Surface cleaning robot and process for manufacturing track thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface cleaning robots face issues with track durability and adhesion to glass surfaces due to the limitations of single-material tracks, where high-hardness tracks damage glass and low-hardness tracks suffer from wear-out, and composite tracks with varying hardness tapes experience relative displacements leading to failure.
Innovation Solution
A composite track structure featuring a hard layer nested with a soft layer, where the hard layer engages with the gear and the soft layer contacts the surface, with protrusions for enhanced fixation, and a manufacturing process involving heating and cooling to combine these layers, using materials like thermoplastic polyurethane rubber and nylon glass fiber for improved strength and toughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a high-hardness material is adopted for the track, then the track has better wear resistance, but the track has poor adhesion to the glass and can damage the glass
Solution Approach 1:
The track is designed with different hardness values at different locations: the inner ring (engaging with gear) has higher hardness for wear resistance, while the outer ring (contacting glass surface) has lower hardness for better adhesion and reduced glass damage risk. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between wear resistance and adhesion quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The track uses a composite structure with an inner ring made of high-hardness material and an outer ring made of low-hardness material. This composite material approach allows each region to have the properties needed for its specific function, simultaneously achieving wear resistance and good adhesion without glass damage.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a low-hardness material is adopted for the track, then the track has better adhesion to the glass surface, but the side of the track where the track engages with a gear is particularly susceptible to wear-out failure
Solution Approach 1:
The track is designed with different hardness values at different locations: the inner ring (engaging with gear) has higher hardness for wear resistance, while the outer ring (contacting glass surface) has lower hardness for better adhesion and reduced glass damage risk. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between wear resistance and adhesion quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The track uses a composite structure with an inner ring made of high-hardness material and an outer ring made of low-hardness material. This composite material approach allows each region to have the properties needed for its specific function, simultaneously achieving wear resistance and good adhesion without glass damage.
3Strength
If a composite track consisting of at least two tapes with different hardness which are superposed with each other is used, then the above-mentioned problem is solved, but relative displacements between the different tapes tend to occur after a long run, resulting in failure of the track
Solution Approach 1:
The inner ring and outer ring are nested together in a concentric configuration, with the inner ring positioned inside the outer ring. This nested structure, combined with protrusions and grooves, prevents relative displacement between the two rings while maintaining their composite material benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a radial dimension to the composite structure by creating protrusions on the outer surface of the inner ring that extend radially outward, with corresponding grooves on the inner surface of the outer ring. This dimensional feature prevents relative displacement between the rings.
4Stability of the object's composition
If protrusions are provided on the outer side of the hard layer and embedded in the soft layer, then effective fixation between the hard layer and the soft layer is maintained, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process utilizes phase transition of the soft layer material from solid to liquid (melting) and back to solid (cooling). The soft layer is heated to melt it, allowing easy injection and embedding around the protrusions, then cooled to solidify and lock the protrusions in place. This phase transition approach simplifies the manufacturing of the complex nested structure with protrusions.
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 solution enhances the walking capacity and safety of the surface cleaning robot, improves cleaning efficiency and service life, and reduces production costs by creating a robust and durable track that maintains effective adhesion and resistance to wear.
Implementation Method 1
step 100: heating the soft layer to melt it into a liquid state
Implementation Method 2
step 200: evenly injecting the liquid-state soft layer into a mold filled with the hard layer
Implementation Method 3
step 300: cooling the hard layer and the soft layer so that they are nested and combined with each other
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a surface cleaning robot and a process for manufacturing a track thereof. The surface cleaning robot includes a body, where a walking unit is provided at the bottom of the body, the walking unit includes a track and a gear driving the track, the track includes a hard layer in the inner ring engaging with the gear and a soft layer in the outer ring contacting a cleaning surface, and the hard layer and the soft layer are nested and combined as a whole. The present disclosure adopts a composite track that closely nests and combines inner and outer rings of different materials.