Cleaning Head with Pivoting Deployment Elements for Variable Shape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices lack the ability to easily vary the size and shape of their cleaning heads, limiting their versatility in different cleaning situations such as narrow spaces and under furniture.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with pivotally connected deployment elements and a release mechanism that allows the head to change from a stowed to a deployed position, featuring a foam layer and attachment structures for disposable cleaning sheets, enabling a variable size and shape that adapts to different cleaning needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning head uses a fixed structure, then the device is simple to manufacture, but it cannot adapt to different cleaning areas such as narrow spaces and under furniture
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning head is divided into a base and multiple deployable elements (first and second deployable elements) that can be independently positioned. These elements can be folded or extended to change the overall shape and size of the cleaning head, allowing adaptation to different cleaning areas while maintaining a relatively simple base structure for manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning head incorporates movable deployable elements that can transition between retracted and extended positions. This dynamic structure allows the cleaning head to change its configuration from a compact form for narrow spaces to an expanded form for larger areas, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning head uses multiple folding sections to vary cleaning surface area, then adaptability is improved, but the mechanism becomes more complex with multiple hinges and biasing members
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable elements serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the cleaning head, enable area adjustment through deployment/retraction, and work with the release mechanism for easy configuration changes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall structure compared to multiple independent folding sections
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing members automatically maintain the deployable elements in their deployed position without requiring continuous manual adjustment. The spring-loaded biasing mechanism provides self-sustaining force to keep the cleaning head in the desired configuration, reducing the complexity of control mechanisms while maintaining variable area capability
3Ease of operation
If the deployable elements are held in stowed position without a release mechanism, then the structure is simpler, but it is difficult to deploy the elements for use
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism acts as an intermediary component that mediates between the user's manual input and the deployable elements. By providing a centralized release mechanism that simultaneously controls multiple deployable elements, the system simplifies the deployment operation while managing the complexity through a coordinated control system rather than individual controls for each element
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 device provides a versatile cleaning surface that can be easily adjusted to fit various cleaning areas, enhancing cleaning performance and usability in diverse environments.
Implementation Method 1
The first biasing device engages the base and the first deployment element, and the first biasing device biases the first deployment element towards the first deployed position
Implementation Method 2
The first deployment element is pivotally connected to the first side of the base and is pivotable from a first stowed position to a first deployed position
Data Source
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AI summary
A cleaning device includes a base having a first side and a second side. A first deployment element pivotally connects to the first side of the base and is pivotable from a stowed position to a deployed position. A second deployment element pivotally connects to the second side of the base and is pivotable from the stowed position to the deployed position. In the stowed position the base, the first deployment element, and the second deployment element define a substantially rectangular perimeter. In the deployed position, the base, the first deployment element, and the second deployment element define a substantially trapezoidal perimeter.