Tilting Pad Assembly for Robot Cleaner Locomotion and Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cleaners face challenges in efficiently navigating and cleaning surfaces due to uniform frictional forces between the cleaning pad and the floor, which can lead to increased load on the driving source and limited maneuverability.
Innovation Solution
The robot cleaner employs a pad assembly with motors that rotate and tilt the pad using wires connected to separate motors, generating non-uniform frictional forces to enable movement in various directions, reducing the load on the driving source and allowing for independent control of each pad assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pad is provided at the bottom surface to contact the floor surface for cleaning, then the robot cleaner can wipe the floor surface, but the frictional force between the pad and floor surface increases the load on the driving source
Solution Approach 1:
The pad assembly is made tiltable and rotatable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment of the pad's orientation and contact area with the floor surface. This enables the robot to optimize frictional forces during movement and cleaning operations, reducing the load on the driving source while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the contact parameters between the pad and floor surface by tilting and rotating the pad assembly. By adjusting the angle and orientation of the pad, the frictional characteristics are modified to reduce resistance during movement while preserving the cleaning function.
2Speed
If the robot cleaner moves using a separate moving means, then it can navigate the cleaning area, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function and movement function are merged into a single integrated system. The pad assembly serves dual purposes: it cleans the floor surface through rotation while simultaneously propelling the robot through tilting and utilizing frictional forces with the floor, eliminating the need for separate moving means.
Solution Approach 2:
The pad assembly is designed as a multi-functional component that performs both cleaning and locomotion. By making the pad tiltable and rotatable, it can generate propulsive force for movement while maintaining its cleaning capability, allowing one component to fulfill multiple functions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the pad assembly is tilted by motors connected through wires, then the robot cleaner can move in various directions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pad assembly is designed with dynamic tilting and rotating capabilities driven by motors, allowing the robot to adapt its orientation and move in various directions. The tilting mechanism enables the pad to angle toward desired movement directions, providing versatile navigation while the rotation capability allows for directional adjustment during cleaning operations.
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
This solution allows the robot cleaner to move efficiently in different directions by optimizing frictional forces, reducing the torque required from the motors, and enabling effective cleaning while minimizing manufacturing costs and size.
Implementation Method 1
the robot cleaner moves in a particular direction by a non-uniform frictional force between a bottom surface of the pad assembly and the floor surface
Implementation Method 2
an elastic body configured to adapt an entire bottom surface of the pad assembly to be in contact with the floor surface
Data Source
AI summary
A robot cleaner includes a plurality of motors each of which transmits a driving force, a pad assembly which is connected to one of the plurality of motors to receive a rotational force from the motor, to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and thus to clean a floor surface, and a wire which is connected to the pad assembly and another one of the plurality of motors so that the pad assembly is tilted by the driving force of the motor, wherein the robot cleaner moves in a particular direction by a non-uniform frictional force between a bottom surface of the pad assembly and the floor surface. The robot cleaner uses wires to tilt the pad assembly and, thus, it is possible to miniaturize the robot cleaner.