Angled Endless Belt Cleaner for Edge and Corner Dirt Pickup

The patent applies the merging principle by integrating multiple functions into a unified endless belt system. The single belt simultaneously performs wiping, dirt collection, and dirt transport functions that would traditionally require separate mechanisms. The belt is guided through a compact arrangement of rollers that combine drive, guidance, and deflection functions. This consolidation reduces the number of discrete components needed in household-sized devices while maintaining effective cleaning performance.

The endless belt serves multiple functions: it acts as the wiping element that contacts the floor, as the dirt collection medium that picks up particles, and as the dirt transport mechanism that carries debris to the rear of the device. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate wiping pads, collection containers, and transport mechanisms, thereby reducing component count and device complexity while keeping the device compact for household use.

The patent employs a flexible endless belt instead of rigid components, allowing the belt to bend and flex as it passes around various rollers. This flexibility enables the belt to navigate the guiding path created by the rollers without requiring complex rigid linkages or joints. The thin film nature of the belt allows it to conform to the space constraints imposed by the guiding components while maintaining its dirt pickup and transport functions.

The patent utilizes curved paths and rotational elements (rollers) to guide the endless belt. The drive rollers, guide rollers, and deflection rollers all operate by rotating the belt around curved surfaces, enabling smooth transitions and direction changes. This curvature-based guidance system is more space-efficient and mechanically simpler than alternative approaches using angular joints or rigid pivots, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving effective dirt pickup and corner cleaning capability.