Cable-Actuated Squeegee Lift for Lateral Swing and Turn Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning machines with vacuum squeegees face issues such as damage from reverse travel and obstacles, limited movement during turns, and inefficiencies in fluid and particulate collection, especially when making tight turns.
Innovation Solution
A cable-actuated lift device that allows the vacuum squeegee to be raised, lowered, and swung out to the sides, using a system with a linear actuator, rotatable linkage, and pivoting pulleys to accommodate turns and maintain contact with the surface while minimizing space and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the vacuum squeegee is fixed in position or simply raised and lowered, then the structure is simple, but the squeegee misses collecting spent fluid and particulate matter when making tight turns
Solution Approach 1:
The squeegee assembly is made dynamically movable relative to the cleaning machine body through a linkage mechanism with pivot points. The squeegee can swing laterally and adjust its position dynamically during turns to maintain contact with the surface and collect spent fluid, transforming a static or vertically-only movable structure into a multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic system that adapts to turning motions
Solution Approach 2:
The squeegee positioning mechanism adds lateral movement capability in addition to vertical raising and lowering. By introducing movement in a second dimension (lateral/swinging motion) beyond the traditional single vertical dimension, the squeegee can follow the arc of turns and maintain surface contact during tight turns, improving cleaning efficiency without excessive complexity
2Ease of operation
If the vacuum squeegee is located underneath the cleaning machine, then the structure is compact, but the raising and lifting capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting mechanism is segmented into multiple independent components: a lift device with a first link connected to the body, a second link connected to the squeegee assembly, and pivot points that allow independent motion. This segmentation enables the squeegee to be raised and lowered effectively while accommodating lateral movement during turns, providing full lifting capability without requiring a monolithic space-consuming mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
A linkage mechanism with intermediate links and pivot points is introduced between the lift device and the squeegee assembly. This intermediary linkage system translates the lifting motion into effective vertical movement of the squeegee while allowing lateral swinging during turns, achieving full lifting capability with reduced space requirements compared to direct connection mechanisms
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning machine travels in reverse, then the machine can reposition, but the vacuum squeegee may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The squeegee assembly is connected through a linkage mechanism with pivot points that allow it to move dynamically in response to machine motion. When the machine travels in reverse or encounters obstacles, the squeegee can swing laterally and adjust its position rather than remaining rigidly fixed, reducing the risk of damage from reverse travel or obstacle contact
Solution Approach 2:
The lift device can raise the squeegee assembly in advance before reverse travel or obstacle contact occurs. By preliminarily positioning the squeegee in a raised or retracted state before potentially damaging conditions arise, the system prevents damage without requiring complex real-time sensing or reaction mechanisms
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
Enables efficient collection of spent fluid and particulate matter during turns and avoids obstacles by allowing the squeegee to move laterally and adjust vertically, reducing damage and improving cleaning efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A cable-actuated lift device is provided in force transmitting communication with a surface cleaning device... the linear actuator is adapted to extend and retract the length of cable by imparting force to the rotatable linkage member and the substantially horizontal pulley
Implementation Method 2
The cable is connected to the linear actuated by way of a rotatable linkage member and a substantially horizontal pulley... the second pulley comprising a transition point between the horizontal direction of the cable and a direction comprising at least a downward component
Data Source
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AI summary
A lift device is provided which allows a surface-contacting feature to articulate. The device raises and lowers a squeegee regardless of its lateral location. An actuator arm is provided on one end of a pivot arm channel such that when the actuator arm fully extends it disengages from the one end of the pivot arm channel. An actuator cable remains in tension such that it may be raised or lowered regardless of whether the surface- contacting feature's lateral position.