Compact Suction Station Layout for Airtight Skirting Board Installation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Centralized suction systems require large containers due to the need for significant power to transport dirt from multiple inlets, making them unsuitable for installation in small spaces like skirting boards of kitchen units, and existing compact solutions lack airtightness and integration with suction networks.

Innovation Solution

A compact suction station with a parallelepiped design, featuring a dismountable housing divided into two compartments for a extractable dust container drawer and a motor/air extraction system, ensuring airtightness with toric seals and a reinforced structure, allowing connection to multiple inlets and installation in small compartments like skirting boards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If large containers are used to provide sufficient power for transporting dirt from multiple inlets, then the suction power and functionality are maintained, but the device size becomes too large for installation in small spaces like skirting boards

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuction powerVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The suction station is divided into two separate compartments: a dust collection container and a motor/air extraction system. This segmentation allows the motor to be positioned optimally for power generation while the container can be compact, as they no longer need to be co-located in a single large space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes vertical space by installing the suction station in the skirting board area, transitioning from horizontal floor space occupation to vertical wall-space utilization. This dimensional change enables compact installation without sacrificing suction capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If the suction station is made compact for small space installation, then the device size is reduced, but airtightness and structural reinforcement become compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidairtightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Toric seals are used at critical connection points (drawer-front housing interface and drawer-bottom housing interface) to ensure airtightness in the compact design. These flexible sealing elements compensate for minor dimensional variations and maintain reliability despite the reduced overall size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of operation

If the dust container drawer is made extractable for easy removal, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural integrity and airtightness may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrawer extractionVSAvoidairtightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Toric seals are positioned at the drawer-front housing interface and drawer-bottom housing interface to maintain airtightness even when the drawer is partially extracted. The flexible nature of these seals allows for smooth extraction while preventing air leakage during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The drawer is designed with localized reinforcement at critical structural points (front and bottom interfaces with housing) to maintain overall structural integrity and airtightness while allowing easy extraction. The reinforcement is concentrated where needed rather than uniformly distributed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3391795B1Compact suction station
Publication Date: 2020.06.24 SISTEMAS DE ASPIRACION CENTIZADA DEL HOGAR
  • EP3391795B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3391795B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3391795B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a compact suction station, the structure of which allows it to be arranged in small compartments, such as the skirting board area of kitchen units, said station being protected by a dismountable outer casing in which, in the front part of the assembly, there is an extractable part corresponding to the container drawer, and in which, in the rear part, there is a suction intake for the dirty air from the pipes and the plurality of inlets, and the clean air extraction outlet, the interior of the station consisting of two compartments that communicate with each other, one of them being used for the insertion of the extractable drawer with the container bag and the other to house the motor, the extraction channel and various electronic components.