Torque assisted surface maintenance machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual operation of surface maintenance machines requires significant user exertion, especially on inclined, high-friction, or uneven surfaces, making tasks inefficient and burdensome over time.
Innovation Solution
The surface maintenance machine is equipped with a torque-assisted power operation system that includes motors and controllers to sense motor load and user input, adjusting power delivery to maintain a torque output setting, thereby reducing the force needed to maneuver the machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the surface maintenance machine is manually powered, then the device complexity is reduced, but the user exertion and difficulty of operation increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical manual propulsion system with an electromechanical system. Motors are integrated into the wheel assemblies to provide powered assistance, substituting human mechanical effort with electrical-mechanical actuation. This allows the machine to transition from fully manual to assisted power modes, reducing user exertion while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine incorporates sensors that detect user applied forces and automatically activate motor assistance when needed. The system monitors wheel load, inclination, and operating conditions to self-regulate power delivery, eliminating the need for complex manual control mechanisms while providing adaptive assistance.
2Ease of operation
If the surface maintenance machine is equipped with torque assisted power operation, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The powered assistance system is segmented into independent motor units integrated into individual wheel assemblies. Each wheel can be independently controlled by its own motor, allowing localized torque assistance without requiring a complex centralized power transmission system. This modular approach distributes complexity across separate, manageable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor-integrated wheel assembly serves multiple functions: it provides both the structural wheel function and the powered propulsion function simultaneously. The same mechanical components that form the wheel also transmit motor torque to the ground, eliminating the need for separate drive mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity despite added functionality.
3Power
If motors are integrated into the wheel assemblies, then the power delivery and torque control improve, but the weight of the machine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor, wheel, and drive mechanism are merged into a single integrated wheel assembly. The motor is positioned within the wheel structure, and its output shaft is directly coupled to the wheel rotation. This consolidation eliminates separate drive shafts, gears, and transmission components that would add weight, achieving compact power delivery while minimizing additional mass.
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 system enhances user-friendly operation by reducing the manual force required to move the machine, allowing efficient performance of surface maintenance tasks without the need for complex maneuvering techniques.
Implementation Method 1
a motor integrated into the wheel and configured to apply a motive force to the wheel
Implementation Method 2
sense a parameter indicative of an amount of motor load on the motor
Data Source
AI summary
A surface maintenance machine includes a maintenance head assembly comprising one or more surface maintenance tools for performing a surface maintenance operation. The machine also includes wheels and an operator grab handle permitting the operator to apply a force to urge the machine to change orientation. The machine also includes a first and second motor controlled by a motor controller. The motor controller is configured to sense a parameter indicative of motor load on the first and second motor and control the power delivered to the first and second motor to maintain a torque output setting. Maintaining the torque output setting is in light of motor load on the first and second motor and the force applied to the machine by the operator. The control of power delivered to the motors to maintain the torque assists the force applied by the operator to the machine.