Cleaning Cart Layout With Gutter Capture for Narrow Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cleaning carts are difficult to use, noisy when moved, challenging to navigate through narrow openings, and prone to leaking dirt and debris onto clean surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A cleaning cart design featuring a base with sloping sides and a gutter system to capture debris, modular tool holders to minimize noise, and adjustable configurations to ensure the widest part remains within the base footprint, allowing easy passage through narrow spaces and preventing leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If tools are stored on the cart, then cleaning supplies are readily accessible, but dirt and debris can leak or drop onto clean surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAccessibility of cleaning toolsVSAvoidDebris leakage onto clean surfaces
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A gutter system acts as an intermediary between the tool storage area and the floor, capturing debris and preventing it from reaching clean surfaces. The gutter collects falling particles and channels them away from the floor area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the cart width is increased to accommodate more tools, then storage capacity improves, but the cart becomes difficult to move through narrow openings

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveStorage capacity for toolsVSAvoidPassage through narrow openings
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cart employs modular tool holders that can be selectively attached and removed from the base. This allows the storage capacity to be adjusted locally according to specific needs, rather than requiring a permanently wider structure. Tools are held in separate modular units that attach to the base when needed and can be removed when passage through narrow openings is required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional wheel and base design is used, then manufacturing is simple, but the cart produces noise when moving

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSimplicity of base and wheel constructionVSAvoidNoise during movement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A dust pan holder is introduced as an intermediary component that stabilizes the dust pan during transport. This prevents the dust pan from rattling or contacting other cart components, thereby reducing noise generation while maintaining the simple base and wheel design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3013206B1Cleaning cart
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 UNGER MARKETING INTERNATIONAL LLC
  • EP3013206B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3013206B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3013206B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cleaning cart is provided that includes a base, a plurality of wheels and a storage region depending from the base, and a bucket restraining device. The base has a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front wall, the base having at least one portion configured to receive a bucket thereon. The bucket restraining device has a lateral restraining wall and a rear restraining wall that cooperate to define a first restraining region and a second restraining region. The first restraining region is defined by the first side wall, the front wall, the lateral restraining wall, and a portion of the rear restraining wall. The second restraining region is defined by the second side wall, the front wall, the lateral restraining wall, and a different portion of rear restraining wall.