or without color and, based on a recorded change in the position of at least the cleaning area of the cleaning device, to display the surface to be cleaned in at least one second color or without superimposition of color.