Add-on component for a floor cleaning device and floor cleaning device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floor cleaning devices with suction nozzles and motor-driven brushes struggle to effectively clean vertical edge surfaces, such as skirting boards, and require complex attachment and detachment processes for additional cleaning components, often limiting suction function and increasing user effort.

Innovation Solution

An additional component with a support body and frame that allows the suction nozzle to be easily placed on top, featuring abutment edges for movement and side guides to prevent slipping, enabling effective cleaning of both floor and vertical surfaces without the need for complex locking mechanisms, and incorporating a drying or cleaning covering for enhanced functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional components are attached to the suction nozzle to clean vertical edge surfaces, then cleaning coverage is improved, but device complexity and attachment complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning coverageVSAvoidattachment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The additional component is divided into a support body and a frame with cleaning elements, allowing the cleaning function to be segmented from the main suction nozzle while maintaining independent operation and attachment capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The additional component serves multiple functions: it provides edge cleaning capability for vertical surfaces, maintains brush contact with the floor through abutment edges, and can be easily attached and removed from the suction nozzle, making the system versatile for different cleaning scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If locking mechanisms are used to secure the additional component to the suction nozzle, then connection stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidattachment and detachment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using complex locking mechanisms that require manual manipulation, the patent inverts the approach by using simple abutment edges and side guides that rely on the natural insertion motion and gravity, allowing the component to be secured by simply placing it on the suction nozzle without any locking actions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The additional component self-secures to the suction nozzle through its geometric design with abutment edges and side guides, eliminating the need for user intervention in locking or unlatching mechanisms, and can be easily removed by lifting the suction nozzle off

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If the additional component covers the suction slot, then cleaning functionality is improved, but suction function deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning functionalityVSAvoidsuction function
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The frame design provides cleaning coverage only in specific local areas where edge cleaning is needed, while deliberately leaving the suction slot and brush contact areas open and accessible, ensuring that cleaning functionality is enhanced without compromising suction performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4144273B1Add-on component for a floor cleaning device and floor cleaning device
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 LEIFHEIT
  • EP4144273B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4144273B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP4144273B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

The invention relates to an accessory component for a floor cleaning device with a suction nozzle (3) and a suction opening, wherein the accessory component comprises a support body (8) with a frame (11) having at least one flat cleaning area facing the floor surface to be cleaned, with a drying and/or cleaning surface (9), wherein the support body (8) can be placed on the floor surface to be cleaned in such a way that the floor cleaning device can be placed on the accessory component. Known accessory components are either unsuitable for brush and/or vacuum devices or are complex to assemble.This improves the invention in that the frame (11) has a passage opening through which the suction nozzle, when installed as intended, remains in effective contact with the floor surface to be cleaned despite the presence of the additional component, and which has at least one edge element with at least one drying and/or cleaning coating (9) on each of two opposite sides of the passage opening, wherein the support body (8) has upwardly projecting retaining edges when the frame (11) rests on the floor surface, which are designed such that they engage edges or corners of the suction nozzle (3) as abutment edges, and lateral guides are provided which are able to hold the additional component transversely to its movement on the suction nozzle (3).