Brushroll Cleaning Mechanism With Overload-Protected 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 cleaning members continuously engage the agitator to remove debris, then debris removal effectiveness is improved, but torque overload and motor damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning member is designed with movable engagement capability, allowing it to dynamically adjust between engaged and disengaged states. The system transitions from static continuous contact to dynamic intermittent contact, enabling the cleaning member to engage when debris is present and disengage when torque exceeds thresholds, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and motor protection
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates torque sensing feedback through the motor controller that monitors torque levels during agitator rotation. When torque exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller automatically adjusts the cleaning member engagement state, creating a closed-loop control system that balances cleaning performance with motor protection
2Productivity
If cleaning members are positioned close to the agitator for effective cleaning, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but torque requirements and overload risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning member positioning is made dynamic rather than fixed, allowing automatic adjustment of the engagement distance. The member can move closer to the agitator surface for effective cleaning when torque levels are acceptable, and move away when torque approaches overload thresholds, thus resolving the contradiction between cleaning efficiency and torque requirements
3Device complexity
If manual debris removal is required, then device complexity is reduced, but user safety and convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation where the cleaning member automatically performs debris removal without user intervention. The motor controller and torque sensing system work together to autonomously control the cleaning member engagement and disengagement, eliminating the need for users to manually stop the device and remove debris, thus resolving the contradiction between device complexity and operational convenience
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 enhancing user safety by automating the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
one or more friction surfaces project from the spindle to a second radial height. The activation mechanism is adapted to move the one or more cleaning members between a first position in which the one or more cleaning members do not engage the friction surfaces, and a second position in which the one or more 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.