Brushroll Cleaning Member Design for Automatic Debris Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotating agitators in cleaning devices, such as vacuum cleaners and sweepers, accumulate debris like hair, strings, and carpet fibers, which reduces their performance by covering agitation bristles, impeding rotation, and causing imbalance, leading to sound and vibrations, and is difficult to remove manually.
Innovation Solution
An agitator design with friction surfaces and a movable cleaning member, like a blade, that engages with the friction surfaces to cut and remove debris from the agitator, allowing for efficient debris removal without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual debris removal is used, then device complexity is low, but productivity is reduced due to frequent manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator cleans itself through the integrated friction surface and cleaning member mechanism. As the agitator rotates, the cleaning member engages with the friction surface to automatically remove debris without requiring manual intervention, making the system self-maintaining during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning function is merged with the agitator structure itself. The friction surface is integrated into the agitator body, and the cleaning member is positioned to work in conjunction with the rotating agitator, combining the agitation and cleaning functions into a single integrated system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If debris accumulates on the agitator, then device complexity remains low, but harmful factors increase due to noise and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning member continuously removes debris before it can accumulate to problematic levels. By maintaining constant contact between the cleaning member and the rotating agitator, debris is prevented from building up on the bristles and friction surfaces, eliminating the source of noise and vibrations before they occur.
3Reliability
If a cleaning member is added to the agitator, then reliability improves through automated cleaning, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is localized to specific areas of the agitator where debris accumulation is most problematic. The friction surface is positioned at the periphery where bristles contact the surface, and the cleaning member is strategically placed to engage with this specific region, providing targeted cleaning where it is most needed.
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
The solution effectively loosens and removes debris from the agitator, maintaining its performance, reducing noise and vibrations, and ensuring safe operation by preventing debris accumulation, which enhances the overall cleaning efficiency and user safety.
Implementation Method 1
one or more friction surfaces project from the spindle to a second radial height. The cleaning members are adapted to move between a first position in which the cleaning members do not engage the friction surfaces, and a second position in which the cleaning members engage the friction surfaces to clean debris from the agitator
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device agitator system having an agitator and one or more cleaning members. The agitator has first and second ends, a longitudinal axis and one or more agitating devices. One or more friction surfaces may project from the spindle. The cleaning members are adjacent the agitator and adapted to move between a first position and a second position. In at least the second position, the cleaning members engage the agitator, such as by engaging the friction surfaces, to remove debris. Agitator and cleaning members may be incorporated into a cleaning head having an inlet nozzle and a chamber in which the agitator rotates, and there may be an activation mechanism using, for example, a resilient member to move the cleaning members. An overload protection device may be provided, and may adjust its sensitivity depending on whether the cleaning devices are in the first or second position.