System comprising at least two ground processing devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing soil cultivation systems lack efficient adaptation to varying surface types and conditions, leading to suboptimal performance and potential malfunctions, such as getting stuck or high power consumption, due to the lack of real-time detection and adjustment of parameters like surface type, structure, and device status.

Innovation Solution

A system with multiple soil processing devices that share detection parameters through a common database, allowing each device to adjust settings like suction flow, attachment presence, and motor power based on detected environment and device status, ensuring optimal operation and reducing power consumption and malfunctions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If soil cultivation devices operate with fixed settings, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different surface types and conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to surface typesVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by detecting surface properties (carpet height, material type) and automatically adjusting device parameters (suction power, brush rotation speed, driving speed) based on the detected conditions, enabling adaptation without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The device transitions from fixed settings to dynamic adjustment where operational parameters change in real-time based on detected surface conditions, allowing the same device to optimize performance across different surface types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If detection and adjustment mechanisms are added, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to surface conditionsVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs self-diagnosis and self-adjustment by using its own detection devices to monitor surface conditions and automatically modifying its operational parameters without external control, reducing the need for complex external control systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If real-time parameter adjustment is implemented, then performance optimizes, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes operational parameters (suction power, brush speed, driving speed) based on detected surface conditions to optimize performance while managing energy consumption, adjusting power levels to match actual cleaning needs rather than operating at maximum capacity continuously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If devices operate without parameter adaptation, then device complexity is low, but reliability deteriorates due to malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of surface conditions before initiating cleaning operations and pre-adjusts operational parameters to match the detected conditions, preventing malfunctions such as getting stuck on high-pile carpets or excessive power consumption on hard floors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 system enables efficient and successful operation by allowing devices to adapt to different surfaces and conditions, reducing power consumption and preventing malfunctions, through the sharing and processing of detection parameters across devices, leading to improved dirt absorption and mobility.

Implementation Method 1

a suction flow of a motor-fan unit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP3416018B1System comprising at least two ground processing devices
Publication Date: 2022.01.19 VORWERK & CO INTERHOLDING GMBH
  • EP3416018B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3416018B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a system with at least two soil cultivation devices (1, 2) for the automatically controlled cultivation of an area using defined setting parameters (12) of the soil cultivation device (1, 2), each of the soil cultivation devices (1, 2) having at least one detection device (3, 4) for detecting at least one detection parameter (11) of the soil cultivation device (1, 2) and/or an area surrounding the soil cultivation device (1, 2). In order to further develop such a system in such a way that the soil cultivation devices (1, 2) work together advantageously and support one another, it is proposed that the system have a database (5) which is jointly assigned to the soil cultivation devices (1, 2) and in which the setting parameters (12) associated detection parameters (11) of at least two soil cultivation devices (1, 2) are stored for the respective soil cultivation device (1, 2).