Cleaner Nozzle Assembly with Dynamic Cloth Contact Area Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cleaners face challenges in improving mobility and cleaning efficiency on floors, particularly when sucking dust and using mops, as they do not effectively manage friction and air suction.

Innovation Solution

A cleaner design featuring a nozzle assembly with rotatable wheels and an auxiliary cleaning unit that adjusts the contact area between the cloth and the floor using an elastic member, allowing for minimized friction during suction and increased contact area for effective cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the cloth contacts the floor continuously for cleaning, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but friction increases and mobility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidmobility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic adjustment mechanism where the shaft of the rear wheel can move vertically within a guide groove. This allows the cloth contact area with the floor to be dynamically adjusted: when the shaft moves down, the cloth contacts more of the floor for better cleaning; when the shaft moves up, the cloth lifts for reduced friction and easier mobility. The elastic member provides the restoring force for this dynamic adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the contact area between cloth and floor is increased for better cleaning, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but friction increases and mobility worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidfriction
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the contact area between the cloth and floor by allowing the rear wheel shaft to move vertically within a guide groove. When cleaning efficiency is needed, the shaft position increases the contact area; when mobility is prioritized, the shaft position reduces the contact area, thereby dynamically balancing cleaning performance against friction forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of contact area by adjusting the vertical position of the rear wheel shaft. This parameter change is achieved through the elastic member that allows the shaft to move up and down within the guide groove, thereby modifying the interaction between the cloth and floor surface to optimize the balance between cleaning effectiveness and friction resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If the shaft is fixed for stable structure, then structural stability is improved, but cleaning efficiency and mobility adaptability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcleaning efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces a fixed shaft structure with a dynamic one, where the shaft can move vertically within a guide groove. This dynamic structure maintains stability through the guide groove constraints and elastic member restoration, while simultaneously enabling adjustment of the cloth contact area to optimize cleaning efficiency for different cleaning conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This design enhances mobility by reducing friction during suction and improves cleaning efficiency by increasing the contact area with the floor, allowing for better stain removal and user convenience.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic member for applying elastic force to the shaft supported by the shaft supporters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a suction port for sucking in air and dust

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir suction: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP3412187B1cleaner
Publication Date: 2020.06.03 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3412187B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3412187B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3412187B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cleaner 1 includes a cleaner body 10 including a main cleaning unit 30 for generating suction force, a nozzle assembly 20 rotatably connected to the cleaner body 10 and including a suction port 212 for sucking in air and dust, and an auxiliary cleaning unit 40 connected to the nozzle assembly 20 and including a cloth supporter 41 to which a cloth 50 is attached. The nozzle assembly 20 includes a front wheel 214 and a rear wheel 23 spaced apart from the front wheel 214, and a shaft 232 of the rear wheel 23 is relatively movably connected to the nozzle assembly 20 to change a contact area between the cloth 50 and a floor F.