Analytical modelling of suction cups used for window-cleaning robots

The author starts this article by noting that suction cup calculations traditionally are computed through the product of the base area and gauge pressure, however this is done when the suction cups are perpendicular to the base. When these computations are used for wall-climbing the results become false because the force will be parallel to the base. In the continuation of the article the introduces an analytical model for suction cups robots in response to air pressure for window cleaning robots. Elastic modelling of the suction cups, experimental methods and results are discussed. The model is created by firstly determining the active surface of the suction cup, secondly the simulation and calculation of the friction between the suction cup and the window glass. The model concludes that ‘the active area of the suction cup would decrease as the air pressure decreases in the suction cup and the suction force should equal the air pressure times the active area of the suction cup rather than the bottom area’